1. Never pay the full amount prior to start work. A reputable company will have a progressive payment scheme for its customers.
2. Even with bank loans, request for the bank to divide the cheque into 2 or 3 payments.
3. Ensure that the company is registered in ACRA and has at least a registered shop/showroom to conduct its business transactions.
4. Do also take note that the address is not a P.O Box address.
5. If the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.
6. In this digital age, it is suicide not to google some info about the contractor you are engaging.
7. Always ask for receipt when making payment to avoid any dispute.
8. Request to see other renovation works or ongoing projects of your contractor.
9. Even if it is a referral from a friend, always double check the company’s financial capacity and that it is not under liquidation.
10. Last but not least, do a background check on the person you are dealing with. Call to verify that the person is still an employee of the company that you are engaging. Sometimes, even after sales personnel has left, they continue to misrepresent the company they worked at previously.