Humble Haven

[prettyinpink 0]

In return for all the learnings i've gained thru this forum, i will be sharing my journey on reno of our flat which i hope will turn out beautiful and meeting the many occupants in our home.

Not easy to satisfy everyone so writing in the T-blog also gives me a chance to destress n somehow i hope will keep me sane during this reno period.

Currently looking out for ID, have shortlisted some and now waiting for their quotations.

Like many other forummers the journey starts with looking for the hse agt, then looking for the "perfect" home (hopefully loan shark free ), engaging an FSM, do FS audit then look for ID and not to forget spending many hours reading up on this forum (until my glasses thicken) plus researching the net so that the ID don't cut throat with the quotes or materials and we would get what we want instead of smtg sub-standard.

Overall it has been great learning journey and i'd like to thank all forummers for filling this place with a sea of knowledge for ppl like me to fish.

In the next week or so, i hope to be able to make some progress in the search of my ID, and with time permitting from work, i'll write more about the ID selection process later.

[ne0mesis 0]

In return for all the learnings i've gained thru this forum, i will be sharing my journey on reno of our flat which i hope will turn out beautiful and meeting the many occupants in our home.

Not easy to satisfy everyone so writing in the T-blog also gives me a chance to destress n somehow i hope will keep me sane during this reno period.

Currently looking out for ID, have shortlisted some and now waiting for their quotations.

Like many other forummers the journey starts with looking for the hse agt, then looking for the "perfect" home (hopefully loan shark free ), engaging an FSM, do FS audit then look for ID and not to forget spending many hours reading up on this forum (until my glasses thicken) plus researching the net so that the ID don't cut throat with the quotes or materials and we would get what we want instead of smtg sub-standard.

Overall it has been great learning journey and i'd like to thank all forummers for filling this place with a sea of knowledge for ppl like me to fish.

In the next week or so, i hope to be able to make some progress in the search of my ID, and with time permitting from work, i'll write more about the ID selection process later.

hi, fellow EAer.

welcome to RT forum and yes, i agree that this platform has tonnes of archive of information to better prepare you for your reno journey.

i would say reno is a painful and laborious process yet the fulfilling and most satisfying one.

cause at the end of the journey, is your brand new home, built to your prefection

enjoy ur stay here and may you have a smooth renovation ahead ya!

[hippobb 0]

welcome... looking forward to ur reno pics!!

[prettyinpink 0]

Thanks for your support.

First up, here is my floorplan:

ID selection process began with getting:-

1) Frens recommendations. Chose a few.

2) Read renotalk, choose one or two.

3) Next get quote from icompare and renotalk:

From icompare: some came back with quotations without meetup about 2 out of 20 from icompare and only 1 from renotalk. The rest needs to meet up before providing quotation. At that point, i thot ........where got time to meet everyone without seeing quotation first So i got to plan selective meet ups.

One of the icompare IDs were not able to quote even tho' they promised to come back after 2 weeks so strike off and told them i don't need them to quote any longer. Two of them push very hard to meet up, "Otherwise all contractors will be fully booked and we cannot rush to complete your project before CNY", ..........also strike off.

Then comes the meet up of the few shortlisted IDs (i shall not give names of ID in public - prior to my final selection):

1st one, U Home:

Nicest showflat of all i've visited, ID promised to come back w quotation after one week, did not get a quote until after 2 weeks......wait really long, nearly gave up. Quote came back very reasonable and surprisingly is more of the more complete ones with everything i require. Wow, ID can remember lots of things, even after 2 weeks, altho he seem like the boh chap type. Waiting to view workmanship. Shortlisted.

2nd one, Pavilion Creation:

One of the icompare IDs, very eager to show me samples of materials used. Quotation came back way above budget. ID quite FS pro but not so knowledgeable about things like opennet, etc, strike off.

3rd one, Ideal Design Studio:

Went to the show flat for meet up, not very impressed with the showflat and 1st impression, but will still do 2nd meet up for quotation discussion. Met up and quotation came round the same figure as others. Not HDB registered hence will strike off.

4th one, Inside Living:

One of the recommended ID from one of the forummers here. Unfortunately the ID rec was busy so was referred to another colleague instead since i wanted someone who could take up my project. Went for meetup, ID was very detailed and professional. Spent 2 hours discussing my requirements and ID can notice very interesting things about my new flat from my photos which i'd taken. E.g. i had a door which can open up till 180o, there are gas pipes running above my kitchen cabinets etc. Very impressed with this ID. Waiting for quotation. Shortlisted.

5th one, Ideal House:

Also one of the highly rec ID from renotalk. Met up but showflat is non-existent. Quotation was completed within a week. The disadvantage with this one is he cannot promise delivery bef CNY. Had gone to view one of his completed projects, tilings were nicely done, however, cabinets were so-so. Quote came back around the same as 1st ID. Strike off

So in short, its a tedious process but meet up of IDs do give you many perspective and the chance to know what you want for your reno. Since spouse cannot spare the time, the ID selection basically falls on my tiny shoulders. Keeping my fingers crossed that everything will turn out well.

Edited February 10, 2011 by prettyinpink

[yummy 0]

Yay another EA! whereabouts are u staying?

Hope u are able to find a good ID/contractor.. its a tedious process, but in the end atleast u have the peace of mind knowing u did ur homework

[leechaorui 2]

In return for all the learnings i've gained thru this forum, i will be sharing my journey on reno of our flat which i hope will turn out beautiful and meeting the many occupants in our home.

Not easy to satisfy everyone so writing in the T-blog also gives me a chance to destress n somehow i hope will keep me sane during this reno period.

Currently looking out for ID, have shortlisted some and now waiting for their quotations.

Like many other forummers the journey starts with looking for the hse agt, then looking for the "perfect" home (hopefully loan shark free ), engaging an FSM, do FS audit then look for ID and not to forget spending many hours reading up on this forum (until my glasses thicken) plus researching the net so that the ID don't cut throat with the quotes or materials and we would get what we want instead of smtg sub-standard.

Overall it has been great learning journey and i'd like to thank all forummers for filling this place with a sea of knowledge for ppl like me to fish.

In the next week or so, i hope to be able to make some progress in the search of my ID, and with time permitting from work, i'll write more about the ID selection process later.

Welcome to RT. Have you selected your ID and started your reno?

[prettyinpink 0]

Welcome to RT. Have you selected your ID and started your reno?

Going to soon, why ? Do u have somebody to recommend ?

[leechaorui 2]

Going to soon, why ? Do u have somebody to recommend ?

There are quite a number of IDs that forumers have used and recommended here already. Looking forward to see your 3D pictures.

[prettyinpink 0]

There are quite a number of IDs that forumers have used and recommended here already. Looking forward to see your 3D pictures.

Thanks leechaorui.

After assessing workmanship w 3 IDs, i chose the one w the best overall workmanship, U Home. Spouse very particular about carpentry so we took note of materials used,presence of laminate separation esp at eye level for wardrobe, joint laminate smoothness, false ceiling, sliding doors etc. Hence very sad to let one of the IDs , Inside Living, go. Really liked the kitchen for this other ID so if i want to do a kitchen makeover, i know where to go to.

Like buying a house, i guess you can never expect ID to be perfect.

Just signed w my ID. Next up will be HDB permit application.

Edited February 10, 2011 by prettyinpink

[tigerlily88 0]

Welcome fellow EA!

I'm more or less at the same stage as you. Currently very frustrated selecting an ID and the pressure is bigger each day. I hope I can quickly settle with an ID soon. Wishing you smooth journey and post more pics ya? cheers!

[steelze 0]

hey bro, i'm also at your stage now. But i have yet to confirm which ID or contractor to go for. Both of our quotes are comparative, but i have yet to see their workmanship.

How do we check on workmanship? just tell the ID and contractor to bring us to their completed units like this?

[prettyinpink 0]

hey bro, i'm also at your stage now. But i have yet to confirm which ID or contractor to go for. Both of our quotes are comparative, but i have yet to see their workmanship.

How do we check on workmanship? just tell the ID and contractor to bring us to their completed units like this?

Yes, just tell them to bring you to see one of their projects. For my IDs, i did not specify what i wanted to see....... cos i wanted to see what they would show me without me telling them, sort of like act blur. The more savvy ones will know that they should bring you to see the things they would similarly be doing for you. Or if you want to be really specific, just let them know what you'd like to see, e.g. similar sized flat, similar layout, same things renovated etc.

Ultimately, go for a registered HDB contractor, someone whom you can trust with proven long track record. I've just heard another horrow story of my colleagues neighbour's contractor running off with their money leaving tools behind in the unfinished flat. It's a cruel world out there so "buyers beware".

Good luck in your search for your ID.

[freshpoison77 0]

Yes, just tell them to bring you to see one of their projects. For my IDs, i did not specify what i wanted to see....... cos i wanted to see what they would show me without me telling them, sort of like act blur. The more savvy ones will know that they should bring you to see the things they would similarly be doing for you. Or if you want to be really specific, just let them know what you'd like to see, e.g. similar sized flat, similar layout, same things renovated etc.

Ultimately, go for a registered HDB contractor, someone whom you can trust with proven long track record. I've just heard another horrow story of my colleagues neighbour's contractor running off with their money leaving tools behind in the unfinished flat. It's a cruel world out there so "buyers beware".

Good luck in your search for your ID.

I made the same request to my ID abt viewing his projects. He told me not a problem BUT hw would I know whether the projects were really done by him?

Even if he brought me to someone else's projects and told me the projects belonged to him, I wouldn't know better. After thinking thru, I told him to skip the viewing part.

But that's me... so pls dun shoot me...

[prettyinpink 0]

I made the same request to my ID abt viewing his projects. He told me not a problem BUT hw would I know whether the projects were really done by him?

Even if he brought me to someone else's projects and told me the projects belonged to him, I wouldn't know better. After thinking thru, I told him to skip the viewing part.

But that's me... so pls dun shoot me...

One way to verify would be the way the owners interact with the ID e.g. one of the owners we encountered actually asked the ID if he could send the workers to fix something. Otherwise, just make some comment on the house to the owners and if it's really genuinely done by the IDs, they'll say smtg like " thanks to them, he did it for me '" It's not difficult, with some observations.

[Apple12345678 0]

hey, guess we have the same layout plan. Beams/recessed area everywhere...Hope you have a smooth revo journey. Mine just completed.