--- title: "Reno content creator lambasts ‘most pathetic’ 4-room Tengah BTO kitchen, HDB responds" url: "/trending-now/reno-content-creator-lambasts-most-pathetic-4-room-tengah-bto-kitchen-hdb-responds" published: "2026-10-19T10:01:18.000Z" updated: "2026-10-19T10:07:41.000Z" section: "Trending Now" authors: ["Trixy Toh"] tags: ["TNP News","HDB","BTO","tengah","renovation"] --- # Reno content creator lambasts ‘most pathetic’ 4-room Tengah BTO kitchen, HDB responds *A renovation content creator has slammed a four-room Tengah Build-to-Order (BTO) flat as the “most pathetic” unit he has seen.* A renovation content creator has slammed a four-room Tengah Build-to-Order (BTO) flat as having the “most pathetic” kitchen he has seen. In an Oct 8 YouTube video posted by Reno Scout, renovation specialist Rhys Ng criticised the size of the kitchen in a BTO flat at Block 213B Tengah Garden Avenue. Titled “MOST Pathetic BTO 4 room Kitchen EVER SEEN”, the video has garnered more than 156,000 views and 490 comments. The video also prompted a response from the Housing and Development Board (HDB), which addressed the criticism in a Facebook post on Oct 14. ## ‘This is a one-person kitchen’ After briefly introducing the flat and noting that it is similar to others in the area, Ng points out what he describes as a “problem” — the kitchen is “very tiny”. He then moves to the kitchen area and takes measurements to demonstrate just how small the space is. Ng lists down several issues, including: - Lack of a service yard. - 1.9m main wall that barely fits a washing machine and sink. - 1.7m adjacent wall with just enough space for a stove. - Tight counter space with no room for a microwave, rice cooker or fridge. ![BTO renovation kitchen HDB Tengah](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/d03e7adcafffa5686566536ec4ba8eb9839dd9c7b5908365a663ae7dfbb77277) *“MOST Pathetic BTO 4 room Kitchen EVER SEEN,” read the video title.* “This kitchen is a one-person kitchen,” Ng says, explaining that the cramped layout allows only one person to cook at the stove, leaving little room for another person to help with tasks such as washing dishes. He adds that a fridge would not fit in the designated area as it would be too tall and block the laundry rack above. With the fridge and washing machine potentially facing each other, Ng also points out that the fridge door might not be able to open fully without hitting the washing machine. Ng then suggests placing the fridge in a more spacious corner just outside the kitchen. “What if I have water filter, toaster, coffee machine...all my dreams shattered already,” he said. “This is a four-room flat. How come the kitchen is so pathetic?” He adds that three-room and two-room flats in the area are likely to face similar space constraints, urging architects and designers to be “very cautious” when planning the layout. Ng describes the kitchen as “unusable” for those who intend to cook regularly. “This kitchen ranks as one of the worst kitchens I’ve seen. It’s horrible,” he said. ## Can extend kitchen, but floors could be uneven Ng acknowledges that residents could extend the kitchen into the adjacent space, but they would have to bear the renovation costs themselves. He adds that doing so would require hacking the floor, which could result in uneven flooring between the two areas. Residents who want to install a sliding door would also need to add a beam structure to support the door’s track. Ng concludes by expressing hope that HDB will respond to the concerns raised and provide homeowners with some answers. Stomp has reached out to Ng for more details, but he declined to comment. ## ‘Appreciate your courage’: Netizens Ng’s video drew widespread attention, with many netizens agreeing with his criticisms and praising him for highlighting the issue. “Appreciate your courage,” a user said, while others thanked him for speaking up. Some commenters compared the newer kitchen designs to those found in condominiums, while another lamented: “Houses in Singapore are going to get smaller and smaller.” Others poked fun at the layout, with one saying the space looked “more like a toilet” than a kitchen. Meanwhile, some netizens pointed out that the design was intended to follow a “dry-wet kitchen” concept. ## ‘Small’ kitchen in video is the wet kitchen: HDB HDB responded to Ng’s criticisms in an Oct 14 Facebook post, explaining the “open-concept” design. Attaching a photo of the Garden Waterfront unit’s floorplan, HDB said the “small” kitchen referred to in the video is the wet kitchen. “While the wet kitchen is compact, the adjoining dry kitchen provides additional space for countertops, storage and appliances,” it wrote. HDB said the combined area measures about 10 sq m, which is “roughly the size of a standard kitchen” in newer HDB flats that also have a service yard and a common bedroom. It added that since 2018, the open-concept has been the “standard design” for new BTO flats where the layout permits. “This is popular with many of our HDB flat buyers, as the layout meets their evolving lifestyle needs and provides home owners with greater flexibility in how they use their living spaces,” the statutory board wrote. ![BTO renovation kitchen HDB Tengah](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/2eebdca35abfe1c1d3f5397102e69df275e4893564acf01a30046e766ce57014) *The video also prompted a response from HDB, which addressed the criticism in a Facebook post.* Flats at the Tengah project also feature beam-free living spaces, giving homeowners more flexibility to customise their layouts. Those who cook frequently can allocate more space to a larger kitchen, while others may choose to create a bigger dining or living area. To help flat buyers make informed decisions, HDB provides floor plans with layout ideas before flat selection, allowing them to consider how the design suits their household needs and preferences.