saychez

Hi It had been months since I last visited this forum. Time flies and it had been 2-3 months since I last visited this forum (and ard 2 mths since hand over). I would like to share my experience and afterthoughts after the renovation. During the quotation stage, I noticed Earnest's wet works was a bit more expensive than some of the IDs around. Nonetheless, we signed up with Earnest as we were comfortable with them. Furthermore, there are some items in which they are cheaper and thus it all even out. However, the wetwork price was really a great example of you what pay is what you get. They hired mainly Locals and the workmanship was superb! It was so good that some of our friends was wondering whether our homogeneous floor was marble tiles due to the even and thin grouting. Now, two months later, we are still proud of our floor! $ Well SPENT! Oh yeah, knock on every tile, 0 hollow tiles! A bit on wetwork: Typically, flooring has got gradient for good drainage, We had a open concept balcony and I was washing my balcony. The water flowed very smoothly towards the drainage at the corner! And of course, our balcony floor felt flat and not slope. Haha.. impressive workmanship right? I was also very impressed by how serious Earnest was to address complains. I visited my home at end of day 1 of my kitchen cabinet installation and discovered that there was a mistake in the measurements. Called Frankie (our ID) and he immediately called the carpenter to stop work (actually 80% done. sigh.. **** efficient). Frankie came over 2nd day morning and requested the carpenter to tear down the entire kitchen cabinet and redo! Yesh! He did not even negotiate with us for compromising solutions and re-did the entire cabinet. it was not easy as they had to re-fabricate all the woodworks and project was delay by 1 week! All this happened while I was on reservist and Earnest really let me put my mind at ease while I was trapped in camp. There were also quite a few times that Frankie called us to tell us that he discovered some things were not done up to standard and he already requested the workers to touch up. Well, all these professionalism and non-compromising and quality for a small reno of 22k for a standard EA flat. Well Kudos to this company! However, 1 advice for you guys when you sign up with Earnest. Earnest always try to save $ for their clients as they understand every1 have a budget. (haha sometimes, ignorant is bliss as you won't know what u are missing.. was tossing left right at night when I chance upon the idea of timber skirting! haha) If there are some luxury items you guys want to splash on, it would be good to chit chat with them to explore. They are quite willing to quote and may even suggest ways to do it at a lower cost. Oh Talking about budget, if your budget is 30k, dun tell them is 25k cos they will really try to make the most our of 25k! Tell them is strictly 30k and they will really follow your guideline like LAW! (Haha oeei, this company really singaporean leh.. think so straight haha.. I had to tell them dun worry, actually my budget got 2k buffer halfway into the reno.. but like all reno, is always good to have a 1-2k buffer to add in some stuff midway.) Last comment: they seem to satisfy our requirements for a timeless design .. Hmm True or Flase? time will tell !!

Hi uniqlo... I can finally post on renotalk.. haha.. Something wrong with my "RSS"... Anyway, yesh.. my WTB and I was at Woodlands Last Sat.. Were U the couple before us or after us.. Thought some1 looked familiar.. Where is yr new house? Mine is at Seng Kang. We would be doing our lighting shopping tomorrow.. Have you firmed up your design and laminates? Oh, Frankie seems to have quite a good taste when it comes to laminate.. My colleagues have quite good comments on those laminates chosen by him.. (haha better than those I chose myself I did a quick render of all the pre-selected laminates using google sketch up and I must agree his choice was really good! He did not really go for the safe and proven laminates for us (Example, those light Birch ), but they really looked good in google sketch-up! Hay, if you have not chosen laminate, must get him to handpick some for you!!! Hi ilys Frankie is really good at designing Lightings.. However, i believe he would adapt to the design you want and the looks and natural lightings (sunlight) of your house. He told us that the design we want can be achieved with very simple lightings. In fact, I suggested some thread light for a corner of our house and he ask me "Why you need thread lights?" Haha heng I passed my test and gave him valid reasons. . haha Basically, i think he would not recommend lightings blindly for the sake of following the trend..

Hi uniqlo Yes, we visited the Woodlands Condo. Were you the other couple? I heard Earnest had quite good lobangs for lightings, is that true? We have not bought our lights yet. Reno should be completed by mid June.. There are still so much things to do and endless shopping to be done.. When is your expected completion date? Bought all your furnitures?

Hi Uniglo.. Frankie is also doing my Renovation.. And "YES..SSSi" Frankie is really one patient guy and is really nice enough to explore any ideas you have. One unique thing about Frankie is that if you have anything in mind, he would spend time with you to explore your ideas. In fact, he sat down with us and spent a few sessions to explore our ideas and understand our needs. All this is done before we signed up with him!! We actually met up 3-4 times with him and had similar number of requotes before signing.. And guess what? All these patience shown for a tiight budget of 20-25k for an EA!! (yesh, tight budget also got design to be discussed.. haha) In fact, he is even more budget conscious than us!! Well our floor is almost completed and we went back to take a look today. and..Wow.. Just 3 words, words.. "MONEY WELL SPENT!!" The flooring was really nice and if you guys ever go to his showflats, checkout the Maindoor!! His workers really take great effort to trim the maindoor. The bottom of my maindoor is super closed to the floor that it cannot be any better done!! KUDOs to the workmanship! (sigh, HDB scratched my main door just before reno started and I really cannot decide whether to change it now.. sigh..) Really cannot wait for the rest of the renovation completed and really hope it is as good as the floor so far! Uniglo is your Reno completed? When was it completed and what stage? Did Frankie talk about his collection of "Calligraphy"? haha

Hi Any1 have any feedback on MASTER FINISHER at Defu lane. I think the boss is called John? Thanks

Hi.. Thanks for the feedback. If their prices are high, should be no hidden cost right? Anyway, did you just renovate your house? Any contacts to exchange? Thanks for replying the thread.

Hi Delon Can you PM me as well. it seems a lot of people are looking for contractor but forums all talking about IDs.

Hi Anyone have any feedback on Tong Hong Renovation? Thanks

Hi Anyone have any experience with them? I am also thinking of taking a look at them.