A Canvas To Our Imagination: Thoreau

[Songz 132]

Thanks, Songz. You're ever so encouraging. All the best to your reno!

Hahaha, I am getting really scare and gan cheong as the date looms nearer to getting keys

I hope i can be calm and keep my cool during the renovation period too.

Saw this on my FB news feed this morning. Just thought I should share it, because it's not the first time I am reading about this local furniture company.

"After 5 physical trips to Small Claims Tribunal court and CASE consumer association, i finally managed to get an 85% refund on the useless, defective office chairs that i bought from unscrupulous merchant L**h L**h!!"

The name got censored. LoL ~

Anyway its good to check for review before commit to furniture purchase nowadays as it seem a lot of bad merchants out there.

[retchlow 7]

there was a thread on lush lush. i had my own unpleasant experience with them as well.

[inthechouse 8]

Hahaha, I am getting really scare and gan cheong as the date looms nearer to getting keys

I hope i can be calm and keep my cool during the renovation period too.

The name got censored. LoL ~

Anyway its good to check for review before commit to furniture purchase nowadays as it seem a lot of bad merchants out there.

I censored it. HAH. From my recent experience, yes, I agree that there are a lot of dishonest merchants out there. And bad customer service is rampant!

there was a thread on lush lush. i had my own unpleasant experience with them as well.

Yes, I remember yours. Boo!!

[inthechouse 8]

So Alan came by unannounced over the weekend to check on whatever rectification was outstanding. We told him about the drainage situation of the MBR bathroom floor and he said something like, "it's like that if you don't do a high and low floor". We then said that it was him who did not want to do it for us. Guess what he replied? "Anyway do already also no use." Awesome, right? So we said, "That's not true, your guys did it for us in the CBR and everything's well and good in there." Then he said: "Do already very ugly coz the higher part will be too high". Now, are we all 8ft tall? In the CBR, the height difference is only 1 tile's thickness. Which is, what, 1cm? The conversation was now getting very ridiculous and we did not want to prolong the nonsense any further.

It's sad because we are the ones who have to live with the inconvenience everyday for the rest for the time we live there. While they just collect their money and live happily ever after. We also told him that we had to get someone to touch up the cement wall which his people had failed to do. But he was unmoved, even after having seen the wall with his own eyes.

Speaking of money, Alan asked for his last cheque asap. This, despite not having that "final inspection" that most people have. He just kept repeating that we should rest assured that if there are any problems, he will get someone to fix it, even if we've paid in full. Because they are "professional" - something which we've long started to doubt.

[Songz 132]

Sorry to hear what happen

Hope you can find a solution to the MBR drainage.

Think its best to move on and if possible get other contractors to rectify the remaining issue if not a lot of money is involved like the wall.

Take care.

(*Sorry not really that good with words)

Edited March 17, 2014 by Songz

[Takaishi 44]

just don't pay them the final payment there's nth they can do one

[OceanEleven 203]

Speaking of money, Alan asked for his last cheque asap. This, despite not having that "final inspection" that most people have. He just kept repeating that we should rest assured that if there are any problems, he will get someone to fix it, even if we've paid in full. Because they are "professional" - something which we've long started to doubt.

Reading the past few pages really sums up how Alan preform as a contractor. Let this be a lesson to be shared by fellow reno folks.

Pertaining to the last payment, pay only when he rectify the problems you have. Else simply hold on.

Seriously if the sum is not significant, dont be surprised that he will forego the payment and place you on the ignore list.

[jayque 0]

Stay firm and insist on making the last payment only when everything is rectified. He asked me for the last payment and said the same stuff which I did not agree to. He gave in eventually.

That said, after I made the last payment, I did ask him to help me touch up some stuff and I haven't heard from him since more than 2 weeks ago. Thankfully it's only a minor touch up.

[inthechouse 8]

Thanks to all for your encouragment and advice.

Stay firm and insist on making the last payment only when everything is rectified. He asked me for the last payment and said the same stuff which I did not agree to. He gave in eventually.

That said, after I made the last payment, I did ask him to help me touch up some stuff and I haven't heard from him since more than 2 weeks ago. Thankfully it's only a minor touch up.

Hi jayque, what if we pay him after everything have been rectified, but find more thereafter? Won't be surprised if we do...

[OceanEleven 203]

Thanks to all for your encouragment and advice.

Hi jayque, what if we pay him after everything have been rectified, but find more thereafter? Won't be surprised if we do...

Let's put it this way, best is for you to do a total and final inspection for all rectification that needs to be done.

Then ask him to come in and clear once and for all. To be fair to ID/contractor, one cant keep calling him over to patch this now and then.

Notify the ID/contractor about the defects along the way and fix a date like 2-3 weeks later to clear all.

One can use this time to find more defects as well.

Given what you and Jayque shared, any rectification after full payment, chances are slim, far and beyond.

[retchlow 7]

my 1 cent worth of advice: if you really need him to do rectification works, then hold back the last payment. my personal experience with him was: there isn't any rectification done even after i asked. i approached his sub-cons directly instead & they were more than willing to do it for me.

[inthechouse 8]

Let's put it this way, best is for you to do a total and final inspection for all rectification that needs to be done.

Then ask him to come in and clear once and for all. To be fair to ID/contractor, one cant keep calling him over to patch this now and then.

Notify the ID/contractor about the defects along the way and fix a date like 2-3 weeks later to clear all.

One can use this time to find more defects as well.

Given what you and Jayque shared, any rectification after full payment, chances are slim, far and beyond.

Closed an eye to several small things. As for the rest, everything should be fix-able, less the MRB situation. Certainly hope we don't find anything else along the way. It would definitely be easier for us to spot stuff if we were a tad bit savvier...

my 1 cent worth of advice: if you really need him to do rectification works, then hold back the last payment. my personal experience with him was: there isn't any rectification done even after i asked. i approached his sub-cons directly instead & they were more than willing to do it for me.

Were they willing to do it for you for free?

[Vct 30]

So Alan came by unannounced over the weekend to check on whatever rectification was outstanding. We told him about the drainage situation of the MBR bathroom floor and he said something like, "it's like that if you don't do a high and low floor". We then said that it was him who did not want to do it for us. Guess what he replied? "Anyway do already also no use." Awesome, right? So we said, "That's not true, your guys did it for us in the CBR and everything's well and good in there." Then he said: "Do already very ugly coz the higher part will be too high". Now, are we all 8ft tall? In the CBR, the height difference is only 1 tile's thickness. Which is, what, 1cm? The conversation was now getting very ridiculous and we did not want to prolong the nonsense any further.

It's sad because we are the ones who have to live with the inconvenience everyday for the rest for the time we live there. While they just collect their money and live happily ever after. We also told him that we had to get someone to touch up the cement wall which his people had failed to do. But he was unmoved, even after having seen the wall with his own eyes.

Speaking of money, Alan asked for his last cheque asap. This, despite not having that "final inspection" that most people have. He just kept repeating that we should rest assured that if there are any problems, he will get someone to fix it, even if we've paid in full. Because they are "professional" - something which we've long started to doubt.

Wow wow... Read yr blog on this alan and i dont think i can stand this kind of attitude. Hello... Gentleman plsss, wrong means wrong why wanna argue?? If i were you, i would have kick him in the @@ on his repeated excuses!

Felt sorry for all your reno hiccups though, as for your MBR toilet solutions:

1) get him to rectify, drill hole or whatever as long as water able to pass through

2) get the blue sponge mop, they are good in trapping water. Just leave the mop at the corner and it will do the job.

Lastly, before anything deemed unsatisfactory by you gets rectified...........

HOLD ON THE LAST PAYMENT, TILL DEATH DO YOU AND YOUR $$$ PART.

Btw, mine is a 4 rm resale as well in the North East. We've got ****ty small toilets....

Edited March 17, 2014 by Vct

[retchlow 7]

there were several rectifications made before & after final payment was made.

contacted alan directly before final payment made. the most pressing one was the washing machine drainage pipe - it wasn't done properly & caused ponding in my kitchen. he sent down his men immediately.

and after final payment was made, i contacted the sub-cons directly. the electrician was one of them & he is by far, the most accommodating one. no question asked. he came twice & the 2nd time was about 6months after i moved in. i simply identified myself as Alan's customer.

nope, there isn't any extra charges.

Edited March 17, 2014 by retchlow

[inthechouse 8]

Felt sorry for all your reno hiccups though, as for your MBR toilet solutions:

1) get him to rectify, drill hole or whatever as long as water able to pass through

2) get the blue sponge mop, they are good in trapping water. Just leave the mop at the corner and it will do the job.

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, Alan is insisting nothing can be done about it. And it's not like we know any better. The hole that his workers offered to drill seemed smaller than the last finger of a child. That's not gonna work.

there were several rectifications made before & after final payment was made.

contacted alan directly before final payment made. the most pressing one was the washing machine drainage pipe - it wasn't done properly & caused ponding in my kitchen. he sent down his men immediately.

and after final payment was made, i contacted the sub-cons directly. the electrician was one of them & he is by far, the most accommodating one. no question asked. he came twice & the 2nd time was about 6months after i moved in. i simply identified myself as Alan's customer.

nope, there isn't any extra charges.

I see. Fingers crossed I won't need to call any of them. But good to know that the electrician was accommodating.