idealistic

ya.. updating here in progress.. going with the reno flow accordingly

Hi Emobebe, your mailbox is full. PM me if you need the contact after clearing your mailbox

Everything is good until they installed the door for the entrance. The door is installed on different day with the pole system due to wrong sizing of door, missing track. The workers who came to do the door installation did not place any protector on the floor. We have made a strong highlight to the sales person to be caution with our parquet flooring and she has noted it down in the invoice too. It looks a simple job but ended up with a floor full of scratches Upon knowing that, the sales person notified the management without delay. The manager visits on-site, investigates the situation and apologies to us. We come to a compromise and settle the issue. Overall review is still ok with their service recovery. And will consider to return for future purchase. It is far better than someone who offers no solution or shouts at us.

It depends on luck also even after we have spoken to quite a few contractors and have done some homework, we still face problems with ours. Everyone can tell that all the problems do not lie with us and not initiated by us. If at all for those who have signed up with them, take out the painting work from the package or quotation. The painters they engaged cannot make it. Attitude is fine but not for the skill and equipment used. Just take one instance, after re-plastering our living room ceiling which is one of the rectification works, the contractor get the painter to repaint the ceiling. After repainting, can see little spots which resemble rough surface when the cove light shines on it. It means the roller brush which the painter used has exceeded the life span and did not change for a long time. We are drained off by the whole reno process and closed the loop with our contractor. So we just live on with it...

Ya it depends on what feel you want. Like my kitchen has long rectangular layout, i choose vertical to make it seems like extending upwards. Choosing horizontal for mine will make the kitchen look even deeper

Reno stages continues: Here is our Walk-In-Wardrobe. Another "outsourced" item, ie not done by our contractor. Their quote is always by per foot run. Do not match with our requirement as what we need is hanging bar and hanging bar does not cost that high compared to drawers. Did not do much research on pole system. Selected a reputable company with reasonable pricing.

yup, rectified. some just live with it.. see that your reno has started finally! It will soon be over, unlike mine spanning from Nov 2010 to Mar 2011 --- 4 monthsssssssssssss

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Up to this point, we are pretty pissed off by then. And requested for variation report to find out the final figure after omitting some items on our side and the top-up he charged Have mentioned earlier in this blog that there is 5% discount on grand total for customers who sign up during first appointment. After seeing the variation report, realised that the 5% discount is removed for some of the additional items. Isn't this a contract term?? So it even makes one worries if they will honour the 5 years warranty in contract. For instance, one of the items added is ledge table with solid surface at kitchen area. During first meetup, he knows that we want something like that which can be extended or push in when not in used. We agree to hold this and decide on later part as he cannot come up with any idea yet at that moment. Eventually, we just settle down with a fixed ledge table. And now being part of the additional item as well, no 5% is granted. It is soooo amusing to know how much the 5% on additional items is. The items consists of -- top-up for ---> tiles, laminates, aluminium door for console -- clearing of debris -- ledge table with solid surface And is far to even reach $100

New and unused. Pls PM me if interested

the doors are flip down version. anything can be solved, just a matter of money, even if it is not our mistake.. pay to get things right With so many of our friends/colleagues/relatives renovating homes or in process of getting keys etc, our experience really serves as a great sharing topic of common interest

During our first meetup, we have ensured that the feature wall quote includes choice of tinted mirror and stainless steel strips and make sure it is stated in black and white in contract. Otherwise, he will definitely slam surprise charges on this last minute.

Agree that top-up is inevitable in reno. Ours is just simply overboard and totally not up to justice. With rounds and rounds of issues, all those mentioned have yet to come to an end........... ID's boss is mentioned in the very first posting. Basically, everything will still leave to id to settle all problems

Haha, not a bad suggestion only thing is carpet is hard to maintain hehe

CARPENTRY STAGE This is a closed up view of our console from 3D design. We came up with the console design before renovation started. There is no changes ever since then. While we are approaching the carpentry stage during reno, out of the blue, during final confirmation on carpentry, he told us something shocking. First reaction upon hearing that is "WHAT?" "TOP UP AGAIN?" He told us that our console is not like what it looks like in this 3D design. There is no aluminium frame and the glass portion is smaller. It looks something like the one below If we want the one in 3D, there is additional charge of $180. He can even say that based on our design of the whole feature wall, the console will definitely look nicer in this. Of cos, that is OUR design, needless to say since that is what we want all along. This is what contract stated: "Design & fabricate suspended tv / players console in laminate finish c/w glass panel" Knowing that we will refer to the contract, he can even mention that it is not stated in the contract. <<a true example of playing with words in contract>> ADVICE TO ALL: Make sure contract is listed in details on material used etc. On our side, we have missed out the aluminium frame and this is what happens. After our strong objection, he dropped the price unwillingly to $100. Bottom line is why are we not being notified upfront when the design is confirmed before renovation starts. BUT only informed when carpentry work is near. And it comes with a hefty top-up of $180 for the aluminium frame

Yes, that is what it is after vanishing! After all the assurance.. this is what we get Lucky it is in WIW!!!!! Nothing is suggested. Being not calculative for enclosed area, we let this matter go.

PARQUET VANISH STAGE woah, vast difference. Parquet for 3 bedrooms retained Below is area for WIW (ex-storeroom), with further extension to the other bedroom As the flooring of ex-storeroom is not parquet, new parquet has to be placed. Noticed the different tone of the existing and new parquet? The lighter colour is the new parquet while darker colour is existing parquet from next bedroom. Beforehand, contractor has mentioned the colour will be similar. We have brought up this concern numerous times. BUT, after vanishing the difference is so obvious and way out. And being almost in the centre across the WIW, there is no way to camouflage it. Again, here he comes with all reasonings. What else can we do?? Nothing, but to swallow and accept it

hee, May_dream1 is in many tblogs here, so abit confused He brought up the final payment when rectification is still progressing, is there a need to be so anxious?? We all know right if all of you have been following my tblog... It is so clear and obvious that he is thinking we will hold the balance. HOWEVER, all the more we as owners need to safeguard ourselves, esp to those who can even dishonour the discount in contract. There are so many issues since the start of reno and coming to 4 months. ..GOSH.. If we have the intention to hold any payment, we will not be the one calling him to collect for the previous payment. We are not trying to make things difficult purposely by finding fault. Those are defects that can be seen easily and therefore have to be rectified. We bought resale house is because of shorter waiting time, what good has it got for us to drag the whole reno. Trying to let things go and he keeps putting oil

Piang! rectification still under progress and he is pressing for final payment. We have not even move in for goodness sake! Of cos, when rectifications are done and we are satisfied, we will pay the balance. Like at the very least if this sat rectification work is completed and we are satisfied, he can just tell us during sat that we can prepare for the final payment and he can come and collect from us the following week. AND not what he did now by asking us over the phone to prepare for payment while we are checking with him on some rectification issue.

...Continuation on lightings... Downlight with light on: MBR light Wall light for dresser

Agree! great work by your id esp your living room flooring, kitchen and bathroom your bathroom tiles are nice, are they ex?

From lightings.com Decide to buy from there after going to many lighting shops, tired to find and dun want to bargain haha, just grab and go.

We choose the paint from nippon catalogue. Any range, any colour. To be specific, the paint we get for large surface like living room come in Matex bucket. And the rest in Vinilex5000 bucket (the cheapest range in catalogue) However, the paint colour we have selected fall under the category of Odourless (premium), Easy wash (premium), Vinyl silk and Vinilex5000 This explains why this is shocking to us. A check with friends around, eyes widen when hearing matex paint. Have heard many examples of contractor using inferior paint. When asked about the 3 big tins of matex paint, he told us the painter use it for base coat. But base coat with our colour code?? And later say inside is what we choose, just the bucket is different. At least, after our persistence, he changed for us immediately. That settles all. We did not specifically choose premium range paint. The colour tone is different for different range. To us, it's the colour we are after. Like our living room, the colour we like is under Vinyl silk. And some people who are more sensitive to bacterial might choose 3-in-1 medifresh and those with kids might like Easywash. We are still in the stage of rectification and is pretty major. Replace of cracked tile and plastering are enough to dust the whole house. We have given dateline to wrap up all rectification by month end.. cos the whole reno is really too long, although taking into consideration for all holidays, it is simply too long from 15 nov......

PAINTING WORK Painting of base coat started and... am caught by surprise when going home that very night. Got extremely shock to see MATEX paint. Never never thought an established company like this would use MATEX paint. Our chosen colour code written on the MATEX tin. Not only that, the rest are Vinilex paint which is not exactly what we have selected. For Nippon paint, there are diff range like Odourless, Easywash etc. And only one paint colour we have chosen is Vinilex. Vinilex happens to be the cheapest paint. We sound out to the contractor the next day. As usual, he blah blah blah... and at first said that the Matex paint is only for base coat. But we highlighted that our colour code is written on top and these colour are meant for living room, mbr and another bedroom. He insisted the paint inside is correct, just that the paint company use another bucket to fill. Still, we request to change to what we have selected and there it goes.. all corrected and issue settled. And fortunately, we monitor the reno closely. The paint code is pasted on each wall. And we noticed that they have pasted the wrong code. The colour of 2 bedrooms swopped. We stopped the painter in time as only base coat is up and corrected all ourselves.