askST: How can I make sure my home renovation is carried out safely?
SINGAPORE – On Wednesday (June 8), a wrong ceiling turned detached from the concrete ceiling in a family’s learn bed room and arrived crashing down on their beds.
The construction was installed less than half a yr ago, and reportedly weighed over 100kg. Even while no one particular was harm, the incident still left the household traumatised and their bed room in ruins.
Renovation authorities Jackie Lai, a council member of the Singapore Inside Layout Accreditation Council (Sidac), and Kelly Chin, who sits on the council of the Society of Inside Designers Singapore (Sids), clarify what to appear out for when it will come to putting in phony ceilings, and house renovation in general.
Q: What elements would trigger wrong ceilings to detach?
Ms Chin: Fake ceilings can slide if they are not properly secured to the concrete ceiling and lack assist constructions. Inappropriate ceiling anchor bolts can also lead to a bogus ceiling to collapse.
Mishaps can take place as a final result of shoddy perform or when inferior products are used.
Q: What permits are desired for renovation do the job and what can be accomplished to assure that this kind of incidents do not recur?
Ms Chin: HDB can require all contractors or corporations which install bogus ceilings to be registered and licensed, or retrain or upskill their employees each individual two to three a long time to make confident absolutely everyone has the good talent sets.
Mr Lai: Flat homeowners are essential to have interaction HDB-registered renovation contractors.
Even while the set up of a phony ceiling does not need a permit, contractors must still comply with HDB’s renovation suggestions.
For commercial units, it is obligatory to submit shop ceiling drawings and use accredited materials. In some conditions, a pull-out take a look at could be essential. (The take a look at will involve attaching a suited examination rig to the bolt, screw, anchor or correcting, which is then put less than the strain load degree specified in the style and design to ascertain how solid and safe the repairing is.)
Q: How can property house owners guarantee that they have engaged accredited or reputable contractors and inside designers?
Mr Lai: They should really engage inside designers who are accredited by Sidac, these types of as qualified inside design and style consultants and renovation interior designers.
Unqualified men and women and organizations carry disrepute to the interior layout sector with their bad workmanship and bad services.
Property entrepreneurs who have previously engaged a contractor can also use an accredited interior layout advisor as included insurance coverage.
