Renovation Experience

[binglei 0]

I chose my contractor because: 1) he estimated the project to be able to complete in ~6 weeks, vs others who can only commit in 8 weeks, 2) a few of my relatives have used this company.

My renovation started in late May 2017. I check on the progress almost everyday, and if I find anything wrong, will feedback immediately, to ensure less time wastage in correcting issues.
Actually, almost all went on nicely, although not exactly perfectly smoothly, until...

First, noticed the WC leaking, and discovered a crack. Contacted supplier, who came down and say it is not manufacturing fault, but due probably to handling. Never mind, I'll just pay for another new WC... $348 extra.

Second, the gate installation was delayed, although all other works was considered completed in 6.5 weeks. Was told need 10days. Was pretty mad then. I had to postpone the installation of the digital lock for the gate and arrange separate installation for main door and main gate. I had to move in without the gate installed. Consider with the gate installed, whole project took 7.5 weeks, but luckily, we still manage to have 1 week to clean up before moving in. 

After I move in, came another set of problems.

First, noticed the common toilet very smelly. The smell will diffuse to the kitchen and living room and it is very noticeable when we come home from outside. Tried to find the source for 2 days, and narrowed down to the WC. Noticed the cement between WC and floor had a fine crack, and asked contractor to add cement to reseal it or take out whole WC to check if installation was done well (I read in other forums about poor installation that caused the smell). He said he wanted to look first. I was expecting him to come, but he sent his worker to look. It pissed me off, because I find the lack of customer service, sincerity. Not only that, his worker said "based on his experience" is not due to WC, and asked if I'd asked HDB to come and check.
I also feedback that the TV point is not working and 2 out of the 3 LAN lines are also not working. His worker asked if my TV is working or not. This pisses me again. It was working perfectly before in my old unit, and it doesn't work in my new unit. To prove my point, I shifted the TV back to the old unit and videoed to show that it is working.

Anyway, after resealing with cement, the smell seems to reduce a bit, but still there. Then we realized the smell is coming from the back of the WC, and bought plasticine to block off the hole at the back of the WC. This finally contained the issue of smelly toilet after about 2 weeks. We do not want to reinstall the WC, as we asked a plumber and the plumber said no guarantee that the WC will not be damaged in the removal process. We had already bought an extra WC. I don't want to buy the 4th WC again!

I made arrangements for the contractor to send his electrician down to resolve my TV point and LAN issue. I sms my contractor at ~7am+ on Fri, and asked him to let me know before 6pm that day what time he'll be sending his electrician on Sat. I waited till 6pm. No response. I kept calling and calling....and I had to call his co-partner to contact him. Finally got my answer at 7pm+. I was pissed because I gave ample time for him to feedback, yet he did not, and I had to chase.

Electrician came. Realized that the cable was not connected to the riser thing, so no signal. For the LAN lines, we had debugged and found the wires of the LAN lines are not following the colour coding, and so when the electrician came, we just told him that. But I just don't understand why he can make such mistakes in the first place.

Actually, I wasn't angry with the toilet smelly, or TV/LAN point not working, because I find I learn a lot in the process of finding out the cause of the problems. I'm angry for the lack of sincerity and poor customer after-service of the contractor.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2017 by binglei

[samanthalee 0]

Please share with me the name of this contractor. We will nail them down together with other irresponsible ones!!

[Debrahkok7777 1]

On 8/11/2017 at 4:54 PM, binglei said:

I chose my contractor because: 1) he estimated the project to be able to complete in ~6 weeks, vs others who can only commit in 8 weeks, 2) a few of my relatives have used this company.

My renovation started in late May 2017. I check on the progress almost everyday, and if I find anything wrong, will feedback immediately, to ensure less time wastage in correcting issues.
Actually, almost all went on nicely, although not exactly perfectly smoothly, until...

First, noticed the WC leaking, and discovered a crack. Contacted supplier, who came down and say it is not manufacturing fault, but due probably to handling. Never mind, I'll just pay for another new WC... $348 extra.

Second, the gate installation was delayed, although all other works was considered completed in 6.5 weeks. Was told need 10days. Was pretty mad then. I had to postpone the installation of the digital lock for the gate and arrange separate installation for main door and main gate. I had to move in without the gate installed. Consider with the gate installed, whole project took 7.5 weeks, but luckily, we still manage to have 1 week to clean up before moving in. 

After I move in, came another set of problems.

First, noticed the common toilet very smelly. The smell will diffuse to the kitchen and living room and it is very noticeable when we come home from outside. Tried to find the source for 2 days, and narrowed down to the WC. Noticed the cement between WC and floor had a fine crack, and asked contractor to add cement to reseal it or take out whole WC to check if installation was done well (I read in other forums about poor installation that caused the smell). He said he wanted to look first. I was expecting him to come, but he sent his worker to look. It pissed me off, because I find the lack of customer service, sincerity. Not only that, his worker said "based on his experience" is not due to WC, and asked if I'd asked HDB to come and check.
I also feedback that the TV point is not working and 2 out of the 3 LAN lines are also not working. His worker asked if my TV is working or not. This pisses me again. It was working perfectly before in my old unit, and it doesn't work in my new unit. To prove my point, I shifted the TV back to the old unit and videoed to show that it is working.

Anyway, after resealing with cement, the smell seems to reduce a bit, but still there. Then we realized the smell is coming from the back of the WC, and bought plasticine to block off the hole at the back of the WC. This finally contained the issue of smelly toilet after about 2 weeks. We do not want to reinstall the WC, as we asked a plumber and the plumber said no guarantee that the WC will not be damaged in the removal process. We had already bought an extra WC. I don't want to buy the 4th WC again!

I made arrangements for the contractor to send his electrician down to resolve my TV point and LAN issue. I sms my contractor at ~7am+ on Fri, and asked him to let me know before 6pm that day what time he'll be sending his electrician on Sat. I waited till 6pm. No response. I kept calling and calling....and I had to call his co-partner to contact him. Finally got my answer at 7pm+. I was pissed because I gave ample time for him to feedback, yet he did not, and I had to chase.

Electrician came. Realized that the cable was not connected to the riser thing, so no signal. For the LAN lines, we had debugged and found the wires of the LAN lines are not following the colour coding, and so when the electrician came, we just told him that. But I just don't understand why he can make such mistakes in the first place.

Actually, I wasn't angry with the toilet smelly, or TV/LAN point not working, because I find I learn a lot in the process of finding out the cause of the problems. I'm angry for the lack of sincerity and poor customer after-service of the contractor.

 

 

 

 

So did you engage other contractor after this experience? I heard that if the pipping system is not fix it properly it will caused the whole house to stinks. I am also very afraid of this situation as well !

[maryslittlelamb 0]

On 8/11/2017 at 4:54 PM, binglei said:

I chose my contractor because: 1) he estimated the project to be able to complete in ~6 weeks, vs others who can only commit in 8 weeks, 2) a few of my relatives have used this company.

My renovation started in late May 2017. I check on the progress almost everyday, and if I find anything wrong, will feedback immediately, to ensure less time wastage in correcting issues.
Actually, almost all went on nicely, although not exactly perfectly smoothly, until...

First, noticed the WC leaking, and discovered a crack. Contacted supplier, who came down and say it is not manufacturing fault, but due probably to handling. Never mind, I'll just pay for another new WC... $348 extra.

Second, the gate installation was delayed, although all other works was considered completed in 6.5 weeks. Was told need 10days. Was pretty mad then. I had to postpone the installation of the digital lock for the gate and arrange separate installation for main door and main gate. I had to move in without the gate installed. Consider with the gate installed, whole project took 7.5 weeks, but luckily, we still manage to have 1 week to clean up before moving in. 

After I move in, came another set of problems.

First, noticed the common toilet very smelly. The smell will diffuse to the kitchen and living room and it is very noticeable when we come home from outside. Tried to find the source for 2 days, and narrowed down to the WC. Noticed the cement between WC and floor had a fine crack, and asked contractor to add cement to reseal it or take out whole WC to check if installation was done well (I read in other forums about poor installation that caused the smell). He said he wanted to look first. I was expecting him to come, but he sent his worker to look. It pissed me off, because I find the lack of customer service, sincerity. Not only that, his worker said "based on his experience" is not due to WC, and asked if I'd asked HDB to come and check.
I also feedback that the TV point is not working and 2 out of the 3 LAN lines are also not working. His worker asked if my TV is working or not. This pisses me again. It was working perfectly before in my old unit, and it doesn't work in my new unit. To prove my point, I shifted the TV back to the old unit and videoed to show that it is working.

Anyway, after resealing with cement, the smell seems to reduce a bit, but still there. Then we realized the smell is coming from the back of the WC, and bought plasticine to block off the hole at the back of the WC. This finally contained the issue of smelly toilet after about 2 weeks. We do not want to reinstall the WC, as we asked a plumber and the plumber said no guarantee that the WC will not be damaged in the removal process. We had already bought an extra WC. I don't want to buy the 4th WC again!

I made arrangements for the contractor to send his electrician down to resolve my TV point and LAN issue. I sms my contractor at ~7am+ on Fri, and asked him to let me know before 6pm that day what time he'll be sending his electrician on Sat. I waited till 6pm. No response. I kept calling and calling....and I had to call his co-partner to contact him. Finally got my answer at 7pm+. I was pissed because I gave ample time for him to feedback, yet he did not, and I had to chase.

Electrician came. Realized that the cable was not connected to the riser thing, so no signal. For the LAN lines, we had debugged and found the wires of the LAN lines are not following the colour coding, and so when the electrician came, we just told him that. But I just don't understand why he can make such mistakes in the first place.

Actually, I wasn't angry with the toilet smelly, or TV/LAN point not working, because I find I learn a lot in the process of finding out the cause of the problems. I'm angry for the lack of sincerity and poor customer after-service of the contractor.

 

 

 

 

@binglei hello! can do a good indeed and PM me your ID? thank you!