THE DESIGN REVIEWER
IT'S WORTH A SECOND LOOK
Defects Spotter
Façade Reviewer
ID Reviewer
Layout Planner
Renovations Checker
Unit Selector
& more
THE PROPERTY REVIEWER
The Property Reviewer is a collection of consultative services associated with the review of the design for your home, office, or just about any property to help you save time and money. Getting things wrong can cost you more. This is as simple as visiting a doctor at the clinic for a health check-up, except there is no need to meet-up physically, if it can done online or by proxy, unless otherwise mentioned or requested. All Reviewer services comes with a confidential Report to maintain your privacy.
DEFECTS SPOTTER
The smallest defect can sometimes have the largest consequence. A small crack in the wall can be one leading to eventual structural collapse. A small dent and rust on surface metal can lead to the eventual corrosion and failure of the entire metal component. A little moldiness can lead to adverse health issues.
While most defects are cosmetic in nature, defects are not always noticeable to the untrained eye. Defects can be hidden from plain sight in corners, nooks and crannies. It can even look fine but is actually substandard such as a botched paint job where the wall has only one coat of paint instead of two.
The Design Reviewer is here to help you to assess the property that you will be taking over, so that you have time to consider other finer things in life. Defects Spotting is most effective when the Reviewer has access to the property.
FAÇADE REVIEWER
The envelope of the building is more than the aesthetics of the façade and its class. It is also a thermal separator, as well as a light filter. Different façades can also have a direct impact on cost, the environment, and your well-being. It could be as simple as not wanting geckos crawling all over the wall, or not having birds roosting on your roof.
Materials like glass, stone, metal and concrete have many different kinds of finishes and specification. Installation methods can also be in various ways. Different variations of materials may look the same, but can differ in cost, if budget is a concern. Different materials also have a different degree of durability, and safety. Falling pieces of the façade can hurt someone.
Sometimes, the color is just wrong. It could be the overall proportion. It could be something else. The Design Reviewer is here to help as a professional, so that you can free up your mind for other things.
INTERIORS & DECOR REVIEWER
This is about getting another look at what your primary interior designer has proposed, and you have come to us because there were parts that you were not sure. It may be the fabrics, the prints, the color tones, the proposed materials, or placement of the built-in or loose furniture. Maybe it is just right for you, but you would like a second opinion, because designs rarely get it right the first time round and we know that because we are designers too. However, we are not here to do the designing. Reviewer looks at the designs as an independent observer, who will then point things missing out, or totally out of place in an eclectic setup.
It could also be help to hunt for that particular piece of furniture that you have seen somewhere but could not quite remember the source or the maker. We may then converse and do sketches to provide a fuller picture that will help in the hunt or its customization.
LAYOUT PLANNER
In light of the advent of home-based learning and work-from-home arrangements due to the global coronavirus outbreak, many are facing space constraints to do so at home. Apart from not having plans to bring work home ever, the smaller rooms and spaces in more recent developments may have exacerbate the issue. Where space is unavailable, we will look at customizing furniture design to free up space in the room.
Where space is available, a re-layout of rooms and spaces according to the prevailing needs of the users can lead to a more efficient use of space within the same footprint. Compacting the original spaces can yield additional room to create a separate studio for the arts like dance and theatre, and for fitness sessions; or a workshop for more technical work. It can even be a larger playroom for kids who cannot use common playground facilities.
Layout Planner can also explore the rearrangement of non-structural walls to create alternative spaces to your needs, as well as improve accessibility for the aged, disabled, and injured. The Design Reviewer helps you maximize the use of your space, so that you can do more in less space.
We will need the address of the development, as well as all the available floor plans for a review.
RENOVATIONS CHECKER
The renovation is the process of putting those interior and décor ideas into reality. However, the interior designing could be so pre-occupied with achieving the aesthetical objective within budget, that it inadvertently sacrifices other aspects such as safety and the appropriate choice of materials. Examples include using non-solid wood rather than solid wood to reduce costs, and consequently the sturdiness of the shelf; or using a cheaper sealant, which encourages the growth of algae and microbes; and many others.
While there is usually no statutory requirement to provide fire compartmentation or use non-combustible materials within homes, many homes increasingly expose themselves to the risks of fires, because of the evolving lifestyle of humanity. The use of scented candles and the charging of electrical devices can lead to a fire and there could be collateral damage to say, a collection of vintage toys; or a wardrobe of luxury items; and even be a hazard to life. The selective incorporation of a fire-rated wall or door could be a worthwhile investment, while open concept kitchens can reconsider.
Placement of certain thermal and light sensitive appliances, such as refrigerators and wine coolers, or the carpentry and cabinetry housing objects should be thoroughly reviewed, with their construction scrutinized where appropriate. The appropriate incorporation of components can prevent drawers or doors banging into their support frames. Renovations should also consider safety at home, where corners are rounded or reinforced for durability due to high traffic.
Let us talk to understand your actual lifestyle and needs, to assess if the proposed renovations will suit you, in terms of its construction and materiality.
UNIT SELECTOR
During the launch of a new residential development, buyers have the choice of tens, if not hundreds, or even thousands of units. Which unit would be the most desirable? There are the tangibles parameters to consider like the building orientation and its distance from the road, but there are also other parameters unique to buyer. As the saying goes, “one man’s meat is another’s poison”; what cures Martha, make Sancho sick. Which unit would be most suitable for you? It could be none and you should wait for the next launch.
An example in a different context would be selecting the best seat on an aircraft. Some people would choose a window, while others would choose an aisle, while others would gladly settle for a middle seat. Similarly, in a cinema, chosen seats can be right in the middle, while some will prefer the aisle. Others will then prefer way to the back, and others to the front. Unlike seats on the aircraft or a cinema, where one would not need to tolerate the outcome of a wrong choice for more than a few hours to less than a day, buying property is different, as the timeline is longer while the weight of the liabilities would be much more.
Through a consultative process, we get to know your needs – both conscious and subconscious. This is so that you make a calculated approach to selecting your home. The Property Reviewer will send you a report, so that you can make reference of the discussion proceedings as a guide in your choice making. Bearing in mind the amount of investment you will be weighing upon yourself, booking an appointment with the Unit Selector could be the best investment ever.
We will need the address of the development, as well as all the available floor and site plans for a review.
AND MORE. . .
For other Design Reviewer services that do not fall in the above categories, please feel free to contact us or simply book an appointment for a general property review of something that is there that you are not quite sure about.