Tongkat Ali of Life

 

What happens to the good old days when once used to say “Honesty is the best policy?”

 

I must sincerely admit that it’s hard to find an honest people around you anymore.

 

People tend to become more and more greedy where their self sincerely being raped by themselves and it is contagious.

 

I have just moved in to my new house in August 2008. Before my wife and I moved in, we had to search for a contractor to help us to install grill, wiring, kitchen tiling to our home.

 

Due to lack of expertise in searching for contractor to renovate my house, I called up my best buddy, K to help me up.

 

Later K called his cousin up, T.

 

Well, T introduced me to this contractor, KY which at first gives a very good expression. KY will explain to me how he was going to renovate my house. KY sweet and tender talked was so mesmerizing until I lost in the wonderland that became nightmare afterward.  As if KY going to turn my house into a palace!

 

I had a tense argument with my wife due to this contractor which I was over confident that they could do the job.

 

My wife tried to convince me that KY has over charge us with most of the items, again due to the very bad principal that I had, “Why let other people conned you beside than your own closed relatives or friends?” A very pricy mistake!

 

At last, my wife gave in; she told me to go ahead.

 

Well, we thought this contractor was an expert until we saw the result of our house. It was devastated.  Later we found out that they are only expert in some fields but they have to sub-contract out the job for other contractor to do it. Another big mistake that!

 

Furthermore, after almost finished the job; KY came out with additional charges for installation of the minor jobs, which he promised before that it was free of charge. KY has charged us any additional job for installing hanger curtains in our house. Another mistake that we did not have it in black and white!

 

So to all of new house buyer who is thinking of renovating your house, please beware! Don’t think that by introducing by your close friend, the job will be well done! Try to find out more!

 

Don’t listen to all the sweet talk that given by the contractor, everything must be black & white because at the end of the day, you will be the one who forking out the dollar & cent.

 

Asking the contractor to give all the quality goods is not good enough. Ensure it is written it in black and white.

 

What happens were, when the renovation completed, the grill of our back were so ugly that makes the prison grill looks better in it.

 

Less than a month, most of the iron grill got rusty.

 

The contractor should have coated a layer of anti-rust before they painted the grill but what they did is only painting.

 

Make sure all the fine print was in the quotation, included the job that the contractor told you that’s going to be free of charge; because at the end they might charged you extra.

 

Try to get as many quotations from other contractors and make comparisons. Don’t make decision in a hurry!

 

If you found out the price is too far apart; ask the contractor questions. You have the right to ask question because you are going to pay for it anyway. Ask the contractor in detail such as what kind of parts they are going to use, what kind of materials, what is the warranty period and so on. Make sure everything is written in black & white. If the contractor missed out, make sure that you have written your own T & C, faxed it the contractor and get their signature as agreed in verbal conversation.

 

Ask the contractor to show you the sample of the materials, catalogs & etc. Never tell the contractor that you believe their taste because they are not interior designer. The contractor will end up installing cheap stuff!

 

How did I find out that I was cheated?

 

One day, the cable guy came to our house to install the water heater. After installing the water heater, I asked him if he does installation of TV antenna? I asked him how much? He told me it’s going to be around $100 plus.

 

I told the cable guy that gives me the list on what he wants and I will get it at the hardware shop.

 

I dropped by the hardware shop and to my surprised it only cost me around RM50 bucks!

 

And what do you know? To my surprised the hardware shop has almost everything that needed to renovate my house!

 

They have all the stuffs including the lighting that the subcontractor over-charged me with double to triple the price. That was how I got to know that I was conned.

Rule 1

Don’t take things for granted because you have to pay for it.

 

Rule 2

Don’t believe all the things that the contractor tells you. They have to tell you nice things to get the contract.

 

Rule 3

Everything must be documented in detail. I mean everything!

 

Rule 4

Ask as many questions as possible. The more you ask, the more you know.

 

Rule 5

Compare price from other contractor. A must!

 

Rule 6

Don’t make decision in a hurry. Take your time because you are going to live there until you are old.

 

Rule 7

Go to hardware shop for window-shopping. At least you know how much the parts worth!

 

Rule 8

Contractor is not interior designer!

 

Rule 9

Ask for sample, parts, catalog and etc before work.

 

Rule 10

You are entitle to fire your contractor if job is not well done.