AVOID using Urban Design House at Balestier

Gina Lim · January 11, 2019

I renovated my new condo mid last year. I had really regretted using the service of URBAN DESIGN HOUSE located along Balestier Road.

I had told the designer, KENT TAN, that this is a very rush job as I have only one month to let him complete the renovation. He assured me over and over again that one month is more than sufficient. He also assured me that their company will only used quality items and ensure good workmanship.

Renovation was done in July 2018 and disaster started. I have to EMPHASISE that all problems started because of this IRRESPONSIBLE designer. I will only mention a few major mistakes here.

During the one month renovation, I was there daily to check on the work and I have only seen the designer there ONCE during the whole month. (He was there to buy food for the workers, get my cheque and left)

Apparently, his communication with his workers are so bad that everything went wrong. Right from the painting, carpentry, marble polishing, parquet polishing, ceiling, lightings, etc.

1) Painting

- Very little protection sheets used and the painter splashed paint everywhere (including the staircase)

- Masking tape was not taped properly on the side skirt causing paint to peel every time we clean

- Indoor paint was used on the balcony and every time it rains, pain peel off and drop all over the floor

- Painter dripped paint on the floor and other places but did not clean off

- Painters would paint for 5 mins and sit outside the main door to rest for 10 mins, then carry on.

- I have told Kent Tan that I do not want this batch of painters to paint for me anymore but he ignored my complaints and kept sending them back one by one, thinking that I will not recognize them.

- Because the designer is not around to tell them what to do, I had to do the job. The painters were not cooperative and kept complaining and telling me they will not do the job.

2) Marble Polishing

- The polishing was so bad, it seems like the surface wasn't polished at all. (Amount refunded)

3) Parquet Polishing

- I really don't know much on renovation and did not know if one should polish the parquet floor first then install the carpentry or the other way round. Apparently, this designer had decided to polish floor last

- Problems came. I had custom made a bed with 8 legs and after the parquet polishing, the areas with the bed legs were not polished. It is so unsightly.

- Carpentry work such as TV console, wardrobe, etc had lots of vanish stained at the bottom

4) Carpentry work

- They left a gap of about 5mm on all custom made furniture and silicon the bottom because bits and pieces of wood were stuck at the bottom and is very unsightly. They used silicon to cover it up but most of the silicon started peeling in less than 3 MONTHS. There are more mistakes I do not want to bring up here.

5) Lightings

- Designer calculated the length of the LED lights wrongly and hence, I am still waiting for the stock of the driver till now

6) False ceiling

- Started to crack within 3 MONTHS. Designer kept arranging workers to touch up but can't work.

(The very first time, designer KENT TAN suggested using the simplest and easiest method, (silicon). After applying the silicon, it crack again within ONE MONTH)

7) Designer (KENT TAN)

- As I have mentioned, he is hardly around to make sure that his workers are doing the right things. Even after all these mistakes, guess what he did

- He arranged his workers to come over, DID NOT tell them and problems and DID NOT COME OVER. He gave my numbers to the workers and told every one of them to contact me instead. (As though Urban Design House pay me salary). What's more, when I gave him a time, ie. 2-5pm, he would tell his workers to come anytime between this time). That means, there are workers reaching at 2pm and some at 4pm+. I had to clean the house over and over again because of this

- After telling him to bring his own cleaning equipments like vacuum cleaner, broom, mop, etc; he came with only ONE piece of cloth.

- He assured me of good workmanship BEFORE I sign the contract, after all payments please see KENT TAN’s reply: "As for workmanship no one can guarantee ,all are handworks & labour works. But I m trying my best to solve the issue for u already.no one can guarantee all the worker won't happen any mistake or wrong .please be patient as I m no push away or finding excuse for all your request. I was actually trying to match your convenient & settle to issue for u too.”

- I have also told Kent Tan that I am not comfortable with the Malay painters and hope he can send a Chinese painter instead. He rejected me saying that his company only works with Malay painters. In fact, I told him to get other painters after seeing how this batch of painters work but Kent will still send the same painters. I have to bear with his again this coming Wednesday on 16 Jan 2018.

I have all the chats saved in my phone. Can produce screen shots when necessary.

I have paid them over S$50,000 for the renovation work, excluding, furniture, lights, curtains, etc. for a 2-bedroom condo and gotten lots of headache because of this designer.

I urge all of you not to use their service. Fyi, I have done a renovation work with Ciseern few years back and they did not even have to come back once after the renovation. Regret not using them again.

I did not want to give a bad review online but after all these months of irresponsible work. I think I don't want the others to have the same experience as me.