Why a Low Renovation Quote Often Results in the Highest Final Bill
The "Sticker Price" Trap
in Singapore Renovations
Why a lower upfront number rarely means a lower final bill. It usually just means less clarity.
Below is a real-life case study of one of my past clients. It is an extraction of a quote for carpentry in his living room. I have also listed the exact 1:1 word-by-word quotation comparison between my quote and the competitor's quote at the bottom.
The Comparisons
The Line-by-Line Reality (Exact Text from the Quotes)
Luna Studio Quotation
Carpentry Works A// All carpentry casement doors inclusive of BLUM CLIP top BLUMOTION 107° hinges (model- 75B1550). B// All carpentry drawers inclusive of BLUM Tandem BLUMOTION full extension runners for drawers, 450mm or 500mm (560H-30kg). C// All carpentry casement doors and handles edge finished in ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) trimmings D// All carpentry doors and drawers in standard recessed 45 degree bevel finger pull handle E// in selected external laminate finish and selected internal Textured polykem finish, unless otherwise stated. Living 1 To design and fabricate full height Altar cabinet with open niche, inclusive of 02 drawers and 01 pull out ledge - 600mmD x 1200mmL =$1520 1a To top up for internal laminate finish at open display altar niche – 1pcs =$80 1B To add 20mm x 20mm recess LED strip channel – 1200mmL x 01nos =$802 To design and fabricate full height storage cabinet with casement doors- 600mmD x 1800mmL = $2280 2a To design and fabricate 50mmThk laminated solid plywood frame with clear glass casement doors - 450mmL x 04nos (for bicycle) = $300 2b To design and fabricate drawer unit- 900mmL x 02nos (for small accesories) - inclusive 2c To design and fabricate pigeon hole segments for drawer unit in laminated finish -02set (for medium accesories) = $ 160 2d To design and fabricate 50mmThk laminated solid plywood frame with clear glass casement doors - 450mmL x 04nos (for bag display) = $300 2e To add 20mm x 20mm recess LED strip channel – 1400mmL x 04nos = $360
3 To design and fabricate full height TV cabinet with open niche - 600mmD x 1200mmL (*Important Note: To leave excess space for Aircon Unit.) =$1520 3a To top up for internal laminate finish at open TV display niche – 1pcs = $ 80 3a To design and fabricate 50mmThk laminated solid plywood frame with black tinted glass casement doors - 600mmL x 02nos (Tv console) = $300
Competitor Quotation
CARPENTRY 1 LIVING (finished in laminated plywood) All internals of carpentry in colour PVC /EXCEL Aversa EHP-SUS304 hinges for casement doors onlya) 8ft ht feature TV cabinets c/w swing door (14.5ft) = $ 6380 b) 4nos. Excel Mola Fermi 3.0-500-4D drawer runners = inclusive
Experienced "Quote Shock"?
If you are currently shopping for an interior designer in Singapore, you have likely experienced "Quote Shock."
You receive two proposals. One seems surprisingly affordable, and the other—likely ours—appears higher at first glance. It is natural to lean toward the lower number. After all, renovating a home is expensive, and who doesn’t want to save money?
But in the renovation industry, a lower upfront number rarely means a lower final bill. It usually just means less clarity.
The Philosophy of Zero Ambiguity
At Luna Studio, our core methodology is built on Zero Ambiguity.
We believe that a quotation isn't just a bill; it is a technical manual for your home. Today, I want to walk you through a real-life comparison of a "Lump Sum" quote versus a "Detailed" quote to show you exactly where the hidden costs (and future headaches) usually live.
Case Study: The 9.4% Initial Cost Difference
Let’s look at a real example from a recent project for a Living Room carpentry set.
On paper, we are $600 more expensive. But when we look closer, that "savings" is actually just silence—empty space where Variation Orders (VOs) like to hide.
1. The Hardware: "Standard" vs. Reality
"All internals of carpentry in colour PVC / EXCEL Aversa EHP-SUS304 hinges"
"Inclusive of BLUM CLIP top BLUMOTION 107° hinges (model- 75B1550) & BLUM Tandem BLUMOTION full extension runners (560H-30kg)."
The competitor’s quote uses a generic term or mid-tier alternative. At Luna Studio, we specify the exact model of Blum hardware—the gold standard. We don't just say "soft close"; we list the specific load-bearing capacity (30kg).
Why It Matters
"Soft close" is a function, not a quality guarantee.
If your heavy pot drawer starts sagging in two years because the runner was only rated for 15kg, a vague quote means you pay to fix it.
Our detailed spec means you are guaranteed the heavy-duty version from Day 1.
2. The Granular Breakdown
Both designers received the exact same project brief. However, the level of data fidelity in our quotation protects you from assumptions.
"Fabricate full height storage cabinet in laminate finish."
(No mention of internal color, handle mechanism, or edge banding type.)
-
EXT
In selected external laminate finish...
-
INT
Internal in Textured Colored PVC (not standard white)...
-
EDGE
Doors/Handles finished in ABS Trimmings (impact resistant)...
-
MECH
Doors in standard 45-degree bevel finger pull...
The Hidden "Top Up" Trap
The Pain Point: If the sub-details aren't written, they aren't included.
A competitor may use standard white internal PVC and simple PVC tape edges. When you request colored internals or ABS trimming later, you will be charged a "Variation Order."
Result: That "cheaper" quote suddenly costs more than ours.
3. "Lump Sum" Mystery vs. Itemized Clarity
Competitor's Lump Sum:
"8ft ht feature TV cabinets c/w swing door (14.5ft) = $6,380"
Luna Studio's Transparency Breakdown:
We broke this down into 8 separate line items:
- Altar Cabinet $1,520
- Storage Cabinet $2,280
- TV Cabinet $1,520
- (Plus specific costs for glass, internal laminates, and lighting)
Financial Respect
Imagine you decide halfway through the renovation that you want to cancel the Altar cabinet to save space. In a lump sum quote, the ID can arbitrarily decide how much money to return to you (and it is usually very little).
In our quote, you can see exactly that the Altar cabinet costs $1,520. If you remove it, you save exactly $1,520. That is financial respect. You know exactly where every dollar is going.
4. The "Oh, You Wanted That?" Moment
Details missing.
Notice how we included the LED channels and the specific bicycle display frame in the upfront cost? In the competitor's lump sum, these details are missing.
When you visit the site and ask, "Where are the LED lights?", the contractor will pull out his calculator. By the time you add the lights, the glass, and the special frame, that initial $6,380 quote has likely ballooned to $8,000+.
Bonus: The Technical Standard
A quote is just numbers. A plan is a promise. Below are the actual technical drawings generated for the living room cabinetry quoted above. We don't just list "TV Console"; we engineer it down to the millimeter before a single piece of wood is cut.
The Completed Works
From technical precision to physical reality. The final result.
Why We Quote Higher Upfront
We know our bottom line often looks higher than the competition. It is scary to sign a bigger number. But we quote higher because we quote everything.
We don't want to be the designer who calls you three weeks into the project to ask for more money because we "forgot" to include the internal colored PVC or the ABS trimming.
Our Methodology:
- Clarity = Respect: We respect your budget enough to be honest about it from the start.
- No Mental Load: You shouldn't have to be a detective to find out what's missing from your quote.
- Project Guardianship: By defining the exact hinge model and laminate finish code before we start, we protect you from contractors swapping in cheaper materials.
The Takeaway for Homeowners
When you compare quotes, don't just look at the Total Price. Look at the Thickness of the Description.
- Does it list the brand and model of the hinges?
- Does it specify the internal finish (white PVC vs. colored PVC)?
- Are "special requests" (like LED channels or glass doors) itemized separately?
If the answer is no, that low price is just a deposit. The real price comes later.
At Luna Studio, we prefer the uncomfortable truth upfront over a pleasant lie that becomes a painful surprise.
