Quick answer. A HERA freestanding bathtub installs in 1 to 2 hours with zero renovation. The bathtub connects to your existing floor trap with a flexible drainage outlet. There is no hacking, no tiling, no waterproofing, no plumber needed. Cost is $120 to $300, included as a single delivery and installation appointment.
The phrase "no renovation" is overused in the Singapore home market. People hear it, and they are right to be skeptical. So here is what no renovation actually means when you install a HERA bathtub in an HDB or condo bathroom: nothing in your bathroom changes. No tiles come off. No pipes get cut. No floor trap moves. No silicone is broken. Two installers walk in carrying a bathtub, connect a flexible hose to the existing floor trap, run a leak test, and walk out.
If that sounds like it cannot possibly be the whole story, this guide walks you through every step in detail, including the parts that nobody else tends to explain.
What "no renovation" actually means
A traditional built-in bathtub in Singapore requires three pieces of work that count as renovation:
- Tiling. The bathtub is enclosed in a tiled apron, which has to be hacked off if it ever fails or you want to change it.
- Waterproofing. The bathtub area needs a waterproof membrane underneath the tiles, applied by a contractor and signed off.
- Plumbing. The water inlet and the drainage are permanently piped into the floor and walls.
A freestanding bathtub like HERA replaces all three of these with simpler equivalents:
- No tiling. The bathtub is fully self-contained. The existing bathroom floor is your "tile apron".
- No waterproofing. The bathroom floor is already waterproofed and drains into the floor trap. The bathtub uses the same drain.
- No fixed plumbing. A flexible drainage outlet connects the bathtub to the floor trap. It can be disconnected at any time.
That is the entire engineering rationale. If you can pour water from a kettle into your existing floor trap and watch it drain, your bathroom can take a HERA bathtub.
The 8-step installation process
Here is what actually happens, in order, on the day a HERA bathtub is installed.
- Confirm the bathtub fits before order day.
You measure the bathroom in millimetres and use the Fit Calculator or AR Visualiser to confirm which size fits with at least 50mm to 100mm clearance. Or share dimensions on WhatsApp at +65 8222 2978 and we recommend the right size.
- Schedule delivery and installation as one appointment.
HERA confirms a 2-hour window, usually 5 to 10 working days after order. The same crew that delivers also installs, so you only book one slot. Free delivery is included within Singapore.
- Prepare the bathroom on the day.
Clear the floor of mats, bins, and toiletries. Make sure the existing floor trap is uncovered. The team brings floor protection for the corridor. You do not need any tools or materials.
- Two installers carry the bathtub into the bathroom.
The bathtub weighs 30kg to 45kg empty. Two installers move it from the lift to your bathroom along a protected path. Standard sizes fit through standard HDB and condo doorways without modification.
- Position the bathtub and level the feet.
The team places the bathtub in your chosen spot, then uses a spirit level to check it is sitting flat. Adjustable feet on the underside compensate for the slight slope of standard bathroom floors.
- Connect the flexible drainage to the existing floor trap.
The flexible drainage outlet that ships with the bathtub is connected to your existing floor trap with a watertight seal. No hacking. No tiling. The connection can be undone at any time without leaving a mark.
- Run a leak test.
The team partly fills the bathtub, then drains it. Water should flow cleanly into the floor trap with no drip at the flexible joint. Any minor adjustments are made on the spot.
- Walk through aftercare and warranty.
Before leaving, the team walks you through cleaning, the 1-year warranty, and how to disconnect the bathtub if you ever move. From arrival to handover, the visit takes 1 to 2 hours.
What you do not need
Things that are not required, despite what some renovation contractors will tell you:
- You do not need to hack any tiles. The existing bathroom finish stays.
- You do not need a separate plumber. The HERA team handles the drainage connection.
- You do not need a separate contractor. One appointment, one team, one fee.
- You do not need an HDB permit. No structural or plumbing modification means no permit application.
- You do not need to take a day off. Most installations fit into a 2-hour window.
- You do not need to redo your waterproofing. Existing bathroom waterproofing is undisturbed.
Common questions about no-renovation installation
Will the bathtub leak through the flexible drainage?
No. The flexible drainage outlet uses a sealed coupling that has been used for portable washing machines and similar appliances for decades. The leak test on installation day confirms the seal is good before the team leaves.
Is the floor strong enough to support the bathtub when full?
Yes. A full bathtub including water and a person is about 300kg, distributed across the full footprint of the bathtub. This is well within the structural live load capacity of standard HDB and condo bathroom floors. The load profile is comparable to a fully loaded wardrobe or a sofa with two adults on it.
Can I install it myself to save money?
You can technically connect the flexible drainage yourself, but we do not recommend it. The professional installation includes positioning, levelling, leak testing, and a handover walk-through, which protects your warranty. The full $120 to $300 fee is genuinely worth the peace of mind.
What if I want to remove the bathtub later?
Disconnect the flexible drainage from the floor trap, lift the bathtub, and walk it out. There is nothing else to undo. The bathroom looks the same as before. Many customers move the bathtub between homes when they relocate.
Does the HDB allow this?
Yes. Because the installation does not involve any structural modification, plumbing change, or hacking, no HDB permit is needed. You are simply placing a self-contained bathtub on the existing floor and using the existing drainage.
How long does it take, end to end?
From the moment you place an order to the moment you take your first soak, the typical timeline is:
- Day 0: You order the bathtub. We confirm size and delivery slot.
- Days 1 to 10: Stock allocation and pre-delivery quality check.
- Day of installation: 2-hour delivery and installation window. Bathtub usable the same evening.
Compare that to a built-in bathtub install, which typically requires 5 to 10 days of renovation work, multiple contractor coordination, and an HDB permit if you are altering anything structural. The freestanding route is usually 5 to 10 times faster.
What this looks like in real homes
HERA bathtubs have been installed in HDB 3-room flats, 4-room flats, executive maisonettes, condo masters, walk-up apartments, and even rented units. The same 1-to-2-hour install applies in all of them. The constraint is almost always whether the bathtub fits, not whether it can be installed. Use the Fit Calculator first, and the rest of the process is predictable.
If you want to see real customer installations, the gallery page shows photos of HERA bathtubs in actual Singapore homes. Many of them are HDB master bathrooms with the original tiles still in place, which is the clearest visual confirmation that no renovation happened.
Ready to book your installation?
Message the HERA team on WhatsApp and we will help you confirm size, total cost, and the next available installation slot in under 5 minutes.