Everything You Should Expect: Post-Reno
At long last, your reno finally finish le. The workers and ID have “technically” done what they were hired to do and your house is done. Now what?
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Homeowners often are unsure what are the proper handover procedures once reno is done. What do you do when you find a scratch? What is considered acceptable? Do I just start sleeping and living here?
Here’s everything you need to know on what to do once renovation is done.
1) Have a proper handover day
Just like when you leaving your company or dropping a project that’s ongoing, there should be a day dedicated to handover all the necessary details regarding the renovation.
Once reno is done, your ID should walk you through the entire house, room by room to point out:
What has been completed
What still needs fixing or touching up
This ensures that both sides are aligned and make sure nothing is swept under the rug (literally) and in the event that there are things that are somewhat undone, it also allows you to set clear expectations and a timeline for rectifications.
2) Leave a 1-2 week buffer prior to moving in
We recommend leaving a 1-2 week breathing space before moving in.
This allows you to have time to clean the place, air the new carpentry smell and do one final sweep for defects and issues with the renovation.
No need kanchiong, your new place is basically there liao just chill and take your time.
3) Don’t expect perfection
Have high standards, but don’t expect perfection in every nook and cranny. It is nearly impossible for any reno to be 100% perfect.
Many many things are done by hand rather than machine. So uneven edges, furniture off by a few mm or paint drip abit here and there is common. Just cause the cabinet shorter abit doesn’t mean cannot use or your ID/contractor did a bad job.
But don’t worry, we’re not telling you to accept ALL imperfections – that’s why touch ups exist.
4) There WILL be touch-ups
Every reno, confirm plus chop, will have some final touch-up needed.
That’s why it’s important as stated previously to have a proper handover, allowing you and the ID to align on things that require fixing.
5) After moving in, there should be one final round of touch-ups
After staying in the space for 1-2 months, you’ll start picking up on smaller details and issues that were not flagged previously.
This is common -its often difficult to spot every single part of the house, or maybe some functional issues will appear.
Maybe the ceiling one month in suddenly leaking or the wall got one area bumpy.
Not the end of the world, don’t worry. Just consolidate the issues and ping your ID to come and rectify.
But of course – don’t ask them to keep coming everytime you find a non-urgent issue. For example, paint cracks. This is quite inefficient. Hence, we always recommend to consolidate these issues, and then get them to fix everything once and for all 1-2 months down the road!
6) Double check your VOs (Variation Orders)
VOs are the added works or changes that weren’t originally in the contract.
Human errors happen all the time, and this quotation is done by a human.
Whether the “error” is on purpose or not, you should always double check so that you don’t overpay.
In the event that there are issues, just flag it out and let your ID know. They should try their utmost best to amend the order or explain the discrepancies.
7) Pay the balance
If you know your ID is trying their best, and there is no major issues, do clear the final 5% payment.
Yes, there may be imperfections and it may not be 100% what you expected. But if its really about there already, try not to withhold payment. This last 5% forms a significant part of their earnings.
I guess a similar analogy will be your boss saying “we will deduct your pay this month because you didnt do this job well”. Doesn’t sit too well right?
Ultimately, this is their livelihood. The outcome of the house is important, but so is the attitude and effort that they put in.
TLDR
Even after reno ends, there is just a bit more to the finish line. Touch-ups, clarifications and minor fixes are all part of the process. IDs and contractors know this, so just stay patient and keep open communication. Once all is done, you’ll be able to enjoy your new space.
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If you are looking to shortlist reliable IDs/contractors for your reno, feel free to enquire here, or check out our blog for other important tips!!