Fit-Out Approvals in Singapore: Who Signs Off, and in What Order

Most people planning their first commercial fit-out in Singapore expect a single approval. There are usually several, from building management and from one or more government agencies, and they depend on each other. Do them in the wrong order and you end up redrawing plans, paying for resubmissions or pushing back the move-in date.

This article sets out the sequence we follow on our own projects. It is written for business owners and for designers taking on their first commercial jobs, and it ends with the questions clients ask us most often.

1. Check that the unit can be used the way you intend

Every unit in Singapore has an approved use under URA's planning rules. If you are fitting out an office unit as an office, there is nothing to apply for at this stage. If you plan to use it as something else, such as a medical clinic, a fitness studio, an enrichment centre or a food outlet, you may need planning permission for a change of use before any design work is worth doing.

We check this first because the use drives everything else. It affects the fire safety requirements, the number of toilets, the ventilation and the licences the business will need. Check the lease as well, since a landlord can restrict use more tightly than URA does.

2. Read the fit-out manual before writing the brief

Most commercial buildings issue a fit-out manual, sometimes called tenant guidelines. Tenants often receive it after signing and pass it straight to their designer. We read it before design starts, because it sets real limits on what can be built. The items that most often affect design and cost:

• Drawings must be approved by building management before work starts, and changes need approval too.
• Works connected to base building systems, typically sprinklers, fire alarm and air-conditioning, must be carried out by the building's nominated contractors.
• A fit-out deposit and insurance are required, usually contractor's all risk and public liability cover.
• Noisy works such as hacking and drilling are restricted to certain hours, often evenings and weekends.
• Deliveries need loading bay and service lift bookings.
• Shopfronts, signage and anything visible from common areas may have to follow set specifications.

Nominated contractors are the item first-time tenants underestimate most. Their prices sit outside your main contract, and their schedule depends on their availability. We request their quotations as soon as the layout is stable.

3. Fix the layout, then submit

Once the space plan is agreed, the Qualified Person prepares submissions for whichever authorities apply. For commercial interiors, the main ones are:

• SCDF, for fire safety works such as new rooms, changes to exits and sprinkler modifications.
• BCA, for structural works such as new openings in a floor slab or an internal staircase between floors. A professional engineer designs and submits these.
• Licensing agencies for particular uses, such as the Singapore Food Agency for food establishments or the Ministry of Health for clinics, each with its own layout requirements.

Heavy items like compactus storage, large safes, server racks and stone features should also be checked by a professional engineer against the floor's design loading, even when no submission is needed.

The most common mistake at this stage is submitting too early. A layout change after submission means amendments and resubmission, and both take time. We agree a final layout with the client before anything goes to SCDF.

4. Build to the approved plans

During construction, building management inspects at agreed stages, and the nominated contractors install, test and commission their systems. The risk here is changes made on site. Moving a wall half a metre to fit a desk seems harmless, but if the wall affects fire safety it has to match what was approved. Our site team checks every change against the approved drawings before it's made.

5. Inspection, certification and handover

When the works are complete, the Registered Inspector inspects the fire safety works and the QP applies to SCDF for the Fire Safety Certificate. Building management then carries out its final inspection, which is usually tied to the refund of the fit-out deposit.

The fire safety works need to be certified before the space is occupied. Certification comes after the last day of construction, so we plan the move-in date around it.

6. Remember the end of the lease

Many leases require the unit to be reinstated at the end of the term. Reinstatement works that remove partitions or restore the original sprinkler layout need building management approval and, where fire safety works are involved, a submission of their own. We record these in the design so the client knows what leaving will involve and can raise it during the lease negotiation.

Common questions

Who submits plans to SCDF, the designer or the contractor?

A Qualified Person, who is a registered architect or professional engineer. In a design and build project, we coordinate the QP as part of our service, so the client has a single point of contact.

Can we start work while waiting for approval?

Building management won't normally let works start before it approves the drawings. Building works that need SCDF approval before it is granted risks having to redo them. Preparatory work that doesn't depend on the approval can sometimes go ahead with building management's agreement.

What if we want to change the layout after approval?

Minor changes that don't affect fire safety or structure may only need building management's approval. Changes that do affect them need an amendment to the relevant submission. Tell your designer as early as you can.

Does a small renovation need all these approvals?

Not always. Cosmetic works like painting, new carpet and loose furniture usually need only building management approval. The more a project changes rooms, exits and building systems, the more approvals it needs.

Who pays for the nominated contractors?

The tenant, in almost every case. They are appointed by the building, but their cost is part of your fit-out budget.

In summary

• Confirm the approved use and the lease terms before design starts.
• Read the fit-out manual early, and get nominated contractor quotations once the layout is stable.
• Fix the layout before plans go to SCDF or any other authority.
• Build to the approved plans and check site changes against them.
• Plan move-in around the Fire Safety Certificate, and plan the lease exit from the start.

Approvals themselves are rarely what holds a project up. Delays come from doing things in the wrong order, which is why we set out the sequence with every client in the first meeting.