I Got 5 Quotes for the Same 4-Room HDB Kitchen - The $12K Difference Will Shock You

The first contractor quoted $8,000. The last one wanted $20,000. Same kitchen, same materials list, same bloody timeline.

I nearly signed with the expensive guy because he had the nicest showroom. Thank God my wife insisted we get more quotes. What we discovered about contractor pricing will change how you renovate forever.

The Real Story

My Yishun 4-room kitchen was simple: L-shaped, about 8 square meters, needed new cabinets, countertop, backsplash, and sink. I drew the design myself, specified exact materials (KompacPlus cabinets, quartz countertop, ceramic backsplash), even provided the catalog numbers.

Every contractor got this exact same PDF. No room for "interpretation." The quotes that came back? Might as well have been for different planets.

Contractor A (Facebook find): $8,000. Broke down everything clearly. Labor $3,000, materials $4,500, transport $500. Said can start next week.

Contractor B (Recommended by ID friend): $12,000. Added "coordination fee" of $1,500. Same materials from same supplier. When questioned, said it's for "quality assurance."

Contractor C (Carousell): $9,500. But wanted 70% upfront. Red flag. Later found out he takes multiple projects and delays everything.

Contractor D (Big company, fancy showroom): $20,000. Beautiful presentation folder, 3D renders, coffee and cookies. Breakdown was vague: "Kitchen renovation package."

Contractor E (Uncle from coffeeshop intro): $7,800. Cash only. No receipt. "Trust me lah, I do for your block before."

The difference wasn't quality or materials—everyone quoted the same KompacPlus and same quartz. The difference was overhead, desperation, and how much they thought I'd pay.

What Most People Don't Know

After this experience, I interviewed 15 contractors about their pricing strategy. Here's the dirty truth:

The "First Timer Tax": If you look inexperienced, prices go up 30%. Contractor B straight up told me: "Young couple, first time, usually don't know market rate."

The Showroom Markup: Fancy office = 40-60% higher quotes. That beautiful showroom at Park Mall? You're paying the rent. Contractor D pays $15,000/month rental. Guess where that money comes from.

The Platform Premium:

• Direct contact: Base price
• Carousell: +10-15% (platform reputation risk)
• Facebook: +5-10% (advertising costs)
• Interior Designer referral: +20-30% (ID takes commission)
• Renovation platforms: +25-35% (platform fees)

The Cash Discount Reality: Uncle contractors (like E) can go 20% cheaper for cash because they don't declare income. Your risk: no warranty, no recourse, no receipt. When tiles pop, good luck finding uncle.

Time-Based Pricing: Same contractor, different months, different prices:

• January/December: +30% (CNY rush)
• March-May: +15% (peak season)
• June-August: Normal
• September-November: -10% (slow period)
• February: -20% (post-CNY lull)

The most shocking discovery? Contractor A and C were actually the SAME PERSON. Different company names, different phone numbers, but same workshop in Woodlands. I found out when I visited both "companies" on the same day.

The Jurong Test Case

My colleague went nuclear with his approach. He created a fake tender document for his Jurong West kitchen, sent it to 23 contractors simultaneously with a deadline: "Submit by Friday 5 PM. Lowest compliant bid wins."

The results were insane:

• Highest: $22,000 (established company, 30 years experience)
• Lowest: $6,500 (new contractor, hungry for portfolio)
• Average: $11,000
• Standard deviation: $4,200

He went with the $7,500 bid (second lowest, better reviews). The job? Perfect. The contractor later admitted he priced low because: "Tender document so professional, I thought you were connected to government."

But here's the twist: the $22,000 contractor called him after losing the bid. Offered to match the winning price. When asked why initial quote was so high, he said: "Try lor. Sometimes people just pay."

This exposed the ultimate truth: renovation pricing isn't about cost + margin. It's about maximum extraction. They quote what they think you'll pay, not what it costs.

Your Action Plan

• First call: Create a detailed scope document. Include photos, measurements, material specs. Remove ambiguity, remove markup.
• This weekend: Get 8-10 quotes minimum. Yes, it's tiring. But each quote is potentially $2,000 saved.
• Before contractors arrive: Set up a basic tender process. Tell each contractor others are quoting. Competition drives prices down.
• Red flag to watch: Vague breakdowns like "kitchen package" or "renovation works." Demand line-by-line costing.
• Budget hack: Get quotes in February/September. Show competing quotes openly. Ask for "best and final" price. Watch them drop 20%.

The Bottom Line

The same kitchen renovation can vary by $14,000 depending on who you ask and when you ask. There's no "market rate"—only what you're willing to pay. Get multiple quotes, play contractors against each other, and never, ever take the first price. Your kitchen will look the same, but your bank account will thank you.

Conversation Starters

What's the biggest price difference you've seen for the same work?

Do you think the tender approach is too aggressive or just smart?

Anyone else discover their contractors were the same person?