§ 01Process
From first conversation
to finished room.
A measured, principal-led process — five chapters, one in-house team, and the unhurried pace a considered home deserves.
§ 02 — Studio note
Why a Singgahsana project takes eight to fourteen months — and why we protect that.
Most of the homes you see in our portfolio have been on the studio's books for the better part of a year. That is not a marketing line — it is the single most important decision we make on behalf of our clients, and we protect it with the same care we give a joinery detail.
A condominium or landed renovation cannot be hurried without compromising one of three things: the spatial intent we set out to resolve, the craftsmanship we are known for, or the calm of living through a build. We choose, deliberately and every time, to protect all three. The process that follows — five stages, one principal designer, one fixed-price contract — exists to make that possible.
It also explains why we cap the studio at 38 to 42 projects a year, and why we turned away 71% of the inbound enquiries we received in 2024. A boutique atelier is not a constraint we suffer; it is the discipline that makes the work what it is.
§ 03 — The five chapters
Five chapters of the project — what happens, who leads it, and how long it takes.
-
Chapter I
Consultation
A paid, in-studio session of approximately two and a half hours with one of our four principal designers. You will leave the studio with a written brief, a preliminary budget envelope, and a candid view on whether your home is the right fit for our atelier. The fee is S$280 and is credited in full against the design retainer should we proceed.
- Written architectural brief
- Measured site survey (if required)
- Budget envelope & feasibility letter
- Firm decision within 14 days
-
Chapter II
Concept
The spatial intent is resolved before a single detail is drawn. You will see hand sketches, two or three mood directions, and a clear narrative for how the home will be lived in. The concept stage ends with a fixed-price proposal — design, joinery, MEP coordination and styling under a single contract, with no provisional sums hidden in the small print.
- Concept narrative & spatial diagrams
- Material direction & finish palette
- Single fixed-price contract
- Indicative programme to handover
-
Chapter III
Detailed Design
Working drawings, joinery detailing, lighting layouts, MEP coordination and a fully priced specification. Every dimension is checked twice against the site survey. Custom pieces are released to our MacPherson workshop in phases, which is why our lead time is 10 to 14 days from sign-off — roughly a third of the six to ten weeks common at firms that outsource.
- Full construction drawing pack
- Joinery shop drawings (in-house)
- Lighting, electrical & MEP layouts
- Priced & signed-off specification
-
Chapter IV
Build
A named project manager — not a rotating site supervisor — runs the site week-to-week. You will see live photo updates, milestone tracking and direct chat through our client portal, the same system used across more than 240 completed projects. Site visits are scheduled with you in advance, and any change order is priced in writing before the work begins. This is the stage where the typical industry cost overrun of 15 to 22% simply does not occur, because the price was fixed long before the first wall came down.
- Named project manager throughout
- Live client portal updates
- Written, pre-priced change orders
- Weekly site reports & photo log
-
Chapter V
Handover & After-care
A snagging walk-through with your principal designer, a styled handover, and a 24-month workmanship warranty on all joinery and finishes — three times the eight-month baseline common across the industry. Our after-care programme is documented, so the studio that designed your home remains accountable long after the photographer has left.
- Joint snagging walk-through
- Styled handover & care kit
- 24-month workmanship warranty
- Documented after-care programme
§ 04 — By the numbers
What the process actually costs in time and money — and what it protects.
S$612K
Average residential project value in 2024
A baseline that lets the studio work with appropriate materials, makers and timelines — never the cheapest specification, never the most extravagant.
10 – 14days
In-house joinery lead time
Custom pieces are produced in our 8,000 sqft MacPherson workshop, against the six to ten weeks typical when joinery is outsourced.
100%
Principal-designer involvement
Every project is led by one of four principals, averaging 18 years of experience. No project is handed to juniors after sign-off.
24months
Workmanship warranty
Triple the eight-month industry baseline, covering all joinery and finishes under a documented after-care programme.
One fixed-price contract covers design, custom joinery, MEP coordination and styling — eliminating the 15 to 22% cost overruns reported across industry surveys.
§ 05 — From the principal
“We turn away more enquiries than we accept, and that is the only honest way to run a studio. A renovation is a year of someone's life, and our name is on the door. If we cannot give a project the principal attention it deserves, we say so early — and we suggest another firm we trust.”
Adrina Tan
Principal Designer & Founder · Since 2009
In 2024, the studio accepted 29% of inbound enquiries and capped its calendar at 38 – 42 projects to preserve quality.
§ 06 — Common questions
Four questions every renovation client asks before signing.
- What happens at the paid consultation, and why is it S$280?
- The consultation is a two-and-a-half-hour session with one of our four principal designers at our Armenian Street studio. You will leave with a written brief, a preliminary budget envelope, and an honest view on whether your home is the right fit for our atelier. The fee is S$280 — credited in full against the design retainer if we proceed. We do not offer free consultations; the fee protects both your time and ours.
- Do you work on fixed-price or cost-plus contracts?
- Fixed-price, always. A single contract covers design, custom joinery, MEP coordination and styling, with no provisional sums hidden in the small print. This is the structural reason our projects avoid the 15 to 22% cost overruns commonly reported across the industry.
- What does the 24-month workmanship warranty actually cover?
- All custom joinery produced in our in-house workshop and all finishes installed under our scope, for 24 months from the date of handover. The warranty is backed by a documented after-care programme, so the studio that designed your home remains accountable long after the project closes. The industry baseline is closer to eight months.
- How are change orders and site visits handled during the build?
- Every change order is priced in writing before the work begins — no surprises on the final invoice. Site visits are scheduled with you in advance by your named project manager, and you will see live photo updates, milestone tracking and direct chat through our client portal. The same system has been used across more than 240 completed projects since 2017.
If the process above matches the home you have in mind, the next step is a paid consultation at the studio.
Book a Studio Consultation