Do I need BCA approval to hack a non-structural wall?
No BCA plan submission is needed to demolish, restore or reinstate a non-load-bearing wall, or to create or seal an opening in one; these are insignificant building works under the First Schedule of the Building Control Regulations. You still need landlord or MCST consent, and if the change affects exits, sprinkler coverage or fire compartments, SCDF requirements apply. The risk lies in being wrong about 'non-load-bearing', which is why a PE should confirm it.
From the RRD Field Guide, checked against the sources cited in Hacking Walls and Slabs in Singapore: Structural Elements, PT Slabs and Household Shelters. General information, not advice for your project.
The fuller picture
In Singapore you may remove or open a wall without BCA submission only if it is genuinely non-load-bearing, meaning it carries nothing but its own weight. Openings in reinforced concrete walls, beams, columns or most slabs need a PE's structural plans and a BCA permit before work starts. Household and storey shelters must not be hacked; only limited drilling and finishes are allowed under SCDF's rules.
More questions on this topic
- How can I tell whether a wall is structural?
- Can I core a hole through a floor slab for a pipe?
- Why are post-tensioned slabs so dangerous to core?
- Can I hack or modify my household shelter?
- What happens if structural works are done without a permit?
- Does a condo need to approve hacking inside my unit?
- Is scanning the slab enough before coring?