This post is meant for people who thinks they know it all JUST BECAUSE their renovation costs seems relatively lower than the rest.
Don't we all have that friend, family member, or someone who always seems to know more than the rest. And their job basically is to scrutinize every single thing just because we are NOT agreeing with them?
Hey, i am not disagreeing with you but as a new home owner myself who is stressing myself over the costs of renovation (who doesn't?), i dont think
'How much did you spend on your renovation?',
is a fair enough question to ask me without knowing the sqm of my home, the dimensions, what did i do, the origin of my tiles, the carpentry works involved or even any hacking done.
You see. I owe a 4rm resale unit and say, XYZ, has a 4rm BTO. See the comparison is pretty much similar but NO.
Having a BTO means the foundation is there and you are basically doing cosmetic reno works. This also means a chunk of your reno cost would not be spend or wiring the whole unit.
Wiring is NOT CHEAP.
Flooring as well. Unless you take a unit with 1, some comes cemented thus no hacking needs to be done THUS you would get away with floor overlaying.
See there are many attributes that goes to the price of your renovation.
I am having a super upset day because i feel that I wasnt given a chance to explain myself yet all i got was an OKIE.
Yes super annoying.
So it all started with XYZ asking me what was the budget for my renovation.
See i have planned for my reno works since 2013. I have read, blogged, consulted and even got a few quotations for the basic works i planned to do. And let's be fucking realistic. How do we go about renovating our home at 10k budget expecting it to be on the cover of Expat Living. I have my expectations and i will have it either way.
So ok. I being the person who know roughly how much really it cost to have my dream home said 38k.
It is not cheap yes. But it gets me what i want for my dream home and thats all that matters.
SO EXPENSIVE. MINE ONLY 11K. ALL IN EXCEPT FLOORING. (said XYZ)
I seriously have no idea how to answer that.
But i have a million to be honest.
What did you do?
What kind of tiles for your kitchen?
Overlayed? Hacked?
Hw many feet was your cabinets? Top and bottom? Island?
What kind of wood?
What kind of countertop? Granite?
Marble? Lamibated? Edged?
Brand of Cooker hoob/hood?
Sink brand? Build in oven space?
Build up washing area?
False ceiling? Lights? Ceiling fans?
Window grills?
Laminated flooring? Ceramic? Parquet?
Cornice?
Any downlights?
Tv panels?
Any wall accents?
Paintings included? Colour limitations?
What did you do to your toilet? Shower screen?
In build sink? Vanity table? Shower area?
Storage space in laundry area?
Master closet?
Open or close closet system?
How many feet of closet space?
Type of wood? Type of storages/compartments?
Manpower and disposal included?
Chemical wash?
THERE IS SO MANY QUESTIONS TO ASK AMONG THOSE.
WHAT YOU PAY IS WHAT YOU GET.
SO DONT GO COMPARING YOUR QUOTE WITH MINE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WHAT YOU DO TO YOUR HOME IS DIFFERENT TO WHAT I DO TO MINE.
SO STOP IT LAHH. STOP COMPARING.
Congratulations that you got a cheap quote without consulting an ID.
BUT SERIOUSLY, WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO SPEND MONEY UNNECESSARILY?
Renovating a HDB flat is one of the few big-ticket items in Singapore that most couples will need to spend money on. To renovate a house is not cheap, contrary to what some articles on social media sometime suggests. It gets even more challenging when one hears of horror stories dealing with errant contractors and even sometimes, interior designers.
So how much does it really cost to renovate an HDB flat? Are those articles touting beautiful renovation works at $35,000 believable?
$56,000 to renovate a HDB Flat
According to Qanvast, which is a platform allowing Singapore homeowners to compare design inspirations from a pool of interior designers, the average renovation amount spent on a typical HDB flat is about $56,000.
If that seems a little higher than what you were originally expecting, it is time to be realistic about how much home renovation can actually cost you. Truth is, unless you spend a lot of effort doing it yourself, home renovations are rarely cheap. Of course, a renovation package will appear “cheap” by not including some costs.
Here are some things you might want to know before signing on the dotted line for your renovation package.
1. Be Careful Of Photos showing 3D perspective
It is common for interior designers to showcase beautiful pictures of their portfolio of work. One thing when reviewing their portfolio is to differentiate between 3D perspective and actual photos of completed work.
One easy way to differentiate between the two is to simply look at the window within the photo. If it’s a 3D perspective, the view from the window will look like one that is too good to be true.
2. Additional (important) works not included
If your renovation package price appears quite low from the perspective that your interior designer have done up for you, it is worth noting that there are some additional works that are probably not included as part of the package price. Here are some common items.
Cost of lights plus electrician $4000
Cost of curtains $1000
Window grills $500
Air Conditioning $3500
Cement Screeding $1000
Total $10,000
This price range is an estimate but even then, you can see that it is not difficult for an additional $10,000 to be included in the package. These are additional money that you will need on top of what you are paying for the renovation package.
Also assuming that your interior designer or contractor is honest enough to include all the costs instead of hiding some.
3. Additional cost of furnishing
If this is your first home, you probably do not own any existing furniture yet. New homeowners can expect to spend anything between $10,000 to $20,000 to furnish their home.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of furniture and electronics that you will need.
KitchenAppliances $2000
Fridge $1000
Washing Machine $1000
Television $750
Dining Table Set $750
Sofa Set + Coffee Table $1500
Study Table Set $1000
Queen Sized Bed $2000
Total $10,000
The amount estimated does not include other items such as additional beds for your children, wardrobes for the bedrooms and the storage racks for your household shelter. It also does not include the cost of bathroom accessories and your dressing table.
4. Ensuring the renovation package covers what you really need
Renovation packages can sometimes be one size fit all packages. A sales person may promise you everything under the sun before the contract is signed and then transform into the most inflexible person after your deposit is received. Hence, it is important for you to understand each and every item that you are paying for and the justification for the price quoted.
I guess the best thing to do is to sign the agreement after you have received your house keys to ensure that your interior designer has already done the relevant measurements in your home before quoting their price.
You want a quotation based on the actual dimensions and needs of your home, and not one that is simply a ballpark figure.
5. NOT getting a package from a road show
Getting a package from road shows is almost always a bad idea. There are a few reasons for that.
Firstly, the salesperson that you might be talking to may simply just be that, a sales person. He or she may not be the actual person you will be working with after the contract is signed. The sales person may promise you things that the company cannot deliver.
Secondly, any package signed during a road show is likely to be subjected to future changes on your part. However, there is no guarantee that the company is going to be flexible with these changes. If you wish to remove an unnecessary item thereafter, they may not reduce the price.
On the other hand, it is almost a given that any additional item you need that is not included in the renovation package will be an added cost, even if it was the sales person who had forgotten to include it.
Lastly, never ever fall for the trick that sales people like to use by saying that “locking in your package price a year before your house is ready will hedge you against inflation”.
I mean COME ON, we all know inflation have to be borne by someone. Are interior designers and their companies really going to hedge in their material price? I highly doubt so.
Do your own research
Rather than be at the mercy of information provided by sales people, homeowners can do their own research first to better understand the market and their own needs and wants.
Ok enough. I am super pissed. Next time someone asks me how much did i spend on reno works, i will just say,
'IT'S A FUCKING SECRET'.
