The phone rings. It’s your property agent. You press your phone close to your ears, not wanting to miss out on what he’s saying. You turn to your wife and with a big smile and victorious thumbs up, you bring her the good news - the day you guys have been waiting for, for so long is finally here – the keys to your brand new home.
Since you will be spending half your waking moments at home, it’s forgivable that you will want to spend some decent money on a good Singapore renovation contractor to turn your bare unit into a decadent paradise you can come back to after a hard day at work. .
Renovating your place is a pretty considerable investment by most standards, and assuming that most of you don’t have millionaire or celebrity parents to write you a blank cheque, it would be wise to know what to look for, and what also what to look out for. Please pay attention from this point on.
Where do I start?
There are lots of good renovation contractors in Singapore, so you have to do your fair share of homework to sniff out the really good ones. Don’t fall for their sweet talk and pie-in-the-sky promises. If it’s too good to be true, it’s probably just that.
There isn’t a golden formula to find a good Singapore renovation contractor. But common sense often serves as a fairly accurate compass to put you in the right direction.
Compare prices. View their portfolio. Ask for referrals where possible. Insist on a contract. If he seems evasive in his answers, that should set off the warning alarms and you should be heading for the nearest exit.
Cash deals
Beware of cash deals. Simply put, some Singapore renovation contractors dangle a ridiculously low price, tempting you to bite the bait. But there’s a catch (obviously). He demands cash payment. Don’t be naïve to buy into their excuse of income tax evasion (why is that even your problem anyway?)
A cash deal is simply too risky, especially when we are looking at a huge amount of tens of thousands of dollars. It’s too risky. You have no control over how your projects turn out, and there are no guarantees at all. That’s hardly a deal if you ask me.
Insist on a contract
Don’t get mad. Get even. If the renovation contractor you engaged doesn’t deliver, you don’t have to pull your hair out. The terms and conditions should be clearly spelt out, so as to prevent hours of arguing about the actual agreement.
Without a contract, it’s your word against there. Guess what? They usually win. You have to live with the frustration of having to pay another contractor to complete the renovation.
Warranty
Look, you are spending some serious cash So, please Insist on renovation warranty. Reliable renovation contractors in Singapore usually provide that, while fly-by-night contractors don’t. Do you own cost-benefit analysis.
Do not fall for the cheap tricks of unscrupulous Singapore renovation contractors.
Know the safeguards. Know their lies and excuses. It’s only with proper research that you will be able to make well-informed choices to find that perfect Singapore renovation contractor.