If you're still watching free-to-air channels like Channel 5, you'd be familiar with Designer In The House, a variety show where interior designers design dream homes for homeowners.

Basically, homeowners will tell the interior designer the theme they'd like to have for their ideal home, budget and timeline, and the interior designer is supposed to accomplish the abovementioned deliverables.

But nobody's perfect, right?

Minimalist, Muji-like home

Featured on the third episode of the show is Max and Michelle, first-time homeowners of a four-room BTO apartment.

And they had a Muji concept in mind.

In case you don't know what Muji is, it is a Japanese retail company that is distinguished by its minimalist designs.

The couple's budget for the renovation costs is set at S$60,000 and the timeline they gave their interior designer from D5 Studio Image Pte Ltd was 10 weeks.

However, the interior designer told them to expect a projected cost of up to S$75,000 and a renovation period of up to 12 weeks.

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End results

This was the end result:

Living room

Kitchen and dining area

Master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe

The wall of another bedroom was hacked to make way for the walk-in wardrobe.

Not pictured are the master bedroom toilet, feature wall along the corridor and some space-saving mechanisms in the kitchen and walk-in wardrobe.

Cost breakdown

According to the show, this was the breakdown of the renovation costs:

Carpentry: S$55,600

Wetworks: S$12,000

Miscellaneous: S$7000

Flooring: S$5000

Hacking: S$4500

Electrical: S$4000

Plumbing: S$3600

Glass: S$1800

Total: S$93,500

This was how the couple reacted to the price:

Max: I'm not going to pay.

Michelle: Yes, we are.

Max: Yes, I am.

The renovation also took a total of 16 weeks, instead of the projected 10 to 12 weeks.

Why?

While the price did go above the couple's budget by about S$35,000 (based on S$60,000 expectation), the interior designer did tell them to expect to pay about S$75,000.

The costs mainly increased, according to the interior designer, because of added mechanisms and last minute changes like refabrication of the kitchen cabinets as the couple received a refrigerator from Michelle's family that was bigger than they had expected.

The timeline was also delayed by a month due to shipping delays of materials for the house.

Netizens reaction

The average renovation cost for a four-room flat can go anywhere between S$30,000 to S$82,000, depending on different style categories, according to ValuePenguin.

This was how people of the Internet reacted to the S$93,500 tag on the video that now has over 81,000 views:

Most of the comments were angered by the exorbitant price tag.

"Why don't you guys rename the show #robbersinthehouse. Way to exploit first-time house owners. And why not do it on live tv. 95k put in their house loan repayment could have shorten their loan by 5 to 10 years lol."

"How does this show works? The couple really need to pay 95k? As home owners, they have no visual on how their house will be like? How the ID knows where to put the fittings, the power points etc.. and exceed budget by a massive 30k.. its strange.. who would allow that?

In the real world, contractor bears the excess if its over budget. Cos already agreed on the price. Also if late in handing over, contractor faces penalty of some sorts. Right?"

"I've done up a place below $65k complete with smart home systems and better furnishings. With $95k, I hope they throw in gold taps, gold toilet bowls and some motion sensors."

Some, however, looked at the situation a little more positively.

"But this show has its good points.

This show provides young Singaporean male vital info.

1. -what interior design company to avoid.
2. -what kind of women not to marry."

But only this guy is asking the important questions:

"Where are they getting these Singaporeans who don't complain about massive delays and exuberant price hikes?"

But hey, what matters most is that the homeowners enjoy their house.

Top image via Mediacorp Channel 5's Facebook page