Confession Bureau | What pitfalls have I stepped into during the three years of renovation, and how much money have I lost?

Hello ~ Good evening friends👋

Have you read the latest episode of 100 Girls’ Homes? The owner Cui Meilihua spent three Over the years, the apartment in Beijing’s Haidian School District was transformed into a French-style retro apartment in Paris!

Confession Bureau | What pitfalls have I stepped into during the three years of renovation, and how much money have I lost?

The hostess has great aestheticsGood, textbook-level French style ,Sunshine, carpets, arches, blinds, so beautiful ~ I want to see Beautiful Home RoFriends of omtour, welcome to move (Video number/small red book Search: 100 Chinese Girls’ Homes).

Today, let’s talk about the unknown and sad story behind the beautiful appearance of this French retro apartment. Yes, it is a long-lost decoration! Post~While walking around the house with us, the owner couldn’t help complaining: Decoration is really difficult.

The owner of the house is not a novice, but he likes to do homework. He also has his own aesthetics for house design, but he still escapes However, I was deceived by a decoration company, tricked by custom-made soft furnishings, and my four-bedroom apartment was converted into two-bedroom apartment. My neighbor even called my parents to complain…

From design, construction to installation, Every step unfolds, a history of blood and tears for decorators

Knowing that decoration is not easy, we specially invited the house owner The Lord comes to share her tips on how to avoid lightning strikes during decoration! I hope that everyone can avoid detours and be deceived during the decoration process, so that the money spent unnecessarily will be worthwhile. Welcome to beauty~ (Statement: Full text No soft promotion)

So beautiful that you can take photos at home▼

Design: The pitfalls of the decoration company are outrageous!

Hello ~ Friends of Huahua World, I am Cui Meili, very nice I\’m happy to share it with youA lesson learned through blood and tears. (I don’t know whether to cry or laugh haha)

Of course, I am very satisfied now▼

About the early stage of decorationChoose a one-stop decoration company, orDesigner➕Construction Team, actually I struggled for a long time, let me talk about the results first, and finally chose Independent designer + reliable construction team

But the decoration company has fallen into many traps~The loss before and after is 1W+, and there is still two months of communication time. (The following complaints are only my personal experience., the decoration companies mentioned mostly refer to several companies that cheated me, please don’t take the same number)

❌Decoration company designer=sales,Director Designer=Big Sales

This type of decoration company is actually a main material company, relySellers get kickbacksandMiddlemen make the differenceMake money,Drawing outsourcing, construction outsourcing, complete shell company!

The design fee can be discounted at will. You have the final say on the 10% or 20% discount,The design plan relies entirely on templates, has no style or aesthetic at all.

The person who designed the design for me at that time was a \”director designer\” who has won numerous awards. Facts have proved that the awards are fake. Otherwise, those foreign XX awards are actually nothing.

The number of drawings is even less Drop! I came up with the 5 renderings after urging them countless times (my independent designer produced 40+ images, each one is very specific, down to the lighting effect, and even the height and width of each piece of furniture) ).

❌The contract quotation is all water

The contract subjects are not detailed, Or the same project is renamed three times, and the auxiliary materials are shoddy, and the bullying of the homeowner cannot be seen by a layperson. This is a big hidden danger. Decorators are very tight on every money. If there are any additions after construction, you can only grit your teeth and swallow it.

and generalNo own workers, they need to be replaced as soon as they are finished. It is difficult to control the quality. The foreman cannot understand the professional design drawings, so he just messes up. But every time we buy building materials, it is money.

❌The main material is huge Pit

On the surface, it takes you to choose the main material,Actually get kickbacks. I looked at the previous one FM flooring, I asked for a price of 1,400+, and before leaving, the designer said it was 1,200➕, internal wholesale price.

Fortunately, I haven’t decided yet. I will go alone in a while (wearing a mask) Didn’t recognize it), same style floor, 900+ (can still bargain), shocked! I understand there are service charges, but this isMalicious price increase, must be deceiving consumers.

Some people share it online, some decoration companiesBuy something even Without first notifying the owner, bought Then you give me the order, no matter whether the item is in the right condition or not, you have to pay the freight to take it away, buy and sell by force…

The decoration company is really in deep trouble, but don’t be afraid. If we encounter unreasonable situations, we will Rights protection (can recover oneA dot is a point),Stop loss in time, the pit is still very deep.

In comparison, the independent designer I finally chose is simply amazing~

Let’s briefly talk about the difference between independent designers and decoration companies based on personal experience▼

Independent designerOnly sell designs, with independent style and personal works. The awards won by the works are all recognized domestically (not those foreign awards you have never heard of);

There is a feeRelatively transparent, discounts and haggling are not accepted, and the industry has clear charging standards;

Independent DesignerDesign drawings 360° with no dead ends;

The design fee is settled step by step, and each step has a specific time schedule. Payment will proceed after you are satisfied. ;

Independent designerBrands are not recommended, the main materials need to be chosen by the homeowners themselves (unless the homeowners ask for successful cases, but it is also recommended to check on the spot to be more secure);

Independent designers have cooperative craftsman builders, or they can find construction by themselves.

AlthoughThe cost of independent designers is much higher than that of decoration companies, but I feel that it is worth the money for a reliable designer to do more than just produce a design drawing.

Also includesOn-site measurement, Do tonal analysis (a magical analysis software that accurately captures my needs, preferences, colors, etc., and knows me better than I do) and other massive tasks.

Different angles50 pictures , fineConstruction CADPicture(The only reference standard during the construction process, which plays a great role in guiding construction;Main material style suggestions ;Full set of soft decoration solutions (as detailed as a link to a cabinet handle), all These will make the spatial renderings more specific and greatly reduce the chance of rollover.

My design During the construction process, the engineer communicated with the workers on site 4 times, and he was always online at all times, which was very reassuring! ▼

✅ The actual effect of independent designers is no longer a gamble

Because the designer\’s drawings are based on physical models, and you can even buy the same model. In the end, the actual decoration effect of my home was almost exactly the same as the design drawings!

✅Will decorating like this exceed the budget? ?

No! Professional designers will reasonably control the budget and know how to allocate it (you can’t blame others for spending it yourself)

✅Who is suitable to find a designer?

In general, aesthetic requirements For sisters who have a strong personal style, I highly recommend finding an independent designer, especially the French style which has a very high turnover rate.

I once thought that I had my own aesthetics and should be able to control it, but in reality, it is a waste of time and money, and decoration involves too many professional contents, ranging from the size to the structure and plastic filling.It cannot be solved by aesthetics, professional matters should be left to professionals (Of course, the prerequisite must be found A good independent designer)

How to find a reliable construction team!

After the design style is determined, you have to find a construction team with good skills and reliability. Most decorators will fail if they exceed the budget. The helplessness, anger, depression and regret when adding items during construction will teach you how to behave in minutes.

As a decoration novice (female) who doesn’t understand construction at all, I would like to share thisHow did I find Craft OneExcellent, zero-increment construction team.

✅Compare products Three Homes

Just because a friend has used it does not mean it is good (unless you two have exactly the same requirements), the designer recommendation may be fraudulent (you know the industry shady), and the online platform may have a wide range of (view it rationally, including My article),I compared 30 companiesThe current team was selected.

✅Find the real Can read design drawings

This is reflected inItem column of the quotation, some construction parties make mistakes and omit items because they don\’t understand the drawings. Multiple items will happen. Suggestionsreviewed item by item with the designer.

✅Quotation Be precise

No construction details,Don’t talk about quotations, eachQuotations are based on the construction CAD drawings (plans and elevations) produced by the designer Basics.

The construction party’s quotation is not detailed, or they do not understand the picture , either because ofUnintentionally omitting items, attracting customers with low prices, and finally adding so many items that it makes you cry. At that time, it is difficult to get off the horse, so you can only bite the bullet and spend money.

✅See it in person Construction site

Conditionally possibleGo and see those with similar craftsmanship to your own Construction site, check whether the workmanship is meticulous, especially key projects such as bricklaying and painting. Chat with the master.

✅ Priority will be given to those who have done similar styles

My home is in French retro style, and the construction is difficult and there are many details. Those who have never done it before will be very worried心.

✅Construct first and pay later

Every type of work (demolition, plumbing, carpentry, bricklayer, oil worker)This type of payment will be paid after construction (Don’t give it all at once). This is not to deliberately seek trouble, but only construction companies that are confident in their craftsmanship dare to make such a promise.

✅ Designer Can communicate with the foreman

To ensure that the designer\’s work is implemented,Designers and foremen must communicate Accessibility! Don\’t look for \”Youlu\’ foreman, my designer and foreman are both girls. They have the same understanding of the project, the same goal, and the same level of professionalism, so it goes very smoothly.

✅Omit unnecessary gimmicks (depends on the individual)

The groundbreaking ceremony, flowers, champagne, and banner salute are certainly good materials for sending friends ⭕ , but I personally don’t agree with these superfluous services. After all, everyone knows that wool comes from sheep, and doing a solid job in construction is better than anything else.

Customize these pitfallsAvoid must avoid

With reliable The designer and construction team have been going very smoothly since the start of construction, but! Something went wrong during the installation phase (I can only blame myself).

✅Choose out-of-town merchants carefully for customized products

The biggest lesson I learned is that the doors and shutters were purchased from a different company, and they suffered extensive damage during transportation, and even the wooden strips were broken.Business Only cosmetic repair, cannot be redone.

✅Don’t jump out of the middle platform trading

The blinds are directly discussed by green software Merchants, not having an intermediary platform may seem like they are saving money, but it is actually a huge gamble.The merchant didn\’t even give us a chance to choose, and made wide blinds on his own initiative, which makes it look unrefined visually, butNo intermediate platform ，No way to complain.

✅Be sure to send a color card to confirm the color

I didn’t expect the bathroom cabinet to be overturned. I encountered an unreliable manufacturer for the bathroom cabinet. The color was completely overturned. It was almost pig blood red and looked old-fashioned.

Please download Before the order,Be sure to ask the manufacturer to send you a color card for confirmation (don\’t be careless, don\’t save trouble)!

Finally, the designer turned the tide and hung a painting on the bathroom wall, which finally showed the effect of interweaving French and American styles. Quite satisfactory.

✅Who makes it, who measures it

This is a mistake. The wrought iron gate temporarily changed merchants, but the merchant was too lazy to re-measure, so he used the data of the previous one, and an understanding emerged. Deviation, eight centimeters shorter, no compensation!

In the end, the builder and the designer helped me change the wall, but the proportions were not perfect after all.

Based on my history of blood and tears, I would like to remind everyone:The manufacturer must measure it in person, don\’t be lazy

There is really too much to say about custom rollover, but Regardless of changes, I have summarized a few experiences:

📍Try not to find manufacturers from other places;

📍If you find manufacturers from other places, pay through the platform, at least you can protect your rights if there is a problem;

📍If there are fragile items, such as glass and hardware parts, confirm whether they are included;

📍Communicate with the manufacturer about the quality in advance, and prepare drawings for confirmation with the designer;

📍Require merchants to personally When measuring data, don’t be soft-hearted and save others trouble and suffer the consequences yourself;

📍When choosing a door type, choose cases that have been done by the manufacturer to avoid information errors;

📍Door paint color card requirements Manufacturer mails color card Confirm, the merchant is not responsible for color differences;

📍When choosing a master, try to choose a young and strong one, less slippery and easy to communicate with;

📍Remember to pay the final payment after the installation is completed!

Finally, I would like to remind everyone of two points (my own fault):

✅Mosaic tiles must be beautifully seamed in time span>

I didn’t do it right away because firstlythe merchant said that it needs to be dried after the completion; secondlyit’s very expensive to sew in the United States (800 per square meter, costing far more than expected), I was a little reluctant and hesitated.

Results! Due to construction work later, a lot of dust got into the gaps, and some even fell off, which was heartbreaking.

✅Wood floors need professional protection

This is also a big pitfall. I thought that the thick cardboard box was enough protection, and underestimated the violence of the construction site. The floor was damaged by nails and The sand and wood residue were beaten down collectively,Partially scratched./span>

This money cannot be saved, if possibleIt is best to have walls Protect, otherwise it will easily turn black or become dusty.

I said this without knowing itSo many words, I hope every girl who does her homework seriously can succeed in the first time! Decoration is a spiritual practice , I wish you all can move into your ideal home as soon as possible~

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Edit ：TK；Coordinator: TK; Intern: Yuhong
Picture: © Cui Meiliah