Deciding on the size of your next home seems like one of the easier things to check off your list when house-hunting. While HDB offers flats of all sizes, the naming convention of HDB flats might be a little confusing at first. Did you know both 4-room and 5-room HDB flats actually only have 3 bedrooms? What is an executive flat and what is a maisonette? Also, who knew that there are HDB terrace houses in Singapore?
We’ve compiled a list of all the different types of HDB flats in Singapore to help you find your perfect forever home!
HDB flat types in Singapore
1. 2-room flexi
2. 3-room
3. 4-room
4. 5-room
5. 3Gen
6. Executive flat
7. Maisonette
8. Terrace house
9. Jumbo flat
10. Adjoined flat
2-room flexi
One thing to note is that the common area (living room + kitchen) is also considered a room in HDB’s naming convention, meaning a 2-room will only have 1 bedroom, a 3-room will have 2 bedrooms, and so on.
Which means a 2-room is essentially a studio. The “flexi” bit in the name of this type of flat refers to the flexible lease periods extended to the elderly. While HDB flats normally come with a 99-year lease, applicants aged 55 and above are eligible to choose the lease length of their 2-room HDB flat based on their age and preference.
If you’re under 55, you can also apply for a 2-room flat via the BTO exercise (either through the Singles Scheme if you’re 35 or over, or the Joint Singles Scheme), except that the flat will come with a 99-year lease (instead of the flexible lease offered to the elderly), and you’re only eligible to apply for these flats in non-mature estates. Alternatively, you can also buy a 2-room flat on the resale market.
HDB flat size: About 36 square metres (Type 1) and 45 square metres (Type 2)
HDB flat features: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen, 1 storeroom-cum-apartment-shelter
Sample floor plan (note: each type of HDB flat can also have different layouts):
Price: from $80,000
View 2-room HDB flats for sale
3-room
This home size is ideal for couples who wish to have a nice tight-knit family.
Note that HDB flats have a Minimum Occupancy Period (MOP) of 5 years before you’re able to sell, so if you’re planning to expand your family in the coming years, think about whether this amount of space is a good size for a potentially bigger family.
HDB flat size: About 60 to 65 square metres
HDB flat features: Living/ dining area, kitchen, 2 bedrooms (1 of which is a master bedroom with attached bathroom), 1 common bathroom, 1 service yard, 1 storeroom-cum-apartment-shelter
Sample floor plan:
Price: From $150,000
View 3-room HDB flats for sale
4-Room
This is the most common home size in Singapore, and also the most popular one.
HDB flat size: About 90 square metres
HDB flat features: Living/ dining area, kitchen, 3 bedrooms (1 of which is a master bedroom with attached bathroom), 1 common bathroom, 1 service yard, 1 storeroom-cum-apartment-shelter
Sample floor plan:
Price: From $240,000
View 4-room HDB flats for sale
5-Room
A 5-room HDB flat also has 3 bedrooms, but differs from a 4-room in that the living/ dining area is more spacious and can even be converted into a study room or walk-in closet, for example.
The upgrade in space gives the little ones more room to run around. Utilize the additional space in the living area for hidden storage units or an entertainment area. Perhaps transform one of the bedrooms into a home office?
Some of these units also come with a balcony. Perfect for those who enjoy the additional outdoor space to relax and enjoy the evening breeze.
HDB flat size: About 110 square metres
HDB flat features: Living/ dining area, kitchen, 3 bedrooms (1 of which is a master bedroom with attached bathroom), 1 common bathroom, 1 storeroom-cum-apartment-shelter, 1 balcony/ service yard
Sample floor plan:
Price: From $330,000
View 5-room HDB flats for sale
3Gen (Multigeneration)
A 3Gen is a multigenerational flats designed for – you guessed it – multigenerational families, comprising of at least a married couple and the parents of either spouse. This means the parties in both generations have to be listed as the owner/ occupier of the flat. Also, if you’re selling your 3Gen flat, only other multigenerational families are eligible to buy.
This is a good choice if, for instance, the plan is to have the grandparents take care of the little ones, since everyone will be under one roof.
Recent developments like SkyTerrace@Dawson and Treelodge@Punggol even feature loft versions of 3Gen flats, with a studio on the second level!
HDB flat size: About 115 square metres
HDB flat features: HDB flat features: Living/ dining area, kitchen, 4 bedrooms (2 of which have attached bathrooms), 1 common bathroom, 1 storeroom-cum-apartment-shelter, 1 balcony/ service yard
Sample floor plan:
Price: From $350,000
Executive flat
Think of an executive flat as an upgrade from your 5-room flat – it features an additional space for a study room; some also have balcony space.
HDB flat size: About 130 square metres
HDB flat features: HDB flat features: Living/ dining area, kitchen, 3 bedrooms (1 of which have attached bathrooms), 1 common bathroom, 1 storeroom-cum-apartment-shelter, 1 balcony/ service yard
Price: From $400,000
View executive HDB flats for sale
Uncommon HDB flat types
Now these unique, borderline unconventional HDB homes are no longer being built, but that doesn’t mean it’s no longer around. If the stars are aligned, you might find one you fancy in the resale market:
Maisonette
One distinct feature of this home is that each unit spans 2 storeys. The bottom floor is dedicated as the living area and kitchen while the bedrooms and bathrooms occupy the upper floor.
HDB flat size: About 140-150 square metres
HDB flat features: Living/ dining area, kitchen, 2-3 bedrooms (1 of which is a master bedroom with attached bathroom), 2 common bathrooms, 1 storeroom-cum-apartment-shelter, 1 yard
Price: From about $400,000
View maisonette HDB flats for sale
Terrace house
Yes, you read correctly. While the mention of HDB brings to mind a high rise building with a community of residents, there are actually HDB terrace flats as well. Like, actual terrace houses!
Found in Queenstown and Whampoa, these double storey terrace houses were only built back in the 1970s. The Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), the predecessor of HDB, built a bunch of terrace houses without realising Singapore’s land constraint. Oops!
The government has since stopped developing these, and there are only 285 of such terrace h– um, we mean HDB flats, in Singapore.
You might remember the Whampoa HDB terrace flat that sold this 2020 that went viral:
Closing a deal on one of these rare homes is definitely a jackpot – resales start from about $700k, but the PSF price is much, much lower than that of private landed terraced houses. For instance, this HDB terrace flat was sold at $370 PSF, while private landed terraced houses nearby have gone for more than $2,200!
HDB flat size: About 120-240 square metres
HDB flat features: Living/ dining area, kitchen, 2-3 bedrooms (1 of which is a master bedroom with attached bathroom), 1 common bathroom, 1 storeroom-cum-apartment-shelter, 1 yard
Price: From about $700,000
View HDB terrace houses for sale
Jumbo flat
Mini storytime: Back in the 1990s, BTO flats were built before they were sold, and there was an oversupply of HDB flats at some point (hard to believe, given how oversubscribed BTO flats are these days, but it’s true!). The solution? HDB ended up combining pairs of unsold units into jumbo flats.
Jumbo flats come with a huge living room – it’s basically 2 living rooms combined into 1 – and typically 4-5 bedrooms (depending on what kind of flats were combined to form that particular jumbo flat).
There are only about 500 of such jumbo flats around Singapore, and more specifically, only in Yishun, Woodlands and Jurong East.
HDB flat size: About 185 square metres
HDB flat features: HDB flat features: Living/ dining area, kitchen, 4-5 bedrooms (2 of which have attached bathrooms), 1 common bathroom, 1 storeroom-cum-apartment-shelter, 1 service yard
Price: From $400,000
Adjoined flat
If you’re looking for a large HDB flat but can’t find any jumbo flats in the market, you can also combine 2 HDB flats through HDB’s Conversion Scheme either by buying 2 adjoining flats or buying a flat adjoining your current unit. If your application is approved, you can then construct an opening between your 2 HDB flats.
View adjoined HDB flats for sale
Picking the right HDB flat
Now that you better understand the types of HDB flats, it’s going to be much easier for you to narrow down your options to fit your needs and preferences.
Depending on how you’d like your space to be, you can also hack certain walls in your HDB flat, for instance, to combine 2 rooms into a mega one or to create an open-concept living space.
