Jun 6 2025, 04:34 PM
QUOTE(lightislight @ Jun 6 2025, 12:37 AM)
Good evening everyone,
I’d like to share my experience with an interior design project that’s left my family and me incredibly frustrated — and hopefully get some advice.
After completing the basic renovation of our double-storey corner lot (piping, electrical, etc.), we hired a professional interior design firm to handle the furnishing and finishing. The idea was to have a “team leader” who could oversee the project efficiently.
Unfortunately, we were very wrong.
What was supposed to be a 4-month project has dragged on for 10 months — and it’s still far from done. Worse, their built-in furniture has blocked essential power points, making the installation of large appliances nearly impossible. When we raised this, they demanded extra payment to fix their own mistakes — along with the final payment (around 15%), which I’m currently refusing.
Why? Because the work is not complete, and many of the materials used are substandard — with panels already sagging or warped before use.
Mind you, the costs were not cheap - I'll just say it was around RM150k to RM200k, just for interior design — and this company is supposedly reputable, registered with both MIID (Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers) and CIDB. Sadly, those affiliations seem to mean little in terms of quality or accountability.
Before I hire a new team to take over, does anyone know where or how I can lodge a formal complaint?
At this point, I can't just let these people off for delivering such poor standard of work. I guess it's more a matter of principle.
Thank you.
I do not know if you know... But an interior designer isn't a one-man knowing all about renovation...I’d like to share my experience with an interior design project that’s left my family and me incredibly frustrated — and hopefully get some advice.
After completing the basic renovation of our double-storey corner lot (piping, electrical, etc.), we hired a professional interior design firm to handle the furnishing and finishing. The idea was to have a “team leader” who could oversee the project efficiently.
Unfortunately, we were very wrong.
What was supposed to be a 4-month project has dragged on for 10 months — and it’s still far from done. Worse, their built-in furniture has blocked essential power points, making the installation of large appliances nearly impossible. When we raised this, they demanded extra payment to fix their own mistakes — along with the final payment (around 15%), which I’m currently refusing.
Why? Because the work is not complete, and many of the materials used are substandard — with panels already sagging or warped before use.
Mind you, the costs were not cheap - I'll just say it was around RM150k to RM200k, just for interior design — and this company is supposedly reputable, registered with both MIID (Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers) and CIDB. Sadly, those affiliations seem to mean little in terms of quality or accountability.
Before I hire a new team to take over, does anyone know where or how I can lodge a formal complaint?
At this point, I can't just let these people off for delivering such poor standard of work. I guess it's more a matter of principle.
Thank you.
Are you aware that tiling a tile has its own ISO-certified standard of practices?
Do you think an interior designer know all this?...
Even architects isn't familiar with it... nor a property agent / developer... They may know, but they ain't true know-how experts in the fields...
Having the right screed layering / adhesive / water-proofing layer, the right tile installation method for mortar application has its own protocols (to prevent spot bonding and all that)...
In fact, not all tiles chosen by you works the same for all areas of application... And in the Malaysian industry (which I do not need to tell you how loose we are), there's a lot of con man / uneducated folks working in this line because the industry tends to permit low-education professionals with barely suffice training...
This is also why the Australian government officially certify plumbing and renovation jobs... because it literally is composed of bodies, regulations, updated rules, materials science, and all that which is used to train these professionals...
This is also why the Malaysian infrastructure is lagging behind in terms of decades... (And only just recently they enforced a minimum of SPM certification for property agents, as well as having them undergoing sales training in a once-upon-a-time era when uneducated / untrained folks could become one --- which spoils the real estate industry)...
As you shared, materials built upon are the most cheaply found building blocks to put up a decorate... and they do so because they may want you to tear it down for a new renovation so money is back into their pockets...
So as roofing...
So as piping... There's a complete pump engineering profession centered to the size of the piping, to the number of heads (resistance) for flow rate... Hell, even choosing the right pump according to the size of the house differ...
You need a team of specialised experts to advise you accordingly... Not a one-trick pony that Malaysian folks tend to think it's that easy...
If you do not believe me, feel free to Google any of these step-by-step...
Edit - Reason: Typo.
This post has been edited by Hastebreak: Jun 6 2025, 04:38 PM
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