Lessons From The Id Selection Process

[zhiz 4]

I think impt is physically see previous works and relationship of ID with customers.

[GohFamily 0]

My IDs so far never offered to bring me to see other works... think its the same issue of why none of them will do any detailed drawing before signing...

ie. "what if I do so much for a prospect and he never sign with me.... efforts wasted."

[Jgal 0]

True lah. But u need to force them to at least show u finished work. Very very impt.

[GohFamily 0]

They have lots of finished work in their "showroom"... maybe thats why guys like S K Y Creation do up a big showflat in Ubi.

May I ask why is S K Y Creation's name censored in this forum? They had some bad publicity in the forum ahh?

Edited September 19, 2012 by GohFamily

[May_dream1 14]

My IDs so far never offered to bring me to see other works... think its the same issue of why none of them will do any detailed drawing before signing...

ie. "what if I do so much for a prospect and he never sign with me.... efforts wasted."

hhhmm.... a lot of ID do bring prospoect to view before signing. my house have been used quite a few times for my ID to bring prospects.

each ID do it differently i guess. if the contract that you are doing is not big, they might not want to spend so much time. if the value/profit is quite good, then they sure will bring. the same as drawing too.....

[zhiz 4]

I also managed to get my ID to bring me to a couple of completed home, esp one that had the same design and concept I had in mind so I can visualise how it would look. That's how I got a walk in wardrobe now.

[hellokitty85 0]

Hi!

I got a quote fr this particular ID which is what I would call 'very affordable'. So I was wondering if it's really possible or not because I've got another much higher quote but fewer things included.

I know I know. Expensive complain. Cheap also complain.

Designer's Package For New HDB Flat ( This is their advertised promo cost)

1 Supply & install selected homogenous floor tiles with skirting for living & dining rooms.

2 Supply & install selected homogenous floor tiles with skirting for 3 bedrooms & study room.

3 Supply & build shower curbs for both bathrooms.

4 Supply & install selected homogenous floor tiles for kitchen.

5 Supply & build tiled cement base for kitchen cabinets.

6 Provide labour to install instant water heater & accessories for both bathrooms.

7 Supply & paint whole house with Dulux Pentalite & ceiling with white emulsion paint.

8 Supply & install 20 feet kitchen cabinet in selected laminate finishes & ABS edges.

9 Supply & install stainless steel dish drainer.

10 Provide floor protection for whole house affected areas.

11 Provide chemical acid wash & general cleaning for whole house.

Lump Sum $11,800.00

Additional Works

12 Hack wall between master bedroom & bedroom 2. $850.00

13 Provide labour to dismantle 3 bedrooms, study & storeroom doors.$100.00

14 Dismantle existing balcony aluminum sliding door & frame. $250.00

15 Dismantle existing master bedroom door & shift entrance 1 feet. $120.00

16 Supply & install selected homogenous floor tiles with skirting for balcony. $420.00

17 Make good walls & ceiling affected by hacking of walls between master bedroom & bedroom 2. $250.00

18 Supply & build 1 feet hollow block wall & make good master bathroom relocated entrance. $180.00

19 Make good walls & ceiling affected by dismantling of balcony sliding door frame. $200.00

20 Supply & install 9 feet suspended TV console in laminate finishes. $1,080.00

21 Supply & install 8 feet bar counter in laminate finishes & ABS edges to designer specification. $1,200.00

22 Supply & install top-hanging wine glass holder with lighting in laminate finishes. (Optional $1200.00)

23 Supply & install additional 12 feet kitchen cabinet in laminate finishes & ABS edges. $1,320.00

24 Supply & install flip-up aluminum/ frosted glass door for dish drainer. $250.00

25 Provide labour to install cooker hood & hob. FOC

26 Provide labour to install kitchen sink fitting & faucet. $120.00

27 Supply & install 26 feet granite counter top for kitchen cabinet & bar counter. $2,080.00

28 Supply & install 2 feet tall unit for build-in oven & microwave in laminate finishes & ABS edges.. $650.00

29 Provide labour to install build-in oven & microwave. FOC

30 Supply & install 12 feet walk-in-wardrobe c/w drawers, shelves & hanging rods in polygon finishes. $1,800.00

31 Supply & install 8 feet X 500mm open shelf in laminate finishes. (Optional $400.00)

32 Supply & install 12 feet study study table c/w drawers in laminate finishes & ABS edges. $1,320.00

33 Supply & install 17 feet x 2 feet painted glass backing. $720.00

34 Supply & install tempered frameless frosted clear glass hinged door for master bathroom. $550.00

35 Supply & install 5nos plain painted doors c/w round lock-set for bedrooms, study & storeroom. $1,250.00

36 Provide labour to install lights for whole house. $280.00

37 Supply & install wrought iron gate for main entrance. $380.00

38 Sand cement uploading & debris removal services. $450.00

Grand Total $27,620.00

I mean seriously. Is it possible all these add up only $27k. What other hidden costs could there be and what must I look out for? And the design company isn't an active thread in Renotalk. Last review few yrs ago one.

Thank you for reading my super long list! =)

[lady081980 1]

Hidden cost like stuff for doing electrical, buying of toiletries, lightings, sinks, hood, basin, aircon,etc all these stuffs if you are changing.

[zhiz 4]

Buying toiletries item, electrical wiring cost, air con not considered hidden cost la.

[ChoonWei 0]

Below is my ID quote for new BTO 4room flat, is the price below reasonable ?

Please advice.

Thanks.

Professional Interior Designing & Services Includes:

1 Space Planning & Furniture Layout Plan Proposal

2 Design Concept Consultation

3 3D Computerized Perspective Drawing

4 Materials & Colour Scheme Proposal

5 Furnishing Consultation

6 Hassle-free ISO formatted Project Management & Site Supervision

7 12 Months Warranty With Guarantee Services Backup

Masonry Works

1 Supplying of materials & labour to construct 50mm cabinet base $ 420.00

2 Supplying of materials & labour to construct 50mm washer base $ 100.00

3 Supplying of materials & labour to construct of 50mm fridge base $ 150.00

4 Supplying of materials & labour to construct of 50mm shower kerb at Master Bathroom. $ 120.00

Plumbing Works

1 Extension of s/steel piping to new kitchen sink position $ 120.00

2 Labour for installation of kitchen sink $ 100.00

3 Laying of concealed drainage pipe for kitchen sink $ 60.00

4 Labour for installation of bathroom accessories F.O.C

5 Labour for installation of storage or instant heater $ 100.00

Ceiling Works

1 Supplying of materials & labour to install false ceiling c/w cove light holder $ 1,150.00

**** & Dining Area.

2 Supplying of materials & labour to install false ceiling at passageway. Incl

Aluminium / Wrought Iron / Glass Works

1 Supplying of materials & labour to install white powder coated window grilles in $ 810.00

horizontal tube design at Master Bedroom, Bedroom 2 & Bedroom 3.

2 Supplying of materials & labour to install aluminium sliding window in clear $ 560.00

colour glass without top hung at Service Balcony.

3 Supplying of materials & labour to install aluminium sliding window grille $ 250.00

at Service Balcony.

4 Supplying of materials & labour to install 10mm tempered frameless $ 580.00

glass swing door c/w handles & hinges at Kitchen entrance.

5 Supplying of materials & labour to install 10mm tempered frameless swing $ 480.00

glass door shower screen at Master Bathroom.

Miscellaneous

1 Supplying of materials & labour to paint whole house ceiling & wall using $ 1,400.00

Nippon paint Vinilex 5000.

2 Supplying of materials & labour to paint whole house gate, door, door frame, Incl

pipe & etc.. using gloss paint.

3 Acid washing for the whole house to remove stains. $ 250.00

Budgetary Carpentry Quotation

( Prices are subjected to change at final design & material stage )

Kitchen

1 Design, fabricate & install top & bottom kitchen cabinet with laminate finishes $ 3,960.00

& white PVC carcass finishes c/w ABS trimmings

Size: L 33Ft

2 To supply & install L 16.5 Ft Solid-Surface Worktop $ 1,320.00

3 Supplying of materials & labour to install glass backing at 2 sides of wall between $ 600.00

top & bottom kitchen cabinet.

Master Bedroom

1 Design, fabricate & install sliding wardrobe with laminate & $ 1,960.00

white PVC carcass finishes c/w ABS trimmings.

Size: L 7Ft

Total Price Quoted $ 14,490.00

Discount $ 490.00

Final Amt $ 14,000.00

Optional Items

1 Design, fabricate & install shoe cabinet with laminate finishes $ 840.00

& white PVC carcass finishes c/w ABS trimmings

Size: L 3Ft x Full Height

2 Design, fabricate & install settee c/w storage with laminate finishes $ 250.00

& white PVC carcass finishes c/w ABS trimmings

Size: L 2Ft

3 Design, fabricate & install TV feature wall with laminate, mirror & glass finishes $ 1,260.00

**** Area.

Size: L 6Ft x H 6Ft

4 Design, fabricate & install suspended TV console with laminate finishes $ 900.00

& white PVC carcass finishes c/w ABS trimmings **** Area.

Size: L 6Ft

5 Design, fabricate & install Display cabinet with laminate finishes $ 2,240.00

& white PVC carcass finishes c/w ABS trimmings at Dining Area.

Size: L 7Ft x Full Height

6 Design, fabricate & install sliding wardrobe with laminate & $ 1,680.00

white PVC carcass finishes c/w ABS trimmings at Bedroom 2.

Size: L 6Ft

7 Design, fabricate & install sliding wardrobe with laminate & $ 1,680.00

white PVC carcass finishes c/w ABS trimmings at Bedroom 2.

Size: L 6Ft

8 Supplying of materials & labour to install chengai timber decking at Balcony Area. $ 1,400.00

9 Supplying of materials & labour to install false ceiling c/w cove light holder $ 450.00

at Master Bedroom Area.

10 Supplying of materials & labour to construct of 50mm shower kerb at Common Bathroom. $ 120.00

11 Supplying of materials & labour to install 10mm tempered frameless swing $ 480.00

glass door shower screen at Common Bathroom.

[lady081980 1]

Buying toiletries item, electrical wiring cost, air con not considered hidden cost la.

aircon have to buy separately to be installed by aircon company, that is another cost for that.

[angmoh 0]

Other than GST, I cant think of any other hidden costs.

Most of the IDs will carry out the works strictly based on what is stated in the quotation. Black and White. Nothing more, nothing less. Hence the quotation must be as detail as possible.

Most of the time, you will face Variation Orders during the renovation process as some of the required works are not quoted.

[blueriverview 0]

We just need to really do our homework before committing to anything with the ID.

A few important lessons learnt

1) cheap may not be good. There are intangible things like workmanship of tilings, carpentry (bad, normal, excellent?). Usually if a few ID quote about the same prices and suddenly 1 is much cheaper, we just got to beware. You pay peanuts, will get monkeys.

2) If you go for smaller ID firms, make sure you know who is the boss and actually meet him. In case of disputes later, only the boss will be responsible to make rectifications. Avoid ID firms with 'no bosses' or bosses never show face before. big ID firms, sure you can find someone there to escalate issues if your ID play punk. Afterall, big ID firms treasure their reputation if you do complain about them.

3) beware of fineprints, ask them to indicate clearly what is the value of the floor/wall tiles given in the package. Go see for yourself first if that range is acceptable to you. Otherwise, during actual selection, you will be asked to top up here and there.

4) beware if your ID ask you to go to ulu ulu tile shops. These are usually offshoots (same company but under different shop name) of the main big players. Tiles in these ulu places are marked up further. Exactly the same tiles, same name, same part number even, but prices are another 20% higher. There, your ID will ask you to top up. Make sure you go to the big and famous tile shops to compare and don't get cheated! Don't say small ID firms, even big established ones are using this tactic to make their customers top up on the tiles.

5) end of the day, reno is a plus/minus things. You may pay more for some things, but IDs will also help you cover for some additional work that you may add in later.

6) don't follow your ID recommendations to their lighting shops, sanitary shops, curtain shops. Prices are never cheaper then if you find them yourself.

7) prepare your electrician and aircon man to come and compare quote with the ones recommended by your ID.

8) the 'everything can' before signing changing to 'everything cannot' after signing is true. Please make sure all items agreed is written down on the contract.

for those in the process of looking for IDs or contractors, do enjoy the process.

[Posh 0]

Hi can u pls PM the ID firm & person to contact, many tks!!

[cch 0]

hi zhi,

do you mind to PM me your ID as well? I'm struggling choosing ID now.. Thanks.