Renovating a restaurant, café or bar in Singapore is a different job from fitting out an office or shop. The kitchen has to pass a food licensing inspection, exhaust and grease traps have to be designed in from the start, and rent is usually running while the work happens. A contractor without F&B experience can cost you weeks of delay and rework.
This guide explains what makes F&B renovation different, what published 2026 cost and timeline figures look like, how to choose a contractor, and which firms in our directory say on their own websites that they do F&B, restaurant or café work. They are listed in no particular order. We have not ranked or rated them, and none of them paid to be included. Other firms in our Commercial Fit-Out and Renovation & Interior Design categories are left out because their websites did not mention F&B work when we checked.
What makes F&B renovation different
The food shop licence shapes the layout
If you are opening a restaurant or café, you will usually need a Food Shop Licence from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). According to SFA, you submit a scaled layout plan with your application that shows kitchen equipment and infrastructure such as exhausts, sinks and wash basins, plus the boundary of the refreshment area. SFA says you may proceed with renovation once it has approved your application, and you must set up the premises according to the submitted layout. A pre-licensing inspection follows before you can start operating. SFA lists the Food Shop Licence fee at $195 a year.
While renovation is under way, SFA also expects outstanding documents such as URA change of use or HDB approval, your stamped tenancy agreement, a cleaning programme and a pest control contract. If these are not submitted within two months of applying, the application is closed. A contractor who knows this sequence can keep your opening date realistic.
The kitchen drives the build
Kitchen exhaust and ventilation, grease traps, gas piping, floor traps, wet-area waterproofing and kitchen fire protection all need to be planned before the dining room. Several contractors below describe managing SCDF fire safety and other authority submissions as part of their service.
The landlord has a say
Malls and commercial buildings have their own fit-out rules, submissions and working hours. Interea notes on its website that mall units typically add two to four weeks for landlord coordination.
F&B renovation cost in Singapore (published figures)
Contractors publish quite different figures, partly because some quote the whole fit-out including kitchen works and some quote front-of-house only. Treat all of these as indicative:
| Source | Published figure (indicative) |
|---|---|
| RH Design & Build | Restaurant renovation typically S$120–250 psf; a 1,000 sq ft café S$120,000–200,000; fine dining can exceed S$300 psf |
| Interea | F&B fit-outs S$180–500 psf; small café (500–800 sq ft) about S$80,000–150,000; mid-sized casual dining (1,000–1,500 sq ft) S$180,000–300,000; full-service restaurant or bar above 1,500 sq ft from S$300,000 |
| IDBox | S$600–1,200 per square metre, or roughly S$100 psf for front-of-house areas |
| Renozone | High-end F&B, clinic or flagship retail S$200–400+ psf |
Interea and FC Interior Design both say the kitchen, meaning equipment, ventilation, exhaust, grease traps, fire suppression and supporting M&E, typically accounts for 40–60% of an F&B fit-out budget. A beverage-led café with a light kitchen will sit much lower than a full cooking kitchen.
How long it takes
Published timelines are similar. RH Design & Build says a typical café or restaurant renovation takes 10–16 weeks including permit approvals, and 6–8 weeks for smaller kiosk or takeaway formats. Interea gives 10–16 weeks from lease commencement to opening for a mid-sized concept with a full kitchen. IDBox says most of its projects fall between 8 and 12 weeks. Ask your landlord about rent-free fit-out periods with these numbers in mind.
F&B renovation contractors in Singapore
Each firm below describes F&B, restaurant or café work on its own website. Descriptions summarise what each company says about itself; ask to see relevant completed projects before you commit.
1. IDBox (S) Pte Ltd
IDBox is a design-and-build firm for F&B, retail and corporate interiors that says it has focused on F&B since 2002. Its F&B page lists completed works for brands including Mos Burger, Hoshino Coffee, Saboten and Tamjai Samgor Mixian, and describes managing design, approvals and construction as one process. It says it handles URA, SFA and SCDF requirements as part of the design. Its homepage also mentions in-house carpentry, M&E and cost management teams.
- Area: Kallang Avenue (Central)
- Website: idbox.com.sg
- SG Directory listing: View IDBox (S) Pte Ltd on SG Directory
2. RH Design & Build
RH Design & Build is a commercial interior design and fit-out firm with a dedicated restaurant renovation page. It lists kitchen design and fit-out, bar and counter construction, custom millwork, ventilation and exhaust, grease trap installation and fire suppression, and says it manages regulatory submissions. It works with hawker stalls, cafés, casual and fine dining and cloud kitchens, on a design-and-build basis.
- Area: Mandai (North)
- Website: renovator.com.sg
- SG Directory listing: View RH Design & Build on SG Directory
3. Greater Group
Greater Group is a regional retail and workplace design-and-build group with a Singapore office. Its hospitality design page says it has designed restaurants, cafés and bars in Asia Pacific for over 30 years, including more than 50 restaurants and cafés. Case studies include Maxx Coffee in Singapore and Indonesia. The scope listed for its hospitality case studies is design, documentation and procurement, so confirm whether you need a separate builder.
- Area: Shenton Way (Central)
- Website: thegreatergroup.com
- SG Directory listing: View Greater Group on SG Directory
4. Yin Tian’s Pte Ltd
Yin Tian’s is a renovation and interior design firm set up in 2013 that handles homes and commercial spaces. Its website lists F&B fit-outs for restaurants, cafés, bars and fast casual outlets, and says it manages SCDF fire safety submissions, SFA food shop licence prerequisites, NEA exhaust compliance and mall management submissions. It says one designer stays with each project and its carpentry is made in its own workshop.
- Area: Playfair Road (Central)
- Website: yintians.com.sg
- SG Directory listing: View Yin Tian’s Pte Ltd on SG Directory
5. Interea
Interea is a design-and-build firm covering offices, F&B outlets, retail and homes. Its F&B interior design page describes restaurants, cafés and bars, with exhaust (ACMV), grease trap, gas piping and fire safety work under a single contract. It offers a feasibility check before you sign a lease, looking at grease trap access, exhaust riser location and gas supply, and says it coordinates with NEA and SCDF inspectors before handover.
- Area: Jalan Pemimpin (Central)
- Website: interea.sg
- SG Directory listing: View Interea on SG Directory
6. FC Interior Design
FC Interior Design has worked on homes and commercial premises since 1990. Its café interior design page covers café and F&B fit-outs, planning the kitchen line before the dining room, and explains the approvals involved, including SFA, PUB, SCDF, NEA and URA. It says licensed trades handle gas and mechanical works, coordinated into the build sequence.
- Area: Not listed on its website
- Website: fcinteriordesign.net
- SG Directory listing: View FC Interior Design on SG Directory
7. Renozone Interior Design
Renozone is an interior design firm known mainly for homes that also runs a commercial practice. Its commercial portfolio lists F&B, restaurant and café interiors among the spaces it serves, with restaurant projects such as Yorimichi Izakaya, Isshi Ramen and Tango Restaurant and Wine Bar.
- Area: Lavender (Central)
- Website: renozone.com.sg
- SG Directory listing: View Renozone Interior Design on SG Directory
How to choose an F&B renovation contractor
- Relevant portfolio. Ask for F&B projects similar to yours in size and cooking type, and ask if you can speak to the operator.
- Approvals handled. Confirm who prepares the SFA layout plan and handles SCDF, URA and landlord submissions.
- Kitchen and M&E. Ask whether exhaust, gas, plumbing and electrical works are done in-house or subcontracted, and who coordinates kitchen equipment.
- Licences and registration. Ask which BCA licence or registration the firm holds and check it yourself.
- Itemised quote. Kitchen works, exhaust, grease trap and fire protection should be separate lines, not hidden in a lump sum.
- Programme. Ask for a written schedule that includes approvals, not just construction.
- Defects and payment terms. Check the defects liability period and that payments follow progress.
Checklist: before you sign the lease
- Is the unit approved for F&B use, or will you need a change of use?
- Is there an exhaust riser or approved route for kitchen exhaust?
- Where would the grease trap go, and can it be accessed for maintenance?
- Is gas available, and is the electrical load enough for your kitchen?
- What are the landlord’s fit-out rules, working hours and submission timelines?
- How long is the rent-free fit-out period?
- What does the lease say about reinstatement when you leave?
On that last point, F&B reinstatement usually includes stripping out kitchen exhaust ducts and hoods, grease traps and gas lines. BD Contractors, for example, lists F&B reinstatement among its services (SG Directory listing). See our Office Reinstatement directory for more.
Other services your F&B outlet will need
Kitchen equipment suppliers are in our F&B Equipment & Services directory. SFA asks for a pest control contract as part of licensing, so see Pest Control, and for regular upkeep try Cleaning Services. For aircon, read our guide to the best commercial aircon servicing companies, and for general contractors see the best renovation companies in Singapore.
Looking for a new office space? Ask us about available units.
F&B renovation FAQ
Can I start renovating before my SFA licence is approved?
SFA’s process is to approve your application and layout plan first, after which you renovate according to that layout. Starting early risks building something that has to be changed.
How much does a café renovation cost in Singapore?
Published contractor figures vary widely. RH Design & Build puts a 1,000 sq ft café at S$120,000–200,000, while Interea quotes about S$80,000–150,000 for a 500–800 sq ft café. Kitchen scope makes the biggest difference.
How long does a restaurant renovation take?
Contractors in this guide publish 8–16 weeks for most projects, including approvals. Kiosks and takeaway formats can be quicker, and mall units can take longer.
Do I need a designer and a contractor separately?
Not always. Most firms here offer design and build under one contract. Greater Group’s listed hospitality scope is design, documentation and procurement, so check what each firm covers.
What happens to my kitchen when the lease ends?
Most leases require reinstatement, which for F&B units often means removing exhaust, hoods, grease traps and gas lines. Check your lease and budget for it.
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