Removing a Bedroom Wall in Your HDB Flat for Open-Concept Dining

More HDB owners are giving up a third bedroom or a study to get a bigger, brighter dining and living area. Taking down the wall between a bedroom and the living room can turn a tight dining corner into a proper space for a six-seater table and a full sideboard.

Before you plan the furniture, though, you need to know which walls can go, what approval is needed and who has to supervise the work. This guide sums up what HDB's guidelines say. It is general information, so check the latest rules for your own flat with HDB before you start.

Which walls can be removed

HDB's renovation guidelines for building works set out three kinds of wall work, and all of them need a permit:

• Lightweight partition walls: internal walls of hollow block or brick, drywall or Ferrolite can be demolished in part or in full, but only after HDB approves it.

• Non-load-bearing reinforced concrete (RC) elements: partition walls, party walls, stiffeners, lintols or hangers made of RC can be demolished only with HDB's approval and under the supervision of a Professional Engineer (PE) for civil or structural works.

• Openings between two flats: creating an opening in a non-structural wall between two flats also needs HDB's approval.

In every case, HDB says existing RC structures must not be tampered with. Columns, beams, slabs and load-bearing walls stay where they are, whatever the mood board says.

The conditions HDB sets

For lightweight partition walls, the guidelines say:

• Up to the beam only: a block, brick, drywall or Ferrolite wall can be removed only up to the underside of the RC beam or slab above it.

• Top down: demolition of a block or brick wall should start from the top.

• Joint to joint: drywall and Ferrolite walls should be removed in full, from joint to joint.

• Stop if you find steel: if steel bars turn up during demolition, the work must stop and HDB must be told immediately.

For non-load-bearing RC elements, the PE must supervise the demolition and make sure any affected RC structural elements are properly repaired. The PE should also get a copy of the approved plan and HDB's conditions of approval.

Planning the open-concept dining area

• Expect a beam: because removal stops at the underside of the beam, many flats keep a beam line across the new opening. Plan the ceiling and lighting around it, and read our false ceiling and cove lighting guide for the rules on boxing it in.

• Floors meet: the old bedroom floor and the living room floor may not match in height or finish. Our HDB flooring rules guide covers what you can overlay and the 50mm limit.

• Power and switches: the bedroom's old switches and sockets will end up in the dining area. Plan new points with a licensed electrician, and see our HDB electrical works guide.

• Table placement: keep the dining table out of the walkway from the main door to the kitchen and bedrooms. Our HDB dining area guide has layout ideas.

• Not ready to lose the room? A glass partition or sliding screen can open up the space while keeping a flexible room. See our glass partition guide.

• Resale value: think about how a flat with one bedroom fewer will suit future buyers, especially in a 4-room or 5-room flat. Our 5-room and executive resale guide covers what to check before you buy and renovate.

If you are putting a wall back up

HDB's guidelines say a 63mm hollow block wall, an 80mm glass block wall or a gypsum partition can be put up without a permit, subject to conditions. If the new wall creates a room people will live in, it needs enough natural light and ventilation, and the fire escape route from the bedroom door to the main door should be direct and must not pass through another room. Only one layer of 63mm hollow block or 80mm glass block can be erected, an RC lintol should support hollow block over any door or window opening, and screws, nails or bolts in a gypsum partition must stay within 6mm in diameter and 40mm in depth.

Before you hack

• Get the permit through a contractor listed on HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors. Our HDB renovation permit guide explains which works need approval.

• Ask your contractor to confirm what the wall is made of before any work starts, and whether a PE is needed.

• Wet-area and service-yard walls follow their own rules. Read our service yard wall hacking guide if your plan touches the kitchen side.

• Keep a copy of the approved plan and conditions with your renovation documents.

Where Blackwoods Interior stands

• Blackwoods Interior Pte. Ltd. (trading as Blackwoods Interior), UEN 201909521M

• CaseTrust accredited for Renovation Businesses (the standard tier, not Gold), valid through 28 April 2028

• Listed on HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC)

Talk to Blackwoods Interior

Thinking of opening up a bedroom for a bigger dining area? Book a free 30-minute consultation: WhatsApp us at 8754 3212 (Mon-Sat, about 10:00-19:00 SGT) or email Hello@bwi.sg. Visit www.bwi.sg to see more.

Cover image: illustrative concept, not a completed Blackwoods project. This guide is general information based on HDB's renovation guidelines for building works (walls), checked on 4 November 2026. Rules can change, so check the latest requirements for your flat with HDB before you start.