Bottom line up front: painting a 3-room or 4-room HDB flat usually takes 1 to 2 days, and a 5-room flat 2 to 3 days. Most flats need two coats. A proper repaint includes surface preparation, filling of small cracks and nail holes, floor and furniture protection, and a clean-up afterwards. If you are also renovating, paint first, then regrout or resilicon, then book the post-renovation clean. That order saves you paying for the same clean twice.
TL;DR
- Timing: 3-room and 4-room HDB flats take 1 to 2 days; 5-room flats take 2 to 3 days.
- Coats: two coats for most walls, more when going from a dark colour to a light one.
- Prep is part of the job: hairline cracks and nail holes filled, floors and furniture covered, primer where the wall needs it.
- Not part of a repaint: water seepage, structural cracks and major plaster repair need separate rectification first.
- Order of works: paint, then regrouting and resilicon, then post-renovation cleaning.
What an HDB painting job includes
A repaint is mostly preparation. The paint itself goes on quickly; the finish depends on what happens before the roller touches the wall. A complete HDB painting job covers:
- Surface preparation of the walls to be painted
- Protection of floors, furniture, fixtures and built-in carpentry with covering sheets
- Filling of minor nail holes, small dents and hairline cracks
- Primer where the wall needs it, for example over stains or a large colour change
- Two coats of paint as standard
- Basic touch-ups once the coats are dry
- Site clean-up after completion
Our painting crew masks edges and seals them properly, so you do not end up with drips on the skirting or a paint line on the ceiling. The full scope for touch-ups, feature walls and full-unit repaints is on our painting services page.
How long HDB painting takes
The table below is our general guide for an empty or lightly furnished flat. Your quote will state the timing for your unit specifically.
| Property type | Typical painting time |
|---|---|
| 3-room HDB | 1 to 2 days |
| 4-room HDB | 1 to 2 days |
| 5-room HDB | 2 to 3 days |
| Condominium | 1 to 3 days |
| Landed property | Site assessment first |
Three things push a job to the longer end: a lot of wall repair before painting, a dark-to-light colour change that needs extra coats, and painting an occupied flat where furniture has to be shifted and covered room by room.
Two coats, and when you need more
Two coats give even coverage and consistent colour on most HDB walls. One coat usually shows patches, especially under Singapore daylight through a window.
You will need extra coats, or a primer first, when:
- you are covering a dark colour with a lighter shade
- the wall has stains that bleed through a single coat
- the wall surface is uneven from old patch repairs
We check the wall condition before quoting and tell you the coat count in writing, so it is not a surprise on the day.
Choosing paint for an HDB flat
We work with Nippon Paint and Dulux, the two brands most HDB owners already know. Within those ranges, the choice comes down to what the room needs:
- Washable paint for corridors, children's rooms and any wall that gets touched a lot.
- Mould-resistant paint for bathrooms, the kitchen and walls that face the service yard.
- Low-VOC or low-odour paint if you want to move back in quickly, or have young children, elderly family or pets at home.
- Anti-bacterial paint, another option our team can recommend depending on the room.
Low-VOC paint gives off less odour and supports better indoor air after the job. If you have also done new carpentry, the paint is only one source of VOCs; our guide on formaldehyde after renovation explains the rest. We can also help with colour selection based on your lighting, room size and existing furniture.
What a repaint does not fix
Paint covers a wall. It does not repair one. These need to be sorted out before painting, as separate rectification work:
- Water seepage. Paint over a damp wall will bubble and peel.
- Mould. Painting over mould is not recommended. Treat it and fix the moisture source first, or it comes back through the new coat.
- Structural cracks and major plaster damage. These are repair jobs, not paint prep.
Paint that peels or bubbles within months is almost always one of three causes: moisture behind the wall, poor surface preparation, or paint applied over a dirty surface. With proper preparation, interior paint typically lasts 5 to 10 years, depending on humidity, sunlight and daily wear.
The right order: paint, regrout, then clean
If the repaint is part of a renovation or a move-in, sequence matters more than any single trade.
- Painting first. Sanding, filling and painting all create dust and the occasional splash.
- Tile regrouting and resilicon next. Old grout removal is dusty, and new silicone needs to cure before the area is cleaned.
- Post-renovation cleaning last. One clean, once, when every trade has left.
Book the clean before painting and you will pay for it twice. Our post-renovation cleaning removes renovation dust and fine particles. It does not remove paint stains, cement residue or silicone offcuts, which is another reason the painting crew's own clean-up should be done properly before the cleaning crew arrives. Because OCD handles painting, regrouting, resilicon and cleaning as one BCA-licensed contractor, we can schedule all four in the right order under one fixed quote. See renovation works for the other trades, and our post-renovation cleaning checklist for what the final clean covers.
Painting an occupied flat
You do not have to move out to repaint. If you are living in the flat:
- Move small and valuable items out of the rooms being painted before the crew arrives.
- Large furniture stays; our crew shifts it away from the walls and covers it.
- Expect the job to take longer than the empty-flat timings above, because rooms are done in turn.
- Ventilate after painting. With low-odour or low-VOC paint, most households are comfortable using the room once the paint is dry and the room has aired.
How to get an accurate price for your HDB flat
Painting prices move with flat size, the number of rooms, wall condition, paint choice and coat count. The fastest way to an accurate figure is to send:
- your flat type (3-room, 4-room, 5-room or executive) and the rooms to be painted
- photos of the walls, especially any cracks, stains or mould
- whether the flat is empty or occupied
- your paint preference, if you have one
We send back a fixed price with the full scope in writing, equipment and covering materials included, and nothing added on the day.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to paint an HDB flat?
As a general guide, a 3-room or 4-room HDB flat takes 1 to 2 days and a 5-room flat takes 2 to 3 days. Extensive wall repairs or a large colour change can add time. Painting an empty flat is faster than painting around furniture.
How many coats of paint does an HDB flat need?
Most HDB repaints need two coats for even coverage and colour consistency. More coats may be needed when you paint a light colour over a dark one, cover stained walls, or even out uneven wall conditions.
Should I paint my HDB flat before or after moving in?
Before, if you can. An empty flat gives the painters clear access to walls and ceilings, which means better coverage, faster completion and no risk of paint splashes on your furniture.
Can you paint over mould on HDB walls?
No. Painting directly over mould is not recommended because it tends to come back through the new paint. The mould needs to be treated and the source of moisture fixed before the wall is repainted.
What paint do you use for HDB flats?
OCD works with Nippon Paint and Dulux. The right paint depends on the room: washable paint for high-traffic walls, mould-resistant paint for damp areas, and low-VOC or low-odour paint if you want to move in sooner or have young children at home.
Should painting come before or after post-renovation cleaning?
Painting comes first. Paint work, then any tile regrouting or resiliconing, then the post-renovation clean. Cleaning before painting means the crew cleans twice, because painting and sanding put dust back on every surface.
Get your fixed price
Tell us the job and the size. We send a fixed price with the full scope in writing. Equipment and chemicals included, nothing added on the day.