You’ve acquired an HDB apartment and you’re full of hopes and dreams about the future. Walking through the empty rooms, you can imagine where the dinner table’s going to go, what pieces of art you’ll hang on the wall and how you’ll choose smart, multi-purpose furniture.
To bring a cohesive concept to reality, you’re also probably thinking about hiring a Singapore interior designer.
What does it take to find a trustworthy professional within your budget? Which considerations matter the most and how can you assess the reputations of Singapore interior design industry representatives?
Do the Research, Have a Meeting
You need to do your research and find out more about the reputation of an interior design company.
If you check the news regularly, you probably know that various types of interior design scams have been uncovered through the years. Going through the website of a firm isn’t enough to make sure you’ll be getting adequate and reliable services.
Check for online reviews and testimonials. The experience of people who have already worked with the respective team can prove to be very beneficial.
Next, draft a list of questions and schedule a personal meeting.
Reputable professionals aren’t afraid to meet potential clients and give honest answers. You should be paying attention to the information you’re receiving but you should also be making sure there’s chemistry.
In other words, do you feel that the interior designer you’re talking to is the one person that understands your idea and that can execute upon it? Is your vision being fully comprehended? Does the interior designer make suggestions to elevate the original concept?
Ease of communication and trust are the foundation of a successful partnership. Be clear about your expectations and pay attention to the response. The verbal communication and non-verbal cues can shed light on whether working together is going to be mutually-beneficial.
Bring the Interior Designers to Your Place
You cannot receive a quote and an adequate proposal if the interior designer doesn’t visit your place in advance.
Interior designers need to see the space, understand the floor plan and the specifics of the HDB flat to begin conceptualising the home décor idea.
Arrange a visit to the apartment and use that opportunity to ask additional questions you may have omitted during the first meeting.
It’s best to bring the interior designer in before any home renovation work is done.
An interior designer will this way get to determine whether any types of major alterations have to be done. The earlier these are executed, the less expensive the project’s going to be.
Your budget is another very important element you need to discuss right from the start.
Singapore home renovations can be quite costly. Thus, let the interior design team you’re interested in working with know what price range you feel comfortable with.
Discussing expectations and possibilities is tightly linked to finances. Once you give an estimate of your price range, you can expect to get a detailed quote that outlines all expenses and the possible home improvements.
It’s generally a good idea to get up to three quotes from different Singapore interior design companies. These will establish a good range of possibilities. Getting a bigger number of quotes isn’t necessarily a good thing because things tend to get very confusing when you have multiple distinctive choices.
Portfolios and Visual Proposals
Interior design is a highly visual discipline. The offers you receive should give you an idea about what to expect by featuring visuals.
Reputable interior designers provide their potential clients with the images that present the scope of project executions. It’s a good idea to ask for such visuals during your very first meeting with the respective interior design team.
A home interior design firm that claims extensive experience should also have extensive portfolios for potential clients to examine.
A portfolio will show you what the team’s overall style is or if they have a large team to be able to take on a variety of styles and project sizes.
Getting a proposal and a price quote is a good thing. This document, however, makes it difficult to imagine what the final outcome’s going to look like. Interior design professionals know their clients aren’t going to get a precise idea this way. Hence, they will put together a kit of visuals to elaborate upon the original concept and show specific execution elements. At Home Guide, we provide a 360 interactive virtual walk through a 3D model of your proposed home.
HDB Licensing, Certification and Other Credentials
Licenses, certificates and credentials also play a role in the selection of the right professional team for your home renovation project.
HDB flats come with their set of rules in terms of remodelling and home improvement.
Licensed professionals are familiar with the HDB guidelines, they know just how far to take the project and what permits will be required to complete the work.
If you want the best possible outcome, opt for HDB licensed interior design professionals. These experts know the dos and the don’ts of making your living space better. They also often partner up with reputable contractors and third parties that can execute aspects of the project without violating any of the HDB guidelines or limitations.
The HDB official website provides information about licensed and certified professionals.
You can also ask the respective interior design about their qualifications and whether they’re HDB-certified.
Home Guide was set up back in 1992 and we’re HDB registered. We know what it takes to personalize an HDB flat without going overboard. We can also provide advice about the permits and regulatory aspects of getting the job done.
Through the years, we’ve managed to maintain our stellar reputation. Home Guide has an impressive range of satisfied residential and commercial customers. We do our best to adhere to optimal industry standards every single time while delivering exactly what the client has asked for.
Contact us today to have your questions answered or to begin work on your home improvement.
