Designing your new home isn’t a walk in the park, but these renovation tips from experts at HomeMatch are here to make things easier.
So, you’ve bought your first home – congrats on a huge milestone! The next step? Renovation and bringing your dream abode to life. Between finding a reliable interior design and contractor team, and perfecting every nook and cranny in your new space, the thought of renovation can be daunting. No fret, we’ve enlisted the help of professionals from renovation matching platform, HomeMatch, to share some useful insights. Scroll on for six must-know renovation tips in Singapore for homeowners navigating their first renovation.
6 renovation tips for homeowners in Singapore
1. Know your lifestyle, goals and priorities
We love the dopamine hit that comes with scrolling Pinterest for home inspiration. One moment the minimalist Japandi style looks like a dream, and the next, you’re contemplating a more industrial-chic aesthetic with concrete textures and darker tones. But before delving into all that creative jazz, you’ll need to first consider how you live and what you need.
Your living habits and needs fundamentally influence your home’s layout, materials and budget. As a good starting point, consider factors like your lifestyle and routines, household size, storage requirements and design preferences – and sift these into ‘must-have’ and ‘nice-to-have’ features. Identifying any long-term plans, such as having kids, owning pets and living with elderly parents, will also reduce any future revisions.
2. Set a realistic budget
Cost is that elephant in the room that you unfortunately can’t avoid. Depending on factors such as property type, scope of work and choice of materials, renovation costs can vary significantly.
Case in point: an older resale flat requires a higher budget due to additional repair and replacement works, as opposed to new BTO flats that can hit the ground running with customisation and finishes. If your renovation scope is more extensive (think hacking, carpentry and plumbing), it will naturally involve more labour, time, materials and costs.
For first-time homeowners, we recommend using these factors to estimate a more realistic renovation budget and see if it’s an amount you’re willing to work with. Other costs to keep in mind include furniture and appliances, electrical upgrades, permit fees and a contingency fund of about 10 to 20% of your budget – just in case things go south.
A final tip? Get multiple quotations for a better understanding of market prices before sealing the deal with anyone. As a general rule of thumb, the professionals at HomeMatch recommend meeting at least five renovators to make a fair comparison.
3. Understand the timeline and plan accordingly
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and creating your dream house takes time, too. Based on HomeMatch’s experience, many homeowners underestimate how long approvals, material procurement and workmanship take. This creates unexpected delays on move-in or rental agreement dates, which in turn causes unnecessary stress.
Realistically, most on-site renovation works take about 10 to 12 weeks. But the full process – which includes everything from shortlisting renovators and planning to applying for permits and the actual renovation work – can stretch across nine to 12 months.
Take some time to break down the entire process and get a more realistic expectation of the overall timeline. Psst: as a frame of reference, here’s a guide on renovation timelines in Singapore.
4. Shortlist renovators based on more than just portfolios
Thinking of shortlisting your renovator solely based on their portfolio? Here’s your sign to think twice. While portfolios showcase design outcomes, they don’t necessarily reflect a renovator’s communication, project management and workmanship skills.
Other important factors to consider include their relevant experience (especially with similar property types), communication style, and the transparency of their quotations and budget compatibility.
This is also where renovation matching platform HomeMatch can come in handy. Think of it as a renovation matching platform that helps homeowners evaluate these important factors and find the right person for their specific project – not just a renovation firm. Beyond aesthetics, it considers factors such as budget, property type, design preferences, renovation scope, and timeline before recommending the most suitable match.
5. Check reviews, accreditation and past projects
One reliable way to see if your potential renovator lives up to their promises? See what past clients say about them. Be it positive or negative, this feedback will give you a more balanced picture when evaluating a renovator or interior designer.
Check neutral platforms like Google or Facebook where past homeowners can share reviews independently. Reviews aside, it is also important to look out for relevant accreditation, personal and business track records, and similar past completed projects.
Psst: to save you the hassle of amassing all this information, HomeMatch acts as a one-stop shop with everything at your fingertips. Browse verified renovation reviews from previous homeowners, scroll through a list of CaseTrust-accredited renovator listings and HDB-approved interior designers and contractors, and look at renovator portfolios and completed projects.
6. Protect yourself before locking it down
It’s always better to err on the side of caution. Before you sign your renovation contract, check what protections are in place – just in case things go sideways, or you bump into a hiccup. Clarify any uncertainties in the contract, ask for a fully itemised scope of work (with inclusions and exclusions), and clearly define the timeline, delays, penalties and warranties.
Not sure if you’ve got everything covered? HomeMatch’s Safest-Smartest Assurance is precisely designed to give homeowners this peace of mind.
Through stringent screening, HomeMatch only matches homeowners with CaseTrust-accredited renovators that maintain high customer ratings of at least four stars on independent platforms such as Google and Facebook.
To give homeowners more confidence and a safer experience, HomeMatch also provides contract checks to help them better understand the terms and agreements before renovation begins, as well as the HomeMatch $1 Million Protection Fund. This fund protects homeowners against the top three issues that hurt them the most: unfinished work, firm closures and major project delays.
Ready to kick off your renovation?
Choosing a renovator or an interior designer is more than just comparing prices and portfolios. From clear communication to project management to after-sales services, there’s a lot more to evaluate before finding a suitable partner and kicking off your renovation journey.
If you’re looking to save time or make safer and more informed decisions, consider leaving the heavy lifting to HomeMatch. No matter which stage of the renovation journey you are at, this all-in-one renovation matching platform has something for everyone. Compare carefully screened renovators, read verified renovation reviews, and explore practical homeowner resources – all while enjoying extra peace of mind, thanks to HomeMatch’s Safest-Smartest Assurance and HomeMatch Protection.
Renovation is one of the most significant investments you’ll make as a homeowner. So keep these nifty tips in mind, and watch your dream abode come to life without the stress!
This post is in partnership with HomeMatch.
