A Design Team Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew

Here are three things the interior design team from Mr Shopper Studio want you to know before you start renovating

Niki Bruce 8 August 2018

Houzz Contributor. Editor and Journalist for over 20 years. This is where I let my inner-homeowner run free!

Houzz Contributor. Editor and Journalist for over 20 years. This is where I let my... More

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Mr Shopper Studio

Kate Deng, Ben Teo and Ken Lee are the creative brains behind Mr Shopper Studio, a company that specialises in design-and-build jobs and renovations. They are particularly good at creating luxurious modern interiors in HDB flats.

Mr Shopper Studio

The first things the team wants you to know are:

Don’t get overly excited and engage your interior designer too early or too late, and then have an unreasonable timeline.
Engage the right professional for the job. It could be a contractor, interior designer or interior stylist – know the difference.
Furniture and accessories are important so set aside a budget for them.

Mr Shopper Studio

1. Look for your designer before collecting your new home keys
Three to four months is a good lead time to have. Don’t get too enthusiastic and look up one the moment your are successful in your ballot.

“A Build-To-Order (BTO) flat takes 2 to 3 years to complete which is a long time, and your lifestyle needs and design preferences might change over time,” they advise.

Mr Shopper Studio

Then there are homeowners who do the opposite: “There’s a handful of last-minute homeowners who have collected their keys, but have no time to pay a visit to the interior designer or even their own home,” the team explains.

Mr Shopper Studio

You need 1 to 2 months to visit different interior design firms and compare quotations.
Once you decide on a firm, the design stage generally takes 1 to 2 months and includes confirming all the details like carpentry design, the furniture list and the lighting and electrical plan.

Mr Shopper Studio

After collecting your keys to your new condo, BTO or new landed home, set aside 2 to 3 weeks for the defects inspection and clearance.
Most renovation works will take 6 to 8 weeks to complete; it could be longer if the works are more complicated or if the area is bigger e.g. landed houses.
The entire process will take around 6 months from the sourcing for an ID to the handover.

Mr Shopper Studio

2. Choose the right professional for the job
The Mr Shopper team admit that interior designers are “not all-knowing and experts in everything”.

There will always be some skills and techniques in a renovation that seem related to the interior design, but they actually are outside their job scope or expertise.

Mr Shopper Studio

“In particular, not many interior designers are keen to take on small, minor work like building a two-door wardrobe or installing a toilet bowl – which might be better suited to a contractor or handyman,” explains the team.

Mr Shopper Studio

“Also, some interior designers might not have the expertise to carry out specialist work like building a mezzanine or loft.”

Mr Shopper Studio

If your project is a landed property, you need to make sure that your interior designer is able to work on Additions and Alterations works (A&A) for landed structures; this is particularly important if there are major reconstruction or engineering work that needs to be done. You will need to work with an architect or structural engineer for these types of jobs.

Mr Shopper Studio

In order to solve these issues, it’s worth working with an ID firm that has a group of specialists (carpenters, metal workers, plumbers etc.) they work with on a regular basis to ensure smoother workflow.

Mr Shopper Studio

Hire a contractor instead?
The Mr Shopper Studio team say that sometimes clients hire their own contractor to carry out the renovation, but that they should only do it if they can say ‘yes’ to the following:

You’re doing specific works and know exactly what you want
You have a particular aesthetic in mind and don’t need design input
You are only planning to do basic, no-frills work
You are highly meticulous and able to multitask
You have a tight (or limited) budget to work with
You’re able to visit the site often

Mr Shopper Studio

3. Make interior decorating plans
“We cannot emphasise enough the importance of home styling and soft furnishings. These items seem small, but can do wonders for your home,” they say.

Mr Shopper Studio

The team suggest that you have a professional create a budget plan for furniture and soft furnishings as these are the finishing touches that will make the design come together.

Mr Shopper Studio

“We’ve had many instances where our clients overspent on customising a TV console or a master bedroom bedhead feature when buying a ready-made one would have given them the budget for a sofa that fits their interior theme better,” the team explains.

Another big ticket item that many don’t consider in the budget is lighting and electricals so don’t get caught out.

Mr Shopper Studio

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