New Construction Quality Banding to help Homebuyers make Informed Choices

Thursday, 25 May 2023

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has developed a new banding system for the Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS), to help homebuyers better discern the performance of developers and builders based on their track record of private residential projects for the past six years.

Since its establishment in 1989, CONQUAS has played a crucial role in enhancing construction workmanship quality standards, resulting in fewer major defects in private residential projects that could compromise their functionality and liveability.

2. According to Mr Neo Choon Keong, Deputy CEO of Industry Development at BCA, ”The new CONQUAS banding system builds on the existing CONQUAS framework to offer a more accurate assessment of developers' and builders' quality performance based on their track records. We encourage homebuyers to leverage the Quality Housing Portal and CONQUAS banding system to conduct thorough research before making property purchase decisions.

3. The new CONQUAS banding system rates developers, builders, and private residential projects on a scale of Band 1 (very low incidence^[1] of major defects) to Band 6 (higher incidence of major defects). Bands 1 and 2 are reserved for firms that have consistently delivered projects with little to no major defects, highlighting their strong performance.

4. The CONQUAS banding for developers, builders and private residential projects are published in BCA’s Quality Housing Portal (QHP)^[2]. Developers and builders both play an important role in contributing to the overall quality of a project. To better discern the quality of upcoming projects, homeowners can check the CONQUAS banding of the project’s developer and builder. Homebuyers will also soon be able to spot the CONQUAS banding logo with a link to the QHP, which developers have been encouraged to display in show-flats and marketing collaterals.

5. Currently, 20 developers and 15 builders have been accorded Band 1, including City Developments Limited and Woh Hup (Private) Limited, both of which have achieved the BCA Quality Excellence Award for ten consecutive years since the inception of the award in 2013. They have consistently developed Band 1 private housing projects together.  

6. Mr Chia Ngiang Hong, Group General Manager of City Developments Limited (CDL) shared, "This recognition affirms our commitment to creating well-built, sustainable properties with thoughtful design. CDL prioritises quality outcomes from the outset, informing builders and consultants about each project's quality objectives, performance goals, and targets before construction begins. Since 2015, CDL has used an integrated digital quality management framework that unites builders and customers on a single mobile app platform for effective issues management. Moving forward, CDL will continue to work closely with project partners to achieve quality excellence under the new CONQUAS banding system."

7. Mr Selvamani Murugappan, Director of QA/QC of Woh Hup said, “We believe the new CONQUAS banding system aligns with the necessary changes we need to see in the Built Environment sector. The CONQUAS banding system will allow homebuyers to easily differentiate top quality builders and homes from the rest. It will also provide the platform for us to showcase our quality standards as we strive towards upholding our status as a ‘Band 1’ builder.”

Download the PDF version of Media Release here
Download Annex A here

^[1] Based on past data, projects in Band 1 were found to have an average of 0.6 dwelling units with major defects per 1000 dwelling units. Major defects are defects that significantly affect functionality and liveability, e.g. shattered glass, water leakage, etc.
^[2] The QHP currently contains the CONQUAS banding of 110 developers and 76 builders, covering 350 private residential projects completed in past six years as well as projects undergoing assessments.