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

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.

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

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

I also admire my "stupidness"..

Thanks a lot sharing your experience with me ! May I know what's the distance from your kitchen countertop to base of the wall hung cabinet ?

The circled distance also 800mm +?

I have 33 5/58" + 32 9/32 " (820mm) + 35 7/16" (100mm as platform). And I was blamed for changing their measurement..

This post has been edited by kimteck: Jan 9 2022, 02:08 PM

I requested to change , same goes to gas stove countertop , 900mm, with wok stand height, my wok will be placed at 968mm , how to carry the stainless steel wok when cooking ?

Now saying I'm changing the drawings , so have to delay the project till the drawings is fixed. I am now the one being blamed by architect due to her 'no common sense ' design. Pity me

This post has been edited by kimteck: Jan 9 2022, 10:25 PM

I have the same feeling with my current ID lady. If they make you feel so, stop the discussion and find the other one that you can negotiate and communicate like @sawhueijye mentioned.

Don't want to describe the details anymore. after 2 months, the small renovation yet to finish. And so many terrible workmanship , hack/install at wrong location, later simply touch up /cover with cheap materials.

Really "vomit blood" workmanship, and this ID company answered back you can't request so much, later the workers are not happy and purposely make it worse.

And I'm being blamed as a "demanding customer".

I don't know how many ppl is having a similar experience like me. But imagine you save for years buying a house then engage a ID company to do the renovation. Ended up bad workmanship with materials/ fittings that not worth the paid price.. then start arguing with no avail.

At the end, you just want to end the nightmare and give the money to chase them out from your house.

This post has been edited by kimteck: Mar 7 2022, 07:11 PM

After all the work, I have to fix many defects by myself. Even a sliding windows installation is leaking water when heavy rain. No more layan you after the full payment. Lesson learnt no 1. never get a one stop station to do the work unless they are very reputable and reliable. .

If you see some name with N**Y , remember my renovation experience.