ASK YOUR ID THESE BEFORE SIGNING

Covid times were probably the peak of reno horror stories... we heard plenty from friends and the online community, and learned the importance of clarifying certain matters prior to signing with our ID. Of course, even after signing, your ID can still go back on his/her words and not deliver. Regardless, we can only take as much precaution as home owners and try to understand the situation well before committing to an ID firm or an ID. Here are some important questions we asked, and do leave comments if you think of any other more important questions that should be asked or clarified too!

1. How many renders will there be?

Some IDs provide up to 2 renders, some 3, and some may be more open to making small edits here and there to help you visualise the paint colour, laminates, etc. Others may tell you that there will be additional charges if you exceed the render limit! We were thankful our ID was agreeable to 6-7 rounds of render (minor edits after the 2nd render) to help us visualise the colours, shapes, and various material choices.

2. Timeline of renovation

Super important! Some IDs are not keen to provide timeline to avoid difficult clients holding them accountable, since renovations are often filled with hiccups and changes. You can appeal to your ID that you will understand if there are changes or delay along the way (practice that too! ID/contractor job aint easy!) but you just want a rough gauge from start to end to keep up with the progress.

3. Site Visit Frequency

Check with your ID that if you were to sign with him/her, what would be the frequency he or she plans to do site visit. When there are major work on going (e.g. carpentry installation) it is important for the ID to do more frequent site visit. Of course, during lull period where its just paintwork and a few days gap, site visit would not be meaningful. Having an ID conducting site visit personally was so helpful for us as she troubleshoot lots of areas during the renovation and just updated us or consulted us via whatsapp to make decisions.

4. Payment Schedule and Use of Credit Cards

Get a clear payment schedule and percentage breakdown from your ID prior to signing. Also check if the firm allows credit card payment (request for partial payment if you want to max out your rebates or miles!). Some firms only allow bank transfer and credit card payments are not available.

Read here if you wish to find out more questions you should ask your ID!

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