It striked me to pen it down after reading the big fuss on the forum: whether is it safe to even consider using a non-HDB licensed/CaseTrusted/RADAC Accredited contractor.
Before meeting up with the contractor i've engaged, I've spoken to tons of IDs/contractors, of which some are forever selling on the point that they are HDB-licensed, CaseTrusted, RADAC Accredited.... all sorts of fanciful names that the governing body came up with. The intention of the setup was meant with gd intentions to protect the rights and interest of house owners going through renovation.
I've did my fair share of research in various forums and there were so many complains by house owners, unpleasant renovation experiences.. sub-standard workmanship.. absconded with owners' money... etc.. of which most of them can produce the numerous certification as listed above. But what happened in between?
While I'm impress by the extend these companies sell their 'credibility' through these certifications, I'm definitely one consumer that doesn't buy their story. For simple reasons like "you have to register with Case to be a member in order for Case to take up the complain"... and how often does HDB/Case/RADAC step in when things go wrong in a renovation?
From the point I see it, those who can sell by just word of mouth and reputation holds... there's no need (and they do not see the point) of going through all these applications. For those who doesn't have a strong foothold in the relevant industries, probably these certifications give them a gd point to market with.
How does this sounds:
1) "I've got this.. this ... and this cert... My price is higher but you can rest assured that the renovation is nicely done." vs
2)"I have nothing to tell u. You go to those existing houses that i'm renovating, see for yourself if you are ok with my workmanship.. then u decide from there on whether to give me the deal or not."
I'm coming from an professional industry that has lots of certifications, but we all know how standards can deviate from one to another.
At the end of the day, as long as the job is done to my satisfactory with all the legal issues settled, I couldn't care less if a contractor has got any "license issue" or "trusted or accredited". It is never my issue how he/she settles the legal part with the authorities, I'm only concern about the end product.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
The Shop to Avoid!
Our hunt for all fittings for the house was a tiring one. While we met with shops that were not fantastic in pricing, most of them were pretty gd in serving us and making their recommendations to newbies (us) who were absolutely clueless abt renovations.
There's a particular shop, however, was absolutely disappointing despite high recommendations from a fellow forummer. A shop that I wanna avoid going back at all cost.
It was a typical hardware shop, claims to be distributing sanitary fittings to developers for condo and private apartment projects. We made an extra effort to drive all the way down to check out what was available, since the pricing was claimed to be fantastic.
On our arrival, we were 'greeted' by an absolutely nonchalant guy who seems to be one of the bosses. We had to approach him ourselves while he was busy smoking, and another older man came over to assist, after much waiting. Let's call him Mr K.
We had already purchased our MBR toilet fittings and lacked only the common toilet n kitchen necessities. The choices there were minimal as compared to shops in J.Besar or Geylang, but we had the intention to buy all our remaining fittings from the same place if the price is right. The taps and bidet spray were of less interest to us, the design was more of typical ones that we see in our parents places - plain. Politely rejected Mr K that we would like to get from other shops with better design, he sarcastically told me off that "美没有用的啦! (asethetics do not win over quality)". Why cant we have the best of both worlds (asethetics and quality), esp when his taps weren't really cheap?
Left the shop telling Mr K we will call back to confirm the order b4 delivery. I wanted to take a 2nd look at shops along J.Besar as the selections here were really pathetic. He was still nice at this point of time, and promised that delivery will be made once deal is confirmed, thou a little snobbish that his prices are the best I would ever find.
Made a 2nd trip down to PJ, realized that the exact models there were cheaper, not to mentioned with friendlier service from the staff. Still feeling a little guilty for spending so much time at the hardware shop, we decide to buy a few items from him – inclusive of a kitchen sink and the chrome pipings. I made a call to Mr K, and the conversation went… (translated from Mandarin)
Me: “Sorry.. some of the items I don’t want already. I will take these remaining items."
Mr K: “Huh? What u don’t want? Then what u want?”
Me: *goes down the list he wrote for me and re-confirms one by one which are the items I wanted*
Mr K: “Ok ok…. So u only want *this and this* lah?”
Me: “Ya, so uncle.. when can u deliver them?”
Mr K: “I don’t know. See how lor.”
Me: “Huh? What is ‘see how lor’?”
Mr K: “See when my driver pass by ur area then he will deliver lor.”
Me: “…..??? Then when will I know he’s at my area?”
Mr K: “Aiya, ur order so little. I don’t deliver one leh…”
Me: "Huh? U don't deliver, then how I buy?"
Mr K: "The kitchen sink is very light what. U come n take yourself lah!"
Me: ".... ok. Fine, i'll ask my hubby to drive over and pick up when he's free."
At this point of time I was already on the verge of bursting. While I understand that my orders may be little, it just takes simple words to tell me that I need to pick them up myself, which I’m perfectly fine. I ended the conversation since he wasn’t keen in earning the peanuts from me. Made all my purchases from Poh Joo instead, and the bulk discount given at the end made the whole price tag cheaper than at Mr K’s shop. Not forgetting the humiliation n poor services I received.
Lastly, the ‘highly’ recommended shop:
Chan Weng Wah Hardware
Blk 149 Silat Ave
#01-46, Singapore 160149
There's a particular shop, however, was absolutely disappointing despite high recommendations from a fellow forummer. A shop that I wanna avoid going back at all cost.
It was a typical hardware shop, claims to be distributing sanitary fittings to developers for condo and private apartment projects. We made an extra effort to drive all the way down to check out what was available, since the pricing was claimed to be fantastic.
On our arrival, we were 'greeted' by an absolutely nonchalant guy who seems to be one of the bosses. We had to approach him ourselves while he was busy smoking, and another older man came over to assist, after much waiting. Let's call him Mr K.
We had already purchased our MBR toilet fittings and lacked only the common toilet n kitchen necessities. The choices there were minimal as compared to shops in J.Besar or Geylang, but we had the intention to buy all our remaining fittings from the same place if the price is right. The taps and bidet spray were of less interest to us, the design was more of typical ones that we see in our parents places - plain. Politely rejected Mr K that we would like to get from other shops with better design, he sarcastically told me off that "美没有用的啦! (asethetics do not win over quality)". Why cant we have the best of both worlds (asethetics and quality), esp when his taps weren't really cheap?
Left the shop telling Mr K we will call back to confirm the order b4 delivery. I wanted to take a 2nd look at shops along J.Besar as the selections here were really pathetic. He was still nice at this point of time, and promised that delivery will be made once deal is confirmed, thou a little snobbish that his prices are the best I would ever find.
Made a 2nd trip down to PJ, realized that the exact models there were cheaper, not to mentioned with friendlier service from the staff. Still feeling a little guilty for spending so much time at the hardware shop, we decide to buy a few items from him – inclusive of a kitchen sink and the chrome pipings. I made a call to Mr K, and the conversation went… (translated from Mandarin)
Me: “Sorry.. some of the items I don’t want already. I will take these remaining items."
Mr K: “Huh? What u don’t want? Then what u want?”
Me: *goes down the list he wrote for me and re-confirms one by one which are the items I wanted*
Mr K: “Ok ok…. So u only want *this and this* lah?”
Me: “Ya, so uncle.. when can u deliver them?”
Mr K: “I don’t know. See how lor.”
Me: “Huh? What is ‘see how lor’?”
Mr K: “See when my driver pass by ur area then he will deliver lor.”
Me: “…..??? Then when will I know he’s at my area?”
Mr K: “Aiya, ur order so little. I don’t deliver one leh…”
Me: "Huh? U don't deliver, then how I buy?"
Mr K: "The kitchen sink is very light what. U come n take yourself lah!"
Me: ".... ok. Fine, i'll ask my hubby to drive over and pick up when he's free."
At this point of time I was already on the verge of bursting. While I understand that my orders may be little, it just takes simple words to tell me that I need to pick them up myself, which I’m perfectly fine. I ended the conversation since he wasn’t keen in earning the peanuts from me. Made all my purchases from Poh Joo instead, and the bulk discount given at the end made the whole price tag cheaper than at Mr K’s shop. Not forgetting the humiliation n poor services I received.
Lastly, the ‘highly’ recommended shop:
Chan Weng Wah Hardware
Blk 149 Silat Ave
#01-46, Singapore 160149
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