We're Wong Lye, a BCA General Builder Class 2 licensed contractor. We build and rebuild landed homes in Singapore—structural works, A&A, rebuilds from the ground up. We don't supply kitchen equipment, but we've coordinated with plenty of kitchen equipment suppliers over the years, especially when clients are installing commercial-grade setups in their landed properties. Here's what we've learned about the process from a builder's perspective—and where the structural work matters more than most homeowners realise.

Why Kitchen Equipment Becomes a Builder's Concern

Most people think of kitchen equipment as something you pick out, order, and install after the building's done. That works fine for a standard residential cooktop and wall oven. But when our clients start specifying commercial-grade equipment—walk-in chillers, combi ovens, heavy stone benchtops, American-style ranges with six burners and a griddle—the conversation changes fast.

We've had clients come to us mid-build with a equipment list that would require:

• Floor loadings beyond what a standard residential slab provides
• Three-phase power that wasn't in the original electrical design
• Exhaust ducting that conflicts with structural beams
• Gas lines that need to be embedded in the slab before it's poured
• Water supply and drainage roughed in at locations that don't match the architectural drawings

That's not a supplier issue. That's a structural and services coordination issue, and it's exactly the sort of thing that causes expensive rework if it's not sorted early.

When You Should Be Talking to a Kitchen Equipment Supplier (and When You Should Be Talking to Us)

If you're doing a landed rebuild or major A&A and you know you want anything beyond builder-grade appliances, here's the sequence we recommend:

Before design lock-in: Get your equipment shortlist from your supplier. Not final models—just dimensions, utility requirements (gas/electric/water/drainage), and approximate weights. We need this before the structural engineer finalises slab thickness, beam spans, and services routing.

During design: We work with our in-house QP and your equipment supplier's technical specs to make sure the building can handle what you're planning. This includes slab loads, ventilation paths, and making sure your 90cm range isn't sitting over a structural beam that can't be moved.

After TOP (Temporary Occupation Permit): Final equipment installation happens. By this point, all roughing-in is done, power is live, and the equipment supplier's installers are working in a finished space.

Where it goes wrong: clients finalise equipment after we've poured the slab and closed up walls. We've seen this three times in the last two years alone. The rework is painful and expensive.

What We Actually Do When You're Sourcing Kitchen Equipment

We don't supply or install the equipment itself—that's the domain of specialist kitchen equipment suppliers. What we do is make sure the building is ready for it. Here's what that looks like on our landed projects:

Structural Loading

A residential kitchen floor is typically designed for 2.0 kN/m² live load. A commercial combi oven can weigh 200kg. Add a stone benchtop at 70kg/m² and a fully stocked walk-in chiller, and you're exceeding residential assumptions fast.

When we know commercial equipment is coming, we specify higher slab loads in that zone during structural design. It's a one-line change at design stage. It's a major remedial job if discovered after the slab is poured.

Services Rough-In

This is where coordination with your equipment supplier's technical drawings is critical:

• Gas: If you're running town gas to a range or wok burner, the line has to be embedded or chased before finishes go on. We've worked with SP Group's requirements on multiple landed projects—clearances matter.
• Water & drainage: Commercial dishwashers, pot fillers, ice makers, and osmosis systems all need supply and waste. We rough these in based on equipment specs.
• Electrical: Three-phase is common for larger ovens and induction setups. If it's not in the original load calculation, it's not going to be available later without a service upgrade.
• Exhaust: Commercial hoods often require ducting that's larger than residential standard. We need to know duct diameter and routing before we frame and seal the ceiling.

Access and Installation Timing

We've seen expensive equipment arrive on site before the space is ready—no power, no flooring, no protection. We've also seen it arrive late, after the client's moved in, requiring installers to work around occupied rooms.

Our site managers coordinate delivery timing with your supplier so equipment arrives when the space is ready and protected, but before final joinery locks in access routes. A 300kg range doesn't fit through a finished door frame if the frame's up first.

Finding a Kitchen Equipment Supplier in Singapore

We don't endorse specific suppliers (we're builders, not agents), but here's what we've observed working with various suppliers over the years:

Specialist commercial suppliers stock brands like Rational, Electrolux Professional, Scotsman, and Hoshizaki. These are the people our clients go to when they want restaurant-grade gear in a home kitchen. They understand technical specs and can provide the load/utility data we need early.

Residential premium suppliers handle brands like Miele, Gaggenau, Sub-Zero, and Wolf. Installation is often included. They're used to working with builders and interior designers on landed projects.

Hybrid suppliers do both. They'll sell you a domestic oven or a commercial combi, and they're familiar with the crossover clients—homeowners who want commercial capability in a residential setting.

What matters to us as the builder: responsiveness on technical queries, clear spec sheets, and realistic lead times. If a supplier can give us those three things, the build goes smoothly.

What We Tell Clients Who Want "Restaurant Kitchens at Home"

We've done a handful of these. High-end landed rebuilds where the client is a serious cook or wants catering-capable spaces. It's absolutely doable, but it's not just a purchasing decision.

Here's what usually comes up:

• Ventilation requirements: A commercial hood extracts a lot of air. You need make-up air (fresh air coming in to replace what's being exhausted) or you'll create negative pressure that affects the whole house. We've had to design in ducted make-up air systems on two projects in the last three years.
• Heat load: A six-burner range and a salamander produce serious heat. Aircon loads go up. We factor this into the ACMV design if we know early enough.
• Noise: Commercial refrigeration is louder than residential. If your kitchen backs onto a bedroom, this matters.
• Regulatory: If you're installing commercial equipment in a home for business use (catering, etc.), there may be zoning and HDB/URA considerations. We flag this during submissions if it comes up.
• Maintenance access: Commercial gear is built to be serviced. We make sure there's panel access to filters, motors, and gas valves—residential joinery sometimes boxes everything in.

None of this is a reason not to do it. It just has to be designed in, not bolted on.

The One Thing We Wish Every Client Knew Earlier

Talk to your kitchen equipment supplier before you lock in your floor plan.

We've had clients fall in love with a kitchen layout, then discover the equipment they want doesn't fit, or needs utilities in the wrong spot, or blocks a window that can't be moved because of planning approval.

If you loop in your supplier early—even just for a preliminary consult—you'll have dimensions, clearances, and utility requirements in hand when we're still in design. That's when it's easy to adjust. Once we've poured slabs and framed walls, changes get complicated fast.

How This Fits Into a Typical Landed Rebuild Timeline

Here's roughly when kitchen equipment comes up in our build process:

• Weeks 1-4 (Design): Client shares equipment wishlist or specs. We incorporate loads and services into structural and MEP design.
• Weeks 5-8 (Submissions): Plans go to URA/BCA. Equipment doesn't usually affect approval unless there's a commercial-use question.
• Weeks 10-30 (Construction): We rough in all services. Client finalises equipment orders with lead time in mind (some brands are 12-16 weeks).
• Weeks 28-32 (Finishing): Flooring, joinery, and finishes go in. Equipment delivery is coordinated.
• Weeks 32-35 (Installation): Supplier installs and commissions equipment. We're on site to coordinate access and any last-mile adjustments.
• Week 36 (TOP): Handover. Everything should be working.

Lead times are the wildcard. If your equipment is 16 weeks out and you didn't order until construction started, you'll be waiting after TOP. We always warn clients about this during the design conversation.

When to Talk to Larry Contractors Instead

If you're doing a standard HDB or condo kitchen renovation—swapping cabinets, tiling, installing a new hob and hood—you don't need a builder. You need a renovation contractor.

Our sister company, Larry Contractors (HDB-licensed, contractors.com.sg), handles that scope. They work with kitchen suppliers all the time and can manage the whole renovation, including sourcing and installation coordination.

We handle landed rebuilds and A&A jobs where structural work, load-bearing changes, or major services upgrades are involved. If you're not sure which you need, drop us a message—we'll point you in the right direction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you supply kitchen equipment as part of your landed builds?

No, we don't supply equipment. We're builders—we handle structure, services rough-in, and coordination with your equipment supplier. You source the equipment separately (or through your ID if you're working with one), and we make sure the building is ready for it. That division of scope keeps things clear and lets each party do what they do best.

Can I install commercial kitchen equipment in my landed home?

Yes, it's common on our higher-end rebuilds. We just need to plan for it structurally and mechanically. That means knowing what you want early—ideally before we finalise structural drawings—so we can spec the slab, services, and ventilation accordingly. There's no regulatory barrier for residential use; it's purely a design and engineering question.

What's the lead time for kitchen equipment in Singapore?

It varies wildly. Local stock items might be days. European brands (Miele, Gaggenau, Rational) can be 12-16 weeks. Custom or commercial gear sometimes longer. We ask clients to confirm lead times with their supplier by the time we're halfway through construction, so equipment arrives when the space is ready but before we're rushing to hand over.

Who coordinates the equipment installation—builder or supplier?

Usually the supplier's installers handle the final equipment installation and commissioning, and we coordinate site access and any last-mile adjustments (like final gas connections or tweaks to rough-ins). It's collaborative. Our site manager stays involved to make sure everything connects cleanly and there are no surprises.

What happens if I choose my equipment after construction starts?

If it's a like-for-like swap (same dimensions, same utility needs), usually no problem. If it's a significant change—different size, new gas line, heavier load, bigger duct—we'll need to assess whether rework is needed. We've done it, but it's always more expensive and slower than getting it right during design. That's why we push clients to lock in equipment specs early, even if the final model choice comes later.

Let's Talk About Your Landed Project

If you're planning a landed rebuild or A&A and you know your kitchen is going to be more than standard residential spec, let's have a conversation early. We'll work with you and your equipment supplier to make sure the building is ready for what you're planning—structurally, mechanically, and on schedule.

Reach us on WhatsApp at +65 9107 2601. We'll ask the right questions up front so there are no expensive surprises later.