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# Hougang Central: Is The Floor Plan A Trap Or Fair?
- URL: https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-floor-plan-trap/
- Published: 2026-09-06T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-03T00:58:33.000Z
- Description: Hougang Central is GFA harmonised, the psf quoted is closer to liveable psf than older D19 developments. But mixed development structural columns create unit efficiency issues most buyers never check. What to look for.
- Author: James Ong
- Tags: New Launch

Hougang Central Residences: The Floor Plan Trap: James Ong 

**Part 2 of 7: Hougang Central Residences: The Complete Analysis**  
[↑ Back to the full review](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-review/) · [Part 1: The Price Floor](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-price-floor/) · [Part 3: The Pricing Test](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-pricing-test/) · [Part 4: The Yield Reality](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-yield-reality/) · [Part 5: The Spine](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-spine/) · [Part 6: The Exit](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-exit/) · [Part 7: The Management Reality](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-management-reality/) 

# Hougang Central Residences: The Floor Plan Trap: You're Paying for Space You Can Actually Live In

You open the floor plan PDF: "3 Bedroom, 936 sqft." The psf works out to $2,930, which sounds easier than the headline average of $3,126 psf. What the PDF doesn't tell you is what GFA harmonisation means for that number, or why comparing it with a $1,600 psf resale unit at Riverfront Residences isn't what it seems.

Direct Answer 

Hougang Central Residences is GFA harmonised, so its quoted psf is closer to liveable psf than older D19 projects, where strata psf ran 10% to 15% above liveable area. When comparing with resale projects from 2018 to 2022, raise the older units' psf by roughly 10% to 12% to compare like for like. The gap between $3,126 psf and older resale prices narrows a lot once you do.

Land Use TypeMixed Commercial + Residential

GFA StatusHarmonised (post Jun 2023)

Est. ASP\~$3,126 psf (harmonised)

Plot Ratio2.5

## Move 1: GFA Harmonisation: What Changed and Why It Matters

Singapore's GFA harmonisation rules took effect on 1 June 2023 for new planning applications. Under the old rules, some features, such as AC ledges, planter boxes, bay windows and voids, were fully or partly left out of GFA. Developers built them into units, which inflated the strata area you paid for while the space you actually used stayed smaller. A 3BR sold as 1,200 sqft might include 150 to 180 sqft you couldn't live in.

Under harmonisation, those elements are now counted in full as GFA. Developers no longer receive "free" GFA from these architectural add-ons. The result: newer projects tend to have smaller, more efficient unit footprints because developers cannot pad the strata area with non-liveable space. The psf you pay reflects closer to what you live in.

Hougang Central was tendered in January 2026 and will be designed and built under the harmonised rules. Its average of about $3,126 psf is a harmonised figure, not the same kind of number as the $1,600 psf that Riverfront Residences or Affinity at Serangoon sold at under the old rules.

## Move 2: The Floor Plan Trap in a Mixed Development

GFA harmonisation is one part of the floor plan story. The other part is specific to mixed developments, and it is something most buyers learn only after the fact.

In a commercial-residential development, the homes above the podium have structural limits that purely residential towers don't. The podium's column grid, which must carry the heavier loads and wider spans of retail space, doesn't always line up with the best layout for the homes above. That can mean awkward column positions, bay widths or corridors that make the floor plan less efficient.

In practice, a 900 sqft 3BR in a mixed development may live more like an 820 sqft 3BR in a purpose-built residential tower, because podium columns cut into bedroom corners or leave the living area an awkward shape. This isn't unique to Hougang Central; it's true of mixed-use buildings everywhere. The floor plans at the showflat will show you the unit dimensions. They won't show where the columns fall or how they affect furniture and daylight.

When floor plans come out, check the bedroom widths (ideally 3.2m or more for a double bed with space around it), the living room depth (4m or more so a sofa layout doesn't feel cramped) and the kitchen layout (open kitchens cope better in mixed developments where column positions are less predictable). Ask the sales team for the column plan. You're entitled to see it, and a developer with nothing to hide will show it.

## GFA Harmonisation: What the Adjustment Looks Like

$1,600$1,760$3,1262BR / 600 sqft$1,600$1,760$3,1263BR / 900 sqft$1,600$1,760$3,1264BR / 1,300 sqftPre-harm. strata psfLiveable psf (approx.)Harmonised psf 

Pre-harmonisation figures are illustrative, using approximate D19 resale psf from the time of the older launches. The harmonised psf is the estimated average price for Hougang Central Residences. This isn't a direct comparison; it shows why nominal psf differences overstate the real gap. Source: PropNex Research; URA REALIS.

The table makes the point: if a buyer in 2025 paid $1,700 psf (strata) for a Riverfront Residences 3BR, the liveable equivalent is closer to $1,870 to $1,920 psf. That's still well below Hougang Central's roughly $3,126 psf, but the gap is smaller than the headline figures suggest, and it's where a proper price comparison should start. The [Pricing Test article](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-pricing-test/) takes this further.

## Move 3: How to Read the Floor Plans When They Are Released

Hougang Central's floor plans will be released at or before the showflat opening, expected around early 2027 given the April 2027 launch timeline. Before you walk into the showflat, here is the checklist that matters:

**Unit efficiency ratio.** Divide the liveable area by the strata area. For a well-designed harmonised unit, the ratio should be close to 1.0, because there should be little unusable space. In a mixed development where columns intrude, how well the space works can still fall short of that, even on a harmonised basis. Ask for the air-conditioned area, which is the closest guide to what you actually live in.

**Stack orientation.** In a mixed development with a retail podium, stacks facing the podium or the loading bay will get less natural light and air. The premium stacks face north (no direct afternoon sun) or the green areas. With 835 units on one site, not everyone gets the best orientation, so know which stacks are where before you choose.

**Mixed-use noise and odour.** The podium will bring foot traffic, delivery noise and, if there are food outlets, cooking smells. Floors 1 to 5 of the residential tower directly above the podium are most exposed. Ask the developer which floor the residential lobby and first homes start on. On a 99-year lease, you'll be living with that for a very long time.

The full unit mix and floor plan analysis will be updated in this article when the developer releases official floor plans ahead of the April 2027 launch.

James's Note 

"Hougang Central is the first major development in Hougang, and it's a mixed development."

Floor plans in a mixed development need a different kind of look from a purely residential project. Because of the podium's structural grid, you need to check each unit's column positions and bay widths, not just its total area. I've managed buildings where homes above a commercial podium had columns that made some bedroom layouts almost unusable with standard furniture. The show unit will be the best-case layout. Ask to see the column plan and the as-built structural drawings when they're available.

The GFA harmonisation piece is actually buyer-friendly here. What you see is closer to what you get. That is an improvement on the pre-2023 world, but it does not change the structural efficiency question specific to mixed-use buildings.

James Ong, CEA R008385F | PropNex Realty

## Frequently Asked Questions

What is GFA harmonisation in plain language?

Before June 2023, some parts of a condo unit, such as AC ledges, planter boxes, bay windows and voids, were left out of GFA or only partly counted, and developers used them to pad strata areas and make units look bigger. Under harmonisation these elements count, so developers build units that are smaller on paper but more honest. What you see on the floor plan is now closer to what you live in.

Does GFA harmonisation mean units are now smaller?

Liveable space hasn't necessarily shrunk. What's changed is that strata area now reflects liveable area more honestly. Under the old system, a "1,200 sqft" unit might have had only 1,050 sqft of real living space. Under harmonisation, a "1,050 sqft" unit has about 1,050 sqft of real space. The numbers look smaller, but the homes aren't. They're just measured more accurately.

How does a mixed development affect the floor plan compared to a pure residential condo?

The commercial podium below the residential tower introduces a structural column grid designed for heavier commercial loads and wider retail spans. This grid carries up into the lower residential floors and can affect where columns land within units. Well-designed mixed developments minimise this intrusion; less well-designed ones leave buyers with awkward column positions in bedrooms or living areas. Ask for the column plan before committing.

Which floors should I avoid in a mixed development?

The lowest residential floors, usually just above the podium's transfer level, get the most noise and possible smells from the shops, and floors next to the loading bay or service corridor are the worst. High floors are clear of this but cost more. If price matters most to you, check exactly which floors face the loading area and factor that into your stack choice.

Will the floor plans be available before the showflat launch?

Developers usually release indicative floor plans 4 to 6 weeks before the showflat opens, with full unit-level plans available at the showflat. Before you pick a unit, I can walk you through the floor plans and flag the layouts that lose usable space. WhatsApp me at [wa.me/6591111173](https://wa.me/6591111173?text=Hi%20James%2C%20I%27d%20like%20to%20talk%20through%20my%20situation.&ref=mychoicehomez.com).

Read the full Hougang Central Residences series:

[The Complete Analysis](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-review/) · [The Price Floor](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-price-floor/) · [The Floor Plan Trap](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-floor-plan-trap/) · [The Pricing Test](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-pricing-test/) · [The Yield Reality](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-yield-reality/) · [The Spine](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-spine/) · [The Exit](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-exit/) · [The Management Reality](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/hougang-central-management-reality/) 

Is this project right for you?

Every buyer's numbers are different. I'll check your budget, loan, the alternatives and your exit in a free written Property Decision Review. No obligation.

[Get my free Property Decision Review →](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/property-decision-review/)

## Sources

- URA: GFA Harmonisation circular, effective 1 June 2023
- BCA: Building control and GFA computation guidelines (2023 update)
- PropNex Research: UPCOMING LAUNCHES data, Hougang Central unit mix estimates (Jun 2026)
- URA REALIS: Pre-harmonisation D19 strata transaction data for comparison
- Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA): mixed development structural obligations
- SRX: D19 resale transaction data
- URA Master Plan 2019: Hougang Central site specifications

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Property investments involve risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Readers should seek independent advice from licensed professionals before making any property or financial decision. James Ong is a licensed real estate salesperson (CEA Reg No. R008385F) with PropNex Realty Pte Ltd and is not a licensed financial adviser. 

James Ong | CEA Reg No. R008385F | PropNex Realty Pte Ltd  
WA: 91111173 | [wa.me/6591111173](https://wa.me/6591111173?text=Hi%20James%2C%20I%27d%20like%20to%20talk%20through%20my%20situation.&ref=mychoicehomez.com)