My Acceptable Home @ Yew Tee

[kewin 0]

My renovation had recently had been completed but I decided to updated what is on my T-Blog, the painful experiences that I ever went to.

The mistake I went through had cause me emotional stress and delay my whole renovation progress. I had to hide my renovation as I got no face to tell anyone that the hiccups I met. Perhaps, this can also served as guide what to take note and mistake not to be made. I does not want to mention who is my contractor in this forum as he does not have HDB licence.

I had started hunting my Renovation ID/Contractors on Dec. I went to Jurong East IMM, TradeHub 21, Toa Payoh and started to consult a few shops.

1) Max's Image (TPY)

2) Weiken (IMM)

3) Joo Guan Huat Design (Tradehub 21)

4) Home Concept 21 (Tradehub 21)

5) Tau Interior Design (Tampines)

6) Impress 21 (via email)

7) Stiles Deseno Interiors (IMM, closed down)

8) City Design (IMM)

9) Spacious Planner (IMM)

10) Inner View Design (IMM)

11) XXX Interior Design Pte Ltd

I had two Reno Ids/Contractor on my confirm list

1) Tau Interior Design (I went over to Tampines to see him)

2) XXX Interior Design Pte Ltd (S... Ka..)

Kelvin from Tau Interior Design is very sincere, he told me all the hidden cost and un-forseen cost that I will faced. I refused to take his advice as I think maybe I can get away with it from another contractor. I had told Kelvin about my situtation that I had difficult buying things but he told no worries, as long got money workers will appear. There is no such things as shortage of workers but workers can do other things instead of concentrating on one job.

Because of my contractor price is 'VERY ATTRACTIVE', and he is a so-call the 'helpful contractor' that really help me to plan my budget. No doubt, there is no 3D drawings but I roughly had an idea what I really want after discussing with my beloved wife. We decided to go ahead and do our renovation with 'Mr. XXX'. In the end, I end up paying more for so-call 'un-forseen/hidden cost'.

Well, my beloved wife is in China. I am all alone managing this Renovation Design. Sometimes, I had headache trying to communicate over what materials, what colour to used. Thanks to Digital Camera on the mobile phone, as I need to snap pictures and let her see and choose. That's it.

Note: XXX Interior Design Pte Ltd is just my contractor company. I felt I do not want to badmouth his company and also want to protected his company interested. But if you are interested to know, well it is all inside my "Personal Renovation Blogspot", go search for it and do not post anything in here.

Edited May 16, 2009 by kewin

[kewin 0]

I query before my contractor whether he got HDB licence but he tell me it is alright not to have HDB licence as it will incurred more charges to the Company. The reason why his quotation is attractive and cheap is because he can waive off GST and better price for me. Hence, he can get 'HDB Licence' company to issue work permit for my hacking works.

He mention to me that he is sub-contractor for several Interior Designing and Renovation Company. Best part, he claimed he once work in Renovation IDs like Sq**r*r**m, C*s*rn, V*ga*, that why I built up the trusted in him.

Because of his price is so attractive, my renovation was delayed from 15th Dec 2008 until now. He still dared to sms-ed to ask for last payment. How much cost did he done to me and my family who is about to come. He keep blaming me, everything is my fault. I really got no choice as I am really Mr. Nice Guy to pay him almost 90% payment in January 09. He dragged and delayed.

I had the courage to write down to warn all member to becareful when enraging Contractors.

For Owners Enraging Contractors

- Make sure they had valid HDB Licence, ask to show their HDB Licence passed with their Photo ID.

- Do not believe in their words that HDB Licence is not required. It is alright to borrow or ask on behalf on another company to apply Permit for your renovation.

- Do not buy into their stories when they tried to ask for advanced payment.

Edited May 16, 2009 by kewin

[kewin 0]

Before the Hacking works Picture

Entrance

Kitchen Entrance

Living Hall

Baby Girl Bed Room

Kitchen

Edited May 16, 2009 by kewin

[kewin 0]

Blank

Edited May 16, 2009 by kewin

[newnyew 1]

Hihi!

Congrats on ur finished home

Seems like u were quite stressed over the reno.

but everything's over I hope!

[aubrey 0]

read your blog briefly. sorry to hear about your harrowing experience and thank you for coming up to share your situation with us. hope things are going smoothly for u now.

[kewin 0]

MY House Renovation Started On Dec 15 2008, and had just completed on 12th May 2009

My contractor is in the forum and comments about a lot of things. (will not revived at the moment). My contractor company does not have HDB licence. I had enquiry about his company having any HDB license but he mention to me that he is sub-contractor for several interior designing and Renovation Company. Hence, he can get them to issue work permit for my hacking works. In any words, he got no HDB License.

The reasons why I enraged him is because of the $$$ quotation is very attractive.

All the hacking works are quickly done on schedule to cover-up himself as they required Work Permit. Likewise Carpentary and other works, it had been delayed.

HDB Officer mention this is a very smart move because he had quickly finished up the Wet Works as much as possible to cover himself and protected the interested of the company that the Work Permit is applied. He delayed on the Carpentary Works, and other Plumbing Works that does not required Work Permit.

If anyone contractor lend his friends licence, his friend workers is supposed to do your renovation. Not your contractor workers... REMEMBER

Edited May 13, 2009 by kewin

[newnyew 1]

MY House Renovation Started On Dec 15 2008, and had just completed on 12th May 2009

oh my....

[kewin 0]

This is what I want to ask everybody opinion?

1) Is it wrong to casual talk with the contractor's worker? (they will kapo and ask me how much I buy the house.)

2) Did your contractor workers leave down telephone number on the wall. If yes, how will you response?

3) Did your contractor workers ever ask from you money during the casual talk?

4) Does your contractor asked from you the last payment immediately after handing over the house to you?

5) Does your contractor ask you to install toilet bowl first? I saw a lot of member install last?

6) Does your contractor tell you, he cannot get workers on site because of other works?

7) How long does your house take to paint? (My house 2 weeks, blamed me on my selection paint instead of his manpower)

8) Did your contractor keep dragging and telling you his workers cannot make it and suddenly paused your renovation for 2-3 days. (Properly he run out of cash and never paid his workers and gives all sort of excuses to cover himself)

9) Have your Contractor tell you his worker run away to Malaysia and never return his deposit and delayed the Carpentary Works? How you response?

10) Have your Contractor ever tell you, nevermind it is alright to get work permit licence (HDB Licence) from his friends?

11) Have your Contractor ever told you his workers is not available for certain installation so have to delayed? But why can't he start other works instead?

Edited May 13, 2009 by kewin

[newnyew 1]

1) Is it wrong to casual talk with the contractor's worker? (they will kapo and ask me how much I buy the house.)

2) Did your contractor workers leave down telephone number on the wall. If yes, how will you response?

3) Did your contractor workers ever ask from you money?

I can really sense ur anger....

come on cheer up!

why dun u post some nice nice pics of ur home?

[kewin 0]

If I stay big house with lift and stairs, I dun mind to renovate for 6 months.

Edited May 12, 2009 by kewin

[johnnyong 0]

I had read your blog. There is nothing you can do accept you can tried

1) to report him to the Contractor Association of Singapore.

2) to file a small claim against him for the so-call 'payment you made to him but he denied receiving it'. Since he had sms-ed you, you can used sms-ed as one the supporting documents to show your meet up and bank statements.

3) alert all the contact person who had helped him to apply the Work Permit as I can see he does not have any HDB licence.

4) write an email to HDB_Feedback@gov.sg to alert them and tell them you have finished your house renovation and take note this company does not have HDB Licence and the renovation is acceptable but not SATISFY. (I think his friend's company will get it.)

5) post this to news forum to create awareness so that people won't be prey by this kind of Contactor irresponsibility by telling owner they can borrow their friends license.

6) informed the Contractor Company about your house renovation.

7) lodge a police report in-case anything happened to your house and the main suspect will be ""

Lastly, CHEER UP be Happy. Your Renovation had been completed. I believed anyone in the forum would like to see your renovated pictures, post some pictures to show us.

I will added somemore if there is any points I left out.

Edited May 12, 2009 by johnnyong

[kewin 0]

Thanks Johnny, I could not sleep.. I will do it tomorrow morning...

http://kewinhome.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-h...ation-woes.html

I had updated again.. I am not sure whether to post this into the renotalk

[pinkpetter 0]

mm I've been to your blog before! You're the one managing your reno alone while your wife's away is it?...

I know who your ID is already. And to think... he dare not come into the forum and comment anymore now... what a coward. *angry*

Edited May 12, 2009 by pinkpetter

[booy 0]

I think I also know who's your contractor.. Cheer up! Though it's a long process, at least it's more or less done up by now I hope?