The Experience: Our First Home

[summersann 6]

Resale application submitted, now eagerly awaiting the confirmation of our first appointment. The weeks feel like forever!

Meanwhile, we've started our visits to the interior designing firms we'd shortlisted about a week ago. Submitted a request for quotes on Renotalk's website, but ended up not shortlisting most of the firms that replied us. We went about scouring for well-reviewed firms instead

1. Ideal House - we're waiting to meet Danny this Saturday (if the boy doesn't get activated for the weekend ). Read quite a fair bit of good reviews about Ideal House. We'll see how it goes!

2. 3D Innovations - seems to be well-reviewed on renotalk. Arranged to meet Benny this Saturday.

4. Three-D Conceptwerke - met Meiyi last Saturday. Was quite excited to visit three-d conceptwerke as the firm has an impressive portfolio on their website. The studio was gorgeous! She impressed us with her "homework". She'd already sketched her ideas on the floorplan and even provided us with 2 versions in case we didn't quite like 1. We could click with the designer (which is a very important thing for us!), and we fed off each other's ideas. Most reviews on renotalk mentioned that their prices are pretty high. Meeting her tomorrow to get the quotation. Fingers crossed!

5. Intra Design - meeting Dave this Saturday.

6. Project File - meeting Lili next Saturday. Was quite impressed with the company's portfolio.

7. The Carpenter's Workshop Pte Ltd - emailed a week ago. No reply. Guess our project's too small for them to bother

8. Artist Room - recommended by colleague. Her friend had engaged Artist Room for her 4-room unit. Their portfolio is rather impressive too! Meeting up with Mark this Monday.

9. Plush Living - meeting William next Saturday.

10. ** - one of the firms who messaged us after we submitted the request for renovation quotes. Decided to meet them since they seem to have some good reviews. Meeting Carven next Saturday.

This meeting-and-discussing-then-waiting-for-quotation process is exhausting. Can't wait to sign with one of them and begin the planning proper! But keeping to the budget is important

[casa 0]

Welcome and remem to post pics to share

[multi888 1]

Congrats on your new home...me too, waiting for my 1st appt and seeing quite a number of ID in the mean time. I saw at least 15 of them but still no conclusion as to who to chose. Maybe too many quotations to consider...hope to finalize this week or next.

[summersann 6]

Welcome and remem to post pics to share

Definitely! Can't wait to start the renovation

[summersann 6]

Congrats on your new home...me too, waiting for my 1st appt and seeing quite a number of ID in the mean time. I saw at least 15 of them but still no conclusion as to who to chose. Maybe too many quotations to consider...hope to finalize this week or next.

Congrats on yours too!

Wow, you really have stamina! 15 firms! Any of your IDs coincide with mine? I only visited 2 so far out of my shortlisted and I already am restless. So many things to consider good luck with your decision!

[gglg 1]

hello!

I'm finalizing my contract with 3D this Sat!

hope you have a good meeting with them.

[summersann 6]

hello!

I'm finalizing my contract with 3D this Sat!

hope you have a good meeting with them.

Who are you finalizing with? Congrats on making your choice!

[Batman 0]

congrats and good luck in ur reno journey!

I guess meeting, choosing n finally selecting THE ONE is more of a matter of luck.

For me, if can strike it off well, the price is reasonable (may not be the lowest),

then can go ahead liao

[summersann 6]

congrats and good luck in ur reno journey!

I guess meeting, choosing n finally selecting THE ONE is more of a matter of luck.

For me, if can strike it off well, the price is reasonable (may not be the lowest),

then can go ahead liao

Thank you!

You're totally right about the "luck". We're just waiting to meet more before we decide, though we obviously have our preferences Just trying not to rush into it

[summersann 6]

A copy of our floorplan!

[summersann 6]

Met Three-D Conceptwerke for our first quotation today! Was so excited about it, to be honest

The quotation turns out to be what we kinda expected, after reading other t-blogs that mentioned the firm. Am tempted to just sign on the line, but must. fight. temptation.

Shall hold onto the quotation and arrange for viewing of the unit she's currently working on. Not forgetting to let her do some on-site checking at our unit.

Getting more quotations on Saturday! And meeting with Artist Room on Monday

This shall help pass the time before the first appointment!

[summersann 6]

I'm exhausted. And confused.

Met 4 IDs today.

Started the morning with Ideal House. Met Danny and talked about our ideas and concept. The moment came when we asked him what we should expect for the quotation. "Should be about 30-40k". That's easily half of what we've been told to expect, going by forums and other IDs/people we've talked to.

After the afternoon's activities, we headed down to Ubi Avenue to meet the other IDs.
1. Intra Design - Dave
Talked about our concept. We got the usual reaction when we mentioned cement screeding for the first floor - "hard to maintain", "cracks", "powdery". The only good (?) thing was, his rough estimate of the cost was similar to 2 of the other places we've been to so far.

2. 3D Innovations - Jason
Benny contacted us, and was the person we were liaising with for a good few days. But when it came to the meeting, Jason called instead and said he was "assigned" the project. Right. Not that we have anything against Jason, of course. Just didn't understand why he wasn't the one who replied our enquiry in the first place. Had a good chat and he showed us plenty of materials (tiles, flooring, laminates, vinyl, etc.). When it came to a rough estimate of what our renovation would cost, "About 50k". Hmmmmmm


It's been an interesting day. Did not expect to receive 2 out-of-the-ordinary rough estimates. Especially since we're talking about the same concepts, even down to the finishing details. We're suspecting that some of the IDs we met don't really understand our concept. But even then, we were quite specific during the meetings. So how can the difference be so huge?

The truly confusing part came to the discussion of the toilets. As the toilets would be upgraded by the time we move in (HDB upgrading), we're not allowed to hack the tiles. Some say it's okay to change the location of the door, while some insisted that changing any location of anything in the toilet would "void the HDB warranty". Again, exact concepts, different sayings. Shouldn't they know what exactly can and can't be done, since they're all HDB licensed firms?

Our cement screed floor idea also took a beating today. No one thinks it's a good idea. Is it an attempt to get us to use tiles (so they can charge us more)? Or is it true?

Edited November 5, 2013 by Leyenda

[SeirenGrey 1]

It's been an interesting day. Did not expect to receive 2 out-of-the-ordinary rough estimates. Especially since we're talking about the same concepts, even down to the finishing details. We're suspecting that some of the IDs we met don't really understand our concept. But even then, we were quite specific during the meetings. So how can the difference be so huge?

The truly confusing part came to the discussion of the toilets. As the toilets would be upgraded by the time we move in (HDB upgrading), we're not allowed to hack the tiles. Some say it's okay to change the location of the door, while some insisted that changing any location of anything in the toilet would "void the HDB warranty". Again, exact concepts, different sayings. Shouldn't they know what exactly can and can't be done, since they're all HDB licensed firms?

Our cement screed floor idea also took a beating today. No one thinks it's a good idea. Is it an attempt to get us to use tiles (so they can charge us more)? Or is it true?

On quote differences

Not sure, but you can ask for a detailed quotation breakdown from these IDs to find out where the differences are.

On cement screed flooring

I agree that it's not a very good idea... cement is "soft", so it expands and contracts quite easily, resulting in cracks. If there're renovations (knocking, hacking, etc.) by your neighbours, your floor gone case liao! Lagi bigger cracks. And it's not a thing easily rectified so your IDs/contractors are scared of the after-sales service...

[adidaem 6]

Cement will always crack. If you can't stand cracks, then dont do cement. As for powdery, you can apply the Resin coating...

Xtr no coating with powdery feel: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=48141

Etc with resin coating: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=47307

Get detailed quotes to compare. Could be under quoting for electricals and PE charges etc. End of the day don't sweat small diff in pricing. Reliability and quality is most important IMO.

[summersann 6]

On quote differences

Not sure, but you can ask for a detailed quotation breakdown from these IDs to find out where the differences are.

On cement screed flooring

I agree that it's not a very good idea... cement is "soft", so it expands and contracts quite easily, resulting in cracks. If there're renovations (knocking, hacking, etc.) by your neighbours, your floor gone case liao! Lagi bigger cracks. And it's not a thing easily rectified so your IDs/contractors are scared of the after-sales service...

Yeah, we're going to wait for the quotations to come back from those IDs who told us 30-40k is possible when most tell us 80-90k.

As for the cement, we've pretty much decided it's a no-go. We love the look, but can't take the maintenance Thanks for your advice!