My Bad Experience With My Em Renovation

[RenoJoy 6]

Bro, THAT'S what happened to my cabinets!!

THAT is the picture I've wanted to upload to the forum (but my office bans us fr accessing those picture sharing sites..so can't, but how come I can see your images?? where did you upload them??)

You know what they did in the end? They touched up with color 'paint'.

You tell me can accept or not???

[ju5t4fun 1]

Bro, THAT'S what happened to my cabinets!!

THAT is the picture I've wanted to upload to the forum (but my office bans us fr accessing those picture sharing sites..so can't, but how come I can see your images?? where did you upload them??)

You know what they did in the end? They touched up with color 'paint'.

You tell me can accept or not???

You need to upload your pictures to this website gallery and them chose “my media” to attach your pictures.

Same, they touched up with paints. I already told my ID I can’t accept it. Anyway, a new carpenter is coming to do the touch up job this coming monday for 2days (promised by his manager), i will see how this new carpenter work. Hopefully, they are better. The old carpenter is problematic, their staff even call his boss to come down to see and do himself. My ID said he has many sites to touch up.

Edited March 26, 2014 by ju5t4fun

[Ks Toh 74]

So the problem with the cooker hob location arose when the plans were changed and you left it to the ID and contractor to decide the new layout.

Did you sign a written contract and if so, with who? The ID or contractor?

From your photos, it is not very clear what your complaints are, apart from the initial cooker hob location. You can consider using sites like http://www.photobucket.com to store and display your images here, like what most of us do. The image will be bigger and clearer, and you can have many more pictures. Then we can give our two cents worth.

Yes, we are all here to share and learn. It is most unfortunate that you have this problem.

As what I posted on my blog:

1. Monitor, monitor, monitor - No matter how renowed or expensive your ID or subcontractor, the level of competency and common sense is at the level of their lowest sub-contractor. We engaged a reputable ID company. But of course, you deal with the young designer who gives instructions to some supervisor, who in turn instructs a foreman, but finally the worker who does the job is a guy who turns up on a Malaysian motorbike. Don't get me wrong. Many malaysian workers in this trade are very skilled. But due to many reasons including different expectations or ideas, changes in the message after being passed through too many people, the final product may not be what you envisaged. You have got to be there to monitor, monitor, monitor.

2. Trust your instinct & do not follow blindly - Often, we think something should be done in a certain way, but the ID or contractor tells us that is not the way things are done. Don't just accept it. Your instinct is already trying to tell you something. Check with others. Ask. Maybe you are right. There were many such instances in my case. LIke when I wanted to put a spare power point in the false ceiling and both my ID and contractor thought I was mad. At that time, I had no idea of the potential use but now that I am thinking of mounting an IP camera on the ceiling, where to get the power source? Like what Steve Jobs said, you cannot connect dots moving forwards, but often you can connect them backwards.

3. Lay network points from your OpenNet TP to every room - This is important. In the near future, many services (internet, TV etc) will be delivered via this network. WiFi does not work for everything.

4. Protection, protection, protection - This is very important yet many IDs and contractors do not seem to understand. So, in my case (as in many cases), they just put a simple cardboard. What a joke! With hacking, sand, tiles, marble etc etc passing though, what do they expect but to spoil the marble and wooden floor? Then they have to rectify. But it is never the same.

5. Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Don't sign a contract with your ID or contractor for everything in one lump sum. Breakdown into different parts of the work e.g. hacking, flooring, painting, kitchen etc. Have a clause that allows you to omit any part of the work. This was how my wife, having "sacked" the ID, took over many parts of the work, and engaged specialist subcontractors directly.

[RenoJoy 6]

You need to upload your pictures to this website gallery and them chose “my media” to attach your pictures.

Same, they touched up with paints. I already told my ID I can’t accept it. Anyway, a new carpenter is coming to do the touch up job this coming monday for 2days (promised by his manager), i will see how this new carpenter work. Hopefully, they are better. The old carpenter is problematic, their staff even call his boss to come down to see and do himself. My ID said he has many sites to touch up.

What miracle 'touch-up' can they do?

the contractor refused to replace the laminate even after i reject the 'paint over' work.

let me try to see if i can upload my pic...

[libra1111111111 0]

can u tell me more? the lamination joint line is not touch up by paint? My contractor is going to touch up my joint line with color pen! What miracle touch up, can be done?? This is my first house, please advise, Thank you

[RenoJoy 6]

Trying again... are you able to see my images? What are your views?

[ju5t4fun 1]

Trying again... are you able to see my images? What are your views?

Same, same. workmanship very bad. I still have a lot of photos to be uploaded. how to accept such workmanship.

Edited March 27, 2014 by ju5t4fun

[ju5t4fun 1]

Thanks to this forum. Today, I got a phone call from this company boss, Dr. Sky Tan and we met at my place to inspect all the defects and discuss possible solution. He admitted that his sub-contractor workmanship is below standard and promised to settle all the defects within 2 weeks and extend 1 more year warranty. I wasn’t very happy because he still will use back the current carpenter. The reason is that they have built a new cabinet and he want me to give them a chance. OK, I agreed but that is my very last time.

I will stop post for the time being and let them redo the cabinet, touch up and replace those defectives items. he further explained that he is in the midst of renewing CASE Trust accreditation and BCA certification, so I will seek clarification with CASE Trust and BCA.

Thanks all of you and you supports.

Edited March 27, 2014 by ju5t4fun

[ju5t4fun 1]

Renojoy. I told his that you too have lot of defects and problems and he agreed to met you. I pm his no to you already. Good luck to you and hope you can settle your issues as well.

[RenoJoy 6]

Ooopssss....

Geee... thanks.

I will contact him direct.

Edited March 27, 2014 by RenoJoy

[Songz 132]

I think some companies like them, when things come out in public, then they try to get back the reputation as it start to affect their business.

However I must give them credit that they are taking their image & reputation more seriously than a lot other companies out there, bed renovation works and don care about anything else as long get their money.

Hope both of you can have the issues rectify and pls update the people here.

If they do resolve the issues, I think they deserve back some credit.

(*Juz my 2 cents worth)

[Ks Toh 74]

Please make sure you are on site to monitor. You don't want them to solve the problem at hand but create another two that were previously non existent. It happens.

[sforshor 84]

Trying again... are you able to see my images? What are your views?

Oooppps that is bad! Must ask them redo it, or touching up and ask for partial refund. Just my 2 cents. I will not accept this kind of defect , it means isn't pro enough. For me I will pursuit to get consumer justice.

[jacky5297 0]

So the problem with the cooker hob location arose when the plans were changed and you left it to the ID and contractor to decide the new layout.

Did you sign a written contract and if so, with who? The ID or contractor?

From your photos, it is not very clear what your complaints are, apart from the initial cooker hob location. You can consider using sites like http://www.photobucket.com to store and display your images here, like what most of us do. The image will be bigger and clearer, and you can have many more pictures. Then we can give our two cents worth.

Yes, we are all here to share and learn. It is most unfortunate that you have this problem.

As what I posted on my blog:

How I wish I've read your blog much earlier, especially point 4 regarding the protection on the flooring, my current ID is doing exactly as you've described, only protecting the floor with card board (and only for those area they are placing trash, cement, etc, ie. walkway are naked and unprotected!). I found this on the first night when i went for inspection, but it is too late as the damages have been done on the flooring, countless of scratches and I couldn't find a good tile (few days after the area is cleaned) within 430 sqft living hall + dining area tiles...

Struggling for few days and now engaging Tiler Seng to hack and replace the entire flooring, will post more details on this ID as a warning to others after I've received the "compensated payment" from them for such damage. Guess how much (less) they compensate me?

Planning to complain to CASE after that, keep a lot of photos as evidences, couldn't retain the actual evidence as I am rushing to move in very soon...

[Ks Toh 74]

How I wish I've read your blog much earlier, especially point 4 regarding the protection on the flooring, my current ID is doing exactly as you've described, only protecting the floor with card board (and only for those area they are placing trash, cement, etc, ie. walkway are naked and unprotected!). I found this on the first night when i went for inspection, but it is too late as the damages have been done on the flooring, countless of scratches and I couldn't find a good tile (few days after the area is cleaned) within 430 sqft living hall + dining area tiles...

Struggling for few days and now engaging Tiler Seng to hack and replace the entire flooring, will post more details on this ID as a warning to others after I've received the "compensated payment" from them for such damage. Guess how much (less) they compensate me?

Planning to complain to CASE after that, keep a lot of photos as evidences, couldn't retain the actual evidence as I am rushing to move in very soon...

For this type of case, not much point complaining to CASE. If you still have monies owing to the ID or contractor, just deduct or withhold payment.

If yours is marble tile, can re-polish. If ceramic tile, then I guess just have to change the really bad ones and live with the rest. Maybe you can purchase/keep some spare tiles so that you can use them in the future should you decide you need to replace more tiles. Not easy to find the same tile next time.