Inside Living Design

[Tuckyih 0]

I have engaged Martin from Inside Living. WIll upate with photos of workmanship and comments once renovation is completed.

[Lim Natalie 0]

Have my Punggol house renovated by Inside Living 9 months ago and have a pretty bad experience.

From design, 3D drawing to carpentry and after sales service has been a total disaster to me. My ID is not only unfamiliar with BTO flats, he's forgetful and shows a total lack of planning.

I took 3 months off from work (yes that's right) and attend to my renovation on site more frequently than my ID. I even have to deal with the carpenters,electrician, plumbers etc on site to the point that my ID will at times just tell me to instruct them what to do myself as he was not "free". I found out alot of defects/wrong stuffs along the way and have to correct them, even though I have informed my ID what I wanted several times.

I still have quite a number of left over defects which my ID promised to fix but after paying my last payment he did not bother to contact me unlike before payment. I just found out he had left the company and I have called Inside Living twice and waited more than a week, didn’t even get an acknowledgement from them.

That's very disappointing considering that my ID kept emphasizing Inside Living is very particular about after sales service.

My BTO come with floor tiles and door and I did not do tiling overlays/hacking for both toilets. For that I have paid more than 45K to inside living for renovation alone (not including furniture, lightings, appliances and toilet fixtures etc, I spent about 85K in total if including everything). I expect more than this kind of service for the amount I paid. Its sad when your friends came over during open house and comment "Why you spent so much but the house looks like this?"

When completing my ID ask me how i felt about the renovation I told him I'm not satisfied. He still have the cheek to tell me he agreed that there are a lot of mistakes, screw ups, workmanship and design problems and he will not use the carpenters and 3D designers again. If have a chance to renovate my house again next time he will do it much more better.

Really is WTF. I only have 1 house and I’m not renovating every year like I change clothes.

If as a ID you know you cannot put in 100% and you have problems with your carpenters/design team etc then let me know and I will engage somebody else from the start. Don't come and screw with my house and make me live with something that you as an ID is not satisfied too.

Here's a list of my problems:

3D Drawing:

Very lousy 3D drawing. The design, colours are all wrong and I think any amateur students can draw better. Keep delaying the 3D Drawing and cannot produce them on the time agreed. They started carpentry without completing my 3D drawing. In the end when I demand my 3D drawing my ID still ask me "Are you sure you still want the 3D drawing? Its no good..."

Seriously??? After I complaint that if I don’t require a 3D drawing I would have engage a contractor instead of

an ID then I got my 3D drawing.

I still kept the drawings with me and show to guest visiting my house. They cannot believe that the drawing is produced by a professional ID company.

My ID told me later that the 3D designer was sacked as the other ID/customers were not satisfied with the 3D Drawing, but once again it does not benefit me at all since my house design is already screwed up.

I have my living room ended up in a laminate i hated, but due to the lack of proper 3D drawing before carpentry, I could not see my design until they install it.

I keep thinking of the net renovation because of this, and seriously it don't feel good at all.

Planning:

My ID seems to be overloaded with other projects on hand. Have to kept calling him to get things going. Not only that he is very forgetful too. Alot of things I told him not to do and it will end up exactly the way I reminded him not to do, despite reminding him many times. He will give excuse like "I told the contractors but they forget."

He told me some of the common mistakes he said some novice ID will make which he won’t; in the end he does the exactly same thing. Again lots of excuses.

Keep asking me to get the LED lights ready but whenever i ask him what is the quantity to get he will say he will check and get back to me. After asking more than 3 times what are the quantity he still gave me a wrong quantity (even though the ceiling have already been done and power points laid, really shows a lack of planning/overloaded)

Carpentry:

Materials are of good quality and solid. But carpentry workmanship are bad and even my ID agreed. My guests keep telling me why the workmanship is so rough.

Blum cabinet not smooth still can tell me cannot do anything. Cabinet not flushed/aligned said cannot do anything.

A lot of mistakes on the design part, but I guess this is the ID fault for not informing the carpenters properly. Ex: Told ID specifically to put clear

silicon on an area, in the end it end up with white silicon.

I have even paid extra to redo works that are not thought out properly by my ID initially even though my friends and family told me that the ID should borne the charges since its their mistakes. My toilet cabinet the carpenters and ID keep telling me cannot cover the pipes and give reasons like "Not possible, cannot do" etc. In the end I have to tell them what design to do to cover the pipes.

Electrical:

During planning I emphasis I want whole house to be LAN ready and cables to be conceal within carpentry as I don't like to see wires cluttering around. My ID assured me their electrician are professional and I do not need to engage a outside party for the job.

In the end after I finished my carpentry then I found out from an outsider that my house is already LAN ready and I just need to change the socket cover.

When confronted, the electrician give me the answer that the conceal Cat6 point is done by HDB hence not reliable that’s why he don't want to inform me and I should not use. Hey my electrical power and water points are also conceal and done by HDB, so should I not use them too?

In the end he agreed to waive off 1 LAN cable laying charge, but I’m more concerned about the rest of the points which cannot change position anymore since my carpentry are done (I’m still being charge for shifting the rest of the LAN points due to carpentry).

Now I’m left with unsightly LAN wires exposed around my house, thanks to them. (My ID don't even know my house is LAN ready even though the third party told me that existed for about 1.5- 2 years for BTO flats)

Misc:

Never clean properly despite paying for 2 cleaning. I have to clean and buy the group filler to fill up whatever grout damaged/soiled by the contractors.

My laminate flooring also haven dents damaged by carpenters (My ID rectified them by filling up but don't look nice).

Some tiles are chipped away, showed ID and ID was surprised too.

Metal bar strip between kitchen rusted as when cleaning they did not remove the tape on it and water accumulated on it. ID bring acid clean, in the end become even worse. ID promised to rectified after CNY, till now no news.

Laminate flooring damaged, silicon on carpentry came out. ID promised to rectify after CNY, still no news.

I seriously learned my lesson. Never pay the last payment until everything is rectified no matter what the ID promised. Once you paid up they will just disappear and forget everything they have promised. I’m an easy going person who doesn’t pick on small things, but I guess Inside Living really test my limits.

Enough of my ranting, those who want to know the details of my problems can PM me and I can show the photos etc to you to prove what I have said are true.

please PM me the photos and who is your ID? someone5566@hotmail.com

[ling08 2]

my id is from inside living. responsible and dependable.

let me know if you need help

Hi Zhiz, care to pm me your ID? thanks...

[solarspy 1]

Have my Punggol house renovated by Inside Living 9 months ago and have a pretty bad experience.

From design, 3D drawing to carpentry and after sales service has been a total disaster to me. My ID is not only unfamiliar with BTO flats, he's forgetful and shows a total lack of planning.

I took 3 months off from work (yes that's right) and attend to my renovation on site more frequently than my ID. I even have to deal with the carpenters,electrician, plumbers etc on site to the point that my ID will at times just tell me to instruct them what to do myself as he was not "free". I found out alot of defects/wrong stuffs along the way and have to correct them, even though I have informed my ID what I wanted several times.

I still have quite a number of left over defects which my ID promised to fix but after paying my last payment he did not bother to contact me unlike before payment. I just found out he had left the company and I have called Inside Living twice and waited more than a week, didn’t even get an acknowledgement from them.

That's very disappointing considering that my ID kept emphasizing Inside Living is very particular about after sales service.

My BTO come with floor tiles and door and I did not do tiling overlays/hacking for both toilets. For that I have paid more than 45K to inside living for renovation alone (not including furniture, lightings, appliances and toilet fixtures etc, I spent about 85K in total if including everything). I expect more than this kind of service for the amount I paid. Its sad when your friends came over during open house and comment "Why you spent so much but the house looks like this?"

When completing my ID ask me how i felt about the renovation I told him I'm not satisfied. He still have the cheek to tell me he agreed that there are a lot of mistakes, screw ups, workmanship and design problems and he will not use the carpenters and 3D designers again. If have a chance to renovate my house again next time he will do it much more better.

Really is WTF. I only have 1 house and I’m not renovating every year like I change clothes.

If as a ID you know you cannot put in 100% and you have problems with your carpenters/design team etc then let me know and I will engage somebody else from the start. Don't come and screw with my house and make me live with something that you as an ID is not satisfied too.

Here's a list of my problems:

3D Drawing:

Very lousy 3D drawing. The design, colours are all wrong and I think any amateur students can draw better. Keep delaying the 3D Drawing and cannot produce them on the time agreed. They started carpentry without completing my 3D drawing. In the end when I demand my 3D drawing my ID still ask me "Are you sure you still want the 3D drawing? Its no good..."

Seriously??? After I complaint that if I don’t require a 3D drawing I would have engage a contractor instead of

an ID then I got my 3D drawing.

I still kept the drawings with me and show to guest visiting my house. They cannot believe that the drawing is produced by a professional ID company.

My ID told me later that the 3D designer was sacked as the other ID/customers were not satisfied with the 3D Drawing, but once again it does not benefit me at all since my house design is already screwed up.

I have my living room ended up in a laminate i hated, but due to the lack of proper 3D drawing before carpentry, I could not see my design until they install it.

I keep thinking of the net renovation because of this, and seriously it don't feel good at all.

Planning:

My ID seems to be overloaded with other projects on hand. Have to kept calling him to get things going. Not only that he is very forgetful too. Alot of things I told him not to do and it will end up exactly the way I reminded him not to do, despite reminding him many times. He will give excuse like "I told the contractors but they forget."

He told me some of the common mistakes he said some novice ID will make which he won’t; in the end he does the exactly same thing. Again lots of excuses.

Keep asking me to get the LED lights ready but whenever i ask him what is the quantity to get he will say he will check and get back to me. After asking more than 3 times what are the quantity he still gave me a wrong quantity (even though the ceiling have already been done and power points laid, really shows a lack of planning/overloaded)

Carpentry:

Materials are of good quality and solid. But carpentry workmanship are bad and even my ID agreed. My guests keep telling me why the workmanship is so rough.

Blum cabinet not smooth still can tell me cannot do anything. Cabinet not flushed/aligned said cannot do anything.

A lot of mistakes on the design part, but I guess this is the ID fault for not informing the carpenters properly. Ex: Told ID specifically to put clear

silicon on an area, in the end it end up with white silicon.

I have even paid extra to redo works that are not thought out properly by my ID initially even though my friends and family told me that the ID should borne the charges since its their mistakes. My toilet cabinet the carpenters and ID keep telling me cannot cover the pipes and give reasons like "Not possible, cannot do" etc. In the end I have to tell them what design to do to cover the pipes.

Electrical:

During planning I emphasis I want whole house to be LAN ready and cables to be conceal within carpentry as I don't like to see wires cluttering around. My ID assured me their electrician are professional and I do not need to engage a outside party for the job.

In the end after I finished my carpentry then I found out from an outsider that my house is already LAN ready and I just need to change the socket cover.

When confronted, the electrician give me the answer that the conceal Cat6 point is done by HDB hence not reliable that’s why he don't want to inform me and I should not use. Hey my electrical power and water points are also conceal and done by HDB, so should I not use them too?

In the end he agreed to waive off 1 LAN cable laying charge, but I’m more concerned about the rest of the points which cannot change position anymore since my carpentry are done (I’m still being charge for shifting the rest of the LAN points due to carpentry).

Now I’m left with unsightly LAN wires exposed around my house, thanks to them. (My ID don't even know my house is LAN ready even though the third party told me that existed for about 1.5- 2 years for BTO flats)

Misc:

Never clean properly despite paying for 2 cleaning. I have to clean and buy the group filler to fill up whatever grout damaged/soiled by the contractors.

My laminate flooring also haven dents damaged by carpenters (My ID rectified them by filling up but don't look nice).

Some tiles are chipped away, showed ID and ID was surprised too.

Metal bar strip between kitchen rusted as when cleaning they did not remove the tape on it and water accumulated on it. ID bring acid clean, in the end become even worse. ID promised to rectified after CNY, till now no news.

Laminate flooring damaged, silicon on carpentry came out. ID promised to rectify after CNY, still no news.

I seriously learned my lesson. Never pay the last payment until everything is rectified no matter what the ID promised. Once you paid up they will just disappear and forget everything they have promised. I’m an easy going person who doesn’t pick on small things, but I guess Inside Living really test my limits.

Enough of my ranting, those who want to know the details of my problems can PM me and I can show the photos etc to you to prove what I have said are true.

Please PM me the name of the ID. I am thinking of using them. Thanks.

[mohdsuhaimi 0]

Comment for service rendered by inside living to mohd suhaimi of 203b compassvale road

Hi Michael,

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for your great job in designing and renovating our kitchen and two bathrooms. You were very patient with us, taking time and making effort to understand our wants before translating them into your designs. Your designs not only met our expectations but you added your domain knowledge to make them even better. Your attention to details and firm management of your contractors during the renovation also gave us the confidence that the renovation was always in good hands. It was great to have engaged inside living and having Michael as our renovation design consultant and project manager. We will definitely recommend inside living to our friends and family.

Keep up the good work

Regards

Mohd suhaimi & shida

Blk 203b compassvale road

Edited November 26, 2014 by mohdsuhaimi

[JoTang 0]

After living overseas for 20 years, I decided to relocate back to Singapore this year when my lease out flat is due.

I last renovated the flat 16 years ago and I could still remembered the anguish & frustration with the renovation company which I engaged to carry out the project.

Since I do not have any renovation companies contact in Singapore, I searched through some renovation websites and send out enquiries through the website.

Inside Living Pte Ltd was one of the several companies that responded to my enquiry. After meeting their Senior Design Consultant - Michael Chow to discussed about my renovation needs and budget, he swiftly put forward several design proposals and quotation for my consideration.

Besides the budget, renovation period is also a critical factor for me. Prior to awarding the project to the company, Michael work out the project schedule and completion date for my due consideration.

The project was completed timely and handed over to me as per schedule though there was minor hiccup initially (approval from respective authority took longer than usual period) when the project kicked off.

In terms of work quality, I would pay special compliments to the following specialists that carried out the works for the flat:

1. Painting - the work was carried out very skilfully by several Myanmar workers. I must said I'm more than pleased with the end results!

2. Polishing of the marble flooring - the work was done up to perfection considering that the floor condition was quite bad when I took back the flat;

3. Carpentry - a special compliments to the carpenter's professionalism. Not only did he designed and fabricate all the cabinets within a very tight deadline, there were no compromised on the workmanship and quality! Good job!

Apart from the above, there were also other trades such as plumbing, ceiling and electrical works being carried out in the flat that were done to my satisfaction except the masonry works which has rooms for improvement.

Overall, I'm pleased with the design, color co-ordination, space layout and the practicality of the newly renovated flat.

I would like to compliment Inside Living Pte Ltd for their professionalism in the management of the project and changing my perception of renovation companies. Heartiest thank you for a job well done!

Josephine Tang

[ivykoo 0]

My experience with Inside Living Design Pte Ltd was a satisfying one. As I have encountered a bad ID when I renovated my first HDB unit many years back, my impression of ID companies has never been positive till I met Michael Chow, the Senior Design Consultant.

Michael showed professionalism in his work and delivered what was expected of him. Honestly, my hubby and I were not certain of our design theme and colour combination but Michael guided us with his expertise. We were grateful for his help and eventually, we chose him as our ID after waiting about a year for our new place to TOP.

From the 3D designs to every detail in the plan and construction, my hubby and I were updated regularly. The carpentry was impressive and the after services were fantastic when we requested for touch ups. Michael and his carpenter were very accommodating to our wishes which we appreciated very much. I was delighted that Michael managed to plan his schedule to fulfil my wish of moving into my newly renovated home before Christmas!

Apart from renovation, Michael offered his help by selecting suitable lightings when he joined us for shopping. His commitment to ensure customer satisfaction is indeed commendable!

Thank you Michael for everything that you did for our home. We appreciate it.

[Eileen 0]

We recently had our flat renovated by one of your designer - Michael Chow and would like to express our appreciation for his professional service. We engaged your company for the job due to his patience, sincerity and meticulousness. He also made an effort during the renovation in visiting our flag regularly and providing us updates of its progress. Throughout the project, he has been prompt in handling our queries and requests - leaving us assured that the job is in good hands. Kudos to having an asset to your company!

[echua465 0]

Our ID is Jessie and we are very impressed with her service. The carpentry workmanship is good. She is very patience and provide us with regular update of our renovation. All our request are well taken care off. She even help us to modify the provided kitchen cabinet to suit our need.

Thanks Jessie for her great help.

[Guest Wenxiu Chen]

Anyone used exploreliving id before? Can share experience?

[zhiz 4]

Please PM me the name of the ID. I am thinking of using them. Thanks.

Surprised to see bad feedback. But understand that the ID has since left the comapny and outstanding issues resolved as well

[teacher 0]

Hi to all..

I am a bachelor that had purchased a resale Executive flat last year.During my process of searching for an ID,I m very fortunate to have engage Martin Peh from INSIDE LIVING as my consultant.Not only is he helpful n patience,he's extremely Punctual too!Because of his good habit,it resulted in all his scheduling of appointments for my renovations process to be a smooth sailing affair.He's always one step ahead of his contractor,and he's always there to answer my queries promptly n swiftly.He had never failed to reply me lol..:-)

Site coordination was great..he would spent his off duty days to accompany me to my prefered vendor for purchasing of my new home fittings,furnitures etc..food for thought,these are not their company affliated vendors,but he's still willing to obliged.

It's been almost 9 months since the Reno completed,but I m still getting friendly hello from Martin.

He's definitely the ID to choose.

[avidsg 0]

We purchased a 3 room resale flat late last year in Hougang. We had a tight schedule to work with since we wanted to move in last week of Feb after CNY, which leaves the contractors 6 weeks to work and finish before the holiday break. Major renovation work was needed for the kitchen and toilet/shower areas. Of all the three contractors we asked, it was Inside Living that we engaged because of their commitment to deliver and they did the renovation works very well and on schedule. Martin, our project manager was reliable, giving us updates with pictures of the progress as I am not able to visit the site everyday. Since I already have a design in mind, I worked closely with Martin and together with their 3D designer Ranie, they made what I had in mind better, workable and suitable for my budget. Inside Living was in the mid-tier among the contractors I asked a quote from. They are not exactly the cheapest but they gave value for money and reliable, trustworthy service. Martin even accompanied me to the shops for the tiles and toilet fixtures. Renovation was finished 3 days before CNY and very minor issues left to rectify.

My father is an engineer and I was raised doing home renovation works myself. I would say workmanship was top notch and on time. I have actually recommended Inside Living already to a colleague renovating their BTO and I would continue to recommend Martin and Inside Living to friends and family looking to renovate their flats - to make it truly a home they can call their own.

Edited March 2, 2015 by avidsg

[wling 0]

Got my final bill which is lower than expected due to some changes from original quote

I was very stressed and worried in the beginning after hearing many stories about many people in this forum.But it ended very well and I am so happy about it. I thanked her for valuable advices and recommendations given to save my $$ from the beginning.

I will give her EXCELLENT for the commitment,responsibility and understanding shown for this entire project....

Hi gbn2377,

Would you mind sharing the contacts?

Thanks!

Ling

[wling 0]

Hi to all..

I am a bachelor that had purchased a resale Executive flat last year.During my process of searching for an ID,I m very fortunate to have engage Martin Peh from INSIDE LIVING as my consultant.Not only is he helpful n patience,he's extremely Punctual too!Because of his good habit,it resulted in all his scheduling of appointments for my renovations process to be a smooth sailing affair.He's always one step ahead of his contractor,and he's always there to answer my queries promptly n swiftly.He had never failed to reply me lol..:-)

Site coordination was great..he would spent his off duty days to accompany me to my prefered vendor for purchasing of my new home fittings,furnitures etc..food for thought,these are not their company affliated vendors,but he's still willing to obliged.

It's been almost 9 months since the Reno completed,but I m still getting friendly hello from Martin.

He's definitely the ID to choose.

Hi there,

Could you pls share Martin's contacts with me?

Thanks!