Session summary · Sample
At a glance
1. About your project
| Property | 4-room HDB resale flat |
| Household | Couple, planning for a child in 2 years; one works from home |
| Target move-in | In about 4 months |
| Stage | Keys collected. Met 2 IDs, no deposit paid |
| Quotes discussed | ID A: $52,400 · ID B: $57,800 |
2. Your budget
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Total available | $80,000 |
| Furniture, appliances, curtains, lights | $15,000 |
| Buffer (about 12%) | $7,000 |
| Renovation budget to share with IDs | $58,000 |
ID A's quote looks $5,400 cheaper, but it has no electrical works and 6 items marked “TBC”. The two quotes can't be compared fairly until those are priced.
3. Fix these 3 things before signing
In order of importance.
Lower ID B's deposit
40% of $57,800 is $23,120 paid before any work is done. At 20%, you'd have $11,560 less at risk if the firm stops work.
Ask: “Could the deposit be 20%, with the other payments made as each stage is finished, such as after hacking and after carpentry is installed?”
Get ID A's missing items priced
Your flat needs rewiring, and 6 lines say “TBC”. Anything not priced now is likely to come back later as a variation order, when you have less room to negotiate.
Ask: “Please add electrical works and a price for each TBC item, so I can compare your quote with others line by line.”
Put dates in writing
Neither quote has a start or completion date. Without dates, you have little to point to if works drag on while you're paying rent or a second mortgage.
Ask: “Please add a start date, a completion date, and what happens if the works run late.”
4. Needs first, wants later
Needs
- Rewiring and more power points (old wiring)
- Waterproofing in both bathrooms
- Study with enough sockets and good lighting
- Full-height storage in the common bedroom (future nursery)
Wants (if budget allows)
- Feature wall in living room
- Cove lighting in bedrooms
- Quartz top upgrade
5. Timeline
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1–3 | Finalise design and materials. Decide on tiles by week 2 |
| Weeks 3–4 | ID applies for HDB permit (floor and wall hacking) |
| Weeks 4–12 | Works on site. Avoid planning noisy works around public holidays |
| Weeks 13–14 | Buffer, defects fixing, cleaning, move-in |
6. Quote wording, explained
| The quote says | What it means for you | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “Kitchen cabinet: lump sum” | One price with no sizes or materials, so you can't check what you're getting | Ask for the length, height and laminate brand |
| “Tiles up to $4/sqft” | An allowance. If you pick a pricier tile, you pay the difference | Choose tiles before signing, or agree the extra rate in writing |
| “TBC” | Not priced yet, so the total isn't final | Ask for a price, or a written maximum |
| “Make good after hacking” | Repairs after demolition, but the scope isn't defined | Ask what's covered and whether there's a cap |
| “Warranty: 1 year” | Doesn't say what's covered or how to claim | Ask for the warranty terms in writing |
7. Not in either quote yet
These often come up later as extra charges. Ask whether each one is included:
- Electrical works (missing from ID A)
- New doors, if old frames are being hacked
- Debris disposal and haulage
- Final cleaning before handover
- HDB permit application
8. Your next steps
- Check both firms on HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors and ACRA BizFile
- Send both IDs the 3 requests in section 3 and the questions below
- Compare the revised quotes line by line, using the same scope
- Book a follow-up session before signing (optional)
9. Questions to ask your ID (extract)
- How many 4-room resale projects did you complete in the last 12 months?
- Who supervises our site, and how often will they be there?
- What's not included in this quote?
- How are variation orders priced and confirmed?
- What's your workmanship warranty?
10. Words you'll hear
| Variation order (VO) | A change to the agreed work, with its own price. Agree it in writing before the work is done. Our guide. |
| Progress payment | A payment made when a stage of work is finished. Our guide. |
| Allowance | A budget for an item you haven't chosen yet. If you choose something pricier, you pay more. |
| Final payment | The last payment, made after handover. Keeping a meaningful amount for this step gives you leverage to get defects fixed. |
How we put a summary together
- From your session. It's based on what you tell us, the quotes you share, and our consultant's 20+ years in renovation.
- We explain, we don't rate. We don't score quotes against a price database, and we don't rate or recommend firms. If we're unsure whether a price is fair, we say so and show you how to check.
- Only what's useful. Every point comes with what to do next.
- Private. Your summary is sent only to you. See our promises.
| What you get | |
|---|---|
| First session | A summary like this one, plus the full ID question checklist |
| Quotation review (add-on) | Written notes on your quotes, line by line. We confirm the fee before we start. How we review a quote |
Ready for your own? See pricing or WhatsApp us at +65 9457 2109.