Project Spacemax

[january 0]

@eggroe, damage is rather substantial. $8Kish. But each item has the lowest price that I checked! Marble top has chipped edges due to poor handling and installation. This is what happens when you don't install it properly the first time, and have to remove it to install a second time.

@reglxt, ynwa88: thank youuu.

@kenlim_76: Can't rmb off the top of my head, maybe $1K w/o wallpaper? Maybe a bit more.

If you think my contractor is overcharging me, PLEASE LET ME KNOW so that I can nego during the final payment.

[Reiki 0]

Today is electronics shopping day. Bought pretty much everything from Mega Discount Store at Kallang Leisure Park. They have excellent staff and excellent prices, highly recommended!

Cool buy there, January. I have always trusted Mega Discount Store but the outlet that I patronized over the many years is at United Square and always getting the same friendly and reliable salesguy all this while. (Hehe, I am not associated with the Store but surely a shop that is highly recommended).

[lazybum9 1]

...And the living room is complete.

Before - no wallpaper, purple wall, no curtains.

After - wallpapered, grey wall (looks brown due to white balance setting), curtains.

Close up of the wallpaper. It's a really nice textured piece which is really hard to photograph nicely.

I'd waited almost 3 months for this wallpaper and I'm sooo glad it turned out to be beautiful. *whew* I'm satisfied with the results!

nice colour and wallpaper...

[january 0]

I didn't bring my camera last night, so these are iPhone pics...

All the way from Indonesia, our sofa unboxed!

The sofa seller packed an extra cushion for us...

Washing machine, dishwasher stack.

Ohh the dishwasher is beautiful. And it is still speaking German.

[csingeu 0]

Ohh the dishwasher is beautiful. And it is still speaking German.

Wah.. your dishwasher so atas... LOL... can "train" it to speak in other languages or even dialects?

[january 0]

@csingeu: You're an IT man right? Maybe you can program it to speak kopitiam Hokkien for me!

Anyway.

Getting the keys back from contractor today since most of the electronics is in the place alr.

Will need to schedule a day for inspection and bill settlement during the handover. Should probably get some negotiation tips from mae29

Happy CNY everyone

[january 0]

Got a quote from the contractor for some additional items... Seems like he inflated the prices quite a bit to recoup for the losses due to the mistakes that he made. Well, if he's going to be unethical...

1. He's charging me $800 to polish marble and $800 to polish parquet, both of which were damaged because he didn't do the floor protection well enough. I don't think I should be paying for this, especially when he is charging $700 for protection and $500 for cleaning. Also, the toilet seats all have urine stains because the workers who were using them didn't keep them clean. I still need to get him to change it.

2. $950 for 5 additional powerpoints (concealed wiring), and a door bell which he covered up by mistake with the shoe cabinet.

3. $950 to repaint the walls because the first paint job wasn't well done. Btw he only charged $600 for the first time, to paint the walls not covered by wallpaper.

4. $550 for minor plumbing works.

5. $650 for PVC bifold door?! Including removal of the bomb shelter door.

And more for some other items.

Plus, his statement of accounts are such a big mess. I have to look through 4 different revised quotes to figure out exactly how much I will need to pay him.

This guy has given me no reason to trust him anymore. I'll need to start calling up the different vendors to figure out prices. I'm not going to let him earn the money so easily.

[footprint 0]

PVC bi-fold door = $650??

super inflated!!!!

He is really so unethical!!!

[everton 0]

Got a quote from the contractor for some additional items... Seems like he inflated the prices quite a bit to recoup for the losses due to the mistakes that he made. Well, if he's going to be unethical...

1. He's charging me $800 to polish marble and $800 to polish parquet, both of which were damaged because he didn't do the floor protection well enough. I don't think I should be paying for this, especially when he is charging $700 for protection and $500 for cleaning. Also, the toilet seats all have urine stains because the workers who were using them didn't keep them clean. I still need to get him to change it.

2. $950 for 5 additional powerpoints (concealed wiring), and a door bell which he covered up by mistake with the shoe cabinet.

3. $950 to repaint the walls because the first paint job wasn't well done. Btw he only charged $600 for the first time, to paint the walls not covered by wallpaper.

4. $550 for minor plumbing works.

5. $650 for PVC bifold door?! Including removal of the bomb shelter door.

And more for some other items.

Plus, his statement of accounts are such a big mess. I have to look through 4 different revised quotes to figure out exactly how much I will need to pay him.

This guy has given me no reason to trust him anymore. I'll need to start calling up the different vendors to figure out prices. I'm not going to let him earn the money so easily.

I fully agree . It's daylight robbery. If yours is a new condo then he ought to be reimbursing you for the damage done to the parquet and marble. How dare he charge you to rectify the damage he's caused.

$950 to repaint walls? @($( ...... he is supposed to touch up the walls and paint over any dirt or parts that were not completed before handing the house back over to you. The house should be in pristine condition when he hands it over to you. If you've already paid him $600 for it, then tell him he needs to deliver properly repainted walls.....a**h***

$950 for 5 power points, concealed or not that is absolutely ridiculous

$650 for a bifold door?????? tell him you'll buy him a new one.

Did you agree to the pricing before he installed and made good on these items? unless you've signed on something, don't pay him. I really hope you are witholding some of his payment. Sorry, but I am flipping out at the nerve of this chap.

[lazybum9 1]

5. $650 for PVC bifold door?! Including removal of the bomb shelter door.

are we allowed to remove bomb shelter door???

[january 0]

Did you agree to the pricing before he installed and made good on these items? unless you've signed on something, don't pay him. I really hope you are witholding some of his payment. Sorry, but I am flipping out at the nerve of this chap.

Nope, these are additional items, so nothing was signed when he went on to install these things.

He didn't chase me for payment according to schedule, so I am still withholding a significant amount of the final payment.

@lazybum: I removed the door but am keeping it inside of the bomb shelter. Don't think it will be an issue unless you're trying to sell away the house and an inspector comes.

[steelze 0]

Got a quote from the contractor for some additional items... Seems like he inflated the prices quite a bit to recoup for the losses due to the mistakes that he made. Well, if he's going to be unethical...

1. He's charging me $800 to polish marble and $800 to polish parquet, both of which were damaged because he didn't do the floor protection well enough. I don't think I should be paying for this, especially when he is charging $700 for protection and $500 for cleaning. Also, the toilet seats all have urine stains because the workers who were using them didn't keep them clean. I still need to get him to change it.

2. $950 for 5 additional powerpoints (concealed wiring), and a door bell which he covered up by mistake with the shoe cabinet.

3. $950 to repaint the walls because the first paint job wasn't well done. Btw he only charged $600 for the first time, to paint the walls not covered by wallpaper.

4. $550 for minor plumbing works.

5. $650 for PVC bifold door?! Including removal of the bomb shelter door.

And more for some other items.

Plus, his statement of accounts are such a big mess. I have to look through 4 different revised quotes to figure out exactly how much I will need to pay him.

This guy has given me no reason to trust him anymore. I'll need to start calling up the different vendors to figure out prices. I'm not going to let him earn the money so easily.

ur contractor's Variation Orders are crap... can't believe that he thinks owners like us are stupid and will accept his VO without comparing market prices. worse, most of the VO are result of his poor work and neglience which led to damages on your initial purchased items.

good thing is that he has already did all the additional items w/o getting ur $$$ yet. dun pay that idiot a single cent. $650 for bi-fold door? i can get 3 bi-fold doors for that amount, or simply go for tempered glass swing door @ only $400+. that $950 powerpoint is a joke. my electrician installed for me 4 additional double powerpoint @ ZERO costs. Repaint wall SHOULD NOT be a VO item because this is a VERY basic customer's rights to demand touch-up of his poor work.

[everton 0]

ur contractor's Variation Orders are crap... can't believe that he thinks owners like us are stupid and will accept his VO without comparing market prices. worse, most of the VO are result of his poor work and neglience which led to damages on your initial purchased items.

good thing is that he has already did all the additional items w/o getting ur $$$ yet. dun pay that idiot a single cent. $650 for bi-fold door? i can get 3 bi-fold doors for that amount, or simply go for tempered glass swing door @ only $400+. that $950 powerpoint is a joke. my electrician installed for me 4 additional double powerpoint @ ZERO costs. Repaint wall SHOULD NOT be a VO item because this is a VERY basic customer's rights to demand touch-up of his poor work.

SOMEONE ought to kick his cheatin' contractor's butt all around Singapore...across to JB.....and some might even say into Batam as well. SOMEONE, are you reading this????

[May_dream1 14]

Plus, his statement of accounts are such a big mess. I have to look through 4 different revised quotes to figure out exactly how much I will need to pay him.

This guy has given me no reason to trust him anymore. I'll need to start calling up the different vendors to figure out prices. I'm not going to let him earn the money so easily.

black list him..... put it here and warn all others about his bad service

[january 0]

...headache

I feel that I should pay him for the work done, but I want to pay him a fair amount, and not this inflated amount that he's quoted me.

I called up CASE this afternoon to try to figure out what I could do if I feel that the contractor is charging me way above market rate for reno items, and the lady on the phone said that I need to gather 2 or more quotes to establish the market rate and prove that he is overcharging.

So renotalkers, I need your help.

Please post or PM me your contractors quotes for the following items:

1. False ceiling

2. Electrical

3. Acrylic or PVC bi-fold door

4. Bed head

5. Shoe Cabinet

6. TV console

7. Painting (indicate size of house as a estimation of area painted)

8. Protection and cleaning

Please indicate the contractor/reno firm's name, address and contact number, the date of the quote. Include the dimensions and materials used as much as possible.

I would be so so so grateful for your kindness.

Edited February 8, 2011 by january