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hi pro how much things u doing? afraid if we also engage them, there will be a clash in the work schedule.. cus we have alot of things to do.. whole house revamp...

hi anyone can give me advise.. i got quotes for ID n contractor.. n most of the contractor (they claim they are direct) quoted me over $50k, but most IDs quoted between 30-40K... (eg. ., 3D innovations, Defong, HC Interior, * Interior) i am just wondering how come contractor price is more than IDs..? is it possible?

hi serity he quoted me $80 pfr for his kitchen cabinet i have met up with him, he is quite an nice guy.. problem is, recently after getting quotes from so many IDS n contractor, they told me that there is so many different grades of wood in the market. some claimed solid ply wood but actually in the middle 'mdf' wood, something like wood chips.. i am also confused... cus they said, once they laminate the wood, basically we also can't really tell what is inside... so far the item u did with JS, is it ok?

hi their price is reasonable but is their workmanship n materials good? i m hoping to get someone who is reliable.. cus i am worried halfway the contractor may disappear...

actually there is 2 groups of people here 1) Keen supporter of ah soon as he has a good working relationship with them 2) Not sure of Ah soon services but harmlessly wanted to make sure everything is in the right place (legally) for the benefit of future forumers who is considering to take up ah soon service... eg..ncy so i believe we all can handle this issue objectively...

actually 4 yrs back, ah soon was dealing very closely with HDB on the rectifications works. so i guess his position then and now is the same, so I guess he shouldn't have much problems? But, according to the HDB technical officer (who worked closely with him), their branch had stopped assigning works to him.. could be because the company close down.. not sure about now...

ncy, u done a good job! clear and straight to the point!

hi rasp, that is 'brave' of u to bring up.. anyway, no reno is perfect... his price is kind of 'attractive' so his business his good... so maybe due to that, he is really short handed and seems he can't manage... like what all others had said, if u engage him, be prepared for these issues in return of a 'attractive' price... unless u have time and can wait...

hi care, first of all, a forum is suppose to be a place where we can openly express our views.. even famous contractor like Ah soon in this forum, receive critisim.. so, no hard feelings i hope... u r right, maybe I shouldn't have use that word 'avoid' -- it is not the right word. To be fair to Tau, the tiling works is still good.. except some flaws (that can be corrected) on the carpentry... no reno is perfect, at least i know they are recitifing the items now ...

Good luck to everyone who is currently doing and going to engage ah soon. With some many referrals from this forum, I am sure Ah Soon would want to do a good job to continue getting referrals.. n who knows his business gets so good that he finally gets his licence...

hi i got a quote from Defong also... do u mean jeremy is the boss? still thinking to take up them anot as they are not radac or case trust...

hi everyone.. On a fair ground -- not against any contractor: first of all, no reno is perfect. in fact my family member just completed a reno with a famous contractor in this forum(not Ah soon).. the fact that he was several defects on the carpentry workmanship and ugly granite top -- contractor told him, i give u so many discounts, can u close one eye?? thing is, when we ask for discount, we don't ask for inferior quality. would the contractor tell u, i quote u this cheap price, means i will cut corners and give u inferior quality n that u should even close one eye? Then if the contractor gives u cheaper or discount price based on not using any (eg)'better brand of laminate', then, are they really that 'cheap'? ======================================= Back to the question of licensed contractor: (not against any particular contractor) I am just puzzled, since his business is good, why not have his own licence? Especially if one is so well supporter by so many fans in the forum. Of course it doesn't really matters if nothing happens. Question is, what is something happens-- would there be any dispute? 4 years back, Ah soon used a company's licence (I even still have that invoice), which already closed down.. which is why, I can't locate him for a while until i came to forum... Overall -- My experience with Ah soon, is he is indeed a nice and easy negotiate type of person... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Renovation is not few hundreds or thousands, it's ten's of thousand.. easily our 1-2 years salary... if the savings is merely a few thousand of dollars -- u may want to think is it worthy to take the risk? Of course if the saving is really good, then u can consider...

my bro had reno done wif them... my advise is, u must tell them ur expectation of ur reno -- so that expectation will meet the price standard

so loving u already finalize ur reno? how much u spend n items u do?

hi loving mine getting next week... in bedok.. how abt urs? my house is odd shape, so needs a good space planning in order to maximise the usuage.. how i admire those with squarish layout.. no headache..

hi loving, totally agree.. i went to one of the firm who claims 'ID design but contractor price'.. her idea of space planning was good, and warned me of walking space and the amount of light that can penetrate into the house also matters.. quite true to an extent.. but sometimes i feel abit paiseh cus i may take their idea n go elsewhere to do.. i guess ID's contractor also slashing their price, otherwise no $$ to give salary... they still earn, but profit margin low. better than Nothing...

one of the contractor even told me, sometimes is not the company that is bad, it is the staff that hire, that 'black horse'... hopefully we don't get any 'black horse'...

nowadays competition is great.. in fact, alot of IDs firms are also slashing their prices in order to survive.. don't be surprised that their price can be as good or even slightly better than contractor..

actually forum suppose to be a place for 'open' views... be it good or bad... i just sensed that some views expressed and replies to these views are overly 'protected'.... especially if u need to do tiling works, it is a must to have a licensed contractor. it is absolutely right (and must) even if we were to question on where the license comes from -- because we don't want to have any disputes or problems later on should the reno caused damages to our neighbours. actually ah soon renovated my house 4 years back.... he is nice with his price,... some forumers who speak good of him -- sounded as if is ah soon relative or what.... sorry i am just a straightforward person.. n i wun hold back any remarks fearing supporters of ah soon fans will be unhappy... afterall, we are talking about business n procedures, nothing personal. actually one or two cases of a particular ID firm doesn't necessary represent the company is bad. the same applies to ah soon. doesn't mean if there is some complaints about ah soon, it will mean he is bad.. in fact, the reno he did for me 4yrs ago indeed have alot problems, but i look at things in a broader perspective and do not go around bad mouthing him... maybe the team he used 4yrs ago was not good? in fact, i will still ask him to quote me... so i still hope this is a place of freedom to express and discuss..

Hi Just to share, right now, the cheapest quote i gotten is 1) Claxxic Idxx- -- (My friend jus reno with them, ALOT of problems with the ID, very lazy and not responsible.._ 2) Homeway 3) Innerview (IMM)

so far my cheapest quote is about $35k for: (it is a 5rm, 117sqm) 1) Hack & replace whole house floor n wall tiles 2) Kitchen cabinet 3) WHole house window grilles 4) Bedroom doors 5) Feature wall n tv console for living n master 5) Plattform and bed head n suspended table in masteroom 6) 2 shower screens 7) Some modification work 8) False ceiling and lbox for living, foyer, and 3 bedrooms... 9) Lighting points 10) Vanity cabinets for 2 toilet

hi loving, yes still searching.. cus i realize the ID and contractor price, almost quite same... so headache now.. duno how to do it... cus now ID are also very competitive.. seems like big ID firm price is very competitive especially when they have their own carpentry works.. what do u think? sometimes i go and ask prices from direct contractor eg. at tanjong katong complex, they can easily quote me to hack and replace whole house tiles for 5rm, he straight away tell me is 40K. (not including any carpentry!!) that is really ridculous high...

hi fatmain wat item r u doing?

hi misschiang thanks for your info! do u have any photo of u house?

hi Thommy / marvin may i ask, other than ah soon, which reno company are u considering? frankly, i have reno done by ah soon 4 yrs back.. 4yrs back, he is already difficult to contact! wonder if companines with radac n casetrust, does it mean it is better?