If a landed home’s layout differs from its approved plans, find out what the difference means before agreeing the price. A rear enclosure or enlarged mezzanine can matter to your renovation budget and the space you can keep. Ask the seller for the plans, then have an architect or engineer compare them with the building you intend to buy.
Put the plans beside the building
Start with the approved plans and any amendments, then ask the professional to identify the work on a marked plan. Record the location, scope and documents for each difference. A drawing from a contractor or an estate agent’s floor plan can help locate it. The professional should check which approved drawing governs and whether an exemption or another approval applies. BCA’s guidance on approvals and buyer checks.
Ask the seller to help obtain the available plans. A legal requisition serves a different purpose from a physical inspection. BCA explains that a search will only reveal unauthorised work already brought to its attention. Compare the title and survey separately if the disputed feature sits near a lot line. See how to check a landed property’s boundary.
Establish what you can retain
Section 5 of the Building Control Act sets out the plan application process for works requiring approval. Under subsection (3), the Commissioner of Building Control can approve plans with or without conditions, direct changes and resubmission, or refuse approval. Where existing work may need approval, have the Qualified Person establish the applicable building and planning steps before you budget to retain it. Building Control Act, section 5.
Under section 19, the Commissioner may issue a written order requiring cessation, demolition or corrective work where the statutory test is met. For an erected building, the order must be served on the owner or occupier. For ongoing works, the provision identifies the developer or builder. A sale contract can allocate costs between the parties, while the statutory order follows the Act. Building Control Act, section 19.
Agree the outcome and the evidence that proves it
Discuss whether the seller will obtain the relevant approvals, remove the feature and reinstate the affected area, or agree a price and contract terms that allow you to take on the work. Give the lawyer the marked plan and professional advice. If the agreement requires action before completion, specify the work, deadline, documents needed to establish compliance and what happens if the condition remains outstanding.
For example, if your home office depends on retaining a rear room, price the purchase on a fallback layout that works without that room. Include a quotation for reinstatement and an allowance for delays. If the resulting layout or price no longer suits your household, resolve that before exercising the option. Put the inspection, quotation and decision dates on your buying calendar.
Sections 5 and 19 were checked on 5 November 2026.
Archive photograph for context. Terraced houses at Serangoon Terrace, Singapore (photographed 2014). Photo: ProjectManhattan. Source (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Terraced_houses_at_Serangoon_Terrace,_Singapore.jpg) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0). Resized and displayed cropped.
Need a brochure, price list or professional introduction?
Contact Lin Xuan at 82222556 or Ade at 81888871 for the full project brochure, latest available price list, a viewing, or introductions to bankers who can help you compare home-loan rates and packages to find the best available option for your needs. If you need legal advice on a property purchase, sale or tenancy, we can also put you in touch with property lawyers.
WhatsApp Lin Xuan | WhatsApp Ade. Let us know the project or property question you would like help with. Prices and availability are subject to developer confirmation, while loan terms and approval are determined by the bank.
Lin Xuan: ONG LIN XUAN, CEA registration R069812H. Ade: CHUA MUAY MUAY (ADE CHUA), CEA registration R014252F. ERA REALTY NETWORK PTE LTD, estate agent licence L3002382K.