To carry out your home’s new interior design project in Singapore, you’ll typically have to hire professionals. Unfortunately, there have been multiple examples of renovation-based scams in the past years. Recently, media in Singapore reported about the newest fraud scheme and the fact that the perpetrator was sentences to prison.

Singapore Interior Design Scheme Perpetrator Sentenced

The man was arrested after he and his wife scammed 74 home owners. Based on the investigation, the couple made over 1.6 million dollars from the scheme.

Aszrul Mohd Yusoff pleaded guilty on 18 charges of cheating. In addition, the court examined an additional count of 115 cheating charges also linked to the activities of Yusoff. Based on the evidence, he was found guilty and sentenced to five and a half years in prison.

According to police reports, Yusoff’s wife was the mastermind behind the interior design fraud scheme.

She was previously arrested and sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison, after she was found guilty of 20 charges of cheating and one charge of criminal breach of trust.

The court was harsh in the sanctions because the fraud scheme involved a very big group of victims and a large sum of money, The Straits Times reported.

How the Fraud Scheme Worked

The interior design fraud scheme worked in a pretty basic, yet effective way.

Yusoff’s wife, Husniyati Omar, set up a company called Carpentry Design Works in 2016. She decided to benefit from one really well known fact in the realm of home renovations – such types of projects necessitate a solid upfront payment before the work can commence.

A short time later, the company opened two additional representative offices. It was run and operated by people appointed by Omar. Omar and Yusoff couldn’t run the operations themselves because they had previously declared bankruptcy. Still, all financial transactions and operational matters were under their supervision.

As Carpentry Design Works started advertising on social media, various Singapore homeowners decided to give the company a try. The company received an upfront payment and engaged in superficial, preliminary work aspects. A wall was hacked or there was partial carpentry work. Yusoff and Omar, however, never planned to bring the projects of their clients to completion.

As time went by and the work wasn’t completed, the victims of the scam started complaining to the Carpentry Design Works representatives. They were told that additional work on the project would be done after the completion of new payments.

The victims didn’t really have a choice. Police records show that many of them made the additional required payments in hoped of having the renovation completed in its entirety.

Yusoff and Omar also cheated sub-contractors who were hired to do the work. These contractors and companies never received a payment from Carpentry Design Works.

It all came to an end for the couple when a sub-contractor turned to the police in 2017.

Protecting Yourself from Singapore Interior Design Scams

This case isn’t an isolated example of scammers taking advantage of people who would like to get a cost-efficient home renovation.

Interior design fraud schemes typically feature low prices or much more favourable conditions than what other companies would be capable of providing. As a result, many people gullibly believe that they’ll get a brand new home by spending solely a fraction of the amount required to carry out a typical renovation.

A general rule of thumb to follow is that an offer that appears too good to be true probably is.

To protect yourself, always choose a reputable interior design company. It’s even better to get a recommendation from a friend or a person you know who has already relied on the services of the respective provider.

If you’re being asked for a very large upfront sum, you should also be cautious. There have been some scammers getting 80 to 90 per cent of the agreed-upon sum in the first weeks of project execution. After the payment is done, all work on the project stops and the home owner is left wondering how to deal with the consequences.

Online reviews can become another valuable and beneficial source of information.

Multiple clients mentioning the same issues or positives about working with a specific Singapore interior design company can help you rest assured that the information is trustworthy. Always look for reviews from multiple sources. Avoid the overly-positive and exceptionally negative testimonials. Actual customers will usually share both the positive and the negative aspects of hiring a specific interior designer (unless the contractor did an exceptionally bad job).

Finally, get a detailed contract that lists the full nature of the work that will have to be done. An interior design project contract will also highlight the deadline for the completion of various project stages, as well as the amount the client will have to pay before or after the completion of each stage.

Your contract should also highlight the sanctions and fines for a failure to meet the agreement terms and conditions. This way, you can rest assured that you’ll be compensated (even if you have to go to court) for any aspect of the interior design project execution that doesn’t follow the initial specifications.

Choose interior design companies that have been around for a long time and that have dozens of satisfied clients to eliminate the risk of fraud schemes completely.

Home Guide was established in 1992 and ever since, the size of our residential portfolio has been growing. We’ve worked with numerous clients through the years, helping them bring their specific renovation vision to reality.

Do not hesitate to contact Home Guide and let us know about the work that needs to be done. We will assess the condition of your Singapore home and give you an accurate estimate of the amount required to get the job done.

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is changing its build-to-order offerings for new flats, starting in February 2018. According to the Straits Times, the new floor plans all include an open kitchen, without the option of a dividing wall between the cooking area and the rest of the living space. Discover how this change could affect the  interior design flexibility of HDB flats.

Optional Components and Changing Needs

As part of the Build-to-Order (BTO) exercise of the HDB, flat purchasers have the chance to participate in the Optional Component Scheme. They can select specific options or additional features to include in their flat, like upgraded flooring, different bathroom fittings, or other components. In the past, the Optional Component Scheme included a choice of partition walls, costing between $370 to $710 depending on the type of flat.

However, in recent years, the open-concept kitchen and living space have become so popular that HDB plans to scrap the divider option altogether.

The Benefits of an Open Concept

For most buyers, the open floorplan is the ideal choice. The lack of a dividing wall between kitchen and living space keeps the HDB interior design more flexible, allowing owners to place furniture more freely or adapt spaces for other uses as the family grows. Conversation and connections happen more easily when there are no walls in the way, and those cooking the meal can be more involved in the family life, even as they’re preparing food.

Ways to Define the Kitchen Space

There are still options available for buyers who want a more defined or enclosed kitchen space. Creative placement of the shelves and cupboards can add the desired definition; or flat owners can hire a Singapore interior design company to install a partition or glass panels.

Glass panels offer separation without hampering the flow of light from one room to the next. They offer distinction between rooms without cramping the space.

HDB’s Commitment to Resident Satisfaction

Over the past few years, HDB has changed many of its interior designs and options to allow greater flexibility and satisfaction for residents. In 2017, HDB promised to use “urban design solutions that are found to be technically feasible, cost-effective and well accepted by residents.” For example, HDB now ensures that structural walls are kept as close to the edges of a flat as possible, in case the owners would like to remodel and alter the flat layout.

Renovations and Upgrades with Home Guide in Singapore

If you’re a single flat owner looking for a more relaxing upgraded space, Home Guide has the fine finishes and exquisite decor options to suit your lifestyle. For families seeking to adjust their current layout and add, move, or remove walls, we have the expert designers and renovators to craft the home interior design you need.

For current information on home trends, interior design, and the housing market, keep visiting our blog— and check out our gallery of gorgeous residential spaces to get inspiration for your new home interior design in Singapore. When you’re ready to get started on the renovation or upgrades, contact us at Home Guide and we’ll help you begin the process.

As Singapore’s housing market expands and changes, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) is working hard to keep up with new market demands. One of its recent initiatives is the Build-To-Order (BTO) sales exercise, which offers new flat owners the chance to customise their flats before they are constructed. Find out who can apply for the upcoming batch of 3Gen flats and how flat owners can customise these homes.

Generations Coming Together

The next set of BTO flats targets multigenerational families. HDB plans to construct these new 3Gen flats in Yishun, starting in May 2018. Any married couple or courting couple, along with at least one set of parents, may apply for space in the 3Gen flats. The flats will be situated not far from the Lower Seletar Reservoir, right next to a neighbourhood park.

Once a family is approved for residence in one of the new flats, they must remain there for a minimum occupation period, which is currently set at five years. After that, the owners can resell the flat on the open market, but only to another multi-generational family.

HDB Interior Design for 3Gen Flats

The interiors of these flats is relatively spacious (115 square metres of floor space) when compared with other types of HDB homes that are more space starved . There are typically four bedrooms, two of which include en suite bathrooms. Another bathroom is available for general use.

The extra bedrooms are a welcome option for many Singaporean families, who often have to squeeze into smaller flats in order to accommodate elderly parents with care needs. Thanks to the four-bedroom layout, these families now have the option of a little privacy, while still remaining together in the same home.

Popularity and Demand

HDB has built many of the flats since the BTO 3Gen project began, back in 2013. Recent developments at Tampines GreenVerge, Tampines GreenRidge, Punggol BayView, and Saraca Breeze have been extremely popular, with applicants quickly gobbling up the available units.

Not only are the Yishun flats brand-new, they also offer buyers the chance to take advantage of a newly expanded housing grant, which gives thousands of dollars to families, couples, or singles who are buying a flat in order to live with or near their elderly parents.

A Fresh Interior Design

While Home Guide does plenty of work with local businesses, we also excel at crafting beautiful, customised residential home interior design. Whether your style is ultra-modern, retro chic, fun and practical, or rustic with an industrial edge, we’ve got the skills to make the vision a reality. It’s amazing what can be done with some streamlined built-ins, smart furniture choices, and the right combination of colours and textures. From lighting fixtures to wall coverings, from flooring to finishing touches, we do it all.

If you’re ready to explore some upgrade options or to rethink your home with an interior design company in Singapore with decades of experience, contact Home Guide today. Our residential interior design experts are always ready to answer your questions and let you know how you may be able to customise your home.