Demolition Of Walls & Erection Of Walls (In-Between Bedrooms)

[edenstrauss 3]

Hi snake,

at the rate Ah Cheong is working at, it's unlikely that he could pick up further assignments at this juncture. His work schedule had already hit the peak period (September all the way to CNY next year).

And Ah Cheong's services don't come cheap either. In fact, he is alot more expensive than other contractors becox of his premium workmanship & reliability.

I wouldn't be surprised if his quotation exceeds what your contractor has quoted you. If you have a very tight budget, Ah Cheong isn't the right candidate for the job.

The smaller the scale of reno required, it could surprisingly become more expensive becox they have a minimum amount to charge for each project to see an adequate increment to their profit margins in the business.

Which explains why some contractors do not accept such assignments even during their off-peaks.

Try calling other contractors & comparing their quotations.

And if all else fails, I'm not sure if you'll want to bear the risk of DIY-ing the job.

best wishes!

Edited October 2, 2011 by edenstrauss

[edenstrauss 3]

V tempted to ask ah Cheong to spare a man and some blocks to do this simple job for me.

Hi snake,

please refer to my preceding comment regarding your request.

Edited October 2, 2011 by edenstrauss

[snake 0]

Thanks edenstrauss for your advice. After some prep talk about how it is important for us to trust him and don't treat us like carrot head, he reduce the price to 200.

[edenstrauss 3]

Thanks edenstrauss for your advice. After some prep talk about how it is important for us to trust him and don't treat us like carrot head, he reduce the price to 200.

oh congrats! But make sure that he doesn't cut corners on workmanship & raw materials.

[HCB 0]

Hi HCB,

I would suggest that you don't sms Ah Cheong. The poor chap doesn't have enough rest & sleep which is good news for contractors in the renovating industry. So if anything, try to call him instead.

Hey I'm surprised that he doesn't return calls???? But he always make an effort to return calls. Then he mux be lost in his mountain of renovation works.

Since we moving into October, which meant that Christmas & CNY is around the corner, then I could safely infer that the renovators have already hit the peak period of their work cycles!

I recalled that we called Ah Cheong in for a site visit sometime in September 2010 last year & I did mention this briefly in my "story" here on this thread. he didn't have the time to take up our assignment until after CNY the following year.

Hi, Edenstrauss,

Thank you for your advice. Finally, Ah Cheong have given me a quote over phone on Wednesday and he did turn up the appointment on Friday. Surprisingly,he was the one who did my next door renovation 2 months ago! And i was told that it was not an easy job to knock down the storeroom as there is an "I" beam inside the concrete as what he have experienced at my next door and he also need to take care of the structures inside original HDB false ceiling.He is going to workout the costing and let me know on Monday. He told me that he got 7 sites have to take care on Monday. I think he is going to quote me more then S$ 1'750.00 as he have quoted me over the phone . He will also need to get an electrician to quote me the relocation of DCB switch.

I asked him whether can knock down partial of the wall outside the corridor and install with glass block to make my super dark living and dinning hall brighter and he is willing to help to apply.

Sorry for my bad english.

Edited October 9, 2011 by HCB

[edenstrauss 3]

Hi HCB,

Ur command in English is decent & I don't converse in Queen's English so U need not apologise for it

Oh, that was surprising that the world is so small!

The thing about Ah Cheong is that he is very careful with his works & the good thing is that he is very well-versed in structural issues for HDB, including condos which he had also been renovating.

But if he could do a very good clean job, it's worth paying out more $$ than getting somebody cheap & having to live up with a nightmare later on.

please keep me posted on the progress & status of your assignment. best wishes!

[imei 0]

Hi Edenstrauss,

Can share Ah Cheong's contacts as well as the contact of the ID from White Space Living?

I'm also renovating my place.

Thanks

[edenstrauss 3]

Hi Edenstrauss,

Can share Ah Cheong's contacts as well as the contact of the ID from White Space Living?

I'm also renovating my place.

Thanks

Hi imei,

If you require ID services for your new place, please contact White Space Living (for HDB flats) at 6323 3139 & visit their website at http://www.substance.sg/index3.php to take a look at their portfolio. They will assign IDs to u. Please note that all their IDs are qualified & had proven track records within this ID firm before they are accredited as IDs in White Space Living.

Both my hubby & myself r saving up right now so that we could hopefully engage them for renovation of our new flat when we decide to sell off our existing flat prior to our retirement. They are not cheap... very expensive but I love what I saw at my uncle's bungalow (done by the other sister arm, Substance Living) & White Space Living's HDB portfolio.

[imei 0]

Hi imei,

If you require ID services for your new place, please contact White Space Living (for HDB flats) at 6323 3139 & visit their website at http://www.substance.sg/index3.php to take a look at their portfolio. They will assign IDs to u. Please note that all their IDs are qualified & had proven track records within this ID firm before they are accredited as IDs in White Space Living.

Both my hubby & myself r saving up right now so that we could hopefully engage them for renovation of our new flat when we decide to sell off our existing flat prior to our retirement. They are not cheap... very expensive but I love what I saw at my uncle's bungalow (done by the other sister arm, Substance Living) & White Space Living's HDB portfolio.

Hi edenstrauss,

Thanks very much for the info on the ID services. May I also ask for Ah Cheong's contact as I'll probably need the ID services for some parts of my unit only. Thanks again

[edenstrauss 3]

Hi imei,

When will you require the renovation for your place?

[imei 0]

Hi imei,

When will you require the renovation for your place?

Hi edenstrauss,

Preferably Nov or Dec. If can't, later dates can be discussed.

[edenstrauss 3]

Hi edenstrauss,

Preferably Nov or Dec. If can't, later dates can be discussed.

It's likely that Ah Cheong cannot take on further assignments until after the Chinese New Year next year. He is extremely busy throughout the year & has already hit peak period for now so I seek your kind understanding that I'm taking the liberty as a happy & higly-satisfied client in filtering enquiries for his services before making any relevant referrals to him.

(comment added: But he did mention to me this evening that he might still be able to manage a few projects depending on his tight work schedule for his team of workers.)

And depending on the scale of reno you want Ah Cheong to get involved in, he does not accept ala-carte works such grouting, plumbing works, electrical stuff, changing of doors, etc.

If you are intending to do renovation using an ID, I would highly recommend that you pass it ALL to your ID to deal with instead of going for a mix & match, aka ala-carte reno services.

It'll end up extremely messy when it's likely that your new place could lose its focus (of having a "personality") with both ID intervention & involvement by other contractors (unless those contractors are reporting to & working with your ID).

(comment added: And like any reputable contractors, Ah Cheong made it very clear to me that he doesn't want to have any joint accountability for renovations with IDs whom he had never cooperated with. All in all, things jux get messy when 2 different parties are involved.)

That was what happened to my brother inlaw and for the amount he paid, his flat didn't look anything close to designer style much to his disappointment. It was "rojak" & he told us that he ended up not making any savings thru using both an ID & other contractors.

Ah Cheong's services doesn't come cheap even though there are no ID services involved. The same goes for White Space Living when it comes to their renovation bills becox they are premium renovators.

I wouldn't recommend them both if owners have a tight budget.

Edited October 14, 2011 by edenstrauss

[peppermintygreen 0]

does anyone has PE recommendation??

I need to hack a wall between kitchen and living room...

appreciate any help..

[edenstrauss 3]

does anyone has PE recommendation??

I need to hack a wall between kitchen and living room...

appreciate any help..

Please pardon my ignorance, but what's a PE recommendation?

U will definitely require HDB's permission to hack off the wall b/w kitchen & living room. Please ask your licensed contractor / renovator to submit application for HDB's approval.

Edited October 20, 2011 by edenstrauss

[dcschenc 0]

Hi Miss. Your renovation work has finished, right? Can i know the sound proof of the wall? My friends say cos the newly-erected wall in-between bedrooms use hallow bricks, the sound proof of the wall is not good. Have you tested if you talk in one room, your husband can hear from the other room?

Sorry for my poor English. Look forward to your answer cos i am considering whether to buy a unit now which the previous owner also combined a master room and common room. Thanks.

It's likely that Ah Cheong cannot take on further assignments until after the Chinese New Year next year. He is extremely busy throughout the year & has already hit peak period for now so I seek your kind understanding that I'm taking the liberty as a happy & higly-satisfied client in filtering enquiries for his services before making any relevant referrals to him.

(comment added: But he did mention to me this evening that he might still be able to manage a few projects depending on his tight work schedule for his team of workers.)

And depending on the scale of reno you want Ah Cheong to get involved in, he does not accept ala-carte works such grouting, plumbing works, electrical stuff, changing of doors, etc.

If you are intending to do renovation using an ID, I would highly recommend that you pass it ALL to your ID to deal with instead of going for a mix & match, aka ala-carte reno services.

It'll end up extremely messy when it's likely that your new place could lose its focus (of having a "personality") with both ID intervention & involvement by other contractors (unless those contractors are reporting to & working with your ID).

(comment added: And like any reputable contractors, Ah Cheong made it very clear to me that he doesn't want to have any joint accountability for renovations with IDs whom he had never cooperated with. All in all, things jux get messy when 2 different parties are involved.)

That was what happened to my brother inlaw and for the amount he paid, his flat didn't look anything close to designer style much to his disappointment. It was "rojak" & he told us that he ended up not making any savings thru using both an ID & other contractors.

Ah Cheong's services doesn't come cheap even though there are no ID services involved. The same goes for White Space Living when it comes to their renovation bills becox they are premium renovators.

I wouldn't recommend them both if owners have a tight budget.