Home cleaners serving Novena.

Homes in Novena and what they mean for home cleaning

Home cleaning in Novena: what the housing mix tells you

Novena has a fairly even mix of homes. The Census 2020 dwelling data counts about 18,300 resident households in the Novena planning area. Of these, 46% live in HDB flats, 42% in condominiums and other apartments, and 12% in landed homes. The 8,370 or so HDB households are mostly in 3-room flats (about 3,340), followed by 4-room flats (about 2,820), 5-room and executive flats (about 1,440) and 1- and 2-room flats (about 770). These are planning area figures. HDB draws its town boundaries differently, and this page does not use separate HDB town figures.

Because 3-room and 4-room flats make up most of the HDB homes here, many regular cleaning jobs in Novena are compact flats with one or two bathrooms, a kitchen and a service yard. For a move-out clean in a flat, check that the quote covers kitchen grease, bathroom scale, window grilles and the inside of cabinets, not just floors and surfaces. For a post-renovation clean, ask how the team removes fine dust from cabinet interiors, window tracks and fan blades. This usually takes more than one pass.

Condos and landed homes need a different plan

Condos and apartments house almost as many households as HDB flats. Cleaning inside your own unit counts as domestic cleaning at a private residence, which does not need an NEA Cleaning Business Licence. Cleaning condo common property is not covered by that exemption, so shared areas are a matter for your MCST and its contractors, not your home cleaner.

Condo owners must follow their MCST by-laws, and changes to common property need the MCST's prior written approval. Before booking a big move-in, move-out or post-renovation clean, check your MCST's rules on contractors working in the building.

Landed homes make up a smaller share, about 2,190 households or 12% in the Census 2020 dwelling data. A multi-storey house with staircases, several bathrooms and outdoor areas is a much bigger deep-cleaning job than a flat. Ask whether the company sends a larger team or books a longer session, and whether outdoor spaces are included.

Questions to ask

• Do you regularly clean my type of home: a 3-room or 4-room HDB flat, a condo unit or a multi-storey landed house?
• For a move-in or move-out clean, what exactly is included, and what costs extra?
• For a post-renovation clean, how many passes do you plan, and what equipment do you use for fine dust?
• Do you bring your own cleaning supplies and equipment, or should I provide them?
• For regular cleaning, will the same cleaners come each visit?
• If I also need condo common property cleaned, do you hold an NEA Cleaning Business Licence, since that work is not covered by the domestic exemption?