IMPROVED FLOORINGS FOR NEW HDB FLATS

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Sia Kah Hui asked the Minister for National Development if the Housing and Development Board will consider completing new flats with tile, marble or parquet floorings so that buyers can move in immediately on receiving the keys.

The Minister for National Development (Mr Teh Cheang Wan): Mr Speaker, Sir, the HDB will continue its existing practice of providing floor finishes for the kitchens and bathrooms of newly-completed flats, but will not extend standard floor finishes to other rooms. Any standard floor finish provided is unlikely to satisfy the wide range of tastes of flat buyers. Most of them want to select finishes according to their individual preferences and budgets. The HDB's existing practice allows them this flexibility.

The provision of standard floorings for kitchens and bathrooms is necessary to reduce damage to these wet areas, and hence minimise the possibility of water leakage. Even then, the HDB's experience shows that many owners hack up the standard kitchen flooring and retile them after the minimum 3-year period during which retiling is prohibited. Flat owners have to bear the cost of repairing any damages to the kitchen and toilet floors as a result of hacking. The HDB feels that owners are likely to replace standard floor finishes in other rooms if these are provided. This practice is a waste of both materials and labour. The provision of floor finishes in itself will not enable flat buyers to move in immediately, as there will be other renovation works required, like repainting of walls, installation of window grilles, etc.

In contrast to conventionally built flats, HDB's prefab flats are completed with tiled flooring. This is because the industrialized method of construction requires floor finishes to be cast at the same time as the prefab floors. Owners of prefab flats are not allowed to hack up the floor for retiling, as this may cause damage to the joints resulting in possible water seepage.

Flat buyers therefore have the choice of selecting prefab flats with floor finishes that are suitable for them or opting for conventionally built flats and carrying out their own floor finishes.

Mr Sia Kah Hui (Paya Lebar): Mr Speaker, Sir, a supplementary question. Is the Minister not aware that times have changed and continue to change? There are already so many complaints from flat buyers against the sub-contractors. I have here just two samples, one from the Singapore Monitor and the other from the Straits Times. One heading reads, "Angry flat owners want their money back", and the other heading, "Contractor vanishes before jobs are completed". So I say that the times have changed and that the flats in Tampines are welcomed by the buyers because the floors are all done up nicely. The number of people -

Mr Speaker: What is your supplementary question, Mr Sia?

Mr Sia Kah Hui: I wonder whether the Minister is aware that times have changed and that the people buying the flats in Tampines -

Mr Speaker: Well, let him first answer about times having changed.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Speaker, Sir, yes, I am aware.

Mr Sia Kah Hui: So is the Minister not going to consider that since times have changed therefore the policy has got to be changed too? Follow up with the times.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the hon. Member did not pay much attention to what I said just now. I said that flat buyers have the. choice of selecting prefab flats with floor finishes, ie those who want finishes that are suitable for them, or opting for conventionally built flats and carry out their own flooring finishes. In other words, the buyer has a choice. For those who want flats with finishes, HDB has built flats with finishes. For those who do not want them, they can opt for the conventional type of construction. So they have a choice.