Renovation Adventures

I had no idea that renovating a 90 sqm flat would result in so many things to be done. First off, I want to state what I have learnt so far below.

Look for an ID (Interior Designer) early, a year before you get your keys, you never know how many you want to meet until you find one whom you feel comfortable with.

Always be there for your flat during the renovations, when you enter, if your flat is crying, you know that you need to be there when holes are being drilled into its walls, it hurts for the flat. In other words, you have to supervise the workers or your walls will have unwanted holes in unnecessary places. The ID may not always be there.

Get someone experienced in the layout for the plumbing and electrical. Meaning, you find someone to supervise them when your ID is not around. If your ID is supervising properly for the first task; installing the cupboards for example and doing a good job of it and always there, you won’t need to worry. My father-in-law had to scold each of the contractors who arrived and did sloppy work. The aircon compressor story, plumber, painter, ID (even he got it), and I think practically all of them had a tongue lashing for their lazy methods.

If the people were to arrive at a certain time to complete any task and you are already waiting for them, call the ID to chase after them. I had to do it twice. First time, I was a little angry. Second time, I asked the ID how come they didn’t come to wash the flat. Wasn’t it set at 9am? 11am: no one came. Then, ID replied saying that they went to the wrong unit. The. Wrong. Unit. I was speechless. I had an event in the evening and by the time they arrived, it was raining heavily. Using a lot of water is already a burden on us since they don’t pay SP Services. Using our electricity is a total waste since they were late. I feel very tempted to tell them to pay for the electricity bills.

I want to trust the people I pay money to. But when they do this kind of things, I really can’t believe that I am using their services and still have to fork out my money to pay for the things that should not be needed if they had done it properly in the first trip. If you don’t want to come again for another round of just to make things neat, do it right the first time. It is not difficult, I don’t care how long you take, just make it right the first time so I won’t have to call your company to share the horror story. I don’t like horror stories.