SmallCarrot 0 Report post Posted July 24, 2009 (edited) I may join Ah Soon fan club. I believe he has enough customer to form a local contractor union. Since so many owners can do the design themselves and choose material easily from anywhere in Singapore, owner can become the ID themselves and saving like 20%~30% cost. However, I think all sub-contractors have to pay him some insurance in case some bad workmanship require extra efforts to redo. I will also do a T-Blog to share. Mine is a very bad condition and odd-shaped but cheapest psf in central with open view to New Year Count down I can view directly live fireworks count down 2010 from my living room! 180 degree wide open unblock! Edited July 24, 2009 by SmallCarrot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pinkpetter 0 Report post Posted July 23, 2009 ya... generally laminate has a hollower feeling compared to parquet's solid feeling... makes for the difference in price I guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaskel 2 Report post Posted July 23, 2009 Well at that time, we were chasing for him to complete the works coz house was in a mess, dusty and dirty.. We were so relieved after its over...didnt realise oso my MIL gave him full payment liao when works 90% completed.. now IL oso never ask me to ask him about the rest of the table top..so let it be. But we installed an additional bi-fold door for store room, he charged us $200...isit reasonable? When he brought the samples, it felt like wood..hehe, thot ok till it was installed...does the more branded laminate like supreme etc the same? Well 666, bi-fold door is ard $150-$250, so it consider reasonable. As for laminate flooring, most of the samples are more to the woody feeling. As for the thickness, is 8mm - 12mm only, depend on the type/brand u chosen (of course price different a lot). Material wise also have few types and it do different too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ivy 0 Report post Posted July 23, 2009 Well at that time, we were chasing for him to complete the works coz house was in a mess, dusty and dirty.. We were so relieved after its over...didnt realise oso my MIL gave him full payment liao when works 90% completed.. now IL oso never ask me to ask him about the rest of the table top..so let it be. But we installed an additional bi-fold door for store room, he charged us $200...isit reasonable? When he brought the samples, it felt like wood..hehe, thot ok till it was installed...does the more branded laminate like supreme etc the same? how thick is the laminate supposed to be? if taking the standard ones whichever brand more or less the same, cos the thickness is the same. but of course for each brand there is an option to upgrade to thicker version, which will produce less hollow sound. i read also somewhere that can add a layer of dunno what below the laminate to lesser the hollow sound and feel. but of cos all these will need top up. 666 if u like the woody feel, parquet is the way to go, not laminate (which is well know for having the not so solid feel when step on and also produces hollow sound). i didn't install bi-fold door so not sure what is the price for bi-fold. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
familyof4 0 Report post Posted July 23, 2009 Well at that time, we were chasing for him to complete the works coz house was in a mess, dusty and dirty.. We were so relieved after its over...didnt realise oso my MIL gave him full payment liao when works 90% completed.. now IL oso never ask me to ask him about the rest of the table top..so let it be. But we installed an additional bi-fold door for store room, he charged us $200...isit reasonable? When he brought the samples, it felt like wood..hehe, thot ok till it was installed...does the more branded laminate like supreme etc the same? how thick is the laminate supposed to be? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
666 0 Report post Posted July 23, 2009 Well at that time, we were chasing for him to complete the works coz house was in a mess, dusty and dirty.. We were so relieved after its over...didnt realise oso my MIL gave him full payment liao when works 90% completed.. now IL oso never ask me to ask him about the rest of the table top..so let it be. But we installed an additional bi-fold door for store room, he charged us $200...isit reasonable? When he brought the samples, it felt like wood..hehe, thot ok till it was installed...does the more branded laminate like supreme etc the same? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ivy 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2009 666 u just need to tell uncle, he will deduct for u de. He deducted off certain things for me when i opt for cheaper option and some of the things which i chose a more expensive option, he also never open his mouth to ask me to top up, but when I know that my final selection is more expensive, I will ask him to add on to my VO. as for the laminate, most of the laminate feels about the same IMHO, of course there are those much thickers one that you can choose but need to top up. Did u see the samples? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pinkpetter 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2009 hi seashell! CONGRATS!!!!! Start a T-blog for us to see!! please please please... 666... huh why your IL never ask for a reduction since it's like that? mmm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
666 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2009 Well ya..agreed..my IL missed out on certain points.like. - Kitchen table top he promised us to change for us granite but on actual installation only 1/4 of the table top surface can change to granite coz the base is wood so cannot change.. IL did not haggle about price reduction. - Laminate so far i hate the laminate he install for my In law place rather pay bit more for quality laminate..it feels like steppin on plastic. - Some other stuff which he agreed to do verbally but all end up not done like giving us free glass shelves in the bathrooms. Better write everything in black & white coz sometimes his quotation description very brief.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackcar 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2009 Can someone PM me Ah Soon's number? Thanks alot PM u liao Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ckcboy02 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2009 Can someone PM me Ah Soon's number? Thanks alot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackcar 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2009 hi pinkpetter n all supporters of ah soon, i finally confirmed with ah soon on my renovation! he can even start the hacking works quite immediately... (haven't even collect the downpayment from me.. haha...) he quoted me really a very good deal, mine is a 5room revamp -- i approached at least 32 renovation companines- big and small.. big ones charged me $50K - $70K .. while smaller ones charges me $43-45K...(without lighting points) I gotten quote from Ah Soon is $38K (WITH LIGHTING POINTS!!) I went to see his workmanship for carpentry, it is good. I have seen the raw structure of the carpentry --meaning haven't install all the doors n etc.. the wood is solid ply and not those any kind of mdf... I have seen IDs firms worksite, their quality also the same as Ah Soon... At least now i am convinced that what ID firm offers, contractor can offer the same thing. The only thing is, u got to come up the design yourself!! i am doing quite alot of modification to my house And carpentry work... so, i guess it is quite a challenge for him and us..!! i will post pictures soon if anyone is interested Congras, hacking super fast one. Did u change the flooring too? If not, make sure they placed protective sheet over it. Last time my marble flooring they didnt put it at all. Reason bcos can polish di, stoopid reason. After hacking, will be waiting and waiting time. If you replacing all the doors to veneer door type, make sure u that they provides u the SOLID door instead of hollow one. Coz the price wont be much difference of less than $40 or so. But yet, they didnt offer me to get SOLID veneer door, i wonder why. If u doing laminate wood, their offer will be either Power dekor or Ace flooring. As for Power dekor they will wanna charge u 7 percent GST, they claim that it is the laminate company asking for it, another stoopid reason. End up i choose Ace flooring instead, both are from China made and installer are the guys from Power Dekor staffs. Oh yes, the shower screen, if you wan more than standard height of 1.8 meter, u better sounds it out, if not they will claim that u didnt inform them. Electrical point, nego for a lump sum instead of breakdown of individual job done, tis will save u quite abit. U got to determine how many electrical points for yr unit before nego with them for the lump sum charges. Freebies, cant go without it. Like locks, door stopper, door bell, store room shelving and many mores................... U wont regret getting Ah Soon, but not the hometeam though u got to be strict with them. If Ah Soon is the man, u r in luck!!! Happy Reno!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ivy 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2009 ahhh so i see u are an ex-soon hahahha will u be starting ur T-Blog soon? when is reno starting? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seashell 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2009 hi ivy no worries.. i know it years back.. haha... i am staying my mother house so i can afford to let him drag a bit... during then, i was rushing to move in before CNY, i also keep chase after him.. one good thing, he never get angry... (Cus i am impatient and can sound quite fierce!) sometimes we got to give and take... but also cannot drag too long... i told him business is business, if u promised to do it within a certain period, u must make sure u can... which he agreed.. he even told me, now, especially customers referred from internet, must handle with 'TLC''...hahaah.... oh my house is in the east Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ivy 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2009 hi pinkpetter n all supporters of ah soon, i finally confirmed with ah soon on my renovation! he can even start the hacking works quite immediately... (haven't even collect the downpayment from me.. haha...) he quoted me really a very good deal, mine is a 5room revamp -- i approached at least 32 renovation companines- big and small.. big ones charged me $50K - $70K .. while smaller ones charges me $43-45K...(without lighting points) I gotten quote from Ah Soon is $38K (WITH LIGHTING POINTS!!) I went to see his workmanship for carpentry, it is good. I have seen the raw structure of the carpentry --meaning haven't install all the doors n etc.. the wood is solid ply and not those any kind of mdf... I have seen IDs firms worksite, their quality also the same as Ah Soon... At least now i am convinced that what ID firm offers, contractor can offer the same thing. The only thing is, u got to come up the design yourself!! i am doing quite alot of modification to my house And carpentry work... so, i guess it is quite a challenge for him and us..!! i will post pictures soon if anyone is interested post post post. very interested. but ahhh again pls pls be prepared to face some of uncle's habits which we highlighted earlier. where is ur unit? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
