New Hdb Guideline For Prepacked Screed

[DeanT 0]

Hello everyone

I have this question to raise up

Does the topic mention guideline apply to laying of wall tiles

Currently, i am having this issue with my id. He wanted to charge me extra for the prepacked screed on my wall tiles.(i am renovation a resales 4 rooms)

I have read thru the hdb renovation guideline, they only did mention about the prepacked screed on floor finishes but not on wall finishes. I even brought it out to reason with my id but seem like he also not sure about it. All he can tell me is like this is the instruction pass down by the boss.

I have wrote an email questioning hdb about it, but yet to get any reply.

To me, if it is truly set by hdb, i have no choice but to pay the extra. But if it is the id (or his boss) trying to use this new guideline to misrepresent and make extra money, i cant take it.

Any members, contractor or id here can help

[Ahyong81 3]

Only the flooring. Not wall tiles.

I am currently looking for id to renovate my resale flat. Have been to 5 id and 2 contractor, none will include such thing.

The rules only apply to the flooring. And its not expensive for the 3 in 1 prepack premix. Dont get cheated by those people who say the 3 in 1 premix is expensive. There is one id i went, they say they can give foc to the prepack pemix,i find that worrying... can foc? Read below

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Extract from the web

What is the new regulation?

Pre-packed screed is a new requirement for HDB floors. This is in all areas, such as the living room, bedrooms or kitchens. Some areas such as toilets already use some kind of pre-mixed waterproofing screed. The norm for the rest was to use cement mixed with sand. With this new rule, contractors must use pre-mixed cement and sand. HDB contends this reduces wastage and makes things cleaner. While originally slated for December 2014, this ruling is now only in effect from June 2015.

Price of new pre-mixed screed in HDB

What this means for renovation and interior design in Singapore is a price increase. This is due to material cost and labour cost. In terms of material cost, pre-mixed screed is more expensive. Extra trouble of combining cement and sand. This cost will vary as more experience on screeding is gained. A good estimate would be about $0.50 psf. The same can be applied to labour cost. Pre-mixed screed is said to be harder to apply. More effort is needed by workers. There is a learning curve. The industry will equilibrate to a price but an estimate is also about $0.50 psf, making the effective increase in total cost to be about $1 psf. For a 3-room HDB, this is about $700; 4-room HDB, $900; 5-room HDB, $1100.

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The cost for a entire 4rm hdb only cost 900 for the premix. Of course they can waive it if u going to spend a lot on renovation..examle with a budget of 70k, they already going to earn much.....

Edited June 3, 2015 by Ahyong81

[Ahyong81 3]

If the id dont know the rules, better find another id.

[DeanT 0]

HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD

Your Ref :

Our Ref :

Date : 3 Jun 2015

TEL : 1800-2255-432

FAX : 68543238

EMAIL :

Mr

Apt Blk Woodlands

#

Singapore

email:

Dear Mr ,

APT BLK WOODLANDS

Please refer to your email of 2 June 2015 enquiring on the use of pre-packed screed (mixture of cement and sand).

Prior to 1 June 2015, HDB Registered Renovation Contractors (RRCs) were required to use pre-packed waterproofing screed when carrying out the replacement of floor finishes in only wet areas such as bathrooms, toilets, balconies and kitchen in HDB flats.

With effect from 1 June 2015, all HDB RRCs are required to use pre-packed material when carrying out renovation in HDB flats. This includes the laying/replacement of floor/wall finishes in all area of the flat, irrespective of dry or wet areas.

The benefits of using pre-packed screed include better housekeeping, cleaner environment and higher quality of finished works.

Please contact our Estate Executive, Mr at Tel: 68663986 If you need further clarification.

Yours sincerely

PRINCIPAL ESTATE MANAGER (WOODLANDS BRANCH)

HOUSING MANAGEMENT GROUP

I got the reply (this is a copy and paste statement from email, and i deleted all possible names and address)

It means to me that wall finishes replacement required to use prepacked screed.

I'm very disappointed with HDB, not on the extra i got to pay, but on the representation.

In their own website, under renovation guideline, under wall finishes, it is not stated about using prepacked screed. Yet under floor finishes, it is stated.

This causes confusion to the general public and trust on their representation.

[DeanT 0]

And worst is, when i call up hdb hotline to enquire ( before i recieve this reply) the answering officer can tell me wall finishes is not require to use prepacked screed.

Now, should i trust the information to the general public or a "personal message" to me.

Guess i got to write to Mr khaw......hehehe

[Ahyong81 3]

The hdb personnel in the letter wrote prepack material in the floor/wall finishes, not prepack screed. Its different thing.

The answering officer was not wrong to advise you that way.

I still think its the ID that is trying to confuse you.

Edited June 3, 2015 by Ahyong81

[DeanT 0]

Oh.....this is going more confusing

got prepacked screed or prepacked material......... any other prepacked xxxxxx

Do we layman, general public got to take up some course to understand what HDB guideline is

Today, i call up to try again in hdb, my question is , if i want to replace my wall tiles, do i need to follow the new guideline using the prepacked THING ? (I use thing, because i dont know what prepacked xxxx they have)

Guess what i got........ the new guideline is for floor only, wall is not.

haha

I really dont know they kong simi

My conclusions is, just be a true singaporean, accept all confusions and pay for all the extra cost.

This is very truth about our authority.....

they will first convince us

then will confuse us

If you still dont get it (like what happen to me now), they will condemn....

this is how they CONTROL

[Ahyong81 3]

In this issue, its the id that trying to charge you more for the reno cost.

Before 1st june, since long time ago, hdb already set a requirement for the type of material use in wet area.

The 1st june was just to apply to dry area as well.

Just dont understand why the id wants to do that to confuse customer and make them pay more.

On the other hand, there is forum and internet to share information.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Ahyong81

[Water2015 0]

Hi ah Yong

Can I know what is the different between dry and wet area? I Have sign the contract with my ID on 27th May , my ID keep ask me to sign the contract quickly so that he can get approval before 1st June, he say that normally HDB will take 3 days to appove , so 30th May will get appove and I will be able to avoid the 3 in 1 pre pack cement new rule. But after pay him the 50% payment, he say that HDB not approve and want to increase my price. He only mention that my area will be 1500 sqf for my 5 room flat, and price per sqf will be increase by 1.3 to 2 dollars. Is it reasonable for his request?

Hi Dean,

Can I know how much they increase your price?

[Ahyong81 3]

It wont be 3 days normally. The ideal timeframe could be a week or two depends on the reno works you are applying for.

The new pricing for the prepack screed are not expensive. If they tell you they need to have the equipment and its harder to lay it, yes it might be technically true, but if they are reno company, they dont just buy the equipment for a one time use, so why should they charge extra based on that.

The cost increase is not much. Like i mention previously from hdb Illustration its $0.5 psf, so now its at most $1 psf. So if your whole house is 1500 square feet. Previously its $750, after june 1 its should be $1500. Another 750 more.

There is one id i went, they say they can even waive the prepack screed for me since they already going to earn a lot from my reno quotes of nearly 70k.

[Ahyong81 3]

And why he ask for 50% deposit? I have ask around the payment are like 10% deposit , 40% start reno (the date it commence hacking/flooring/lighting/wiring/wall/painting , 40% start carpentry, and lastly 10% when its done to handover flat.

[Ahyong81 3]

If your quotation when you sign with that id, they put the price there, then they are not suppose to change it. Even if they tell you they can apply before june 1. By right most id or contractor already know the price for it, so they should have include in the first place and not telling customer that they can still do it.

Dont allow the company to let you sign anything to say you accept the additionally cost or worst if they change the quotation with the new pricing and you sign on it already.

Previously, one id i went they keep asking me to sign and the 3 in 1prepack , they put TBA, to be advise. If you sign on that, it means that they can later charge whatever they like and there is nothing i can complaint, not even to case.

So if your quotation when you sign them already stated the price, you dont need to pay additional. They company should should be bearing the cost since they are the one who make the promises.

[Water2015 0]

Hi Ah Yong,

Thanks for your advise. My quote is around 50k. At first he get 5k form me, so is about 10%. On the 2nd June, he ask me to select the tile. On the 3rd(Wed) of June , he say he already order the tile , he want to hack the tile and want to collect the balance 40% from me first. My wife stop me from giving him and say that he has not show her the 3D drawing yet, He keep telling me that he can hack the tile first and show us the drawing later, and he say that hacking of tile is nothing to do with drawing.But my wife insist and he got no chioce but to give us the drawing , he say that will hack the tile on this coming monday(tomorrow). Yesterday he ask me for the 40% payment , I already give to him, when I ask him why he don't complete the drawing first before he commencing work. He say he rush for it is because he want to aviod 3 in 1 cement. After I give him the cheque,then he told me that monday he will check with HDB but most likely I have to use 3 in 1 cement, And he say that normally market will increase from 1.3 to 2 dollar per qft, he will only collectd from me 1.3 per sqft. And he say I can check around for the increase of market price.

Thanks.

[Ahyong81 3]

Based on The new regulation, the increase should not be a lot actually.

But 1.3 to 2 dollar psf is on the high side as compare to all those quote i got.

How much he charge you for the premix screed before 1st june?

[Water2015 0]

Hi ,

He never mention about the premix screed charge before 1st June.

He was introduce by 1 of my friend. He alway say he treat me as friend and call me brother.

But I think my nightmare will start to begin with this BIG brother.

At fist he ask me for other quoation and try to match the price.

After he get the 50% payment, any extra item all increase a lot.

False ceiling he quote me at first 2.6 per sqft, when I want to add on the master bed room , he quote me 4.6 per sqft ( he actually quote me a lump sum, but my sister in law is in this line, and he teach me how to calculate to price per sqft).

Master bedroom wardrobe he quote me 230 per sqft for 7ft ,I want to add extra 3 ft, he quote me 500 per sqft.

Box out 2 water pipe in toliet 1200, other quote only 900, , and also other additional item that I have not compare with other quote yet.

If I get other people to do, just worry that have co-ordination problem. If I ask him to do, the price he add on will exceed my budget.

And I also heard he mention that he got a few group of contractor, low grade, middle grade and high grade, I also worry that he will give me the low grade quaility

So I think my nighmare will start to begin to trust him , although he always keep telling me that he treat me as friend.

thanks