Hacking 101: Expensive, but not THAT expensive

These things are important to look out for hacking!

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1. Not everything can be destroyed

Source: Deconstruct

Look at the thick black lines in your floor plan.

Those are structural walls that support the building.

They cannot be hacked.

A clear example above will be your bombshelter.

2. Rarely does it cost > $10k

Many IDs or contractors will exaggerate that hacking costs went up a lot that’s why it is so expensive.

Well, it is expensive, but for a normal HDB or condo, it should not be a 5 figure digit.

The exception are larger houses like landed, or like Executive Maisonettes (EMs), and that is provided you are hacking a lot of items.

Chances are, the ID is trying to front-load their profit, as hacking is the 1st item to be done.

This means that even if you decide to pull out from the renovation, or remove items, a significant chunk of their profit will be secured as hacking has already been done.

3. Make sure these line items appear in your quotation with hacking

These items should be there, so that you don’t face any hidden costs down the line.

• Make good: When you hack walls, you need to plaster it smooth. You can’t really work on a wall that is just a bunch of mess, can you?

• Hacking Permit: HDB or condo, you will need to apply for a permit from the respective authorities in order to begin works

• Haulage: You need to dispose of the debris after hacking. This includes uploading and downloading of the debris from your renovated house

• Disposal to right site: You can’t throw the debris below your house. Legally, it needs to dispose to NEA-designated areas, and you have to pay a fee for the disposal.

Of course, this is not fully comprehensive, but good enough for anyone starting off their renovation journey and wishing to understand more!

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