Very Bad ID/Contractor - Pure Concept Gerald Tang

[maxxchew 2]

I'm writing this to warn those who are searching info on this ID/contractor. At the time of this writing, he is about 42 years old. He is not tall (roughly 165cm), slight tummy and wears earrings. Should be able to find him easily on some social platforms. He has 3 boys whom he will bring around with him always just before you sign the contract with him. This person is a very seasoned liar. The words and promises that flow out from his mouth are so fluent that you wouldn't have second doubts as to what he has said and promised.

In summary, we took over our place on 15th February 2017. We approached him in Nov 2016 and after meeting up twice, we signed the reno contract with him in late Nov/ early Dec 2016. In early July 2017, we terminated our reno contract with him. Most of the stuff was done up halfway, the completed stuff (according to my newly engaged contractors, 4 of them, all independent contractors) was done badly. After 8 months from the signing of the contract (claimed that wood work can start at the factory before taking over the house), our place was still not livable.

Excuses used for the delays were exactly the same as below. This owner had a very bad experience with Pure Concept Gerald Tang too. We knew about this case but was told by Gerald Tang that it was this owner's fault for the delay. He claimed that the owner was fussy and engaged his own air con technician which caused the delay. Pure Concept Gerald Tang also claimed that this owner still owe his company 9k plus for the reno work done. After dealing with Gerald Tang for 8 months, we now know that all of the things he said should be lies.
https://www.renotalk.com/forum/topic...nd-consultant/


Long story:
We got to know Gerald Tang from a good friend of ours. This ID has done 3 of her houses (all minor works) and never gave her any problems. Knowing that he has been in this line for more than 10 years, having done up our good friend's houses with no issues, the sincere outlook and a responsible father impression (brought 3 kids for 1st meeting and then 2 kids for 2nd meeting), we decided to engage him. First 2 weeks, work progressed as planned, and from the 3rd week onwards, work started to delay for a day or two, which we thought were usual. Once we saw some wok done after those delays, we decided not to pursue.

The nightmare started just after 4 weeks into the reno. Electrical work, ceiling partitions and wall plastering work was very slow. First he told us it was Qing Ming Festival and his electrical contractor are Malaysians and needed to go back to Malaysia. This "holiday" excuse was dragged for 2 weeks. We started pushing abit but very very slowly. The promised wood work (cabinets, wardrobes, shelves etc) was supposed to be done from Nov 2016 to Feb 2017 at the factory, which we suspect was not done too. When the time came for the installation of the built-in furniture, part by part came and took another 2 weeks to install, and part of the built-in furniture was still not ready even till today. Usually the installation takes only half a day to one day. Along the way, delays were covered up by excuses that his contractors are delaying him and he will always sound very apologetic.

After the above, for nearly 2 months, he kept using HDB as an excuse. Design of our balcony was submitted to HDB for approval. The excuse given by him was that the HDB officer was not contactable. After listening to this same excuse for nearly 1.5 months, I called HDB directly. The officer who was in charge of my block called back just after half a day. When I took over, the approval was given after 1.5 weeks. Only at this point in time, we suspected that this ID is up to no good and had the worst expectations. When the balcony was done up, it was already at the end of June, 3 weeks past our wedding day. We intended to have this house before our wedding in early Jun 2017 and was promised to have the house given to us by end April/early May, but even a month after our wedding, the house was still not ready. In those few months, we also found out he rarely came down to supervise or check the work. We are the ones who will be calling him to tell him work was not done every one to two days or if there were problems with the work.

We were hesitant in terminating our contract with him earlier as work was already done halfway, and didn't want to enagage another contractor to submit another request to HDB for some approval works, fearing more delay. We didn't want to turn this thing into a nasty thing because he is a friend of our good friend and also this is our first house. After our good friend got to know of our predicament, she actually advised us to go to CASE, as she finds that this was too much too.

We showed our discontent to him after 7 months into the work and heated arguments ensue into the last 2 weeks. After giving him a deadline of 2 weeks to get the remaining work done, which in the end was left unfulfilled, we demanded a refund for the work that was not done. We got less than 50% of the promised refund, and the last cheque bounced. We have then decided to pursue all the way. We know we might not get anything back, but at least this will spare some from the bad experience we got. The distress, the few months' of loan payments without a house to stay and the time wasted. This person shouldn't be allowed to practise in this trade.

A summary of the bad works done:
- Living room shelf done halfway
- Room wardrobe low quality
- drilled metals hangars wrongly
- balcony floor was not even and flat. After rain, there will be puddles of water.
- painting was done with no foundation. My paint flakes. Uneven paint job and some walls have different colours.
- Electrical work was done badly. Some powerpoints and siwtches were not working.
- Room wooden parquet flooring was done uneven.
- leaking sanitary pipes

I have since engaged an Aluminum door contractor, a general contractor, an electrical contractor and a painter to help me rectify. There are good contractors and managed to complete after a month. Unfortunately, some of the major works that were done badly are left as it is, as it will take a few months again before we can stay inside.

[Gek Ling 0]

Hi, do you still have the contact number for Gerald Tang. I have problems with him regarding my ID project but his number doesn't work.

[maxxchew 2]

Hi Gek Ling,

Last I heard from the contractor he had engaged to do up my place is that he tried paying them back in installments. However, 3 months ago, the contractor couldn't contact him anymore. He still owed them roughly 10k plus. The remaining sum of 3k plus that he owed me was not paid back even after small claims court instructed him to pay me back. I have engaged a debt collector since March 2018 but they couldn't find him nor his sister, who is the registered owner of his ID company. Think the only way to get back at this kind of scums is to just make them famous. I hope more people just do research before they engage IDs. There are some people who are serial scammers. Lay low for a few years and then come back again.

[maxxchew 2]

[Buns222 1]

Would like to add on to the above thread on VERY BAD CONTRACTORS

COMPANY: RENOHUB, UEN: 53363614X

PREVIOUS COMPANY: S ILLUSION DESIGN & BUILD, UEN: 201421649G

PREVIOUS COMPANY: S. ILLUSION DESIGN PTE.LTD, UEN: 201310442D

ID: TIFFANIE KO & KOW WEIXIANG

please contact me at bunsdance@gmail.com

We are aware that she has been serving her victims with legal letters as follow:

1. instalment plans to settle outstanding refund without any payment done through a law firm

2. threats of legal action on any communication on any public forums/social media on their wrong doings

3.  issuing bounce cheques/future dated TT Transfer

4. Continuously lying and empty promises to clear the debt 

5. Imcomplete works after receiving full payment

we have seeked legal advise and need all affected victims to come together to pursue legal action against them and ensure that justice is being served.

 

I'm sure you are equally affected by this matter emotionally and financially, do let me have your contact details and we can work together to ensure that they get what they deserve and not let others be affected/scam by them again.

I look forward from hearing from you on this.

[Firefly 0]

Wow. I thought mine was bad enough not honouring promises made before contract signed. Best of luck.

[SubzeroT 0]

Unfortunately we are now also a victim of this designer Gerald Tang. Our fault for not doing our due diligence and checking him specifically (only the company he represents) before we engaged him.  Our experience is very similar to what the others have described above. Such a nightmare. 

Gerald Tang is now working under the company Aerialwerkz. The boss (at least the person who called me back claimed to be the boss after I called the company) is just as bad. Basically did nothing and ignored me. 

Now I understand why he has two mobile numbers. One is only for WhatsApp but cannot call. That must be the number he terminated after all these bad experiences and he had to escape. 

[Firefly 0]

Also check if company is registered with ACRA. Jiamei is around for 30 years and no longer in business based on ACRA records.

[BotakJones 0]

He working in swift interior nw at ubi there!! U interested can try find him there. He n ken also work there be careful everyone. My friend saw his pic and matched and he skinner nw 

On 10/26/2018 at 6:38 PM, SubzeroT said:

Unfortunately we are now also a victim of this designer Gerald Tang. Our fault for not doing our due diligence and checking him specifically (only the company he represents) before we engaged him.  Our experience is very similar to what the others have described above. Such a nightmare. 

Gerald Tang is now working under the company Aerialwerkz. The boss (at least the person who called me back claimed to be the boss after I called the company) is just as bad. Basically did nothing and ignored me. 

Now I understand why he has two mobile numbers. One is only for WhatsApp but cannot call. That must be the number he terminated after all these bad experiences and he had to escape. 

 

On 10/7/2018 at 7:33 PM, maxxchew said:

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by BotakJones