Woah u guys really so lucky to secure at low COV! I viewed the units all asking so high COV... Any tips Bo? Lol

Start with the Saturday Classified section...... then you need patience to see more EMs which increases your chance of finding a good one at a good price, and also finding a genuine as opposed to speculative seller. When you see more EMs you start being more "experienced" in sizing up relative value and then you can be more decisive in making a firm offer. Of course, you must set aside a warchest that is your COV offer limit keeping in mind you have to spend on renovation usually.

I saw around 50 different flats in 9-10 months of flat hunting. I made a firm offer on my flat within ten minutes of walking through the front door. The offer was accepted, if I recall, the next day.

Just to share my hunting experience. I seen 30 EMs and 10 EAs in about 4 weeks period. The total 40 units is spread over Hougang, Lorong Ah Soo and Serangoon North areas

With that am enable to gauge against all the reasoning eg COVs, location if is near MRT, unit facing west sun or not, degree of interior condition and to my expected extend on renovations required.....etc etc....

Then roughly you know if the unit that you have decided to buy is good buy or not.....

Sometimes you seen the 1st unit has an ok COV and might the latter unit is or least expect in the asking higher COV....

Looking at the news report we knew that the re-sale prices isn't coming down this soon...

Hello... Just got my EM that area too... Hello neighbour

Yeah neighbor! Did u start any T blog? Excited for u as mid October is coming!!

Yeah, our quotations are about 80-90k Haven't done any renovations before, so this will be our first.

Ur reno cost is not cheap. Did u get any contractor to quote? I believe ur cost involve hacking off all flooring n redoing the staircase? Have u also include electrical rewiring n furnishing?

Ur reno cost is not cheap. Did u get any contractor to quote? I believe ur cost involve hacking off all flooring n redoing the staircase? Have u also include electrical rewiring n furnishing?

Haven't approached a contractor yet. Currently only approaching IDs because we're afraid of the hassle of engaging a contractor (the coordination and what not). Do you have one to recommend?

We're hacking the first floor and retaining the second floor's parquet. Also hacking walls. The staircase needs to be re-done and the walls need to be plastered because the current one uses the uneven and bumpy kind of paint or something. The quote doesn't include rewiring, plumbing and furnishing yet

Haven't approached a contractor yet. Currently only approaching IDs because we're afraid of the hassle of engaging a contractor (the coordination and what not). Do you have one to recommend?

We're hacking the first floor and retaining the second floor's parquet. Also hacking walls. The staircase needs to be re-done and the walls need to be plastered because the current one uses the uneven and bumpy kind of paint or something. The quote doesn't include rewiring, plumbing and furnishing yet

To me, there is little diff between ID n contractor..... U may want to ask Maydream contractor, Andrew of Designer Guys to quote. He is highly sought after in this forum. U may find his offer more attractive

Haven't approached a contractor yet. Currently only approaching IDs because we're afraid of the hassle of engaging a contractor (the coordination and what not). Do you have one to recommend?

We're hacking the first floor and retaining the second floor's parquet. Also hacking walls. The staircase needs to be re-done and the walls need to be plastered because the current one uses the uneven and bumpy kind of paint or something. The quote doesn't include rewiring, plumbing and furnishing yet

Staircase is a big ticket item so it depends on what your "re-done" means. A minor freshen up should be reasonable, but an extensive rebuild of railings and floorings can run up to 5k and more. The contractor is going to ask for more money to plaster all the walls to cover up the rough stone finish that was so trendy back in the late 80s and early 90s.

Just viewed a unit in jw high floor.. Asking 650k no less.. The Val there is only around 500k... Zzzzzz .. All asking sky high ridiculous COV

Just viewed a unit in jw high floor.. Asking 650k no less.. The Val there is only around 500k... Zzzzzz .. All asking sky high ridiculous COV

Wow, any photos or links to share to let us see what 150k COV looks like?

Wow, any photos or links to share to let us see what 150k COV looks like?

It's very simple and old design .. Old marble flooring though and agent dare to say its move-in condition...

Staircase is a big ticket item so it depends on what your "re-done" means. A minor freshen up should be reasonable, but an extensive rebuild of railings and floorings can run up to 5k and more. The contractor is going to ask for more money to plaster all the walls to cover up the rough stone finish that was so trendy back in the late 80s and early 90s.

I guess ours will be considered an overhaul of the staircase. It's currently tiled with really old mosaic-looking tiles. The railings are old too. So our staircase is costing us quite a bit.

To me, there is little diff between ID n contractor..... U may want to ask Maydream contractor, Andrew of Designer Guys to quote. He is highly sought after in this forum. U may find his offer more attractive

There is a difference. But price is different too. Have to distinguish between a 'renovator' and a true 'ID'. Renovators can do a decent job of proposing run of the mill stuff but lack a truly artistic vision. Flip thru the overseas design mags and you can see the difference. Most so called IDs in sg are really just renovators. Are those worth the price? Not to me. True IDs though? Yes, depending on your personal views. See 55 Blair Road as an example...

If $60k for total overhaul without stairs and level one flooring, then I think full overhaul would be around $70k? IDs will mark up 10 to 30% more depending on their branding and ruthlessness so you have to decide if gettingtheir expertise and artistic vision is important to you.

There is a difference. But price is different too. Have to distinguish between a 'renovator' and a true 'ID'. Renovators can do a decent job of proposing run of the mill stuff but lack a truly artistic vision. Flip thru the overseas design mags and you can see the difference. Most so called IDs in sg are really just renovators. Are those worth the price? Not to me. True IDs though? Yes, depending on your personal views. See 55 Blair Road as an example...

If $60k for total overhaul without stairs and level one flooring, then I think full overhaul would be around $70k? IDs will mark up 10 to 30% more depending on their branding and ruthlessness so you have to decide if gettingtheir expertise and artistic vision is important to you.

In this aspect, I will agree with u. There are many companies out there that uses the name "Interior Designer", but infact they are no different from contractors/renovators. This is just one marketing strategy to lure customers n secure a deal.

I m not sure I should consider mine a renovator although he is employed by a popular ID company.

In terms of truly artistic vision, he did propose but I dont have a big budget....

What matters most is that he was able to propose alternatives that could meet my dollars n cents.....

There is a difference. But price is different too. Have to distinguish between a 'renovator' and a true 'ID'. Renovators can do a decent job of proposing run of the mill stuff but lack a truly artistic vision. Flip thru the overseas design mags and you can see the difference. Most so called IDs in sg are really just renovators. Are those worth the price? Not to me. True IDs though? Yes, depending on your personal views. See 55 Blair Road as an example...

If $60k for total overhaul without stairs and level one flooring, then I think full overhaul would be around $70k? IDs will mark up 10 to 30% more depending on their branding and ruthlessness so you have to decide if gettingtheir expertise and artistic vision is important to you.

Agree! Many are jus renovator. The so called ID I encountered wasn't even updated with materials use and quoted $350 per 3d drawing!! Got a contractor to quote and the diff is abt 15k

The truly 'arty' ones you can kinda tell... not to say that renovators can't do a competent job and deliver a nice house, but they just may not have that designer 'eye'. And of course art and design is fairly subjective. What is art to me could be 'bleh' to you and vice versa.

So back to the ID vs contractor question...

If budget is flexible...

- Worth paying for a proper ID? Yes IMO.

If budget is tight...

- Worth paying for a renovator? No IMO. I'll rather get an experienced and responsible contractor provided I know exactly what design I want.