kyarx

Just do an update after the coming back from a 2weeks holiday. We arrived back to SG anxiously anticipating that the kitchen and bomb shelter to be up..but it wasn't much to our shock. Thought that we had made it clear and the contractor assured us no problem. And when I called to ask why no progression, here's the reply:"Oh, I would have forgetten to remind them(carpenters) if u didn't called..anyway better that you are around when we build it" Walau vomit blood! We had at least 3 meetings talking how the capentry should be inorder to avoid this and yet it happened. In the end, the carpentry went up without any further consultation anyway. However, the problematic false ceiling was partially removed and redone much to our surprise. Bomb shelter up.A few minor problems which were rectified quickly. But the magnet door spoiled less than a week after installation...waiting for repair.. Laminated flooring was up (to our shock), we asked Supreme to remove it as planned to paint the rooms first and considering if wanna install the rubber mat too. In the end, it was removed and reinstalled after paint job done. 2nd installation workmanship was also better after we gave feedback to the salesperson. Kitchen up. Again some minor problems including different sizes of glass cabinet doors. We decided to let it go since it didn't look too off. Realised they gave us soft closing and wider opening hinges which are definitely nice. The reno is finally finishing, only 2 outstanding items to go! YES!

Actually we decided to DIY painting last week. Took AL and spent the last 5 days painting non-stop. For those who didn't paint before, trust me...it's really really siong. We brought alot of those gimmicky paint brushes but they don't really help. And the ceiling is always a pain in the neck. But strangely, it feels so satisfying after finishing the job.

Thanks for the PMs everyone. Really touched by all the concerns and replies. Today I met up with the contractor intending to settle the balance. Opened my door and to our biggest surprises the rooms have been laminated(Supreme)! I have wanted to only laminate after painting since that will be alot more convienience to us. Moreover we are still deciding if we wanted to lay the rubber underlay and also need to confirm the actual measurement for the rooms(estimation when signed). So when I told my contractor on Tuesday to stop ALL work, I would not expect him to ask Supreme to lay the flooring on Friday! Called Supreme's salesperson and gave him a F piece of my mind too! What in the world is happening?! Told him to remove everything right away. But it gave us a preview of their workmanship..it was terrible! Now to the best part, my contractor came and boy was he eating the humble pie today. Kept reassuring us that he will settle the false ceiling with the FS's boss and suggested 2 solutions. I asked if they have met on Friday as he promised on Wednesday and answer is NO. Claimed the boss is BUSY. OMG...that really set me off. Questioned him then am I so free to keep coming down to solve this stupid ceiling problem!? Asked to speak to the boss(in KL), my contractor called and passed the phone to me... initially I was okay and wanted to know how they gonna solve my slanted ceiling...then he said: "this is our STANDARD practice to measure PING SUI(evenness)". My last fuse really blowned at that word STANDARD! F him and asked him so WHAT if we wanted a slanted false ceiling so that we can balance the look? We paid 1/2 a mil and waited >2 yrs so that your people can build a slanted ceiling?! The rest are too ugly to write here... In so many years, I can't remember losing my cool in this way. I hope never again. My contractor went on to say how other owners had compained to him about the supervisor and how upset he is with the supervisor working attitude. Then claimed that he gonna sack the fellow on Monday and he will personally supervise our reno. This was exactly what we specifically agreed upon before signing...back to square one. Anyway long story short, we grudgingly decided to let the contractor finish the job even though it is MOST probably a wrong decision again. The word "sorry" just disarmed me.. And rather than getting to know someone new all over, at least we know him inside out and can anticipate his crap. Hopefully the reno would be fine when we returned from holiday on the 10 Dec.

I'm quoted $250 for 3ft glass backing (any colours)..ex?

omg 90k!? Its a bomb. Have you try going ard asking for different quotes? Don't just sign up without doing that even if you're super comfy with the ID..

We learn so much yet learn nothing..u know that feeling? Seems like these unscrupulous creeps just always got an ace up their sleeve no matter how u guard against them... My contractor called me twice today... 1st call In a very gentle tone- "I called the boss of the false ceiling, he will come down on Friday and look at the work done. If the fault lies with them, he will redo everything. They are more experienced so will know how to fix" 2nd call- In a VERY sorry tone "I just want to apologise to you for what I said. It's not a good thing to stop a reno halfway. Let me finish the rest of the reno for you." I just told him we'll discuss on Saturday. Based on his track record... What do you think? 1. Forgive & forget? 2. Once bitten, twice shy?

Haha gd idea but that won't tick him off coz the current show room is not even his! (rented part of another ID firm) Wow $1k for all of that is really cheap IMO. We're considering DIY a room first and see if its too tough (applied 2 days of AL to try out).

His quotation excludes doors,pipes,etc..just the walls and ceiling. Sealant? Haha...nope. When I ask him to ensure the walls are smooth (remove the pimples) before painting..."No problem! BUT must add $$$!". When I just got my keys: "Should I ask HDB to come patch up the hairline cracks?" "No need! I will ask my men to touch up!" Now..."pay $$ lor, I do it!" Anyway today I just had a huge row with him, gave him a f**k*** good piece of my mind and FIRED him! We are just so tired of lputting up to all his lame excuses and aggressive debates. Even has the cheek to call himself a honest man after breaking all his promises. And now making it sound like he is the victim here... My foot! Gonna meet him this Saturday and settle the balance. Anyone got good lobang for kitchen cabinets and bomb shelter cum shoe cabinet?

Thanks for the advice. I actually have lobang which are cheaper than his quotation but decided to let him do it since its easier to coordinate... His reason for being more ex? "You must let me earn abit mah" Now it sounded more like "you must let me chop you abit!" I seriously did thought of stopping the reno too but now only left kitchen cabinet and bomb shelter, plus measurement already taken on Sunday...no choice left

Yup feeling really tired handling his excuses. Today dropped another bomb shell on me. Charged me $1400 and promised I can use ALL types of paint except the All-in-One types...over the weeks he sell hard to use pentalite types as he claimed it is easier to touch up etc...seeing we didn't seem convinced, now insisting that we can only use pentalite or Vinilex (low ends) as it is industry practice and even have the cheek to say he's a honest man that's why he can only let us use those paints! (what logic is that?!) BTW for those who are reading, this contractor was actually strongly recommended by a S*****e L******e manager. Watchout for these types of "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" sales tactic...always very convincing at first.

Enough of the grouses... Here's some beautiful furnitures we brought for our new home TV Console (colour will be in GOLD ) The dining table (colour grey).

Just an update after meeting up with the boss...he's repeating exactly what the supervisor said to me. "It's the fault of HDB, their ceiling is not even in the first place and of course now your false ceiling appeared slanted! We use LASER so ours definitely even!" I'm thinking..."you mean HDB got no laser?" Then I pointed to the shoddy plastering(patching after hacking) done on the MBR ceiling. Again, "it's HDB fault!..becoz...blah blah" You guess it. Then I pointed out to him that the slight hump on the ceiling was infact done up by his worker, he immediately looked stunned and finally agreed to get the supervisor to rectify it..talk about shifting blames. This is the same person who assured me and promise me everything is in safe hands..blah blah blah. He even proudly went on to share abt how he challenged another owner(who of course did'nt took it up) to find another contractor and he will pay him if he cannot find any fault with the particular reno works (the owner complained about a particular reno work he did). IMO, I must be dead drunk to still signed with him despite all the sharing lessons from here. Reno is proving to be quite a stressful experience for us sadly. Lesson learn 1. Ask that the subcon or workers to call you for approval before proceeding with certain works (they didn't in my case) 2. Don't believe in all the sales talk before signing. What my contractor said to me "don't worry! you worry too much..as time go by, you will find my service get better and better (well, loads of bull)... 3. Ask the contractor where does he think problems will arise for a particular design. Ask him to put it in black n white before signing.

Yea, really heng. You should see the red face of that supervisor...Haha Hi Mrs Explorer! I can understand the fustrations, feel just as helpless too. Will look for the grp in Facebook. Sure, will take some before after pics. Mind PM me your pics too? From the experiences so far, I feel luck really play a major part of any reno... if you get workers who are responsible, most of the time the reno end up alls well. And its really important to be supervising the reno, makes a big difference when u r there...

Another defect! Noticed that the opening for the false ceiling are done wrongly. The opening are bigger on the left and got smaller towards the right. Same problem at the living room and kitchen false ceiling too... Again that supervisor insisted its because HDB never made the ceiling surface flat in the first place! What?! Thankfully, one of his subcon interrupted our argument out of fairness. Commented that the previous worker had not measure the levelness and should have started building from the opening first. That immediately shut his mouth! In the end, the subcon even helped to file the uneven openings and now its at least less obvious. Building my TV feature wall. The guy on the right is the subcon that spoke up against that lousy supervisor. Floor tiles up but haven't got a chance to check it carefully... The tiler who cocked up the entrance Another problem with the mosaic. It's such a beautiful tile but look at the lousy gouting done! You see see pock marks and holes all over. zzz Our Citygas heater. Only thing that seems to look fine...

We discovered some tile edges were quite "cutting" on our feet. Initially the workman supervisor was very reluntant to change it but finally agreed to change 3 tiles after a long debate. More defects! Look at what the tiler did quietly for entrance...owned up that the HDB tiles were damaged and they had to cover it this way. Compained and the supervisor promise will fix it...