My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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. 

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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 :-)

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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.

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

Hi all...

I have replied to all your requests

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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 :-)

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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.

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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.

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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.

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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.

[Haulage Fee For New 4Room Bto]

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.

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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.

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

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.

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

Hi applejilz

Have PM u :-)

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

Hi all

I have replied to all the requests

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

Hi CassCass

PM u already :-)

[My Opinions On Selected Ids-Hope This Is Helpful]

This is actually Part 2 of my earlier sharing on parts in a reno contract and things to look out for first timers like me. Below is a review on my pre-shortlisted IDs. It is very long but should be helpful to some people I guess.

Disclaimer: I do not receive any form of commission. The opinions presented are entirely my own personal opinions and are not meant to discredit any companies. I have deliberately left out the names and contact details of the companies that were dropped eventually.

Process:

Before starting to shortlist the list of IDs and contractors, I have read through the forums pages (renotalk, hardware zone and Facebook pages of some of the companies) and read through the negative feedback on the companies that were mentioned. I have also walked into some of the showrooms of the companies randomly or chatted with their staff during their booths at Singapore Expo.

Some of these companies that I read up and were excluded during the first round of shortlisting for various reasons include Weiken, Chew Interior, U-Home Interior Design, *** Interior Design, Rest & Relaz, Cissern, Darwin Interior and a few other random and smaller ones. In addition, I also found that complaints by netizens are generally as follows:

a) Sales staff are the ones doing the pitching; not the actual designers; many promote their package which contain many hidden costs or insufficient measurements which definitely will result in topping up or upgrades e.g. anything 12ft and below is insufficient for a kitchen cabinet; in fact it should be between 14-20ft

b) Inexperienced designers and some who seemed to care more about design than functionality

c) Poor service and attitude after signing on the dotted line with lots of hidden costs etc. or poorly written renovation quotation without much information for unsuspecting customers i.e. need to top up or upgrade

d) Overselling of packages and under-delivering; company too big and taking on too many projects without much QC

e) Too mass market; they produce their carpentry in bulk without much QC; use of workers

f) The better IDs will actually meet on site because they can discuss and take measurements on the spot that may sometimes be not visible from the floorplan unless that ID is super experienced with HDB BTOs.

Out of these, I shortlisted the following (not in any order of preference) : Oxxxxx xxxx (somehow or rather, every time I tried to type this company's name inside the forum, it will not be published-strange), Diva’s Interior (recommended to me), Axxx Furniture and Renovation (Contractor), The xxxxxxxx xxx, Hxxxxxxx, Axxxxxxx, One Inch per square feet studio (my friend’s ID) and Design Guy ID (friend’s ID).

Oxxxxx xxxx is a big company which seems to have the least number of negative complaints amongst the other big names out there. I dropped One Inch Per Square Feet because my friend told me that when the ID was on his project, he was her only client and the company was relatively small. However, after he recommended the firm to a few of his friends and the company got bigger, the feedback wasn’t as positive. Since I couldn't find much information on the firm, I decided to go with my friend's comments. I liked the work by Design Guy but my friend’s feedback was mixed so I decided to drop it as I do not want to be visiting too many IDs as it can get very confusing.

Below is my detailed feedback and comments on the 6 companies that I have visited (at least twice for each i.e. first meeting and 2^nd to visit an ongoing/near completed unit to view workmanship with some comments on why they were shortlisted in the first place.

General Requirements

My initial requirements: (some of them were revised subsequently to fit the renovation budget and after discussion but the price quoted was based on the initial list of requirements below)-My tiles for living room etc. are all done up by HDB

a. Shoe cabinet with other storage in living room

b. Brick Wall for TV wall mounting with track lights

c. Bay window and feature wall for queen’s size bed with side table and wardrobe (6ft)

d. Overlaying of floor and wall tiles for both toilets and change toilet bowl and wash basin for master bathroom

e. Workstation for two pax and feature wall (with Japanese theme for study)

f. Hacking of half-wall to create see through effect for study (with tempered glass)

g. Kitchen top and the usual stuff in the kitchen; including backsplash

h. Able to work with my fengshui requirements

My review of shortlisted IDs and Contractors

a) Diva’s Interior Design (HS Lim)

Reason: Highly recommended by a friend who recommended to several people with positive feedback; seen the quotation by his colleague being uploaded onto renotalk and the price seems reasonable for the amount of work done.

· 22/12/2014 1449hrs: Sent a text message asking for quotation ; replied within 30minutes requesting to meet onsite without any prompting; Lim was polite and even called a day in advance to confirm appointment and greeted clients by name

· 30/12/2014 1100hrs: 1^st meeting on site; I arrived at 1045hrs; Lim was already there waiting for me; He is a Malaysian Chinese and worked in the industry for a fair number of years. Cordial conservation where we discussed our requirements and he gave me some suggestions on the furniture layout including the pros and cons of some ideas and materials; no hard-sell and voluntarily took me to a unit at the next block to advise me on how to "run" the air-con trunking.

· 07/01/2015 1500hrs: 2^nd meeting arranged at XXXXXX Condo to view carpentry; all carpentry works are internal coloured PVC with ABS trimmings; not the cheaper white PVC kind.

· 13/01/2015 1230hrs: 3^rd meeting arranged at showroom office to discuss quotation and to go through layout plan. Lim advised on the pros and cons of the design and materials and also showed me a draft lighting plan (the only one to do so). We spent about 75 minutes when he went through the quotation (one of the three more detailed ones that I received) with explanation on what he is doing. Quotation was in the range of 38k+. The only drawback was his company was the only one which charged GST without which the original amount was 36k. The quotation included almost 90% of all my requests which I sent in detail via email with mood pictures etc. Positive feeling generally.

· 22/01/2015 1800hrs: 4rd meeting arranged at showroom office to discuss and fine-tune some of the design proposal and quotation. There was also arrangement to meet up with the fengshui consultant to go through the design requirements which Lim agreed readily. He will also revise the quotation after the meeting with the fengshui consultant.

Comments: The first impressions of Lim was favourable as he was the only person who greeted prospective clients by name when he called and he came earlier for the appointment and also called a day in advance to confirm. Lim was generally proactive in contributing ideas and in discussing the pros and cons of my design concept. (Although he did not reply to my email; he is very responsive to calls and text messages though) He is also open to discussion and I find Diva’s pricing (while not the cheapest) to be amongst the top three most comprehensive and detailed. Workmanship was nice with internal coloured PVC and during the 3^rd meeting; he also showed me a lighting plan (only one to do that) which I personally find it to contain too many false ceilings. The only drawback was that the company charges GST which came up to quite a sum. However, I have met Lim on four occasions and all four of them were favourable. Being an experienced designer, I am fairly confident that he is able to take responsibility for the renovation project. Besides the design and aesthetic aspect, Lim/Diva’s has come across as being focused on the practical part of it and he was on site to take measurements apart from merely seeing it on the paper layout plan. All, in all, I find Diva’s Lim to have the right aptitude and chemistry for our renovation and the pricing is reasonable with relatively sound design inputs although he did mentioned that his electrical works might be slightly more expensive than others but still within the range of 1-3k+.

(Selected)

Update: We are now in the 3D rendering stage and we met twice subsequently to fine-tune certain details, design and also to select the tiles for the kitchen and bathroom. The quote was also revised accordingly although sadly, GST could not be waived. The reno is expected to begin in early March. Still favourable impression although Lim is more contactable via phone than email.

b) XXX

Reason: XXX is highly recommended in forums and design magazines with many of their works being featured. Feedback is generally positive and they are more of a boutique kind of firm as opposed to those super mass market kind. I also liked their work that they have showcased from time to time in magazines and on Facebook.

· 29/12/2014 1230hrs: I did a walk-in to their showroom cum office somewhere in the East but was told by the admin staff there that the designers don’t come in so early and so I was given the name card of the firm’s Director to fix an appointment instead. I texted him on the same day and he replied within 30min saying that he will call me back. However, he only texted me two days later on 31/12/2014 at about 1800hrs and we finally fixed an appointment to meet on 03/01/2015.

· 03/01/2015 1330hrs: Finally met up with XXX and we chatted for about an hour on the requirements including his comments on some of the pros and cons of the materials etc. Was given an explanation on his carpentry and the type of materials that they used; for instance, they used Blum hinges as a standard with internal coloured PVC and coloured ABS trimming. Their carpentry seems to be the most aesthetic appealing of the six companies especially from an untrained eye. They used plywood like everyone else; if anyone else is not using plywood don’t select them. He also got the site supervisor (who is the actual person who is going to do the design and supervision since XXX is actually the Boss and he seldom take projects) to sit down at our discussion. The site supervisor XXX was writing notes based on what I said although there was no proposal for any further discussion on-site.

· 04/01/2015: I dropped them an email about my requirements and we finally fixed a date 20/01/2015 at 1400hrs to discuss the quotation. (Initial non-reply to the email and I had to drop XXXX a text message asking when we could meet for the quotation discussion even though he promised that he would get back to me within 1 week)

· 20/01/2015 at 1400hrs: Met at XXX showroom somewhere in the East. The site supervisor XXX was the one discussing with me and this guy seems down-to-earth and responsible. We spoke in Chinese as he said that his English is not very good but he was able to explain the quotation carefully including the pros and cons of their design. He was also the one person who gave me a copy of the furniture layout plan. They have very good design ideas in general and were one of the three companies which actually proposed some practical solutions to my concept and showed me some of the materials. GST was waived and the quotation came up to the range of 47k. It was very detailed and included a few optional choices so the actual pricing is within the range of 42-45k.

Comments: As mentioned previously, XXX has come across in both forums and design magazines as a nice boutique kind of interior design firm. Their quotation is very detailed and pricing generally reasonable (after you compare across the various firms using the same pricing for tiles and kitchen-top). Their workmanship is also nice. They are also able to offer practical design inputs and frankly they have moved up to number 2 in terms of my choice from being the last choice on the list initially as I felt that their Boss was not very sincere in wanting to do business. I mean, if one take his time in replying etc. at this early stage, anything can happen after the deposit is paid and the contract signed. The site supervisor was actually rather easy to talk to. However, after much consideration in terms of pricing and the feel, we decided to drop them this time round. However I would recommend going to XXX to request for a quotation to compare and you realize how complete their quotes are as opposed to some others. At the end of the day, it bores down to the feel. I meet Diva’s Lim on four occasions and all were generally positive in contrast to the fact that I only spoke to the site supervisor once. (The first time he did not say anything but just said besides the boss) Besides, they were also not on site to survey the unit which is regrettable. (This might lead to some impractical ideas which might be changed subsequently i.e. costs involved)

(Dropped)

c) XXX

Reason: I know the owners of XXX personally and the ID is an experienced ID and has worked both in-house and freelance before venturing out on her own.

· 29/12/2014 1730hrs: Met up with them to discuss the requirements and to view a completed project. Their carpentry is generally good with a local carpenter and local factory but they use the cheaper white internal PVC; coloured PVC may be requested at a slight extra cost. I was shown pictures of their ongoing and past projects and I also noticed that they used a very systematic filing system for every ongoing project with detailed perspective drawings (not just 3D) with measurements and a time-line which would be pasted on the unit itself. They are the only company that showed me this and I find it very organized. Discussion went on about 65min and they are one of the two companies that acknowledge receipt of my email on the design concept. Earlier on they were already at site to visit the unit because they happened to be nearby when I texted them. Proactive and enthusiastic.

· 17/01/2015 at 1400hrs: We met on site to discuss the quotation. Their quotation was also very detailed and frankly, I really liked the design concept and the mood pictures that they showed me. They are the only ones who proposed the best concept of how I can achieve my feel for my study room. However, the quote (no GST) came up to more than 58k and even after a mental deduction (if I used cheaper tiles etc), it would still be in the range of 45-50k which is way beyond the budget.

Comments: Firstly, I must commend the service attitude and the design inputs of the designers. One can see the effort that they made in the “designing” aspect of it and not just those run of the mill kind of quotation and design. The mood pictures that they showed are rather nice. However, I am a little worried that some aspects of practicality or the cons of each design element might be overlooked in the name of aesthetics. Other than that, I like the way they organised the items and being personal friends, I would seriously love to give them the business. However, their quotation is seriously beyond budget. Coloured interior PVC is unfortunately also not a standard and have to be charged at a slight cost. Nevertheless, I would continue to recommend them as a company i.e. no harm looking at their work and getting them to quote.

(Dropped)

d) XXXX

Reason: As mentioned earlier, out of the other big names, they seem to receive the least negative feedback and I generally liked their designs that were featured on renovation magazines and website. I decided to do a walk in instead since those at exhibition seem to be bent on promoting their packages.

· 29/12/2014 at 1330hrs: I walked in to XXX and was served by XXX. The initial feel was a bit dull and ID seems a bit aloof (not the super friendly and enthusiastic but professional distance kind) but she got progressively warmer and brought out various materials to show me. She subsequently mentioned that she just came back from leave. Request to view other projects was greeted with lukewarm response and she insisted that I take a look at the quotation and agree on it first before visiting other projects as she does not want to waste the owner’s time. (which is reasonable I guess although ideally one should still view the workmanship first if possible) She also emphasized on the payment schedule that for the last 10%, the owners cannot withhold payment even though they are dissatisfied but they must pay first and the company will do the necessary touch-ups subsequently. When I asked about her workers, she mentioned that there are many groups of carpenters and some of the workers are from China but the head foreman is not so I have nothing to worry about.

· 10/01/2015 at 1200hrs: ID was proactive in arranging meeting to discuss quotation and responded to my email about my design concept within 2 days (1 out of the 2 to do that). However, the quotation wasn’t detailed and it left out several of my design ideas which she said that as an ID, she only include the essential items and those non-essential items she would include later. It so happened that some of these "non essential items" are specifically requested by me. The quotation wasn’t detailed and her pricing for one of the materials for kitchen table-top (Kompacplus) was quoted at $140 psf although I already told her I know the pricing for the product. It was only after I left that she texted me informing me that the price is now reduced $120 psf for some unknown reason. The quotation was in the range of 24k although several items that I requested for was missing and she mentioned that GST could be absorbed if I sign with her on that day itself. Items like internal coloured PVC would be thrown in FOC if I confirmed the package but she did not include it inside the quotation. I told the ID to revise the quote on the spot adding in the items that I have requested for and the revised quote came up to about 30k.

Comments: I didn’t have a good feeling about this ID and she seems to empathize more on her own ideas than the client’s ideas with use of words like “strange”, “as an ID, we only do the essential and important items first…” etc. Although she was responsive to email and her quotation is cheap, I felt that at some points, she was dismissive of my questions and was trying to smoke me. Furthermore, she only has one project on hand which can be good or bad (good: full attention; bad: can have a negative inference on her popularity). I also think that there would be communication breakdowns in future (all IDs would have but try to minimise) and frankly, her space planning was not fantastic. For example, she kept insisting that my request for a 6ft or 7ft wardrobe was not in enough for the wife based on her experience and I should do it another way. (I have discussed this with the wife previously and we have measured the size of our current cupboard). Besides, there was also an error in the address of my unit in her quotation. But on a good note, her quotation is cheap and she is generally responsive.

(Dropped)

e) XXX

Reason: XXX is a regular contributor on renovation sites on Facebook and many of their designs are very nice. The feedback on the forums is that their designs are superb but due to their large number of projects, their response is a little slow. They also have many new and young designers (vibrant or inexperienced depending on how you look at it) and have many Open Houses (I attended two). This guy was recommended in the forums as one of the more responsible ones from the company. In fact, one can say that he is quite highly recommended.

· 24/12/2014 at 1854hrs: I texted XXX (number from forums) requesting for a meeting and quotation for renovation. He responded within 3 min proposing to meet up at their Open House on 27/12/2014 at 1000hrs at XXXX area.

· 27/12/2014 at 1000hrs: I received call from XXX 5minutes before 1000hrs claiming that he has forgotten some documents and would need to go back office to take. I also realized that he has given me the wrong street name and after circling the estate for 15 minutes, I arrived at the Open House show-flat but he was not around. His colleagues and I texted him separately and he appeared 15-20 minutes later and was not apologetic. (okay la since I was late as I got lost) Anyway, we went through the Open House tour and he showed me some pictures of his portfolio and informed that he has 8 projects due for completion. I discussed briefly my concept requirements and he listened attentively although he did not offer much suggestions.

· 10/01/2015 at XXXX hours: I sent a text message on 10/01/2015 inquiring about the status of the quotation and XXX proposed a 2^nd meeting at another Open House on 17/01/2015 when he replied to text message with a phone call about 3.5hours later on the same day. However, he called me the next day (11/01/2015) informing me that he has lost the two emails that I sent him with regard to the design concept and asked me to send it to him again. I did so. Evening checks with him on the same day requesting for the address and time of the meeting on Sat; he replied that the venue is still being finalized and he only has two slots on Sat. I told him I can meet him on Sunday or at his office (before Wed). He said he will get back to me by Sunday but he only replied on Monday.

· 17/01/2015 at 1000hrs: XXX again changed the block of the meeting place ten minutes before and when I arrived (10 minutes getting lost again), he texted me saying that he is having breakfast at another block and his colleague will showed me around the Open House first. After a quick viewing, his colleague and he explained the quotation to me as well some general comments on the space planning. He also pointed out the list of freebies (including $1000 air-con voucher, free hob and hood and some other accessories). Hacking of wall as requested by me was not included and I deliberately asked him but he seems to be clueless about the requirement. The quotation came up to the range of 46k+ inclusive of GST. The address and contact number in the quotation was completely wrong and I assumed it probably came from a template and was a last minute job.

Comments: I must say that I am surprised at how seemingly unprofessional XXX is despite the general positive comments in the Forum. Maybe he is busy (8 projects to be completed) but he assured me that once he is being confirmed, he will be “on the ball” and even showed me a list of WhatsApp messages between him and the owners. But on both occasions when we meet, he got the address wrong and was late and worse, he even lost the email that I sent him on the design concept and most probably he only discovered it when he wanted to start work after he was probed about the progress. The quotation contained several mistakes in the sense that are not specific to my requirements and even the home’s address and the ID’s contact number on the quotation were wrong. That shows his unprofessionalism at this early stage and I do not have the confidence to engage him further. In fact other than the quick response when I texted to invite him to meet up for a quotation, the rest of his responses was slow and he did not respond at the time that he said he would. (Usually late by a day at least) Besides, the quote is not cheap and not detailed and he is the least experienced amongst all the other IDs and contractors that I have shortlisted i.e. only 2 years’ experience. I have my doubts both about XXX sincerity. In fact, on the quotation meeting, he actually got his colleague to sit in at the discussion and it was his colleague who called me a few days later asking me what I think of their quotation. In addition, I personally think that their showflat is not as fantastic as the ones that they always posted on Facebook. The designs are normal although the carpentry is okay (coloured PVC with Blum hinges).

(Dropped)

f) XXX

Reason: I wanted to look for contractor to have some sort of comparison And XXX is one of the highly recommended ones in the Forums. The other one is Ideal something (can’t remember the full name) and there were many positive accounts on his work. But in the end, I only picked one of the recommended contractors.

· 24/12/2014 at 1256hrs: I texted XXX (number from forums) requesting for a meeting and quotation for renovation. He responded very fast at 1316hrs proposing to meet on-site. Initial positive feel.

· 30/12/2014 at 1430hrs: I was waiting at 1430hrs but there was no call or text message that XXX is coming and so I texted him to “confirm” our meeting and he said that he is on the way. He was late for about 20minutes on our 1^st meeting. The discussion was over in 20 minutes and he was very to the point and said that the requirements were very simple. He told me that there are no 3D drawings but asked me not to worry as he has done so many houses. I requested for a visit to a completed unit and the appointment was fixed on another day in the same week.

· 03/01/2015 at 1230 hours: The quotation came within 24 hours; very fast and it was very affordable i.e. about 23k+ and there was no GST. . However, there were many missing items and mistakes (those things I specifically said I do not want such as the wrong colour for the kitchen backsplash) i.e. basically, it seems more like a template than a quotation specific to my requirements. In fact, he did not even wait for me to send the draft design concept and did not revise the quote when I sent him the day after. In anycase, during the 2^nd meeting, he was again late for 20minutes and only responded that he is on the way when I was waiting for him for a while and decided to drop him a text message. During the quick tour of his work (less than 10 minutes), I found that they use the cheaper white interior PVC and although acceptable, it is again not something unusual i.e. you get what you pay. Whole thing was over in 10 minutes and he did not showed me to the door but carried on talking with the owner.His carpentry was okay though.

Comments: I have no doubt that XXX is an experienced contractor who will deliver the basic BTO set up. However, I am troubled by his rather seemingly nonchalant attitude and is worried about our communication should I engage him. (maybe too busy la; I don't know) Being a contractor, I don't expect any design input, advice and no furniture planning advice. But I don’t like the fact that our meeting seems rather slipshod and he is late on both occasions and don’t have the courtesy to tell me. I do not have the comfort level or chemistry even though his quote is really cheap. And for those who cannot visualize. 3D drawings are actually quite helpful especially when it comes to selecting colours and materials.

(Dropped)

[For Sharing(Selecting Ids And Parts To A Reno Quotation]

Hi all

I wanted to share what I learn during the past month when I was reviewing and speaking to different IDs. Not an expert list by any chance but should be useful to those who are about to undergo renovation for their new home. I will be posting my review of 6 IDs whom I have shortlisted after reading through the negative comments about different IDs firms on various forums and blogs. (it is not a science but those are my selected list of which I will be selecting one by the end of the week; still need to think thru)

For sharing-Things I learnt during the search for IDs/contractors for renovation

Things to note during interaction and initial checks with ID and tips on how to read the quotation

· 1^st meeting with ID to discuss requirements; list of questions to ask include (not exhaustive)

I. No of projects currently he/she is doing (not to over stretch; average number would be between 4-8; anything more is too much)

II. No of years of experience (the more experience ones charge slightly higher but they are over to contribute ideas and take care of details which may be overlooked i.e. whether a certain design will be practical etc

III. Portfolio of past or current projects (IDs should be keen to do this)

IV. Discuss with them the theme or ideas you have in mind and their opinions etc; they should be keen to contribute ideas etc

V. Request to see a nearly completed project or ongoing (this request should be met and ID should be enthusiastic or open to showing; idea is to check the workmanship and actual concept as opposed to mood pictures or 3D drawings

VI. Check the origin of workers i.e. some workers have better workmanship

VII. Is there GST involved; the number of years of guarantee (most companies offer anything between 1-3 years; be sceptical of unrealistic numbers simply because the ID concerned can resign or the company can close down

VIII. Be wary of packages; they usually contain lots of hidden costs or specific type of materials; usually you ended up topping up quite significantly

IX. If possible, try to get a sensing of the ID’s work flow etc; those at exhibitions are usually the sales staff that are different from the actual IDs; make sure it’s the actual person who is serving you; the “chemistry” and comfort level is important. Some IDs are very insistent on their own ideas or value design over practicality; a lot of things are good to have and but they are additional costs. Sometimes it pays to overlook the minor inconveniences.

· 2^nd meeting with ID ; usually to see workmanship i.e. carpentry

I. Checks the surfaces (both top and bottom) of the shelves usually outside cabinets and kitchen drawers; the standard now is to use soft-closing/anti-slam with the most popular ones being Blum; Ikea also uses Blum but it’s a much cheaper range. There are some house brands e.g. ***** and other cheaper brands

II. Avoid the white internal PVC kind; they tend to turn yellowish after a few years and some issues may crop up. They are of course much cheaper in terms of cost. Try to ask for the internal coloured PVC as a standard (either smooth or rough finishing with the latter being more lasting; there are a few brands to choose from depending on the IDs); ABS trimming (quite standard nowadays) which usually follows the colour of the cabinet

III. For cabinets and drawers, open and close a few times and check the hinges and also make sure they close properly

IV. For surfaces, some IDs save on cost and the bottom part of the cabinet is not treated i.e. basically you feel the raw wood surface. The better IDs will not do that.

V. Check for extra holes that are being drilled; usually it does not happen because it means that there are mistakes made; otherwise check for overall build and quality

VI. Caveat: Because we are not trained as carpenters, they will always be mistakes that is not easily spotted so as long as one feels that the work is acceptable, it should be okay

· 3^rd meeting with ID should be to discuss quotation and space planning (meaning that they will show you what and how they think the general furniture should be placed and some may suggest or show you a lighting plan)

I. Prices for quotation will vary according to materials and the length of the piece of project

II. Electrical works are excluded from all quotations because that depends on the owner’s decision and final discussion on the type of lightings; usually 1 lighting point is one cost, LED down and cove lights generally cost between 15-30 dollars; try to get them at a discount or google around or go Malaysia; the shops that IDs bring you to usually gives the IDs a commission of 3-5%. Cost for electrical works generally cost between $1000-$3000 depending on how complicated they are

III. The quotation will generally include the fixed items like design planning, submission of HDB permit, perspective drawing (except contractor) which are all FOC; Things like overlaying of floor protection sheet and chemical washing (after renovation is completed) are also included either FOC or somewhere in the cost depending on the company. Haulage removal and fees is given to HDB and should cost less than $200 (there is a standard range but I cannot remember offhand)

IV. Quotation is usually written in either a) type of works e.g. masonry, plumbing, ceiling , glass etc or b) via work area e.g. bedroom, bathroom, living room etc

V. If running City Gas, there will be a slight charge of $150-$300 dollars to extend the piping; because the City Gas Guy will only extend it to one part of the house; if you have two bathrooms etc, your ID will have to run the extra piping himself and that is a cost

VI. Overlaying of tiles is rather expensive with those wall tiles costing almost twice as much as the floor tiles; because the type of cement and the work is much more complicated

VII. Check the quotation for the price of tiles; it is usually anywhere between $2.40-$3.80 (China tiles); the slightly better tiles cost above $4 dollars while the Spanish and Italian tiles will cost anywhere from $6 dollars and above.

VIII. Kitchen tops are quoted psf; There are pros and cons for each worktop depending on your needs, for solid surface, it cost about $80 psf while quartz cost between $100-$130 psf. A relatively new type of material called Kompacplus (which I think is really nice) cost about $120 although you can bargain down to $110. Anything more than $130 is too much. So if you have 12ft kitchen top, it’s the amount multiply by 12.

IX. The section behind the walls of the kitchen top is called backsplash and there are many types of materials to choose from. The easiest to maintain and most expensive is probably tempered glass (make sure the ID uses tempered glass and not ordinary glass which wouldn’t last; I met one who keep insisting that she has used it for many projects without problems and didn’t write the word “tempered” in the quotation). Other common materials include tiles and mosaic tiles.

X. The last part that appear in the quotation for kitchen is usually the cabinets itself; most standard quotations will include 4 sets of soft-closing full extendable drawers, chrome or stainless steel dish rack etc; just make sure what they promised (including dimensions and brand of materials is being stated clearly in the contract) e.g. To supply labour and material to construct top hung storage cabinet in laminate finish with Blum hinges or something like that…

XI. Constructing of kerb for fridge, kitchen and washing machine are rather standard; although some people don’t construct one for the fridge nowadays, I feel that it is useful especially when you washing or mopping your kitchen.

XII. Most IDs will quote casement windows for the service yard; depending on your needs and budget, you can always do it later but a little rain might get into the service yard during times of heavy downpour

XIII. For bathrooms, there will be labour charges for installing/dismantling of toilet bowl, wash basin etc.; a shower kerb will normally be constructed and that cost money as well; the quote will generally include vanity mirror with storage etc.; depending on the ID, sometimes it may actually be cheaper or more cost effective than to get it off the shelf from places such as Ikea which charges about 10% of the cost if you want to get their sub-contractors to install the item. For one, the quality by your ID or contractors is usually better.

XIV. The rest of the items are mostly glass, carpentry and ceiling works; the cost depends on the type of materials and length of height of the items; remember to specify whether the doors are casement or swing doors or sliding doors with frosted glass or tempered glass etc

XV. Depending on the size of the companies, they do charge GST although some offer to absorb out of goodwill; don’t fall for freebies etc; it may look like some savings initially but in the long run, there might be additional costs involved

XVI. Check the payment schedule too; just make sure than the final payment (usually 5-10% is not paid until you are satisfied with the work done (within fair limits of course))

XVII. For furniture delivery, air con etc, discuss and let your ID do the coordinating work; most will include it as part of their service. For air-con the way they run the piping is very important. Some forum guys are much more versed in that. For cheap furniture, can try neighbourhood shops like Goh Ah Bee (which don’t offer credit) or places like Parasilk, Lion City Company etc; just shop around and even places like Best Denki or Harvey Norman do offer rates beyond their advertised rates (not a lot but usually they can throw in free delivery and some freebies)

XVIII. Plan your budget and make sure you confirm the design and drawings with your ID before starting work; otherwise, it may cost a lot more….

[Reasonable Quote ? Any Missing Details ?]

Hi

Been spending the past month looking through the forums and visiting the IDs and contractors; just thought that I should contribute too some of the things that I have learnt which might be useful to people who are looking at renovating for the first time. I will probably be writing something about the list of IDs that I have shortlisted and visited;

Disclaimer: The information is the result of my personal opinions and research and is only meant for sharing purposes. Not expert advice

Things to note during interaction and initial checks with ID and tips on how to read the quotation

· 1^st meeting with ID to discuss requirements; list of questions to ask include (not exhaustive)

I. No of projects currently he/she is doing (not to over stretch; average number would be between 4-8; anything more is too much)

II. No of years of experience (the more experience ones charge slightly higher but they are over to contribute ideas and take care of details which may be overlooked i.e. whether a certain design will be practical etc

III. Portfolio of past or current projects (IDs should be keen to do this)

IV. Discuss with them the theme or ideas you have in mind and their opinions etc; they should be keen to contribute ideas etc

V. Request to see a nearly completed project or ongoing (this request should be met and ID should be enthusiastic or open to showing; idea is to check the workmanship and actual concept as opposed to mood pictures or 3D drawings

VI. Check the origin of workers i.e. some workers have better workmanship

VII. Is there GST involved; the number of years of guarantee (most companies offer anything between 1-3 years; be sceptical of unrealistic numbers simply because the ID concerned can resign or the company can close down

VIII. Be wary of packages; they usually contain lots of hidden costs or specific type of materials; usually you ended up topping up quite significantly

IX. If possible, try to get a sensing of the ID’s work flow etc; those at exhibitions are usually the sales staff that are different from the actual IDs; make sure it’s the actual person who is serving you; the “chemistry” and comfort level is important. Some IDs are very insistent on their own ideas or value design over practicality; a lot of things are good to have and but they are additional costs. Sometimes it pays to overlook the minor inconveniences.

· 2^nd meeting with ID ; usually to see workmanship i.e. carpentry

I. Checks the surfaces (both top and bottom) of the shelves usually outside cabinets and kitchen drawers; the standard now is to use soft-closing/anti-slam with the most popular ones being Blum; Ikea also uses Blum but it’s a much cheaper range. There are some house brands e.g. ***** and other cheaper brands

II. Avoid the white internal PVC kind; they tend to turn yellowish after a few years and some issues may crop up. They are of course much cheaper in terms of cost. Try to ask for the internal coloured PVC as a standard (either smooth or rough finishing with the latter being more lasting; there are a few brands to choose from depending on the IDs); ABS trimming (quite standard nowadays) which usually follows the colour of the cabinet

III. For cabinets and drawers, open and close a few times and check the hinges and also make sure they close properly

IV. For surfaces, some IDs save on cost and the bottom part of the cabinet is not treated i.e. basically you feel the raw wood surface. The better IDs will not do that.

V. Check for extra holes that are being drilled; usually it does not happen because it means that there are mistakes made; otherwise check for overall build and quality

VI. Caveat: Because we are not trained as carpenters, they will always be mistakes that is not easily spotted so as long as one feels that the work is acceptable, it should be okay

· 3^rd meeting with ID should be to discuss quotation and space planning (meaning that they will show you what and how they think the general furniture should be placed and some may suggest or show you a lighting plan)

I. Prices for quotation will vary according to materials and the length of the piece of project

II. Electrical works are excluded from all quotations because that depends on the owner’s decision and final discussion on the type of lightings; usually 1 lighting point is one cost, LED down and cove lights generally cost between 15-30 dollars; try to get them at a discount or google around or go Malaysia; the shops that IDs bring you to usually gives the IDs a commission of 3-5%. Cost for electrical works generally cost between $1000-$3000 depending on how complicated they are

III. The quotation will generally include the fixed items like design planning, submission of HDB permit, perspective drawing (except contractor) which are all FOC; Things like overlaying of floor protection sheet and chemical washing (after renovation is completed) are also included either FOC or somewhere in the cost depending on the company. Haulage removal and fees is given to HDB and should cost less than $200 (there is a standard range but I cannot remember offhand)

IV. Quotation is usually written in either a) type of works e.g. masonry, plumbing, ceiling , glass etc or b) via work area e.g. bedroom, bathroom, living room etc

V. If running City Gas, there will be a slight charge of $150-$300 dollars to extend the piping; because the City Gas Guy will only extend it to one part of the house; if you have two bathrooms etc, your ID will have to run the extra piping himself and that is a cost

VI. Overlaying of tiles is rather expensive with those wall tiles costing almost twice as much as the floor tiles; because the type of cement and the work is much more complicated

VII. Check the quotation for the price of tiles; it is usually anywhere between $2.40-$3.80 (China tiles); the slightly better tiles cost above $4 dollars while the Spanish and Italian tiles will cost anywhere from $6 dollars and above.

VIII. Kitchen tops are quoted psf; There are pros and cons for each worktop depending on your needs, for solid surface, it cost about $80 psf while quartz cost between $100-$130 psf. A relatively new type of material called Kompacplus (which I think is really nice) cost about $120 although you can bargain down to $110. Anything more than $130 is too much. So if you have 12ft kitchen top, it’s the amount multiply by 12.

IX. The section behind the walls of the kitchen top is called backsplash and there are many types of materials to choose from. The easiest to maintain and most expensive is probably tempered glass (make sure the ID uses tempered glass and not ordinary glass which wouldn’t last; I met one who keep insisting that she has used it for many projects without problems and didn’t write the word “tempered” in the quotation). Other common materials include tiles and mosaic tiles.

X. The last part that appear in the quotation for kitchen is usually the cabinets itself; most standard quotations will include 4 sets of soft-closing full extendable drawers, chrome or stainless steel dish rack etc; just make sure what they promised (including dimensions and brand of materials is being stated clearly in the contract) e.g. To supply labour and material to construct top hung storage cabinet in laminate finish with Blum hinges or something like that…

XI. Constructing of kerb for fridge, kitchen and washing machine are rather standard; although some people don’t construct one for the fridge nowadays, I feel that it is useful especially when you washing or mopping your kitchen.

XII. Most IDs will quote casement windows for the service yard; depending on your needs and budget, you can always do it later but a little rain might get into the service yard during times of heavy downpour

XIII. For bathrooms, there will be labour charges for installing/dismantling of toilet bowl, wash basin etc.; a shower kerb will normally be constructed and that cost money as well; the quote will generally include vanity mirror with storage etc.; depending on the ID, sometimes it may actually be cheaper or more cost effective than to get it off the shelf from places such as Ikea which charges about 10% of the cost if you want to get their sub-contractors to install the item. For one, the quality by your ID or contractors is usually better.

XIV. The rest of the items are mostly glass, carpentry and ceiling works; the cost depends on the type of materials and length of height of the items; remember to specify whether the doors are casement or swing doors or sliding doors with frosted glass or tempered glass etc

XV. Depending on the size of the companies, they do charge GST although some offer to absorb out of goodwill; don’t fall for freebies etc; it may look like some savings initially but in the long run, there might be additional costs involved

XVI. Check the payment schedule too; just make sure than the final payment (usually 5-10% is not paid until you are satisfied with the work done (within fair limits of course))

XVII. For furniture delivery, air con etc, discuss and let your ID do the coordinating work; most will include it as part of their service. For air-con the way they run the piping is very important. Some forum guys are much more versed in that. For cheap furniture, can try neighbourhood shops like Goh Ah Bee (which don’t offer credit) or places like Parasilk, Lion City Company etc; just shop around and even places like Best Denki or Harvey Norman do offer rates beyond their advertised rates (not a lot but usually they can throw in free delivery and some freebies)

XVIII. Plan your budget and make sure you confirm the design and drawings with your ID before starting work; otherwise, it may cost a lot more….

[Recommendation Of Fsm]

Hi Ivy1981

Can I have a list of the good and bad FSM please? I am urgently looking for one as my usual FSM is unable to commit due to their heavy commitment in other projects.

please email to choo279@gmail.com.

Thanks in advance and have a great week ahead.