# Ceiling Leak Repair Singapore | Traced From Above, Not Painted Over | Seepwise > Ceiling leak repair in Singapore for HDB, condo and landed homes. Source traced, who-pays rules explained, re-screeding or PU injection. Request an inspection. URL: https://waterproofing.affiliateinsider.buzz/ceiling-leak-repair/ - Home - / Ceiling leak repair # Ceiling Leak Repair in Singapore Find where the water enters, fix it at the source, and know who pays before work starts. [Request an inspection](#request) Last updated: 2026-10-10 [Seepwise](/) handles ceiling leak repair across Singapore by tracing water to the floor slab above and fixing it there, rather than covering the stain from below. HDB notes that ceiling leaks are particularly common in older flats, especially under bathrooms and toilets, because the waterproofing membrane and screed in the floor slab wear down over time ([HDB](https://www.mynicehome.gov.sg/hdb-how-to/maintain-your-flat/)). ## What happens on the first visit On the first visit the specialist maps the damp area with a moisture meter, photographs the stain and its edges, and checks the three things that most often imitate a slab leak: an aircon drain line, a concealed water pipe and a window frame. If the unit above has to be checked, the visit is arranged with the upstairs owner, because the repair itself usually happens in their wet area. You get the likely source, the method, and who is responsible under HDB or condo rules before anything is quoted. ## Why ceiling leaks start in the floor above Bathrooms and kitchens are built with a waterproofing membrane under a layer of screed and the floor tiles. When that membrane cracks or debonds, water from showers and floor washing passes into the concrete slab and appears on the ceiling of the unit below. HDB describes the sign to look for: water marks or stains running from the ceiling down the wall ([HDB](https://www.mynicehome.gov.sg/hdb-how-to/maintain-your-flat/)). A stain that grows after showers points to the wet area above. A stain that grows after rain points to the roof or an external wall. A stain that appears when the aircon runs points to a drain line. That pattern decides which specialist and which method you need. ## The methods, and when each one fits Re-screeding. Tiles are hacked off, the old screed and membrane removed, a new membrane laid and turned up the walls, then new screed and tiles. HDB calls re-screeding "the most effective solution for ceiling leaks" ([HDB](https://www.mynicehome.gov.sg/hdb-how-to/maintain-your-flat/)). PU injection (non-hacking). Polyurethane resin is injected through small holes into the cracks or joints the water travels through. It avoids hacking, but it does not replace a failed membrane, so it suits localised leaks and buys time rather than renewing the whole wet area. See [PU injection leak repair](/pu-injection-leak-repair/). Ceiling-side work only. Scraping and repainting the ceiling below is the last step, never the repair. Without fixing the source, the stain returns with the next wet week. ## Who pays for a ceiling leak in Singapore In HDB flats, the upper and lower flat owners share responsibility for the floor slab between them ([HDB](https://www.mynicehome.gov.sg/hdb-how-to/maintain-your-flat/)). Under HDB's Goodwill Repair Assistance scheme, HDB has co-paid 50% of ceiling-leak repairs, with the other half split between the two owners ([MND](https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/speeches/view/written-answer-by-ministry-of-national-development-on-hdbs-goodwill-repair-assistance-scheme)). If the leak was caused by renovation work upstairs, the upper owner bears the full cost ([Singapore Legal Advice](https://singaporelegaladvice.com/law-articles/housing/neighbour-disputes/ceiling-leaks-can/)). Top-floor leaks from the roof go to the Town Council, because the roof is common property ([HDB](https://www.mynicehome.gov.sg/hdb-how-to/maintain-your-flat/)). In condominiums, BCA's guidance is a joint inspection with the management, with damages settled privately and disputes taken to the Strata Titles Boards ([BCA Guide 13](https://www1.bca.gov.sg/docs/default-source/docs-corp-regulatory/building-maintenance-and-strata-management/bca_guide-13_water_seepage.pdf)). Full detail: [who pays for an HDB ceiling leak](/guide/hdb-ceiling-leak-who-pays/). ## What is included - ✓Moisture-meter map of the damp area - ✓Photo record you can give HDB, the MCST or an insurer - ✓Aircon drain, pipe and window checks ruled in or out - ✓Arranging access with the unit above - ✓Method chosen for the source, not the stain - ✓Ponding test before re-tiling on re-screed jobs - ✓Ceiling made good after the source is fixed - ✓Written scope and price before work starts ## Painting over it vs a quick fix vs a proper repair DIY Quick fix Proper repair Where the work happens Your ceiling Your ceiling or a sealant line The floor slab above, at the source Finds the actual source No Rarely checked Moisture map plus elimination checks Membrane renewed No No Yes on re-screed jobs Ponding test No Skipped Yes, before tiles go back Paperwork for HDB / MCST None None Photos and a written finding ## What it costs Published 2026 contractor guides put a toilet waterproofing package (membrane, screed and ponding test) at roughly S$800 to S$2,500, and hacking and disposal at about S$800 to S$1,500 per bathroom ([Triton](https://www.tritoncon.sg/blog/waterproofing-cost-singapore), [PRDT](https://www.prdt.com.sg/blog/bathroom-renovation-cost-singapore/), [Hock Star](https://hockstar.sg/bathroom-renovation-cost-singapore/)). Check whether GST and re-tiling are included. [Try the cost estimator](/tools/waterproofing-cost-estimator/) or read the [waterproofing cost guide](/guide/waterproofing-cost-singapore/). ## Related guides - Who Pays for an HDB Ceiling Leak? - Ceiling Leak From Upstairs: What to Do First - How Much Does Ceiling Leak Repair Cost in Singapore (2026)? - Water Dripping From the Ceiling: Aircon, Pipe or Slab? ## How it is done - Tell us what you see. Photos of the stain and when it grows: after showers, rain or aircon use. - Inspection. Moisture readings, elimination checks, access to the unit above arranged. - Repair at the source. Re-screed or PU injection, chosen for where the water enters. - Test and make good. Ponding test on re-screed jobs, then the ceiling below is repaired. Water dripping now? Switch off any circuit near the drip, put a bucket under it and photograph the stain with the time. Then send a request and tick "dripping right now". [What to do in an active leak](/emergency-leak-repair/) Standards and methods - Moisture mapping before quoting - Ponding test 24h+ on wet areas - Membrane turned up the walls - HDB permit for hacking, via the contractor - BCA workhead CR13 for waterproofing installers Request ceiling leak repair A specialist calls you back to book an inspection. Request received. A specialist will contact you on the number you gave. If water is near electrics, switch off that circuit at the distribution board and keep clear until then. Get ceiling leak repair quoted after a proper inspection. A specialist calls you back to book an inspection. Tell us what you see and the type of home. [Request an inspection](/contact/#request) ## Questions people ask Can a ceiling leak be fixed from my side only? + Usually not. The water enters through the floor slab of the unit above, so work done only on your ceiling hides the stain without stopping the leak. HDB describes re-screeding, which is done from above, as the most effective fix. Does HDB pay for ceiling leak repairs? + Under HDB's Goodwill Repair Assistance scheme, HDB has co-paid 50% of ceiling leak repairs after the defects period, with the rest split between the upper and lower owners. Leaks caused by renovation upstairs are the upper owner's cost. How long does a re-screed take? + Several days: hacking, a new membrane, screed, a ponding test of at least 24 hours before tiling, then tiles. The specialist confirms the schedule after the inspection. My flat is on the top floor. Who fixes it? + A top-floor ceiling leak usually comes from the block's roof, which is common property. Report it to your Town Council, which handles roof-related leaks. Is there a charge for sending a request? + No. Sending a request costs nothing. The specialist explains any inspection fee before the visit. ## Related services [Toilet waterproofingA wet area that stays dry for years needs three things done in order: membrane, screed, test.](/toilet-waterproofing/)[PU injection leak repairSeal the crack the water travels through, without hacking the floor. Good for the right leak, wrong for a failed membrane.](/pu-injection-leak-repair/)[Water leak detectionFind it before you hack it. Detection is cheaper than opening the wrong wall.](/water-leak-detection/)