Is it normal to pay 50% upfront for a renovation in Singapore?

No. CaseTrust caps the initial deposit for accredited renovation firms at a maximum of 20% of the total cost, and payments after that are collected in phases at agreed milestones. A request for much more than that before work starts is worth questioning.

How many payments should a renovation contract have?

It depends on the job and the firm. Most contracts split the price into four to six payments, each tied to a stage of work such as signing, start of works, completion of wet works, carpentry installation and handover. The contract should list every payment and what triggers it.

What happens to my deposit if the renovation firm closes?

CaseTrust-accredited renovation firms must buy a deposit performance bond to safeguard deposit payments. With a firm that is not accredited, there is no such cover, so the practical protection is to keep payments small and tied to finished work. The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) can advise on a specific case.

Renovation payment schedule in Singapore

Q: Should I hold back the final payment?

Many contracts keep a small final portion until the handover walk-through is done and the defects list is cleared. Check what your contract says. CaseTrust-accredited firms also give a 12-month workmanship warranty from completion.

By the Synify team · 6 October 2026

The carpentry arrives on Thursday. On Friday the firm asks for the next 25%. The client wants to check the contract, and nobody can find it.

How payments are usually split

Most contracts split the price into four to six payments, each tied to a stage of work. This is one common pattern on a S$60,000 job.

Stage	Share	Example
On signing	10%	S$6,000
Works start	30%	S$18,000
Wet works done	30%	S$18,000
Carpentry installed	25%	S$15,000
Handover	5%	S$3,000

Example only. Your contract sets the real stages, and it wins over this page.

The 20% deposit ceiling

CaseTrust, run by the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), caps the initial deposit for accredited renovation firms at 20% of the total cost. Those firms also buy a deposit performance bond and give a 12-month workmanship warranty. In 2024, about 97% of CASE's 962 renovation complaints were against firms that were not accredited.

Before each payment

The contract line for this stage
Dated photos of the finished work
Signed variation orders for any change
Snags logged with photos
A receipt for the last payment

Common questions

Is it normal to pay 50% upfront?

No. CaseTrust caps the initial deposit at 20%, with the rest paid in phases at agreed milestones. Much more than that before work starts is worth questioning.

How many payments should there be?

Usually four to six, each tied to a stage such as signing, start of works, wet works, carpentry and handover. The contract should list every one.

Should I hold back the final payment?

Many contracts keep a small final portion until the walk-through is done and the defects list is cleared. Check your own contract.

What if the firm closes?

Accredited firms must buy a deposit performance bond to safeguard deposits. A firm that is not accredited has no such cover, so keep payments small and tied to finished work. CASE can advise on a specific case.

Synify keeps the schedule, dated site photos, variation orders and snags in one record. The client opens it in a browser, free.

See how it works

Sources and a note

General information, not legal advice. Your contract decides what is owed and when.