Trust a BCA Registered Contractor for your Renovation Project
Homeowners are becoming extra careful with the choice of their contractors for their renovation project. It is no surprise considering the stories they have heard and the cost to renovate a house.
As a renovation company, we are often asked to prove that we are trustworthy. And the best answer, again and again, is external certification.
What does it mean to be Registered with BCA?
It’s the million-dollar question: how to tell whether a contractor is a good contractor? How to know if they know their trade? How to assess one’s expertise when we, as clients, aren’t so familiar with renovations?
The answer is simple: ask the experts.
BCA stands for “Building & Construction Authority” of Singapore. It is the Government body that regulates the construction sector.
Being registered with BCA is like being a Taekwondo black belt. It’s for the pros. One-person companies with limited backing don’t register with BCA. Why? Because of the requirements to join this club.
2. What are the guarantees for homeowners?
Construction is a huge sector - we are talking about a particular construction-related field called “Interior Decoration & Finishing Works” and referred to as “CR06”.
It covers interior design, planning and the decoration of homes. This includes technical specialties that ceiling panels, partitions, built-in fitments, raised floor works, plastering and tiling. In other words: all the complex works that might go wrong in a renovation project.
There are 3 types of requirements to be registered with BCA:
- Financial Requirements
Companies must have a minimum paid-up capital which guarantees that shareholders are serious and offer sufficient backing. Depending on their size, they must also submit audited accounts annually. This is studied by BCA to ensure all financial requirements are met.
- Track Record
There is a minimum threshold in terms of number and value of relevant projects over the last 3 years. That’s not negligible. This concerns projects executed in Singapore, with additional requirements for projects executed as main contractor.
- Personnel Expertise
To ensure the best level of expertise, companies' personnel must have a minimum Technical Qualification with a "polytechnic diploma in Civil/Structural Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, Architecture, Building or equivalent awarded by BCA Academy, Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic or such other diplomas or qualifications as approved by BCA from time to time."
It is also a requirement to have successfully attended Course "Basic Concept in Construction Productivity Enhancement" conducted by BCA Academy.
My renovation contractor was not certified, is it a problem?
This certification is not mandatory to renovate houses in Singapore. Government agencies will only hire certified contractors, but homeowners can work with a wide range of professionals.
That being said, BCA strongly encourages companies like ours to get the certification in order to "raise their professionalism with minimum standards of management, safety record and financial solvency."
We have been a Certified Contractor for years through our sister company Kian Wah Contract (Pte) Ltd. We believe this is one of these qualities that one should expect from their renovation partner, to build trust.
In other words, when you work with HomeShake, you are guaranteed a minimum standard of quality.
About HomeShake
We are carpenters, designers, artisans. We build more than wardrobes and cabinets: we custom-make furniture, we varnish, we upholster. We do everything in-house, by hand, in the most traditional manner. Quality is our utmost concern.
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