Mrloco 0 Report post Posted June 11, 2009 Hi All, Finally we got our house..so now, the searching goes to find a ID/contractor. I'm sure many of you guys are way knowledgeable in this line, I would appreciate if you give me some advice when sitting with an ID. 1) What are the questions that i should ask? 2) Any tricks that ID will do to make us immediately jump the bandwagon or make us confuse 3) What I should look out for? 4) any other info that you guys may help a newbie like me and many others who just starting their 1st home Thank you so much!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hkching 0 Report post Posted June 14, 2009 Hi All, Finally we got our house..so now, the searching goes to find a ID/contractor. I'm sure many of you guys are way knowledgeable in this line, I would appreciate if you give me some advice when sitting with an ID. 1) What are the questions that i should ask? 2) Any tricks that ID will do to make us immediately jump the bandwagon or make us confuse 3) What I should look out for? 4) any other info that you guys may help a newbie like me and many others who just starting their 1st home Thank you so much!!! A detail read of the t-blogs will give u a good start... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest melancholic Report post Posted June 15, 2009 A detail read of the t-blogs will give u a good start... Yea.. you can start with mine.. before you proceed with the more expert ones.. haha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pinkpetter 0 Report post Posted June 15, 2009 1) What are the questions that i should ask? Mmm A good ID will ask you about your family, your lifestyle and what are your tastes like. Eg. How many people are going to be in the house? Do you have any pets? Are you going to consult fengshui? Do you cook often... things like that. A good ID will also tell you how you can save money in the long run, like having certain types of lights, or arranging them in a certain manner will have the same bright effect but lessen number of lights. He will also ask you for your budget. Please deduct like 10k off your real budget... like if you intend to spend 30k, then tell him 20k. If his expression change or become very "black" then you can take this one off your list already. The first visit to an ID will probably take you quite some time because you are figuring out what the items you need. Subsequently it should be faster. Request to see some works that the ID is handling at the moment (nearing completion ones) Please do not depend on showrooms. Showrooms are built using the best with a big budget and it's not meant for someone to live in... see the real works, and it's even better if you happen to meet the owners when you're there, then you will know if the owners are happy with the ID. If the ID refuses, then you also know what that means... 2) Any tricks that ID will do to make us immediately jump the bandwagon or make us confuse Have... Tell you that the SPECIAL OFFER ends today... or the FREE GIFTS are limited... OR ask you to pay $1000 deposit first to see 3D drawings, AND promise you that you can take the drawings even though you don't sign with them... or that the $1000 can be used to offset the amount in the quotation later. All little tricks. 3) What I should look out for? ... wah. mm chemistry and sincerity in trying to meet your needs and budget. If the guy comments that you have a lot of requirements... AXE him. If he calls you every day machiam he is very free, you might want to re-consider? I think a good ID should be inbetween. He should not be too busy and should not be too free. I had a few who kept calling me and I cancelled them out before I analysed their quotation. 4) any other info that you guys may help a newbie like me and many others who just starting their 1st home A good ID/contractor will let you go away without any guilty feeling. He will understand the need for a home owner to source for more quotations to compare. So... SOURCE FOR MORE QUOTES to compare. After looking at a few IDs, you might want to check out contractors too? to see if they can satisfy your needs? Oh ye, before you see anyone, buy your floorplan from HDB ba. And the suggestion above? reading T-blogs... is a very very very suggestion. I wrote this in another thread.. you might want to take a look. http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?s=...st&p=406902 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davidfung 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 Hi All, Finally we got our house..so now, the searching goes to find a ID/contractor. I'm sure many of you guys are way knowledgeable in this line, I would appreciate if you give me some advice when sitting with an ID. 1) What are the questions that i should ask? 2) Any tricks that ID will do to make us immediately jump the bandwagon or make us confuse 3) What I should look out for? 4) any other info that you guys may help a newbie like me and many others who just starting their 1st home Thank you so much!!! Hi Mrloco, congrats on getting ur new house... i believe u should be busy with ur reno works and choosing design for ur new home.... Let me introduce myself, I'm david from OSA system pte ltd. we deal with kitchen solid surfaces and vanity tops... we have a wide range of colours for u to choose from... I hope i can meet up with u for a non oblicated quotation. Thank you David Fung HP:82231787 OSA Systems (s) Pte Ltd Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Supersimon27 2 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 My contractor not bad . Can read up my T-blog if u are interested . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pinklady 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 Hello Mr Loco, 1) What are the questions that i should ask? You should always be prepared to upsize your budget and to ask q like, i want to do this and do that. Is that practical? Like for example, some pple likes glossy tiles and some like matt tiles for ex, kitchen floor tiles or bathroom floor tiles. So, you will have to tell them, in the floorplan, like i wana put my Walk-In Wardrobe here, roughly how many ft. Ask them to show u their showflats, look and see at their previous portfolio too. See the quality of the carpentry too. 2) Any tricks that ID will do to make us immediately jump the bandwagon or make us confuse They use industry big words to scare you, or tell you stuff that you do not know. 3) What I should look out for? You should really look out for ID Packages. Becos most of them DOES NOT include a lot of items, so when u sign on the STANDARD Package, you will feel the heartpain. becos some many impt items are deliberately left out, you will have no choice but to top up a lot of money. 4) any other info that you guys may help a newbie like me and many others who just starting their 1st home I think the most impt thing is, you will need to be comfortable with that person, the design consultancy, the 3D drawings and of cost the workmanship, and always CONTACTABLE. and don't forget to read the contract throughly before you sign! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
limck007 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2009 (edited) Hi everyone =D Just got my 1st appt date (13th aug)... so i started surfing for reno knowledge hehe (tiring process) But luckily this forum and the old birds here are super helpful!!! thks two questions that keep bugging >> 1) ID = designing the house, contractor = reno the house>>> does this means that i need to liaise with 2 persons??? Or will the ID liaise with contractor for me ??? 2)when renovating, i know kitchen cabinets and wardrobe can be done up by the ID BUT what about dining tables, sofa, lighting and others furniture?? we get them or the ID gets them for us?? Cos the drawings that i saw>> mostly are with dinning tables, lighting, sofa, chairs, etc etc.. does this means that it will be provided under renovation?? or just for show only??? i saw some BEAUTIFUL drawings>> the sofa drawn is quite stylo. I dont even know the price or where to buy If we buy , then how do know if it fits the design ?? Edited June 18, 2009 by limck007 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charemme 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2009 Im also in the same stage as u, finding a ID Congrats on your new house dining tables etc show in the drawings are for show only.. of cos if you want also can every little thing u wan, $$ is involved. Set a budget for your reno only, not including furnishing/appliances Set a separate budget for each individual pc of furniture you will need in you house, then start window shopping and you will be able to know if your budget fits your perference.... Hehe, we saw all the stylo chio furniture in the deco magazine... very nice but when we go window shopping, the price tag lagi nice!! My hubby almost got a heart attacked... he is not s'porean and never know abt all these he never know sofa, dining table can cost this much!! Sofa can go from $399 to $5999 or more. Of cos $5999 is what we like, but never be able to get it as its way over our budget You can go for 1 round of shopping, ask for catalog to bring home. or maybe get the picture from the website. Show ur ID the picture, they should be able to tell u if design is suitable. Next, ID will offer to bring u go shopping/custom-made furnture... then u can compare the prices before deciding Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
limck007 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2009 THKS Charemme for the advise... *read ur blog too* this reno thing.., is so ma fan haha worse than shopping for computers parts.. Then we must settle the design 1st then if we buy the furnture ourside, we just have to check with the ID where the furniture matches the design or is there a need to change the design rite?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charemme 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2009 hmm, i think hor furniture is more or less the same.. unless u ask ID for modern home design n u looking at resort theme furniture then that perhaps will be totally different right? for our case, we shop around.. note down stuffs that is within our acceptable range n budget. usually for 1 particular item, i will have a few design.. so i will just consult the ID. most importantly, u need to know the spec.. like length of sofa and dining table. My frd went shopping with me, had a diff time looking for sofa. Those she like is 2.8-3M but her ID advise can only accomodate 2.4M based on floorplan whereas for mine.. must be 2.7-3M so we target on this criteria to shop Meantime , waiting to see 3D drawings... so when time comes for furniture shopping, we do where to go Yah is so maifan and time consuming. you can start looking around.. for ideas too So have u confirmed what kind of style or theme your reno will be? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
limck007 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2009 Yah is so maifan and time consuming. you can start looking around.. for ideas too So have u confirmed what kind of style or theme your reno will be? we have not discuss abt the theme/style yet... now still looking around , looking at other people's theme. MAybe after that then start asking for quotes I like modern and Zen themes so far i ever saw a house >> the flooring is like graphite stone , those tar black and poky feel (like new roads).. quite UNIQUE and nice.. thinking of trying.. any one know wat flooring is that?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charemme 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2009 ID will ask you what kind of theme you like you can ask them to offer more ideas... hehe.. foc ley Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
limck007 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2009 ID will ask you what kind of theme you like you can ask them to offer more ideas... hehe.. foc ley oh.... char>>> regarding my 1st question>> ID and contractor , will ID liaise with contractor ? Ur signature say I-bridge is doing the design>> will ur designer talk to contractor too?? or must go 2 persons?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charemme 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2009 Hmm, ID or contractor very subjective ley If you go to ID.. then everything u should liase with ID.. as you are paying a higher fee ID should settle everything nice nice for you.. If you go for contractor, usual case is it will be much cheaper.. but you have to chase after the contractor for every single things.. also need to monitor of cos, i think there are some out there who also vomit blood after engaging a ID. At the current stage, i have appointed I-bridge to design. If drawings and quotation is satisfactory.. then i will confirm them n I-bridge will settle the contractor for me... I shouldnt be going after 2 party if engage a id Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
