Although I'm glad that the major works are done, the slowness/delays really irked me especially when two of my neighbours who got their keys later than me already moved in 2 months ago!
Anyway, I'm ready to give my review of the company by giving a score ranging from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest):
Background
After signing the contract with Inner View, my interior designer (ID) informed me two weeks later that he had left the company and started his own. He promised to carry out the renovations of my flat regardless of the departure. I emailed to his ex-boss for some re-assurance but he never bothered replying. Thankfully, ID is a decent guy and kept to his word (most of it). So I didn't think too much about the matter as long as things gets done.
The hacking of the wall and the dining flooring were done promptly in early May after obtaining the licence work from HDB. Then the delay started with ID explaining that the tiles to replace those that were broken from the hacking will have to wait as the HDB main con did not have stock. Ok, I thought.
Bought the kitchen and toilet accessories with ID in mid-June.
Work resumed a month later and by early July, only the laminated wood flooring was done. I thought that this was unacceptable as two weeks had gone by without any work done so I complained and requested (nicely) for the work to be done before Hari Raya (8 Aug).
After that, the renovations went into overdrive mode and most of the major works were completed by 3 Aug. Alas, two sections of the laminated flooring were not done properly. ID sent his worker to fix on 7 Aug but only one section was patched up. I think the guy forgot the 2nd section. Grrr... don't these people check the panels... it's only 1.8m by 1.8m!!! Till now, I haven't gotten the aircon remote controls and also found the kitchen hood could not be switched on.
Although these are somewhat minor, I'm still dismayed with how the renovation works were carried out. Actually, I anticipated these problems from the moment the guy left the company. It was a good thing that I was not in a rush to move in. Still, I told my ID that what I hated most is empty promises. ID assured that the works can be done in 1 month (less any problems with delivery of items). Almost four months had passed... I think you can pretty much decide whether to take up this company to do up your place. Then again, most renovation companies suck anyway. I'm just thankful that my money was not scammed away like some of those horror stories I kept hearing in the news...
Here's my scoring for the Inner View:
Time Management: 1/5
a) Meet deadlines (1/5)
Workmanship: 4.3/5
a) L Box (5/5),
b) Window grills (5/5),
c) Aircon (5/5),
d) Flooring (3/5),
e) Kitchen Cabinet (4/5)
f) Toilet (4/5)
g) Painting (5/5)
h) Repairs to hacked walls (5/5)
ID Service: (3.5/5)
a) Experience (4/5)
b) Communications (4/5)
c) Responsiveness (3/5)
d) 3D Perspective (3/5)
e) Value for money (3.5/5)
Overall Score: 3/5
Verdict: C (Could have been a lot worse... need constant monitoring... I was too lenient initially...)
So will I recommend Inner View... answer is maybe but with caveat. Workmanship is good despite the delays. I'm also aware of the poor reputation of the renovations industry in Singapore. There are many similar companies out there that promised a million things or worse, ran away with your hard-earned money... I think I would have been a lot more understanding had the boss of Inner View called me to reassure that works will be carried out properly regardless of the departure of the ID. I guessed my $15k project was too small value for him to give me that extra mile. Heh... this is the reason why I kept my reno simple especially with my little experience with such matters.
Oh well... I hope that you have a much better HDB renovation experience than I did (it's not that terrible lah). As all things in life, you get what you pay for... oh worse, nothing at all!!! :)