A Bali Resort In Cck

[MrK 2]

Hi there!

Decided to start this t-blog to share my renovation progress with everyone as I have been actively scouring many forums for advice and have benefited a lot from fellow T-bloggers! As I embark on this Bali-Resort themed home, I hope all the tips and tricks as well as contacts I've learnt or known would contribute to those who are renovating their home or getting keys to their new place!

For a start, choosing this theme was a rather big decision for my wife and I as this is not a popular theme and I found out that it's not the cheapest as well!

How we got the idea to do this theme is because my wife and I love the sun, sand and sea! Thus, when we took our pre-wedding photos, we chose Bali. We immediately fell in love with the place because it's so beautiful and so happening! There are so many things you can do and there's always some hidden gems that you haven't heard of everytime you talk to someone about Bali!

After we got our ballot ticket to choose our flat, I immediately consult my fengshui master, Master Tong to help me in choosing the ideal flat. Unfortunately, the best unit in my new BTO estate is a corridor unit but thankfully HDB had changed the design where there's no more windows by the corridors to prevent theft.

Fast forward to today, I've already collected my keys and have inspected my place. Now waiting for them to finish up on the defects and Master Tong to audit my place in Early March!

Here's my original floor plan!

Content Page:

1. Choosing your ID
2. Choosing your Hob & Hood

Edited April 8, 2015 by MrK

[MrK 2]

Being the more Kiasu person, I started to buy bit by bit of household items since last year November as I have been constantly looking out for sales since this period will be the Xmas/New Year/CNY sales period.

On top of that, I'm a huge fan of Amazon thus, I've got a long wish list there so the moment a certain item drops the prices, I will check it out!

Here are the items we have bought for our place:

Bed: Slumberland Royal Bliss from Slumberland Gallery

Bedframe & Side Tables: Joran King Size Bed with 2 Joran Side Tables from Castlery

Sofa: Coria Sectional from Castlery

TV: LG 55 INCH ULTRA HD 3D SMART TV from Mega Discount Store (with free Sound Bar, Air Purifier, $200 Choice Vouchers, 3D Blu-Ray Player and 4 extra 3D Glasses)

Sink: Kraus 33 inch Undermount 60/40 Double Bowl 16 gauge Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink from Amazon

Digital Lock: Yale YDR3110

Washing Machine: LG 9kg Inverter Direct Drive Steam Washer WD-14A8FDS5 from HN

Fridge: LG 405L 2 Door Fridge GNB519PSAZ from HN
Dryer: Bosch 7kg Condenser Dryer WTE84105GB from HN

Edited March 22, 2015 by MrK

[MrK 2]

Choosing your ID/Contractors:

After meeting about 8 of them, to me, there are IDs who are like contractors and there are contractors who are like IDs, so if you ask me, end of the day there's not much difference unless you're comparing with the best from both sides.

However, be it an contractor or ID, these are the points that they must have before signing the dotted line:

- Knowing and understanding what you want

- Comfortable talking to him/her

- Attentive to your lifestyles and preferences so to incorporate in your house design

- Able to give alternative solutions/suggestions that are practical and aesthetically pleasing

- NOT a YES man

- Able to tell you what furniture matches your theme and not.

- Accommodating of your budget

- Able to provide 3D drawings (for contractors)

- Able to let you outsource (e.g. painting works, etc)

For those first timers like myself, I would suggest that your first meeting should be with an ID.

Why? IDs generally are more design-inclined and may even have ready templates for you to view

With a rough idea of what you want, ask him to propose to you what they can do for you.

Always visit their show flats that matches your themes (if possible) and those that are work-in-progress (if possible) so you know what's their workmanship like. At the same time, you will have a clearer idea on what to do.

Another place to get renovation ideas are condo showflats, of course be nice and tell the agents you're just looking around and don't need any help.

After all this, you should have a more concrete plan on what you feel like doing for your own place and a rough pricing to use as reference.

* When negotiating with your ID/Contractor, always give 90-95% of your real budget.

* Some IDs/Contractors will give you the figure WITHOUT GST so take note.
* Some IDs/Contractors can waive off GST

* Always ask for discounts and ask for extra freebies

* You will roughly know that they can't give any more discounts when they start to ask you to remove items from your quote

Edited February 24, 2015 by MrK

[MrK 2]

Just started hacking last Monday and boy, it has been a scary week for me.

A few major hiccups happened:
1) Had to suddenly change design while hacking as my ID didn't tell me the cost of removing the kitchen floor and wall tiles

2) My original tiler went MIA (I outsourced instead of getting from ID to cut cost)

3) Some of the tiles I chose went out of stock as NO ONE thought of reserving it until last minute, so I had to rush down to Hafary to choose tiles immediately.

Thankfully, we managed to make the best of whatever that has been hacked and redesign to fit my theme.

Master Bedroom and Bedroom 2 combined

Kitchen and Service Yard combined

Edited March 22, 2015 by MrK

[MrK 2]

After asking around and sourcing various friends, I finally found my tiler.

In terms of workmanship, went to one of the house he was doing, I would say good, as he's doing the tiling all by himself.

In terms of attitude and responsibility, BEST. I confirmed him on Thursday afternoon, By Friday lunch time, he had all sand and the cement bags moved to into my place

In terms of pricing, I would say, reasonable, and the best price, he's very clear on what is being spent on materials and what is you are paying him for

So far what he has done within 1.5 days (Friday & Saturday)

This was up by Friday afternoon

Saturday lunch time; Wall is up plus making good of some edges

Saturday Lunch Time; Adhesive applied for both toilets walls and floor

[FATFROG 4]

Don't see any Balinese or Javanese elements in the furniture choice, not the bed nor the sofa.

[MrK 2]

We are importing furniture from Bali so still on the ship to SG now.

[InkMe 0]

Hi, mind sharing the tiler's contact?

[penicillin 0]

Hi, I see that your main playing furniture are from Castlery and Slumberland Gallery. Why didn't you take the opportunity to import all from Bali since you are already shipping in from Bali (and that the one time forklift, crate and paperwork charges won't differ much further)? Am sure it's cheaper and more authentic than those from Castlery.

[MrK 2]

@InkMe - I will PM you

@penicillin - I've checked with my Bali furniture side, the cost of item plus shipping way exceeds our budget and is more costly compared to Castlery. Will be shipping smaller items though.

Wanted to do more of the authentic Bali resort feel but based on budget constraint, we might be going more towards modern resort

[Eventide 1]

I've read before that most of the furniture in Bali are made in Java rather than on Bali itself. Bali has to import labour from other parts of Indonesia and teak plantations are on Java rather than Bali. Just wondering what sort of Balinese furniture did you order that's made there? Been to Bali many times for holiday, but never quite dared to take the plunge.

[MrK 2]

@eventide i'm looking at coffee table, and those half height cabinets. now in midst of negotiating and checking the cost of shipping before taking the plunge

[nutasya 0]

Hi,

Can i have ur tiler contact as well as quotation.

Thanks.

[penicillin 0]

I've read before that most of the furniture in Bali are made in Java rather than on Bali itself. Bali has to import labour from other parts of Indonesia and teak plantations are on Java rather than Bali. Just wondering what sort of Balinese furniture did you order that's made there? Been to Bali many times for holiday, but never quite dared to take the plunge.

The furniture stretch is in Ubud. Whole stretch but again Bali stuff is catered for the western tourists. If you want cheaper furniture try Semarang.

The shipping is really not complicated but you have to handle it yourself from Singapore than to get the Balinese to do it for you. Basically not as pricey just that the paperwork and domestic forklift and crating charges can bang your wallet a little.

Edited March 28, 2015 by penicillin

[MrK 2]

@penicillin thanks for your advice, I'm planning to head up one more time to scout ubud & semarang and see what will be suitable for my place.

I quite confused about the shipping though, they will ship until Singapore Port and after that, that's for me to arrange. don't understand how it works.