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About 700 cases of dislodged tiles reported in first 2 weeks of Jan: HDB

SINGAPORE — The Housing and Development Board (HDB) received 700 reports of dislodged tiles in the first half of this month, with more than half of the cases involving tiles installed by the HDB.

Woodlands Drive 75 resident Muhammad Hafiz Abdul Wahid, 35, heard a “cracking sound” when his family was having lunch in the living room. Photos: Muhammad Hafiz Abdul Wahid

Woodlands Drive 75 resident Muhammad Hafiz Abdul Wahid, 35, heard a “cracking sound” when his family was having lunch in the living room. Photos: Muhammad Hafiz Abdul Wahid

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SINGAPORE — The Housing and Development Board (HDB) received 700 reports of dislodged tiles in the first half of this month, with more than half of the cases involving tiles installed by the HDB.

An HDB spokesperson said on Tuesday (Jan 16) the number of cases reported is “consistent with the experience of previous years, where there tends to be a higher number of feedback on the dislodgement of tiles during the colder months”.

In recent days, HDB dwellers in estates such as Jurong West, Bukit Panjang, Woodlands and Punggol have complained of cracked floor tiles. Some have posted photos on social media while others have complained to the HDB on its Facebook page.

Responding to media queries, the HDB said dislodgement of tiles is due to “natural deterioration and differential thermal expansion or contraction of the tiles, which results in a loss of adhesion between the tiles and the screed surface over time”.

“Significant changes in temperature can also cause more stress to be built up beneath the tiles and contribute to the loss of adhesion,” added the spokesperson.

Last year, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong had said, in response to Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah group representation constitutency (GRC) Liang Eng Hwa’s question, that HDB received about 2,000 cases of dislodged floor tiles per year in the past two years.

This works out to a yearly average of about two cases per 1,000 dwelling units, or 0.2 per cent per year, he said.

For affected homeowners whose tiles were laid by HDB, there will be goodwill repairs for dislodged tiles for up to 15 years, exceeding the industry’s standard of a one-year defect liability period.

For flats older than 15 years, HDB’s practice is to carry out inspections and remove and dispose of the affected tiles. It can provide owners with a list of registered repair contractors they can engage on a private basis.

Replacement of tiles can be a costly exercise. Renovation contractors and tile suppliers recommend replacing tiles across the entire floor area instead of merely tackling the tiles that popped out.

This is because heavy vibration from hacking works could cause tiles in other areas to crack as well, said Mr Leon Lee, manager of Concept Tiling.

Mr Lee’s company charges about S$14 per square foot for replace of tiles. This adds up to about S$11,200 for the living room and bedrooms of a five-room flat, and about S$9,100 for a four-room flat, he said.

Four HDB homeowners in the Woodlands area approached him last week to find out about replacement cost, but none has responded after he informed them of the charges.

“Cost could be a major factor,” said Mr Lee, who said private contractors typically offer a one-year warranty period.

There is little homeowners can do to prevent the problem from occurring, or to determine if it was due to shoddy workmanship or materials used.

Homeowners have no way of assessing whether the types of tiles or cement used to line the tiles are of good quality unless they do their research prior to the renovation, said Mr Andy Lim, managing director of tiles supplier GF+A Global.

Although contractors may suggest better quality products, homeowners could opt for cheaper alternatives due to budgetary constraints, he added.

Mr Liang told TODAY he plans to submit a proposal to HDB in the next few days, calling for microloans be given to residents who do not qualify for financial assistance typically given out to the lower-income.

For these residents, who may earn about S$2,500 to S$3,500 a month, the cost of replacing their tiles might be a “big sum for them to cough up”.

“They are helpless because they don’t have immediate cash at hand. I can understand their situation,” said Mr Liang. “It is unpleasant and unsafe to live in such a condition.”

Homeowners can repay the microloan over time, suggested Mr Liang. “Those who can pay, can fork out their own cash. But those who can’t, there is a need for a scheme to tide them over,” he said.

Last year in Parliament, Sembawang GRC MP Vikram Nair had proposed that HDB provide residents who do not qualify for repairs by the board with a one-off grant to replace the tiles at their own cost and with their own choice of tiles.

“This may be one way to just close the issue off, for upcoming cases that arise,” Mr Nair had said.

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