Good Workmanship

Workmanship Series
 1 Good Workmanship
 2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
 3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
 4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
 5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
 6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
 7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
 8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
 9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

What is good workmanship? Your ID's idea of "good workmanship" is certainly not the same as yours. Different standards apply. That leads to arguments and disputes. That is why many forumers complained, legitimately of course, of shoddy workmanship and nightmarish IDs!

Mulling over the issue and using my own experience, the solution suddenly came to me: a picture paints a thousand words! I will now present a solution to ensure your ID has the same standard and idea of good workmanship as you have...

My Solution is Simple
Before you embark on your home renovation you should:

• read the ID-User Experience post on my Renovation Guide,
• read relevant articles on the How To's series on the Renovation Guide,
• read the Mistakes Made series on the Renovation Guide,
• follow local forums - such as Renotalk, etc - on user experiences with their IDs,
• short-list a few IDs to obtain quotations from each ID,
• accompany each ID to see projects-in-progress,
• narrow your final choice to 1 or 2 IDs.

Now, before you sign and accept the ID's quotation proposal, you want him to understand and see what you mean by quality workmanship. Once both of you have a common understanding and agreement on the standard of workmanship you expect, you will find it easier to resolve and settle disputes on workmanship that may arise after work has started on your home renovation.

So, sit down at your PC, call up my articles on Workmanship in the above list, and view the photos on workmanship with your ID. Let him see what you mean by good

workmanship through these photos. If he is not confident his workers can produce the quality workmanship displayed on the photos, drop him.

However, if he is confident his team is able to, then you discuss the next issue: What to Do if Disputes Arise on Workmanship?

You'd want to wait until you both agreed on the Dispute Resolution Mechanism before you go ahead to sign and accept the ID's quotation proposal.

To Be Continued..

Workmanship Series
 1 Good Workmanship
 2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
 3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
 4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
 5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
 6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
 7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
 8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
 9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing