Renovating an apartment is how you refresh your home, optimise its functions and reshape the living space around your current taste — without moving house. Over time your needs change: the family grows, someone starts working from home, or you simply want a different look. That is the moment to consider a renovation. This article covers the reasons, the approach and the key points that make a renovation worth every dong.

Why renovate an older apartment?

A renovation is not just patching up a few worn details — it is a full rethink of the living space. The most common motivations:

  • Changing needs: a new family member, children needing their own rooms, more working from home.
  • A space showing its age: worn floors, walls, electrical and plumbing systems or kitchen cabinets that affect both comfort and safety.
  • Higher property value: a bright, well-planned apartment has a clear advantage when it is rented out or sold.

Apartment before and after renovation, brighter and better organised

Renovating to optimise floor area

In a compact apartment, a poor functional layout or the wrong furniture makes everything feel cramped. A renovation is the chance to fix this at the root: reorganise circulation, use the vertical dimension for storage, choose multifunctional furniture and remove unnecessary partitions so the space flows and breathes. If your apartment is under 60 m², see our smart solutions for turning a small apartment into an optimised living space.

Key points before you renovate

A renovation needs careful planning — a half-done job invites cost overruns. Four things to lock in before work starts:

  • Define a clear goal: more shared living space, a new style, or a functional re-plan — the more specific the goal, the more effective the design.
  • Choose an experienced contractor: one who surveys the existing condition, proposes options and guarantees the schedule and quality on site.
  • Follow the building’s rules: never touch the load-bearing structure, register with building management, and keep everything legal and safe for the building. See the details in the paperwork required when registering interior fit-out works.
  • Set a budget and prioritise the durable items: break the work into packages, allow for contingencies, and invest first in electrical and plumbing, doors, flooring and kitchen cabinets — the parts that are hardest to redo later.

Apartment renovated in a modern minimalist style

Two styles dominate renovation briefs today:

  • Modern minimalist: tidy and restrained, expressing personality through lines, materials and colour; easy to clean, and it makes the space feel larger and more refined.
  • Scandinavian: a bright white base accented with natural timber furniture and soft materials such as linen and cotton — warm and relaxing.

Browse more ideas in our insights library to picture how each style would translate to your own floor plan.

Scandinavian style in light tones for a renovated apartment

Avoid the common renovation mistakes

Many renovations run over budget and over schedule because the survey was skipped or the design changed midway. To limit the risk, lock the design before construction starts and keep design and build under one point of responsibility — avoiding the classic “drawn one way, built another” problem. See 9 mistakes to avoid when renovating your home.

AIC works to a single-point design-build model, aligning design with construction to keep cost overruns in check. The firm has over 10 years in the trade (since 2016 under the predecessor Nhan Viet; AIC was founded in 2019) and two in-house factories (1,200 m² and 600 m²). From a site survey, AIC can produce a BOQ estimate within roughly 4 working hours so homeowners know the budget before deciding; projects are handed over with a warranty of up to 24 months. See our apartment interior design and build service.

Frequently asked questions

Does renovating an apartment require a permit?

Yes. Most apartment buildings require you to register with building management before work starts, restrict working hours, and prohibit any intervention in the load-bearing structure or shared systems. Complete the paperwork and get the drawings approved before starting, or you risk being stopped mid-way.

Should I renovate everything or just a few items?

It depends on your goal and budget. If the layout still works and you only want a visual refresh, focus on paint, flooring, lighting and a few furniture accents. If the layout is inefficient or the electrical and plumbing systems are old, a full renovation avoids the more expensive redo-it-twice trap.

How long does an apartment renovation take?

It depends on scale: a light refresh can be done in 1-2 weeks, while a full renovation covering electrical, plumbing, flooring, ceilings and new joinery typically runs from a few weeks to over a month. A clear design and BOQ estimate from the start makes the schedule far easier to control.