Renovation questions,answered straight
What ELS does, when you actually need us, what the three ELS services cost, and how we choose materials for Sarawak's heat, humidity and wet kitchens — before any work starts.
If any of these sound like you, the answers below will save you a costly round of rework.
Which service fits you
A quick read on where your project sits — confirm it in the free Pre-Check.
| Jika | Kemudian |
|---|---|
| You have direction but no documented materials or M&E plan | Start with Design + Specification (from RM1,500) so contractors can price one scope |
| You only need whole-property colour and material direction | Style Adaptation (from RM800) is the right starting point |
| Multiple trades and wet zones all have to line up on site | You need Renovation Coordination (project basis) with QC through the build |
| A cabinet or panel will meet water regularly | Specify ACP or honeycomb aluminium, not moisture-resistant board |
| You already have a trusted contractor | ELS supplies the scope and QC; your contractor builds to it |
Bring this to your Pre-Check
The more of this you bring, the sharper our answer on what you actually need.
- Your floor plan or rough property layout
- Any contractor quotes you're comparing
- Which areas are wet zones — kitchen, bathroom, laundry
- Known problems — past leaks, swelling, termites, flooding
- Photos of the existing space if it's a renovation
- Your must-haves versus nice-to-haves
- A rough budget range, even approximate
Based in Sibu — seluruh Sarawak dengan temu janji.
Soalan lazim
What is ELS, and how is it different from ALUMAX?
ALUMAX supplies the physical products — cabinets, wardrobes, doors, windows, office systems, wall panels and SPC flooring — with production routed through FLYHOME or selected manufacturing partners under ALUMAX specification and QC, while installation and site coordination are carried out by the appointed service team and quoted as separate services. ELS is the layer that sits in front of that: we plan the scope, specify materials, lighting and M&E, coordinate the trades to one approved plan, and run QC — all before work begins. In short, ALUMAX delivers the product; ELS makes sure the right thing gets built, in the right order, the first time.
Adakah reka bentuk ELS percuma jika saya beli produk ALUMAX?
Configuration is included; design authorship is charged. Choosing one of the five curated styles and configuring standard ALUMAX products costs nothing. Original design work — space planning, bespoke detailing, technical documentation — is a paid professional service. Premium lighting planning, renovation coordination, bespoke feature-space design and additional drawings are separately chargeable.
Apakah beza antara penyelarasan gaya dan reka bentuk dalaman penuh?
Penyelarasan gaya menggunakan satu bahasa warna dan bahan ELS yang diluluskan merentasi ruang terpilih dan menyesuaikan produk ALUMAX dengan hartanah. Reka bentuk dalaman penuh melibatkan pembangunan konsep lebih luas, susun atur tersuai, ruang istimewa, pencahayaan terperinci, pemilihan bukan-ALUMAX dan dokumentasi teknikal tambahan.
Can ELS design my home using FLYHOME cabinets?
Yes. FLYHOME is an official cabinet collaboration available through ALUMAX. ELS can incorporate suitable FLYHOME cabinetry into one of the five ELS style directions and coordinate it with other ALUMAX products. FLYHOME's P6 system is a dry-zone platform — used for dry-area cabinetry, wardrobes and living storage. Wet and higher-risk zones (wet-kitchen base units, vanities, laundry) are specified in ALUMAX ACP, honeycomb or aluminium, never P6. ALUMAX handles product quotation, measurement, supply, installation and after-sales.
Bolehkah saya campurkan beberapa gaya?
Anda boleh simpan rujukan daripada gaya berbeza, tetapi ELS akan menetapkan satu bahasa reka bentuk utama dan menormalkan warna, corak dan kemasan yang bercanggah. Mencampurkan setiap elemen kegemaran tanpa kawalan biasanya menghasilkan keputusan yang tidak konsisten.
When do I actually need ELS?
When the project has more than one trade, more than one wet zone, or more than one quote to reconcile. A single-cabinet swap rarely needs us. A full-house renovation — where plumbing, electrical, tiling, carpentry and aluminium all have to line up — is exactly where unmanaged scope turns into rework. If you can't point to one document that everyone is building from, that's the gap ELS fills.
What are the three ELS services and what do they cost?
Style Adaptation from RM800 — whole-property colour, finish and material direction. Design + Specification from RM1,500 — a documented spec covering materials, lighting and M&E that contractors can actually price against. Renovation Coordination is on a project basis — we coordinate trades to the approved scope and run QC through the build. All fees exclude SST.
How much is site measurement, and is it refundable?
Site measurement is from RM300 within Sibu and from RM500 outstation. It is creditable against your project on confirmation — so if you proceed, it isn't a sunk cost. We measure properly because guessing dimensions is one of the cheapest ways to cause an expensive on-site clash later.
How do you choose cabinet and panel materials?
By moisture zone, not by budget. Dry areas (most cabinetry, wardrobes) can use a quality moisture-resistant board — and a low formaldehyde-emission grade (E1, E0 or ENF) keeps the indoor air clean. That emission grade is a separate thing from water resistance. Wet zones — wet-kitchen base units, bathroom vanities, laundry — should use ACP or honeycomb aluminium, which don't swell when they get wet. Choosing by price alone is how people end up replacing a swollen base cabinet two years in.
What's the difference between moisture-resistant and waterproof?
They are not the same thing, and the confusion is expensive. E1/E0/ENF are emission grades — they describe formaldehyde release, not water resistance. "Moisture-resistant" board tolerates humidity and brief splashes; it is not built to sit in standing water or take a daily soaking. For genuine wet exposure you want a non-absorbent substrate like ACP or honeycomb aluminium. We spell this out so nobody buys an emission grade thinking it's a waterproofing rating.
What should I do differently for a wet kitchen?
Treat the wet kitchen as a wet zone from the start. Base units that meet water — around the sink, the wash area, the heavy-cooking zone — belong in ACP or honeycomb aluminium, not moisture-resistant board. Plan drainage falls, splash protection and ventilation before carpentry is ordered, not after. In Sarawak, a wet kitchen that's specced like a dry one is a future repair bill.
Do I really need coordination, or can the contractor handle it?
A good contractor manages their own crew well. Coordination is a different job: making sure plumbing, electrical, tiling, carpentry and aluminium agree on the same dimensions, sequence and finished levels before anyone commits. When each trade optimises for itself, the clashes surface on site — and on-site fixes are the most expensive kind. ELS coordinates everyone to one approved scope so the build matches the plan.
What is NOT included in an ELS engagement?
ELS is the planning, specification, coordination and QC layer — we don't sell or install the products ourselves; ALUMAX does that. Specialist works such as waterproofing, broader flooring systems, façade, drainage, CCTV, landscaping, ventilation systems and premium restoration are handled on a project basis as coordinated multi-trade scope, not bundled into a flat fee. We'll always tell you what sits inside the fee and what is a separate line.
Is SPC flooring an ELS service or an ALUMAX product?
SPC flooring is an ALUMAX-direct product — supplied and installed by ALUMAX. Broader "flooring systems" work that involves levelling, waterproofing or several trades is ELS project-basis, because it has to be coordinated, not just laid. If you only need SPC, that's a straight ALUMAX product line; if the floor is part of a bigger scope, ELS plans how it fits.
What are the ALUMAX package levels — Essential, Signature, Bespoke?
These describe the ALUMAX product spec level, separate from ELS services. Essential is the core stocked spec. Signature is upgraded finishes and specialty detail. Bespoke is fully custom or heavy-duty work. Product pricing sits with ALUMAX and is confirmed after measurement — it depends on your spec and site. ELS's own fees are Style Adaptation from RM800, Design + Specification from RM1,500, and Renovation Coordination on a project basis.
How long does the planning and specification stage take?
It depends on scope and how quickly decisions get made, so we won't quote a fixed number — that would be a guess. What we can say: the time spent agreeing scope and spec up front is far shorter than the time lost to on-site rework when nobody agreed it first. We'd rather set a realistic schedule with you once we've seen the site than promise a deadline we'd have to break.
Can ELS work with my own contractor?
Yes. ELS produces the scope and specification and coordinates the trades; your contractor can build to that plan. The value is the same either way — everyone works from one approved document instead of several conflicting assumptions. We're the planning and QC layer, not a replacement for a builder you already trust.
What happens at the free Renovation Pre-Check?
The Pre-Check is where we understand your property, your wet zones, your existing quotes and what's actually at risk. It's how we tell you honestly whether you need full coordination, a specification only, or just direction — before you commit any fee. It costs nothing and it's the fastest way to find out where your current plan is exposed.
Do you provide service in both English and Chinese?
Yes. We plan, specify and explain in both English and Simplified Chinese, including the material and technical terms that matter — ACP, SPC, E0, emission grades, wet-zone logic. The goal is that you understand exactly what you're approving, in the language you're most comfortable making decisions in.
Which areas do you cover — Sibu only?
Sibu is our base, and site measurement there starts from RM300. We also serve outstation Sarawak, where measurement starts from RM500 to cover travel. Wherever the property is, the same climate logic applies — heat, humidity, monsoon rain, termites and flood risk drive the material choices, not postcode.
Why specify everything before work starts instead of deciding as we go?
Because decisions made mid-build are made under pressure, with trades waiting and walls already open — that's when budgets slip and corners get cut. Specifying first means materials, dimensions, lighting and M&E are agreed when changing your mind still costs nothing. It's the difference between directing the work and reacting to it.
- EN 312 — kelas gred papan partikel (P1–P7) ↗
- EN 13986 / EN 717-1 — kelas pelepasan formaldehid E1 (≤ 0.124 mg/m³) ↗
- Iklim Sibu — kelembapan, suhu & hujan (climate-data.org) ↗
External references for the standards and climate data cited above. ELS by ALUMAX is not affiliated with these organisations.
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Start ELS Pre-Check