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HDB’s renovation guidelines for bomb shelters in HDB flats are designed to maintain the structural integrity and safety of the shelter while ensuring that any modifications do not interfere with its intended use as a civil defence shelter.
Bomb Shelter Walls
No hacking or altering of the bomb shelter’s walls or structure is allowed. This includes the steel-reinforced concrete walls, which are designed to withstand external pressures.
Bomb Shelter Door
The bomb shelter door is fire-rated and must not be removed, altered, or replaced unless with another HDB-approved fire-rated door.
Bomb Shelter Floor
The bomb shelter’s flooring should remain as is, and no modifications can be made to the floor structure, such as raising or lowering it.
Bomb Shelter Vents
The ventilation system (typically an air vent or duct) should remain unobstructed and must not be tampered with. Any modification to the air vents, or blocking of them, is strictly prohibited as it may affect air circulation and the shelter’s function in emergencies.
Bomb Shelter Shelves
Bomb shelters are intended for emergency use, so they cannot be converted into a storage room for non-emergency items. However, light, non-load-bearing shelves may be installed to store essential supplies such as emergency kits. No built-in cabinets or permanent fixtures (such as shelves or storage units) are allowed to be installed that could obstruct the use of the bomb shelter in the event of an emergency.
Electrical work in the bomb shelter is prohibited unless approved by HDB. The addition of electrical points, lighting, or power sources inside the shelter is generally not allowed, except for essential lighting in emergency situations. No air-conditioning or heavy electrical appliances should be installed, as the shelter is not designed for such use.
Ensure clear access to the bomb shelter. The entrance and exit must remain easily accessible at all times, and no obstacles or obstructions should block the shelter’s door or the pathway to it.
Any renovation that involves the bomb shelter must be approved by HDB. Homeowners must apply for a renovation permit, and only HDB-approved contractors should carry out any work that affects the bomb shelter.
Chalkboard Wall
Make it an outlet for your creativity. Turn the HDB bomb shelter door into a large chalkboard for shopping lists or draw up a storm when you feel creative. In this HDB flat (pictured above), the interior designers at Distinct Identity turned a side of the bomb shelter into a feature wall for a cosy, creative nook for the homeowner.
Custom shoe shelves, as created by interior designer JQ Ong/ The Association, can be placed within the large storage space to create an organised shoe cabinet for your shoe collection.
Interior designers from Sirius Art built a series of custom bookshelves slim enough to fit into the corridor, with a pivoting panel perfect for hiding the bomb shelter door. The storage options are endless!
The interior designers at Vegas Interior Design turned only a portion of the door into a Parisian-themed white board for the owner..
Distract the eye with a lighting feature instead. The interior designers at White Space Living made use of a light from Habitat to hang over the flush door that hides the bomb shelter.
Not only do mirrors make your home appear larger, they’re great for hiding bomb shelters as the interior designers from Three-D Conceptwerke have done here.
Of course, the easiest way to conceal your HDB bomb shelter is to hide it behind a feature wall. The plywood feature wall added by the interior designers at Project File brings a raw touch to the home, complementing the white brick wall.