Top 7 Heritage Building Restoration Firms in SG

Navigating Singapore’s conservation requirements is fundamentally different from conventional construction. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) strictly enforces material authenticity, dead-load criteria, and facade retention. Standard Portland cement can crack the original brickwork, and modern waterproofing paints asphyxiate the old masonry. These 7 firms are shortlisted based on their depth in historical materials science, structural underpinning (micro-piling), and their successful submission of URA’s “Certificate of Statutory Completion” for conservation projects across the island.

1. Koh Brothers Building & Civil Engineering

Koh Brothers’ primary strength lies in heavy structural restoration on active infrastructure. They won the contract to restore the Cavenagh Bridge (1869), where they had to replace fatigued cast-iron brackets without altering the 19th-century visual geometry. Instead of importing generic fittings, they contracted a local foundry to replicate the exact cast iron using a sand-casting process, matching the original 1869 micro-structure.

On the Elgin and Anderson Bridges, Koh Brothers had to work with LTA to perform core replacement on the concrete beneath the historical deck. They utilized a “counterweighted lifting system” to remove the original steel beams for off-site abrasive blasting, then reinstalled them with structural steel stitchers hidden inside the hollow sections. Their expertise is in supervising the interface between historical aesthetics and modern load-bearing requirements managed under strict river pollution controls.

2. Hock San Construction

Hock San is the go-to direct contractor for private shophouse owners in Joo Chiat, Bukit Pasoh, and Kreta Ayer. They focus exclusively on high-end conservation, specializing in “timber roof truss repair” and “Peranakan tile conservation.” For the iconic Koon Seng Road houses, they utilized the technique of “half-lap splicing” to patch damaged balau timber beams instead of full replacement, preserving the maximum original fabric required by URA.

Their restoration of the internal ventilation systems is particularly granular. They recreated the original perforated timber louvres using identical wood species sourced from Peninsular Malaysia, and they refused to use polyurethane foam sealants, opting instead for natural hemp and lime putty to seal the roof ridges. Their team works only with hand tools and avoids angle grinders on the facade to prevent heat fractures in the original clay bricks.

3. Bollore Asia

Bollore Asia serves as the specialist facade and roofing contractor for high-profile colonial-era monuments. For the restoration of the Raffles Hotel arcade and surrounding shophouses, they were tasked with replacing the decaying clay roof tiles. They sourced terracotta tiles from a specific kiln in France that matched the exact chemical composition of the original, and used stainless steel pinning systems to fix delaminated sandstone blocks.

On the masonary work, Bollore employs micro-abrasive blasting—using a low-pressure, finely calibrated medium (like crushed glass) to remove biological staining and old paint layers. This is done without the use of harsh acids, which URA has explicitly banned due to the risk of rust bleeding on the original surfaces. Their plant and equipment include custom-engineered scaffold systems that handle the uneven face of historic walls without anchoring into the fragile structure.

4. Preservation Engineering Pte Ltd

This niche engineering consultancy is called in when the original drainage or soil conditions have compromised the structural stability of a listed building. Rather than digging up the site, which URA typically forbids on National Monuments, they perform “underpinning” using micro-piles (down to 150mm diameter) and conduct soil grouting to stabilize foundations from beneath.

Their technical edge is their natural hydraulic lime (NHL) knowledge. They mix quicklime from Ipoh, Malaysia, with local crushed brick dust to create a breathable mortar that matches the 1920s brick properties. This prevents moisture entrapment inside the walls. They also use lime-based “sacrificial renders” on the exterior, which are designed to weather and be re-applied over time, protecting the original deeper layers.

5. RSP Architects

RSP is a major architectural firm, but their dedicated conservation arm handles large-scale institutional projects. On the Capitol Building (Stamford House) redevelopment, they led the intricate restoration of the Art Deco facade and the original 1930s theatre interiors. They used 3D laser scanning to map the precise contour of the existing, uneven brick course so that the new facade elements matched perfectly.

RSP routinely applies “empirical design” codes to justify material replacements. Since URA requires “original material authenticity,” they often have to source obsolete fittings. For the Capitol theatre, they hired artisans in Italy to cast the new iron handrails and re-crafted the internal painted murals on plaster. They work closely with the National Heritage Board (NHB) to ensure the “monumental experience” is preserved, not just the outer shell.

6. Surbana Jurong Heritage Group

The Heritage Group under Surbana Jurong is typically brought in for government-owned, gazetted National Monuments. Their portfolio includes the restoration of the National Museum of Singapore’s main wing, specifically the iconic white Monroe dome that crowns the building. They had to replace the existing metal decking with a historically accurate lead-coated copper roof system to match the original Victorian-era measurements.

Their restoration process is engineering-heavy. For the old Supreme Court and City Hall (now National Gallery Singapore), they ran a complex “programme of surveys” to identify the original volumetric extents. They use architectural historians on staff to review colonial-era drawings from the National Archives, ensuring every reinstated drainage pipe and masonry course matches the original drawings, and then they integrate modern MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) systems discreetly within the restored shell.

7. LHN Group Facilities Management

LHN operates differently from the others: they are a “space optimization” firm that buys or leases old, conserved shophouses, physically restores them, and converts them into commercial co-working spaces. This makes them the most cost-efficient option for landlords seeking quick lease income. Their head office at 149 Sims Avenue is a testament to their work—a fully restored colonial shophouse that maintains its original facade.

Their in-house team expedites the URA submission process by specializing in “rapid restoration for commercial conversion.” They focus heavily on integrating modern aircon ducting beneath the flooring and within the ceiling voids, while preserving the exposed historical beams above the false ceiling. Their method involves careful “facade retention” where they strap the original front wall with structural steel supports and rebuild the internal compromised sections with lightweight aerated concrete.

Summary Table: Firm Specializations