singasamurai

Hi everyone Thank you for reading and also for the requests. I have tried to respond whenever I could. As the information is more than a year, please do remember to check the accuracy and also the updated prices. In anycase, just want to do a quick update. a) Renovation is still holding up well. All the LEDs lights are still working fine (touch wood) and no major issues that i can't live with yet. b) Bathroom fittings have some usual rust (even those supposedly stainless steel). There is some slight discolouring of the bathroom tiles but otherwise, everything else is fine. Anyway I realise that Hafary has somewhat limited tiles compared to some other shops. If i had my way, I would choose to overlay more interesting tiles. c) I also installed windows grills. As I had wanted a less obstructive view, I decided not to install the traditional aluminum grills. Neither did I like the so-called invisible grills. You can easily search the forum for those big companies as well as the reviews on their advantages and disadvantages. When I was doing my research about March this year, there wasn't much products to choose from. There was this guy who is doing the transparent XXXXX which is actually acrylic bars (instead of aluminum) and he very nicely came over to do some demonstration and also to take measurements for an estimated quote. The product was sturdy enough but frankly, I personally felt that some of the mechanisms are rather unrefined or still in the R&D stage. HIs business partner was very dedicated and meticulous in taking the measurements and pricing wise, although the guy said several times that he is definitely more expensive, it was actually cheaper than the other quote I received. It also seems cheaper based on the estimates I read from the forums. (mine is standard HDB). The other company that I called was Pang Giap. Actually if you been researching, more than 90% of the reviews are bad but I decided to give them a call. Scheduled a time and date for them to take measurements and provide a quote (complimentary) and did not receive any confirmation or response from them until the day before. I actually thought that they had forgotten about it. The quote came up to less than 1600 (exclude window yard) which was fairly okay. They have those slim aluminum grills that seems to offer the best of both worlds. In the end, I decided to go with Pang Giap (took a big risk) but the overall experience was okay. The guys completed the job (although they were late for 1hr+) and the product is still holding up well till today. No fuss but don't expect super good customer service i.e. you know those contractor uncles kind. Interestingly, the guy from the other company when informed of my decision told me over whatsapp specifcally not to provide any review of his company nor mention them on social media as they are a new company and people do not understand their products. I find this a little odd though cos since when a business has the right to stop prospective clients from posting their personal comments and reviews online. There were also some other minor nuggets that made me decided to take the risk and go with Pang Giap instead but that's my personal opinion. Objectively, I prefer Pang Giap's products despite their super negative online presence. (picture below) A friend of mine who recently bought a condo said that there is another option in the market called window restrictors. Seems pretty interesting but I do not know anything about it.

Hi pp Sorry for the somewhat late reply to some as I was quite busy for the past few weeks. And I only check the forum like once every week. In anycase, just interested to get feedback from those who did engage Diva's in the end. Can PM me if you wana to share. As I mentioned, he is not that cheap and not suitable for everyone. Will try to answer anymore requests as they come in. Cheers

Hi alleniate ya..he was with another company back then..one of the famous ones..Personally I find services quite okay...although knowledge wise, if you are into those thematic kind i.e retro, industrial etc, he is not exactly there. I find that he is better with discussing ideas not via themes but through the actual works. If looking for those, my choice 2 and 3 are okay but again, they are not cheap. If I were to put it down into words, he is better at those modern kind. Workmanship wise, this team of carpenters can be improved la...Not the best, but no major problems as well. but responsible and not those blame pushing or MIA kind of ID/contractor. Hope u managed to find a good one to your liking :-)

Hi The 50% refers to the rest of the entire payment? Isn't it supposed to be staggered? Carpentry work has not even started. and always withhold the last 5% until you are generally satisfied. For most IDs, they will only commence work when the one is satisfied with the drawings. There is no exact standard practice cos it varies from firm to firm and IDs to IDs. Without knowing more details, my suggestion is don't pay first especially not everything. Just some thoughts..you may wish to listen or consult more opinions before making a more informed decision yourself. Cheers.

Hi all... I have replied to all your requests

Dear all Anyway, just a simple update. Work is now completed and once I am satisfied, I will sign the handover form and pay the last payment. I took the handover form back home and told him I and the Mrs will make one more check. If okay, will hand him the cheque for final payment. The last part was a little more eventful and that's when his strengths and weakness show. Although I told him, I will have a 5.1 system and I might want to use my amplifier someday, he actually overlooked it. He also admitted that he is not familiar with the audio system. So ended up, there is no space to put the sub-woofer. Instinctively, I also know that there is no available solutions in the market for under 2.5-3k which is way beyond the amount I spent for my simple passive home theatre system. And to re-use the amplifier at home was not an option since the TV console built was bad on standard measurement i.e. 10 inch which does not fit a fair variety of dedicated amplifiers. That's his weakness; audio configuration wise etc, he is not familiar at all. For those who wants those cabling under false ceiling etc, please inform in advance and ask him consult a professional. And for the touching up, I made his workers and painters come down at least 2 more times to do the touching up on some paint and carpentry job. I don't think his painter is superb and I have seen better ones . The other thing I wasn't really satisfied is the chemical washing etc. They washed too early and frankly, some of the foreign workers have a slightly different standard of what is meant by clean compared to us. His strengths. He was actually honest about his mistake and during one of my referrals to my friend, I learnt that he actually told my friend that he made that mistake and there was no attempt to cover up. I spent some time going through Aldephi and he was prepared to pay me back a soundbar but I really don't like the sound. So in the end, I gave him an easy way out. Ask a professional audio-visual guy, extend the subwoofer cable using better cables and run it on the top of the skirting and to repaint the PVC trunking to match the colour of the skirting. He also offered to wall mount all the existing speakers onto the feature wall. The cost was about 250+ cos I managed to steal a glance at the invoice that was billed to him. I paid nothing. The guys were from Anson Audio in Adelphi. I paid nothing. Unlike some horror stories that you read, no pushing of blame to the owners and he admitted upfront that it was his fault. Some other owners might choose the 3k option and if really pursue, I guess he also lan lan but I thought, no point la...Since my original system isn't worth that much anyway. But it was a good buy; a simple passive all in 1 home theatre that is worth much more than what it costs. Sony N7100. Obsolete model no longer on sale in SG though. There are still some minor defects in the carpentry side but everything else was okay. No prefect but acceptable to me. So will text him to make the necessary ratifications. So that's it...and as said, I earn no commission. Each IDs has its pros and cons. Out of the few I reviewed, I stand by my choice that I would still recommend the first 3. I am still generally satisfied. However, he is not for everyone. Somebody looking into something more unique e.g. oriental or thematic kind of designer should go for Choice 2 or 3 in my earlier reviews instead. Happy renovating :-)

Hi all Please see summary of pros and cons below (of my ID from Diva's) as well as some of the final work. There are still touch ups to be done and I have not paid the final amount yet. No rush from him as well and I probably do so after mid May or closer to June. Hope this post has been helpful to people. Pros: Diva's HS Lim is quite proactive and I have good vibes with him. He will give regular updates via whatsapp and for the delivery of items like hob and hood etc (those that need to be installed including air-con), you just give him the invoice and he will do the rest. Things are on schedule and nothing like the horror stories that you read about long delays, cannot find ID etc. He is quite responsive. He is a Malaysian so he sort of go back home after work everyday. Even when I text him, he will respond with a call thur his Malaysian number if there is a need to. Whatsapp etc, no problem. But he doesn't respond to emails...even though he reads them. He is not the sort of ID to bring you to lighting shop cos the prices are usually marked up even after the so-called "discount". The shop that I went to was recommended by one of his ex customers and its really quite cheap with on-site warranty. He even whatsapp a list of defects that were caused by his workers and he marked them down saying that he will rectify them which he did. I generally like his designs. And he was one of the few who bothered to turn up on site during the first meeting so that we don't discuss in a vacuum or based on the floor plan alone. And basic space planning is part of every ID service along withe initial quotation. (no need to pay extra or give deposit but he was the only one who gave me a draft lighting plan as well) No such thing as sudden need to top u or lots of hidden costs. The only things I mentioned that need to pay in cash are the sort of stuff that IDs don't include as part of their quote i.e. tiles for the fridge base etc which doesn't cost much. Cons As mentioned, while he can read and write English, he is actually more proficient in Chinese and some Malay. So sometimes, need time to explain certain ideas and concepts to him. His design are mostly the modern/contemporary or somewhat Scandinavian or rustic kind...He is not the sort of IDs that you throw or discuss in depth themes like industrial, retro etc which I personally think are themes he is not familiar with designing. He also tends to be more on the practical side of design than merely aesthetics; not sure if you know what i mean but there are some designers who has those kind of designer flair; the arty kind...discuss all sorts of themes then the whole house super designer but lacks some practical sense... As with all IDs, he will say No or counter propose to some of your concepts. It is up to the vibes. I find that he can negotiate and he will try to explain why certain concepts are not practical or cannot be done. If you agree then follow lo. For me , I mentioned that I want my study table height to be higher than the norm and while he don't really agree and tried to disccourage, i insist and he followed lor...Quite cordial; not the argumentative kind...For others, I accepted his explanation. He is also upfront and told me some owners don't like him cos he sometimess reject their ideas initially. But I have tons of ideas; so we negotiate and he sort of got what I want during the first and second set of discussions so we only need to amend the 3D drawings once. Most of his customers are word or mouth or referrals. The workmanship is not perfect and he will tell you upfront but its good materials and more than acceptable. Not the cheap white PVC kind. All internal coloured and Blum hinges kind. He did told me that there is actually another group of carpenters whose workmanship are better but they are very slow and for the same amount of work, they will take at least twice the time so some house owners don't like. So up to you la. I just went to the house and listed out several things that they have to touch up. He will do his own round of checks subsequently but I prefer to make a check first since I have time. No worries, touch up is part of his service. He won't ask you to top up cash for extra tiles needed or extra wood needed. And some stuff, he throw in FOC (as explained in the write ups) depending on your rapport la. And for me, he install certain bathroom items FOC even through they are not exactly considered accessories. And yes, there are defintely better workmanship in terms of carpentry out there. And the painter although a nice guy (one man show), isn't really good in my opinion and needs to touch up several items. The rest like tiler, plumber, the guys who did the false ceiling are all okay. His prices are not the cheapest and the company charge GST! But then again, it is not the super expensive or unreasonable kind and there is no hidden cost as what a lot of forum contributors complained. GST also paid to govt and technically, they are supposed to charge. However, his electrical cost is not cheap i.e. $35 per LED point. So if you do a lot of re-wiring data points etc, it will ended up being more expensive than the usual 1-3k. I exceed slightly 3-3.5k. He is not the fastest in terms of paperwork though; submission of quote min 1 week (busy period. he told me can reach to 2 weeks). But once work started, it is pretty fast and on track. For me, by first week, hacking done, electrical points re-wired, air-con trunking done and city gas installation done with extended wiring cabling done. All that within 1 week. In fact, by week 6, I am almost 80%-90% completed and now is week 7, it is mostly touch up work and cleaning and by end of week 8, if everyone okay, can hand over. Latest is by week 9. His original estimate was 6 weeks plus which is quite accurate. (part of the delay was due to the delay in a shipment of the oven and wine cooler which was delayed by 1 week plus) So far, I am quite happy with the progress and stuff. No major complains. As for HDB registration, don't worry. As explained earlier, they just completed their minimum period of 1 year and probably is safer to wait for a little while more before attempting to register with HDB in order to apply for permits under the Diva's brand instead of the parent company. This is a HDB ruling. I received the proper approvals and documentation before starting work. I have no issues at least from HS Lim or Diva's side and certainly not from HDB. so no need to worry about renovation works being carried out by a non-licensed contractor which is a big no no. (If hacking is required, double check if those walls can indeed be hack; you hack wrongly, both you and the ID will kana hefty fines; on the floor plan, the thick black lines are those that cannot touch; the rest generally all okay) They are registered under their parent company but is separate in terms of the workers they used and also the staff. (Different brand name) For the study, can ignore the furniture below the table. Its supposed to be at the dining area.

Hi Reno is almost completed and now is the touch up stage. Last week, ID was away cos the company was on some sort of off. So, no work was done. Although ID told me that they already have done the cleaning, I went to make a check and basically told them a lot of areas still not clean. And then gave them a list of items to touch up. He came down on Saturday and went through the list with me. Informed that by end of the week, will install my oven and wine cooler and will do the necessary touch up. And also to get the workers to clean the place again. Spent the whole of last Saturday waiting for the deliveries of some furniture. Will go over the long weekend to make another check and try to clear any final touch-ups before the final handover. Then I probably do a quick summary of the pros and cons and maybe some pictures. In the meantime, here are some 3D pictures. Some items like sofa etc are not very accurate though. Note: Oh ya. Somebody asked me if Diva's is HDB registered. Although I mentioned previously, I thought I should provided a little more information here. The renovation permit is applied and issued to Diva's parent company as technically, they are under the parent company in name until they are allowed to apply for registration with HDB and start applying for permits under their Diva's brand. For now, they will still have to submit the necessary documentation for approval and HDB will send both the house owner and the contractors a copy of the approval letter with the stated dates for any demolition works (if any). It just like Cold Storage, 7-11 etc all under the same company but different management and style. The permit was issued to Kiwie Renovation Contractor (HDB Registration No: HB-02-0204H) To be frank, when I checked, this parent company itself isn't that good and has kana some demerit points before. But as i mentioned in my write-up, the person handling your project is just as important as the company. I was told that Diva's will probably have to wait a little longer (or fulfill some minimum period) before they can register and start issuing permits (I checked the HDB website; these companies need to do Business for a minimum period of 1 yr and also submit some invoices of at least a certain amount before they can apply: http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10324p.nsf/w/RenoCntrctrReno?OpenDocument ) So ya, legality wise, no problem. Completely legal and can only start reno when HDB issues the approval letter which would be in hard copy. so ya, cos I also did my checks before signing and asked him about it. After weighing everything, I still decided to go ahead cos of the other reasons stated. And most importantly, it is still HDB registered since I also won't want to risk a non HDB registered contractor/ID. In any case, I thought, this Diva's is now in the stage of building up their brand so they can be registered with HDB on their own, so any public or major complaints they sure jialat and my guess is they probably won't try to risk it if they can. And they are not like a 1-2 month company. They have been here since late 2013/Jan 2014 I think so not those fly by night. Hope this clarifies further to what I mentioned previously.

Hi all Thanks for reading. I have replied to all requests for the list. Anyway, just some quick updates. This is the 4/5th week since the start of renovation. Work started for installation of carpentry on 2nd April and by 8th April, it was almost completed less one of the Kompacplus materials for the master bathroom. They have finished installing the ones for the kitchen. Fair amount of touch-up work needs to be done although the general installation is almost completed. On 7th April, ID installed all the necessary lightings including the ceiling fans. I paid a visit in the evening. Things seems to be in order generally. Quite satisfied with the work progress since the majority of the work is almost done. ID told me that next week, the company is on some sort of "off" so he will do all the necessary touching-up before doing a general cleaning (the usual chemical wash and stuff) before asking me to inspect. Final works should be done latest by month end but there is relatively little left to do i.e. 80% completed. So not bad..Progressing well with little intervention on my end. They will be installing the bathroom accessories etc tomorrow. So I will have to go down for a short while during lunch hour to give some quick instructions. I also noticed that they have installed the magnetic door knob behind the main door FOC. Small cost but oh well..still some savings. And by right, he told me the toilet accessories does not include the installation of the stand-alone cabinet with basin (those small type ) at the common bathroom but he told me he will do it for me. (No mention of cost so far :-) ) As for the carpentry, I haven't really check in detail but all are internal coloured PVC with soft closing including the use of Blum for all kitchen cabinets and dish rack For the outside cabinets etc, its soft closing but no Blum and out of the three hinges, they used two normal ones and one as the soft closing type. (Update: 10th April 2015 2pm: Went to the house for 20minutes during lunch hour to make a quick check on the installation of the accessories. Realized that the hinges are in fact Blum. The words are so small that I didn't see carefully. The rest of the infor is accurate. Checked with ID. He said something to the effect of what my friend said. If all three or four hinges are those Blum soft-closing type, the cabinets becomes a little hard to close. So for small cabinets outside, out of three hinges he would used one Blum with soft closing (there is some sort of knob on the hinge itself); for bigger cabinets involving four hinges, he would use two. I know what he meant but hard to describe. You know when you close but due to the weight of the cabinet's door, it ended up being difficult to close fully or too slowly if too many Blum hinges are used for that single door. ) It does the job I guess and probably some cost savings on that part for them. (personally I am fine) I checked with a friend who dropped by and he said that its okay cos for his, they used all 3 soft closing types of hinges but ended up, the door seems like a too "rigid" and not easy to operate. Mine works and is easier to operate. (Those were his words not mine so not exactly sure what he meant) But his renovation costs almost 60k almost twice mine so different. But still need to highlight in case for forum readers to note. Still soft-closing, and it works...But not all the outside hinges are those soft closing types with the exception of the kitchen area. By the way, I said earlier that Kompacplus, both the direct seller and most IDs can sell for 120 psf although some may quote 140-160. But that day, I was helping a colleague to take a look at his quote and the firm (box ID or something) actually quote 75-85 bucks psf for Kompacplus. I told him to double check cos that's the cheapest I came across even in the forums. That's was like the price they charged when they first started (i.e. before becoming famous). You can easily google for more information on the material via their website. But if so, then its really cheap for Kompacplus; like solid surface price but much better than solid surface. (just for information) I also read in another forum post that deposit is required before they do space planning. Actually not really. All the IDs I went to proposed some basic forms of space planning. No charge or deposit is required. That's their "service". 3D pictures yes...that would usually requires deposit or when the contract is signed. Some IDs charge for those design services. It depends. All the IDs and contractors I went to did it FOC. Even if embedded in the cost somewhere, it cannot be like 1-2k for design services or consultation for decoration etc. Will probably post some pictures of the more complete product and the 3d pictures once things are more or less comfortable less the cleaning and some touching up.

Hi Further updates. The carpenter has finished fabricating and started to install the carpentry works today. The house is full of work tools with 4 workers...Drove down during lunch hour to take a look for 20minutes. ID (on his own) has also arranged for all the hood, hob, kitchen sink etc to be delivered today. 2nd part of Air-con installation was also arranged by the ID and it was installed over the weekend. I didn't go down as I have other matters to attend to. They have also repaired the chipped and damaged parts to the flooring. On my own, I went to this shop at Ubi to buy the remaining of my lighting. I had previously brought a few at a clearance sale. As mentioned, contact was given by ID's previous customers who told him its cheap. Actually not bad. 18 LED downlight at $16 bucks each while track lighting costs $45 per light i.e. if the track is 2 meters and there are four lights, its 45multiply by 4 and the metal track itself cost $40 each. LED strip depending on the length cos about $8 dollars per meter while driver cost between $8-$45. I remember that my friend's ID brought him to the shop (in Gelling area) and I accompanied him. They charge him (after "discount"), $22-$26 while for walk-in, they roughly charge in the 30-40 range. The company is called Ccodo and they sell their own Zenterra brand of lighting. They have two ranges; a cheaper and the slightly more expensive but supposedly better range. Disclaimer: I have never used them before so cannot comment on how good they are. But its cost effective and they offer 3 years warranty (1 year on site; 2 years bring to shop) This on-site warranty thing according to the ID is quite important and the driver must be durable. The guy (James) was good in enough to waive off GST. Btw, renotalk customers get an additional 10% off. They have a limited selection for kitchen, bath and ceiling lights as well. Prices are generally in the range of 150-300. So let's hope it lasts.

Think you can call up those companies directly and check...they usually paste notices at new houses but generally only applicable if there is hacking. Costing is bet 300-400 per trip. My ID charge me at flat rate $250 before GST regardless of trips..He said should be twice.

Hi all Another short update. I met the ID and the carpenter at the showroom to go through the measurements again. Boy, it was a long and tedious i.e. 2 hours plus and another 25 minutes to go through the final plan for the electrical points and the cost. What we did was to sit down with the carpenter and the ID would run through with the carpenter again on the necessary measurements including how he wants to the joints to be done, the position of the carpentry, the number of shelves for each cabinet and also the laminates selection. The exact measurements (L, B, H) are being confirmed (previously it was mostly just the length) and the carpenter drew the drawings and necessary indications on the spot. We went through this room by room. Very detailed so that after they start to fabricate, mistakes and disagreements can be minimized. After reading many horror stories online, you realize that this is not standard practice although it should be. Time-consuming though. Some extra pointers on what the ID's final quote will exclude and it will help readers to ask the necessary questions and clarifications if necessary. a) As mentioned, electrical works will not be part of the quote. This is only billed after the electrical points and works are being done. (the electrician will do the necessary works first while installation of the lights etc will be on another trip) Track lighting is considered as 1 point. Each LED light is 1 point. Every re-wiring/re-positioning of each SCV or electrical switch will cost. On average, the ID firm/electrician earns about 200-400 on top of the total cost depending on the complexity of the project. Each LED point should cost about $35 bucks so if you have a lot of LED lights, these will cost more i.e. X number of LED points multiply by $35. My own lighting cost is almost 3.6k which is a little on the high side due to the amount of re-wiring and work i.e. relocation and addition of new data points and switches. And there is no need to buy those expensive schneider electric switches la...Unless you have money to spare lor..But they look **** nice and cool. b) Remember to ask what’s your entitlement for carpentry especially wardrobe and kitchen. My ID told me that usually, outside they don’t include so many drawers as they cost more due to the drawer tracks being more expensive so they tend to build more open shelving instead. For those accessories rack in the wardrobe (the ones with little boxes), they actually cost more for the IDs so unless previously requested, it will not be included or some will throw in as some sort of freebies. Most quotes are rather generic in that matter (including mine but because I was a referred customer, he waived off some of the costs involved; I think this is also somewhat dependent on their relationship with their carpenter and of course, your "feel" with the ID) c) The tiles used to construct the fridge and kitchen base are not included in the quote. They will be ordered separately and one normally pay cash directly to the delivery guy i.e. should not be more than $400 depending. For the rest of the tiles, if the ID did not order in enough and needs to top up, you should not be paying extra since it should have already been covered in the cost/original quote. I saw that the ID ordered additional tiles for the kitchen backsplash but did not charge me extra. (saw the invoice) No harm checking with your ID though. d) Try to get your own lighting etc. Buying electrical fans in Malaysia is much cheaper although I won’t recommend doing the same for lighting due to issues of onsite warranty. (The warranty is only valid in Malaysia so it might be a bit of a hassle if things breakdown; same with things from Taobao etc) The shops that the IDs bring you usually give some form of rebates to the IDs (between 3-5%) so despite the discounted price, you can generally find cheaper stuff elsewhere.In reality, you can find your own electrician or carpenter who might charge at a slightly cheaper rate. But then again, there is the coordination issues and the ID is not responsible for communicating and if things go wrong or designs etc are messed up, they are again not responsible. Too much of a hassle for me. And if there is any delay, the ID will not be responsible. And besides, I respect these guys who are carpenters and electricians. Not many people willing to do that nowadays and these are skilled workers and professionals in their own right. Most importantly, it saves me a lot of hassle and the need to look into minor minor details that is not on my radar no matter how much I researched because I am not in this line. e) Painting works by ID. Should not be more by $1500 and check the number of colours and whether there is any restriction on the type of paint used. You can get those freelance guys to do at about $800-$1200 but do note the coordination part but this is less of a hassle than carpentry or electrical works.

Hi all Have PM as requested. Anyway, just some quick updates. Its 2 weeks into the renovation and things are progressing well. Some personal notes here: a) On the first week, the following was done in this order: a) hacking of walls (I wanted half of the study wall to be hacked to create a more spacious effect) and removal of debris from the hacking, b) electrical points and re-wiring (if any), followed by c) air-con trunking-1st round. 2nd round would be to install the compressor and unit but that's later) and d) city gas piping and other gas related piping works b) On the second week, the false ceilings were up followed by the tiling works including the backsplash which I used tiles. I was told that the rest of the week would be spent on painting works before we meet again on site to discuss the carpentry and confirm any last minute or requests before the carpenters would start work in their factories before doing the necessary. c) Since I only have time to go on weekends, my ID (HS Lim) was actually doing the coordination work. By the end of the first week when I visited, the air-con trunking was done and the City Gas Heater was up and the necessary piping was already done. I just gave him the invoice and number and he does the rest. Of course, I have to pay the merchants in full before that la. So quite hassle free for me. d) On one occasion, he did called me to double check something and he also sent me some photographs updates via whatsapp at various milestones. e) Today, he also sent me a series of photographs saying that there were some defects on the flooring made by the workers after the tiling and demolition works. (protection sheet was laid but still...) The photographs that he sent contained markings of where the defects are (see picture below) and he told me he will rectify them. Not to worry. Didn't expect that so quite responsible. I also told him that some of the edges of the toilet floor tiles were somewhat unsatisfactory and he told me he will inform the workers to try to polish them further. However people who engage Lim should note that although he read and write in English, he is slightly better at communicating in Chinese. And sometimes, he would say "No" to your ideas and designs but you need to probe and he will explain it to you i.e. either not practical or durable etc. That's where communication comes in and at the end of the day, its up to you whether you accept the explanation or want to carry on. I initially wanted to do a sliding glass door for the kitchen but he counter proposed and said that while it could be done, it was very troublesome etc etc. I accepted his counter-proposal but on the height of the study table, I wanted it to be taller than the standard height and while he didn't really agree, I insisted on it and he proceeded to do it. At the end of the day, because different IDs have different opinions and ideas, its up to us to discuss. So in engaging an ID, it bores down to the feel and how one can negotiate la. So doesn't matter if they say No.More importantly, is whether they are willing to discuss, explain and how they negotiate. To me, that's more important. But so far, the progress is on time and LIm helps me to coordinate everything. He also provides regular updates via whatsapp and is proactive in identifying the possible defects and said that he will rectify them. As for lighting, he told me there is a shop but he would not bring me and he doesn't earn any commission from it. The shop was actually recommended to him by another customer due to low cost and I am free to compare prices. (usually the IDs earn a small commission form the shops that they bring you) So rather frank communication there. If you have questions about quotation, the different methods etc, you can always ask but don't expect them to tell you everything la. They also need to earn a living ! So that's it..So far so gd http://imageshack.com/a/img673/3462/HTeuEA.jpg Update( 18/3/15 1450hrs) I just read about a horrifying experience by a user on his experience with a celebrity ID firm. I hope the issues will be resolved soon.Reposting it below so that people will be aware cos seems super unprofessional this company. Disclaimer: I cannot be certain to the credibility of the claims by the user but it makes good reading. Reposting this is for public sharing and not meant to endorse the user's claims against the firm or to discredit the firm. (http://www.renotalk.com/forum/topic/70578-here-is-my-dreadful-experience-with-celebrity-icon-interior-id-firm/?p=891402) My experience was (not sure if it's the norm but its good practice): that all the complimentary items anti-slam etc are included and stated inside the contract. And the measurement. And for electrical points etc, we actually ran through on site on where the points are located, how many of them and how do I want them to work on the day of the renovation itself. i.e. Day 1 Discuss...By Day 3, things were done. The carpentry measruements usually comes in a little later but the ID should basically measure everything first when discussing the kind of fixtures. He/She should then keep a record of the measurements (What I did was to tell him what I am going to buy and we discuss if there are any design/structural constraints i.e. fridge too big or protruding out too much). After confirmed, I just sent him the invoice but on the day itself, he is already taking notes on measurments and their rough locations. Some details will be sorted out during the meeting with carpenter and after that, cannot change already since they already started to fabricate the carcass in the factory. So things like sink, stove, hood/hob, oven, fridge, wine cooler etc (if any) must be confirmed even before the meeting with the carpenter.

Hi applejilz Have PM u :-)

Hi all I have replied to all the requests