Em @ Pasir Ris, To Share So That We Can Learn

[dasinia 0]

We searched for ID for almost 2 month, submitted my floor plan to many ID firms. very busy explaining our requirement over and over again.

All ID that meet me interviewed me on "what theme you like, my budget, and others BS stuff, some brag that they only do bungalow and I am the lucky few that meet him, and one lady ID that keep pushing to sell her kitchen set promo to me and I am like what the f. with you are you ID or kompor (stove) salesgal ? ...

After meeting IDs for at least 10 - 15 companies but yet unable to understand their capacity. I then try to interview them instead.

There are few basic question that I think worth to check:

1. How long have you been ID (my judgment: this is important less than 3 years I think is green horn, 10 years most probably is the ID firm owner)

2. How many projects concurrently you are handling (my judgment: some ID take to many projects concurrently, they spread to thin and give no focus on my problems)

3. How many times you will visit your site.

[Jeep3 0]

We searched for ID for almost 2 month, submitted my floor plan to many ID firms. very busy explaining our requirement over and over again.

All ID that meet me interviewed me on "what theme you like, my budget, and others BS stuff, some brag that they only do bungalow and I am the lucky few that meet him, and one lady ID that keep pushing to sell her kitchen set promo to me and I am like what the f. with you are you ID or kompor (stove) salesgal ? ...

After meeting IDs for at least 10 - 15 companies but yet unable to understand their capacity. I then try to interview them instead.

There are few basic question that I think worth to check:

1. How long have you been ID (my judgment: this is important less than 3 years I think is green horn, 10 years most probably is the ID firm owner)

2. How many projects concurrently you are handling (my judgment: some ID take to many projects concurrently, they spread to thin and give no focus on my problems)

3. How many times you will visit your site.

Hi Dasinia

Just realised yours is also an EM at pasir ris! We are at 4xx area.

Your layout is so different from mine so I guessed yours must be another sector.

When we started out on looking for an ID, we were also quite adamant on finding one that has track records.

We went to about 5 and my current ID was the 6th.

She is the one we felt the most comfortable with and the most honest one, to my opinion.

She was truthful in telling us she is very new in this line and my house is her 4th project.

Also dont know why but we just click and my husband, being the serious and choosy type, also accepted her!

Up till now, she has been updating us on the happenings at the site everyday.

We are quite surprised to know she is there almost everyday to oversee every process.

Being her own boss, we thought she would get some worker to look after.

I am not getting paid to write all these.

Just felt that even newbies deserve a chance if you happen to meet any.

You never know they might have the wildest ideas for you! haha...

Hope you do find THE ONE soon. Best of luck!

[potatoes 0]

Anybody know how much is the cost to just paint the stair case railing wrought iron railing? Any lobang for good and reasonable electrician???? Trying to nego from my ID electrician first, see how? But from the price list the ID give me everything is so expensive compare to all prices that I read in reno talk blog here before. Will try to ask for some discount if possible from my ID cos it will be easier if electrician from ID side anything wrong they will handle among themselves. If cant discount the price will be not much different from boyblunder electrian work that his ID quote, which is all EM owner here said is very expensive.

Not sure about the cost of painting staircase wrought iron railing. To renovate staircase is an expensive thing.... depending on what you want. Mine cost me about 3.5K (hack and remove original, use laminate wood for steps, wrought iron grille and wooden handrail). I actually wanted glass panel but it would cost me 7K ........ it all goes down to budget. Electrical rewiring and new installation also don't come cheap.

Becos of tight budget, I used back most of the original wiring.... only change main DB and rewire kitchen, already about 3K.

Edited December 21, 2011 by potatoes

[dasinia 0]

Hi Dasinia

Just realised yours is also an EM at pasir ris! We are at 4xx area.

Your layout is so different from mine so I guessed yours must be another sector.

When we started out on looking for an ID, we were also quite adamant on finding one that has track records.

We went to about 5 and my current ID was the 6th.

She is the one we felt the most comfortable with and the most honest one, to my opinion.

She was truthful in telling us she is very new in this line and my house is her 4th project.

Also dont know why but we just click and my husband, being the serious and choosy type, also accepted her!

Up till now, she has been updating us on the happenings at the site everyday.

We are quite surprised to know she is there almost everyday to oversee every process.

Being her own boss, we thought she would get some worker to look after.

I am not getting paid to write all these.

Just felt that even newbies deserve a chance if you happen to meet any.

You never know they might have the wildest ideas for you! haha...

Hope you do find THE ONE soon. Best of luck!

Hi Jeep, thanks for sharing, actually the reason we engage some one with more experience is because we do not have knowledge to counter check their work, we just throw in our idea and what will be bounce back it depend on their knowledge, for example there is ID suggesting to extend my kitchen to balcony area, initially I though that was cool since I don't like my balcony. But I am quite disappointed after learned that that is illegal, I found out unintentionally that such alteration of the HDB unit is illegal, I emailed them and point them to HDB link and they never come back to me only agreed that I am right after I talked to them at their office.

------

If playing the devil's advocate the argument is: highly experience one can try smoke me when problem arise. We need to continuously learn from renotalk.

Only if everything else being equal using someone with more experience surely better than less experience. Your ID show her dedication to her work it is very good point we just need to find that consistency after signing their contract which I think still 50 - 50.

I am not try to dis the less experience one, I just think having mentor guidance is quite a sure bet.

As for today we are already reno for 2 weeks and there are quite few hiccup and this proof my my theory is a flaw.

Edited December 20, 2011 by dasinia

[dasinia 0]

Timetable:

23 Nov: Apply Reno Permit

28-30 Nov: Hacking

1-20 Dec: Laying tiles

21-22 Dec: Plumbing Work

23 Dec: Electrical Work & AC installation

24 Dec: Chemical wash

27 Dec: Electrical Work

28 Dec: Ceiling work

29-30 Dec: Painting Work

2-3 Jan: Laying floor Laminate

9-14 Jan: Carpentry work

14-16 Jan: Install Kitchen

16 Jan: Handover....

[Jeep3 0]

Oh, silly me, thought you have not found an ID.

Only 2weeks and there are hiccups? Care to share?

[dasinia 0]

The hacking....

We decided to purchase this unit only after first visit which less than 5 minutes which after office hour at night...errr this is expensive mistake. We take it also because the COV and no buyer agent.

Initially we thought that this is very well maintain unit, I read the valuation report, the valuer brag about the Marble flooring, parque staircase...

The fact is the marble is badly cracked, ID advised that the crack is to deep to repair by polishing, so the marble need hacking and replace by homo tiles... then the parque... previous owner's dog bite the parque... staircase badly damage...

we overlooked these during our first visit...

Whole unit need to hack...

Parque gone.... hiks hiks...

Marble also hack....

[dasinia 0]

Oh, silly me, thought you have not found an ID.

Only 2weeks and there are hiccups? Care to share?

Err... actually more like misunderstanding.... about purchasing toilet accessories, initially I am thinking to purchased from Universal Union Geylang (one of biggest toilet accessories seller, near my office), I purchased many items from them previously.

I am not promoting UU, I can confirmed they are not the cheapest (subjected to your bargaining skill) and may not suitable for you. I just randomly pick UU for price comparison.

I was introduced to one shop, this shop is located remotely from other toilet accessories shop, the shop owner is super nice and the shop is run by very warm family, they are all very nice ppl, sadly that their price is way higher than first 2 shops in Geylang that I checked and find out only after I paid my down payment with the shop, which I alter whole order and only spend DP with them.

This is due to almost all the items I purchased is more expensive, from grohe mixer to toilet paper holder (which I bought set of 7), from hood/hob to sink... to sum all 30 plus items incremental quite expensive for me. I believe everybody will do the same

I am running at very tight budget, this causing very unpleasant and very awkward relationship between me and my ID, I repeatedly apologize to her. She gain nothing from the sales but yet she has to be sandwich in between.

I learn to be more responsible and cannot make to much assumption.

[potatoes 0]

Congrats! Don't worry.... Try to relax and leave it to your ID. Make sure u give clear instructions of what u want.....Everything will turn out beautiful after reno. Wish u a smooth reno journey.

[dasinia 0]

Congrats! Don't worry.... Try to relax and leave it to your ID. Make sure u give clear instructions of what u want.....Everything will turn out beautiful after reno. Wish u a smooth reno journey.

LOL... initially I am very relaxed but when confronted with the need to buy stuff starting to feel very worried...

Kitchen accesories

Lighting

Addition work like hacking marble and changing staircase...

Fridge, TV, sofa... almost faint... hiks hiks...

Now during the tilling my whole unit wire is cut dunno why they cut the wire, we never intend to rewiring now we need to rewiring both floors...

Edited December 21, 2011 by dasinia

[potatoes 0]

OMG..... U mean u didn't let ur ID know u want to keep the wires? Rewiring is an expensive thing if u r talking about cost cutting..... Can save about 1 to 1.5k

[dasinia 0]

OMG..... U mean u didn't let ur ID know u want to keep the wires? Rewiring is an expensive thing if u r talking about cost cutting..... Can save about 1 to 1.5k

We did, originally only SCV cable running under the tile that need to be remove but now whole unit cables all removed by t workers

Still investigating why

[potatoes 0]

It will be good to check with them on the rewiring cost before committing it.... from what I know, this is one of the most costly items in home reno.....

Edited December 23, 2011 by potatoes

[dasinia 0]

Have been very busy and stress these few days... got few moment to update the blog...

My wife learn few tricks (social skill) from Renotalk, i.e, buying some food to build rapport with the workers (tiller), so I tried few times, old chang kee, bread and bun, cold soft drinks, but seems like they don't give a sh1t... well... I discontinue that effort after couple attempts.

nuf said ... I put some photo of the tiling work... I think not the best....

During this stage my wire are cut intentionally by "someone"... champion lar.... another

These are SCV cables running under the tile from previous owner, we need to remove these SCV cables...

We have chips tiles... the worker said is oke one, we later apply white coating will look nice... WTF... so... pissed... got few hundred tiles extra why not pick good one... (I think rectify few, still pending few.... )

[dasinia 0]

Bathroom wall tiles, the cornering is totally not matching the tile color.

this one was changed... after show some evidence photo to contractor that the cornering come with more than 2 colors....

Balcony tile work

I don't like when the tile is not straight at my common bathroom, feel like they are not suppose to be together... this is the risk if to choose pattern tile combine with tiller that do not love beauty...