Singapore is one of the most populated city in the world, with more than 5.4 million inhabitants. Considering the high demand, many real estate and renovation companies developed as well and there are a lot of options available on this market. However, even though the offer is diversified, you should be well informed, before choosing a certain renovation company. A good contractor should be able to fully satisfy your particular preferences and to also be flexible, when it comes to certain adjustments. In the following article, we will debate this matter and we will explain you everything you need to know, before choosing a renovation contractor.
1) Choose a contractor from your area
Just because you found a good renovation company in Singapore, it doesn’t mean that they operate in your particular area. That’s why, it’s important to ask, what are their covered areas. Singapore is a big city and the contractors are usually divided in certain areas. However, is not very hard to verify this. All you need to do is enter their website or call them, in case they don’t have one. This way, you will know for sure if you need to continue the steps or to search for a different contractor.
2) Check their credentials
This is another important step, because a company’s credentials demonstrates its credibility and its level of expertise. Also, you have to make sure that your contractor is licensed and has an insurance, for any unexpected events. For example, if you hire an uninsured company and one of their employees gets hurt, you could be legally responsible for that certain employee. Thankfully, it’s not very hard to find all that information. One alternative would be to search for online reviews, and to find some previous clients, who’ve worked with that company before. If you cannot find any useful information, you can simply ask your contractor for proofs of their license and insurance. If they are legit, they will understand why you’re doing this.
3) Know what you want to accomplish
Even though you’re not the one performing the renovations, it’s important to know from the beginning, what you want to accomplish. This way, you will know for sure what operations will be needed and you will be able to choose a suitable contractor. There are many reputable renovation companies in Singapore, but not all of them are experienced in your type of project. Considering this, you have to find the best contractor for your specific project. If you think that you’ve found one, you can ask them to show you some plans, of their previous similar projects. This is also good because it might give you some new ideas.
4) Ask for a detailed contract
When it comes to renovation services, trust is a very important matter, on both sides. Still, a good contract is a must-be, and you have to make sure that you get one. A good legal contract must cover matters like: what activities are being performed, what materials are being used, total costs and procedures for unexpected situations. You never know what problem might occur, and you don’t want to be charged extra, for something that’s out of your control. Also, after you receive the contract, don’t rush into signing it. Instead, take your time and read it thoroughly. If there’s anything that you don’t understand or do not agree upon, don’t sign it. Let the contractor know about your objections and try to resolve the problem in an amicable way.
5) Understand the project
Even though you’re not a specialist and you won’t understand the all the terms, it’s important to get the basics of the project. This way, you will be able to see what are you paying for and how is your house going to look like, after the renovation. After you understand the project’s development, you will know how much time it’s needed for the whole operation.
6) Know your responsibilities
Just because you hired a professional contractor for your renovation services, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have other responsibilities. The most important thing after hiring a contractor is to clear the space. You need to ensure them some proper working conditions and to remove all the household items from that certain surface. If we’re talking about major renovations, you should also make room for their machinery and to remove the fences or the yard decorations. For the interior, you will need to move the furniture, TV and any other items in the room, because they might be affected in the renovation process. The company will advice you to do this as well, as they cannot be hold responsible upon any damages of those items.
7) Meet the workers
Normally, the big renovation companies have their own agent, responsible with signing the contract and explaining you the process. However, this is not the person who will perform the renovation and most of the times, you won’t see the workers until they show up to your doorstep. This won’t be a problem with a reputable company, because they only hire the best. But in some cases, the renovation requires some special operations and then, they will subcontract. Subcontracting is not a bad practice at all, and you often need it for specialty jobs like roofing, plumbing or electrical procedures. But it’s good to also be informed about the subcontractors, and to find if they are trustworthy as well. It’s entirely up to you if you want those subcontractors in your home or not.
8) Negotiate the price
Considering that every project is different from other, the fees are also variable. A lot of contractors will provide you a cost plan but they are open for further negotiations. Make sure that you look online for similar projects in Singapore, and find out how much they costed. If the price is too high and they cannot lower it, you should ask for a payment plan. A lot of companies will accept the payment in instalments and you should take advantage of that.
Conclusion
Working with a specialized renovation company is the best thing to do, when rehabilitating your home. If you follow our tips and thoroughly research all the available contractors, you will find the best one in no time.