Recent data from Singapore's Building and Construction Authority (BCA) indicates that small private residential projects, particularly boutique condominiums with fewer than 50 units, are more prone to construction quality defects compared to larger developments. Over the past six years, 28 out of 48 projects rated in the lowest three bands (4 to 6) under the Construction Quality Assessment System (Conquas) were small condos. In contrast, only 17 out of 119 projects rated in the top three bands (1 to 3) were small projects. (, whereas the figure is 80 in every 1,000 units for a band 6 developer.
Experts suggest that the higher defect rates in small projects may be due to their reliance on on-site construction methods, which are more susceptible to weather conditions and quality control issues. In contrast, larger projects often utilize prefabricated and precast systems, benefiting from better factory quality controls.
The BCA has implemented measures to address these concerns, including the Land Sales Disqualification Framework, which can disqualify developers with severe regulatory non-compliances or consecutive projects with major defects from participating in land sales for up to five years.
This development underscores the importance of stringent quality control and oversight in the construction of boutique condominiums to ensure the delivery of safe and reliable housing to consumers.