Restaurant Fit-Out · Scope & Approval Planning
Restaurant Renovation in Singapore
FixMove coordinates sit-down restaurant renovation across dining, commercial-kitchen and M&E scopes. Send the lease or floor plan, menu and equipment list, existing-services information, landlord criteria, budget and opening target. The written proposal identifies included works, specialist and authority roles, exclusions and a preliminary programme.
SFA layout inputsKitchen & M&E coordinationSCDF scope where applicableProgramme after scope reviewQuoted design or build route
What restaurant renovation covers
The package can cover the following work only when it is listed in the written proposal.
- Commercial-kitchen interfaces — equipment layout inputs, washable finishes, exhaust and fresh-air coordination, gas or electrical interfaces, plumbing and grease-management scope.
- Dining-room fit-out — seating layout, counters, partitions, lighting, finishes and acoustic or AV provisions that are specifically quoted.
- Wet areas and plumbing — sinks, floor traps, waterproofing and drainage changes subject to site, landlord and authority requirements.
- M&E coordination — an assessment of kitchen equipment loads and the electrical, ventilation, gas and controls interfaces by the appropriate trades or specialists.
- Documentation coordination — drawings and handover information can be prepared where quoted. QP, RI, LEW, LGW, application and inspection roles are identified separately.
Common restaurant scenarios
These sit-down restaurant formats have different cost and programme drivers. The figures below are early planning ranges, not offers.
Casual sit-down restaurant
A 50-100 sqm dining room and kitchen. Seating, equipment, exhaust, M&E and finishes need separate scope review.
Specialty cuisine or fine dining
Higher-finish dining, specialist equipment, wine storage, plate-up stations and concept lighting can increase professional, trade and lead-time requirements.
Fast-casual restaurant
Counter service, queue flow and a compact kitchen can reduce some dining work, but exhaust, services and equipment still drive the budget.
Family or group-dining restaurant
Larger tables, circulation, private rooms, acoustic treatment and higher kitchen throughput may require a wider fit-out scope.
Restaurant takeover or refresh
Existing equipment and services are reused only after condition, load, landlord and applicable compliance checks.
Restaurant with a bar
Bar counters, beverage services, storage and a small-plates kitchen are assessed together with the main dining and authority scope.
Restaurant renovation budget guide
For early planning only. These ranges are not offers and do not imply that kitchen equipment, loose furniture, signage, professional fees or authority and landlord charges are included. Site conditions, exhaust, M&E, finishes and the written scope determine the quote.
A S$10 fuel surcharge applies to every visit. No additional standard call-out or inspection fee applies. Urgent service or a customer-requested appointment time adds one S$30 fee, subject to technician availability and confirmation. The S$30 is a separate service fee. Pricing terms.
What to send first
- Lease floor plan and approved use class.
- Concept reference (mood board, photos, comparable restaurants).
- Menu / cuisine type — affects kitchen layout and gas loading.
- Seat count target and operating hours.
- Target opening date and any pre-booked launch events.
- Existing M&E if it's a takeover (kitchen photos, exhaust, electrical DB).
Critical-path items we lock first
- Exhaust and fresh air — route, discharge, capacity and landlord requirements must be reviewed before the ceiling and kitchen scope is fixed.
- Gas, when used — an LGW and other relevant parties are engaged only where required and identified in the proposal.
- Grease management and drainage — the arrangement depends on the menu, equipment, existing building services and applicable requirements.
- SFA application inputs — layout and equipment information should be coordinated early; the food business operator remains the licence applicant.
- Fire-safety scope, where applicable — QP, RI, plan, inspection and certificate responsibilities are confirmed for the particular premises and works.
Use the week-by-week F&B fit-out timeline to place these dependencies before the proposed soft opening.
What the quoted scope can include
- Site review and measured information stated in the proposal.
- Specified design deliverables or construction from approved drawings.
- Quoted demolition, finishes, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, ventilation and other trade packages.
- Trade coordination, agreed testing and listed handover documents.
Excluded unless written into the proposal
- Kitchen equipment, loose furniture, POS systems, signage, branding and stock.
- Professional fees and QP, RI, LEW, LGW or other specialist appointments.
- Application, licence, authority, landlord and MCST fees, charges, deposits or decisions.
- Hidden-condition work, service upgrades and out-of-hours access not identified during review.
Authority references for planning
The Singapore Food Agency food-retail licence guide explains the operator's application process, documents and inspection stages. Where fire-safety work applies, the SCDF Fire Safety Certificate and Temporary Fire Permit guide explains the relevant certificate pathway. The applicable duties for a specific unit must be confirmed by the operator and appointed professionals.
Restaurant renovation FAQ
How much does restaurant renovation cost in Singapore?
For early planning only, a small 50-80 sqm restaurant may fall around S$80,000-S$150,000, a 100-150 sqm restaurant around S$150,000-S$220,000, and premium concepts S$220,000 or more. These are not offers. Site conditions, exhaust, M&E, finishes, equipment, professional fees and authority charges determine the written quote.
Do you handle SFA licence application?
The food business operator applies for the SFA licence. FixMove can coordinate layout drawings, equipment information and handover documents only when listed in the quote; QPs, specialists, application fees and authority decisions remain separate.
How long does restaurant renovation take?
A preliminary programme may be 8-12 weeks for a typical fit-out or longer for kitchen-heavy work, but it starts only after scope, access, approvals and long-lead items are confirmed. No opening date is guaranteed until a written programme is agreed.
Can you reuse the previous tenant's kitchen?
Possibly. Existing equipment, exhaust, grease management, gas, electrical load, fire-safety scope and landlord records must be assessed. Reuse is quoted only after condition and compliance checks; no percentage saving is assumed.
Do you do design or just construction?
Either route can be quoted. FixMove can build to approved consultant drawings or coordinate design-and-build deliverables specifically listed in the proposal. QP, specialist and authority roles are identified separately.
Related commercial renovation pages
This page owns sit-down restaurant projects that combine a dining room with a commercial kitchen. Use the dedicated cafe page for coffee-led cafes, the coffee-shop page for kopitiam or hawker settings, the F&B page for cloud kitchens, central kitchens or other specialty premises, and the commercial hub for non-restaurant projects.
Commercial renovation hub
All commercial trades — F&B, retail, office, clinic, salon.
Cafe renovation
Cafe build-out with bar counter, espresso station and seating.
Coffee shop renovation
HDB coffee shop, kopitiam stall or commercial coffee shop.
F&B fit-out
Cloud kitchen, central kitchen or specialty F&B premises.