KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

We are moving to Singapore soon and are looking to hire a maid as soon as we get there. We have 3 very lively and headstrong children and various pets, so working for us won't be an easy job. Can anyone recommend a good agency that might be able to help?
Also, what's the expected salary for a maid with the usual duties, i.e. cooking, cleaning and watching the children? Any help would be much appreciated!

Excel Power Resources @ 228A River Valley Road Singapore 238286.Liew Koi Chin (KC Liew)
Excel Power Resources
90018756
I got this agent to get a maid as a friend get from him ,
So far both our maids are reliable , trust worthy . I am a mother of 3 and working ,
Helper do all the cleaning , washing and look after the kids too , Philipina ,$450.

Btw , I recommend because I like after sale follow ,
Not related to comPany , no commission .
Maids before this was nightmare .... From previous company,
Not reliable ....

Thanks, mother3, very very useful input! I work too, so I can't use maids without initiative and self-management skills. Is $450 high end pay or about average? I am paying mine about twice as much here in HK, that's the high end of the salary range though...And she still thinks it's not enough:)
Does Excel offer Filipinas only or do they have Thai maids etc.?

Not I know off of Thai helpers , philippino and Indo .

Thanks, that's good to know!

SINGAPORENEW wrote:Thanks, mother3, very very useful input! I work too, so I can't use maids without initiative and self-management skills. Is $450 high end pay or about average? I am paying mine about twice as much here in HK, that's the high end of the salary range though...And she still thinks it's not enough:)
Does Excel offer Filipinas only or do they have Thai maids etc.?

I hope you have the techniques to get maids with initiative and self-management skills. If you have would appreciate if you can share them.
Spend a little bit of time reading the many post here on maids and you will get a flavour of the type of maids that you can possible face in Singapore.

I am just plain lucky if I can get them to do the things that I want and the way I want it done.

BTW I hope you also understand that there is a levy to be paid on top of the salary that you mentioned. Our govt needs to make some revenue out of us.

I agree with hard true , my previous was horrible , went out shopping on her own when I at work , cook instant noodles for my kids instead Of rice or porridge , declare extra off days on Sunday when I still sleeping ,housework half done ....
Get agent , but agent just talk over phone now itch her no action done !
Finally tolerated for half a year , sent her to Philippines .
Get another agent , recommended helper who had been transfer for 6 times within 3 mths .... Till I found this current agent and helper , so far so good.... Hopefully be good till contract ends .

Sounds horrid, Hard Truth and mother3. Not so dissimilar from our situation here in HK. Interviewed 25 maids, hired one and spent a year "educating" her on the dos and don'ts. I am terrified of going through that again, it is so much work and time I don't have! Is it easy to fire a maid that doesn't work out?
Thanks for the tip on the government levy, that's quite an amount per month from what I can see from the Ministry of Manpower website! How about the insurance and the medical costs? What am I responsible for?