About 3 weeks ago (27 Jun), TRE published an article highlighting that new residents moving into HDB BTO flats in Anchorvale Horizon at Seng Kang were complaining about the defects and poor workmanship found in their newly completed flats.
Link:http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/06/27...new-hdb-flats/
It was so bad that the grassroots leaders at Anchorvale Horizon were themselves complaining about the problem too. The grassroots leaders even roped in Seng Kang West MP Lam Pin Min to visit Anchorvale Horizon just to show him how terrible the defects are.
As it turned out, the construction company responsible for the Anchorvale Horizon BTO project was China Jingye Engineering Corporation Limited.
Yesterday (14 Jul), the media reported that defects and poor workmanship were again found in newly completed HDB BTO flats. This time, it’s Tampines GreenLeaf.
(Defects, such as the wall skirting falling off (above) and uneven tiles, have been reported for about three in 10 units in Tampines GreenLeaf BTO flats (Photo ST))
The Tampines GreenLeaf residents were so upset with the workmanship that they have also approached their MP, Baey Yam Keng, to address the issue. They also set up a Facebook support group to exchange information with each other facing the defect problems in their flats. They also want to meet Education Minister Heng Swee Keat, the MP for Tampines GRC, to get him to help.
“I was shocked at the number of defects. I felt very upset and short-changed,” said Ms Teo, a new resident at Tampines GreenLeaf. When she entered her new 4-room flat last month, she was shocked by the plain brown of its timber skirting.
“It was quite an eyesore. That kind of brown is not even like normal wood,” she said. The sample they saw when selecting their flat had visible wood grain. That sort of skirting is in place for the first two Tampines GreenLeaf blocks, 522A and 522B but not hers.
Another resident, Mr Simon Ng, complained about the widening gaps between the skirting and the wall. “The defects will definitely delay my plans for moving into the new house,” said Mr Ng. “The worst is that during this period, I have to pay for two houses, which is tough.”
Other reported problems by the residents include uneven tiles, chipped walls and rust stains.
HDB acknowledged that out of about half (430) of the flats handed over so far, 30% have reported problems.
MP Baey tried to downplay the problems by saying, “When you have a concentration of interest and views, it just reinforces or heightens feelings.” He said he has received just five to 10 e-mail messages.
Nevertheless, Mr Baey and Minister Heng are arranging to be briefed by the HDB and then to meet residents. HDB said they are doing their best to address the feedback.
Contractor is Soildbuild Construction Group Ltd
Tampines GreenLeaf is situated at the junction of Tampines Avenue 6 and Tampines Avenue 9. The BTO project consists of 960 flats in total.
Link:http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10297p.nsf/ImageView/MayBTO2011AnnexA/$file/Annex_A.pdf
96 units of 2-room flats
160 units of 3-room flats
384 units of 4-room flats
320 units of 5-room flats
According to HDB [Link], the successful tenderer for this 960 unit BTO project was Soilbuild. The building works were awarded to Soilbuild on 26 Sep 2011, 3 years ago, at value of $131 million:
Hence, the average cost of constructing each HDB BTO flat in Tampines GreenLeaf works out to be $136,458.
Soilbuild’s Annual Report 2013 filed with SGX [Link] also confirmed that Soilbuild was the contractor behind Tampines GreenLeaf flats. In his message to the shareholders, Executive Chairman of Soilbuild, Lim Chap Huat, said:
“We benefit from the ability to tender for public sector projects in Singapore of unlimited contract value as our subsidiary, Soil-Build (Pte.) Ltd., has an ‘A1′ grading issued by BCA. While engaging in public housing contracts such as our Tampines Greenleaf project forms part of our drive to support national development, this contract award also serve as testimony to our commitment to construction activities of a higher standard. We are pleased to have secured two new public housing contracts during the year under review and will strive to undertake more national construction projects in future.”
Soilbuild made news in May last year when it welcomed the Govt’s 6.9 million Population White Paper.
Ho Toon Bah, executive director of Soilbuild, said, “The 6.9 million population figure is good news to us. It means that there are more houses to build and more jobs for us!”
Lim Chap Huat then added, “We intend to further develop our position in the public housing sector as HDB ramps up the construction of public housing in the coming years. We believe that our track record in public sector projects puts us in good stead to compete in future tenders from the HDB and other public agencies.”
Who is Lim Chap Huat?
(Soilbuild Executive Chairman Lim Chap Huat BBM (Photo: Soilbuild Annual Report 2013)
It turns out that Mr Lim Chap Huat is a PAP grassroots leader in Nee Soon GRC. He is the vice-chairman of the Citizens’ Consultative Committee (CCC) in Chong Pang. On top of that, he is Assistant Treasurer of PAP’s Chong Pang branch (PAP Nee Soon GRC - Home) [Link]. Mr Lim is also a recipient of the PBM (Public Service Medal) and BBM (Public Service Star).
His company website says of him (Our People | Soilbuild
“A strong believer in community service, Mr Lim is the vice-chairman of the Citizens’ Consultative Committee in Chong Pang. His many contributions were recognised in 2009 when he was conferred the Public Service Star.”
Original link from TRE:http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/07/1...d-by-soilbuild-firm-linked-to-pap-grassroots/
Link:http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/06/27...new-hdb-flats/
It was so bad that the grassroots leaders at Anchorvale Horizon were themselves complaining about the problem too. The grassroots leaders even roped in Seng Kang West MP Lam Pin Min to visit Anchorvale Horizon just to show him how terrible the defects are.
As it turned out, the construction company responsible for the Anchorvale Horizon BTO project was China Jingye Engineering Corporation Limited.
Yesterday (14 Jul), the media reported that defects and poor workmanship were again found in newly completed HDB BTO flats. This time, it’s Tampines GreenLeaf.
(Defects, such as the wall skirting falling off (above) and uneven tiles, have been reported for about three in 10 units in Tampines GreenLeaf BTO flats (Photo ST))
The Tampines GreenLeaf residents were so upset with the workmanship that they have also approached their MP, Baey Yam Keng, to address the issue. They also set up a Facebook support group to exchange information with each other facing the defect problems in their flats. They also want to meet Education Minister Heng Swee Keat, the MP for Tampines GRC, to get him to help.
“I was shocked at the number of defects. I felt very upset and short-changed,” said Ms Teo, a new resident at Tampines GreenLeaf. When she entered her new 4-room flat last month, she was shocked by the plain brown of its timber skirting.
“It was quite an eyesore. That kind of brown is not even like normal wood,” she said. The sample they saw when selecting their flat had visible wood grain. That sort of skirting is in place for the first two Tampines GreenLeaf blocks, 522A and 522B but not hers.
Another resident, Mr Simon Ng, complained about the widening gaps between the skirting and the wall. “The defects will definitely delay my plans for moving into the new house,” said Mr Ng. “The worst is that during this period, I have to pay for two houses, which is tough.”
Other reported problems by the residents include uneven tiles, chipped walls and rust stains.
HDB acknowledged that out of about half (430) of the flats handed over so far, 30% have reported problems.
MP Baey tried to downplay the problems by saying, “When you have a concentration of interest and views, it just reinforces or heightens feelings.” He said he has received just five to 10 e-mail messages.
Nevertheless, Mr Baey and Minister Heng are arranging to be briefed by the HDB and then to meet residents. HDB said they are doing their best to address the feedback.
Contractor is Soildbuild Construction Group Ltd
Tampines GreenLeaf is situated at the junction of Tampines Avenue 6 and Tampines Avenue 9. The BTO project consists of 960 flats in total.
Link:http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10297p.nsf/ImageView/MayBTO2011AnnexA/$file/Annex_A.pdf
96 units of 2-room flats
160 units of 3-room flats
384 units of 4-room flats
320 units of 5-room flats
According to HDB [Link], the successful tenderer for this 960 unit BTO project was Soilbuild. The building works were awarded to Soilbuild on 26 Sep 2011, 3 years ago, at value of $131 million:
Hence, the average cost of constructing each HDB BTO flat in Tampines GreenLeaf works out to be $136,458.
Soilbuild’s Annual Report 2013 filed with SGX [Link] also confirmed that Soilbuild was the contractor behind Tampines GreenLeaf flats. In his message to the shareholders, Executive Chairman of Soilbuild, Lim Chap Huat, said:
“We benefit from the ability to tender for public sector projects in Singapore of unlimited contract value as our subsidiary, Soil-Build (Pte.) Ltd., has an ‘A1′ grading issued by BCA. While engaging in public housing contracts such as our Tampines Greenleaf project forms part of our drive to support national development, this contract award also serve as testimony to our commitment to construction activities of a higher standard. We are pleased to have secured two new public housing contracts during the year under review and will strive to undertake more national construction projects in future.”
Soilbuild made news in May last year when it welcomed the Govt’s 6.9 million Population White Paper.
Ho Toon Bah, executive director of Soilbuild, said, “The 6.9 million population figure is good news to us. It means that there are more houses to build and more jobs for us!”
Lim Chap Huat then added, “We intend to further develop our position in the public housing sector as HDB ramps up the construction of public housing in the coming years. We believe that our track record in public sector projects puts us in good stead to compete in future tenders from the HDB and other public agencies.”
Who is Lim Chap Huat?
(Soilbuild Executive Chairman Lim Chap Huat BBM (Photo: Soilbuild Annual Report 2013)
It turns out that Mr Lim Chap Huat is a PAP grassroots leader in Nee Soon GRC. He is the vice-chairman of the Citizens’ Consultative Committee (CCC) in Chong Pang. On top of that, he is Assistant Treasurer of PAP’s Chong Pang branch (PAP Nee Soon GRC - Home) [Link]. Mr Lim is also a recipient of the PBM (Public Service Medal) and BBM (Public Service Star).
His company website says of him (Our People | Soilbuild
“A strong believer in community service, Mr Lim is the vice-chairman of the Citizens’ Consultative Committee in Chong Pang. His many contributions were recognised in 2009 when he was conferred the Public Service Star.”
Original link from TRE:http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/07/1...d-by-soilbuild-firm-linked-to-pap-grassroots/