BTO kitchen controversy: HDB responds

“This is a four-room flat. How come the kitchen is so pathetic?”

He adds that three-room and two-room flats in the area are likely to face similar space constraints, urging architects and designers to be “very cautious” when planning the layout.

Ng describes the kitchen as “unusable” for those who intend to cook regularly.

“This kitchen ranks as one of the worst kitchens I’ve seen. It’s horrible,” he said.

Can extend kitchen, but floors could be uneven

Ng acknowledges that residents could extend the kitchen into the adjacent space, but they would have to bear the renovation costs themselves.

He adds that doing so would require hacking the floor, which could result in uneven flooring between the two areas. Residents who want to install a sliding door would also need to add a beam structure to support the door’s track.

Ng concludes by expressing hope that HDB will respond to the concerns raised and provide homeowners with some answers.

Stomp has reached out to Ng for more details, but he declined to comment.

‘Appreciate your courage’: Netizens

Ng’s video drew widespread attention, with many netizens agreeing with his criticisms and praising him for highlighting the issue.

“Appreciate your courage,” a user said, while others thanked him for speaking up.

Some commenters compared the newer kitchen designs to those found in condominiums, while another lamented: “Houses in Singapore are going to get smaller and smaller.”

Others poked fun at the layout, with one saying the space looked “more like a toilet” than a kitchen.

Meanwhile, some netizens pointed out that the design was intended to follow a “dry-wet kitchen” concept.

‘Small’ kitchen in video is the wet kitchen: HDB

HDB responded to Ng’s criticisms in an Oct 14 Facebook post, explaining the “open-concept” design.

Attaching a photo of the Garden Waterfront unit’s floorplan, HDB said the “small” kitchen referred to in the video is the wet kitchen.

“While the wet kitchen is compact, the adjoining dry kitchen provides additional space for countertops, storage and appliances,” it wrote.

HDB said the combined area measures about 10 sq m, which is “roughly the size of a standard kitchen” in newer HDB flats that also have a service yard and a common bedroom.

It added that since 2018, the open-concept has been the “standard design” for new BTO flats where the layout permits.

“This is popular with many of our HDB flat buyers, as the layout meets their evolving lifestyle needs and provides home owners with greater flexibility in how they use their living spaces,” the statutory board wrote.

Flats at the Tengah project also feature beam-free living spaces, giving homeowners more flexibility to customise their layouts.

Those who cook frequently can allocate more space to a larger kitchen, while others may choose to create a bigger dining or living area.

To help flat buyers make informed decisions, HDB provides floor plans with layout ideas before flat selection, allowing them to consider how the design suits their household needs and preferences.

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