Is the roof already leaking when it rains? Or maybe the door wonโt lock properly any more. Or you simply want your flat to have a new look. Whatever renovation work you want in your house, if it is in Singapore, always make sure to hire a renovation company Singapore.
Let us stress that โ it has to be a good renovation company Singapore, not just any renovation company out there. Why? That is because Singapore has its own standards and specifications when it comes to housing that any random renovation company or contractor out there may not know about.
In Singapore, you have to consider first and foremost what kind of house that is, if it is government or private housing. Depending on which is which โ well, we canโt really say these are limitations but – there are just some things that a renovation company needs to consider when making repairs or tweaks in the design of a house. These were set up by the Housing and Developing Board of Singapore or the HDB.
What the Housing and Developing Board Has to Say about Renovation Company Singapore
To ensure peace of mind when it comes to your home renovation needs, the HDB only has one tip for all Singapore homeowners: make sure the renovation company Singapore you employ is approved and accredited by the HDB and / or the Building and Construction Authority or BCA.
There are two basic reasons for this. The first is obvious โ so you will have a hundred percent assurance regarding the quality of your home renovation. The second is something that mostly only Singaporeans know about โ and that is the structure of the building.
You see, since the 60s, Singapore has established a housing standard thatโs all their own. The governmentโs ambition then was to replace all the eye sores โ that is, the dirty, crowded and stinky slums that were home to informal settlers โ with housing that costs less but that they can be proud of. Now, maybe many of you will say that dream has been realized, because half the time, first timers in the country get surprised that public housing does not look like such.
However, this comes with some considerations. Whenever there are renovations, the contractor must always make sure to keep this in sync with Singaporeโs housing standards all the time โ otherwise, you will be seeing a crumbling house in the near future! That is why you need to be careful when choosing a renovation company Singapore to employ.
Tips When Looking for Renovation Company Singapore
The first qualification you should always look for in a renovation company Singapore is its affiliation with the HDB and / or the BCA. You can scout for them in this e-service listing, but be forewarned โ there are too many of them! To help narrow down the search, consider these tips:
- Never rush. Do your research. Ask around for people who had their homes renovated, browse for reviews and compare the prices. Only then should you check which ones can possibly meet your expectations and your budget range.
- Before entering into any contract, get to know all the pertinent policies first. Is there a potential refund in case you have paid already but decided that you no longer want the service before the project starts? Or, how much refund will you get if you consider terminating the service even before the contract was consummated? What if during the renovation project, accidents and damages affecting your property took place? Will you receive anything in exchange?
- Take time to read before signing any contract with the renovation company Singapore. You should never feel rushed to sign a contract. Check the fine print, because these are often where information about hidden charges lurks. Scrutinize the terms, the conditions, and the appendices, if there are any, and make sure that everything you have agreed upon verbally with the company is also written in the contract. Even if you badly want a renovation project to be done quickly, safety should still be your top most priority.
- Set clear deadlines, and make sure you have these communicated with the contractor. From the design templates, to the groundwork and the painting, make sure the contractor meets all these.
- Finally, know where and how to file a dispute, just in case something goes wrong with the renovation project (but of course, we hope nothing goes wrong with yours). Any consumer related complaint such as this could be coursed to the Consumers Association of Singapore, also conveniently known as CASE, or through the Small Claims Tribunals.
What to Secure When Seeking Renovation of a Singapore Home
There are certain documents that you need to fulfill in some cases of Singapore home renovation, especially when the home is a government or HDB flat. One is an approval or permit from the HDB, which, of course, should be in hard copy. You also have an active Utilities Account. If youโre a new homeowner, make sure to open one.
Typically, HDB will require the renovation to be finished not more than three months from the date you were issued the approval. That is, if the home is new. However, if itโs an old flat, one that has been around for quite some time already, then the allowed time will only be one month. No renovations should be done beyond 6 p.m. and before 9 a.m., as well as during Sundays and public holidays. Thatโs also the only time when works that emit noise such as drilling or hacking walls will be allowed. These noisy works should be completed in three daysโ time. A homeowner should pay for all the costs of supplies and all the other elements needed in the renovation, plus the fee for the service by the renovation company.
Town councils typically answer for all the debris left in the renovation. However, in case they donโt, the renovation company you have chosen should be the one to clear and dispose of the debris.