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Since it’s the Ultimate Makeover season for entries (read our March or April issue for the announcement), I decided to answer a few Frequently Asked Questions about entering out makeover contest:
1. Can we join even if you’ve already chosen a Ultimate Makeover Winner? Yes you can. Those who’ve entered the Ultimate Makeover contest but did not win for the Ultimate, still have a chance to be chosen for one of our monthly makeovers. Meanwhile, those who haven’t entered yet and want to join our minor (but still fab) monthly makeovers can send their entries to the addresses below.
2. In that case, where can we send our entries to? You can email it to either of both of these email addresses: smeap@summitmedia.com.ph and/or reallivingmakeovers@gmail.com (in case the summitmedia email gets full). Or send it by snailmail or hand-carry it with this address on the envelope:
REAL LIVING MAKEOVER CONTEST, c/o Marketing 2, Summit Media, 7/F Cybergate Tower 3, Robinsons Pioneer Complex, Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City
3. Do we really need to send more than one photo? Yes, sending approximately 3 to 4 photos of your desired area helps us and the makeover designer in choosing a winner. Choose your desired room and shoot different areas of it. If it has any damages or furniture you don’t like, take pictures of those too, so we’ll know what to fix, in case you’re chosen. Cellphone photos are OK, as long as they’re colored, relatively clear, and not too fuzzy.
4. Why do you have to do oculars? Even if we’ve seen the photos, we need to assess the current state of your home, if we’ve chosen you for our shortlist, especially since some entries have been sent months ago. The RL team and/or the makeover designer need to assess if the renovation of your space will fit into the current allotted budget given to us that month, and if repairs can be done within the time frame and deadline given for the makeover.
We also take into consideration your living conditions, i.e. if you have infants and need to move out during the length of the renovation, if your space needs structural repair and it fits into our budget, and also if you are prepared emotionally to deal with an ongoing renovation even while living there. Actual construction happens, sometimes walls get torn down in the course of renovation, and you would have to deal with that.
5. Kung na-ocular na ako, ibig sabihin ba ay nanalo na ako? Having an ocular on your house done by the RL team and/or our makeover designer does not mean you have won. This only means you have been included in our shortlist for that month. You will only know you have won if you’ve received an official message/email from the RL team clearly stating that you have won. And you won’t miss the message, because the next thing we’d ask you is if you’d be free on a certain date to start the renovation works.
6. Kung sira-ulo ako na homeowner, pipiliin ninyo pa ba ako? Not necessarily, but you can bet that you’re not at the top of our list—yet another reason to do ocular visits, to actually meet you, the homeowner. Sorry for this last bit (it’s not an FAQ), but we have encountered more than one makeover winner run amok during the course of the renovation—like what happened a few years ago when an irate homeowner held the designer, then-managing ed Tisha and me in a room and threatened to end our lives because he didn’t like the makeover we did (the makeover was perfectly fine). Tinutulungan mo na nga, nanganib pa ang buhay namin. 
Also, if your friend or neighbor has won a makeover, be happy for them—there’s a reason why they deserve it. We’ve received quite a number of scathing mail from jealous neighbors and friends saying the winners didn’t deserve it, and wishing them ill. C’mon guys, be decent citizens!
Well I hope this answers a lot of questions. Good luck, guys! 
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April 2nd, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Dear Ms. RAchelle,
Matagal na po akong nagtatry sumali sa homemake-over, nung una disappointed ako kasi metro manila lang, the last time, pwd na yata antipolo, actually lower part lang po ako ng antipolo, it’s almost the boundary of marikina and antipolo. If ever po bang hindi ako makasali sa home make-over pwede po ba akong matulungan ng inyong team. I have 3 girls (12, 4 and 2) and 2 rooms, gusto ko po sanang gawin na lang isang room for them, small lang naman po itong 2 rooms, nakita ko po kasi yung style nung sa big brother house for girls, parang ganun. sana po matulungan ninyo ako, kasi wala ding budget for the renovation.
Thanks and more power.
Jing R. VErgara of Antipolo City
April 4th, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Hi Jing! Yes, pwede na ang Antipolo residents. Please see mechanics sa current issue. But unfortunately, you still have to join our contest po, just submit pictures of the spaces you want made over sa email address above.
April 5th, 2011 at 10:39 pm
Hi! two of my friends already won the contest .. and the works are sooo FAB!I hope I’ll be the next BIG WINNER! (: **fingers crossed**
April 10th, 2011 at 9:44 pm
Hello,is it ok if the makeover is for a garden or a lanai?been wanting to create a small deck but simply dont know how…
April 13th, 2011 at 11:27 am
Good day
I am moving to our new apartment with my niece and fiance very soon and Ive been looking for the perfect dining table. I would like to ask where this long wooden table is from? Thanks!
April 13th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
Ms. Rachelle, this for manila and antipolo residents lang pala, sa next time kahit kmi na tga visayas pwedeng mg join. I am big fan ng Real LIving Mag talaga. sasali pa sana ako. :=)
April 15th, 2011 at 4:53 pm
@Karen Z: This table is the homeowner’s old dining table that the designer re-finished. You can find similar at the furniture tiangge at Market!Market! at the Fort.
April 18th, 2011 at 8:41 pm
Dear Miss Rachelle,
I’d like to ask if we will be informed through email if ever there will be an ocular inspection. Since there are times that i am not at home. I wanted to give this as a surprise for my loving and hardworking parents if ever i won. To be honest, our home is disintegrating slowly. We don’t have a budget to fix it since we are all depending on my father’s scanty income. We are a big family (13 members plus an infant) and the living space is not enough for us to move and sleep peacefully. There are still a space for renovations and expansion if needed. Any part of our house that will be renovated will deeply appreciated.I do hope you could help us. I pray to God that we will be chosen by your team because we are in dire need for it. Thank you and more power to you and your staff. God Bless.
April 23rd, 2011 at 2:38 pm
I’d like to ask if we will be informed through email if ever there will be an ocular inspection? Since there are times that i am not at home. I wanted to give this as a surprise for my loving and hardworking parents if ever i won. To be honest, our home is disintegrating slowly. We don’t have a budget to fix it since we are all depending on my father’s scanty income. We are a big family (13 members plus an infant) and the living space is not enough for us to move and sleep peacefully. There are still a space for renovations and expansion if needed. Any part of our house that will be renovated will deeply appreciated.I do hope you could help us. I pray to God that we will be chosen by your team because we are in dire need for it. Thank you and more power to you and your staff. God Bless.
May 2nd, 2011 at 3:29 am
gud day, ask lng ako pag sumali kami sa makeover nyo may chance din ba kami mapuntahan dito sa puerto princesa city, palawan. im a big fan o0f ur mag…i alwyas bought a copy
October 1st, 2011 at 6:16 pm
gud day…wala po bang makeover para sa iligan city?
November 24th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Dear Ms. Rachelle,
Good day! gusto ko po sana isali ung mother inlaw ko sa real living renovation. single parent napo sya.sa kanila po kami nakatira. wala nmn po ako budget para matulungan ko ang aking mother inlaw sa pag papa ayos ng bahay nya. old house napo un at medyo bbagsak na gawa sa anay. gusto ko sana maipa renovate kung matutulungan nyo kami. maraming salamat po at marami kau natutulungan and more power.
tessa
calumpang, marikina city
July 6th, 2012 at 5:10 pm
Hi RL,
Good day!
I always buy your back issue magazines, bec. we would like to see some of your RL renovated houses and at the same time the designs of the house… since we are planning to go under renovation if there’s already funds for it.
kaya lang parang matatagalan pa since we run out of funds. actually we are from Malabon, so probably you have an idea na binabaha ung area namin. Literally, inside our house the water is up to our neck. so masyadong mahirap and at the same time sobrang delikado especially we have a son, and talagang there’s plenty of mosquitos.
kaya lang there no way talaga na mapa renovate yung haws. But now we decided na patambakan ung 1st floor namin so that pag umulan hindi na kmi bahain. kaya lang sad to say we stop, because wala ng funds for it kaya ngayonsuper disaster ung bahay namin.
baka you could help us find a design and of course of a lesser amount. Gusto na po kasi namin matapos ung bahay.
Baka you have a free make over or you can choose us for your next issues….
Thank you very much.
Charla