Homeowners may want to be prepared for upcoming challenges faced during Renovation, here are the Common Issue to take note of for your Renovation. Be it a Renovation of an old resale house or a new HDB BTO flat from scratch. Everyone aspires for the Renovation journey to be smooth and successful.
Get a good headstart on your Renovation journey by taking the following aspects into consideration.
1. Renovation Budget
This is the main determination for the number of furnishings required as well as the quality of the materials selected. Before the renovation, you should first identify your home and then set your expenditure based on these requirements. Having determined your budget, do discuss it with a reputable Interior Designer about your Renovation ideas and plans. You should also factor in the unforeseen cost which might drive your Renovation budget up. Preparing a 10-20% increase in your budget provides peace of mind.
2. Draw Up a Renovation Contract
Have all your Renovation terms stated explicitly in a contract to protect yourself. Honouring a verbal agreement will definitely be difficult with your designer if a dispute happens. Putting down the clauses and conditions in black and white will help prevent future disputes or arguments. Here are some terms that should be in your contract:
-Payment
Payment should be split up and paid in separate stages based on the progress of the project. Usually, the interior design firm or renovation company will require the homeowner to pay certain percentage amount upfront of the total Renovation cost when the contract is signed; with the rest paid according to the progress of the project.
-Schedules
On the contract, the renovation company or interior design firm needs to specify the schedules of the project from the commencement date to the completion date.
-Breach of Contract Terms
If the contractor violates any terms or conditions in the contract which cause losses to the homeowner, the homeowner can claim compensation.
-Warranties
The contractor has to offer a guarantee for the quality of the materials being used in the renovation project, as well as a warranty for these materials for a certain time period.
-Rectification of Defects
If there are any faults due to defective materials or poor workmanship, the contractor is liable to rectify them before the handover of the project.
-Resolving Disputes
The contract should include a mediation clause that if a dispute occurs, both parties can seek mediation from RCMA or CASE.
-Variations
A variation clause will be useful if the homeowner needs to make changes to the project… both parties can negotiate to agree to a reasonable deal.
3. Overall Quality of the Renovation
The Workmanship and overall quality of the renovation are of special concern to the homeowner, who placed great importance on the final results and looking forward to a well-designed home. However, these factors may cause disputes between the homeowner and the renovation company.
Therefore, it is important to choose a Renovation company or an Interior Designer with a good reputation. Uplifting the standards of renovation with RCMA (Singapore Renovation Contractors and Material Suppliers Association), an association that is dedicated to maintaining the quality of the renovation industry. It provides a good reference for homeowners by publishing a list of Renovation companies of good standing in their Renovation guidebook.
There are reportedly around 2180 renovation and interior design companies in Singapore. Most of their service standards are comparable but there are still cases of poor workmanship or of companies that cut corners from time to time. To prevent such unfavourable circumstances, the homeowner should closely supervise and inspect the project during the course of a renovation. If there are defects, the homeowner should notify the renovation company immediately to resolve them and make the progress payment only after verifying the works are satisfactory.
4. Practical Comfortable Designs
The ultimate goal for any renovation is to achieve a practical and comfortable design. For home renovations, the homeowner needs to understand the lifestyle needs of his or her family members. It’s best to discuss with every family member on their requirements before the renovation works commence.
Maximizing spaces, especially in small and compact apartments, it is necessary to make good use of spaces in order to not waste any precious usable space. Attain a practical and thoughtful home design, discuss everything in detail with your Interior Designer prior to the renovation and you will be well on your way to fulfilling your dream home.
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This Write-up is Inspired by Ong Han Boon, Property Valuer Advisor, RCMA
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