Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Compilation of Defects List

 
Thanks to Livians who shared their experience and defects list! This defects list compilation will serve as a reference and provide a guide as to what and where to look out for when inspecting defects in your unit.

1.  Uneven level floor tiles and skirting. ( can be seen or felt with your fingers by running across the lines)
2.  Chip/Crack/Staining on floor/wall tiles
3.  Hair lines crack on walls
4.  Crack toilet floor tiles/wall tiles
5.  Timber flooring and skirting - uneven level/hollow/rough surface / poor finishing and polishing
6.  Doors with Rough / staining / poor finishing and polishing
7.  Wardrobes edges badly stained
8.  Gaps of door frames ( from floor to wood of door frame) were not sealed with sealant
9.  Kitchen basement gap not sealed with sealant
10. Damaged kitchen cabinet (inside)
11. Damaged door stopper
12. Switches exposed crack (should be sealed with sealant)
13. Deep crack lines in planters ( - turn on tap to run with water to see the crack clearly)
14. Poor finishing at the base of door frame (very common)
15. Layer of dirt/dust sitting on top of the mirrored cabinet in the master bedroom toilet
16. Poor joining and unevenness of timber strip
17.Glass - BW, door & bathroom glass- scratches, chipped and crack at corners. 
18. Stain marks on ceiling corners / edge could be a sign of leaks but cover by partition.
19. Sliding door to Master Bedroom Planter area cannot be locked. 
20. Cabinet doors in bedrooms and kitchen not aligned and slightly slanted.
21. Jam in Utility Area's toilet PD door
22. Missing stopper at common toilet to prevent door knob from knocking against glass (very common defect)
23. Faulty Data and Telephone Points

Note: 

(i) Critical tools for inspection - color post-it-note pads and market pens

(ii) Check hollowness in tiles or timber stripes, use the wooden end of the screw driver to knock on the floor. Good - if the sound is sharp "tick". Hollow if it sounds "tock"

(iii) Check the following:
        - Test all the switches
        - Test air-con
        - Test oven
        - Test electric stove
        - Flush WC and check WC for cracks

Do post a comment if you have anything to add onto the defects list!

46 comments:

  1. Our Livia

    Many thanks for compiling the defects in a summary format - makes for real easy reference:-))

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  2. No problem Xcited2! Just cut and paste!

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  3. Hi

    2 to add

    17.Glass -BW, door & bathroom glass- scratches, chipped and crack at corners.

    18. Stain marks on ceiling corners / edge could be a sign of leaks but cover by partition.



    Wonder if anyone feel something is wrong with the carpark traffic flow design. One big round before you could exit via main entrance

    CD

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  4. This is really helpful! Really glad to have found this blog!

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  5. Hi our livia

    addon

    19. Critical Tools for inspection - color note pads!!

    CD

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  6. Haha, CD, I will add that under Note!

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  7. Are we allowed to ask the developer to replace the entire glass if it is scratched? because it seems that they only tried to remove the scratch the last time I went to inspect.

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  8. Guys, thanks for keeping this alive.

    Any update if we can put a frosting film on the toilet?

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  9. Saddest:LivianOnEarthAugust 26, 2011 at 10:43 PM

    A very sad day for me after viewing the sample of the grill and metal gate. I would rate it a zero out of 10 in terms of esthetics. It's really so prison-like and an ugly design. Any thought of installing a gate so I could keep my main door open to have a better air flow is now totally dashed. No way I install such an ugly prison-cell-look-a-like gate right in front of my main door. Good luck to the vendor who designed it.

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  10. I had complained about the grill design to the Management Office but received standard reply. Can tell the architect did not put heart and soul in the design. Other condos provide at least 2 options with some nice patterns. I try to simulate opening the window fully through the mock up window grille. My arm got stuck in between the narrow gap of the grille 3/4 way through.

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  11. I was in total shock when I first saw the sample. It was much worse than I could have imagined when I first saw the design in the Residents' Handbook! I remembered proposing to Livians to ask for a sample in an earlier posting and hoping that the real thing could be somehow better than on paper. To say it was a disappointment was an understatement. I was filled with disgust at such an audacious display of lack of effort. You can get more beautifully designed gate in the open market anytime with your eyes closed. It perplexes me how CDL would allow such a choice by its architects, and what's it about Metalworld that it's grotesque looking grills and gate could be accepted.

    Having taught in the polytechnics for so many years, let's just say that if our students come up with a design such as this for their final year project in a product design course, it would not have gotten more than 10 marks upon 100 (and that 10 marks would be sympathy marks instead of a zero).

    My heart bleeds for Livians who need the grills and gate for safety reasons because of young children or the elderly. I could imagine what the whole unit would look like with all the interior design that is marred by such outrageous and horrendous choice of design.

    I agree that there should be standardisation for grills and gates but certainly not standardisation for standardisation sake irrespective of how horrible the design is. Even the colour of the gate, a dull grey, clashes so badly with a pine looking main door! An ID illiterate idiot could tell that a metallic silver looking (as shown by how well the metallic silver door handle and lock match the main door) or white looking gate would match the pine coloured door main door well.

    Owners should take the architects to task by demanding a new set of design and failing which we will get vendors to submit designs for Livians to select. Owners have the right to choose and deserve better design than this. The CDL architects owe as a clear explanation as to what's so esthetically pleasing about their choice of design. Their nonchalant attitude and disregard for owners' appeal, sentiments and feedback clearly points to their grand-lord-of-Livia behavorial syndrome bull dozing whatever they so decide just because they hold some architect qualifications. It's up to all owners to stand up for our rights to have esthetically designed grills and gates instead of having prison cells like stuff thrown at us, and all at our own costs.

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  12. In fact, the similar design and colour for both grills and gates also show a sheer lack of design effort. The colour of the windows and sliding glass doors is so different from the colour of the pine-looking main door. How could the same colour and design for the grills be be chosen for a gate that is to match the pine colour main door? This is not only ridiculous but simply infuriating.

    Let us reiterate to all parties involved that the spirit behind the MCST by-laws including the spirit behind the standardisation of grill and gate designs is for the betterment of community living and for the enhancement of the whole Livia property not to the contrary with hideous looking grills and gates.

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  13. Apologies for typo/spelling error - should be "aesthetically".

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  14. Hi Our Livia, collected our keys last Thu and your list was a great help. In addition to what have been mentioned, we have discovered two more. 1- sliding door to Master Bedroom Planter area cannot be locked. 2 - cabinet doors in bedrooms and kitchen not aligned and slightly slanted. Just want to share our findings with other Livians too.

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  15. Not sure if any livians share the view where the security in Livia is rather lacking in comparison to other condos. I realized anyone who gets access into any of those blocks, will be able to access every single floor in the block. Usually, the access card will only allow owner access the specific floor they occupied.

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  16. After reading all the comments, I will reconsider if I need to install the grill and gate... Does anyone notice the door release button inside the block can be reached easily from outside!? I tried opening the gate by doing that without any difficulty!

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  17. Yup! This is an obvious security oversight by the architect or designer. I would include this as a defect item. The door release button needs to be repositioned or the gate needs to be blocked out by installing a metal or glass panel.

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  18. Agreed that cdl should reposition! It seems like strangers are able to access the block and there are so many advertisement flyers slot underneath our main door. Don't really feel good about this. CDL should rectify this security issue for the sake of the residences' safety and privacy.

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  19. Guys, I just have a question about doorbell? Where can you buy a decent one that is not too big like the one they are selling from home fix? And how did you setup yours in Livia? Please help.

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  20. Hi does anyone have pictures of the grills and gate. I haven't got my keys yet but I was thinking of installing invisible grills. For a cleaner more open and less HDB looking grills. From reading your post i'm deeply horrified! Im a mother of 2 so i would think i definitely need the grills!!! Can't we write to CDL?

    http://www.invisiblegrille.com.sg/.

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  21. Invisible grille is NOT allowed by CDL. Many have written in and it is confirmed NO! NO!

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  22. OMG! I am really worried now abt how the ugly grills will spoil the look. What about the balcony, is it allowed to put grills? If i had known i would have gotten the ground floor. I cannot believe i paid so much for a home, to allowed management to dictate my home decor into ugliness. I gotta wait and see then. thks for the infos.

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  23. Hi Annonymous-Door Bell

    Not too sure if a door bell of about 6.6" by 4" is too big for you. Bought mine together with the lights at the lighting shop. Just an ordinary white looking one (do note Livia's bell point specified battery operated type), and because it is white it does look inconspicuous and does look flushed-in with the white wall.

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  24. I saw the installed gate at a unit. I stood there for a full five minutes hoping I could see some positivity out of the design. But...sigh...it is just so salah. The design sticks out like a sore thump. It does look imposing but in an utterly wrong manner. The grey colour also clashes with the pine looking main door. As mentioned before, my heart bleeds for Livians who need grills and gate for the safety of children or elderly in the family.

    I have no urgency for the installation of such horrific looking stuff. If not I would certainly not take this lying down and would initiate bringing in other vendors so that we can have at least one alternative. There is nothing wrong with standardising them with two designs which most condo developers provide.

    When the new management committee is formed we could look into this and have an alternative out for Livians.

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  25. To me the invisible grille is a million times better than putting up with that grey looking stuff that makes the home looks like some prison cell.

    CDL can dictate standardisation in accordance to the MCST by-laws but it has no right to insist on a design that majority of the owners reject as sub-standard and distasteful.

    I am all prepared to join in if majority are willing to bring it before the courts to throw CDL's design out. Let's just see who got more to loose in litigation. Even if we loose the case let's see how potential property buyers will view and react to such incredulity of a top-down approach by the developer.

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  26. Fully agreed with Xcited and the rest's reaction on the distasteful grille by the architect. I have tried calling CDL to speak with the architect responsible in this project, but they never return my call.
    Readers eyeing on CDL's parcel 3 land launching soon, better think carefully before throwing in another cheque.

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  27. As for the present sub-con for security personnel it's about time it get its act together. This post is also for Livia's Managing Agent to wake up. For many evenings and weekends security personnel positioned at the guard house were often not in uniform, or were relaxingly yakking away in civilian clothes outside the guard house, or busy reading magazines or newspapers.

    Security is crucial for the rather vast development and especially for those units on the ground floor. With such tardy and unprofessional security standards it's gonna be like a ticking time bomb before some opportunistic criminals ear mark this property. Let not the murder of a woman in the poolside toilet of a condo in the Orchard Road area be forgotten.

    It's either they shape up or we must make sure they go when the new management committee is formed to review the yearly contract.

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  28. Sorry guys, it should be "lose" not "loose".

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  29. Just discovered another flaw with the Security system today. I have opted to route calls to my unit via my mobile number and today, I decided to test it out. For some reasons, there is no GSM signal at the B1 lobby of my block, so when I pressed my unit number, though the system did routed the call to my mobile number but because there is no GSM signal, the call was routed to my voice mailbox. The next thing I hear is the standard greeting saying "the number XXXXXXXX you have dialed is unavailable, please call later." So as long as the calls are routed to a number with voice mail feature enabled, and when the call is unanswered, the standard greeting will reveal the number to the caller at the door area. I am not sure how to overcome this. Any suggestion? If the calls are routed to an intercom in each unit, this would not have happened.

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  30. Guys, instead of posting all your concerns here, please email the following person to raise all your issues regarding security and facilities management. No one from the management reads the stuff we post in here, and nothing will get resolve. They need to prioritize the security of the condo. I did my part, now please do yours.

    PROPERTY & FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

    CBM facility management
    feedback@cbm.com.sg

    Lim Tow Fok
    email: limtf@cdl.com.sg
    Anthony Goh
    email: anthonyg@cdl.com.sg
    Esther An
    email: estheran@cdl.com.sg

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  31. I'm moving in next week, have you filed the refundable $500 deposit for the movers? Is this really required? Please advice.

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  32. This is a really great blogs for the Livia residents.
    We've just collected our keys and on take over day, already noted one defect :
    21) Jam in Utility Area's toilet PD door
    The list posted here will be great help to us when we do more thorough checks in the coming days. Thanks to everyone.
    Looking forward to have nice and proactive friendly neighbours around :)

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  33. We have just installed Singnet in our unit last weekend and found out that most of the data and telephone ports are faulty, we were informed by our electricians that the face plate that the contractor used are sub-standard.

    I will be sending another defect list this weekend as I need to check the TV point as well to address this issue. Take note guys!

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  34. Noted that the door release button inside the block does not operate alone - there is also motion detector at ceiling. The person needs to be physically inside the lobby to activate the door release. So one security worry solved?
    Anyone thinking of installing the ceiling clothe hanger around the uitility area for drying laundry? Is this allowed? Any lobang?

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  35. Appeal to CDL on 19.09.11

    I would like your assistance to feedback to the higher management. I was told by the Management Committee (MC) that owners are not allowed to install grilles at the planter area as this areas are not within the GFA and its not approved by BCA. If I have to install a grille then it must be behind the glass sliding windows so that it does not affect the façade of the building and there is only one approved grille design. This suggestion is ridiculous!
    I believe the MC may have to get the fact right on the GFA. How can the planter areas (outside master room and living room) not within the GFA since its in the design layout and we paid for the areas, right? To the MC, the façade seems more important than the safety of the residents.

    Since MC is so concerned about the façade we even suggested they look at something called" a invisible grille" which is currently in the market. i have a friend who installed this grille at Clover by the Park condominium (TOP recently) . Why BCA approved Clover by the Park to install such grille yet Livians are turned down. Did the MC turn a deaf ear and are our request to BCA submitted in the first place?

    From all residents especially those with young children, we are only asking for the MC to give priority to the safety. Before, any one fall off the building I hope the Developer can help us look into the matter.



    Reply from CDL on 21.09.11

    We noted on your concern on the installation of grilles at the planter area.


    As converse earlier, we do not allowed any grilles to be installed at the planter area because we need to maintain an uniformity external facade. Any varies will affect the aesthetic outlook of the development.

    We also noted that you are exploring with the installation of the "invisible grilles" instead of the approved design shown in the Resident Handbook. As mentioned above, no installation of grilles is allowed at the planter area; thus, same applies to the "invisible grilles", too.

    Do let us know if you have other concerns relating to Livia.


    http://www.metalworld.com.sg/projects/projects.htm
    maybe we should just go ahead to install, see what they can do???

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  36. My washing machine & dryer were delivered today. Due to the "very small" yard area, the delivery folks really had a hard time moving both the washer and the dryer into their rightful spot. But to make things worst, when they test run the washer and dispense the water, we discovered the water outlet pipe is choked and the next thing is, my yard area was flooded. Fortunately there is another a small water outlet point in the yard area and water gradually flowed out from there. Though CDL is prompt in responding to this defect and will be fixing the choke tomorrow, but having seen how the delivery folks installed them, I am not confident that CDL will be able to remove them without damaging them or the stacking unit, so I have to call the vendor to come and uninstall and then install them again tomorrow, and that costs me S$80. Sigh! So Livians, please test your water outlet point by runnning water through a hose into it before installing your washer. :)

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  37. Timber floorings another disaster!!! Cracks & peelings recurred even after main contractor resand and applied new coat of varnish. Thankfully my neighbor engaged his own flooring specialist mrwoodvarnish have the floors refinishEd again. Looks great. Due to urgency to move in, I had no choice but to engage them have my floorings done - workmanship is impressive n dust free sanding. Highly recommended to other owners need urgent help on floorings.
    Also I came to realize my unit is the 5th unit they did so far.

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  38. My unit 12-06 had similar problem on timber flooring. i m very happy with mrwoodvarnish responsiveness and good workmanship referral from neighbor. For benefit of others, call Danny - www.mrwoodvarnish.com

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  39. Livia is a disaster! Every single inch of my unit is a disaster. Everything that you guys listed above, I've faced it with my unit.

    Yesterday I was sitting near the swimming pool when I saw a family of rats running around! Worst still I was with my guests and they end up having to cross their leg on the chair. Very very paiseh man! Call and same standard reply, we will look into it.

    Now, they going to show you how to use the dustbin... come on, maybe the management should look at their dustbin design??

    Livia is no longer home sweet home for me and I can't wait to get the hell out of this condo!

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  40. Hmmm, I am going to be getting my keys really soon into Livia and reading all these useful notes help alot but also make me a little unsettled. I have some questions I hope you guys can address:
    1. Are we allow to have those bamboo blinds installed at the planter area? Need to seek mgmt office clearance?
    2. do you pass the keys to the contractor to do the renovation and after they finish, do you change the locks? I heard some condos, the management office will do some "alteration" to the existing lock and issue new keys so that the original key that the property agents/contractors were holding won't work anymore?I don't fancy the idea to have some strangers holding my keys!
    3. How long does it takes to get the defects solved? Possible to finish within a day?

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  41. Congrats on your key collection.

    1. Installation of bamboo blinds is not allowed. Any fitting that will affect the aesthetic of the building facade is prohibited.

    2 & 3. Other than your renovation contractors, you will need to pass a key to CDL or MO when you submit your defects list for rectification. CDL will rectify all defects within 30 days from the date of submission. CDL will change the lock cylinder with new keys upon rectification. However, you can request that they change the lock after your renovation.

    Hope the above help!

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  42. Thank you! Does the management office open on weekends?

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  43. Sat 9am to 1ppm
    Sunday closed

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  44. It's helpful for a handyman, i hope to forward to http://brisbanehandymanjobs.com

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  45. Check hollowness in tiles or timber stripes, use the wooden end of the screw driver to knock on the floor. Good - if the sound is sharp "tick". Hollow if it sounds "tock"

    More logical to check for loose or delaminated strips instead of hollow due to nature of floor

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  46. Nice blog, I hope architectures may be inspired by these great interior designs.Thanks for sharing this wonders with us.

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