Interior Design Cheras Hartamas: Working With What's Already There

Cheras Hartamas, more formally Taman Cheras Hartamas, is an older low-density terrace enclave in the Cheras area, sandwiched between the larger, better-known neighbourhoods of Taman Cuepacs, Taman Connaught, Taman Segar and Taman Taynton View. It is not related to Sri Hartamas in northern KL — the shared name is a coincidence, and the two areas have nothing else in common. Most of the streets here are rows of compact double-storey terraces, and there is very little else.

It is usually about making a small, older terrace work harder. Many of the original units are compact double-storey homes, and their current condition varies because some have been altered over the years. The useful question is what the house already has to offer before deciding what to add.

Some have, in one form or another — an extra room at the back, an enclosed car porch, or a raised extension over the kitchen. The quality and approval history of those additions can vary, so a survey should establish what is there, what condition it is in, and whether it was submitted before new work is designed around it.

Because the original houses are relatively compact, the total renovation cost can be lower than for a much larger landed home. But floor area is only part of the equation. The number depends on how much of the existing structure and services are being touched, and how much earlier work needs to be tied into the original house. Design and drawings are quoted separately from the build, and both follow a site measurement.

Cheras falls under Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur. Structural alterations, extensions and changes to the external envelope may require a submission prepared by a qualified professional. Interior work that leaves the structure alone may follow a different route, but the answer depends on the scope and what is already built. Confirm the current requirements with DBKL or the relevant professional before adding to an earlier extension.

Often, yes. Adding more floor area may mean going further into the back setback or up another level, both of which need an early feasibility check. In many cases there is more value in reworking the existing floor area properly — a better kitchen layout, more storage, a bathroom that actually drains well — than in squeezing out another few square metres. Have that conversation before committing to an extension.

Mixed, and it depends heavily on whether a previous owner already touched it. We would normally check the electrical board and available capacity, visible pipework, and how any earlier extension was wired and plumbed. The newer-looking part of the house is not necessarily the part with the newer services.

A single room or a kitchen refresh can move quickly, often within a few weeks once materials are confirmed. A small house does not automatically mean a quick renovation, though. Once you start changing the layout, services or an earlier extension, the programme can still run for several months — especially if approvals are involved.

It depends on the scope. A single-room or cosmetic project is manageable while occupied, since the rest of the terrace can usually be closed off. A fuller renovation that touches the kitchen, the wet areas and the services at the same time is harder to live through when there is little spare space to retreat to. Staying with family or renting nearby for the more disruptive stages is common on projects like this.

Look for someone comfortable working with a small, older terrace rather than only new-build condos, since the constraints are different — tighter floor area, an existing structure that may already have been altered, and a real ceiling on how much more can legally be added. Ask how they survey a house of this age, how they check whether a past extension was submitted, and how they would prioritise a limited budget across layout, services and finishes.

The street name, the approximate built-up area, and photos of every room including the electrical board, the kitchen and any extension at the back or above the car porch. Say whether the house has been extended or renovated before, and whether you know if that work was submitted to DBKL. A rough budget band and whether you plan to stay in the house during the works help us tell you what is realistic before a visit.