Five tips on choosing a reliable plumber

Plumbing is a skill that requires a professional who is trained and experienced in dealing with pipes and water appliances. Most homeowners try to save money by fixing their plumbing problems themselves, but this could backfire if they do something to make the problem worse. That is why it is always a good idea to hire a reliable plumber that is professional and will charge you fairly. The first step is to research plumbers in your area of Singapore and find out their reputation in the city. An internet search on Google or Yelp will easily give you the details on their reputation as well as customer reviews. When you find a plumber that has good reviews, the next step is to verify their credentials. In Singapore, all professional and reliable plumbers will be licensed with Singapore’s Public Utilities Board, which is often referred to as PUB. This is the national water agency of Singapore that licenses all the plumbers in the jurisdiction. If a plumber is not licensed through this board, then they are likely not going to be reliable for fixing your plumbing problems.  Singapore takes this very serious because they even passed a Public Utilities Act that forbids anyone without a PUB Water Service Plumbing License to advertise their plumbing services. It also forbids people to hire a plumber that is not licensed. Anyone who violates this law will be subjected to harsh fines or possible imprisonment. So, always check to make sure the plumber you hire is licensed.

            A reliable plumber is usually one that doesn’t overcharge you on anything. They are ones that care about customer relations and developing a professional relationship with their clientele. That way their clients will want to keep rehiring them in the future. The word-of-mouth about plumbers will go very far. You should ask your neighbors or people in your area about plumbers that they think are reliable. If enough people give you the same name to call then you should definitely consider calling them to get a free consultation. Recently, i engaged a plumber from the company plumbinghub plumbers to come and fix my leaking tap. They came within an hour and changed the faucet for a total of $80 which is inclusive of labor and cost which is quite a good deal! They were featured in the newspaper as well.

Word-of-mouth that is local will give you the best possible way to predict the outcome that you will be faced with when hiring a plumber in your area. Just make sure you hire a plumber that is right for your building because there are both residential and commercial plumbers. Most plumbers can handle both kinds of plumbing while others only specialize in one particular kind. So, make sure you choose a plumber that can handle the plumbing within your structure. 

 

Why regular aircon servicing is important

Most people think that once they have an air conditioner installed in their home, then they will never have to deal with the unit ever again. The truth is that air conditioners need regular servicing just like your car does. For example, all air conditioners have air filters that helps clean the air of pollutants when it brings the air into your home. These air filters tend to get dirty pretty fast. If you don’t clean or change the air filter on a regular basis then the dirty filter will prevent any clean air from getting into your home. You will also have to deal with other servicing tasks, such as cleaning the fan coils, clearing out debris in the drain pipes, fixing noise problems and testing the temperature of the air to make sure it is still cool. These are all tasks that regular aircon servicing will look at and make sure are functioning properly.

You are probably thinking, “I can handle these aircon servicing tasks myself.” Well, they are a lot harder than it sounds. You have to be familiar with the mechanics of air conditioning units because any little mistake could cause the air conditioner to malfunction. Even changing the air filter is a delicate task because you have to install the filter the right way. If you don’t, then the air won’t be able to pass through the filter properly and you won’t receive the cool air that you need to control the temperature. As for weird noises from the air conditioner, these could be mechanical problems that will get worse if left unattended. This could result in the air conditioner being permanently damaged, which means you will have to go out and buy a new one. Whether you are in a home or commercial building, the cost of a new air conditioner could mean many thousands of dollars. So, it is always a good idea to get regular aircon servicing in order to preserve the life of your air conditioner.  Not only will this save you money in the future, but it will guarantee that you are getting the most out of your air conditioner. After all, just because the air conditioner is running doesn’t mean it is working. Sometimes the temperature of the air might not be cool enough because of a maintenance problem in the system. Don’t assume it is just the heat outside either. Always get regular aircon servicing in order to avoid these problems.  

How to clear a choke without hiring a plumber

A drain choke is common to have in your home in Singapore. Many people would likely panic and feel like they have to call a plumber in order to fix the choke problem. After all, a choke in the drain can cause problems inside any pipe that carries waste material out of your home. This could be with practically any water based appliance, such as toilets, sinks, showers and bathtubs. Fortunately, most choke problems are not that severe and will require little a simple household tool to fix the problem. For example, a toilet choke is a very common problem. Perhaps, you used too much toilet paper or you flushed material that wasn’t supposed to go into the toilet. In these situations, a plunger will likely do the trick. If the problem has not gotten to severe, then a few plunges will normally get the water flowing through the pipes again. Just make sure you take action on a choke immediately after you recognize the problem exists.

When it comes to the sinks in your bathroom and kitchen, you can use a “snake” gadget to move deep into the pipes and clear out any debris that is clogging them. This is the same thing that a plumber normally does, but you don’t need the professional snake tool. You can make a snake tool yourself with a simple wire coat hanger from your closet. Just take the wire hanger and straighten it out as much as possible. Then go to the drain that has a choke and stick the wire into the drain. You should be able to either pull out the debris or at least loosen it enough for the sink water to flush it away. Now remember, these methods will only work when the debris is not too deep into the pipes. If you have attempted to use the plunger and snake tools without any results, then you will have to buy a more professional plumbing tool. This doesn’t mean you have to actually call a plumber, but instead you will need to purchase a tool from a home appliance store that plumbers would normally use. The tool for clearing a drain choke that is deep would be the cable auger. This is a steel cable that is flexible and is wound over a spool with an attached hand crank. These cable augers can go as deep as 100 feet into the pipes, but most households in Singapore will only require a 25 foot depth. If you are in an apartment building or a commercial area that has sophisticated plumbing, then you will likely need to get an electric powered auger. It is run on an electric motor and is powerful enough to remove any type of debris that is clogging your pipes.

View the video for a detailed demonstration on how to clear a toilet choke.

How to choose a trustworthy electrician

Following the last post on why you need to hire a reliable electrician for your house, I’m going to share more on how to choose a reliable electrician.

The electricity of your home is like the blood of your home. It is hard to imagine living in a home with absolutely no electricity in this day and age. Electricity is what powers your air conditioner, refrigerator, computers, television, stove and the list just goes on. That is why it is important to choose a trustworthy electrician when you need electrical servicing done to your home. It may seem hard to figure out which electricians are trustworthy, but there are a few steps you can take to ensure that you hire the right one. Firstly, you should always check to make sure they have an Electrical Technician’s License. This is what all qualified electricians in Singapore should have if they are performing electrical services for clients. The next step is to search for reviews of the electrician on the internet. Most professional electricians will work under a company name, so you will easily be able to find reviews by searching for that name in Google or Yelp. Then just read the customer reviews and see if they look trustworthy or not.

You might be wondering, “What exactly makes an electrician trustworthy?” Besides all of the certifications, you are looking for electricians that don’t overcharge their clients with bogus fees and services. One of the most common ways an electrician will rack up the bill is by charging “per hour” instead of a flat rate fee. So, you will want to hire an electrician that will give you a cost estimate through a free consultation before any work is actually performed. That way there will be no surprises on the bill after the electrical work is done. If the electrician refuses to give you a free estimate and consultation, then you should look for another electrician. A trustworthy professional will never put up an argument over this. Finally, word-of-mouth is an old fashioned approach that can be very effective. Reviews online may be helpful, but talking with neighbors in your area will give you the best possible chance of choosing the right electrician. They may even be able to refer an electrician to you, but don’t jump at the chance just yet. You will want to find many people referring one particular electrician that they think is trustworthy. That way you know one person isn’t just suggesting their friend to you. After all of this is done, you should have a clear idea on who is a trustworthy electrician in your area.

Why you need to hire a reliable electrician for your house

We live in an age where more people want to do things for themselves, such as home repairs and electrical maintenance. The problem is that most homeowners are not skilled electricians and do not understand how to manage their electrical problems properly. So, if an unskilled homeowner tries to fix an electrical problem then they could be putting their lives in danger. Electricity is dangerous and requires a skilled worker who knows how to take precautions when dealing with it. If you attempt to fix electrical problems yourself, then you could be risking serious injury or death from electric shock. Besides that, a poorly done electrical job could increase the risk of a fire breaking out in your home. This is not like debating on whether or not to hire a plumber to fix a clogged toilet because there is no danger there. Electrical work will always require a professional and should never be attempted by anyone inexperienced. Not only would you be putting your own life in danger, but also the lives of the people who live in the house as well.

When hiring an electrician you need to hire one that is reputable and professional. However, this doesn’t mean you just pick up the phone book and choose a random electrician out of it. You need to research electricians that have proven to be reliable to their customers. Why? The reason is because an electrician that does a lousy job will end up costing you lots of money in the long run. They also need to apply permit from HDB for certain electrical jobs so make sure the electrician knows what he is doing. For example, let’s say you need to get your furnace repaired. If you hire an unlicensed electrician then they will likely do a lousy job and charge you lots of money for it. Electricians have to meet certain safety regulations and anyone unlicensed won’t know what they are. Eventually you will find out the job they did was poorly done, but it will be too late because you will have already paid the electrician for their services. Then you will have to go out and find another electrician to fix their mistake, which will cost you even more money. So, always check to make sure the electrician you hire is licensed and established in Singapore. An Electrical Technician’s License in Singapore will signify that the professional has undergone the proper training in their field and are reliable as a service provider of electrical servicing and repair work.

Five things to note when choosing an aircon servicing company for your house

The temperatures outside are getting hotter as global warming starts to seriously have an impact on the earth. This means it is important now more than ever to choose an aircon servicing company that will provide the proper air conditioning system that your home needs. That is why you should not just open up the phone directory and choose any aircon servicing company that has an attractive advertisement. You need to choose a company that is licensed and has all the required certifications for their practice. For aircon servicing companies in Singapore, you can get this information by going to uen.gov.sg and search the company that you are thinking about hiring. If it turns out that they have all the right credentials, the next step is to figure out if they are suitable to handle your air conditioning needs. After all, air conditioners are all different. There are some aircon servicing companies that specialize in commercial air conditioning only. Therefore, you will need to make sure you find a company that specializes in residential aircon services.

A company may hold licenses and certifications, but are they reputable? The reputation of a company is always something to question because there are a lot of shady businesspeople who don’t always put customer satisfaction as their top priority. An easy to check out a Singaporean company’s reputation is to go on the internet and search it under Google. You can also go to Yelp.com and see if there are any reviews posted there. People on the internet typically don’t hold back when it comes to posting their opinions, so you can be sure you’ll get the full story on a company’s reputation from reading customer reviews. If it turns out that you find a company that has good reviews, then the next thing you need to consider are the costs. Chances are if a company is highly reputable and is fully licensed, then they probably charge a lot of money. You may feel tempted to go with a cheaper competitor, but they likely won’t have all of the qualifications as the more expensive company. So, you will have to do more research on various aircon servicing companies in order to find the cheapest and most qualified one. Finally, you should always ask for a free consultation. Most reputable companies will offer this because they want to be fair to their customers and let them know the whole story. That way you will know the costs and the services that are going to be performed ahead of time.

Five things the interior designers do not tell you

Interior design is crucial to those who see the inside of your building, whether you are showing off a house to buyers or establishing a commercial business with customers. However, there are some things that interior designers just won’t tell you about upfront. The most famous thing interior designers don’t tell you are the costs associated with their services. They will usually start off with a free consultation, but then they will tell you that the costs are determined as the work is being done. Then after the work is done, the client is faced with a huge unexpected bill that they did not budget for. But, it doesn’t stop with just the cost to the client. Often times, the interior designers don’t tell people that they have affiliations with their architects and decorators. This means that the interior designers get kickbacks for outsourcing to these service providers. Most clients don’t even realize this and then end up paying for the fees of multiple service providers. The interior designer won’t even tell the client that they are getting money from these providers in addition to the clients themselves.

Interior designers are famous for hiding costs and what they make on the side. However, what none of the professionals will ever tell you is that you can hire interior design students from a college for a lot less money. Many interior design schools require their students to actually get real world experience in their field by doing a design for someone’s home. That means they will be more than happy to work cheap for clients, so they can get that college credit. Now if you still prefer to go with a professional then just make sure you get the costs in writing before any work is performed. A lot of interior designers will charge by the hour and then take a long time to rack of the costs. Instead, you should emphasize to a prospective designer that you would like a fixed price set and a contract in writing that states the costs of the service. That way they won’t try to overcharge you for anything in the future. Finally, always do your research on the interior designers by making sure they are members of the International Interior Design Association. Interior designers won’t normally tell you what their qualifications are. They will assume clients will trust them because they have a fancy business card. Make sure you question the interior designer thoroughly about their background and whether or not they are associated with the IIDA. If they are not and you cannot find reviews on their services then you should not hire them.

5 tips on choosing the right interior design firm for your house

The interior design of your house is a representation of your character and professionalism. Whether you are trying to impress buyers or just want to maintain a nice look for your home, choosing the right interior design firm to handle the job is critical. There are many that will do a rush job while there are others who will take pride in turning your interior into something special. The trick is to research different interior design firms to find the best ones. In Singapore, they have some of the best and most reputable interior design firms in the world. In fact, they are so well known that even wealthy people from around the world hire Singaporean interior design firms to turn their homes into something extravagant and stylish. But, reputation is not the only thing you need to look for when choosing an interior design firm. You also need to make sure you find one that is within your budget. Obviously, the average person wouldn’t have the money to hire an international designer from Singapore unless their house was actually in Singapore. Choosing a reputable firm that is affordable may be difficult for Singaporean locals because there is so much competition in the city. CHowever, the good side to that are even the interior designers that are deemed average will likely perform a good job because they are competing with the more reputable firms. Not only that, these companies will charge less in order to take business away from the bigger firms. So, it is pretty hard to find a low quality interior design firm in Singapore for this reason. You might want to check out HDB’s list of registered interior design firms.

Besides reputation and cost, you simply need to have an idea of what kind of design you want. Not all interior design firms can handle multiple designs, which is why you should request to see the portfolio of every design firm that you contact. Some firms only handle certain kinds, such as modern designs, traditional Singaporean designs or foreign designs. Therefore, it is crucial that you have an idea of the design you are going for in your house and then select the best company that can accomplish that task. Most interior design firms will perform a free consultation, which is where a consultant comes to your house and looks over what they have to work with. Then they will give you their best recommendation and see if what you want can be accomplished.

Five tips on choosing a reliable mover

A reliable mover is important to hire when you plan on moving into a new house. You will want to have a moving company that is cost effective, but with workers that are professional and take extra care of your belongings when storing them on their truck. So, how do you go about choosing a reputable mover? Thanks to the invention of the internet, it is very easy to look up customer reviews on moving companies in Singapore. Just go to the Google search engine and type in “Singapore moving company reviews.” You will get a list of websites that provide reviews on these companies. One of the most popular review based websites is called “Yelp.com.” You could also just go there and search for reviews yourself. They have a five star rating system along with a comment section, so that people can post their personalized reviews of the company. Obviously, you will be looking for positive reviews that confirm the mover is reliable. You can even try word-of-mouth by asking your neighbors if a mover you are looking to hire is reliable or not. If they have never heard of your mover, then they will likely recommend someone who they know is reliable.

A reliable mover has a history of excellence in Singapore. You can check the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority website for Singapore businesses to see how long your mover has been in business. Any business in existence longer than ten years is worth considering.  When you go to contact the mover, try to see if they will inspect your belongings and give you a free estimate on the costs for moving them. Most reliable movers will do this while others will just surprise you with a big bill after the move is over. Also, you will want to ask the movers if they are responsible for any damages to your belongings. If they say no, then that doesn’t mean they are unreliable. These companies may offer a packaging service or recommend someone to properly package your belongings, so that they don’t get damaged while they are being transported to your new house. The most important thing you want to make sure of is that the moving company is not outsourcing the labor to a third party. All of the movers must be working for the actual company. This guarantees that you are not getting an inflated price and are dealing with the people who actually work for the company you are paying.

A Guide to using movers for your house

The moving process is usually a very emotional time for families. Often times, there is stress and tension involved when packing your belongings and getting them ready to be moved. There is also the move itself that can be stressful because moving to a new house or environment is always a scary thing. Then, of course, there are the costs associated with moving. When it comes time to move into a new house, one of the biggest expenses you will face are the costs of hiring movers from a moving company. These are the service providers that transport all of your personal belongings from your old house to your new house. It is no easy task for the movers because their job involves a lot of heavy lifting. Not only that, but they also have to store your possessions properly on their truck. Some movers don’t really put much care into the handling of their client’s belongings. What many clients don’t realize is that moving companies are not responsible for damages that occur during the move. The movers will just blame it on the clients by saying they didn’t package their items properly. That is why you need to find reputable movers that have a long history of positive feedback from past clients. These are movers that take extra care when handling belongings and don’t try to do a rush job.

While looking for a moving company for your house, you should consider their reputation and cost amongst all other things. The internet is a great way to review the feedback of a mover. You can go on Yelp.com and just type in the name of the moving company in Singapore to get customer reviews on them. Movers that have been in business for over ten years are typically trustworthy or else they would have been shut down by now. As far as the costs go, most movers determine your estimated costs by the weight of the items they are moving. It is up to the client to determine the weight if they want an accurate estimate given to them. If not, then you will just have to take your chances and have the movers figure out the weight for you. The two leading movers in Singapore are Star Movers and Shalom Movers. They are the most competitive movers in the city and have set the industry’s standards for excellence in their field.