Commute Design Studio ✓ ACRA Verified

chin shu ying ★★★★★

7 months ago

We approached around 10 ID firms before meeting Thad and Jimmy — and after our first meeting, we knew they were the right choice. We were impressed by their professionalism, efficiency, and sincerity. Most importantly, their quotation was clear and transparent, with a detailed breakdown — no vague or inflated "Alibaba-style" pricing. They managed to complete the full renovation of our 3-bedroom, 1,295 sqft condo within a tight timeline and without major hiccups. From design to project management, all the way through to defect rectification, both Thad and Jimmy were highly responsive whenever we had questions or concerns. The renovation journey with them was not only smooth but also enjoyable. I truly appreciated their patience in listening to my ideas and their effort in addressing every concern and request. Several of their design proposals made a big, positive impact on our home — changes we wouldn’t have thought of on our own. Having heard so many renovation nightmare stories, we feel very fortunate to have engaged the right ID team for our home. If we ever move again, we would definitely consider working with them once more! 😂

Jarrett ★★☆☆☆

2 months ago

Reviewee: Jimmy After meeting 10 over IDs, we decided to shortlist Jimmy from Commute Design Studio. First impression: Seems to be very good with drawings on the spot based on requirements. Hence felt like he was very professional. Disclaimer: I write this review with a very objective mind, just providing facts of what actually happened and what we experienced during the project. We do not hate the ID, neither do we bear any grudges. Here are what we felt went wrong/can be improved: - No timely updates. We need to constantly ask 'when can we start buying items that are needed to install' (Because some of the things are bought from taobao, and items take quite a while to deliver). This was communicated already from the start. Some examples: Carpentry was up, and we were not informed. Shower screen was up, and we were not informed. - We chose 2 laminates for our carpentry. Few weeks later, we were informed that both are out of stock. The ID then chose 2 other laminates that he felt were 'similar'. The first laminate, he brought the physical sample to show us. We agreed and said OK to this. However, we were not shown any samples of the 2nd laminate and the ID went ahead to install a laminate of his own choosing. (We were extremely appalled by this because when we entered our house, we were suddenly greeted with something that we did not like). ID tried to remediate this, by suggesting to go for vinyl wrap, at the expense of splitting the cost 50-50. - Missed out of certain things. For example: the number of light switches to purchase. So we had to repurchase and wait for another 2 weeks for it to arrive. The number of lights to purchased (missed out service yard and storeroom lights) - Impression by this time is that most of the time, the answer he gave is 'cannot do'. For example: sink installation. When we wanted to do undermount, the answer gave was cannot and mentioned that he checked in the store page as well. However, the 5th review in the store page is a picture of the sink as an undermount. After that, he checked with the carpenter again, and suddenly "can do" - Inaccurate measurements. The toilet vanity that we bought could not fit in the master bedroom toilet (door cannot close properly as it is jutting out). We provided the measurements of the vanity to the ID, and also confirmed with him 2-3 times, yet somehow, he did not measure properly. Honestly, my personal opinion is that not much value-addedness was given. More than half of the time, we had to chase the ID, repeat things to be done, and do note-taking on his behalf. For example: when we were on-site, telling him what issues there were, he did not take any notes at all, then when ask him again 'when will this be fixed?' He sounded like this is his first time hearing the issue. - Unnecessary expenditure. The smart switch that we purchased could not turn the water heater on (due to wattage protection mechanism), we had to purchase another one. The stove that we bought is not compatible with city gas. (Note: before purchasing any of all the items, we had sent him the link and product) - We told him that based on our friend's reno experience, nails shouldn't be left on the ground, as it can cause scratches/dent. However, everytime when we visit the place, there are so many nails on the ground. Furthermore, the ground protection was already taken out. Lo-and-behold, this caused a huge scratch and a dent on the vinyl flooring. Here are what we felt went right: - Responsiveness (he responds to messages relatively quickly) - Responsible to a certain extent (he offered to pay for some of the mistakes he made). Eg. Vanity and split 50-50 for laminate. - Good at drawing on the spot based on requirements. Overall, we were disappointed with the process, outcome and duration of the project.

Jack Oh ★★★★★

2 months ago

Chance upon Commute Design Studio when I registered via homematch and was matched with them. Andy has been very helpful through out the renovation and I am glad I went to do the renovation with his team.

Gwendalyn Neo ★★★★★

a month ago

I had a great experience working with Andy. From the initial consultation to the final handover, everything was well organised and thoughtfully executed. He listened carefully to my needs, gave practical yet aesthetic suggestions, and was transparent throughout the process. He was also very helpful in the selection of laminates, paints, tiles, furniture, and lighting etc. The final outcome exceeded my expectations—functional, tastefully done, and true to what we discussed. I never had to worry about the renovation, even down to the minor details. Visitors who came by praised the overall look and feel (very ‘me’), as well as the workmanship. Highly recommended if you value reliability and attention to detail.a

Aiden Tan ★★★★★

a year ago

10/10 experience with Commute Design Studio. I've spoken to over 15 interior designers and narrowed down my options to Dylan for the following reasons: 1. Great Design: Dylan not only listens to what we want, but also takes the time to slowly understand and provide valuable advices / options to improve our overall design. I've left Dylan to work out the look and feel of the living room and it is by far my favourite area of the house 2. Transparency: Prices are transparent and he is ready to provide alternatives to meet budget while maintaining a polished feel of the house. On items I want to source myself (group buy etc.), he is flexible to accommodate as well. 3. Post reno support: After 6 months, everything held up well. Dylan is active in supporting any small improvements / fixes i would like to make with no additional costs. For larger changes, he is transparent in notifying me of the cost, if any. Overall, Dylan performed exceptionally well for all the essentials of looking for a good interior designer (Professionalism, Design, Pricing), and I'll definitely be calling him for any future renovation works. P.s. all photos uploaded are actual photos of my 4 room HDB.