Before hiring a renovation company in Singapore, there are questions you should ask. It helps you to choose the most suitable one for your renovation project.

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Whether you’ve just purchased a new home or are planning to remodel your existing one, you may be in the market for renovation services. Looking for a renovation service in Singapore is very much like finding the right partner through matchmaking. Everyone will try their best to grab your attention, portraying all their good sides.

OK—scratch that. Finding a renovation partner is even more critical than dating. Once you’ve started the renovation process and invested all that time and money into it, there’s almost no going back. It’ll be hard to find another renovator to pick up where your ex left off.

Think about it this way: Renovation is a permanent decision you’ll make on your home. So, the discovery process is crucial.
 
Asking the right questions to potential general contractors will increase your chances of hiring the right one. We’ve listed ten critical questions you should ask when looking for a renovation service in Singapore.

1. What Is Your Background And Experience?

Not all general contractors or interior designers have experience renovating homes. A general contractor may have experience renovating commercial buildings and shop lots but not houses. The same goes for an interior designer in Singapore. Some may even be new in the field.

Ask them about their background and experience. This will help you understand what kind of projects they have done previously. You can even ask for their portfolio (explained in Question 6).

Don’t hesitate to probe to the core and find out how they tackle each of their renovation projects. Remember, for a smooth renovation journey to your dream home, experience is important. But so is the team setup, which brings us to the next question.

2. What is Your Team Set Up?

When you are looking for a renovation service in Singapore, keep in mind that not all contractors or interior designers actually have their own team. It’s just how the industry is. Often, you’ll deal with an interior designer who subcontracts the actual work to home renovation contractors such as electricians, carpenters, and tilers, to name a few.

The downside of hiring third-party contractors is quality control—it is hard to know where they get their materials or if they can truly provide quality craftsmanship. On top of that, hiring third-party contractors can affect your renovation timeline since they may have multiple projects on hand to focus on. It may also cost more if your ID firm charges coordination fees to handle those contractors.

On the other hand, some renovation companies in Singapore, like Homescape, have an in-house team of contractors and keep everything under one roof. This helps us streamline our processes, maintain our quality, and avoid middleman costs, providing higher value for our customers.

3. How Do You Handle Unexpected Issues?

Many factors affect the budget and timeline of renovation projects. For example, a delay in material delivery may delay the project. If the materials take too long to arrive, the house renovation contractor may search for other suppliers or resources, which may lead to higher costs.

The rainy weather will delay the project if your renovation includes renovating the outdoor space.

We cannot avoid unexpected issues in a renovation project, but we can understand how they will be mitigated. Check with your renovation service provider to see how they might handle such unexpected issues. This will allow you to determine whether they have a plan and how knowledgeable they are.

4. What Is Your Estimated Timeline Like?

Whether you are in a rush to move in after the renovation or you have time to wait, it is best to ask about the estimated timeline for your renovation project. The last thing you want is to keep guessing or waiting around for things to get done, so it’s essential to ask this question.

The timeline of a renovation service in Singapore depends significantly on the scope of work. On the other hand, minor renovations usually take weeks and can last up to a few months. On average, Homescape takes on average 4 weeks to complete a BTO renovation, 10 weeks for a condo resale renovation, and 15 weeks for a landed resale renovation.*

Experienced house remodelling contractors can provide a detailed timeline for each phase of the project. Asking this question will give you a better idea of how long each phase takes and allow you to adjust certain parts if you require them to be completed within a certain expected time.

*Average timeline based on past projects.

5. What Are Your Rates?

When you have decided to renovate your house, it is important to have a clear picture of the cost involved. According to ValueChampion, the average rates of home renovation are:

• HDBs: SGD46,000 to SGD89,000
• Condos: SGD71,000 to SGD101,000
• Landed property: SGD60,000 to SGD657,000

Of course, these are just estimates, but you will want to know what you are paying for. Ask the interior designer to provide a breakdown to help you understand their charges.

Don’t rush to settle on the first quote you get. Do take quotations from several interior designers for comparison. Ensure you understand what is listed in the quotation and clarify any doubts you might have with the interior designer.

When you request a quotation, ask them about their payment schedule. In most cases, a confirmation deposit will be required upfront, while a progressive payment plan may be given for the balance payment, depending on the size of your project. Take your time to review the information you get and select the one that fits your needs and budget.

6. Can You Share Your Portfolio Or Provide A List Of References?

Every company has its strengths and drawbacks. Asking them for their portfolio can give you a better idea of how their work is done. Most contractors are happy to share their portfolios with you.

Getting a list of references helps you to get firsthand reviews and testimonials from previous customers. Analyse both good and bad reviews, but be careful to judge objectively and allow your renovation provider to explain how they handled the problems raised by customers.

If they don’t have a list of references, consider getting reviews from Google or their social media. Most customers will leave a review on how they feel about the job done by the contractor. With that said, we must be cautious that many reviews are not authentic and instead done as a favour, so we need to ask these qualifying questions.

7. What Is Your Warranty Policy?

The warranty policy is the most overlooked but essential aspect of a renovation project. Issues like improper installation or defects can arise before installing the hardware. These issues are inconvenient, but with a warranty in place, you can get a replacement. Each company offers a different warranty policy, so make sure you find out what is covered.

For example, Homescape allows homeowners to claim a post-renovation defect warranty of 12 months and a lifetime warranty on carpentry hardware. Knowing what each warranty policy covers can save you a lot of trouble.

8. Do You Handle Permits?

In order to legally renovate your house, you will require a permit whether you live in an Executive Condo, Condo, or HDB. As for private properties, BCA’s position on this is that permits will be required depending on the type of renovation you are doing. Of course, there is a lot of paperwork to be expected, so it will be a huge advantage if your renovators can provide this service. Usually, they will know about the requirements and permits to apply for your particular property type and scope of renovation. 

At Homescape, your dedicated Design Consultant will check with the respective authorities about permits and then submit the necessary paperwork on your behalf. This means less paperwork and less hassle for you. 

9. How Will We Communicate?

You’ll want to be kept informed about your renovation project, and communication is the key. Check with the interior designer or contractor, who you can reach out to if you have any inquiries during the process. Sometimes, this is the interior designer or perhaps even a dedicated project management consultant.

Look for renovation providers with a proper communication plan. They should be able to update you on the progress and status regularly, whether daily or weekly and promptly inform you of any issues requiring your attention.

Establish your expectations and preferences for communication from the start. The person in charge should be reachable when you have any enquiries. This can prevent any misunderstandings during the renovation and alleviate any anxiety you may have.

10. Are We Expecting To Incur A Lot Of Additional Costs?

More often than not, homeowners have a fixed budget for renovation. You wouldn’t want your renovation project to go beyond budget, especially when it happens unexpectedly. Additional costs can be a massive source of stress for many homeowners, especially if this is their first home.

Unexpected issues may happen, and there are chances that the overall cost of renovation will increase. If you work together, it’ll be a good idea to ask the contractor how they’ve kept within their clients’ budgets in the past and how they will manage their expenses to stay within your budget.

It will help if the contractor provides you with a cost breakdown and identifies which items are fixed and which may possibly incur an additional cost. A reliable contractor should be able to work with you to minimise unnecessary additional costs, allowing your renovation project to stay within budget and giving you peace of mind. Homescape has a track record of adhering to our clients’ budgets and providing transparent cost breakdowns.

Wrap Up

Getting your home renovated is a significant milestone. Surely, you will want to hire the right renovators so your dream home goes as planned. Above are some of the most important questions you can ask a home remodelling company in Singapore.