The Experience: Our First Home

[summersann 6]

Although I dun agreed with my ID the way they charged us but I think my 4 rooms plus staircase brand new laminate is abt 5K so why not changed new 1 instead of polish here and there, varnish here and patch up there?? I didnt see u mentioned about plastering, izzit included??

Oh we're patching and varnishing because we want to retain the staircase's current railing. It's very vintage, just what we need for the look. Most IDs have informed us that the railing may be damaged if we hack the stairs.

Plastering is already included in the quote under false ceiling works

To be fair, with the current quotation, we are doing a lot.

- Hacking 4 walls (at least)

- creating new "alcoves" (1 at the entrance for the shoe area, 1 at the service yard area, 1 in the bedroom upstairs for the enlarged bathroom, 1 in the new master bedroom upstairs for a dry vanity)

- quartz for the kitchen

- a lot of storage ideas, i.e. pull-out drawers, cabinets (kitchen, under stairs, bedrooms, toilets)

- glass panel for new master bedroom wall

- full electrical rewiring, air-con installation, plumbing installation

- wood-deck for balcony, full length powder-coated aluminum framed with glass panel bi-fold doors

Of course, strictly going by numbers, the quote is still high. We need to work on what we can sacrifice to bring the numbers down.

A lot of the items are higher than market rate. That might be the way this firm is getting their "design fee". They didn't charge us a design fee upfront, as compared to the other firms we met who charged us design fees upwards of 3k, but didn't give much ideas that we would expect given the "design fee". If we want to hire them, we can't obsess over each line and must remind ourselves of that point.

That said, constructive suggestions on how to reduce the quotation by opting for other works in place of the current big-ticket ones are very welcomed!!

[myrick88 0]

Just spend within your own limits.

It's hard to compare line by line for every quotation as end of the day, there's sure some item cheaper and some item expensive all IDs.

I have about 5-6 quotes on hand and funny enough, end of the day I did not choose the cheapest quote among them (78k to 86k).

I choose the 84k ID as somehow I trust in him that he will deliver for me.

His reponsive, experience, attitude and chemistry won us over.

Oh we're patching and varnishing because we want to retain the staircase's current railing. It's very vintage, just what we need for the look. Most IDs have informed us that the railing may be damaged if we hack the stairs.

Plastering is already included in the quote under false ceiling works

To be fair, with the current quotation, we are doing a lot.

- Hacking 4 walls (at least)

- creating new "alcoves" (1 at the entrance for the shoe area, 1 at the service yard area, 1 in the bedroom upstairs for the enlarged bathroom, 1 in the new master bedroom upstairs for a dry vanity)

- quartz for the kitchen

- a lot of storage ideas, i.e. pull-out drawers, cabinets (kitchen, under stairs, bedrooms, toilets)

- glass panel for new master bedroom wall

- full electrical rewiring, air-con installation, plumbing installation

- wood-deck for balcony, full length powder-coated aluminum framed with glass panel bi-fold doors

Of course, strictly going by numbers, the quote is still high. We need to work on what we can sacrifice to bring the numbers down.

A lot of the items are higher than market rate. That might be the way this firm is getting their "design fee". They didn't charge us a design fee upfront, as compared to the other firms we met who charged us design fees upwards of 3k, but didn't give much ideas that we would expect given the "design fee". If we want to hire them, we can't obsess over each line and must remind ourselves of that point.

That said, constructive suggestions on how to reduce the quotation by opting for other works in place of the current big-ticket ones are very welcomed!!

[summersann 6]

Just spend within your own limits.

It's hard to compare line by line for every quotation as end of the day, there's sure some item cheaper and some item expensive all IDs.

I have about 5-6 quotes on hand and funny enough, end of the day I did not choose the cheapest quote among them (78k to 86k).

I choose the 84k ID as somehow I trust in him that he will deliver for me.

His reponsive, experience, attitude and chemistry won us over.

Same here! We had some quotations that were 40k (which we clearly avoided because the ID clearly has no clue what we meant), and one that was 62k. But that one left out quite a bit of work, so would have amounted to about the same eventually with electrical and what not. It came down to the 86k or the 98k. 86k doesn't include plumbing, aircon installation, electrical rewiring, and was minimal on storage. 98k went all the way with storage, includes electrical, plumbing and installations. We picked the one who inspired us most with their designs and who was willing to scale down the works to meet our budget.

Have you started on your renovation? Hope it goes well!!

Edited November 6, 2012 by summersann

[myrick88 0]

Still waiting for the 3D...will only start work aft cny I guess as key collection predicted end Jan.

[Ken Wong 0]

Same here! We had some quotations that were 40k (which we clearly avoided because the ID clearly has no clue what we meant), and one that was 62k. But that one left out quite a bit of work, so would have amounted to about the same eventually with electrical and what not. It came down to the 86k or the 98k. 86k doesn't include plumbing, aircon installation, electrical rewiring, and was minimal on storage. 98k went all the way with storage, includes electrical, plumbing and installations. We picked the one who inspired us most with their designs and who was willing to scale down the works to meet our budget.

Have you started on your renovation? Hope it goes well!!

I'm going to pitch my tent and follow your blog

[summersann 6]

Still waiting for the 3D...will only start work aft cny I guess as key collection predicted end Jan.

Oh. When was your first appointment? It takes that long eh?

[summersann 6]

I'm going to pitch my tent and follow your blog

Haha! Thanks!! hope you won't find it too boring. There won't be much action for a while, still waiting for first appt this week, no idea when 2nd appt will be. And the IDs we're probably engaging don't allow the taking home of sketches and plans until after the renovation (copyright issues. Their designs apparently got stolen before)

[Ken Wong 0]

Haha! Thanks!! hope you won't find it too boring. There won't be much action for a while, still waiting for first appt this week, no idea when 2nd appt will be. And the IDs we're probably engaging don't allow the taking home of sketches and plans until after the renovation (copyright issues. Their designs apparently got stolen before)

All ID same same. They scare u take their drawing and engage contractor instead. Really kanasai

[myrick88 0]

First appointment will be on 24 Nov...still 2 weeks more to go...neck getting long. Haha

Now waiting for ID's 3D and we can get our engine moving on lots of stuffs.

Oh. When was your first appointment? It takes that long eh?

[summersann 6]

All ID same same. They scare u take their drawing and engage contractor instead. Really kanasai

Oh really? I thought it was just this firm! Then how do other renotalkers share their 3D drawings on their t-blogs while the renovation is ongoing?

[summersann 6]

First appointment will be on 24 Nov...still 2 weeks more to go...neck getting long. Haha

Now waiting for ID's 3D and we can get our engine moving on lots of stuffs.

Looks like we're going through a similar process. Haha

May both our renos go smoothly!

[Ken Wong 0]

Oh really? I thought it was just this firm! Then how do other renotalkers share their 3D drawings on their t-blogs while the renovation is ongoing?

U engage them pay them a deposit. U will get ur 3D. How ever they will only release the drawing when the Reno date is near.

[summersann 6]

U engage them pay them a deposit. U will get ur 3D. How ever they will only release the drawing when the Reno date is near.

Ah... Thanks for explaining to a noob

[Ken Wong 0]

Ah... Thanks for explaining to a noob

No problem. Been thru 2 Reno process... Learn lesson thru paying... It will be good to share the experience. How ever this is my personal feedback on IDs

[summersann 6]

Gathering some ideas for the toilets that we decided not to overlay (can't hack because of recent toilet upgrading).

Our tiles are the same blue.

Want to keep it clean and simple like in this picture, with minimal built-ins.

Need to find a way to incorporate our shoe/outerwear/bag area into the apartment.

This would be ideal.

Trying to figure out what tiles (color-wise) would be best for the first floor.

White?

Darker floor to give the place more character?

Edited November 9, 2012 by summersann