Renovating your home is fulfilling. Despite the excitement, we have to acknowledge that hiccups are common due to the many moving pieces and unforeseen occurrences during a project.
We will be shedding light on 3 common complaints and how you can prevent them. To gain deeper insights, we spoke with experts from 3 renowned CaseTrust accredited firms: Jinglong Ong from Forefront Interior, Ronnie Goh from Swiss Interior, and Bryan Lee from Todz’Terior.
Preventing Renovation Delays
Why do Renovation Delays happen?
A renovation project involves scheduling many subcontractors over 4-12 weeks in a specific order. As such, tight schedules can easily derail due to a single mishap that results in subsequent works being pushed back.
While all three experts observe that more than 50% of project delays are caused by last-minute design changes during renovation works, other contributing factors include over-promising unrealistic timelines to win projects initially, insufficient prep work leading to necessary changes during renovation, and a lack of onsite monitoring to instruct subcontractors.
How to prevent Renovation Delays?
1. Be early!
Homeowners should start their search for a renovator 6 months before their key collection date and confirm with a renovator 3 months before renovation begins. Todz’Terior explains, “This leaves ample time to finalise the finer details without rushing the planning process.”
2. Be sure!
According to Forefront Interior, engaging a trusted professional who is able to digest all your requirements, propose a customised plan that marries aesthetic, functionality, and budget requirements, and then presents you with all renovation possibilities based on your lifestyle needs is really the cornerstone of a successful renovation.
Your renovator should be someone you can count on and always be on the same page as you throughout the renovation journey.
3. Be decisive!
Once the renovator is finalised, Swiss Interior suggests homeowners confirm a detailed work schedule with the renovator that ensures no subsequent changes. This includes the layout plan, electrical plan, partition and ceilings plan, carpentry detail drawings, material selection, and any other details.
From there, a detailed work schedule and timeline should be included in your renovation contract. This keeps your renovator accountable and enables you to keep track of your renovation progress.
Preventing Substandard Renovation Workmanship
Why do Substandard Workmanship happen?
In most cases, workmanship standards are subjective based on individual perceptions of quality for work performed by human hands.
Common issues for tiling and carpentry works include excessive gaps, uneven tiles, obvious laminate joint lines, misaligned fittings, material variance, or blemishes.
How to prevent Substandard Workmanship?
1. Align expectations on workmanship standards.
Before finalising the renovator, Swiss Interior advises homeowners to schedule a visit to the firm's ongoing renovation sites to check their workmanship standards.
“Pick sites that have completed carpentry installation, so homeowners can effectively gauge the firm’s standards for carpentry, tiling, and plastering works. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss and align standards expected with the renovator before committing to them.”
Forefront Interior stresses, “Communication between homeowners and renovators is key to aligning expectations.
Homeowners should let the renovator know their specific standards in workmanship initially, and good renovators will advise on the technicalities behind material selection and feasibility for on-site execution to achieve the desired look.”
Todz’Terior adds, “Homeowners should have realistic expectations as manufacturing imperfections, such as uneven tiles or poor original unit conditions like irregular surfaces, cannot be avoided.
Good workmanship involves adjusting to these conditions to make the end results work. Look for firms that offer workmanship warranties for added assurance on after-sale service.”
2. Avoid going for the cheapest deal.
Manpower costs make-up a huge portion of your renovation costs.
Hence, you should avoid going for the cheapest deal as it is impossible for a renovator to significantly reduce prices without making any compromises on materials or workmanship quality e.g. underpaying subcontractors, hiring lowly skilled ones, or leaving on-going projects unattended.
Preventing Renovation Budget Overshoots
Why do Renovation Budget Overshoots happen?
1. Hidden Renovation Costs:
Bad actors might intentionally exclude necessary items from the renovation quotation to improve their price appeal.
Some omissions include tiling per square foot pricing, carpentry length estimation without proper measurements, waterproofing works for kitchen and bathroom tiling, etc.
2. Unforeseen Renovation Costs:
Even the most genuine and experienced renovators may fail to anticipate certain unforeseen costs, such as additional electrical points, existing hollow tiles that pop out due to hacking works, concealed piping, etc.
How to prevent Renovation Budget Overshoots?
1. Compare itemised quotations
Request for a line-by-line breakdown of costing with description on scope of works.
Swiss Interior suggests, “Request a detailed quotation that breaks down lump sum costs.
This allows homeowners to compare quotes fairly as you can see how you are charged for each specific item. Especially for homeowners doing any wall or flooring works, arrange an onsite visit for the renovator to inspect the unit conditions and obtain accurate measurements, in order to draft an itemised quotation.”
2. Double check for potential additional costs
Check with your renovator on renovation costs that cannot be calculated in advance.
For such works, request for it to be clearly stated in your renovation quotation and get the renovator to provide an estimate if possible.
Have a contingency budget prepared. Todz’Terior gives an insider tip: “BTO homeowners can prepare an additional 10% budget, and resale homeowners can prepare a 20% budget to be extra sure. This can alleviate stress and ensure your project stays on track if unforeseen expenses were to arise.”
Forefront underscores, “Detailed descriptions in quotations reflect the renovator’s thinking process, meticulousness, and ability to look out for key details to prevent unforeseen costs in the future.”
Remedies to take when Renovation Nightmares Happen
1. Stay calm
Start by seeking clarifications with your renovator and assess if the reasons provided are reasonable.
2. Work towards a Resolution
Based on the legitimacy of the reasons provided and the severity of the delay, work together with your renovator towards an appropriate resolution. Pressuring renovators to do the impossible may backfire, leading to more rectification works or compromises.
3. Seek Mediation if necessary
If you reach a deadlock with your renovator on a dispute, you can request mediation at CASE. Note that CaseTrust-accredited renovators are required to attend mediation upon request.
The Ultimate Solution is Prevention
As our experts from Forefront Interior, Swiss Interior, and Todz’Terior have shared, homeowners can take on a proactive approach to prevent renovation hiccups.
That's why we advocate for working with CaseTrust-accredited Renovators who have been rigorously assessed and follow good consumer policies.
Ensure your contract lays out an accurate and comprehensive scope of works, mutually agreed and realistic timelines, transparent and itemised quotations, and clear rights to remedy and recourse options. When in doubt, you can use the CaseTrust Standard Contract as a reference.
At HomeMatch, we ensure that all renovators are CaseTrust-accredited and have above four-star reviews before working with them.
