Renovation Spat: Couple Win Appeal, S$67,000 in Damages

SINGAPORE: A couple have successfully appealed against a district judges decision ordering them to pay their neighbour for his work in building their dream home, with the High Court ruling instead that the man must pay them more than S$67,000 in damages for failing to complete certain rectification work.

The court battle started last year when retiree Edward Teo, 61 who was hired by the couple to transform their property in Sembawang into an English country-style house similar to his sued them for failing to pay him for the renovation work he had done.

In turn, the couple Air Force Lieutenant-Colonel Ng Boo Han, in his 40s, and his wife Madam Audrey-Ann Koo OiLian, in her 50s sued MrTeo for delivering shoddy work and failing to rectify defects, but they lost the suit.

The couple had earlier asked MrTeo to renovate their home after seeing his house. In January 2011, an agreement was signed stating that the renovation works would be completed by Aug 11 that year, within a budget of S$350,000, from which MrTeo could draw S$17,500 as wages.

Their relationship soured after the couple became dissatisfied with the renovation work and refused to pay MrTeo the remaining 20 per cent of the contract price.

MrTeo sued them for S$89,000 which he said was the money owed to him for his work and additional tasks. He said the renovation work was done to imitate the rustic concept of his own house, but that the rusticity was seen as defects by the couple, who demanded rectification.

In December last year, District Judge Loo NganChor awarded MrTeo S$47,000 in damages. The judge also commented that the couple had been flim-flamming (MrTeo) and squeezing him for more, and that they had been trying to extract their pound of flesh, when they were not even entitled to a jot of blood.

The couple, having unsuccessfully counterclaimed almost S$200,000 for rectification work, then appealed against Judge Loos decision.

In the High Court ruling, which was released yesterday, Judicial Commissioner Edmund Leow based his decision on reports by a surveyor, identified as MrLoggie in court documents, whom the couple had hired to give expert evidence on the defects to their property.

JC Leow granted claims for six of the 15 allegedly defective items listed in the appeal such as the use of a zinc roof, instead of a ceramic tile roof as listed in the contract; and the use of a 4mm-thick glass for the study room panel, which is considered too thin, unsafe and below industry standards.

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Renovation Spat: Couple Win Appeal, S$67,000 in Damages