DSA

Seems like even Samsung mobile phone after-sale service is not up to par.

There are two parts to the size of a hob: The exterior dimension and the cut-out size. The hob slots into the cut-out in the solid surface or granite worktop. Again, the choice of hobs or any household appliance can be rather complex: Some go for looks first; I go for substance first. Always. Substance over form. Tip: Know the core benefit of what you are really buying. And that you are not buying flowers.

Instant water heaters vs Storage water heaters Hi cacky, let's look at the choice of IWH vs SWH objectively: Do u have other objectives that can aid you in the decision? Such as cost issues, cost of usage in terms of water & electricity, future needs projection. For your current usage of 2 persons, an IWH in the master toilet provides the most optimal cost efficiency for pure showering: Just initial investment cost + usage cost. However, if you wanna enjoy hot water on your hands in the basin, then storage water heater is the way to go. Water in a Joven SWH can last from the morning shower till you come back from work. Of course, that depends on when your 2nd shower is! Using a simplest input-output equation applied on heat transfer, Input = Output + Heat Loss Electricity + Water = Hot Water + Heat Loss In terms of cumulative electricity usage, SWH would use more electricity than IWH but SWH is heating up an entire tank of water, be it 15L, 25L, 35L or even 50L while IWH is merely heating the water that flows over the heating element. Actually, I wouldn't call the process in IWH heating but rather the flowing water is cooling the heating element. So naturally, SWH consume more electricity than IWH. Moreover, water heated by SWH is hotter than that by IWH. Surely you've experienced showering on a cold day using a IWH and had to turn the knob all the way to the hot hot zone to enjoy reasonably hot water. The heat loss is much, much more in IWH than SWH as SWH has insulation to keep the water heated hot for a day or two. So you really need to ask yourself, what are the other factors that matter to you in selecting a water heater. You can read leen's excellent perspective on IWH vs SWH. Once the choice of water heater is made, you'll have more headache to come! Different brands & models of water heaters!! For SWH, there are Alpha, Amascon, Ariston, Champs, Joven, Rheem. It's another round of specifications crunching & comparison. And it is good to select those with high efficiencies if energy conservation is one of your objectives. PD Door vs Bi-Fold door There are wooden bifold doors. However, their cost is rather prohibitive & the natural proximity of the door to the shower area does not bode well for the durability of the door, even with the barrier provided by a shower screen - water vapour travels and they gravitate towards opening with large surface area when air flow is stronger. So don't expect the small ventilation window panes to do much unless a ventilation fan is installed to extract air out from the shower area. Aluminium still provides the best bet on durability in such areas where agents of corrosion are present. What you can do, however, is to dictate the supplier to power coat the aluminium bifold door & frame with a colour that matches with the rest of the other wooden doors, provided they have such a colour from their supplier. Do note that one of HDB's prime objectives to SIC on this public housing development project and any other for that matter, is cost. HDB throws SIC a budget of say $20 million and say: "Ok, build me 958 units of HDB flats, X number of 3 room flats, Y number of 4 room flats, Z number of 5 room flats, with this, this, this & this. For SIC to make a decent profit, they have to contain cost of construction which they or HDB open a tender to select the lowest bidder. So I advise you not to look to HDB, SIC or China Construction to exercise much well-thought design & construction considerations. This is evident from the dozens of design faults easily spot in Linear Green units.

I think u have inadvertently swapped the ability to set temperature in the two models le. Joven vertical model has a control knob which allows temperature setting from ‘OFF’ to 70°C (Low - Medium - High). Under normal operation the thermostat cuts out at the set temperature - Low (about 40°C), Medium (about 55°C), High (about 70°C). When the hot water consumption is not in large volume, setting at Medium will minimise electrical consumption. The horizontal model has a built-in thermostat which is pre-set at 65°C to provide maximum hot water, ready for immediate use. Picture Time! JVA25 JH25 I chose the horizontal model and had it installed in the location depicted in the previous pic as the vertical model is longer than the flanking compartment and beams. The thermostat panel is sealed by a ABS plastic cover, thus rendering it rather inaccessible. I emailed Joven whether the thermostat is adjustable. I hope it is! 40°C is hot enough for showering right?

PD Door base price is $288 and there is additional charge if there's other requirements such as glass panels or multi-coloured acrylic panels. The price list is posted on PDdoor.com. The downside of installed PD Door at the entrance of the master toilet is that the swing will eat into the rectangular space which can be & should be optimised for storage purposes. That is the 2nd reason I chose a bifold one; the first being cost effectiveness.

Fred, try going thru the Joven pdf again. The answer is in there. The orientation of the heating element is detailed on the 2nd page. Or you prefer to hear my short recommendation? Take the horizontal model. Coz that's the one which will fit nicer in your bathroom than the vertical model. If your bathroom looks like this: Have u joined the Linear Green Group on the Facebook? I posted the contacts of the vendors I engaged & from whom I received good service there.

Hi Fred, actually u have read but perhaps not understood the pdf which actually holds the answer to your query of which model of Joven storage heater heats up water faster as the rate of heat transfer depends on, amongst numerous other factors such as power rating of the heating element, the placement or orientation of the heating element with respect to the material to be heated, i.e. greater contact surface area with the heating element by the material that heat transfer is to be effected. For heating of water in storage water heaters, the method of heat transfer is convection or more specifically natural convective heat transfer. Thus, contrary to popular belief or rather sheer ignorance, Joven's design of their storage water heater is not just for aesthetic purposes, there are practical reasons for horizontal & vertical models due to the space available at point of installation. This comes under engineering. The heating element part is under thermodynamics. Standard aluminium bi-fold door $180. With installation. I have one which replaces the MBR toilet door. Then again, I should have followed Ryan's ingenuity and save myself $180.

Joven has a website, u know?

It takes logic, reason & rationale to understand my postings. Coz that's how I formulate my thoughts & posts. And my communication style is factual, stoic, without emotional noise. However, not everyone's mind operate in such manner - everyone is wired differently. And thank you for not mis-interpretating what I am really trying to convey. That is a great reward for the effort I put in my previous posts which have been reinforced with additional points that I have come up with as I read them again. If there's any queries you or anyone may have, please post. Shyness is not a positive character trait. The collective wisedom is far greater than any single person's perspective. My final thoughts to Raayn and anyone who is about to embark on the renovation of their most exorbitant asset: Be meticulous, be detailed as much as you & your spouse can afford because this is an excellent classic case of information asymmetry as I have illustrated in one of my previous posts in this thread. Information is one of the vital & essential ingredients in addressing & solving any information asymmetry problem. However, I understand not every mind is an information cruncher as mine - mine thrives on information, relevant & interesting ones, of course! But fret not, money can help in this aspect! There are mercenaries out there who are more than willing to 拿人钱财，替人消灾 or 食君之禄，担君之忧！And local schools should really impart personal financial management to students, right from primary schools! Ooops! Even the teachers aren't exactly personal finance-savvy themselves..... Do bear that in mind that at the end of the day, the costs & benefits of your decisions affects you & your spouse & no one else. And this is a project whose success is a must to you & your spouse. Make it so then.

I am not sure CASE is able and will resolve such issues that relates to shoddy service.

All the more he should be taken strongly to task over such shoddy & irresponsible conduct. Escalate this matter all the way up to the division director and CEO of the agency if needed. Commission is for good service, not for being a middleman.

Ha! I have to insert the disclaimer first before readers feel I rub them the wrong way - it has happened before which is always the case of their interpretation, not my intention. 我一向实话直说，而且是对事，不对人。 But there seems to be readers who take my comments personally when they should be focusing on the subject matter. Painting takes practise - no one is a born painter. Not even Van Gogh, Leonardo Da Vinci or Michaelango - scenes from Genesis on the ceiling took him approximately four years and The Last Judgment on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Rome took almost seven years. I am just glad that I am lucky to have found & engaged a good & super fast painter - 2 days CHOP CHOP finish my 4 room unit with two coats of Nippon MediFresh 3-in-1 paint!. Even my contractor complimented on the good paintmanship, considering the cost & speed! And he charges $1200 while I managed to contain the cost of painting to $990! The regret is that I ain't fast enough with colours coordination and a whole lot of other restrictions placed on the choice of colours by my family members. In addition, the colour chosen only left one can 'cause it was on stock clearance for $39 per 5L can. D.arn! The primary objective of engaging vendors directly is cost containment. Once a renovation project is tasked over to an ID or contractor, this objective is as good as gone out of the sliding or casement window - their objective is profit maximisation for their own. In addition, it is also an opportunity for me to learn the basics of this trade and I can satisfactorily say, it has been a fruitful one - I will be more proficiently armed & ready if I ever were to embark on another renovation project. The humour of this exercise is that Eric, the ID from Summit asked, over a BBQ gathering, if I am interested to join Summit! I replied too bad my colour sensitivity ain't fast enough to come up with colour coordination on the spot - I am not trained in fine arts or interior design. I mean I know what colours I like - I spent a good 2 hours one fine night in the The Lee Kong Chian Reference Library going through 7 texts on colour matching in painting & interior design & interior furnishing. It was interesting & the 2 hours reinforced my initial belief that this trade or skill can be learnt. I mean, the contractors & IDs I came across don't really seem like rocket scientists to me..... at all! The contractor I engaged commented he hardly came across anyone who has done as much meticulous detailed research as me. So much that he sort of lectured me after I looked through the lights at a shop he brought me to. Well, he has been in this trade for 30 years? Or so he claims. So I guess he's not too pleased that some young guy like me, challenges his experience & his so-called quality standards ever so often - I stuck 30 yellow stickers on the kitchen cabinet his carpentry subcon constructed. Well, all except the bloody crappy drawers, are minor issues, rectifiable imperfections, not exactly defects. Aye, I am an outlier lah.

Hi Raayn, I will be bold & direct: My first intuition on your intended budget to finance the list of required renovation works is.......... Jack Neo's latest feature film. It's a great film by the way. Moreover, it seems that you are unsure of the costs and the details of the renovation works required. For eg: laminated floor? Do u mean parquet floor? Parquet floors requires maintenance & is unlikely to be robust & lasting as homogenous tiles. What is the durability factor of laminates? Laminate floors are considered to be very low-maintenance when compared to wood floors. Unlike natural wood, laminate floors do not require waxing, oiling or staining. It is important to keep laminate clean, as dust, dirt and sand particles may scratch the decorative surface over time in high-traffic areas. It is also important to keep laminate relatively dry, since sitting water/moisture can cause the planks to swell, warp, etc, though some brands are equipped with water-resistant coatings. Water spills aren't a problem if they're wiped up quickly and not allowed to sit for a prolonged period of time. Electrical points? That's so vague. The devil is in the details. And we want no devils in the renovation process of our most exorbitant asset. I find many young couples these days focus on the beauty, look & design when it comes to renovation of their abode. All of which are perfectly reasonable. But what about durability? Build quality? Maintenance? Associated costs? Things that can't be seen can be more important than those which are visible prima facie. A quick query: Have u done a spreadsheet nailing down the exact & detailed specifications of the renovation works required? With their corresponding costings from at least 3 suppliers? Your research have to start somewhere, u know? One thing is as certain as death & taxes: Everyone exceeds their renovation budget. Everyone. Thus my concern is what is your contingency plan when the $10k cash is depleted? The situation of cash out will be very frustrating so it is best avoided at all costs. Borrowing from financial institutions is a no-no: There is an industry joke we have in banks on extending loans - we lend to people who don't need them. LOL! A traditional Chinese custom that I subscribe to is parents lending or giving a sum of money to their children when they set up their own family. Of course, this is premised on the presumption that parents are getting by alright. Not a probable if they themselves are not doing well. When we grow old, must have 四老： 老伴，老本，老友，老康。 U wanna save painting costs? Get your necks ready to be strained & cranked. U will need ladders, poles, brushes, rollers. Moreover, $800 gets the cheapest emulsion paint, not the premium paints. mud3210 did her own painting, perhaps she may be willing to offer some ground advice to you. She is one of the two I know who did more research than I did. The other being KastleKonfusion. Of course, there are tons of others who did immense research but not known to me lah. Engaging vendors directly will definitely save you a tidy sum - the costs will be in the form of time, coordination & efforts and frustration. Heck! Ask any flat owner whose house has gone thru a renovation process whether they experience no frustration, you'll get the idea. And since there is no HR to oversee the renovation project, you will have to refer to vendors directly whenever you encounter a problem or the item malfunctions - no one number to call for assistance. And there are vendors who are not keen to provide after-sales service since to them, it's only a time job, one time fee, one time earning. There is no incentive for them to provide after-sales support or service. Therefore, if you intend to engage vendors directly, be sure to shortlist those who are intent on providing good after-sales service/support. In short, my advice to you is do as much as research as you & your spouse can afford to. And decide on the must-haves and the good-to-haves. And also the issues/problems you do not wish to encounter plus your solutions if such issues/problems really occur. And that sometimes cost is not everything. Because there is almost no certain way of gauging the quality of the product until it is completed. Thus the all-important step of inspecting previous projects done by the HR. Cēterīs paribus, cost and quality are not always compatible - they may very well be mutually exclusive. Of course, that is not to say one can't have reasonable quality at low cost but low cost definitely bring about certain problems. So the question is whether the buyer/user can live with such problems.

Lodge a complaint against him with his agency? Or even with HDB?

Nail down prices of every single service & renovation works required on the service contract. Down to the last dot & T. Plus completion dates & corresponding penalties for delays. Leaving things to assumptions may come back to bite the flat owner in the arse as flat owners have more to lose thus in a lower position of power.

I didn't opt for Llumar window films on all the windows, coz my unit doesn't get the morning sun, only evening sun on the pane in the kitchen and the large one in the corner of the MBR, that faces Bedok Interchange. So it's just 6 + 1 panes in the MBR and 1 pane in the kitchen. Total cost is $255. I opted for some super optical clear film for the pane in the kitchen and the corner pane in the MBR + the adjacent two sliding window panels. This film is chosen to block the heat from the evening sun but still allow light to be transmitted into the room. The rest 4 panes I opted for a model with a bluish tint for privacy control purposes but yet allows light to be transmitted in. Window-cool have many models of Llumar window films with different properties & specifications. Really have to compare & contrast after deciding what concerns are to be addressed for a particular pane, be it privacy, heat, light or UV. I think I spent a good 45 mins or more going through the choices shortlisted by the salesperson & comparing them by looking through them. Kudos to the salesperson for her patience. There is a 5 years warranty for the tinted film. 7 years warranty for the super clear film.

Try CitiMaps? Bubbly used them. Some RenoTalker too.

Have Llumar window film installed this morning: 2 installers + a supervisor from Window-Cool came at 10:20 am. This is the BEST buying experience so far. SMSed Window-Cool's director late at Friday night, asked whether a product presentation & quotation can be scheduled on Saturday morning. Response is positive & affirmative. One up in impression points. Installation was done this morning. Also had the dimensions of the windows taken by curtains/blinds quotation. Good, quality service should be this way. Fast, efficient & problem-FREE! 2nd best buying experience is Aluminium works and painting. All are far better than the shoddy electrical work, bloody carpentry & screwed up plumbing services.

Do check your main door whether there's any depression - run your fingers up & down, left to right on the front & back surface of the main door. For those thinking of engaging vendors directly, I have posted the contacts of those I engaged on FaceBook in our Linear Green Group.

Anyone has Bubbly aka Ernest's mobile number? Please PM me. Thank you. I lost his number. Need to seek his advice on furniture shopping - a BIG BIG headache!

May I know what's the brand & model of the Queen sized mattress you bought at $899?

Or you are just trying to salvage the wretched reputation of Co'zy? A foolish & futile attempt - 1st post already defending Co'zy. Try improving customer service - businesses who don't treat their customers well deserve to go bust and their owners eliminate from the marketplace - this is the law of business & basic economics, natural selection at its best.

Is the height of the air-con window opening > 740 mm for System 3, > 890 mm for System 4 or the air-con ledge is reachable via other areas? Calculation of the cooling load of a room can be very rather tedious - HVAC is a branch of applied engineering. The methods of cooling load calculation used in air- conditioning are: o Manual method; o Estimation method; o Software method. Locally, air-con installers just rely on a simplest formula of length x width of room to be cooled, in feet x 65 max, 50 min.

Heh, I think you are being modest, Ryan. I believe u can well afford the current best Blu Ray player in the market. The other part of the equation is the price of Blu Ray Discs which are hovering at S$45 & above locally. However, you can get them cheaper from Amazon & other US online DVD merchants.

Anyone's unit already has lights installed at the 2 lighting points S1 S2 in the living room as indicated on the electrical service layout plan? There's one set next to the main door, the other set on the exterior wall of bedroom 1. I've discovered that the two sets of switches work in opposing manner - at any one time, the two sets of switches are in opposite state. From the electrical service layout plan, these 2 sets of switches are 6A 2 Way 2 Gang.