Renovation and furnishing costs in Johor Bahru (2026): condos and landed homes

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By Jason Lim, REN 84424 · IQI Realty · Checked on 4 November 2026

This guide is for buyers and owners from Singapore, Indonesia, India, China and elsewhere who need to fit out a home in Johor Bahru. The short answer: furnishing a condo alone typically costs RM10,000 to RM20,000, a basic renovation of a 1,000 to 1,500 sq ft condo about RM20,000 to RM30,000, and a full renovation RM80,000 to RM150,000. Landed extensions need council approval and plans, and condo works need management approval and a renovation deposit.

Renovation and furnishing costs at a glance (2025 to 2026)

No official body publishes renovation prices for Johor. These ranges come from Malaysian price guides published in late 2025 and 2026; they are mostly national figures, so compare them with itemised quotes for your unit.

Item	Published range	Source
Light renovation, 1,000 to 1,500 sq ft high-rise	RM20,000 – 30,000	PropertyGuru budget guide, 2026
Medium renovation, same size	RM31,000 – 60,000	PropertyGuru budget guide, 2026
Full renovation, condo	RM80,000 – 150,000	Qanvast, December 2025
Full renovation, terrace house	RM180,000 – 220,000	Qanvast, December 2025
Furnishing only (furniture and appliances)	RM10,000 – 20,000	IQI, April 2026
Kitchen cabinets, melamine	RM200 – 450 per foot run	PropertyGuru renovation guide, 2026
Kitchen base and wall cabinets (custom carpentry)	RM450 – 720 per foot	Qanvast, December 2025
Full-height wardrobe	RM700 – 980 per foot	Qanvast, December 2025
Air-conditioner, supplied and installed	RM1,450 (1.0HP), RM1,750 (1.5HP), RM2,630 (2.0HP)	Qanvast, December 2025
Instant water heater (unit only)	RM260 – 900, plus about RM250 to install	BigBath, May 2026
Storage water heater (unit only)	RM750 – 2,400, plus about RM450 to install a 50-litre tank	BigBath, May 2026
Flooring, installed	SPC about RM9 per sq ft; vinyl or laminate RM8 – 11; tiles RM15 – 24; marble, granite or solid wood RM45 – 220	Qanvast, December 2025
Painting, supply and apply one coat	RM1.80 – 6.80 per sq ft	Qanvast, December 2025
Plaster ceiling	RM3.50 – 5.50 per sq ft	Qanvast, December 2025
Bathroom waterproofing	RM1,500 – 2,000 per bathroom	PropertyGuru renovation guide, 2026
Curtains	Sheer RM7 – 20 per sq ft; blackout about RM16.80 per sq ft	Qanvast, December 2025

Furnishing a condo: rental-ready or full move-in

Many new condos are handed over with basic finishes, and some without kitchen cabinets, air-conditioners or water heaters, so check the specification in your sale agreement. What you add depends on who will live there.

Basic pack for a partly furnished rental

Tenants in JB generally expect a partly furnished unit to have kitchen cabinets, air-conditioners, water heaters, curtains and lights. A worked example for a 3-bedroom condo, using the published prices above:

• Three air-conditioners (two 1.0HP, one 1.5HP): about RM4,650 supplied and installed.
• Two instant water heaters, installed: about RM1,020 to RM2,300.
• 10 feet of melamine kitchen cabinets: about RM2,000 to RM4,500.

That is roughly RM7,700 to RM11,500 before curtains, extra lights and any loose furniture (my calculation; your quotes will differ).

Full move-in furnishing

A fully furnished unit adds beds and mattresses, wardrobes, a sofa, a dining set, a fridge, a washing machine and often a TV console. IQI’s April 2026 guide put furnishing alone at RM10,000 to RM20,000. Built-in wardrobes, a higher-spec kitchen or feature walls quickly push the total into medium renovation territory.

Landed renovation: extensions need council approval

Landed owners have more freedom than condo owners, but not unlimited freedom. Under the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, significant alterations need written approval from the local authority. These include extensions, lofts and mezzanines, new roofs, adding or removing walls and changes to the facade or use.

Which council you deal with

MBJB (Johor Bahru City Council) covers the city and much of Tebrau; MBIP (Iskandar Puteri) covers Bukit Indah, Nusajaya and Medini; MBPG (Pasir Gudang) covers Pasir Gudang and Permas Jaya; and MPKu covers Kulai and Senai. Boundaries do not always follow area names, so check the council named on your assessment bill.

What MBJB’s minor works guideline asks for

MBJB’s guideline for small works on occupied houses (updated 2016) lets small additions use the council’s standard sketch plans. Anything beyond them, such as a concrete roof, needs plans from an architect, engineer or registered draughtsman, and a new concrete slab needs an engineer’s certification. Where walls are shared, as in terraces and semi-Ds, you need the neighbour’s consent. The guideline sets setbacks, such as 6 metres from the front road reserve, and the permit is valid for one year. Bomba, the water operator, TNB or Indah Water may also need to approve.

Type of work	What it usually needs
Painting, loose furniture, air-conditioners, water heaters, kitchen cabinets	Landed: usually no council plans. Condo: management notice or approval.
Awnings, fences, gates, some tiling work	A minor works permit from the council.
Rear or side extension, wet kitchen, porch roof	Council approval with plans; neighbour consent where walls are shared.
Loft, mezzanine, extra storey, concrete slab or roof, removing walls	Plans from a qualified person; engineer for structural work.
Condo facade, balcony, grilles, structural walls	Usually not allowed under building by-laws.

Councils do enforce this. MBIP has told landed owners to get approval before renovating. It said works done without approval can be approved later if they meet the rules, with a penalty of up to 30% of the cost of the completed work. On conviction, fines can reach RM250,000 with up to 10 years’ jail (The Star, October 2021 and June 2022). If you are buying a subsale house, check for unapproved extensions with my subsale house inspection checklist.

Condo renovation rules: deposit, working hours and contractor passes

Condo renovations fall under the Strata Management Act 2013 and each building’s by-laws, set by its JMB or MC. A May 2026 SAYS guide described the usual pattern:

• Written approval first for hacking, plumbing, rewiring, replacing flooring or changing the layout. Expect to submit drawings, contractor and CIDB details and insurance or indemnity forms.
• Renovation deposit: often RM2,000 to RM5,000 or more, refunded after an inspection of lifts, corridors and common areas.
• Working hours: noisy work such as hacking and drilling is usually restricted to weekday office hours, and Sunday and public holiday work is often banned.
• Off limits: load-bearing walls, columns, beams and shear walls; soil stacks and main drainage pipes; and anything that changes the outside look, such as grilles, railings and unit doors facing the corridor.
• Contractor passes: management usually registers the contractor and issues worker passes, with rules on lift use and debris removal.

The building’s master policy may not cover your renovation; see my property insurance guide.

New unit? Check defects before you renovate

For new homes sold under the standard Schedule G and H agreements, the defect liability period runs 24 months from vacant possession. Once you report defects in writing, the developer has 30 days to repair them. If it does not, you can notify it of the repair cost and give it another 30 days. After that you can repair the defects yourself and claim from the 5% retention sum held by the lawyer (The Edge Malaysia, accessed November 2026).

The catch: a developer can refuse to fix damage caused by your own renovation. So inspect at handover, report everything with photos, let the developer finish its repairs, and only then bring in your contractor. My vacant possession defect inspection checklist walks through each room.

How long it takes

Stage	Typical duration
Planning, design and permits	6 – 10 weeks
Demolition and structural work	2 – 4 weeks
Electrical and plumbing	2 – 4 weeks, often overlapping
Carpentry and cabinets	3 – 5 weeks
Tiling, flooring and painting	3 – 6 weeks
Fixtures and fittings	1 – 3 weeks
Final touches and handover	1 – 2 weeks
Whole-home renovation	12 – 24 weeks

A condo fit-out without hacking mostly needs only the carpentry and fixtures stages: weeks rather than months. For a new unit, add the developer’s defect repairs and management approval.

Choosing and checking a contractor

• CIDB registration. Contractors register with the Construction Industry Development Board in grades G1 to G7. The entry grade, G1, may take contracts up to RM200,000; in June 2026 the works ministry said it was studying a request to raise this to RM300,000. For contracts above RM500,000, CIDB charges a levy of 0.125% of the contract value, paid by the main contractor.
• Check it yourself. Search the company on CIDB’s contractor search and make sure the name and grade match the quotation. Councils such as MBIP also advise using CIDB-registered contractors.
• Itemised quotes. Get at least three quotes on the same specification: brands, board type, measurements, number of points and who pays for permits, the renovation deposit and debris disposal.
• A written contract. Scope, drawings, start and finish dates, a defects period for the contractor’s work and what happens if it runs late.
• Pay by stages. Tie each payment to finished work and keep every transfer record. In September 2026 The Star reported a Consumer Claims Tribunal ordering a contractor to refund RM28,700, after the owner had paid RM59,500 of an RM80,370 condo renovation that was left unfinished.

If you live abroad, ask for dated photos or a video call at each stage before releasing payment. See managing a JB property from overseas and property scams in JB.

Furnishing for tenants vs for your own stay

	For tenants	For your own stay
Priority	Durable, easy to clean and replace	Comfort, storage and your own style
Carpentry	Kitchen cabinets and simple wardrobes	Built-ins, feature walls, custom storage
Materials	Humidity-resistant boards, SPC or tiles, washable paint	Whatever suits you, within building rules
Appliances	Mid-range, with local warranty and service	Your choice
Paperwork	Signed inventory with photos, attached to the tenancy	Receipts and warranties

How furnishing affects rent and demand. An October 2026 EdgeProp guide noted that furnishing lifts rent only where tenants want to move in straight away. Expatriates and relocating professionals often prefer fully furnished condos. Students need durable basics, and families often prefer unfurnished or partly furnished homes so they can bring their own furniture. In JB, furnished units near the RTS Link station and in Medini tend to be among the highest asking rents, as my renting guide notes. EdgeProp suggested judging it over a 12 to 24 month cycle, counting servicing and replacement.

Tax matters too: renovation costs are generally not deductible against rental income, while repairs that keep the unit in its existing state can be. See my rental income tax guide. Short-stay letting has extra rules; see Airbnb and short-stay rules in JB.

Budgeting tips

1. Decide the use first. A commuter rental needs different things from a family home.
2. Spend on what is hard to change later: wiring, plumbing, waterproofing and kitchen layout.
3. Keep a buffer for surprises, such as hidden pipes, extra power points or management requirements.
4. Get the house rules and council position before quotes, so contractors price the right scope.
5. Keep every receipt, for warranties, insurance claims and your tax adviser when you later let or sell (see my RPGT guide).
6. Budget the purchase and the fit-out together. Foreign buyers can generally buy Johor residential property only from RM1 million (New Straits Times, April 2026; see my minimum price guide), and the buying costs calculator shows stamp duty and legal fees before renovation is added.

Where to buy if this matters to you

• JB Sentral and Bukit Chagar: condos near the CIQ and RTS Link station, where furnished units suit commuters.
• Mount Austin: condos and landed homes popular with families.
• Tebrau, Setia Indah and Molek: established landed areas; check extensions were approved.
• Iskandar Puteri and Medini: newer condos and landed estates under MBIP.
• Bukit Indah and Gelang Patah: landed homes near the Second Link.
• Permas Jaya and Senibong: east-side condos and waterfront homes.
• New launches in JB: plan the defect check and fit-out before vacant possession.

Compare them on my JB property map, or read condo vs landed vs SOHO in JB to see how renovation freedom differs.

More Johor living guides: Cost of living in JB · Best areas to live in JB · Renting in JB as a foreigner · Managing a JB property from overseas

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to furnish a condo in Johor Bahru?

Furnishing alone typically costs about RM10,000 to RM20,000 for a condo, according to IQI’s April 2026 guide. A basic partly furnished pack for a 3-bedroom unit, with three air-conditioners, two water heaters and kitchen cabinets, works out at roughly RM7,700 to RM11,500 on published prices.

How much does a full renovation cost in JB?

Published Malaysian guides put a full condo renovation at about RM80,000 to RM150,000 and a full terrace renovation at about RM180,000 to RM220,000 (Qanvast, December 2025). A light renovation of a 1,000 to 1,500 sq ft condo starts at around RM20,000 to RM30,000.

Do I need council approval to renovate my house in Johor?

For extensions, lofts, new roofs, removing walls and facade changes, yes. Apply to your council, such as MBJB, MBIP, MBPG or MPKu, with plans; structural work needs an architect or engineer. Awnings and fences need a minor works permit.

How much is the renovation deposit for a condo?

Each building’s management sets it, but it is often RM2,000 to RM5,000 or more, refunded after the common areas are inspected. You also need written approval before major works, and noisy work is usually allowed only on weekdays.

How do I check if a contractor is CIDB-registered?

Search the company name on CIDB’s online contractor search and check that its name and grade match the quotation. G1, the entry grade, may take contracts of up to RM200,000.

Should I renovate a new unit before the developer fixes defects?

No. Report defects in writing first; the developer has 30 days to repair them during the 24-month defect liability period. It can refuse to fix damage your renovation causes, so renovate after its repairs.

Does furnishing increase rent in JB?

It can, but not automatically. Furnishing helps where tenants want to move in straight away, such as expatriates, relocating professionals and Singapore commuters near the RTS Link. Families often prefer unfurnished or partly furnished homes.

Planning a fit-out or renovation in JB?

Tell me the project or area, the unit size, and whether it is for your own stay or for tenants. I will share what similar units nearby are asking furnished and unfurnished, and talk you through the rules that apply to your building or house. You can also book an appointment for a viewing, or a Zoom consultation if you are abroad.

Sources: Qanvast, “How much does it cost to renovate in Malaysia?”, 8 December 2025; PropertyGuru, “Renovation House 2026: planning, permits and costs”, accessed November 2026; PropertyGuru, how to budget for home renovation in Malaysia (2026 edition), accessed November 2026; BigBath, instant vs storage water heaters in Malaysia, 30 May 2026; IQI, unfurnished vs semi-furnished vs fully furnished property, 7 April 2026; EdgeProp, does furnished vs unfurnished affect rental value, 13 October 2026; SAYS, what you can and cannot do when renovating your condo, 12 May 2026; MBJB, Kerja-kerja Kecil Rumah Kediaman guideline (updated 2016), accessed November 2026; The Star, “MBIP: Seek approval before carrying out renovations”, 21 October 2021; The Star, “Council to crack down on illegal home renovations”, 24 June 2022; CIDB Malaysia, FAQ on contractor registration, contractor search and levy, accessed November 2026; Berita RTM, works ministry on G1 contract limit, 23 June 2026; The Star, “Tribunal awards auditor a refund of RM28,700”, 25 September 2026; The Edge Malaysia, understanding the defect liability period and latent defects, accessed November 2026; New Straits Times, “Foreigners hit Johor property resale wall”, 20 April 2026

Jason Lim, REN 84424, IQI Realty Sdn. Bhd. E (1) 1584/6. General information checked on 4 November 2026, not legal, tax or engineering advice. Prices, by-laws and council requirements change; confirm with your council, your building management and your contractor before you commit.