Builder Vs Architect

[petetherock 13]

Nice

How much did you spend ?

[johnlimmkk 0]

@mayflower can pm me the contractor details? My sister is looking to do some minor alterations to her old terrace. Too bad my side already confirmed with my builder if not will be happy to ask yours for a quote.

[snoozee 98]

41 minutes ago, johnlimmkk said:

@mayflower can pm me the contractor details? My sister is looking to do some minor alterations to her old terrace. Too bad my side already confirmed with my builder if not will be happy to ask yours for a quote.

make sure whichever contractor who is engaged has applied for the permit to do the works. previously for minor works on landed properties, contractors can do it own time own target. but with the COVID situation, all works must be approved by BCA before starting.

When BCA approved the works, the contractor has to put in place all safe distancing measures, etc as well as having safeentry scanning on site. if there's no approval and works are started, what could happen is that authorities issue a stop work and the workers who are on site may end up being deported and barred from returning to SG to work. As the owner, you would be stuck with a job site without knowing when the works can be finished.

Reason why BCA has implemented this is to keep track of all the workers to prevent/reduce community infections. Also, BCA would coordinate with other agencies to arrange for the workers to undergo swab test every 14 days. if the contractor ignores all these regulations, he would be putting his workers, the house owner and the neighbours at risk.

[Albus 0]

Hi,

i am new to Renotalk and this forum.

I am living in a 2 storey intermediate terrace for 25 years. i'd like to embark on an A&A for my house to replace all pipings and wirings as well as to extend to 2.5 storey. can forumers please help me to understand the estimated cost involved as well as any recommended builders?

if you prefer, please pm me at gg66052@gmail.com

thanks  in advance.

[snoozee 98]

1 hour ago, Albus said:

Hi,

i am new to Renotalk and this forum.

I am living in a 2 storey intermediate terrace for 25 years. i'd like to embark on an A&A for my house to replace all pipings and wirings as well as to extend to 2.5 storey. can forumers please help me to understand the estimated cost involved as well as any recommended builders?

if you prefer, please pm me at gg66052@gmail.com

thanks  in advance.

extending your house from 2 storey to 2.5 storey means it would be a reconstruction project. Fee payable to URA is $6420 (including GST).

you will need to find a QP (architect or professional engineer) to do the submission for you.

as you've been staying in the house for so long, I supposed you have the original building plans. talk to a PE or a builder (who would find a PE) on whether it is possible to extend your house to 2.5 storey or not. A lot depends on the existing foundation and whether the foundation can support the additional storey. If foundation needs to be strengthened, then it would mean extra cost. Then the PE would need to design the structure for the new attic storey. Whether to use steel structure or RC structure for the attic would be up to the PE and costs would be different.

Redo the wiring and sanitary would be another big cost especially if the existing pipes are all concealed. this would mean the existing pipes need to be hacked out from the walls and new conduits/pipes inserted and walls re-plastered. this could be easily 80k to 100k in costs without the sanitary fittings included. If your existing house does not have 3 phase electricity and you wish to upgrade to 3 phase, then need to pay another 5K plus to SP Group to run the new cable to your house. The electrician would also need to run new underground cables from the meter compartment to the distribution box in your house.

All in all, expect to spend at least 300k and up to redo your house.

Construction cost is evolving and may go upwards depending on how the COVID-19 situation pans out. Currently all construction workers need to undergo swab test every 2 weeks and this cost is being borne by the government until 31 Mar 2021. If there is no vaccine for COVID-19 by then and government decides not to fund this testing anymore, this cost would be borne by the contractors and passed back to the owners/developers. Assuming the cost of testing each worker every time is $200, if the contractor has 10 workers on hand, this would be an additional $4000 every month. So if your project is estimated to take 12 months to complete, this swabbing cost would most likely be passed back to you and your construction cost would increase by $48k. If you add in the cost recovered by other subcons, this additional cost would be much higher.

While it is good your you to start planning the works now, I would suggest holding off the works for 1 year or so if you can until at least the COVID-19 situation stabalises in SG. Currently even though construction industry has restarted and BCA had allowed many projects which were paused during the CB to resume, I still see many landed housing projects not restarting due to the lack of workers.

 

[IceEyez 4]

On 7/26/2020 at 12:48 PM, snoozee said:

extending your house from 2 storey to 2.5 storey means it would be a reconstruction project. Fee payable to URA is $6420 (including GST).

Not true actually. Adding the 0.5 storey (meaning attic) can still be considered as A&A project. Only if it is an "additional storey", meaning from 2 stories to 3 stories in a 3-storey landed zone, or 1 storey to a 2 storey in a 2-storey landed zone then it has to automatically be classified as Reconstruction. Therefore it may still be possible to qualify for direct A&A lodgement (Fee payable will only be $742 (incl GST)), assuming other parameters remain - increase in GFA less than 50%, facade change less than 50%, structural changes less than 50%,

On 7/26/2020 at 12:48 PM, snoozee said:

as you've been staying in the house for so long, I supposed you have the original building plans. talk to a PE or a builder (who would find a PE) on whether it is possible to extend your house to 2.5 storey or not. A lot depends on the existing foundation and whether the foundation can support the additional storey. If foundation needs to be strengthened, then it would mean extra cost. Then the PE would need to design the structure for the new attic storey. Whether to use steel structure or RC structure for the attic would be up to the PE and costs would be different.

If the house is at least 25 years old, you will almost certainly need new structure to support the attic as the structural loading calculations have become much more stringent nowadays compared to then. There will be necessary new foundations together with new columns to support the new floor. The most efficient method would be then to add steel structure for both new 1st storey and 2nd storey columns and even the attic floor slab. Reason being it is more difficult to do form work and cast RC columns within the existing house due to limited working space. It is easier to simply bring in steel columns that have been fabricated off site and do welding. Also, loading of steel structure will be lighter for the new floor, meaning that even if the soil is weaker (east coast area etc), it becomes possible to do away with piling to support the attic storey and use footings only - Cheaper and saves time.

 

[Albus 0]

Thanks for the useful comments, and suggestions, bros.

i guess i will start planning and wait for the right time to do the actual work.

I will continue to seek advice from fellow forumers as i embark on my journey.

[snoozee 98]

2 hours ago, IceEyez said:

Not true actually. Adding the 0.5 storey (meaning attic) can still be considered as A&A project. Only if it is an "additional storey", meaning from 2 stories to 3 stories in a 3-storey landed zone, or 1 storey to a 2 storey in a 2-storey landed zone then it has to automatically be classified as Reconstruction. Therefore it may still be possible to qualify for direct A&A lodgement (Fee payable will only be $742 (incl GST)), assuming other parameters remain - increase in GFA less than 50%, facade change less than 50%, structural changes less than 50%,

If the house is at least 25 years old, you will almost certainly need new structure to support the attic as the structural loading calculations have become much more stringent nowadays compared to then. There will be necessary new foundations together with new columns to support the new floor. The most efficient method would be then to add steel structure for both new 1st storey and 2nd storey columns and even the attic floor slab. Reason being it is more difficult to do form work and cast RC columns within the existing house due to limited working space. It is easier to simply bring in steel columns that have been fabricated off site and do welding. Also, loading of steel structure will be lighter for the new floor, meaning that even if the soil is weaker (east coast area etc), it becomes possible to do away with piling to support the attic storey and use footings only - Cheaper and saves time.

 

since you are a QP, I supposed you know better on the classifications on A&A and Reconstruction. Of cos with lodgement, you help the client save $2461(including GST) if it's just a straight forward job. But with more complex jobs, I supposed it's better to pay for URA to check on the drawings rather then saving the 2k plus else the QP would be answerable for it.

[Topline 1]

On 7/27/2020 at 2:06 PM, IceEyez said:

If the house is at least 25 years old, you will almost certainly need new structure to support the attic as the structural loading calculations have become much more stringent nowadays compared to then. There will be necessary new foundations together with new columns to support the new floor. The most efficient method would be then to add steel structure for both new 1st storey and 2nd storey columns and even the attic floor slab. Reason being it is more difficult to do form work and cast RC columns within the existing house due to limited working space. It is easier to simply bring in steel columns that have been fabricated off site and do welding. Also, loading of steel structure will be lighter for the new floor, meaning that even if the soil is weaker (east coast area etc), it becomes possible to do away with piling to support the attic storey and use footings only - Cheaper and saves time.

 

Would the attic floor slab feel different or sound different if being made of steel compared to concrete? 

[snoozee 98]

8 hours ago, Topline said:

Would the attic floor slab feel different or sound different if being made of steel compared to concrete? 

Bondek floor will normally still be cast with a layer of concrete on top. So it don’t feel any different. If you do a layer of false ceiling below, then won’t even know it’s bondek

[XX33 0]

On 11/29/2019 at 8:43 AM, AWS said:

Just to chip in a bit. I have used the same builder as MetalTab. Any forummer that is interested to get a second opinion on this builder, feel free to PM me.  Doing my part to contribute back to this forum. 

Hi, could you share your builders contact pls? Thanks. 

[LeeJ 0]

On 6/28/2011 at 10:39 PM, iamken said:

Hi Lee... thanks for the info on the GST. But I guess it is their way of putting it in my invoice to make it attractive (as pantieileen suggested). Since they are BCA registered, and in business for the past 20 years, they should know what they are doing.

Anyway, as the norm, this uncle will collect progressive payments after every stage of construction. Which means I will not pay anything until the first part is completed, which will be the demolition. "Pay only for the work I shown you I have done", that is what he say and in the contract too. I guess he is the one with deep pockets.

If worse scenario if they flipped or under investigate, I guess my losses will be minimal under such payment modes. For what I know, I may get things done and not paid yet... hahaha. Find another contractor loh. But then again there may be some implications which I may not know. That's why I am learning from the experienced forumners here.

Twothumbs.... yeah, lots of people told me not financially logical to get solar power. Nevermind, I will wait. My shelter will have both flat and sloped tiled rooftops. Ready for whatever solar designs what-come-may in future when the price is right.

pantieileen.... (can I call you eileen? easier to type).... noted on your advise on floorings. Maybe at the later stage I will be asked to select the floorings. Wow, you got marble floorings. I reckon your ground floor is about 2000sqft.... which translate to $4.80 psf for marble..... cheap!! But I understand that marble is quite porous, so if got spills and not cleaned up fast = stains. The reason I am concerned is that we are actually a young family (me, wife, mom and maid). First kid coming in Sept, and hopefully a couple more in the near future. So the house has to have 'strong defences' (at least for the next 10 yrs) against pesky toddlers and kids.

gong.... let me start the project first before I pass you the contact. By then I can better advise you.

Hi Ken, could i also ask for your builder's contact? I'm about to start building and in this time and day, a trustworthy builder with a good manpower is a must. Appreciate your help and thanking in advance.

[Alkft 0]

Hi may I ask for your builder’s contact?

thank you