Introduction
ZH Builders Pte Ltd is a Singapore design and build construction company established in 2016. It was founded by Mr. Chew Leong Huat, who started from humble beginnings in the early 1980s. With Mr Chew’s cumulation of hands-on knowledge in building construction and his passion for building works, he built the company with the conviction of “duty to customer first” in delivering quality and schedule.

The Company is complimented by people of professional insight, and strives to provide the best quality works, with prompt and satisfactory delivery. It has tailored their service offerings to various types of residential, commercial and industrial projects.

ZH Builders engages with both the private and public sector. The Company prides itselves in the competence in the core facets of building construction, which includes civil and structural engineering works, architectural works, mechanical and electrical works, as well as interior decoration works. Their key speciality is in the medium and high-end residential landed properties.

In 2017, the Company achieved BCA’s financial and workhead category of C3 in CW01 General Building, C3 in CW02 Civil Engineering and L1 in CR06 Interior Decoration. It has also attained BizSAFE 3.

Corporate Culture
ZH Builders’ fundamental belief is to do the works “one time only”. As such, the company invests heavily in competent technical and management personnel; it believes that the trickle-down reward of “reduced abortive works” are the fruits “speed” and “good workmanship”. The Company also believes that “delay” in project progress is the root to many a “poor workmanship” and “poor delivery”, because contractors are more often than not, unable to do a rush job well.

ZH Builders understands that “indecision” breeds delay, but can be managed by adequate consultant co-ordination. The project staff at ZH Builders are hence trained to engage directly with the project consultants and the client in order to solve problems ahead of the construction works. It believes that this will lead their company into a culture of using a systemic way of handling delay caused by indecision.

Timely accounting of the project costs also affects the progress of works, because there are often constrains in confirmation of work requests due to cost and claim uncertainty. As such, the management team of ZH Builders commits themselves to provide honest and reliable work costing together with project cost tracking, such that the cash flow of the project can be monitored by the consultants and client throughout the duration of the project.

Achievements and Impact
Ingrained with the philosophy of early resolution of problems and early approval of costs, ZH Builders has delivered all its projects in a timely and expeditious manner.

Because of the lack of substantive abortive works and the benefit of early work confirmations, it has enjoyed the corresponding time savings, resulting in easier project planning, better workmanship as well as better customer satisfaction.

Prompt accounting by the quantity surveying team at ZH Builders has resulted in prompt payment certifications and prompt finalisation of the project accounts.

With the useful traits of the provision of competent project staff, engagement with the consultants, using the best skilled workers and providing the almost “real time” project accounting, ZH Builders has constantly been invited by the same developers for new projects.

Future Direction
The core workers at ZH Builders are well suited for quality housing construction, the team’s short-term objective is to specialise in more upmarket housing projects by increasing its pool of skilled workers; as keeping within its core trade will not compromise the quality of its works, and clients will continue to enjoy the good workmanship offered.

ZH Builders plans to expand its existing portfolio towards good-class bungalows and condominiums, and are working towards upgrading to B1 builder certification within two years. With its in-house professionals, ZH Builders is currently working closely with its selected consultants in order to provide packaged-deals with clients on a design and build basis.