carrot4 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 Ah Soon is not HDB licensed. I found that out after meeting him to discuss my quotation. I think he using other people license for your flat. Basically, not a good idea to let a contractor using other people license to do work - later when something wrong who you chase? Nice uncle is one thing, but doesn't mean nice uncle won't run away when got trouble. HDB licensed Contractor got liability with HDB: http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10298p.nsf/Pr...82571F80017798D and cannot run away easily if anything happens. More resource on HDB licensed contractor: http://askhdb.hdb.gov.sg/faq_selected.asp?...ory=27929,28058 Some talks about HDB licensed contractor in renotalk: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19716 I got a friend who got into trouble with his non-HDB licensed contractor. Worse was that the non-HDB licensed contractor was using illegal workers from m'sia who come here on day pass! Dun wan to scare u, but it is good if you try to ensure no such think happen for your project - conduct spot check yourself if you can... Anyway, good luck for your renovation, and hope everything ok! Finally I find a forumer to say this. I actually doubt if Ah Soon was a HDB registered contractor, and asked if he was, but I didn't receive a straight reply. My posted question was burried and forgotten. Now reading your post, I can confirm my finding was right. I think if you don't feel safe taking a non-registered contractor, you should go for a registered one. The people over here should know Ah Soon is not, but they're willing to take risk because of cheap price. So no point warning them when they already know. As long as everyone is happy with their renovation... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pinkpetter 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 hi there! i dun have to do flooring..coz mine is all done..i juz need to do wardrobe for MBR, kitchen cabinets, shoe cabinet, partition..mainly carpentry work..tiling prob juz strips of mosaic..no need windows... howz the loan procedures like? coz i prob getting my keys in a few mths' time..so dunno if i can apply for loan 1st.. mm haha too difficult to tell already. cos carpentry need to know size/length. loan procedures... you need to finalise quotation (with ANY contractor/ID), get the english quotation, submit with application form to Bank. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jessiemel 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 mmm maybe if you're more specific on what you're doing? floor tiling of the house? tiling of kitchen? tiling of toilets? plastering? windows? mm and yes you can get a loan with Uncle's quote. I did from OCBC. hi there! i dun have to do flooring..coz mine is all done..i juz need to do wardrobe for MBR, kitchen cabinets, shoe cabinet, partition..mainly carpentry work..tiling prob juz strips of mosaic..no need windows... howz the loan procedures like? coz i prob getting my keys in a few mths' time..so dunno if i can apply for loan 1st.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pinkpetter 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 dear all..especially for those whoz house are done up by uncle.. how much approximately will renovation cost for a 4-room premium? juz need the basics like capentry n all..can we obtain renovation loan with uncle's quotation? thanks for helping! mmm maybe if you're more specific on what you're doing? floor tiling of the house? tiling of kitchen? tiling of toilets? plastering? windows? mm and yes you can get a loan with Uncle's quote. I did from OCBC. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jessiemel 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 dear all..especially for those whoz house are done up by uncle.. how much approximately will renovation cost for a 4-room premium? juz need the basics like capentry n all..can we obtain renovation loan with uncle's quotation? thanks for helping! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
juz_me 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 Hi, Just wanna share my experience here abt Uncle Soon. Still at the sourcing stage and havent confirm anything yet. I have contacted some IDs and contractors. Was quoted a high price by the ID, and eventhough we discussed with them for over an hour, they still quoted an amount very much beyond our budget, and brushed aside our concerns over the price, saying that it would be a worthwhile investment in time to come. They also practically forgotten what we do not want, and when we met them the 2nd time, quite a no. of items they presented were not what we had wanted, and they tried to hardsell us to confirm a promotional thingy... I have also contacted another highly recommended Mr Y***. I am not sure if he is very busy, but he actually tell me to call him only when i have gotten my keys. So, cannot comment on Mr Y****.... Other contractors I have met, simply took my floorplan and take down notes of what we wanted, and said will revert with the quotations only after i have taken my keys... btw, i am getting my keys most prob end aug and renovating mid-sep bah... Then there is Uncle Soon. I must say that we must have been quite lucky. He did not fly our kite for our first meeting. As our floorplan was similar to an existing client, he suggested that we arrange to meet him the next day's evening at his client house @ pasir ris (no prizes for guessing right whose flat is that hoh..). When we reached the next night, Uncle Soon was there already with the owner, and he brought us around to see the renovation done. We were quite pleased with what we saw. And he suggested that we call him again to finalised the items to be done for our house like few weeks later. We have not reverted yet. But we feel quite okay with Uncle Soon, and he sounds like he knows what his stuff. The ID we talked to have to take down notes and said that will check and revert to us during the 2nd apptm, however, at the 2nd apptm, there were no updates. If his quote is good, we might take him. All i can say is that uncle soon is the only one we met so far, willing to quote us first and show us his work, despite knowing that we have not gotten our keys. Last, but not lest, i have also contacted Jason. Yup, uncle soon's brother who split from uncle soon recently. I emailed him my floorplan and the details of my renov and he called me the next day to arrange to meet up. He commented that he has an existing client with a similar layout @ pasir ris, can help arrange to bring us there see see look look =). So far, have not met him yet. But he sounded quite hesitant and not sure what to say over the phone, that's what i thought... hmm.. to add my 2cents' worth, regardless of whether u engaged a ID or a contractor, i guess still need to monitor that the works were done according to what you wanted, just that with uncle soon, you need to do more (of cos may be said easier than done). I think being cheap is one thing, you have to meet the actual person and talk to him/her to find out if you are comfortable with him handling ur project. Hi Felixp, Did send you a pm? Did you receive? Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Felixp 1 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 Hi, Just wanna share my experience here abt Uncle Soon. Still at the sourcing stage and havent confirm anything yet. I have contacted some IDs and contractors. Was quoted a high price by the ID, and eventhough we discussed with them for over an hour, they still quoted an amount very much beyond our budget, and brushed aside our concerns over the price, saying that it would be a worthwhile investment in time to come. They also practically forgotten what we do not want, and when we met them the 2nd time, quite a no. of items they presented were not what we had wanted, and they tried to hardsell us to confirm a promotional thingy... I have also contacted another highly recommended Mr Y***. I am not sure if he is very busy, but he actually tell me to call him only when i have gotten my keys. So, cannot comment on Mr Y****.... Other contractors I have met, simply took my floorplan and take down notes of what we wanted, and said will revert with the quotations only after i have taken my keys... btw, i am getting my keys most prob end aug and renovating mid-sep bah... Then there is Uncle Soon. I must say that we must have been quite lucky. He did not fly our kite for our first meeting. As our floorplan was similar to an existing client, he suggested that we arrange to meet him the next day's evening at his client house @ pasir ris (no prizes for guessing right whose flat is that hoh..). When we reached the next night, Uncle Soon was there already with the owner, and he brought us around to see the renovation done. We were quite pleased with what we saw. And he suggested that we call him again to finalised the items to be done for our house like few weeks later. We have not reverted yet. But we feel quite okay with Uncle Soon, and he sounds like he knows what his stuff. The ID we talked to have to take down notes and said that will check and revert to us during the 2nd apptm, however, at the 2nd apptm, there were no updates. If his quote is good, we might take him. All i can say is that uncle soon is the only one we met so far, willing to quote us first and show us his work, despite knowing that we have not gotten our keys. Last, but not lest, i have also contacted Jason. Yup, uncle soon's brother who split from uncle soon recently. I emailed him my floorplan and the details of my renov and he called me the next day to arrange to meet up. He commented that he has an existing client with a similar layout @ pasir ris, can help arrange to bring us there see see look look =). So far, have not met him yet. But he sounded quite hesitant and not sure what to say over the phone, that's what i thought... hmm.. to add my 2cents' worth, regardless of whether u engaged a ID or a contractor, i guess still need to monitor that the works were done according to what you wanted, just that with uncle soon, you need to do more (of cos may be said easier than done). I think being cheap is one thing, you have to meet the actual person and talk to him/her to find out if you are comfortable with him handling ur project. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pinkpetter 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 Uncle has too many projects so all those working for him siong until become very skinny. hahahahahhahahahaha ya Uncle becoming skinnier himself also. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sohck 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 mm if you ask for quotes too early he will miss a lot a lot a lot a lot of appts with you wor. It's better to approach him closer to the date then he will respond more promptly. Younger .. big sized one? if so, he's good also. There's also a younger skinny one, hair slightly long. That one good but slow. Uncle has too many projects so all those working for him siong until become very skinny. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pinkpetter 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 hi guys... could i too get ah soon's contact. thanks!!! erm...a silly question.. is it too soon to start asking for quotes when i expect to get my keys around oct (mid or late?) and will not be singapore till jan 2010. so likely, can't start any renov till jan right? but if pay deposit first, then when i come back chop chop start? mm if you ask for quotes too early he will miss a lot a lot a lot a lot of appts with you wor. It's better to approach him closer to the date then he will respond more promptly. The skinny uncle is the 1 bald 1 rite?Ya, he is good, can see from his work...I always buy drinks and kopi for him. I told him if wanna smoke juz smoke in the kitchen. Today another guy came, a younger guy, doing tiling also. Anyway called uncle to complain again to say slow..he say he will expediete... Younger .. big sized one? if so, he's good also. There's also a younger skinny one, hair slightly long. That one good but slow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
666 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 The skinny uncle is the 1 bald 1 rite?Ya, he is good, can see from his work...I always buy drinks and kopi for him. I told him if wanna smoke juz smoke in the kitchen. Today another guy came, a younger guy, doing tiling also. Anyway called uncle to complain again to say slow..he say he will expediete... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sohck 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 hi guys... could i too get ah soon's contact. thanks!!! erm...a silly question.. is it too soon to start asking for quotes when i expect to get my keys around oct (mid or late?) and will not be singapore till jan 2010. so likely, can't start any renov till jan right? but if pay deposit first, then when i come back chop chop start? Not silly at all. Ah Soon needs a lot of chasing, for meetings, for quotations, etc., so it's good you start early. Moreover, you will be able to log in the low price of renovation if you sign the contract early. [i am assuming property market will improve and so renovation cost will increase too]. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
necrosis 0 Report post Posted June 17, 2009 hi guys... could i too get ah soon's contact. thanks!!! erm...a silly question.. is it too soon to start asking for quotes when i expect to get my keys around oct (mid or late?) and will not be singapore till jan 2010. so likely, can't start any renov till jan right? but if pay deposit first, then when i come back chop chop start? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
home_together 0 Report post Posted June 16, 2009 2day start renovation on my IL place, Ah Soon pasted the letter on HDB renovation tingey..i saw on the letter contractor ID is from upper paya lebar road, seems like HDB unit num..hmm..wierd.dun hav chance to ask him. Ah Soon is not HDB licensed. I found that out after meeting him to discuss my quotation. I think he using other people license for your flat. Basically, not a good idea to let a contractor using other people license to do work - later when something wrong who you chase? Nice uncle is one thing, but doesn't mean nice uncle won't run away when got trouble. HDB licensed Contractor got liability with HDB: http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10298p.nsf/Pr...82571F80017798D and cannot run away easily if anything happens. More resource on HDB licensed contractor: http://askhdb.hdb.gov.sg/faq_selected.asp?...ory=27929,28058 Some talks about HDB licensed contractor in renotalk: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19716 I got a friend who got into trouble with his non-HDB licensed contractor. Worse was that the non-HDB licensed contractor was using illegal workers from m'sia who come here on day pass! Dun wan to scare u, but it is good if you try to ensure no such think happen for your project - conduct spot check yourself if you can... Anyway, good luck for your renovation, and hope everything ok! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pinkpetter 0 Report post Posted June 16, 2009 wah but 14 days really a bit short. I know two skinny uncles.. both just as good. I liked them both. I hope one of them is the one you're mentioning 666. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
