Commercial Kitchen Design & Renovation Cost Singapore (2026)

The commercial kitchen is where most of an F&B renovation budget actually goes — not the dining room. Front-of-house finishes are visible and easy to quote; the kitchen behind it is where exhaust ducting, drainage, electrical loading and equipment quietly consume the largest share of the spend. This guide breaks down exhaust and ventilation, grease traps, drainage, electrical loading, SFA layout rules, and equipment budgeting as their own line items, separate from the general fit-out cost we cover in our F&B renovation cost and compliance guide. Every figure below is drawn from our own project and service data; where we don't have a verified number, we say so.

What is commercial kitchen design in Singapore?

Commercial kitchen design is the planning of food preparation, cooking, washing, and storage zones to meet SFA hygiene rules and support real service volume — it's a technical discipline, not just a layout choice. It covers everything a domestic kitchen doesn't: fire-rated exhaust extraction, grease trap drainage, upgraded electrical loading for commercial equipment, and a floor plan that physically separates raw food handling from clean serving areas. A good kitchen design also minimises movement between preparation areas and keeps cooking, prepping and washing zones distinct, so staff aren't crossing paths during service — the same workflow principle we set out in our café layout design guide.

Our KTMW Chicken Rice project is a worked example of this sequencing in a compact 406 sqft takeaway outlet: storage, preparation, cooking, then portioning and packing for collection, with staff kept on the operational side of the counter throughout service.

How does kitchen layout affect renovation cost?

A kitchen layout planned around a tight, linear workflow costs less to build than one where equipment, plumbing and exhaust are scattered, because shorter runs mean less ducting, less pipework, and less cabling. One of the most common and expensive mistakes we see is a kitchen workflow that wasn't planned alongside the front-of-house layout — the counter and seating get finalised first, and the kitchen gets squeezed into whatever footprint is left over, which then drives up cost as exhaust ducting and drainage have to route around fixed walls instead of running in a straight line to the nearest riser or exterior wall. Planning the kitchen's cook line, wash-up point and service pass at the same time as the dining layout — not after — is the single easiest way to control your M&E budget, and it costs nothing to get right at the concept stage.

How much does a commercial kitchen renovation cost in Singapore?

Commercial kitchen work typically needs $15,000 to $60,000 for equipment and $15,000 to $30,000 for exhaust and ventilation, on top of the general $180 to $350 per square foot F&B fit-out rate. Mechanical and electrical (M&E) works — which is largely kitchen infrastructure — consume 40% to 50% of a commercial F&B renovation budget on their own. The table below breaks out the components we can price with confidence.

What does commercial kitchen exhaust and ventilation cost?

A fire-rated commercial exhaust system — ducting, exhaust hood, and fresh air intake — typically costs $15,000 to $30,000, and is mandatory the moment you're cooking on-site rather than just assembling drinks. Where you land in that range depends mostly on duct run length and hood size: a kitchen close to an external riser or wall needs a short, direct run, while a kitchen positioned deep inside a unit needs longer ducting, more support brackets, and often a more powerful extraction fan to compensate. This is one of the first things to check before signing a lease: the building must physically allow exhaust ducting to run to the exterior, since retrofitting this into a unit that was never designed for it can be difficult or impossible, and it's also flagged as a fire safety and ventilation compliance item in café layout planning.

What are SFA's layout requirements for a commercial kitchen?

SFA requires a layout that separates raw food preparation from clean serving areas, with defined food preparation zones, hygiene compliance, and proper waste management systems. In practice, this means your kitchen design has to be signed off before construction — SFA runs a pre-consultation to assess your kitchen design, material choices, and sink placements against hygiene standards, and the final Food Shop License inspection checks that what was actually built matches what was approved. A design that looks good but ignores this workflow separation will fail inspection and cost you in rework. This is also why kitchen design and licensing can't be treated as separate workstreams — the layout decisions covered in our café licensing requirements guide directly shape what your designer can put on the floor plan.

Do I need to budget for kitchen equipment separately from fit-out?

Yes — kitchen equipment is a separate capital expense from the renovation fit-out, typically $15,000 to $60,000 for a small café, and it isn't included in the $180 to $350 psf renovation rate. Espresso machines, grinders, refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and POS systems all need to be selected early, not after the interior design is finalised, because your designer needs their exact dimensions, power voltage, and plumbing requirements to plan the electrical load and build the counter around them correctly. Confirming your equipment list before your interior design is locked also avoids a common and costly rework scenario: a counter built to fit a placeholder appliance size, then rebuilt once the actual equipment arrives.

What electrical and drainage work does a commercial kitchen need?

Commercial kitchens usually need an upgraded electrical load — often to 3-phase supply — because espresso machines, display chillers and heavy-duty ovens draw far more power than a residential kitchen was ever wired for. Upgrading power from the building's main switchboard is expensive, and depending on the building's existing capacity, sometimes impossible, which is why it belongs on your pre-lease checklist rather than something you discover after signing. Drainage works the same way: if you're installing a grease trap, you need an existing floor trap in the unit to connect it to — check this before you commit to the space, not after. A unit that already has a floor trap, existing exhaust ducting, and adequate power — typically a former F&B unit rather than a bare retail shell — can save you a significant share of this cost, which is the same logic behind choosing a takeover unit over a bare one for F&B use.

What's the biggest cost mistake in commercial kitchen design?

The most common mistake is treating kitchen equipment and M&E works as afterthoughts instead of budgeting for them from day one — first-time owners who spend their entire budget on visible, front-of-house renovation often find they can't afford the exhaust system, electrical upgrade, or equipment that actually let the kitchen operate. Since M&E alone can consume 40% to 50% of your total budget, it needs to be priced before you finalise your front-of-house design, not after. The second most common mistake is skipping the pre-lease checks on exhaust routing, electrical capacity, and floor trap availability — three things that are cheap to verify before signing and expensive to discover afterward, once you're already committed to a unit that can't support the kitchen you designed.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much does a commercial kitchen cost to renovate in Singapore?

Commercial kitchen work typically needs $15,000 to $60,000 for equipment and $15,000 to $30,000 for exhaust and ventilation, on top of the $180 to $350 psf general F&B fit-out rate — and mechanical and electrical works alone consume 40% to 50% of the total renovation budget.

Is kitchen equipment included in the renovation quote?

No. Equipment such as espresso machines, ovens, chillers and POS systems is a separate capital expense, typically $15,000 to $60,000 for a small café, and is budgeted independently from the $180 to $350 psf fit-out rate.

How much does commercial exhaust and ventilation cost?

A fire-rated commercial exhaust system — ducting, exhaust hood, and fresh air intake — typically costs $15,000 to $30,000, and is mandatory if you're cooking on-site.

What SFA layout rules apply to a commercial kitchen?

SFA requires a compliant kitchen layout that separates raw food preparation from clean serving areas, defined food preparation zones, hygiene compliance, and proper waste management systems.

Why is electrical upgrading so expensive for a commercial kitchen?

Commercial espresso machines, display chillers and heavy-duty ovens draw significant power, so upgrading the electrical load — often to 3-phase supply — and rewiring the unit is a major expense, and is sometimes impossible depending on the building's existing switchboard capacity.

Do I need a grease trap for my commercial kitchen?

Yes, if you're cooking on-site. A grease trap is a mandatory NEA requirement to prevent oils entering the sewage system, and you should confirm there's an existing floor trap to connect to before you sign the lease.