“More shoddy overpriced BTO pigeonholes coming” — Netizens on ‘new 3D construction tech; wait time shorten to 3.3 years’

In response to news of the wait time for two Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in Tengah being shortened due to the use of new construction methods, a few netizens have expressed their concern over what effects this will have on the price and quality of living spaces.

According to recent news, two BTO flats in Tengah will be using more advanced construction methods like printing concrete in 3D in order to improve productivity and limit the waste of materials. As a result, the wait time for these flats will be cut down to three years and three months, The Straits Times reports.

According to the Housing and Development Board (HDB), though the wait time depends on a variety of factors, the average waiting period is four to five years. In response to this, however, several online users have raised questions concerning how this development will affect prices and quality.

“More shoddy overpriced BTO pigeonholes coming,” said one. Another pointed out that the new wait time for the two projects in Tengah is still long, saying, “(It) still needs to take three years!”

Still, one asked, “Will the structure later have mushrooms and mould?” while another brought up prices, saying “Is this going to make the BTO flats more expensive?”

In early November, a news article reported that netizens brought up their concerns over the rise in Singaporeans renting co-living spaces due to the rise in property costs. “So many co-living in HDB, condo…with five to six people in one unit!” wrote one netizen. “What has Singapore become?”

“Public housing screw up,” another commented. “The young cannot afford to buy so they need to rent.”