mrsagibit 0 Report post Posted June 3, 2007 so far, i've heard nothing but praises for patrick in terms of responsibilityas for carpentry works, seems like ah keong is the best person to go toi've browsed through most of the threads in this forum and most have something to complain about their carpenters except ah keong's clientsi find him really sincere in giving his clients the best experience, he even taught me how to look at the laminate sample i.e. must put the book upright coz it'll look lighter if the book is laid flat. i dun even experience this from the IDs i've approached (that's a good number, close to 20 i'd say)patrick is another good man. my renovation works initially is worth $6k but i fickle-minded so changed the things to be done at least 4-5 times. each time he will just change the quotation according to my 'demands' and send it back to me. this without any promise of taking him on! most IDs are just interested in getting me to sign on the dotted line, those that replied to me usually will ask to meet up to discuss AND sign the contract...however, the most important thing is you must feel comfortable with him loh.Thanks for your advice and information. you have been very helpful. Thank you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
applefreak 1 Report post Posted June 3, 2007 heehee, you're welcomei have received a lot of advice and help when i embarked on my journeyso i feel that i should offer them to newbies too (although i may not be the most correct )also, i am not related to ho bee in anywayjust feel that good things must share, and share in a big way Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
earth 0 Report post Posted June 3, 2007 excellent, applefreak, thank you for your prompt reply...just exactly the answers i am looking for hehe, will give patrick a call tomorrow!hehe, of course will start my blog.... once i get started on my renos... right now, too busy just asking for quotes and looking for electrical appliances... before the GST increase! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sunboi80 0 Report post Posted June 3, 2007 Just for info, Ho Bee does not charge GST haha... so i think the july GST increase also not much diff... hehe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gothique 0 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 hello guysI also need some help here... I'm starting the reno with Ho Bee this week. HDB permit has been applied and posted on my door. But... I haven't signed anything or paid anything to Ho Bee yet. Neither do I have sort of a time table or planning or anything...I think we are starting the hacking this week.Is that the way Ho Bee works? No need to sign contract and all that?*blur* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaCe 3 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 1. is ho bee a contractor or an id firm? ie, do they provide design consultation, or do they major purely on the renovation works itself? do they do drawings for you? 2. understand that they hv their own carpenter, how about stuff like electricals and aircon, do they have their own sub-con, or did u all source for this on your own? if the latter, what about the coordination, did you guys do it on your own, or will patrick do all the coordination?3. am intending to do some major renos on my 4 room resale, would anyone have any idea the price range it would fall under? hacking a couple of walls, fair bit of carpentery (the usual kitchen cabinets and build in wardrobes for bedrooms), redoing the flooring and stuff... do u think it can be kept below $30 000?they dont do drawings but they got 1 thing a lot of Ids and contractors do not have - HONESTY + RESPONSIBILITY. guess those that cost you most will be the flooring and carpentary. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sunboi80 0 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 hello guysI also need some help here... I'm starting the reno with Ho Bee this week. HDB permit has been applied and posted on my door. But... I haven't signed anything or paid anything to Ho Bee yet. Neither do I have sort of a time table or planning or anything...I think we are starting the hacking this week.Is that the way Ho Bee works? No need to sign contract and all that?*blur*yes no need to sign any contract, and they dun pester u for payment also... u pay them when u feel like it... any amount(of cos not too ridiculous amt lah), any time... for me i paid them 40% when my renos is about 70% done, then another 40% when completed and the rest 3/4 mths after completion hehe... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gothique 0 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 Hi Mace???! u pay them when u feel like it??!!! AHHHHH okie.... what if i dun feel like paying them? hahahhahah then no need to pay is it?i din know they are so nice! most contractors will at least ask for deposit lor.anyway... then did u guys SIGN anything before he started? No contract or whatever?what if i want to bargain? then how u bring it up? thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaCe 3 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 Hi Mace???! u pay them when u feel like it??!!! AHHHHH okie.... what if i dun feel like paying them? hahahhahah then no need to pay is it?i din know they are so nice! most contractors will at least ask for deposit lor.anyway... then did u guys SIGN anything before he started? No contract or whatever?what if i want to bargain? then how u bring it up? thanks!sunboi said that lah...for me, i paid them NOTHING! and they ask for NOTHING also - no deposit no nothing.i m on reno loan and i actually told them to see to it.they actually approach RHB only after they had done up livingroom, kitchen, 50% of electrical - to me they already done up 60-70% of the contract. but getting only 50% of the payment.it's the kind of OLD time mutual trust - those you see in movies where a man's word is gold. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sunboi80 0 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 Hi Mace???! u pay them when u feel like it??!!! AHHHHH okie.... what if i dun feel like paying them? hahahhahah then no need to pay is it?i din know they are so nice! most contractors will at least ask for deposit lor.anyway... then did u guys SIGN anything before he started? No contract or whatever?what if i want to bargain? then how u bring it up? thanks!dun wan to pay them? u not afraid they mess up ur house? hehe they have the tools u noe?no leh also never sign anything... no contract... bargain? u can ask and give patrick ur budget, and patrick will give u a revised quote he will inform u if that's the best he can give u already... and u can't bargain anymore... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gothique 0 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 sorry ah.. i mixed up ur identities ah!Wah... i din know patrick is so chin chai leh... very hard to find contractor so trusting of his customers nowadays... i guess maybe it's because nobody ever brought him to casetrust before.. so he doesn't care much about the legalities? i am impressed by his trust in me though HAHHAHA he not scared that i dun pay him meh?aiyah... i thought at least they will come up with a final quotation and have a clause "I accept the above quotation" or something like that. then i can bargain a bit before i sign it. now he so trusting, make me feel very pai say to bargain.did u guys ask for more discount? it's not that i feel his price is unreasonable. but it's just that i on tight budget mah. haha. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
applefreak 1 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 actually when patrick give you a quotation he also discount the total price liao e.g. total price $6780 he'll round it down to maybe $6600 or $6500. for me his price is very reasonable liao, what more with the discount also, think patrick is very chin chai as in what he promised he WILL deliver, what he didn't promise, he will still try to deliver so no one ever felt the need to argue or what... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gothique 0 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 hi appleyeah i know about the rounding down. but i thought usually they give 10% discount, not round down. anyway i guess what you say also makes sense. that he will deliver what he promised and more.well... with so many positive comments i really feel very reassured that i am in good hands! and that i made the right choice!!thanks guys... im going down to check on my place tonight! i think ah keong is going to modify some of my existing carpentry and tmr we going to hack. really can't wait.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sunboi80 0 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 sorry ah.. i mixed up ur identities ah!Wah... i din know patrick is so chin chai leh... very hard to find contractor so trusting of his customers nowadays... i guess maybe it's because nobody ever brought him to casetrust before.. so he doesn't care much about the legalities? i am impressed by his trust in me though HAHHAHA he not scared that i dun pay him meh?aiyah... i thought at least they will come up with a final quotation and have a clause "I accept the above quotation" or something like that. then i can bargain a bit before i sign it. now he so trusting, make me feel very pai say to bargain.did u guys ask for more discount? it's not that i feel his price is unreasonable. but it's just that i on tight budget mah. haha.we did bargain lah... he revised his quote to about $500 less after we told him our budget.. but it still exceed our budget by quite a sum(cos we also add alot of things hehe).. his pricing is reasonable lah but not cheap... i can say Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xinyi_reiko 0 Report post Posted June 4, 2007 i din bargine at all for the discount. because mine is a minor reno.. so paiseh to ask for discount.. hehe.. impt thing is he did his job well.. i only ask him when can start reno, no $$ paid. i only paid him during handover. mutural trust is there.. he trusts us that after everything we will pay. At the same time we also have our trust in him of doing the job well without any payment made. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
