Frequently Asked Questions
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Renovating For The First Time?
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Popular Questions
There’s a lot more than just obtaining a price quotation. And here’s where we come in.
Our primary goal is to protect your interest as a consumer.
We do important background checks on renovation companies in Singapore, helping you steer clear of bad apples in the renovation industry.
Thus, we make it extremely easy for you to find, evaluate, and engage with trustworthy and accredited renovation professionals.
All in a matter of minutes.
Importantly, you are empowered to make informed decisions.
They are verified under our Professional Trust Scheme, with a blue badge in their profile to represent their status of trustworthiness.
Detailed background checks with governance and organisational sources such as ACRA, HDB, BCA, RCMA, CaseTrust, bizSAFE etc. are done to verify the following –
- It is a legally registered and active business entity.
- It is registered with the Housing Development Board (HDB).
- It has a valid HDB licence to carry out renovation works under their business name, on HDB residential or commercial premises.
- Any accumulated Demerit Points with HDB in the past 24 months.
- Any infringement history with HDB in the past 24 months.
- Accreditation by RCMA or CaseTrust.
- Validity and authenticity of their accreditation/ accolades.
Browse and easily find Trusted Renovation Professionals in just minutes.
They are not verified under our Professional Trust Scheme.
At the point of listing, basic background checks are done with governance and organisational sources to verify the following –
- It is a legally registered and active business entity.
- It is registered with the Housing Development Board (HDB).
- It has a valid HDB licence to carry out renovation works under their business name, on HDB residential or commercial premises.
- Any accumulated Demerit Points with HDB in the past 24 months.
- Any infringement history with HDB in the past 24 months.
- Validity and authenticity of their accreditation/ accolades.
Most definitely!
Within every Professional/ Specialist profile, there is a ‘Certifications & Accreditation’ and ‘Certification Reference’ block.
For example, a valid HDB license no. is shown in their profile if the renovation company is registered with the HDB.
Such information are important considerations when you perform initial assessments of a company.
Realistically, no. As the saying goes – You get what you pay for.
Renovation projects involve a hierarchy of suppliers, main contractors and sub-contractors. This translates into fixed costs for labour and materials to get the job done.
Because of fixed costs, low prices equates to smaller profit margins. To maximize profit, it could likely mean cutting corners on quality.
If you receive an offer that’s too good to be true, it should trigger alarm bells!
Through interviews with over 200 home and business owners, findings revealed that almost 80% of them did not hire renovation companies with the lowest price.
Here are some pointers from reputable renovation professionals. They gave a list of things that you should watch out for –
- Irresistibly low prices or too good to be true offers.
- A vaguely written renovation quotation or contract.
- No proper description of materials/ items supplied and work scopes on quotations and contracts.
- Materials/ items supplied or work scope descriptions without any cost indication. If there are no costs, it should indicate F.O.C, Free or Complimentary.
- Hidden costs of materials/ items supplied or work scopes.
- Marketing renovation services to property owners without valid license(s) from the authorities (e.g. BCA or HDB).
- Unwilling or unable to provide official license numbers when asked to.
- Soliciting for business at void decks of newly completed residential units or going door-to-door.
- No proper office and showroom.
- Asking you for full or unusually high down payment(s) upfront upon signing a contract. Market practice is normally around 20% of the total project cost.
- Receipts not printed with the company’s registered name, address, receipt number, payee’s name, purpose of payment and the sum received.
- Asking you for payment(s) before agreed work scopes/ phases are completed on time.
- Requesting for payment(s) to a personal name instead of the company.
- Over-promise and under-deliver traps.
Like any other industry, most renovation contractors are professional and honest. Unfortunately, there will always be a few black sheeps.
Here are a list of tips to protect yourself and steer clear of those bad apples –
- Bestrenovation.sg gives you access to FREE background checks and client reviews on hundreds of renovation firms.
- Sign up FREE and use our ‘Direct Message’ to engage with and evaluate renovation companies.
- Consider renovation firms with proper certifications and accreditation. E.g. Registered with HDB, CaseTrust and RCMA etc.
- Vet through their actual project portfolios.
- Arrange a meetup and non-obligatory consultation at the office/ showroom. You can better assess their level of professionalism, customer service, credibility and workmanship.
- Exercise caution if a renovation firm has Accumulated Demerit Points from HDB in the past 24 months.
- Consolidate 4 – 5 quotations or proposals. Do a fair comparison on the costs and their value propositions.
- Scrutinize quotations or proposals. Ensure materials/ items supplied and work scopes are clearly described with costings indicated for each of them.
- Always have a Renovation Agreement or Contract endorsed between you and the company.
- The agreement or contract should spell out the precise obligations and terms binding both you and the company.
- Always read carefully and understand the clauses of the agreement or contract. Ask questions when in doubt.
- Find out everything about the payment terms.
- Renovation works are done in phases. Only make progress payments after you verify that the works are satisfactory.
- Find out if they provide warranty on their work. What are the T&Cs and for how long?
- Whenever possible, request for an on-site visit of their work-in-progress or near completion project(s).
Before any renovation work begins, both you and the renovation company must sign a Renovation Agreement or Renovation Contract.
This is a legal document that protects your rights (and the renovation company’s too).
Always read the document carefully. Understand your rights and obligations under the agreement/ contract and keep a copy of it with you.
Work commitments or assurances made verbally by the company or its representatives must be written clearly in the agreement or contract.
This reduces the occurrence of them misleading you with any incorrect information, false claims or verbal promises.
If they do so, you may be entitled to bring a lawsuit against them.
Additionally, most renovation firms in Singapore use standard term contracts, which are common across the industry. Hence, you should not sign a company’s proprietary contract as it may be drafted unfairly in favour of the company.
Here are examples of a model Renovation Agreement and Standard Renovation Contract from CaseTrust for your reference.
These important Contractual Terms should always be included in the renovation agreement or contract.
Dates: Commencement and completion schedules must be clearly written for the work to be done.
Payment Terms: Never make full payment upfront. Payments should always be made progressively when a work phase or milestone is completed as agreed in the agreement/ contract.
Warranty: After-sales service, warranty for workmanship and the quality of materials must be clearly indicated.
Rectification of Defects: The renovation company must fulfil its obligation(s) to rectify any work defects before handing over to you.
Liquidated Damages: Liquidated damages clauses state the amount of damages which a party will have to pay the other party when a breach in the agreement/ contract happens.
Therefore, if the renovation company breaches the agreement/ contract, the client may be able to claim the amount of damages stated in the liquidated damage clause, instead of having to prove and quantify the exact amount of losses first.
Variations: With the variation clause, you may have the power to require the renovation company to alter unsatisfactory works, so they cannot charge you a higher price for it or delay completion.
Dispute Resolution: Having a mediation clause makes both you and the company obliged to refer the matter to the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) or other neutral parties in the event of a dispute.
A home renovation in Singapore is a challenging and pricey affair for homeowners.
To have a good grasp on the renovation matters and costs, read everything you need to know with our Renovation Singapore – The Ultimate Home Renovation Guide.
Other Questions
For a Standard BTO flat, the unit only has raw concrete finishing.
However, under the Optional Component Scheme (OCS), you are given flexibility and choice to have the floor finishing and internal timber doors readily installed. They are –
- Glazed ceramic tiles for the Living/Dining & Bedrooms.
- Semi-solid timber doors for all rooms.
The opt-in basic cost are usually about 20 – 30% cheaper compared to standard market rates. But if you want better timber quality or bi-fold doors design, and better homogeneous/porcelain tiles or tiles/timber skirting, then you can opt out of the OCS schemes.
For a Premium BTO flat, the unit has these items readily installed –
- Polished homogeneous/porcelain tiles & timber-strip for living/dining & bedrooms.
- Solid timber doors for all bedrooms.
- Semi-solid timber doors for bathrooms.
Standard BTO units are available in 2, 3, 4 and 5 rooms.
Here are the internal square metres for the respective units –
2 rooms are 35–45 m²
3 rooms are 65 m²
4 rooms are 90–94 m²
5 rooms are 110 m²
Premium BTO units are available in 4, 4A and 5 rooms or loft unit.
Here are the internal square metres for the respective units –
4 rooms are 90–96 m²
4A rooms are 101–103 m²
5 rooms are 110–114 m²
Loft units are 111–120 m²
There’s really no definitive answer to this.
It depends on what your needs are and how much you wish to spend on your renovation.
The good thing is for a fixed price, a list of renovation items and work scopes are bundled into the package.
Prices will vary depending on the materials supplied, its quality and the required work scopes.
If you purchased a premium BTO flat or new condominium unit, a renovation package could be a wise money-saving option.
Such units already have flooring (living area, kitchen, household shelter, service yard and bathrooms), wall finishing, doors, toilet accessories etc. Some even have vanity tops and wardrobes.
There are also packages specifically suited for a Standard BTO flat or Resale flat.
However, if you decide to go for a personalised design theme, modify infrastructure layouts or custom carpentry works, a renovation package may not fit your needs.
Browse hundreds of great value renovation packages and see which ones fit your needs.
Always have a list of questions ready because you want to achieve these goals after the meeting –
a) Get insightful advice, ideas and clear answers for your renovation.
b) Get a concise cost estimate to determine if it matches your renovation budget and expectations.
c) Size up and decide if the renovation firm is a good candidate to deliver the desired results you expect.
Here are a list of things you should jot down before the meet up –
- Your lifestyle needs. This enables the renovation professional to give you appropriate advice and insights. E.g. Do you have young kids? Do you do heavy cooking?
- Your preferred design theme(s) or a sketch of your ideas.
- Have pictures of them and share it during the meeting.
- A floor plan of your residential property. Buy floor plan from HDB.
- When is the expected key collection date for your property?
- What’s your intended budget for the renovation? If the renovation firm tells you it is not aligned with your expectations, seek advice for alternatives and decide.
- Are you eligible for a renovation loan?
- Do you have cash ready and set aside for the renovation?
- What about money for furnishings and appliances?
- Ask how long will the entire renovation take?
- If you are renovating your current home, what are your accommodation and storage arrangements?
- What’s the backup if things don’t go according to your plan?
Whenever possible, request the renovation professional(s) to visit your property.
This enables them to have a good understanding of the actual structural layout, perform measurements and offer you advice on limitations.
Following this, a quotation and proposal will be provided to you. This gives you clear insights about costs, work scopes and expectations.
Gather cost estimates from several firms, evaluate and make informed decisions along the way.
Evaluations should be done with the same set of criteria and rationale. Make fair comparisons.
It’s more productive this way and much lesser room for mistakes.
Then, enter the next phase of discussion with the renovation professional(s) once you are sure of their credibility and capability.
The cost of renovating is a big ticket item. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to assess and practice the right judgement.
- The company’s name, address, contact details, company’s registration number from Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) or Goods Services Tax (GST) registration number if you are paying a 7% GST.
- Itemised and complete description of the work scopes to be done and its cost.
- The quantity, type, measurement and cost of items/ materials to be supplied.
- Sub-total and total cost of the renovation works.
- The start and completion date of each work milestone.
- Payment for each milestone properly documented.
- Required/accepted payment method.
- Statement of workmanship warranty or guarantee made by the company.
During initial meetups, it’s perfectly fine to obtain 10 to 12 different quotations.
Once you’re done with the first/ second rounds of shortlisting, you should only compare 2-3 quotations from the final candidates.
It’s easy to get confused when you compare more.
It shouldn’t be always about who has the lowest price. You should also consider accreditation, reputation and work quality.
It’s important to compare apple to apple. Remember, you get what you pay for.
This depends on a number of factors –
- Is it a HDB or private property?
- Is it a BTO or resale unit?
- If it’s BTO, is it a premium or standard flat?
- What’s the property size? 3, 4 or 5 rooms?
- How extensive is the renovation work? Whole house or partial?
- Any hacking works needed? Replace flooring or remove walls?
- Are there a lot of carpentry work needed?
- What type of materials? Marble, ceramic, parquet, vinyl etc?
- Any windows, plumbing or electrical work?
There are just too many variables that determines how much your renovation could cost.
Using a 4-room standard BTO flat as an example, a basic renovation for the property could cost an average of $25,000 to $30,000.
If you’re considering a fancy design theme with structural changes and plenty of carpentry, be prepared to fork out $40,000 and more.
User Help Questions
Simply sign up for FREE and enjoy our user features –
- Find the best renovation professionals & deals in mins.
- Find them based on your location or budget.
- Advanced filter search based on your requirements.
- Post your renovation project & receive the best offers from professionals.
- See background checks.
- See business information.
- See certifications & accreditation.
- See HDB infringement history and demerit points.
- See portfolios.
- Bookmark & review their profiles anytime with your own dashboard.
- Submit your review.
- Smart AI recommendations.
- One-click direct messaging with professionals.
- One-click Whatsapp with trusted professionals.
- Free quotations/ proposals from trusted professionals.
- Free insightful consultation with trusted professionals.
It’s really easy!
Sign up a FREE account and start posting your renovation project requirements HERE.
Postings are reviewed and approved usually within 1 working day. After that, just wait for offers and proposals from renovation professionals to flow in.
Renovation professionals can only send their offers/ proposals to you by mail.
You can then view the background checks on them via our platform, then make informed decisions.
Simply sign up a Free account and begin your search according to your requirements.
1. Login into your user account
2. At the preview card or profile details of a Renovation Package/ Professional/ Specialist, tap on the heart shaped ‘Bookmark’ icon, and the details are saved into your user dashboard.
3. At navigation Menu > your login user ID. Tap and you will see a list of expanded options.
4. Select and tap ‘Bookmarks’.
5. View all your saved Renovation Packages/ Professionals/ Specialists in ‘Bookmarks’.
First, perform a search of the renovation package/ professional/ specialist by name.
Once you access the company’s profile, you’ll see a pink colour ‘Leave a review’ button at the top page. Tap on it.
You’ll now be directed to an ‘Add a review’ panel.
Here, rate your experience (1 to 5 stars) based on the following –
- Overall Satisfaction Level
- Pricing
- Workmanship Quality
- Customer Service
- Professionalism
You can also upload images and write your comments.
To see reviews from other users, tap on ‘Client Reviews’ within a company’s profile.
This is located underneath the pink colour ‘Direct message’ button.
First, perform a search of the professional/ specialist by name.
Once you access the profile, locate and tap the ‘Report’ button. Next, you will need to write your reason(s) for reporting.
A decision will then be made whether or not to remove the profile after investigation.
Sending Messages
Within the profile of a Renovation Package/ Professional/ Specialist, there is a pink colour ‘Direct Message’ button. It works as a private communication platform.
Log into your user account to start a private conversation with any Renovation Professionals/ Specialists.
Checking For Messages
Log into your user account. On the top right of screen, tap on the ‘Conversation’ icon.
For new messages received, you will see a pink dot notification that shows number of new unread messages.
As a cautionary note, you should not accept any sort of agreement(s) or transactions using this method. Contractual agreements or transactions should be performed in person.
Disclaimer: We will not be liable in the event of any claims or losses incurred between you and the Professional/ Specialist.
This convenient feature is only available within the Trusted Renovation Professional profile.
At the top page, you’ll see a pink colour ‘Whatsapp’ button. Tap on it to start a Whatsapp conversation with the company.
Since not every one of them uses this, you can also initiate a private conversation using the ‘Direct Message’ feature.
As a cautionary note, you should not accept any sort of agreement(s) or transactions using this method. Contractual agreements or transactions should be performed in person.
Disclaimer: We will not be liable in the event of any claims or losses incurred between you and the Professional/ Specialist.
