Total Makeover Quotation For 5-room

[caDAVEr 0]

Hi, is yours a pt blk? Do pm me the contact. Thanks.

[lifestyle 0]

I find the following item a bit on the high side ..not sure what does it involve or has the market rate change since our renovation time?

61 Haulage fees. 1 lot Ls " $1,000.00 "

Hi lifestyle,

Thanks for the advice. Besides the electricals, what is your opinion on the rest of the quote? Thanks.

[nautilus 2]

Please check your PM.

I find the following item a bit on the high side ..not sure what does it involve or has the market rate change since our renovation time?

61 Haulage fees. 1 lot Ls " $1,000.00 "

I find this a bit high too. On the sidetrack, i've found another ID that i've more or less decided to go with. I feel i'm able to communicate better with him and the price is almost the same.

[lifestyle 0]

Got it thanks. That's great for you. All the best in your reno.

Happy CNY .

Please check your PM.

I find this a bit high too. On the sidetrack, i've found another ID that i've more or less decided to go with. I feel i'm able to communicate better with him and the price is almost the same.

[BlueFly 0]

My electrician also wanted to charge a $400 () fee for PS testing after the installation and/or the rewiring.

I disputed this charge with my electrician, because according to the govt, testing is conducted by PS free-of-charge.

However, most consumers do not know this, and meekly pay the fee to the electrician.

Even my intended electrician did not know this when I pointed this out. He checked with his boss, and his boss is adamant and insisted I pay the fee. We are still at a stalemate.

To avoid the issue, I said I will apply for the PS testing myself after the installation -- since it is free-of-charge -- and if there is any issue with the installation the electrician has to make good or he will have to answer to the EMA, and that may result in a cancellation of his electrical licence.

At this point I have not decided whether or not to use him.

Probably will look for another electrician and apply for PS testing myself after the installation, though I don't need to tell my electrician I will do that (why get his approval, since his work is supposed to pass muster if he is licensed?).

===

I am aghast at the practices of most contractors in pricing for their services. Sure, all want to make money -- question is, what is reasonable and what is an unfair attempt at profiteering at the consumers' expense, simply because consumers aren't any the wiser?

Take for instance the $120 charge for running earth wire to the pipe in nautilus id's quote. Surely earth wiring is required and mandatory in a household wiring that any licensed electrical worker must and should do? How could the rewiring pass PS test if there is no earthing?

That the electrician itemised a $120 cost for earth wiring in his quote implies earth-wiring is optional. If that is true, I will simply leave out the item (i.e. not do earth wiring, just to push my point) and tell the electrician I will apply for PS testing, then see the electrician face turns red when he tries meekly to back down and include earthing in his scope of work without charge.

Sheesh... the things contractors do to cheat innocent consumers, like charging a fee for PS testing or earth wiring.

Surely "arranging" for the test with PS does not cost the electrician anything?

If consumers fail to rise up and protest, contractors in time will levy a fee to apply for HDB renovation permit, if they are not doing already

Consumers should unite and spread the word, thanks to forums like this one.

Note: Link to the requirement on electrical testing may be found at my blog. Or you could access the EMA website directly.

[applefreak 1]

hehehe the electrician is actually charging for the use of his licence to apply for PS testing

i've tried to get someone from singapore power to come down to certify a socket

they told me only an electrician holding a licence can do the application

we CANNOT apply for it !!

so in the end i just removed the socket, really don't see the point of paying to use another person's licence !!

Edited February 14, 2008 by applefreak