I recently took keys to my new condo and have been meaning to engage an ID firm to design and renovate my unit.

I came across the Makeover Guys (https://www.themakeover.my/) and they purportedly specialize in renovating your unit quickly for the purposes of renting. My understanding is that they try to do this based off design templates they have, renovate quickly, so that the quality is decent without breaking the bank.

They have a sister company, Groundwork (https://www.groundwork.my/) which also does ID and renovation projects for those who want to stay in their units (not for renting). How they operate however is still quite similar to Makeover Guys -- they have a number of themes and templates you can choose from, with some minimal customisation allowed. Once you choose your theme/template, their ID team will design and get it done within 2 months or so. The end design will fit the theme you chose, but not everything will be what you see in the sample photos, as they choose the wallpapers/fittings/furniture based on the theme which may not necessarily be the exact same items you see in photos. For quick turnover, they do not allow you to go back and forth with the ID team on specific items (so essentially you won't know how certain things will look like until you step into the completed unit). My understanding is that Groundwork costs more than Makeover Guys because it is for own stay purposes, so they have a more evolved sense of design with allegedly better quality materials.

(Groundwork also allows you to design your unit from scratch, without referencing templates, but this costs a lot more.)

My question is, has anyone used Groundwork or the Makeover Guys before? The templates provided by Groundwork are quite nice, and the high level estimate they provided to me seemed reasonable. But I can't find any reviews about them and so hopefully some of you can shed some light here to the quality of their work.

Thanks.

This post has been edited by QuickFire: Mar 15 2020, 06:10 PM

Anyone?

I would like to know as well. In terms of the quality of their work, the quality of the furniture and electrical appliances...
They also have another subsidiary called easy-home (https://www.easy-home.my/).
Have anyone used their service before?

This post has been edited by nevv: Aug 5 2020, 12:28 PM

Actually my first post was a little incorrect.

Makeover Guys - for rentals

Easyhome - like makeover guys, but for own stay. They have pre-defined templates to choose from for the look of your home. Lots of wallpaper usage, no plaster ceiling if I'm not mistaken, most of the things are chosen by them based on your preferred theme. You do not get to individually choose the exact design of the items. They do allow custom carpentry though.

Groundwork - more akin to the other ID firms out there. You can design from scratch and customise almost everything. Costs more than easyhome of course.


I had quite a lengthy chat with Tessa from easyhome during the MCO. She was very friendly and extremely helpful, feels genuinely like someone who wants to help the client. Props to her. Unfortunately in the end I decided not to proceed because of the limitations above – less customisation and lots of details are left to easyhome to choose for you, without much of your say. They call it a surprise element. But surprises can be good or bad so I decided against it in the end.

A good advertisement script.

Did you get compare their quotations with quotations from other companies?

I am in the midst of renovating a 3800 sq ft condo and a 440 sq ft studio.

I did have a quotation for that 440 sq ft condo from one of the names mentioned here as it will be done up for rental. In the end I rejected it as it felt very cookie cutter. If I spent RM25k on an ID then I want something that is one of a kind and bespoke not something my neighbour could also be having.

I was shown by an agent a unit of that studio that was done up by one of those companies. It did not impress me at all as many of the fixtures seemed to be a flatpack from China that you could get something very similar from IKEA. The furniture provided the agent insisted it was not from IKEA but I knew for certain IKEA sold the dining table and chair.

If you are really into cheap cookie cutter IDs, just browse on Taobao or AliExpress and it would not be long before you find someone that can supply you the entire ID kit that all you would need to do is install it.

Thanks for your feedback.

We don't really mind having 'less customization' as long as the quality is somewhat ok that can last us maybe ~5yrs at least. Just looking for a fast and simple interior design. There are some reviews and lots of before/after images in their social media showing makeover on properties for rental but didn't really seen any for ownstay. So not really sure what to expect

We did not do much survey on other ID companies. Any recommendation of ID companies that can provide simple interior design for a 1000sf condo about rm50k?

Thanks

Idk your fee is RM50k just for the ID fee or RM50k for the entire renovation works.

If it is RM50k fee you can just search TOP 10 ID firm in Malaysia no problem.

If it is latter then better you come up with a concept or look for varies source of photo or works that you prefer and engage a contractor to do it.

Carpentry works will eat away most of it if you plan to do wardrobe, kitchen cabinet, TV cabinet etc all in.

Go look at more project photos on atap.co and qanvast. Just browse through dozens. After that you will see that what the makeover guys do is gimmicky and unrefined. But that's how they keep the costs down. They use lots and lots of wallpapers with lines flying in every direction.

50k including loose furniture and electrical appliances? That would be challenging I think if you want quality stuff (plywood instead of MDF, etc). If it's without loose furniture and appliances then I think it's feasible. You have 3 options:

1. Hire an ID to design and build. The ID will engage contractors and you don't have to deal with them. The whole project is managed for you. Costs more obviously but less hassle.

2. Hire an ID to design/draw the plans for you, and you deal with contractors yourself. A bit more of a hassle and increased risk of miscommunication with the contractors. But costs less.

3. Design everything yourself, including drawing the plans and measurements. Much higher risk of something going FUBAR but obviously the most cost effective in terms of money. You will spend lots of time planning though.

Actually it really depends how much built in carpentry you want. That does eat into most of your budget. If you can live with IKEA cabinets then that would help you loads in keeping the budget down.

I am actually leaning towards option 1 for my home. I don't mind paying a premium as long as they do a good job.

Any ID to recommend?

50k is possible for a 1000sqft home, take a look at this article for some guidelines

https://getinteriordesignonline.com/2018/11...hin-38k-budget/




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Actually thats why you hire an ID, if lets u do customization, its not their design edi. FYI most established ID firm just like other professional, do not like ppl to change their design. First off you have to tell them what kind of design you are going for then they will do design brief for your comment before detail design. Usually client only have input when burst budget
Almost all design you see whether its hotels/bungalow/malls/etc , client have next to zero input, else you will find weird weird designs

If its design fees you can get mid range designer which i doubt you can have 1 of a kind design ....if its design & build for sure you get cheapskate materials.
If you check a simple designer sofa, it cost at least half of 25k.
That is why budget is very important & why most ppl just get contractor instead & design themselves. afterall theres tonnes of ID works on the net for references

if only design fees, you can get reputable ID firms with that price

You seem to have forgotten one very important aspect and that is it is my money and I or my tenants would be living there not the ID person.

Agree.. and as far as I know (being in this industry) there is no such thing as "(designers) do not like ppl to change their design". Designers usually will have to get a brief from clients to gauge their design preference which they then present mood board before they start designing/customizing/give you a bespoke design. And I don't think designers are reluctant to make changes, unless the clients have made changes for unreasonable amount of times.

Also, I can think of one advantage for cookie cutter designs is that it saves you time. Helpful for home owners who have tight timeline.

Designers' life not easy you know. P/S: I am not from Makeover Guys.. I am just familiar with this industry.

Hence its better to do the own design with advise from ur appointed contractor.
afterall there wont be 1 of a kind design.

Well then good for you. Just that you never met some for the bold part. Some rather gives up the job than change design.
Design brief is the way to get what a client want, once confirmed, the preliminary design is out basing on design brief. In this stage you might say u want make changes which still can though usually its minor. Major changes just defeat the whole purpose of design brief, really. For ID it meant back to drawing board, same payment, 2 times work. Hence usually ID reluctant to make major changes. Also it might deviates from their design intend, which is very important for reputable ID firms.
anyway the changes we referred might be different. So to each his own.

I have stayed at a few airbnbs done up by this team. They are only for picture purposes. The furnitures / deco used are good to look at but it's clear it isn't really quality stuff that I could live with everyday.

I guess it's fine if you're doing it up to rent. They are ultimately providing a service for speed & convenience.

Groundwork looks like a proper ID firm but then it's up to clients to compare them with the hundreds of other ID firms out there.

Totally agree with this. I've stayed in a few units designed by them too. Looks good but the furnitures used are of ok quality.