Renovator-matching platform shields homeowners from irreputable contractors
When Mr Mervin Foo set out to renovate his home, he expected a relatively smooth process. What started as a hopeful project quickly turned into a frustrating one, as he learnt the industry is riddled with opacity and inefficiencies.
Mr Foo soon discovered that it was difficult to find a reliable and trustworthy renovation firm. As he scoured the internet for advice, he came across inconsistent reviews and near-identical websites, each promising the same thing.
"I don't know who's good and who's bad, so how do I shortlist the firms? I tried using some renovation platforms but I ended up getting bombarded with a lot of calls - it felt like spam at some point," he said.
"Most of them had no context of my renovation so I had to repeat myself each time." Some renovation firms even disappeared mid-process, ghosting with no explanation.
This experience led Mr Foo, co-founder of HomeMatch, to establish the platform connecting homeowners to accredited renovators.
Launched in 2022, HomeMatch connects homeowners to renovators who are accredited by the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) and have a minimum of four-star reviews.
Accreditation is based on factors such as fair consumer practices, effective feedback management and staff training. Firms are assessed by a panel of independent professionals before they are onboarded.
There are currently more than 1,000 individual renovators from CaseTrust-accredited firms listed on HomeMatch.
The one-stop matching platform aims to address industry issues such as scams and unfair practices, prepayment losses, project delays, poor workmanship and budget overshoots.
In 2024, consumers lost more than S$1.9 million, with a bulk of losses (around S$728,000) coming from the renovation industry, based on a Case report released in February.
Contractors became uncontactable during the home renovation process, leaving consumers scrambling to find an alternative contractor to complete the works.
At times, clients may also need to fork out more money when budget overshoots due to hidden or unforeseen costs, said Mr Foo.
Hidden costs can arise when renovators exclude essential items from quotations, such as tiling costs or carpentry measurements. Unexpected costs, such as additional electrical work or pest treatments, can also lead to budget overruns.
Meanwhile, project delays can occur when renovators over-promise unrealistic timelines or due to a lack of onsite monitoring to instruct subcontractors, while substandard workmanship includes uneven tiles and misaligned fittings.
These issues persist as the barrier to entry into the renovation industry is "very low" and there is no standard set of rules governing the industry, leading to unfair practices, said Mr Foo.
"Renovators may not know enough about best practices because there's no official qualification to become a renovator," he added.
"Anyone with insufficient training can join the company or even start their own."
To counter this, Mr Foo designed HomeMatch to work only with CaseTrust-accredited renovation firms, who have "rigorously assessed" for fair consumer practices, effective feedback management and staff training.
HomeMatch also conducts additional screenings by interviewing renovators they onboard. Renovators are required to prepare itemised quotations which display pricing breakdowns clearly. Homeowners can watch videos of renovators, and look at their reviews and past projects.
The platform is free for homeowners to use, and instead of collecting sales commissions, HomeMatch profits by charging renovators.
Acknowledging that homeowners may miss out important information in their contracts, such as specifications, Mr Foo said the platform helps to review their contracts before renovation begins.
During the renovation process, structured progressive payments are tied to project milestones, and the platform also has a feedback management system to ensure prompt complaint resolution. Post-renovation, a minimum 12-month workmanship warranty kicks in as added assurance.
Mr Foo believes that as rebuilding projects increase, so will complaints, due to the fundamental issue of the industry's low barriers to entry and lack of standard rules.
"So HomeMatch helps eliminate the black sheep in the industry, while shedding light on players who follow fair practices," said Mr Foo.
"Those who are not transparent will be against this idea, and those with nothing to hide will be happy to show their portfolio to homeowners."
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