As my connection is not that "powerful", I had to find a reno company online. Here to share some of my experience/ journey to this 1000 sqft unit renovation in KL:

At first, I found 3 quotations online for simple reno as below:
1. Wiring - all 13A powerpoints, light/ ceiling fan installation
2. Kitchen cabinet, and 3 rooms wardrobe
3. 2 toilets cabinet/ shower screens
4. Entrance grill door and backyard windows
5. Touch up painting after the work
6. All windows curtain
7. TV board and TV console at living room

It looks basic things to me so I budgeted around Rm 50k for a small unit. Ended up all 3 quotations coming back close to RM 80k. So I chose one that just started the business and hope she could do all the best for building her rapport.

That's when "vomit blood" communication starts after you paid your first deposit

So the common "market rules" are like this, if you're not aware of:

a. 40-50 % deposit (roughly)
b. 20-30 % before start work
c. 15%-25% upon 50-80% completion
d. 5% upon completion


At stage A, you give them the house plan, your idea, they give you a rough quotation, without site measurement, no itemized quotation.
According to them, itemized quotation can only be given after you pay the deposit , and site visit, which is Stage B. - Finalizing the plan & quotation.
After adjusting and tuning the final quotation with "current market price", they give you another itemized quotation to proceed to stage B to start the work.

Guess what, my stage A RM 80k quotation increased close to RM 100k at stage b.

So what had been deviated from my original plan?

1. M&E
Rewiring all light points/ceiling fan points with plaster ceiling , as concealed wiring at ceiling slab is not recommended. I listed down roughly the number for you to judge:
~ 18-20 downlights, 5-6 mounted lights, 7-10 cabinet LED , 1 pendant, 2-3 track lights, 20-25 nos 13A points, relocate DB , relocate switches, & install ceiling fan


2. Carpentry - plywood laminate
~ took out bedrooms wardrobe as cant afford
~Do kitchen cabinet, master bedroom wardrobe, TV wall & console, toilets cabinet/ under sink cabinet

3. touch up paint and repaint the doors, others like curtain, grille door, backyard windows remain the same.

Of course, you have to pay additional for 10% project management and 5% design fees.

And you can only see the itemized quotation after you pay the deposit and site visit.

I have some sleepless night as feel like I being "diok" become "water fish". A simple plan to move in a 1000 ft unit need RM 100k.

Another rule, the ID company holds full control during the renovation work, you're not allowed to visit the unit spontaneously without appointment.

So my advice, if those sounds reasonable to you, go ahead with the ID company. Else find your YiMaGujJe, brother sister , uncle aunty to get a contact that can help.
If you have no contact, go to facebook join the group and ask for one.

Hope no "vomit blood" workmanship when the work starts.


~To be continued - Part 1 -

Listing down few things this Reno doing which I really don't like :

1. Giving all the required documents piece by piece, including drawings (not merged, literally piece by piece) and forms/data for management approval. Today one piece of info, tomorrow another one
2. Last minute work and demand you to reply/agree where work about to commence within 1- 2 days
3. Didn't go through the details of the drawings , and I had to go through myself. When you asking for some clarification, she answered I already sent you the info right.
If you overlook it, jialat. Like what I overlooked the distance from kitchen countertop to wall hung base cabinet as I trusted their profession .. ( I had 8++ mm..) .
4. I spot a few mistakes in the drawings, and they've never admitted.

~ To be continued - Part 2

I'm kind of tired and exhausted after 3 months following up with this small renovation that almost cost me Rm 100k. I don't think I want to recall my PAINFUL memories to describe all the details again.
I just want that lady quickly finishes the work and get out from my house. The wiring and plaster ceiling workmanship was terrible, hack/install at so many wrong places.

For all lengzai lengnui out there that you want to engage an ID company, my advices here as below:

1. Find more companies for comparison, those not giving free/reasonable quotation with site visits can straight away OUT.
2. Unfair payment terms to customer - OUT
3. Ego like he/she knows everything and difficult to communicate -OUT
4. No other project site visit - or show unit - OUT. Why project site visit is important? From my painful experience, they made lot of mistake hacking a wrong place/wrong tiles, and simply touch up with cheap materials.
You might also have surprise findings like unprecise measurement (not follow the drawings), bad workmanship and cheap materials used which are not on the paper, and cannot be seen during the discussion.
5. Discuss every single details , remember , all details, like what brand, what material, and ask a lot of why and what if before you pay the deposit.

This post has been edited by kimteck: Mar 7 2022, 06:59 PM

konlanfirm kena tiok after seeing 50% deposit and must pay deposit before site measurement.


really good luck to u since need to pay 80% before start work.




This post has been edited by WaCKy-Angel: Dec 18 2021, 04:07 PM

Plywood is very expensive compared to chipboard. That’s why your cabinet price is so expensive

conlan97firm kena tiok 99 already.

can share which ID company is this ?

i'm not familiar with ID / reno industry but this one really sounds bullshit. that is your house ffs

reno company can restrict owner/client to their own property?

just reveal the ID name for the benefit of everyone if your case is true

This post has been edited by ZeneticX: Dec 18 2021, 05:23 PM

You know it is a con as soon as a contractor/ID/whoever asks for a deposit of 50%. Didn't the alarm bells go off after they included all the ridiculous additional charges and conditions? Why on earth did you proceed with them?

I'll take your story with a grain of salt, as I read in another thread about companies using this forum to discredit their competitors.

This post has been edited by stormer.lyn: Dec 18 2021, 05:38 PM

All 3 quotations I got online from A*** have the same payment terms, just minor difference from the percentage. So I thought it is ID company common practice and proceed.

BTW, you can go to A**p and pretend you're potential customer, and get the quotations. It's free.

Share my experience.

Usually, if you go for those renovator directly, especially those reno company, they do charged quite high end. Not so sure, it is because of the materials they used is expensive or more service they provided.

However, are you sure you pay deposit without the designer do the site visit? Or is it the design fee that you are paid. Looking at the size you mentioned and not sure how many rooms you requested for design picture, usually the design fee for this size costs around 5k to 8k depends on the reputation of designer.

For price inflate, if everything is done without site visit, I guess this will be quite normal since buyer and seller tends to have bias. What we considered small item, to the renovator, everything will be a charge.
So, from 50k to 80k, I guess is quite normal or expected if it is based on without site visit. Since a lot of things are quite expensive if you decided to customize a lot of items, especially wardrobe.
The wardrobe is the weird products among all furniture. If you buy from furniture shop, you can pay 2.5k for one full package (including the bed frame). However, if you just want the wardrobe, you will need to pay 2k as well.
(You can try to ask in any furniture shops. So, expect you have to allocate more budget if you decide to go for customize wardrobe)

From 80k to 100k, did you asked what is the major driver? Is it because some items you cant see without site visit? For example, the ceiling is higher than normal house so wardrobe need to be larger? Or some of the items beams etc cannot be hacked so wiring need to use longer path? Since unless you are rich, as rationale buyer, we will ask what is being charge additional and pay when it sounds reasonable.

Anywhere, based on your size given, the price quote by the designer looks around the same as per most designer I engage with. (That is like 2 years ago)
No comments whether it is expensive or cheap, just that my budget is low.

For the site visit rules, it is because of the Covid SOP? If you cannot do site visit, do you manage get the weekly updates from them? Like pictures of the construction etc?
If you did get, then I wont be too worry abt it. Just that perhaps negotiate with them during the next payment, you must at least do some site visit before you pay.

Anywhere, for TV feature wall, please dont be too surprise if you are asking for customize. The TV feature wall do looks simple, my previous designer quoted me for RM8K so your Rm5K still consider cheap in the market.
Just that I give up to have feature wall, and decide to use the paint with striking colour.

I think contractor/ID firms pay AT*P to list there.

Wow, such renovation need RM100K?!
I think you kena con liao...
Better don't do any reno, save the money for your children.

Thanks for sharing.

Yes , I paid the deposit before site visit, as it's the time during MCO /just lifted. She said they normally lock the agreed price after project confirmation , as materials price keeps increasing now.

The major changes after site visit is plaster ceiling , she recommended to do plaster ceiling for ceiling lights as some of the rooms don't have ceiling points and only wall light points given by developer. That's one of the increase. And also resize the kitchen wall with new sliding door.

The other things just like you mentioned, some things we thought is small but all will be charged. Plaster ceilings light point one charge, switch one charge, install the light one charge, supply light one charge, so 3-4 charges per light installation. Almost about rm 280-300 /light.

Not really worry about the company as her profile can be found from LinkedIn. For the site visit rule, she wants to make sure no direct communication from owner to contractor , to prevent the end result deviated from the original plan. So she has to be there when you do the site visit.

But since I had paid the first deposit, I have to go ahead , already "wet my head".

Just to share here with those who want to engage ID company, please list down all the details like how many light points, switches , wardrobe height/ drawers design, and proper site visit before you confirm and pay, don't be rushed by price hike or lack of resources , all excuses that can affect your decision making. If they are not willing to show you itemised quote like how much charges per light installation before confirmation, how much the TV feature wall , you have to think about my experience. Don't be innocent like me 😂 using 'trust basis' , ask for itemised quotation before paying.


Ask every single price details like what they charge on bills. Everything will be charged, and the light bulb /led prices can be doubled from what you get from shop/Lazada.

This post has been edited by kimteck: Dec 19 2021, 11:31 AM

For your light, is it included with the light or only wiring?
Just curious whether the major cost is driven by the light itself or wiring.
Since I do have one friend pay 300 bucks just for one light in ceiling, because the designer mentioned it look nicer and got warranty for 5 years.

So, maybe if you want to cut cost, perhaps can discuss with your designer whether you can supply the items based on the dimension they give.
Just that you have to take the responsible if you buy wrong etc.

For site visit, I guess it is fair as well.

Not sure how much additional, from the additional one, kitchen sliding door if go for normal glass, around 4k I am being asked for. Then, maybe is some hacking around the wall. Total I remember it is around 6k.
So, if the price is around the same (like within 10%/20%) I guess should be okay gua considered my one is 2 years ago price.


This post has been edited by yuen300: Dec 19 2021, 11:36 AM

Price Per Points

downlight/track light points 88
LED light points (built in) 95
pendant light point 140
wall light points 140
ceiling fan points 140
install 13 A points 140
install 15 A points 275
install 20 A point 330










This post has been edited by kimteck: Dec 21 2021, 08:53 PM

*Gulp
Can see the price nowsday are much more higher than two years ago.

Anywhere, hope that no more additional items that you have to top up for the rest of the renovation. [For me, after the renovation, I currently struggle with internal structural house issue. Water leakage]

Renovation guess is all homeowner night mare.
Money keep pumping out.

i know carpenter wood work... we do as 30% deposit we starting work...
after send out cabinet we pick 30% more...
so 60%... until siap we take the rest 1...40%
total 100%

Normally around 30% deposit...
50% is high side..
Then $$$ given depending on project progress...

For that price you should be getting branded appliances, fixture & fittings. Otherwise you definitely kena “scam”.

Yeah for that price it should be good stuff..not elcheapo crap.. i find the cannot drop by during reno kinda thing could be used to conceal things like substandard cables. Once everything connected and installed nobody will be any wiser

That is why I admire those houseowners would dare to haggle with constructor worker. For me, I only proceed if the price he quote is okay.