After you save almost $250k buying a home, you are probably thinking about spending it on home renovation. Home renovation can be a huge expense but smart money saving home renovation ideas can save tens of thousands of dollars over the life of your new place. These savings will more than cover the cost to include them when you renovate.
In this article, we look at these simple additions to the typical Singapore home that will pay for themselves over the long run by reducing your bills from Day 1.
Money saving home renovation
Recurring expenses like electricity and water charges can put a dent in your budget without you even realising.
This table shows the average electricity consumption and charges per month for the various types of homes in Singapore. If you live in a 3-room HDB flat or larger, you are likely spending over S$1,000 annually on electricity alone.
According to the PUB, even the smallest homes in Singapore spend an average of at least S$360 annually on water, with the figure rising to almost S$700 for the biggest homes.
With numbers like these, it makes sense to invest in money saving home renovation. The table below is a breakdown of how you can save. When it comes to appliances, make sure you don’t miss out on your S$400 climate voucher.
| # | Upgrade | Renovation Action / Explanation | Rough Cost (SGD) | Payback Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Save money on electricity | ||||
| 1 | LED Lighting | Installing LED downlights, strips, and recessed fixtures during renovation makes lighting more efficient from the start. LEDs use up to 80% less electricity and emit less heat, reducing AC load. Longer lifespan also saves replacement costs. In Singapore’s humid climate, this upgrade pays off quickly and improves home ambience while lowering bills. | $500–$1,500 (bulk install) | <1 year |
| 2 | Automated Lighting Control | Install motion sensors, dimmers, and lighting zones during renovation to reduce wasted electricity in kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways. Wired automation is more reliable than plug-in systems. Timed and dimmable settings reduce consumption while blending seamlessly with home design. | $50–$300 per zone | 1–2 years |
| 3 | High-Efficiency Air-Conditioning | Replace older AC units with 5-tick inverter models that adjust compressor speed efficiently. Renovation allows proper ducting and placement for improved airflow. Although more expensive upfront, these units significantly lower power bills and reduce breakdowns, paying off in a few years. | $500–$2,000 extra per unit | 3–5 years |
| Save money by temperature regulation | ||||
| 4 | Insulated Walls & Ceilings | Adding insulation during renovation reduces heat penetration through walls and ceilings, making AC more efficient. Insulated plasterboard or panels on sun-facing walls or top floors improve comfort and lower energy use. Moderate installation costs are offset by long-term energy savings. | $2,000–$5,000 | 4–6 years |
| 5 | Heat-Reflective Windows & Curtains | Apply reflective films, double glazing, or built-in blinds to reduce solar gain. This directly reduces AC runtime and improves comfort. Materials and coverage affect cost, but energy savings make this a highly effective upgrade. | $200–$3,000 | 2–4 years |
| 6 | Natural Ventilation Enhancements | Reposition windows, add ventilated louvres, or redesign layouts for cross-flow airflow. Effective ventilation lowers indoor humidity and reduces AC dependency. Structural adjustments are easier during renovation. | $200–$1,000 | 3–5 years |
| 7 | Appliance-Friendly Layout | Plan proper ventilation for refrigerators, ovens, and washers to prevent overheating. Ensure AC filters and water heaters are easily accessible for maintenance. Low additional cost yields substantial savings from efficiency and reduced replacements. | Minimal cost | Immediate |
| 8 | Smart Home Energy Monitoring System | Install wired energy monitoring to track appliance usage across circuits. Helps identify wasteful devices and encourages behaviour changes. Easier to implement during rewiring in renovation. | $300–$1,000 | Immediate |
| Save money on water | ||||
| 9 | Water-Saving Plumbing Fixtures | Replace taps, showerheads, and toilets with WELS-rated fixtures. Reduces both water and water-heating costs. Rebates from PUB may offset part of the installation. Frequent use ensures rapid payback. | $20–$60 per fixture; ~$1,000 for whole house | <1 year |
| 10 | Smart Water Meter Integration | Integrate smart water meters into plumbing to monitor consumption and detect leaks. Reduces waste and avoids high bills. Wiring during renovation simplifies installation. | ~$200–$500 | Immediate |
| 11 | Water & Energy-Efficient Behavioural Support | Renovation layouts can encourage sustainable habits: outdoor drying racks, efficient laundry areas, and smart placement of switches or sockets. Little cost, immediate savings. | $0–$500 | Immediate |
| 12 | Energy-Efficient Water Heaters | Upgrade to storage or instant heaters with better insulation or on-demand heating. Reduces standby energy losses. Plumbing access during renovation makes installation easier. | $1,000–$3,000 | 1–2 years |
| Money-saving home renovation for landed properties | ||||
| 13 | Solar Panels | Install PV panels during renovation to offset daytime electricity, especially peak AC usage. Installation cost $15,000–$40,000, with lifespan 25–30 years. Can also sell excess energy to the grid. | $15,000–$40,000 | ~7 years |
| 14 | Rainwater Harvesting System | Renovate with gutters, tanks, and pumps to collect rainwater for irrigation and cleaning. Reduces water bills for gardens and outdoor use. Setup cost includes tank and plumbing, plus permits. | $500–$2,000 | 3–5 years |
| 15 | Thermal-Reflective Roof Coating | Apply reflective coatings on roof during renovation to reduce heat transfer indoors. Improves AC efficiency and protects roofing from UV damage. Moderate cost, immediate comfort benefits. | $1,000–$3,000 | 3–5 years |
Money saving home renovation for HDB and landed properties
Save money on electricity
1. LED Lighting
Installing LED downlights, strips, and recessed fixtures during renovation makes lighting more efficient from the start. LEDs consume up to 80% less electricity compared to incandescent bulbs and emit less heat, which means savings in both illumination and cooling. LED lights last much longer as well, so you save on replacement as well as maintenance. In Singapore’s humid climate, where lights run daily for long hours, this upgrade pays off quickly. Integrated LED lighting also enhances ambience while keeping energy bills low, contributing to a fast ROI.
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2. Automated lighting control
Install motion sensors, dimmers and lighting zones during renovation helps reduce wasted electricity in common spaces like kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways. Unlike plug-in systems, wired automation blends seamlessly with the home’s design and offers more reliable performance. Timed systems can ensure lights go off automatically when no one is around, while dimmers reduce brightness to suit different times of day. These systems are especially useful in larger homes where forgotten lights are common. Payback comes from lower power bills and convenience.
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3. High-efficiency air-conditioning
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Air-conditioning accounts for nearly half of a typical Singapore household’s electricity use. When renovating, replace older units with 5-tick inverter models that adjust compressor speed for greater efficiency. Planning the ducting and placement during renovation also improves airflow and reduces strain on the system. Although these units cost more upfront, the savings from reduced power bills and fewer breakdowns add up quickly. With Singapore’s long cooling seasons, the investment typically pays off within three to five years.
You can find our guide to choosing the best air con for your home here.
Save money by temperature regulation
4. Insulated Walls & Ceilings
Adding insulation during renovations can drastically improve comfort and reduce cooling costs. Most Singapore homes aren’t designed with thick insulation, meaning heat penetrates easily through walls and ceilings. By incorporating insulated plasterboard or panels, especially on sun-facing walls or top floors, you reduce heat gain and make air-conditioning more efficient. While rarely considered in Singapore renovations, it’s a powerful hidden upgrade with long-term benefits. Though installation costs are moderate, the payoff is seen in reduced energy use and increased comfort.
5. Heat-reflective windows & curtains
Renovating windows with reflective film, double glazing or by adding built-in blinds and shading is highly effective against Singapore’s year-round heat. By reducing the amount of heat entering your home, they directly cut down on how long and how often you use your aircon. Window treatments can be customised during renovation to match the home’s style, from tinted films to built-in blackout roller blinds. While upfront costs vary depending on coverage and material, energy savings and improved comfort make this one of the smartest upgrades.
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6. Natural ventilation enhancements
In Singapore, cross-ventilation is a powerful way to reduce reliance on air conditioning or even a fan. Renovations provide the chance to reposition windows, add ventilated louvres, or design open layouts that encourage airflow. Even the placement of sliding doors and ventilation blocks can make a big difference in how air moves through a space. When designed properly, natural ventilation reduces indoor heat and humidity, which in turn leads to lower cooling costs over time. An upgrade of this nature is best handled during renovation since it involves changes to the structure of your home, which will usually require hacking.
7. Appliance-friendly layoutÂ
Energy savings often come from thoughtful planning during renovation. Creating proper ventilation spaces for refrigerators, ovens, and washers prevents overheating, which keeps them efficient. Designing easy access for aircon filters and water heater servicing also ensures homeowners maintain appliances regularly, extending lifespan and performance. This is a simple upgrade that usually won’t cost anything itself, other than the time you or your interior designer spend on careful planning and layout adjustments.
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8. Smart home energy monitoring system
Renovations are the perfect opportunity to install a wired home energy monitoring system. These systems provide real-time data on which appliances consume the most electricity, allowing homeowners to adjust usage patterns. Unlike standalone plug-in monitors, wired systems can track entire circuits and provide more accurate insights. Installation is easier when rewiring is already underway during a renovation. The system encourages behavioural change and helps identify faulty or wasteful devices, delivering immediate savings and empowering households to be more energy-efficient.
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Save money on water
9. Water-saving plumbing fixtures
Choosing WELS-rated taps, showerheads, and dual-flush toilets during renovation saves both water and energy used for heating water. Singapore’s PUB rebates encourage water-efficient fixtures, reducing upfront costs. With showers and washing being daily necessities, efficient plumbing fixtures quickly lower monthly utility bills. They also contribute to sustainable water management in land-scarce Singapore, where water tariffs are high. Over time, these fixtures significantly reduce household consumption, often paying for themselves in less than a year.
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10. Smart water meter
A renovation gives you the chance to integrate smart water meters into the home’s plumbing system. These devices monitor real-time water consumption and provide alerts for leaks or unusual spikes. In Singapore’s high-rise flats and landed homes alike, undetected leaks can be costly and wasteful. By wiring them in during renovation, installation is simpler and neater. The system promotes mindful water use, especially useful for families with high consumption. Though initial costs are modest, the savings begin immediately.
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11. Water & energy-efficient behaviour
Renovations can encourage greener habits by designing spaces that make it easier to save energy. For example, providing an outdoor or balcony drying rack reduces reliance on energy-hungry dryers. A well-planned laundry area with efficient drainage and layout also saves water. Even the placement of light switches or sockets can influence behaviour — encouraging people to turn off devices. These subtle but effective renovation choices cost little and generate immediate benefits in both water and electricity savings over time.
12. Energy-efficient water heaters
Replacing old heaters with energy-efficient storage or instant water heaters can cut electricity use substantially. Instant heaters only heat water when needed, avoiding standby power waste, while modern storage heaters are better insulated to reduce heat loss. Renovations are the best time to change heaters since plumbing and electrical systems are already being worked on. Given Singapore’s high daily use of hot water, even modest improvements in heater efficiency result in noticeable savings on monthly utility bills within a year.
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Money saving home renovation for Landed Properties
13. Solar Panels
While the HDB has installed solar panels on many apartment block roofs for reduced cost in supplying electricity, individual flat owners can’t quite install their own. Landed property owners, on the other hand, are free to install their own solar panels during renovation, which can result in significant long-term savings. Solar power directly offsets daytime electricity use, which is usually when the aircon use usually peaks.
While solar panel units and their installation costs between S$15,000 and S$40,000, depending on size and capacity, most homeowners recoup this investment within 7 years. The units themselves have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years. Solar panels reduce monthly energy bills by up to 80% and there is also the option of selling excess energy back to the grid for additional income.
There are much smaller and simpler home kits that you can use to power smaller devices and you can buy them here:
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14. Rainwater harvesting system
For landed properties, renovation is the best time to install a rainwater harvesting system. Collected rainwater can be used for watering plants and the lawn, washing vehicles and general outdoor cleaning. If you have a large garden and patio, and have a green thumb, dark and heavy clouds can save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
On the flip side, a rainwater harvesting system involves significant setup costs – a single rainwater tanks costs hundreds of dollars – as well as government permission and inspections. The reward is that during the rainy season, practically all your outdoor water expenditure will be close to S$0. You will likely to have consult a specialist installer for those major installations, but smaller components are available here:
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15. Thermal-Reflective Roof Coating
Renovating a landed property’s roof is the perfect the opportunity to apply thermal-reflective coatings. These materials reflect solar radiation, reducing the amount f heat that enters the home. Use a good brand and the coating will also extend the lifespan of roofing materials by protecting them from UV damage. While the upfront cost is moderate, homeowners quickly notice improved comfort and reduced reliance on air-conditioning. It’s a simple but very effective upgrade that is often overlooked but can deliver long-term cost savings.
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