cacky

darcbleu: Thank you!!! Shall go and check it out. Have you started renovations for your place??? sheppy: Ah yes ... ADT is quite a popular brand. But not sure about feedback on their devices. frederick_chia: Yeah, I know what you mean ... I've passed by that block a few times before. Heard from my mom-in-law that they introduced it becoz there were quite a number of thefts occuring to the old folks in that block. No idea that they scrapped it. Maybe costs too high or maybe residents complain lehceh. But it sure is a good idea, feels like living in condo. Hhahaa, got access card some more.

applegirl: I was told by my renovator that HDB has done the piping in such a way that the storage heater is best fixed at the common bathroom. If you wanna place it in the service yard, there might be some extra works to be done. I initially wanted it at the service yard too but changed my mind and left it in the common bathroom in the end. You planning to have a bathtub in your bathroom? sheppy: An alarm system may be good, considering the amount of thefts reported during this period of time. Which brand you considering? frederick_chia: Where is the nearest Botak Jones???

Not just theft ah ... got smell of urine everywhere. **** gross!

Hmmmm, I didn't get it in my letter box leh ... maybe selectively?

sheppy: Hhehee, us too, we are contemplating not to have dining so soon. Save a bit more first lor. But coz we have our lighting from our false ceiling for the dining area, so maybe we don't need lamps. Lamps to us now is a luxury, not a necessity. I just realized that false ceilings are killers! You don't see the hidden costs in those downlights and tubes one!!!

Can I have your thoughts on roller blinds? I know they're considered cheaper than curtains. But are they lasting?

I am looking for fabric type of lightings. What's the average price to pay for a dining and a living light? Any good shop to recommend that has good fabric lighting selection?

sheppy: Thanks ... I was told it's around this kinda pricing too. But a little too ex. Lightings alone almost killed us already. Seems like I can't get my dream lightings.

Can I find out what's the average amount you guys spend on curtains?

elstrial: The thing about IntraDesign which we were not comfortable with was that it's a lump sum quote. So it's more of if they can do the stuff you require within your budget, then good, you can consider them. And if you have a recommended ID from their company by a friend, then better still. We prefer itemised quotes. And I guess in the process of asking around for quotes, it's also important to know the kinda materials they use, for the kitchen work tops, for the cabinets, wardrobe system etc. These ultimately determine the price. And of coz, the price of the tiles will determine the costings for flooring. Naturally, if you were to choose 2.50 psf as opposed to a 3.50 psf, the flooring costs will vary. Your contractor/ID should also be bringing you to reliable shops to make purchase. We're after all new in this area. As much as we can do our research, sometimes, it's also good to have recommendations. You don't necessary have to buy on the spot. But if they bring you there, you can have a feel, deliberate over it, compare your pricings and then decide. And as someone else mentioned here. It is very important to be able to establish good relationship with your future ID/contractor. You'll be facing the person for the next 2 months, calling up the person to ask about your purchases (if they're practical or sane). So, please do give all these factors good thought. It was a gruelling process for me as well to narrow down. We've seen those that advertised, those that were recommended through friends, those that were recommended by forumers. You'll see all sorts of people, from the pushy ones to the both chap ones (meet you once and never revert with quotations), the attas ones and of coz' the really 'can click' ones, who knows what you truly want. I think a good and important trait of your renovator has to be flexible. Coz along the way, we might change our thoughts and if your renovator is too rigid, it's no good. It's after all your own home, you'd wanna have a say on how you want things to be done, unless you can totally trust the renovator to build something to your needs. All the best in getting your renovator and dream house done up!

frederick_chia: You can try Sim Siang Choon for that type. They have large variety. But in terms of brands, only those few. And as some forumers have mentioned, they are probably priced higher than the rest. The other alternative is to zoom in on brands and then check with dealers like Poh Joo or Hoe Kee to see if they have those models. Read in the forum here, think Asia Excel in IMM sells kitchen sinks too. You can try them out.

Hi guys ... need some thoughts about brands of air-con ... Hitachi vs Sanyo? Anyone bought either of these brands? Can give some advice which is better of them both?

We are truly blessed to have knowledgeable folks like DSA living in our estate. Hhehehe. Thanks once again ... for all the info you've provided!

Hi all ... here's a question on hobs. There are many different brands out there. Can I have some thoughts regarding Rinnai, Teka, Smeg and Ariston? I am looking at getting the stainless steel type and using gas only. I have also a question on the size. I notice 90 cm is quite a common size but I find it a little large and don't have much use for such a huge hob, I'd rather have more counter space. Yet I am afraid that if I get a size like 60cm, it's not common and if it breaks down, I will be forced to look for a hob that is of that size. Can I know which are the sizes that you guys got for your hobs?

Thanks yokoyoko!

yokoyoko & frederick_chia: Thanks for the tips! Guys, is there an NTUC near where we live huh? I know there's Sheng Siong and Shop N Save. Just wondering where's NTUC. Still a bit not used to the Sheng Siong concept. It's a bit like a wet market that's air-conditioned.

Big Orange: I am not so worried about the wooden door being waterproof etc. Coz I believe they should be able to withstand the moisture, otherwise, why would HDB have that in the first place? There must be some reason why wooden doors are built in toilets. yokoyoko: So from what you're saying ... if it's just the 2 of us, we might be better off with instant heaters, eh? Again, I don't quite believe the water vs wood theory. Plus the bathroom has windows to ventilate off the water moisture. Maybe becoz I'm quite particular. I like to be consistent. I find it weird to have a whole house of wooden doors and then all of a sudden, a door made of acryllic. I really detest those plastic type of bi-fold doors or PD doors. Coz I've been using them for years and I really think they are not very reliable. frederick_chia: Thanks for the tip on the woodgrain PD door, think that might be a good idea. Question is ... do they come with aluminium framing?

Raayn: In response to your question earlier about the difference from laminate flooring and marble. This is what I've gathered after sitting through with different renovators. Coz' initially, I wanted laminate wood flooring for my whole house. Coz I was exploring Kronotex. I like the idea of a wooden floor, makes the place look cosy. Here's sharing with you what I think about laminate wood lah ... if you wanna get, I suggest only get the good brands. The cheaper ones are being made in China. And at the place I am staying, it's also using laminate wood from China. My experience is that I encountered scratches and dents. As for water ... I don't feel it. But when you clean the floor, you have to handle it with care. You cannot simply use a mop and just wipe it with detergent, it'll somehow leave stains. As for the warp bit, it's true if you have water on it and only if you don't take care of the wetness and leave it there. But if you remove it immediately, it shouldn't be a problem. Please take note that this is different from parquet/wooden flooring. It actually is considered a cheaper alternative to parquet/wooden flooring. Except the technology behind it is different. Of coz parquet/wooden is much better, that's why it's much more expensive. But I was told that to the laymen, they don't really see much of the difference, that's why it's more practical to go for the cheaper alternative, which is wooden laminate. Another thing is ... if you're considering selling your house in future, not everyone takes to wooden laminate flooring, unless you are referring to just your bedrooms. The reason why people use wooden laminates for their bedrooms is coz a lot of condos these days do that and it simulates a kinda warm and cosy feeling inside the rooms. In terms of maintenance and practicality, homogeneous tiles are still the easiest to maintain, I feel. As for marble, I didn't do research on it so I can't comment but becoz it's so expensive, I would imagine that in future, should you decide to sell it, you might have problems coz' your selling price has to be higher and also not everyone likes marble flooring. Another thing to consider is ... homo flooring does make the flooring colder. So imagine when you get out of bed in the morning in an air-con room, if you use homo flooring, your feet will feel cold as they touch the ground. But if you use wooden laminate, it definitely won't be as cold. Think of practicality and usability, that's what I always advocate. It's your own needs that should determine what kinda materials you should use for your house. Hi fellow LGers, I have 2 questions here that I'd like to have your opinions on: 1. Instant heaters vs Storage heaters - Hubby and I are still pretty undecided as to which to pick. I really don't like the idea of the big drum thing stored in the common bathroom. I was told that this is the only place where we can put the storage heater, and not in the service yard. Yet I was also told that instant heaters will have piping everywhere which might be ugly. Okay, that's for design aspect. What about usage aspect? Can I have a feel of the pros and cons for using instant heaters or storage heaters please? 2. PD Door vs Bi-Fold door - Like some of you here, we have also decided to change our MBR door. But we like to go for a uniform look as the other doors in the other rooms (ie. the wooden feel), I was told that if we do a PD door, the frame of the PD door have to use aluminium, so even if I get a wooden PD door, I have to use aluminium framing (which is not nice). What about a bi-fold door with a wooden material? Anyone tried that yet? Or are there any alternatives???

I've always felt that DSA and a few other members in this thread have provided LG members here with a lot of insight. For a reno noob like me, I have indeed learnt a lot. Of coz, I also gather information from my own form of research and for talking to friends who are already home-owners to get some tips. I don't think one should take DSA's comments personally becoz his posts are there to actually help one to be more realistic. After sitting through with various renovators, I have come to realize that actually, more often than now, I am caught between being practical vs wanting a dream design. So Raayn, ultimately, you have to ask yourself what are your plans. ie. Do you foresee yourself staying long-term in this place, even when you have kids in future. If so, then you can afford to decorate your place bit by bit. Some of the members here have posted some sample pricing for you. While it may seem possible, but you must also be aware of this phrase "一分钱一分货" This industry is so competitive that sometimes, it's just impossible for renovators to mark up too high becoz they know the characteristics of Singaporeans. We are so kiasu and hate to be 'cheated' and will do all the research we can on pricing just to get the best deal. So, you have to understand, if you want good quality floor tiles or good quality kitchen cabinets, you have to be prepared to pay more. For myself, my hubby and I sat down to discuss what are important for us and what are 'wants only'. And then we will decide which to spend more on. DSA also made a very good point there I feel. And that's no one ever keeps within their budget. There's bound to be some stuff you missed out on. So always buff up your budget. To be on the safe side, keep more than 5k extra to cater. I know this question may seem a bit unnecessary but just out of curiosity, "Since you guys are still young and have loans etc to pay off, why did you all decide to commit to purchasing a unit?" The reason why I'm asking this becoz I wanna stress that financial planning is very important. When we were young, our idea of financial planning is to set aside some savings and maybe to give our parents some money every month, maybe settle study loans or some instalments like a laptop or TV. But as you grow older, you'll realize that you'll have more things to be concerned about such as wedding, housing and eventually kids. These things have to be thought through. A lot of us fall into the traps of being in loans. Not that it's a bad thing but it builds so much on your burden. To the extent, when I see some of my ex-colleagues holding on frantically to their jobs coz they cannot afford to lose them, otherwise, how will they finance all their loans? My hubby always make this joke and that is ... the cars and housing you see in Singapore don't belong to the people at all, they all belong to the banks! And that is very true. So, my dear, think it through, if you feel that you still can hold off renovation for a while, then do so. Another alternative, do really basic renovation, consider to rent it out (if there is no urgency to move in), then once you have the money from rental, you can then proceed to build your dream house. 一步一步来 ... ...

I think it's 'Sui Bian' ... for a moment, I was puzzled what you trying to convey. Shou Pian sounds like 'kenah cheated'.

Wah lau ... haven't moved in and you guys already discussing about building collapse??? Not a very good topic eh?

yokoyoko: That's what I thought also, maybe they never display out. So that confirms my thoughts ... thanks. spidey: Looks like your place is almost done up. Congrats!!!

yokoyoko & DSA: Thanks for the pics! Roughly understand but I think hor ... such stuff leave it to my ah lau to go and research. I do the reno stuff, he settle electrical stuff. happyhouseowner: We also might wanna consider Fisher & Paykel for our fridge. Know of where can get good lobangs for this brand? Coz those neighbourhood electrical shops don't seem to be carrying this brand.

DSA & Yokoyoko: Pardon my ignorance here. When you mean Joven heater, you're referring to those kinda electric heater? Non-gas type?

Hi all, my hubby found this promotion of gas heater & dryer and we're currently evaluating. To me, I find that gas heater tend to generate a higher bill as opposed to those instant heaters. Can we have anyone's thoughts on this? Maybe the advantages and disadvantages in using gas heater? http://www.citygas.com.sg/combi/index.htm