zirhk3355

You talking about the far extreme lah - double-grazed windows are usually properly done by professionals, not just 'kiap' two glass panels together and that's it. There are proper mechanisms to secure the panels, which will not allow any external particles to go in. As for weather, even more impossible - condensation or frosting need to have water in the air. If its a vacuum, how then could condensation form??

Those that must do one then will insist lah, but no unnecessary stuff. This ID not too bad, but can't say the same for the electrician. I am an extremist; you treat me well, I treat you better 3 times. You treat me bad, I treat you worse 3 times. The electrician is really going to get it from me big-time...

Confront him directly (maybe together with your dad since he also know abit about reno?) and ask him to lay down a schedule. He will surely argue got "unforeseen circumstances" and whatever nonsense, but tell him firmly that you need to see at least a schedule. No need to abide strictly by it, but at least with the schedule you can narrow down to the details and have a good argument - otherwise it seemed as though you are picking at the contractor over nothing. Press down to the details, eg how long he needs to do the tiles, the plastering, which date, etc. Question him on who is doing what on which day, why certain days got nobody, etc. Lastly, erm, emails are really quite ineffective in this industry lah, simply because they are not desk-bound. Pick up some courage and confront him directly. Not to be rude, just firm and let him know you cannot be pushed around.

Still very slow progress, the ID supposed to call me today and also disappeared. I will be away for awhile and according to FS master's plan, I will have to move in straight away after I come back. So if the ID screw me I will make sure I screw him back also...

Lucky you that I had this bookmarked in my favourites... http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3893

I look at this para and straightaway know your ID is pulling a fast one. HDB officers are super duper kiasee one, as long as something is "abit" against regulations, they will quickly raise a big hooha about it. That's their job mah, otherwise they got nothing to do liao. Its impossible that they will say something like they "can overlook this issue if the owner, ourselves, can accept it". Remember the cause of concern is that the floor would be too heavy and in risk of collapsing; so what if you, as owners, can accept it?? HDB will still be concerned because its affects the overall integrity of the building! I bet this is what your ID told you, isn't it? The fact is that the houseowner usually takes the full responsibility of everything and ID just stands behind you. There is no proof at all the ID had spoken to the HDB officer or he was involved in this case at all - he can just say he doesn't know anything. And he will not get into trouble because HDB really never write any letter to you or him, right?

The only way not to have the PVC trunking is to hack a line along the wall, put the wires along that line, and plaster back smoothly. Definitely need a contractor to do it, and its not cheap at all. But beside the prices, the more important thing to note is that if your place is a HDB flat, its illegal to hack several parts of the wall. Do take out your floorplan and see where you can hack and where cannot.

I thought u asked this in another thread before?? If there is totally no transaction at all, then of course there is no need to pay any comm. But if there was an OTP signed and your friend back out of it, the buyer and agents will have a claim on your friend.

What does the reporter mean by "what your agent won't tell you"?? All the respondents she got are agents what...duh~ Rule #2: Only agents will tell you to tell them upfront that you are not paying 1% comm, because they can happily strike you off the buyers' lists. In today's context, you will NEVER get a flat if you do that. What your agent won't tell you: ALWAYS tell the agent that you will pay, push your way through but NEVER SIGN ANY COMM AGREEMENT. Later on, you can decide if the agent is worth paying or not.

Don't worry lah, renotalk moderators know how to protect themselves very well. They are good at deleting things they don't like to see. Just leave it to them lor...

Just went for dinner there today - very noisy like market, all the kids screaming, parents running after them and scolding them, then the staff all shouting their orders because the kitchen cannot hear also. Anyway, the decor is disappointing; not much customised furnitures, just throw some cheap tables and chairs together and form a restaurant. Looking forward to sheng siong though...

Yup, its before reno. Usually people will make it flat with plasterboard lor, cannot put very heavy things but maybe small pots of plants or candles, etc. I intend to put the curtains as close to the windows as possible, so that there is some space left for putting my stuff.

Not sure about your flat, but for mine, when the layout put 'bay windows', it meant the normal windows with a slope: Erm...IMO this is not a good thing to have leh...very ugly and useless, can't put anything on the ledge.

Ya I also recommend not the change the HDB gate - its very solid already. Why spend money on something that you cannot see? Use the money INSIDE your flat instead. Unless, of course, as mace shown, if the gate and door is vandalised or something...

Did this case went to court and decided as such by a magistrate? I would be quite surprised. The contract is between two parties, the flat owner and the COMPANY, not the boss of the company. Even though the boss may own another company, he also cannot just change like that. Any changes must be agreed by both parties. No one is supposed to just 'sell' the contract to anyone else and enforce the other party to go thru the contract with someone else. Eg you buy a flat from an owner and end up he is not eligible to sell. Then he 'sell' the contract to his uncle, who also want to sell his flat. Same flat type, similiar location and similiar price, then force you to accept it. Would you agree? Even at the cost of the beauty of your own flat?? Please think about it lor...

Huh what can happen to piped gas?

Why pay when the case had not gone on trial yet? There's a good chance that you may win. I would suggest to get on with the reno and leave this case alone. They want to sue, let them come. If they win (God be blind), its still the same amount, $3.8k. So why pay now? Its very straightforward case, guaranteed don't have any further costs like court fees or legal fees, whatever... The liability for this case is only up to $3.8k - if we are already prepared to pay, then can move on with our lives and do the reno. Why delay our own stuff for as*holes like this?? Reno is supposed to be a happy occasion...

CASE is really the toothless tiger. The simple fact is that your contract is with this company, why should you accept another company to do it?? Unless this is agreed in the contract, otherwise don't agree to it! Com'on, they screwed up in their licence, they should be graceful enough to back off. This is the same for every industry; you take mrt, got service failure, either you get a refund or you accept the bus ride. I once kana a movie disruption at GV cuz the projector spoilt; the manager also came in and offer to refund, or for use to proceed to next cinema to watch. Its fundamental - you screwed up, you must allow the customer to walk away. Period. Thus, I seriously don't think they have any case to fight at all, I recommend you push it all the way to small claims. Heck, its only $3.8k - that's all you will lose. You let them carry on reno in your flat, you will surely regret it. Now that the relationship is so bad, do you really think they will do a proper job for you?? Consider this: You are risking your DREAM FLAT to save $3.8k, which is not even confirmed that you have to compensate yet?? Com'on! Please don't succumb to their pressure tactics!! If you need any help, I dun mind looking at your documents to comment further. I am no lawyer, but let's just say I have some experience in such matters...

I would never have a cylinder full of gas inside my house. The LPG guy can go on and on about how safe it is, but piped gas will always be safer. Anyway, staying with my parents' now, six pax in the house and cook quite frequently, gas bills only few tens of dollars per month. So in terms of saving money, LPG also doesn't make sense to me.

Depends on the other parts of the flat also; where are the rooms, where is the kitchen, main door, etc? It would help if you can post the flat's floorplan here...

Between the seller and buyer, yes there is definitely a penalty. How much depends on the agreement; from what I know if the first appt is not done yet, the seller will have to compensate 2x deposit. If first appt done, then it will be higher, eg the difference of the agreed price and the transacted price for similiar units in the area. For the agent, also have to depend on agreement. Some agreement only stated that the comm is payable upon completion of the transaction, but most of the agencies nowadays very smart liao, they will put in black & white to pay the agent half of the deposit, as per IEA guidelines.

Whether its ID or contractor, its always best to have either one only. Mixing ID and contractor (or one ID and a few different contractors) will only cause you alot of headaches. But if you really must mix, then my advice is still to get ONE person to liaise everything. In your example, make your ID the overall-in-charge and instruct the window grilles (and others?) contractor give their cooperation to the ID. However, even so, do try to keep the ID and contractors from invading into each other works, eg window grilles, curtains, etc. Try not to have, for eg, one guy do the parquet then another do the tiles, or one guy do the kitchen cabinet then another do the solid surface. Sure got alot of hiccups one.

What I will always advise people to do is to agree on the phone to pay. If the agent asks you to sign an agreement to pay commission prior to viewing the flat, you SHOULD NOT SIGN IT. Instead, tell him/her that you are wary of such legal contracts and don't feel comfortable to sign; eg will you be compelled to sign if the deal don't go thru? Keep assuring them that you will pay the comm. The point is, as long as you do not sign anything, you do not have any obligations to pay. Period. But of course if the agent really works hard in your favour, eg bargain the price, come to your place to collect documents, everything do swee-swee, show you other units, go extra mile to run to law firms and banks, etc then you should also touch your conscience and ask yourself if you really want to deprive this good salesperson of his/her commission.

Erm when its done up I will take for you to see lor. Now not done yet...

I suspect its not the tiles that's sticky, but perhaps your wife got sweaty feet? If that's true then no tiles can help...