Things I find useful when coordinating a remodel — mostly about how you communicate, how you keep measurements so you are not measuring the same fridge three times, how you check the lift path before a bulky delivery fails, and small electrical decisions that save you a second reno later.
Tip 1 · communication
For communication, it is more effective talking directly to the person responsible for the task rather than in a group setting.
When you need a decision, measurement, or clarification, find the person who will actually do the work — or who owns that part of the job — and speak with them. Group chats are convenient, but they dilute ownership. Direct conversation gets clearer answers faster.
Tip 2 · communication
In a group setting, especially a group chat, it is extremely useful to tag the person.
I realized most people do not read through all the messages. So tag them when it requires their input or attention. A mention cuts through the noise and makes it obvious that a reply is expected from them — not from the group in general.
Tip 3 · measurement
For big items, measure everything down once and keep it with you — height, width, and depth.
On my latest home remodel I had to revisit these measurements several times. Even when I had written them down somewhere before, the question kept coming up. Either I measured again, or I hunted for where I stored the numbers. Keep one list you can pull up immediately.
Tip 4 · measurement
Before you order anything bulky, measure the lift — and check whether there is a door you have to pass through to reach it.
In my case, accessing the lift means going through a door first. I once bought a sofa from Taobao and it could not pass through that door while still crated. The delivery company had to bring it back, uncrate it, then come again — extra cost. Fortunately it still fit after uncrating.
Take note of this early. If an item cannot pass through at all, or has to go up the stairs instead, you will incur more cost. Measure the lift cabin, the lift door opening, and every door on the path from the lobby to your unit — then compare those numbers against the packed and unpacked dimensions of what you are buying.
Tip 5 · electrical
For the kitchen sink, I highly recommend building an electrical point underneath for an under-sink water dispenser — even if you are not sure you need one yet.
At the start of the renovation, regardless of whether you might need it or not, it is beneficial to install the outlet if you can. Cabinets and plumbing are already open; adding a socket later means hacking into finished work.
If you decide later to add an under-sink water heater or dispenser that feeds hot water at the tabletop, the power point is already there. You can add the unit on without redoing the kitchen.
Tip 6 · shipping
Go onto the Taobao Addicts Facebook group to find a shipping company. Search 3PF in the group.
Vendors often recommend a couple of shippers, but the group is a good place to see what other Singapore buyers actually use. Search 3PF and you will see people recommending options — that is how I found mine.
Tip 7 · electrical
Do concealed wiring for the inners of the carpentry. As much as possible, hide the wiring in the wall instead of running it exposed inside the cabinets.
For example, on the TV console, I realized my own electrician likes to run exposed trunking inside the carpentry. I think it works for both Malaysia-style and China-style carpentry, but it adds complexity. They need to leave enough space inside for the trunking — either that burden goes into how the carpentry is manufactured, or it gets passed to the installer, who then cuts the wood on site.
Concealed wiring avoids that. Plan the points into the wall so the carpentry does not have to make room for trunking, and the installer is not cutting finished panels to fit cables.