bunnybluey

I know the inspection is FOC. Ideally, we should all do the testing but from what I understand that there are certain requirements, for example, if you have electrical wiring/points installed in carpentry, that would not pass the inspection. If is indeed a must, I do wonder why IDs/contractors didn't recommend testing/inspection to be done as an item in the quote when customers asked for electrical works to be done as well. Note that the guidelines not only applied to rewiring, it's for any electrical renovation work, so it's applicable even just to add 1 point or relocate a point. Also, if we were to follow the guidelines by HDB, by right, no electrician, not even licensed electrician unless the person is also a licensed SCV installer should meddle with the TV(SCV) point as any alteration and extension of the original television points are to be carried out by a licensed StarHub Cable Vision (SCV) installer, which leads me to ask why are electricians/IDs quoting SCV points installation? Our govt is usually quite ks, so if it's indeed a die die must do, they would have implemented through some kind of permit so that they can enforce & ensure that inspection is indeed carried out.

That's why when I commented on some people's quotation, I said can't really compare apple to apple. I know the cost of my carpentry works is definitely not one of the cheaper ones but I can fully customise it according to my needs. Yes, I may pay more than what I need in the end, but I don't like to go into the hassle when it comes to the design stage as you lose any bargaining power by then & working relationship sours when conflicts occur, either you stick to the default or pay additional. The other 2 quotations that I gotten, 1 was rather detailed & mentioned how many drawers for the wardrobe & cost for additional drawer, but the other quotation only mentioned wardrobe with hanger rod, drawers & adjustable shelving, didn't mention number of drawers & the cost for additional ones. Hence, from 3 different IDs, can see there's different ways of working, so not necessarily they will have misc section to list down all the additional costs. For me, I'm very clear with what I want for the wardrobes/cupboards/kitchen cabinets as this is my 2nd reno, so I list down my requirements upfront that I want drawers for my kitchen cabinets & would drill into these requirements before I decide it's good enough to sign the contract.

Congrats! I often feel what's important is that we must feel comfy to work with the selected ID & able to trust the person. If before signing, already don't feel comfy & cannot trust, then no matter how cheap the quotation is, it's also pretty pointless. Up next is to shop for things, like what I'm doing now, shop, pack, shop, pack, barely 2 weeks to go before my reno starts work but we're not even 50% packed! Luckily for renotalk forum, can find some good lobangs for some stuff & that minimises my own hunting for the shops that provide the best price, save me a lot of work!

Just to share that fans installation usually $40-$50. Shops that sell fans can usually arrange installation for you & some charge slightly more expensive for 1st fan & cheaper for subsequent fan. E.g. Hoe Kee quoted me to install 46" Crestar Icol with light at $45 for 1st fan & $40 for 2nd fan & onwards, so if you don't have an electrician to do it for you, arrange for the shop to do the installation as well. Electricians also charge around this range. Not too sure if it'll be cheaper if it's just fan without light.

I can't comment much about other items as may not be comparing apple to apple, examples, one ID may quote you wardrobes/cupboards with internal carcass laminated but another ID may just leave it as white, different brands of laminate used by different contractors, can you customise the internal of the wardrobes like you want all drawers instead of shelving, etc. Even for paint, an ID may quote you using odourless paint while another ID may quote you non odourless. $1,650 for whole house with limit of 5 colours isn't really that cheap, & you may wish to check what range of the paint the ID using. For plumbing works, I find it to be on the higher side. For example, $150 for installing accessories for 2 bathrooms, I got 2 quotes, the cheaper one is $80 (up to 7 items) & more exp one is $120 (up to 5 items only) for both bathrooms. The cheaper one for WC (toilet bowl) is $90 ea & that is the plumber removing it, likewise the plumber is going to remove my current basin, taps & toilet accessories as well. I saw your ID quoted demolishing of sanitary ware, usually sanitary ware refers to WC & basins, so why should the ID charge this when the job is to be done by the plumber, especially the plumbing works charges seem to be on the higher side? Sorry, it just doesn't make sense to me cos it seems like double charging, else installation fees should be much cheaper since the plumber doesn't need to remove the old ones. Does your ID allow you to source for your own plumber? It may be more time consuming for you as you need to do the coordination works yourself but some IDs may charge certain "premium" for plumbing/electrical/windows, meaning it's not a direct charge as quoted by the plumbing/electrical/windows guy. If you need another ID for comparison, I can pass you my ID's contact. However, do note that my reno is only going to start end May, so I can't exactly say if is really good all the way until my reno completes. So far, he's been quite good & we feel safe with his recommendations as he has certain standards of his own, so he won't use those really cheap skate materials. Anyway, if you're still sourcing around, no harm getting another contact for comparison. Disclaimer: I'm not a ID self promoting my service/company, but a sahm starting my reno soon in end May.

Perhaps you may want to clarify what it means by light fittings, from what I interpret, it seems to be installing the lights, not the lighting point since it said light fittings. The lighting point is the non power points, which you install for the lights or fans. Installation of lights or fans is a separate charge. However, if it's indeed for light fittings, then $150 per room is on a high side, possibly factoring in that you install hanging lighting, a number of downlights, etc. The market rate ~$10-15 per light for non hanging type, $40-50 per fan/fan with light. Like for my MBR, I have a fan with light & 3 lights, so it will cost me $80 ($50 for fan & $10 per light) to install them, & cost me $140 to install the lighting points for these 4 items as my electrician charges $35 per lighting point (light or fan). Even my living room cum dining room cum entrance whole area only installing 7 lights & 1 fan, so total $120 for installing these items & another $280 for 8 lighting points. If you're looking for an electrician, I can share the electrician's contact with you, whom we are engaging for our upcoming reno in Jun. He's recommended by my hubby's cousin whose in renovating line but he has no vested interests in this as he's only doing commercial biz, so he's just recommending his contacts to us when we approached him for recommendation. We had met the electrician personally & he seems quite a knowledgeable guy. However, I have to caution that he's definitely not one of the cheapest that you can find, like he told us, some charges low, some charges high, he's somewhere in the middle. At least, his charges were lesser by few hundreds as compared to the one recommended by my ID. My reno has not yet started, so I can't share with you if his workmanship, etc, is good, but I'm definitely not a person self promoting any service, just sharing the contact I've found & going to work with, can look up my profile & see the posts I posted. If you're keen, just get the contact & assess for yourself if he's suitable for you.

Hi, From what I understand after talking to a few electricians, there is no need to do PUB inspection for HDB flat. If you do get PUB inspection, I understand that there are several guidelines to follow, like the DB box has to be installed at eye level, no point to be installed in cupboard, etc. Are you installing many power/lighting points & that's why quote 6.5k? Fyi, I'm doing rewiring for my existing 5 rm flat at ~3.3+k, no PUB inspection.

My house aircon is the 20A isolator as the point is installed outside, whereas 15A usually is installed inside house. Since our house is currently 20A isolator, then should replace with the same, why downsize, right? While the quote from KS seems cheaper, we don't want to run into any issue with costing dispute later since they don't offer no obligation site survey, so avoiding situation whereby they try to charge us more due to whatever unforeseen circumstance. Example, I already told them that my house is 20A isolator, they also never factored that in the quotation.

May I know what's the difference between lighting point & switch point?

If you're doing rewiring, means changing & doing new ones for all the electrical wiring, electrical points, lighting points, heater point, hood/hob point, 15A socket/20A isolater for air-con, etc, this would be quite a major work. Not just false ceiling, built in cupboards/wardrobes may also pose a potential problem for the electrician. I'm also planning to do electrical wiring for my 5rms flat. I have a false ceiling in living rm but not entire area, different electrician has different views. I had 3 electricians to do a site survey & only the last one can give more sound advice. To do with false ceiling, it can be done, but 1. need to open a few ~450mm by 450mm holes, I said a few cos depending on how big the false ceiling done up; if whole area is false ceiling, may not be possible or lots more challenging. 2. old wirings/pvc casings unlikely can remove & not possible to fix new pvc casings, have to use conduits instead to run through the false ceiling. Some electricians wld tell you not possible to do, must remove false ceiling then can do, cos it's easier to do so, or either that they aren't capable enough to do it with false ceiling on. The last electrician is the only one who said can use conduit & I know it's possible cos I used to manage network cabling guys & they used conduits too. Some electricians may charge you much higher due to the false ceiling. How much it costs really depends on how many electrical/lighting points, lightings/fans, etc, you are installing. It's not just the new points that you talk about but every point as all are new points. For rewiring, means you can relook where you want to do the points. If it's just adding new points to existing points, then it's not rewiring. Also, you have to add on the cost for patching back the false ceiling. With false ceiling, you do more lighting points as well to install downlights. I did approach KS Electrical for quotation. The staff, not electrician, told me have to remove false ceiling in order to do rewiring. When asked if can come up to do site survey, they said have to charge me $40, if I sign up after site survey, the $40 is taken as deposits. Also, the quote comes with standard package with 15A socket for air-con & never quote upgrade to 20A isolator despite us telling the staff. We were also told that we have to shift our DB box down as that's new HDB regulation but it's not true, only so if you need to get PUB testing but I was told to do the testing, cannot install points in cupboards, & most people don't do testing if staying in HDB. We were also told that we need to change the wiring from our DB to the main outside but other electricians said no need. After hearing from various electricians, we decided to drop KS Electricals cos quite skeptical about what we were being told. We decided to hack away the false ceiling since patching back the holes will add cost & I still have to open pelmet for air-con. But hacking away the false ceiling also give us a bit of problem, have to get our ID to touch up our partition that's connected to false ceiling, still overall is cheaper & electrical works can be done cleaner as in electrician can remove the old wiring/casings. I'm not sure if you hv found an electrician but if you need to get a 2nd opinion, I can share with you the one who gave us the sound advice & likely the one whom we'll engage. However, do note that I'm not endorsing this electrician yet since my own reno work has not yet started, just giving you another option since I find he's able to work with false ceiling & yet not charging an arm & a leg for it. If you're keen to get his contact, can pm me.

Oh, took out the sink to check, looks good, shiny & solid, forgot to knock on it to hear the sound, haha... Packaging is good too. Overall, I'm satisfied, paid <SGD450 for it.

Oh, I used the link one of the members posted, then I emailed the CSO that the item appeared in the search results even though the search is using international shipping & free shipping as criteria. I also mentioned that I didn't occur any such problem for my past orders that were shipped for free, so asking them for help. Note that I hv been spreeing from Amazon since 2007, so they have records of my past purchases, & hence offered me an one-time exception as a valued customer. If you're a new customer, you may have to come out with different way of asking for a waiver.

I used the email function that I found on Amazon website to email them instead of using the chat option as they would prompt you to provide certain information & after that, I wrote my "story" to seek for waiver. I'm not sure how the others emailed Amazon though.

Yay! I received my sink this morning! Not only Amazon waived off my shipping fees, they sent it via express shipment, so I received it within a wk from date of ordering. Going to get my hubby to help me open the pkg & check the item.

Thanks. Photos will have to probably wait till end Jul.

Oh, Amazon is so fast!!! I ordered my sink on Wednesday, the last status update was that it'll be delivered to me next Tuesday! I opt for normal shipping & I'm getting it within a week. So far so good, hopefully everything turns up well. Thanks all for recommending this & sharing that it's possible to seek waive of the shipping fees, which really helps to save a lot.

Thanks for sharing the info with me. I'm thinking maybe the collected import fees deposit is to cover GST, so if true, the sink shd be approx S$450-480, depending on the exch rate. Well, I'm happy with the purchase. Although I've been spreeing from Amazon since 2007, I've never been so happy as this time.

For 32" sink, just the item & import fees deposit already USD320+, so probably will exceed S$400. Nonetheless, I think still worth it even if I were to hit GST since I already saved on the shipping fees. Just thinking if the import fees deposit is meant to cover the GST, well, worst case, I'll be prepared to pay for GST. If no GST in the end, more $ to buy other stuff, haha...

I just placed my order for a 32" Kraus sink from Amazon, keeping my fingers crossed that everything turns out well. Just to check, besides paying for the item & import fees deposit, do I have to pay for anything else as in will I be hit with GST? Actually, is the import fees deposit collected supposed to be meant for covering the GST? Thanks for any advice given.

Hi, can you please quote me for the following? Mitsubishi Starmex Model: MXY-4A28VA / MSY-GE10VA X3 + MSY-GE24VA (2 ticks model) Requirements: - materials: G22 copper coil, 1/2" Armaflex class "0" insulation, 16mm PVC drain pipe with armaflex insulation, 3 core 40 Keystone control wire - others: 2 trips installation, dismantling & disposing of existing system 3 air-cons - work with my ID on the required works Please also quote me for the above requirements based on the latest 5 ticks model as well. Thanks.

I'll pm you the ID I'm working with, not sure if it's the same. I don't usually share cos firstly, we just signed contract with the ID & applied HDB permit, haven't really started any reno works, so I can't really comment if this ID is good enough to recommend cos what is good to me may not be the same for another person as our definition of good varies & also very much depends on the chemistry btwn ID & the couple. Secondly, I'm still quite a newbie in this forum, don't want any comment saying I'm self promoting, which I'm not. During our 1st reno, my hub & I didn't really look into a lot of details as we were just a young couple then & our reno is done by hub's cousin. His cousin's company no longer doing residential as they moved on to doing commercial biz, so we're on our own this time. Tbh, I didn't really read much reviews on renotalk as some recommendations or reviews could be self promo, or competitors "attacking" each other. When I met up the 1st ID at my place, more for him to look at our place to understand our requirements. Then we requested a visit to his showroom as we want to know at least where his office is, that's where he showed us his materials. For the cabinets wood, most IDs are using solid-ply, pretty standard, only difference is the internal carcass. This ID quoted us with internal to have its own laminates, meaning not leaving it white. Another ID that we visited quoted us with internal as white. For the kitchen top, think many IDs now go for Quartz & usually recommend China made ones as relatively much cheaper than the European ones but quality wise not too bad. Soft closing hinges/drawers, this ID recommends Blum but he also has those "chiong" ones if u want something more affordable. Before I decided to work with that particular ID, I did find out more about what he proposed, but before mtg him, we didn't know much about the materials in this era as more than decade ago, mostly just internal carcass left as white with ABS trimming at the side, either solid/granite top, things hv changed quite a bit since then till now. As for electrical wiring, do think if you want to change it b4 u move in. I didn't think of changing until a friend told me to consider since I don't intend to move out & probably still be staying here for at least another decade, she said electrical cables for 10 over years can consider changing during my major reno, else more difficult to change in future after the reno. If you're like me, plan to stay there for quite long time, maybe can consider, but it can be quite major thing especially if the hse has false ceiling/cornices/built in cupboards, etc.

Btw, is the resale very old? If rather old, you may also want to think through if you want to rewire the house.

I think you need to think through what's your needs first. Then research on the IDs, find out reviews & eventually shortlist a few that you're keen. When contacting the IDs, assess how forthcoming they are to meet you to find out your requirements, do they understand your requirements when you eventually get the quotes, ask what materials are they giving to you, assess how experience are they when talking to them, how do you feel about them as in do you think the chemistry will work out between you/your partner & the ID, etc. When meeting up the IDs, see if ID bothers to offer to go up to your place to assess & see the actual situation before quoting. When you got the quote, which IDs can understand your requirements best & quote what you're looking for. For example, if ID A quotes you 10k but it doesn't really match what you're looking for but more like what the ID wants to push it to you, then ID B also quotes you abt 10k but matches the closer to what you're looking for. There are some IDs who would try to convince you to go/do their way. Does the ID give you itemised quote? Personally, I prefer itemised quote so that I can review in details & know the amount that I could save if I decide to drop it. The danger of non itemised is that perhaps the item you want to drop may actually costs you $500 but ID only reduces your quote by $200, who knows since it's not itemised, so not transparent enough. Does the ID charge GST, as that would mean it adds 7% to your budget? Does your ID allow you to engage your own other contractors for windows/air-con/electrical/plumber & would work with them? Sounds ideal to have everything settled by ID but danger is you can't really control even if you feel like you're being carrot chopped. Materials wise, e.g. internal carcass for the cabinets, is it coloured/wood grain or just leave it as white? My current cupboards internally are white, so some of them do turn yellowish or with yellow spots here & there, problem with white colour... Do you need soft closing hinges/drawers? Do you need more drawers type or okay with shelves? My current kitchen cabinet is shelves type & after so many years of using, I find it a hassle, always have problem trying to access the inner stuff, so I'm going to do mostly drawers for the bottom cabinets. I didn't find many IDs, just a few enough for me to do some comparison & assess the IDs knowledge. Eventually I selected the 1st ID as the only one who came up to my place to understand my requirements, so naturally provided me with the quote that matches my requirements most, itemised quote, no GST, flexible to work with other contractors like window/grilles, electrician, plumber, air-con, impressed with the materials that he's using. This ID probably may not be the cheapest among many IDs out there but was relatively cheaper than other IDs, but besides the cost, I can feel this ID is the most keen & responsive among all, maybe cos he's the boss of the company, so lots more hardworking. Ultimately choose an ID that can provide you a reasonable quote that meets your needs & not what they try to push to you, & the x-factor.

Hi, can pm the contact details for the wholesale LED too? Thanks a lot!

Thanks a lot for the photos! The sink looks really good, better than what I've seen locally.