Workload before placement
Before hiring a helper for a large or landed house in Singapore, assess the actual workload: floor area, number of storeys, number of people, care duties, cooking requirements, pets and time conflicts between tasks. A realistic assessment prevents placing a helper into a role that one person cannot physically complete in a day. This guide helps you map the work, identify specialist tasks that need qualified providers, and decide whether the household needs one helper, two or a different arrangement.
Tell us your home type, floor area, household members and the duties involved.
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By APEX Maids Agency Pte. Ltd. · MOM EA Licence 25C3180 · UEN 202547196H. Based in Jurong West and serving households across Singapore. Our website is apexmaids.sg and our phone is 8405 6661.
A four-storey landed house with two elderly parents, three children, a dog and daily cooking is a fundamentally different job from a two-bedroom flat with a working couple and a baby. The right time to discover this is before you shortlist, not after the helper has started and the placement is already under strain.
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| Factor | What to note |
|---|---|
| Floor area and storeys | Number of levels, total rooms, bathrooms, outdoor areas. Stairs add time and physical effort to every task. |
| Number of people | Adults, children (ages), elderly (mobility). More people means more laundry, more meals, more cleaning. |
| Care duties | Child care, elderly care, supervision needs. These are time-blocking tasks that prevent housework. |
| Cooking | Number of meals per day, number of people, dietary requirements, meal complexity. |
| Pets | Species, size, exercise needs, shedding. A large dog that needs daily walks is a significant time commitment. |
| Time conflicts | Tasks that must happen at the same time: school pickup and lunch preparation, elderly care and cleaning. |
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List every task the household expects, then sort them into three categories:
Look for simultaneous tasks, uninterrupted care needs and the time left for adequate rest. There is no hours-per-house or floor-area formula here that determines safe staffing. Reduce the scope, share duties with family, use appropriate service providers, or check eligibility for a second helper where needed.
Some tasks in a large household should not be assigned to the helper:
If the honest workload assessment shows more work than one person can complete in a reasonable day with adequate rest, consider a second helper. MOM sets specific criteria for employing a second FDW, which may include the household composition and care needs. See second-helper criteria and check the current requirements on MOM's FAQ.
Do not encourage the helper to take on unsafe work to avoid the cost of a second helper or a service provider. Exterior window cleaning, working from ladders or overloading her day to fill a staffing gap are employer responsibility problems, not performance problems.
Do not plan as though every family task automatically falls to one helper. Agree which tasks family members share: taking the dog for a weekend walk, doing the marketing when someone is going to the supermarket anyway, handling their own dry cleaning. Sharing duties can make the plan more workable; it is not a guarantee of a placement outcome.
MOM's employment rules require domestic work at the employer's registered address. The helper may not be deployed to work at the employer's business, office, shop or a neighbour's home. The relative's-home exception has its own cumulative conditions. Check care at a relative’s home for the specific requirements.
We use the full brief to assess whether the workload is realistic for one person and to shortlist candidates with experience in comparable households. See the housekeeping guide for the duties that most frequently need matching.
Describe the housekeeping role alongside the workload assessment.
A large home is a workload problem before it is a staffing problem. Measure the work first.
Questions
It depends on the total workload: floor area, people, care duties, cooking and pets. If the honest daily task list exceeds what one person can complete with adequate rest, the answer may be no. Assess the work first, then decide on staffing.
MOM's safety agreement sets specific restrictions and conditions for exterior-window cleaning. It is not a blanket ban on every upper-floor window. Check the actual agreement and current rules; this workload guide recommends arranging an appropriate separate provider for hazardous exterior work.
Only if the workload genuinely requires it and MOM’s criteria for a second FDW are met. A second helper is not automatic; it has specific eligibility conditions. Check the requirements before planning.
No. MOM requires domestic work at the employer’s registered address. Deploying the helper to a business, office or neighbour’s home is not permitted.
Talk to us
Send your home type, household size and the full task list. We will help you assess whether it is realistic for one helper and shortlist accordingly.
