Advise Needed For Renovation Works For A Resale Flat

[First Love 0]

Hi

I just bought a resale flat and it needs a total revamp.

I was wondering if it is advisable for me to engage the service from sub contractors directly instead of going thru ID firms which tends to up the pricing by 20% or more.

I roughly know what I want my house to look like but have absolutely no ideas on the rewiring part and stuff like that.

So I'm afraid that asking different sub contractors to do my house will end up in a total mess.

Please enlighten me.

Thank you.

[stinker808 0]

If u have ideas and can conceptulize those ideas into drawings for the contractors to see and understand, plus u have all the time to supervise and coordinate the works from different contractors - Carpentries, Wiring, Tiling, etc,etc, then go for contractors. But do note that if anything wrong happens, unless u knw that during the period when it happened, only one or two contractors are around, if not, it would be hard to pinpoint whose fault it is.

If on the other hand, u dun knw how to put ur ideas into drawings, or u dun have the time to be at ur new place 24-7, then it's best to engage an ID, so if anything happens, u can go directly to just one person to blame or be responsible for retification.

There is no fast n hard rule on whether to engage contractors or ID since now the line between them is fading fast, even contractors nowadays can give u some drawings as well. It's all up to ur schedule and time.

Hope it helps

Cheer

[hAPPy889 1]

To engage your own contractors for the various jobs, as mentioned you need time, project management skills and know what you want. Scheduling of the various contractors etc isn't an easy task.

Why don't you check on how much savings you'll get by obtaining quotes for the various jobs. You may not get the prices that IDs would get.

Essentially what would the savings be if you were to handle the contractor role. Offset that against the time, stress, running about for that savings.

If it's minimal renovation I would say go for it. But if it's extensive I would be hesistant. Of course you have to live within your budget.

[jdf 0]

I handled my own renovations last time and that's how I got so many white hairs.

Better to get an ID because:

- they know what are the options

- they know how to make things look nicer

- coordinate and supervise contractors who may otherwise try to cut corners since you don't know anything about materials and stuff.

But looking for a good ID who genuinely cares for its clients instead of going all out to make as much money from you as possible can be a challenge.

Best is to see if any friends who have used the ID before so you can look at their work and decide.

Edited April 14, 2011 by jdf

[philts 0]

Hi

I just bought a resale flat and it needs a total revamp.

I was wondering if it is advisable for me to engage the service from sub contractors directly instead of going thru ID firms which tends to up the pricing by 20% or more.

I roughly know what I want my house to look like but have absolutely no ideas on the rewiring part and stuff like that.

So I'm afraid that asking different sub contractors to do my house will end up in a total mess.

Please enlighten me.

Thank you.

mayb you should try consulting those project management firms, thats wat i did. as i knew what i wanted to do to my house, just needed co-ordination of works and of cos quotation was compared.

[First Love 0]

Thanks peepz for all your advise. They are all good advises.

I went down to Expo few days ago for quotation and stuff.

Seems quite ex leh... that's y it struck me to find the individual contractor instead.

[First Love 0]

mayb you should try consulting those project management firms, thats wat i did. as i knew what i wanted to do to my house, just needed co-ordination of works and of cos quotation was compared.

Hi Philts

What do you mean by project management firms?

I dun quite understand.

[philts 0]

Hi Philts

What do you mean by project management firms?

I dun quite understand.

Hi firstlove,

the firm that i engaged provides project management, u can leave everything to them, like delivery or design/finishing issues.

saved me alot of headache, i cant do co-ordination works. lol.