askST: How can I make sure my home renovation is carried out safely?

SINGAPORE – On Wednesday (June 8), a phony ceiling became detached from the concrete ceiling in a family’s learn bedroom and came crashing down on their beds.

The structure was set up considerably less than 50 % a calendar year back, and reportedly weighed about 100kg. Even nevertheless no one particular was hurt, the incident left the loved ones traumatised and their bed room in ruins.

Renovation authorities Jackie Lai, a council member of the Singapore Interior Design Accreditation Council (Sidac), and Kelly Chin, who sits on the council of the Culture of Inside Designers Singapore (Sids), describe what to seem out for when it comes to setting up untrue ceilings, and household renovation in general.

Q: What components would lead to phony ceilings to detach?

Ms Chin: Phony ceilings can drop if they are not correctly secured to the concrete ceiling and deficiency assist buildings. Inappropriate ceiling anchor bolts can also lead to a false ceiling to collapse.

Mishaps can take place as a consequence of shoddy operate or when inferior materials are used.

Q: What permits are wanted for renovation do the job and what can be accomplished to make certain that this sort of incidents do not recur?

Ms Chin: HDB can require all contractors or corporations which set up phony ceilings to be registered and accredited, or retrain or upskill their staff members every single two to three years to make certain anyone has the correct talent sets.

Mr Lai: Flat homeowners are needed to have interaction HDB-registered renovation contractors.

Even even though the set up of a wrong ceiling does not require a allow, contractors should nevertheless comply with HDB’s renovation guidelines.

For industrial models, it is compulsory to post shop ceiling drawings and use accepted resources. In some cases, a pull-out test could be necessary. (The test consists of attaching a appropriate test rig to the bolt, screw, anchor or correcting, which is then set under the tension load degree specified in the style to identify how robust and protected the correcting is.)

Q: How can household entrepreneurs ensure that they have engaged accredited or reliable contractors and inside designers?

Mr Lai: They need to interact inside designers who are accredited by Sidac, these as certified inside style and design consultants and renovation inside designers.

Unqualified individuals and organizations convey disrepute to the interior design and style sector with their poor workmanship and lousy services.

House house owners who have by now engaged a contractor can also employ the service of an accredited inside style specialist as additional insurance coverage.