Hi I and my gf are currently awaiting for the arrival of our new flat.

I will like to hear from bros and sis here their recommendation and review of their renovation contractors.

May i know is there any guidelines for us ?

Thanks

If you can afford it, it seems like IDs are a better choice.

I'm using a contractor, and having a HUGE problem with them now. We might sue them, and I will post more once i know the outcome of it.

if u are interested,i can recommend u one ID guy at the heartland!

but i think he is not a so creative young chap that have lots of fancy idea,but if u are going for a decent renovation,i think his price is rather attractive.

Hi, i'm new here. Like to recommend my contractor if cost is a big problem for you.

ACE Design. Very reasonably priced. Interested. Please pm me.

Hi all,

I'm also new here, looking for a suitable renovator or ID for my new flat..

Any recommendations?

And what's the main difference between ID & contractor work?

Cheers

Simlim

Hi all,

I'm also new here, looking for a suitable renovator or ID for my new flat..

Any recommendations?

And what's the main difference between ID & contractor work?

Cheers

Simlim

IDs are suppose to come up with designs to suit a theme you want. Which means you just tell them the theme and the colour scheme you want and they do the designing. But these days, not many IDs are really IDs. They tend to copy and paste from previous projects they have done and stuff. Very few are REAL IDs.

But if you have zero idea of what you want this is a good way to go.

Contractors don't come up with fancy designs nor 3D stuff for you to view your flat. But if you have some ideas you can present it to them and they can still give you some ideas on how to improve your flat. So if you do some research and like to design your flat then you can get a contractor. Contractors are a little cheaper as they dun have all the additional frills and stuff.

My contractor also design and drew (by hand) my kitchen and my shoe cabinet to let us see and approve.

In terms of work, both of them can do the same work... cos at the end of the day, an ID has contractors working for him.

IDs are suppose to come up with designs to suit a theme you want. Which means you just tell them the theme and the colour scheme you want and they do the designing. But these days, not many IDs are really IDs. They tend to copy and paste from previous projects they have done and stuff. Very few are REAL IDs.

But if you have zero idea of what you want this is a good way to go.

Contractors don't come up with fancy designs nor 3D stuff for you to view your flat. But if you have some ideas you can present it to them and they can still give you some ideas on how to improve your flat. So if you do some research and like to design your flat then you can get a contractor. Contractors are a little cheaper as they dun have all the additional frills and stuff.

My contractor also design and drew (by hand) my kitchen and my shoe cabinet to let us see and approve.

In terms of work, both of them can do the same work... cos at the end of the day, an ID has contractors working for him.

Further to what pinkpetter has mentioned, i find that contractors lean more towards practicality. What they have in mind suits everyday usage. IDs are more towards asthetics. My 2 cents worth.

Some IDs can be practical also. If you need to have something done to suit your lifestyle then you can convey your needs to the ID and a good one would help you merge your needs into your house without spoiling the design or theme. Those that tell you this cannot that cannot... are no good.

But seriously if you don't have ANY idea what you want then an ID is better. Contractor cannot start from scratch and do design for you. but if you have an idea they can help you.

hi...

the 1st thing you shld plan is the theme of your hse.... do not have different ideas at different ID as this will ruin the tracking of the quotation. do have consistence ideas so you know which id offer u the best price.

i may recommend you to look for chrys frm ko hong. she's an honest chap.

If you got no idea, i would suggest you to go look for IDs. Check out a few shops. They will draw up designs for you. Then you see which one you like. For my case, because of the layout & budget, there's limited things whereby can be done. So almost all the IDs i went to come up with similar design. So just copy copy then find 1 contractor to do for you lor..

Some IDs can be practical also. If you need to have something done to suit your lifestyle then you can convey your needs to the ID and a good one would help you merge your needs into your house without spoiling the design or theme. Those that tell you this cannot that cannot... are no good.

But seriously if you don't have ANY idea what you want then an ID is better. Contractor cannot start from scratch and do design for you. but if you have an idea they can help you.

I dun agree wif tis leh....

True enough, contractors may not have Designers' room in their office...

But doesn't mean all contractors r lack of knowledge in design leh...

Not all sales personel in ID firms r designers also ma... So wad do we call these ppl leh?? Contractors?

Real IDs got cert de, therefore no cert = contractors... kekeke

(Mischeviously, u can try asking ur ID to produce their cert, u see if they have...)

These 'contractors' also ask their in-hse-designers to propose n draw ma, contractors also can engage freelance designer draw de... The diff is only paying method to the designers...

Contractors might charge 3D drawings from owners, purely to pay the Designer...

Although Id firms pay high salary to their designers, but these salary comes from where leh?

In the end also inside the quotation for u to pay de...

No definately conclusion between them de....

Thanks to Pinkpetter and 1727 great advise.

Yupe that was what I thought too..after visiting a few ID firms.

Great affirmations and tips!

Appreciated

Further to what pinkpetter has mentioned, i find that contractors lean more towards practicality. What they have in mind suits everyday usage. IDs are more towards asthetics. My 2 cents worth.

Wow, everyone is giving great advice..

You have no idea how useful that is for clueless newbie like ourselves.

Thank u all, since i have some time to spare..

I will certainly review our needs for the new flat, theme.. quotes.. etc.

Great start!

Thanks all.. more questions to come along..

i have posted a lists of ID /contractors whos is good and bad, you can use it as a reference...pm me if you want to know more ...i am no doubt to give you a hand......hope it will be useful for you..

ID firm you need to pay higher price as they have a showroom to maintain lor... contractor is not that bad..most ID firm they sub-out the works to contractor to do.. so if you can find a contractor with ID base, then you can get a gd price for doin up your dream house..can request to "view" their completed projects to see their workmanship and design..i have i contractor not bad, if you r interested, pm me..he has a designer who used to work in ID firm.. oso a direct carpenter himself

Hey, my house has just done by a id from *spam* service & consultant.

Overall their price really fit my budget and their workmanship r really good.

http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp69/werdnazz/

I dun agree wif tis leh....

True enough, contractors may not have Designers' room in their office...

But doesn't mean all contractors r lack of knowledge in design leh...

Not all sales personel in ID firms r designers also ma... So wad do we call these ppl leh?? Contractors?

Real IDs got cert de, therefore no cert = contractors... kekeke

(Mischeviously, u can try asking ur ID to produce their cert, u see if they have...)

These 'contractors' also ask their in-hse-designers to propose n draw ma, contractors also can engage freelance designer draw de... The diff is only paying method to the designers...

Contractors might charge 3D drawings from owners, purely to pay the Designer...

Although Id firms pay high salary to their designers, but these salary comes from where leh?

In the end also inside the quotation for u to pay de...

No definately conclusion between them de....

pierre You're right wor. There's no clear distinction between the two. So when I was making the comparison I was really talking about the extremes... Contractors who speak mostly Chinese and REALLY dun do design and will get impatient if you keep saying you dunno how and what you want... and IDs do design based on a theme given ba.

There's a wide range inbetween. If want to take those into consideration then... it's impossible la. haha

Edited November 30, 200817 yr by pinkpetter