So it\u2019s your first time renovating, and you\u2019re trying to decide which interior designer you want to hire.<\/p>\n
What should you look out for when evaluating an ID? How do you know if an ID is reliable?<\/p>\n
In our article, we answer all that, and more.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n
Before we jump into evaluating IDs and narrowing down your options, let\u2019s first talk about sourcing for IDs.<\/p>\n
There are several ways in which you can kick-start the initial process of searching for an ID.<\/p>\n
What most folks do is to use an ID platform, such as Hometrust<\/a>. You can browse IDs by the type of projects that they specialize in, and if you already know your budget and preferred style, feel free to use those filters to narrow down your options.<\/p>\n Alternatively, you can also get recommendations from your friends, or simply do a Google<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_image image=”18041″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” caption_pos=”below” remove_rounded=”yes” fullwidth=”no” overflow_mode=”none” link_target=”_self” lightbox=”no” intro_animation=”none” animation_delay=”200″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”][\/spb_image] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n Now that you\u2019ve got a bunch of IDs whom you could potentially work with, the goal is to whittle down the list, before you meet each ID to chat.<\/p>\n First, filter the list of IDs by ratings. Obviously, there\u2019s no hard and fast rule to this, and it depends on how \u201cpicky\u201d you are. If you want to err on the side of caution, and only pick IDs with the best reviews, then go for IDs with the highest ratings (9.0 and above).<\/p>\n On top of that, you can also filter your list by awards (Best Design, Best Workmanship, Best Customer Service, Best Value).<\/p>\n Here, have a think about what\u2019s most important to you. If you\u2019re looking to do basic renovations and you don\u2019t need anything fancy, for example, you\u2019ll probably want to filter for Best Value <\/i>instead of Best Design<\/i>.<\/p>\n Also, look at the types of projects each ID has done in the past. You\u2019ll want to pick an ID with expertise in the type of property you own. For instance, if you want to renovate a BTO flat and you see that a particular ID has mostly condos in their portfolio, it\u2019s probably not the right fit.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_image image=”18031″ image_size=”full” image_width=”600″ frame=”noframe” caption_pos=”below” remove_rounded=”yes” fullwidth=”no” overflow_mode=”none” link_target=”_self” lightbox=”no” intro_animation=”none” animation_delay=”200″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”][\/spb_image] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n On each ID\u2019s page on Hometrust, you\u2019ll be able to access ratings and reviews from their actual customers. The ratings are split up into several categories (Design, Workmanship, Customer Service and Value for money), so you can get a better sense of what to expect with each ID.<\/p>\n Here are a few tips to keep in mind when evaluating reviews:<\/p>\n If you\u2019re wondering if there are fake or fraudulent reviews on Hometrust, the answer is – nope, there isn\u2019t!<\/p>\n Hometrust uses an algorithmic system to automatically detect spam and plagiarised or fraudulent reviews. On top of the algorithm, the platform has other processes in place to filter out fake reviews.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_image image=”18030″ image_size=”full” image_width=”600″ frame=”noframe” caption_pos=”below” remove_rounded=”yes” fullwidth=”no” overflow_mode=”none” link_target=”_self” lightbox=”no” intro_animation=”none” animation_delay=”200″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”][\/spb_image] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n Once you\u2019ve read the reviews of the ID firms you\u2019ve shortlisted on Hometrust, you\u2019ll also want to Google these same firms, and look through any reviews that they might have on Google.<\/p>\n Now, because Google is such a huge platform, and one that\u2019s accessible to pretty much everyone, the reviews that you see on Google may not be as accurate as what you\u2019ll see on Hometrust. Go in skeptical, and take things with a pinch of salt.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_image image=”18032″ image_size=”full” image_width=”600″ frame=”noframe” caption_pos=”below” remove_rounded=”yes” fullwidth=”no” overflow_mode=”none” link_target=”_self” lightbox=”no” intro_animation=”none” animation_delay=”200″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”][\/spb_image] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n Here\u2019s the thing: even if an ID firm has an awesome rating (say, 4.9\/5), that doesn\u2019t mean that you should shortlist them as one of your top choices, and rush to contact them immediately. First, take a closer look at the reviews, to see if there\u2019s any suspicious activity.<\/p>\n Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n After reading through reviews on both Hometrust and Google, the last step in your shortlisting process is to make sure the ID you\u2019ve chosen is CaseTrust accredited.<\/p>\n Why is this important? If a company is CaseTrust accredited, this means that they\u2019ll protect their customer\u2019s deposit payment by purchasing a deposit performance bond.<\/p>\n In the event that the ID closes down before your works are complete (touch wood!), you\u2019ll be able to get your deposit back.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_image image=”18043″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” caption_pos=”below” remove_rounded=”yes” fullwidth=”no” overflow_mode=”none” link_target=”_self” lightbox=”no” intro_animation=”none” animation_delay=”200″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”][\/spb_image] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n The last step in the process is to meet your shortlisted IDs, and discuss your renovation plans with them!<\/p>\n We recommend going into this step as prepared as possible. At this point, you should have already thought about:<\/p>\n You may also want to ask your ID some questions to gauge their expertise and working style, such as:<\/p>\n Take your time to speak to your ID, so that you can get a sense of whether they\u2019re a good fit.<\/p>\n Generally speaking, you\u2019ll want to look for someone who is patient with you and receptive to your needs and requirements.<\/p>\n Good IDs will also take the initiative to point out certain things to you – for instance, if you\u2019re keen on building a platform bed, they might ask you if you intend to have kids within the next few years, because it\u2019ll be difficult for pregnant women to get in and out of a low platform bed.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_image image=”18044″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” caption_pos=”below” remove_rounded=”yes” fullwidth=”no” overflow_mode=”none” link_target=”_self” lightbox=”no” intro_animation=”none” animation_delay=”200″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”][\/spb_image] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n When it comes to finding the right ID, you need to do your due diligence!<\/p>\n We get it – it\u2019s time-consuming and tedious trawling through all these online reviews, plus scheduling so many meetings with IDs.<\/p>\n But at the end of the day, you\u2019re spending tens of thousands of dollars, and you want to end up with a space that you love – one that you can call home.<\/p>\n A good ID is worth the time and energy – all the best in your hunt!<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_divider type=”thin” text=”Go to top” top_margin=”0px” bottom_margin=”30px” fullwidth=”no” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n Want to check out home renovation projects for more inspiration? Browse home design ideas<\/a> on Hometrust, or click the button below to get connected with expert designers.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [\/spb_row] [spb_boxed_content type=”whitestroke” custom_bg_colour=”#f2f2f2″ box_link_target=”_self” padding_vertical=”4″ padding_horizontal=”5″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n If you are reading this, you are probably wondering how you can create your dream home.<\/p>\nHow To Evaluate And Review IDs On Hometrust<\/h2>\n
Evaluating Reviews On Hometrust<\/h2>\n
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Evaluating Reviews On Google<\/h2>\n
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Checking Accreditations Of Your ID<\/h2>\n
Meeting Potential IDs<\/h2>\n
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A Final Word On Finding A Suitable ID For You<\/h2>\n
Renovating soon? Let Hometrust recommend the best interior designers.<\/strong><\/h2>\n