Free Space Intent

No. 8 Ubi Road 2, Zervex #02-07, Singapore 408538

D
Dream Team Companions for Renovation Journey
verified-reviewVerified Review

Reviewed by Denise・Submitted 14 Feb 2021・ Project completed Dec 2020・Designer Raymond Seow & Carlos Sim

All the accolades you have read of FSI, I can personally vouch they truly deserve. At risk of repeating what others have already said many times over, I would however like to share what makes FSI really stand out in this crowded industry for me: ⭐️Frank, sensible & practical advice/approach (that does not shy away from hard truths, even before you engage them) ~ Credit must go to The Boss ie. Raymond Seow; while other IDs whom I met gave me quotations based on my indicative budget, Raymond was the only one who questioned the feasibility of doing so without having gone through the design details. ~ Other IDs expected a 10% down payment upfront based on their quotation (which can come up to tens of thousands for a big project) but FSI’s approach is to charge a design fee first & then come up with more accurate costing once the design is more or less done. Their take is that if their costing is not acceptable to you eventually, you are welcomed to take their designs/drawings and engage your own contractor to implement them. This gives you an opportunity to assess how well you can work with the ID and a ‘Get-Out-of-Jail-Free’ card (since you are not locked in by the hefty 10% down payment) if things don’t work out between you and the ID ultimately (which thankfully, I didn’t have to use). ~ While my renovation budget tended to be more design-centric, Raymond never failed to give cost-saving advice. Normally, based on what I know of others’ experience, it is the ID’s over-indulgent flights of fancy which the client must rein in so as to manage the budget. Whereas it is rare for an ID to counsel the client to save money. Being that rare ID, Raymond has demonstrated that his heart is in the right place when it comes to his clients’ interests. ⭐️Superb service (before, during & after) ~ Prior to engaging FSI, I’d met up with several IDs at my place and shared specific requirements for my renovation which included revising the layout of certain areas. Amongst the first proposals that were presented to me thereafter, FSI was the only one that faithfully “stuck to the script” – the rest presented versions that seemed ‘tone-deaf’ or perhaps, were aimed at helpfully expanding my design imagination (which did not help me since I was a client who knew exactly what I wanted). Raymond never tried to impose his design preferences on me but did his best to put himself in my shoes & see things from my perspective. ~FSI was also the only one to come down to my place at the very first meet-up with a team who went straightaway to work in doing measurements and taking photos. This commitment of resources even before there was any talk of potentially engaging them for the project, reflected their dedication to serving their clients. ~ For my project, Raymond had another ID (Carlos Sim) and a Project Manager (Perlinda Too) to assist him. Carlos was the Project’s CPU, meticulously handling the technical details on dimensions and drawings while Perlinda did the heavy lifting to make sure the ‘output’ could/would be in line with the ‘input’. Together, the 3 of them made up my ‘Dream Team’ who would bend over backwards (to the extent of even somersaulting, I reckon) in order to fulfil the many wishes I had for my renovations. They were never fazed when my plans/decisions changed mid-way through the renovation works but always tried their best to accommodate my requirements. They were also game to try out some of my ‘radical’ ideas (like my TV Console) and do things they had never done before (like my ceiling-hung kitchen cabinets). In particular, thanks to Carlos’ brilliant idea and Perlinda’s ingenious execution of works, I managed to get a virtually dust-proof display case. ~ While things did not work out as planned/intended all the time and issues did crop up along the way (which was understandable, given the incredible number of details that an ID has to juggle & my design-as-you-go changes they had to cope with), the FSI Dream Team never failed to swing into action. They were more than willing to re-work the construction in order to right any wrongs or solve problems. A test of great service is not how an ID responds to issues/problems during the renovation but their response after handover and when all payments have already been made. FSI is truly the Gold Standard as they are still going the last mile and extra mile in settling move-in teething issues for my project as well as entertaining my add-on requests. ⭐️Integrity & generosity ~ Right from the start, FSI has always been very open and transparent about their pricing strategy. An ex-ID friend once told me that Variation Orders (VO) are like ‘blood’ to an ID as it brings out the ‘Shark’ in them – that is where they would take advantage of your (by then) helpless situation (since you’ve already put your hands & feet in the water) and extract as much financial compensation as possible for the changes. If such is common in the industry, I must be lucky as I’ve had countless VOs during the construction phase but never encountered any shark at FSI. On the contrary, I even had the benefit of some charges waived for my change requests. Mine was a very extensive renovation journey involving literally gutting and re-building the insides of my 35+ year old apartment, spanning more than 1.5 years from design phase & including the Circuit Breaker hiatus. It has truly been a roller-coaster ride – fun but adrenaline-pumping with its fair share of ups & downs, twists & turns as well as thrills & spills. However, I could not be more fortunate than to have Raymond, Carlos & Perlinda as my Companions on this ride. Even though I do have some regrets on some aspects of the renovation, I can safely say I have absolutely no regrets getting FSI onboard for my project. From Raymond, I have gained wisdom (in seeing things ‘half glass full’); from Carlos, insights (into a whole new world of the renovation industry) and from Perlinda, the most useful knowledge (that Lighter Fluid is an amazing cleaning agent!). Theirs was clearly a labour of love, blood, sweat & tears to transform my apartment into what I wanted and for that, I will forever be in their debt.

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About Free Space Intent
Established in 1999, Free Space Intent (FSI) is a full-service residential and commercial interior design firm. With 2 decades of experience under our belt, we have worked with a large variety of private and corporate clients, creating a wide range of residential spaces, bars/lounges, restaurants, retail outlets, and office spaces. Our aim is to provide distinctive, customized interiors while remaining sensitive to every client’s budget and time constraints. The purest form of beauty lies in the raw basics. Free Space Intent (FSI) espouses designs that speak of timeless elegance, defined grace and modern functionality. This down-to-earth approach is clearly marked by clean lines, muted shades and clever space planning to suit the cosmopolitan lifestyles. Celebrating the notion of going back to the bare essentials, FSI creates urban retreats that soothe the senses and rejuvenate the tired soul. Always an active hub of fresh designs, FSI plays along boundaries that are untouched by many, creating homes with a strong presence and personality.
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Rating

4.8
Based on reviews left by homeowners
Professionalism4.9 / 5
Workmanship4.7 / 5
Project Management4.9 / 5
Design4.8 / 5
Qanvast Awards
Refers to the number of times this firm's project photos were saved to homeowners' boards.
Photo Saves
15,000 Saves
Based on homeowners’ reviews left on Qanvast.
5-star Reviews
80 Reviews
Accreditation
HDB-registered
SIDAS

Experience

Property TypeProjectsAverage Cost (New)Average Cost (Resale)
HDB5-S$123,140.00
3-Room1-S$82,000.00
4-Room1-S$115,000.00
5-Room3-S$139,566.67
The information is based on the projects we received in the past year and may not represent the firm's full portfolio and capability.

Reviews

5 139
4 15
3 0
2 0
1 0
154 reviews with an average of 4.8 stars.
verified-review
41% of this firm's reviews are verified with a signed renovation contract
JN
Fulfilling and hassle-free renovation journey with Leon and Perlinda

Reviewed by Jason Ng・Submitted 27 Nov 2023・ Project completed Sep 2023・Designer Leon Luo

Right from the onset, my wife and I could tell that our designer Leon was experienced, patient and creative to transform the vision of our new home into reality. We have always desired a myriad colour palette for our home, including pop of colours, which we understand is not easy to gel into the overall theme. From the first 3D renders, we knew Leon had the same visualisation as us. Besides the renders, which we enhanced multiple times, Leon offered advice on the furniture placement and purchase, ensuring alignment with our theme. Perlinda was the project manager, and together with Leon, were attentive, responsive and accommodative to our requests, regardless of time of day. Sometimes we even had last-minute changes which they still expertly incorporated. More importantly, they made sure to take our minds off the nitty-gritty details, making our renovation journey hassle-free and within our expected budget. Despite us pushing for a tight timeline and unforeseen delays with the renovation permit, Leon and Perlinda managed to deliver the project on-time with a respectable quality. Also, any issues and defects (all minor ones) were expediently rectified, allowing our family to move in without paying another month of rent! Certainly glad that we chose Free Space Intent to partner us on this pivotal phase in our home journey. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a hassle-free and fulfilling experience.

Read More
JL
Beautiful Home by FSI

Reviewed by John Lim・Submitted 25 Nov 2023・ Project completed Nov 2023・Designer Raymond

This is my second time engaging FSI and they continued to impress me with the quality and design concepts. We spent a lot of time on the 3D drawings and Raymond had entertained all the changes and amendments so that we can have a good appreciation of the final product During the renovation process, I would say it was pretty smooth and schedule was on time for hand over. Perlinda who was our project manager had handled the timeline well and was careful with the details on the carpentry. A special shoutout to the carpenters who did an extremely marvellous job fabricating the herringbone feature wall. They are simply spectacular! Both my wife and I were loving it every minute of the new home. Thanks FSI

Read More
SW
An enjoyable renovation journey.

Reviewed by Shao Wei Yuen・Submitted 4 Nov 2023・ Project completed Jun 2023・Designer Leon Luo and Kaden Tiu

Leon and Kaden were professional, service-oriented, transparent and honest. From our engagements since our first meeting, it was clear their primary interest was to meet our needs, and not to push their own ideas or chase after sales numbers. They were patient in answering our queries, and realistic in their project budget and timeline estimation. When we went to source for fixtures and choosing of materials, they readily offered alternatives for consideration, did not rush us into making any decisions, and were prepared to make repeated trips so as to gave us time to consideration. Leon and Kaden always kept our design theme in mind when evaluating our ideas. As design lead, Leon was open to our ideas but also did not shy away from challenging them in a constructive manner if he felt the need to do so. He placed high emphasis on practicality and liveability. The design discussions we had with them was something that we enjoyed and appreciated greatly. Kaden was always responsiveness and punctual. Ever affable and polite, he responded to our queries during off-duties hours, even while he was on leave. He always checked in with us whenever there were changes on-site to previously agreed decisions, and willingly did up sketches and wireframe drawings to help us better visualise the changes spatially. The project was executed professionally and smoothly, and was delivered on time and on budget. There were no unexpected surprises during the 3-month long site works. They provided good after-sales services and had no qualms getting their contractors to fix up issues and touch ups at our requests, even for a request I raised 3 months after the project was handed over. Our entire renovation experience was stress and trouble free. My family really enjoyed partnering with them in our renovation journey!

Read More
1 of 154
JN
Fulfilling and hassle-free renovation journey with Leon and Perlinda

Reviewed by Jason Ng・Submitted 27 Nov 2023・ Project completed Sep 2023・Designer Leon Luo

Right from the onset, my wife and I could tell that our designer Leon was experienced, patient and creative to transform the vision of our new home into reality. We have always desired a myriad colour palette for our home, including pop of colours, which we understand is not easy to gel into the overall theme. From the first 3D renders, we knew Leon had the same visualisation as us. Besides the renders, which we enhanced multiple times, Leon offered advice on the furniture placement and purchase, ensuring alignment with our theme. Perlinda was the project manager, and together with Leon, were attentive, responsive and accommodative to our requests, regardless of time of day. Sometimes we even had last-minute changes which they still expertly incorporated. More importantly, they made sure to take our minds off the nitty-gritty details, making our renovation journey hassle-free and within our expected budget. Despite us pushing for a tight timeline and unforeseen delays with the renovation permit, Leon and Perlinda managed to deliver the project on-time with a respectable quality. Also, any issues and defects (all minor ones) were expediently rectified, allowing our family to move in without paying another month of rent! Certainly glad that we chose Free Space Intent to partner us on this pivotal phase in our home journey. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a hassle-free and fulfilling experience.

Read More
JL
Beautiful Home by FSI

Reviewed by John Lim・Submitted 25 Nov 2023・ Project completed Nov 2023・Designer Raymond

This is my second time engaging FSI and they continued to impress me with the quality and design concepts. We spent a lot of time on the 3D drawings and Raymond had entertained all the changes and amendments so that we can have a good appreciation of the final product During the renovation process, I would say it was pretty smooth and schedule was on time for hand over. Perlinda who was our project manager had handled the timeline well and was careful with the details on the carpentry. A special shoutout to the carpenters who did an extremely marvellous job fabricating the herringbone feature wall. They are simply spectacular! Both my wife and I were loving it every minute of the new home. Thanks FSI

Read More
SW
An enjoyable renovation journey.

Reviewed by Shao Wei Yuen・Submitted 4 Nov 2023・ Project completed Jun 2023・Designer Leon Luo and Kaden Tiu

Leon and Kaden were professional, service-oriented, transparent and honest. From our engagements since our first meeting, it was clear their primary interest was to meet our needs, and not to push their own ideas or chase after sales numbers. They were patient in answering our queries, and realistic in their project budget and timeline estimation. When we went to source for fixtures and choosing of materials, they readily offered alternatives for consideration, did not rush us into making any decisions, and were prepared to make repeated trips so as to gave us time to consideration. Leon and Kaden always kept our design theme in mind when evaluating our ideas. As design lead, Leon was open to our ideas but also did not shy away from challenging them in a constructive manner if he felt the need to do so. He placed high emphasis on practicality and liveability. The design discussions we had with them was something that we enjoyed and appreciated greatly. Kaden was always responsiveness and punctual. Ever affable and polite, he responded to our queries during off-duties hours, even while he was on leave. He always checked in with us whenever there were changes on-site to previously agreed decisions, and willingly did up sketches and wireframe drawings to help us better visualise the changes spatially. The project was executed professionally and smoothly, and was delivered on time and on budget. There were no unexpected surprises during the 3-month long site works. They provided good after-sales services and had no qualms getting their contractors to fix up issues and touch ups at our requests, even for a request I raised 3 months after the project was handed over. Our entire renovation experience was stress and trouble free. My family really enjoyed partnering with them in our renovation journey!

Read More
JN
Fulfilling and hassle-free renovation journey with Leon and Perlinda

Reviewed by Jason Ng・Submitted 27 Nov 2023・ Project completed Sep 2023・Designer Leon Luo

Right from the onset, my wife and I could tell that our designer Leon was experienced, patient and creative to transform the vision of our new home into reality. We have always desired a myriad colour palette for our home, including pop of colours, which we understand is not easy to gel into the overall theme. From the first 3D renders, we knew Leon had the same visualisation as us. Besides the renders, which we enhanced multiple times, Leon offered advice on the furniture placement and purchase, ensuring alignment with our theme. Perlinda was the project manager, and together with Leon, were attentive, responsive and accommodative to our requests, regardless of time of day. Sometimes we even had last-minute changes which they still expertly incorporated. More importantly, they made sure to take our minds off the nitty-gritty details, making our renovation journey hassle-free and within our expected budget. Despite us pushing for a tight timeline and unforeseen delays with the renovation permit, Leon and Perlinda managed to deliver the project on-time with a respectable quality. Also, any issues and defects (all minor ones) were expediently rectified, allowing our family to move in without paying another month of rent! Certainly glad that we chose Free Space Intent to partner us on this pivotal phase in our home journey. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a hassle-free and fulfilling experience.

Read More
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Frequently Asked Questions

What are Free Space Intent's reviews like?

Based on 154 reviews left for Free Space Intent, the firm achieved an average rating of 4.83. Read homeowners’ reviews of Free Space Intent.

Where is Free Space Intent's showroom?

Free Space Intent has 1 showroom in Singapore. See Free Space Intent's showroom address.

Is Free Space Intent an HDB-registered or a Casetrust-accredited firm?

Free Space Intent is currently an HDB-registered firm. It is however not recognised under the Casetrust Renovation Business scheme.

If you would like additional assurance on the firm’s reliability, you may want to opt in for the Qanvast Guarantee, a free initiative to safeguard your renovation deposits when you engage an interior firm through our platform.

Is Free Space Intent popular among homeowners?

11 homeowners have recently enquired with Free Space Intent for their upcoming renovation project. Enquire with Free Space Intent.

Is Free Space Intent a reliable firm on Qanvast?

Yes, based on the reviews left by our community of homeowners who reviewed on our platform, Free Space Intent was accredited the Supertrust badge from 2019 to 2021.

The Supertrust badge is awarded based on a couple of factors, such as the number of projects the firm has closed (i.e. homeowners can trust them with renovation projects), ranked within the top 15% firms, and garnered at least 10 positive verified reviews in that year.

It’s safe to say that these firms are approved by homeowners, like you!

What is the average renovation cost on the projects completed by Free Space Intent?

The average renovation costs of projects completed by Free Space Intent (in the past year) is S$123,140 for HDB.
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