Matrix Concepts/Alvin Aw Review
Overview
Customer Service: 9/10
Guidance: 10/10
Workman Ship: 12/10
Attention to detail: 12/10
We started our renovation journey in early July 2021 shortly after getting our keys. Our layout is shown below and I think most would agree that it has a lot of potential but is also quite challenging to work with from a design stand point.
Initial Meet
Before meeting Alvin, we did some prep work in terms of room usage, layout and key house design fixtures. These include the key areas we would be spending time in the house, how we want the spaces to feel and the fixtures (think lighting, furniture fixtures and stuff like that).
Our meeting with Alvin was a pleasant meet and greet, running through our list of design choices – which walls to hack, what can and cannot be done (HDB rules) and some material choices. While taking our layout into consideration, Alvin pitched some great ideas.
As an added bonus – we were over ambitious in some areas of the house where Alvin’s input assisted in better design choices and better budget utilization.
Tile Shopping
One of the first things we worked together on was the picking of tiles: one of the most important decisions to make for a whole house renovation. Alvin accompanied us down to SBH to view their tile selection.
Tiles were a big decision. One of the biggest things we appreciated was the systematic approach Alvin guided us on. We went from room to room, selecting a few choices for each room. From there we took in considerations like future furniture color, fixtures colors and paint tones (we had a general idea of what we wanted for wall colors.)
Alvin’s help was invaluable because of two things:
1. Guidance – with over 10 years of experience and after understanding our final outcome, he provided suggestions that can only come with experience. We were at one point choosing between shades of the same tile. After renovation was completed – absolutely no regrets.
(We wanted feature walls, bedroom and office distinctions and toilet tiles and we wanted to work with color walls.) Did I mention Alvin also knew his way around the selection? He pointed us towards what we were looking for from over the thousands of choices.
2. Patience – This where the 10/10 customer service comes in. Decision fatigue is real – and while we had a good plan, we had some very competitive choices to make. Talking through each room helped us to make the best pick.
Electrical and Plumbing
1. Electrical Points – we went back to the house and talked through the lighting fixtures that we needed, the wires and concealment and electrical points. Extra care was taken for electrical trunking which I’m truly impressed with. Concealment was done through walls such that the common living spaces had minimal trunking which I appreciate. This attention to detail was amazing and optimized even after a general discussion in some cases.
2. Electrical – Again it came down to years of experience and knowing the best places to shop. Alvin again accompanied us for shopping for light fixtures. With a modest budget we achieved a sleek modern minimalistic look for the 21st century home. We opted for a cove lit living room along with light rails for the bed rooms (best for odd shaped houses).
3. Plumbing choices (And toilets) – HDB toilets are generally small and the use of space is important. While we have less design choices, we achieved the same modern look coherent with the rest of the house, more than enough storage space and great fixtures and Alvin’s recommendation.
Renovation Process
1.1. Similar to the tiles – choosing the fixtures, trims and finishings are just as important (and challenging). At this point we have our tiles, color scheme and layout. Alvin provided a truly wide selection of laminates, textures and counter tops to match a large range of design choices.
1.2. The finished product has great workman ship in terms of quality (solid strong material feel). The laminate textures are above board in terms of color and feel. Heights of shelves, practicality and utility were all taken into consideration with sufficient space.
1.3. Special Mention – We wanted a bar counter top fixture with overhead storage. I want to talk about design looks, workmanship quality and fabrication.
1.3.1.Design looks – the end product was exactly what we wanted with extra attention given to the smallest finishings. One such example is the authenticity of the metal shelf structure for the overhead counter space. The wood and metal joints hides the screws. The external metal cage was given a laminate to match the wooden shelf to complete the design adding authenticity and feel to the bar counter. The bar counter we wanted included metal cross board supports – to save on cost we opted for wooden, black painted beams. The wooden beams were treated to a smooth finish and laminated to achieve and authentic feel, making it a great cost saving option.
