I'm glad my nightmare is ended.

The Indon contractor recommended to me by a close friend, that he did some good jobs. I trusted my friend's referral and hire the contractor.

In the early phase, things went well. You see progress every week. Work slowed down in second phase with occasional excuses not coming to work. Things get worst in the final phase. He do not turn up for work as if he come in as will. As a result, my reno took 5.5 months (without touch ups) to complete. They asked for payment fast.

I thought that sub labor is a good approach as one has the choice of building materials. Well, I do not think so any more simply you do not have control over them. They lure you with a good quotation and compound with every changes. In the end, there would be any savings. You get headache and tremendous risk. My hardware supplier told me that it is one in a million chances that you get a good Indon contractor. This has got nothing to do with 
nationality or what.

Sub labor + risks + your time = Completed Project

The risks with sub labor are :
They might abandon the project and vanish in thin air.
They might use your materials for other projects.
They tend do things the way they feel right.
To my amazement, they throw the problems to you (especially with materials selected by you).
They played the blaming game.

I'm a reasonable guy with reasonable expectations. I did PR, spent them meal and even give ang pows for CNY. I tell you, they will exploit your kindness. You would not like to have confrontation with them as you do not know what is in their head. They might duplicate keys for future break in. So, taking precaution measures like changing lock is inevitable. 

So speaking from experience, I rather engage a reno company than sub labor. Things will get even worst if you do not have time to supervise. Do the rich man do, pay for professionalism and save cost. 

I'm sorry if my post upset you. I just feel glad that my reno is done and pay the contractor off because I do not like their attitude. I could do the touch ups on my own.

Yes something like that. 

To know to quality of the ID is very easy. Listen to the questions they ask. A good ID will need to ask many questions before they can do the design.

What style you want?
What space you want?
What space you need?
What you want to put here?
Why you need that?
How you want to use this space?
What you plan to do here?
Etc....

Imagine the ID like a doctor, need to know what is the problem before giving the medication.

I bad ID won't ask anything. You tell you want living and bedroom and he will say ok. The he give you design. 

Imagine you go to doctor and say you are sick and he said ok and just give you Panadol .

Listen to the quality of the questions asked, will tell you the quality of the ID.