As I know the cost of renovation works can be very different. For example, you request a quotation from 2 contractors. 1 will give u a very high price while the other is much cheaper.

Which one would you choose?

And for those who had experience pls share with us anything to know about renovating a house. From the price to the service and so on. Thanks.

If materials are the same and both are reputable, why choose the expensive one?
The questions cannot be asked as you did. There's lots of scenario to take into account.
for eg.
-time of completion
-quality of work
etc...

ahha. as a matter of fact, there is a degree which is related to this. it is called quantity surveying. Quantity surveyor provide a standard documents for contractors to bid on so that the basis of pricing for all contractors are the same. so, if the works is being done properly, which is with drawings and proper documentations, u can gauge the pricing of each contractor. usually, for small renovation, it does not happen this way tho.

Yeah what I meant was small renovations to houses. Not those massive ones. I don't think these kinda of contractors accually employ quantity surveyors

Typical its very hard to gauge because your 2 contractors might go about doing things differently and with different materials.

Furthermore its an unregulated business so buyer beware...

My advice is get a quote with bill of materials (most likely you wont get a BOM ), then contact the contractors past customers to discover their pain points and judge the workmanship and quality of work for yourself.

My area Puchong Utama 10 most renovations are done by a particular group of contractors and they do good work from my observations. The only reason I went with another contractor is because I found someone who does the same for less money. The contractor renovated my friends house and I was impressed with the work done.

My renovations was simple extend master bedroom, install grill, install autogate, cement the back, install all the lighting, fans and water heater came up to roughly RM10k

Add another 2.4k for the polycarb awning (different contractor).

Since this thread is on renovation, want to tumpang, any of you know any good contractors in Penang? Mind to share?

My new house, 2nd floor one of the room extend to make a balcony for clothes drying. And the ground floor room, hack the wall down to connect to the toilet. All together around RM16K, there is a don't know what crap fee they charge, hacking and collecting RM1K. I think that is the cost they clean up the whole debris?

in these case, you can always find a friend who is a quantity surveyor to help you. hell, i have a degree in one so let me explain on few things they might charge you with. first, its the cost of labour the contractor pay for the hacking job. that include for hacking part and cleaning and other stuff part. next, its the fee for either they renting the equipment for hacking. for small contractors, there is no need for them to have this kind of equipments as they rarely deals with major hacking job, thus, they usually rent this type of things. and finally, on top of these two items, they will charge their profits and overhead cost. this depends on contractors, some can charge 15% on top of the two items and some can go up to 70%. thats why its a good thing to check with at least 3 contractors for a similar job before hiring one as they all have different costing. A contractor that own their own equipment might charge lower as they only need some fee for maintenance of the equipment.

Compared to my cost and scope of work, feels like getting conned... bloody expensive

can you go into detail aaronpang? I think all of us would like to know more.

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Added on October 1, 2007, 3:31 pmWell said namqul. It is always better to get a quotation from a few contractors. That unless you have a trustworthy contractor which you don't mind paying more as long as he does a good job.

This post has been edited by philyong: Oct 1 2007, 03:31 PM

todate, i've spent about rm20k for the extension of my kitchen 24'x5' and ceiling height tiling on 3 bathrooms & kitchen in sbn. The contractor job is neat i can say. No regret!

Did anyone knows whats the standard price (or range of price) for building a wall about 4.6 m in length? My future house is using an open concept (nothing separates the kitchen and living room), so thats why a wall is needed.

And what kind of "options" available for such wall (materials, design) ?

10k for your renovation !!! and with autogate !!!
Its a great deal you have there !!!

I filed away my bills at home, so I just give roughly what I can remember...

The design of the master bedroom was odd T shaped with a 4x6 ft ledge for the air-conditioner outdoor unit on the left and nothing but a brick wall on the right side...

So I extended the room from the left and right side and it no longer looks like a T shape but square.

Total 8X12 ft extension with additional concrete slab 4x6 ft (right side no floor so they had to add concrete slab. Also included is a concrete slab roof extension with 2 additional side windows and 2x2 ft tiles.

Room extension took up about RM4.5k...

The grill is hollow iron grill but made to look stylish and mimic those solid irons bar type grills ... no pics maybe I'll add some later use phone cam.

RM2.5k

To cement the backyard was 22x6 ft just cover with cement

RM600

The remainder was for the autogate installation plus hacking and wiring...

RM2k

Modify my main gate to include a small door...

RM100

Box up (cover up) the exposed piping at the back

RM80

Lighting and electrical fixtures install

RM400

* Just a reminder all the figures are agak agak from memory.

It also helps if you buddy buddy with your contractor and they will help you... my contractor really good I nag also he really cool and always everything can fix no problems

When the work finished I belanja him a bottle of Absinth 70% alcohol

This post has been edited by aaronpang: Oct 2 2007, 10:15 AM

You can either go for brickwall or drywall partition. Finishing can be whole lot of options depending on budget.

i was thinking of a wooden partition or even a piece of curtain if want to save cost.
Modern instead of normal cut off by walls.

If brickwall with both sides plaster exclude paint, RM1500.

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Added on October 2, 2007, 10:39 amLanded or Apartment?
If the latter, it's gonna be expensive.

The last time, a few contractors quoted me RM4000 (all inclusive) for replacing the floor tiles on a 200ft² living room of an apartment.
FINE! I brought some men up from Seremban, paid for their transport & food. 4 days work.
Total cost me about RM2k only.

This post has been edited by scorgio: Oct 2 2007, 10:39 AM

haha well, people have to make a living too right? Of course if it is possible and we are capable then the cost will be much cheaper.

I would say some wooden partition is way more expensive than drywall then again it varies depending on type of wood & finishes.
I've seen some using a piece of curtain to act as partition the result is not too bad, but it will only be aesthetic if you use those thick curtain which cost a bomb also.

haha....the cost part is actually referring to the latter i.e. curtains.
A normal 2 piece curtain, maybe slightly thinner with some dull lights and see through effects could have a lot of difference made towards the room.

Also when I said using woods or planks, it would be more costlier if based on my visualization. (Don't really know how to word it out)
I don't like the idea of a walled up partition between both the areas as it would make the whole space looks smaller. With woods and planks, one could basically create a partition with also see though effects i.e. spaces for peek-a-boo in between planks laid slantingly.

I prefer modern looks.

This post has been edited by b00n: Oct 2 2007, 06:18 PM

All the rooms already have piping and outlet for air-conditioning?
Washroom already have electrical points for water heater?
How about plaster ceiling?
Kitchen cabinet?

To me the pricing is quite reasonable. And its nice of you to belanja him a bottle of Absinth. haha.

All the rooms already have piping and outlet for air-conditioning?

Nope not all rooms only the master bedroom.

The aircon power outlet is pre-installed by the house developer... however the piping, installation and servicing (old aircon) done by aircon shop RM300.

Washroom already have electrical points for water heater?

Yup water heater electrical points already pre-installed for upstairs bathroom 1 and bathroom 2.

How about plaster ceiling?

Here is my best answer

I didn't do any additional ceiling work. I wanted a concrete slab for the room extension rather than roofing tiles to cut cost... so it's mainly just white plaster for the master bedroom extension.

The rest of the house ground floor is plaster ceiling with cornice in the living area developer installed.

Everything else is original ceiling board for the 1st floor.

Kitchen cabinet?

No built-in cabinets didn't see a need for it...

I hope this helps!

Lets revive this topic

actually, to get a quotation from few legitimate contractors is always a smart thing to do, but, i personally prefer small scale contractor, with lesser staff due to cheaper cost and of course, expect a slower job. But, normally, this small scale contractor will perform the work in better state, compare with those big scale type which normally employ indonesian for the jobs.

Evntually, we as a consumers, will need to know how the cost of the works are being calculated, instead of comparing the big sum of quotations btw few contractors. Here, i will come out with some calculation works based on my experiences -

1. wall - 2.5 m * 4.5 m = app rm 750 (without paint)
2. plaster ceiling - 2 * 2 sqf = rm 1.90 ( just the plain and with cornish )
3. concrete table top - 1 foot long = rm 120 to rm 160 ( this include hacking and also using 2 * 2 ft tiles, no matter it is xny, china made or white horse )
4. kitchen cabinet & build in wardrobe - 1 foot long = rm 250 to rm 300 ( depends on the materials, but the price should be within the rage )
5. floor tiles - 1 sqf = rm 3.50 to rm 4.00

for those who want to renovate, advised to do fast before any price hike happened again which might be after christmas.

Hi Aaron, happened to be living in the same PU1 address with you, seem that you had put on a lot of efforts into your new house, why not you start a new forum elsewhere for the sake of residents of PU1 and PU2, surely we need to be united to deal with a lot things in the future. They will be new development project near our house, on the entrance of the main junction. Hope that our right will be secured in the future. Also, there supposed to be another entrance/exit to our housing area from LDP directly, just beside the primary school, shall we urge the authority to do something?

hi just wanna ask, someone quoted me rm150 for installation of curtain railings for the whole house and rm 280 for installation for 3 fans and lightings whole house. My house is a condo unit with 2 + 1 room and 2 bath. Is is expensive??

For me, I would say installation of curtain railings can be done ownself with the right tools.
Fans and lightings too if it's only "pluck and play" unless you need to do wiring.
Thus I've got no comments on the price.

i'd recommend philyong father for the small renovation in house. Quite affordable. Oerall im satisfied wif it.

haha thanks max! glad that you're satisfied.

Can any1 give me a rough estimate on how much i need to spend for the following renovation:

1. extension on first floor by around 7 feet, width=15 feet (ground floor extended already)
2. plumbing work on a bathroom
3. floor tiling of approx 500sf
4. car porch tiling or cementing approx 500sf
5. Car porch awning approx 250sf
6. Brick wall fencing of approx 30 feet x 2row
7. Full painting for 15x60 double storey
8. Auto or non-auto gate 15 ft wide

The plater ceiling price should be 1 * 1 = 1 SF. Doubt you can get 4 SF at RM1.90.


Agree with the curtain part but fans & lighting are quite tricky. You won't want to have multiple holes on the ceiling or wall for light mounting.

anyone can help?
thanks

Around RM50k.

hi all...
just wanna ask your opinion....
just got keys for my new house...
now on my way getting quotation for the renovation works...

however...in the meantime....
i must ensure that all rectification works are completed 1st
to avoid developer blaming my renovation works for all the damages found in my house...hehehe....

so....my friend did suggest to do an inspection 1st....
just by looking around the whole house...
looking for visible cracks etc...
but my other friend advised me to hire a Building Surveyor
so that thorough inspection can be done...visible or non-visible...
to ensure long-term guarantee of better condition of my house....

coincidencely...
during my visit to one of my neighbours' house at that nearby my new house...there was a Building Surveyor doing his job....
impressive!! complete with layout and details of damage found at the house...
i managed to talk to him (the surveyor)
he did mention about how important to have proper inspection for long term benefit purposes mostly related to renovation and ID
he also explained to me all the package that he has....
including generating official details report to be submitted to the developer on behalf of the house owner....
and legallise all the report so that developer doesn't stand a chance to simply conned the owner by claiming that all the rectification works has 100% been done even though only portion of it being rectified

so now....
do u guys think i should hire people like him?
so far...as per mentioned by him...he will charge RM600 (for the comprehensive inspection) per 1000sqft
do u guys think it is reasonable?

help me, plez....

thanks

i think it's worth looking at u may not as detail or pro like them.

Well first thing first you got to know whether your developer is trustworthy or not. Get comments from your neighbours and all. Have a self check first. Some Building Surveyors will conned you as well.

thats my concern....
afraid being conned

so far....my developer is reputable....
as per comment given by other friends who bought houses developed by this developer....
i did inspect on my own....
discovered some crack on plaster and broken handle for my windows (few of them)....
haven't tested the leakage issue...

nevermind...
i'll create special topic to discuss on this....

thanks all

This post has been edited by myhat: Feb 11 2008, 09:11 AM