Do pricier materials perform better? Not necessarily!
Just because that sink is made with some technology whose name you can’t pronounce doesn’t mean it has unimaginable superpowers.
Here are some common misconceptions about renovation materials that often lead home owners to make misinformed judgement.
Always take renovation information with a grain of salt.
Misconception #1
‘Warping occurs more often with Chinese tiles than with Italian tiles.’
Italian tiles might not be free from the problems that occur in Chinese tiles.
Warping has more to do with the tiles’ shape and the method of installation.
For elongated rectangular tiles (120mm x 900mm), warping and cupping in fact occur easily, even when the tiles are manufactured in Italy.
Italian tile floor can warp up to 24mm in height. Therefore, if a renovation design involves the usage of long rectangular tiles, home owners should make sure the contractor is experienced in installing such tiles. Confirm this early at the quotation stage.
Hire business-recommended contractors which offer a guarantee of maximum allowed error. This can help avoid disagreements and conflicts between workers and tile manufacturers.
Misconception #2
‘All plywood is created equal. Qualities shouldn’t differ so much.’
Business reputation does matter. Qualities can differ greatly between plywood made by different manufacturers.
Some plywood should only be used at the back and the bottom of a piece of furniture.
Although most home owners might not be able to tell apart the qualities of different plywood, they should still visit renovated flats to see the final products for themselves.
Beware of unusually low-priced quotations. To ascertain a contractor’s reputation, do your research thoroughly and compare notes with other home owners.
Misconception #3
‘Built-on-site furniture has a higher quality than tailor-made furniture, while ready-made furniture is the cheapest and has the lowest quality among the three.’
Here are the pros and cons of built-on-site furniture:
Pros
- Refined seams
- High flexibility
- Less susceptible to faults
Cons
- Expensive
- Time-consuming
- Quality may differ
Tailor-made furniture offers more size flexibility. Its style is also more standardised.
If you insist on quality, and are willing to look for furniture that looks exactly how you like it, you might not have to spend the extra money.
For built-on-site furniture, the relatively high price is not due to a better quality, but the fee paid to installation workers.
In conclusion, the difference in the costs of the three types of furniture is not at all related to their qualities.
