3 Common A&A Works

Whether you want a dreamy veranda or a movie-star swimming pool, everyone wants to customize their homes at one point or another. This is where A&A comes in handy. 

A&A is an acronym for ‘Addition & Alteration’ which are basically minor changes and add-ons that help improve the overall aesthetic and functional integrity of any home interior design. These works are usually used to improve the quality of your landed homes and add a personal touch to the ambiance in the process. 

It’s important to note that most A&A works do not have major structural consequences, unless you’re going for a brand new addition like a terrace or a veranda to your existing structure. As long as the final gross area of your home remains less than or equal to 50% of the existing gross area, then you’re in the A&A range of works. If it exceeds this ratio, then you’ve entered into the “reconstruction” territory.

Most A&A works consist of minor maintenance jobs like adding in-built shelving, carpentry works, tiling and the like. This is quite a popular form of renovation as it costs less and has the ability to completely transform any interior design for the better. A&A works are carried out on landed properties exclusively, and tend to drastically change or improve the entire setting of a home.

Here’s a list of common A&A works that you can get in Singapore:

- Addition of signage and replacement/update of MEPs (mechanical, electrical and plumbing works.)

- Constructing or removing partition walls to give your interior designs a fresh look and pragmatic layout.

- Conversion of another building genre – mostly from industrial to commercial or residential.

- Vertical or horizontal extensions of an existing building (extensively used to renovate landed properties).

- Dismantling of slabs and staircases in any given project.

Further, we’ll be discussing 3 of the most common Addition & Alteration works carried out in Singapore.

1. Swimming Pools and Ponds

Swimming pools and ponds have the ability to completely transform the functional and aesthetic quality of a landed property. Both are outdoor additions, but adding them to a landed property can convert your home into a total dream.

In order to go for either of these options, you simply have to hire a good architect – preferably one who has some experience with landscaping – and explain your vision to them. Of course, you cannot fit in an Olympic sized swimming pool in the back of your landed property, but you can go for varying shapes and depths in certain areas to give it a glamorous look. Similarly, the draining system of a pond must be professionally installed in accordance with the topography and proposed designs. You can even alter your backyard wall to French windows or bi-fold doors to enhance the views from indoors.

2. External Porch or Parking Shelter

Maybe you’re thinking of buying a new car, or your existing porch is simply not big or welcoming enough – this is when it’s time to consider A&A works for an external parking shelter. Not only can a good porch design be an opportunity to add a new terrace as well, but it can also drastically change the front elevation of your home! So if you want to spice up the façade of your home, want a new terrace or want to add a shelter for your car, then consider investing in some A&A works for your property!

3. Attic Additions

Landed properties are rare and expensive in Singapore, which is why owners of these properties always like to alter the design by adding another story to their houses. These attic additions can be expensive, as they have to include all basic construction detailing like internal/external walls, RCC slabs, installation of MEPs (mechanical, electrical and plumbing), roof and all the finishes that come with it.

This kind of an A&A is quite expensive as you must also hire a quantity surveyor and a structural engineer for initial appraisals along with the architect. But if you look at the value of your landed property, then this is definitely not a bad deal.

So these are three of the most common A&A works in Singapore . We hope they inspire you with ideas on how you want to proceed with your landed property's renovation.

(Image courtesy of Nic & Wes Builders Pte Ltd)