3I Hdb Resale Renovation

[zer0sg 0]

Hi Forummers,

I bought a recently flat early this year and have been too busy to renovate it properly. Been contacting several IDs over the past 3 months and sadly, am still unable to decide. Designs that I have been advised are standard, plain and reused by most people. Hence, after reading and researching, i've decided to hack down most walls and create a open kitchen / hall, a study and one room. (Basically to hack down everything) and design my place on my own.

I brought my ideas to the various companies and am quite disappointed at the quotes i've received so far. For a small 3I HDB unit, renovation quotes have varied from $46k - $60k. (Usually excluding electrical works / lighting accesories etc)

Is the norm ?

I'm just curious if anyone else out there have done or is doing something like me and is spending this amount on renovations.... I would have thought having a smaller space and smaller carpentry would be alot cheaper?

Any comments?

[neubie 2]

Hi Forummers,

I bought a recently flat early this year and have been too busy to renovate it properly. Been contacting several IDs over the past 3 months and sadly, am still unable to decide. Designs that I have been advised are standard, plain and reused by most people. Hence, after reading and researching, i've decided to hack down most walls and create a open kitchen / hall, a study and one room. (Basically to hack down everything) and design my place on my own.

I brought my ideas to the various companies and am quite disappointed at the quotes i've received so far. For a small 3I HDB unit, renovation quotes have varied from $46k - $60k. (Usually excluding electrical works / lighting accesories etc)

Is the norm ?

I'm just curious if anyone else out there have done or is doing something like me and is spending this amount on renovations.... I would have thought having a smaller space and smaller carpentry would be alot cheaper?

Any comments?

46~60k for 3rm with standard plain reused design? you must be kidding. that amount can fully reno a 5rm liao. for a 3rm reno quote <30k can do up very nice already.

[MingzhuAng 0]

Hi Forummers,

I bought a recently flat early this year and have been too busy to renovate it properly. Been contacting several IDs over the past 3 months and sadly, am still unable to decide. Designs that I have been advised are standard, plain and reused by most people. Hence, after reading and researching, i've decided to hack down most walls and create a open kitchen / hall, a study and one room. (Basically to hack down everything) and design my place on my own.

I brought my ideas to the various companies and am quite disappointed at the quotes i've received so far. For a small 3I HDB unit, renovation quotes have varied from $46k - $60k. (Usually excluding electrical works / lighting accesories etc)

Is the norm ?

I'm just curious if anyone else out there have done or is doing something like me and is spending this amount on renovations.... I would have thought having a smaller space and smaller carpentry would be alot cheaper?

Any comments?

Well, i guess for your case, you need to hack a lot of stuff, hence that explains the price. If you already have an idea of what to be done. Go for contractor then ID. For my case, i got the quote of 70k to 90k for my 5 room. Since i know what i want to do, i seek for contractor, its 55k and slightly less quotation. Of course, look for responsible and reliable contractor.

[arowana 2]

yeah some IDs favourite song is - All I have to do is Dream (Everly Brothers). Dreaming of more cuckoo customers.

TS, you just need to break down the per unit prices so that you can compare against the market rate. But you need to bear in mind what kind of materials you are using and how elaborate you want the design to be.

Next you also need to factor in how 'gum' you feel with the contractor/ID. You have to put a value on an ID who's able to better visualize and transform the 3D designs into reality with the closest resemblence.

TS, you should be looking at 35k thereabouts if you are doing the usual normal stuff.

[zer0sg 0]

Thanks guys. I actually have a clear idea of the layout of the house (not very complicated) as well as colour and material. The only tricky part is probably my wanting to combine both my W.C and Shower area into one bathroom accessible from the kitchen and masterbedroom. Especially since I would have to extend out my bathroom to make space for a vanity / sink within the toilet itself.

Would hiring an ID increase my chances of approval by HDB?

[MingzhuAng 0]

Thanks guys. I actually have a clear idea of the layout of the house (not very complicated) as well as colour and material. The only tricky part is probably my wanting to combine both my W.C and Shower area into one bathroom accessible from the kitchen and masterbedroom. Especially since I would have to extend out my bathroom to make space for a vanity / sink within the toilet itself.

Would hiring an ID increase my chances of approval by HDB?

Actually, experienced contractor would do the job as well, just that you have to let them know your idea and how it should be done or looked like. Have to explain in details. E.g. space management, you have to do on your own, material or color to use you have to decide.

Generally, ID is more of doing design, project management, to make sure everything runs smoothly, on time and anything happens will be rectified. Some responsible contractors will ensure things are done properly and rectified without extra charges. So it also boils down to individual contractors.

Most of the stuff are still being done by contractors. How ID operates is, ID goes to a main contractor, then main contractor will go to sub contractor. Maybe some ID will know the sub contractor, even so their price is pretty mark up. Of course, we can't expect that ID don't earn. Cheaper way is to go to a main contractor straight.. Price diff for main contractor and ID will be around 10 to 15 percent, some even 20 percent. Main contractor and sub contractor price difference about 10 percent. Easier way and to save a little, would be going to a main contractor.

I forgot to mention, since you would want to combine the bathrooms, you would like to consider there are times when 2 person at the same time needed to go to the toilet. Since you have only 1 bathroom, another person will have to wait. A little inconvenient. For my house, we have 3 person most of the time at home. And quite often, 2 person needed to rush to the bathroom. So you might want to consider in future you have your parents or children needed to go to the toilet at the same time, and there is only 1 bathroom.

Edited August 1, 2011 by MingzhuAng

[jammo89 0]

Hi bro..

if you don't mind checking out my 3 room reno at my t-blog:

http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=42416&st=0&gopid=658828entry658828

My quotation is there too.. posted quite a few pics of the progress so far.. Not completely done yet.. TOtal reno costs me around $19k

[zer0sg 0]

Wow. that is very much different from the my quotes. Is it also a 3I unit?

Thanks Guys. Looks like using a contractor is a better option for us at this point. Actually we're fine with 1 toilet, only 2 people, dont think we would even close the doors!

heres the hard part. how do i find a good contractor? could you guys recommend? so far i've been receiving PMs from IDs themselves.

[MingzhuAng 0]

Wow. that is very much different from the my quotes. Is it also a 3I unit?

Thanks Guys. Looks like using a contractor is a better option for us at this point. Actually we're fine with 1 toilet, only 2 people, dont think we would even close the doors!

heres the hard part. how do i find a good contractor? could you guys recommend? so far i've been receiving PMs from IDs themselves.

There are a couple of them if your read through the t-blogs. I will pm you 1 contractor who i will be engaging, just that i need time to discuss with my hb, as hb is very busy don't have time to sit down and discuss yet. There is few renotalk users used him for renovation and his quotes are pretty reasonable in my opinion.

When getting a contractor, do keep in mind that you have to have an idea of what you want to do, placement of furniture etc.