DSA

Who told u the price was expensive? $1 per piece expensive??? Then $2 per piece is exorbitant! $6 per piece is DAYLIGHT MURDER!

Perhaps it's just this particular G'Plan id? I would have routed my RFQ to another G'Plan id in this instance.

Ahh, the one along Sims Ave? I know a couple firms that are located there. How much have u paid so far? How much work has been performed? U can rescind the contract according to the terms & conditions of the contract.

Unimax seems to be the only firm that provides 8 years warranty. But it is FREE workmanship only for 8 years. They can charge for the repair materials used unless you provide it to them. The price offered is $69 per foot run but the devil is in the details. FAKTUM kitchen cabinets from Ikea have a limited 25 years guarantee that covers defects in material and workmanship. I'll take Ikea's FAKTUM kitchen cabinets with a limited 25 years guarantee any time over some plywood.

I think listing your requirements will provide invaluable help in obtaining a quotations that fits your $20K budget. Without knowing your requirements, I doubt any ID can come up with a minimalist themed design under $20K.

Most of the home renovators I encountered at the Living Showcase@Expo reinforced my conjecture that HRs who are hands full with projects are not likely to spend $$$ to participate in such a show to get sales. Which brings me to the next point: Not every person in renovation firms can call themselves an ID. This is because there is no regulation over the title of ID, unlike professions such as doctors, engineers, lawyers & accountants. Professional Interior Designer: analyzes the client's needs, goals, and life and safety requirements;integrates findings with knowledge of interior design;formulates preliminary design concepts that are appropriate, functional, and aesthetic;develops and presents final design recommendations through appropriate presentation media;prepares working drawings and specifications for non-load bearing interior construction, materials, finishes, space planning, furnishings, fixtures, and equipment;collaborates with professional services of other licensed practitioners in the technical areas of mechanical, electrical, and load-bearing design as required for regulatory approval;prepares and administers bids and contract documents as the client's agent;reviews and evaluates design solutions during implementation and upon completion.The interior design profession provides services encompassing research, development, and implementation of plans and designs of interior environments to improve the quality of life, increase productivity, and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology. Research, analysis, and integration of information into the creative process result in an appropriate interior environment. Practitioners may perform any or all of the following services: Programming Identify and analyze the client's needs and goals. Evaluate existing documentation and conditions. Assess project resources and limitations. Identify life, safety, and code requirements.Develop project schedules, work plans, and budgets.Analyze design objectives and spatial requirements.Integrate findings with their experience and knowledge of interior design.Determine the need for, make recommendations, and coordinate with consultants and other specialists when required by professional practice or regulatory approval.Conceptual Design Formulate for client discussion and approval preliminary plans and design concepts that are appropriate and describe the character, function, and aesthetic of a interior design project. Design Development Develop and present for client review and approval final interior design recommendations for space planning and furnishings arrangements; wall, window, floor, and ceiling treatments, furnishings, fixtures, and millwork, color, finishes, and hardware, and lighting, electrical, and communications requirements. Develop art, accessory, and graphic signage programs.Develop budgets.Presentation media can include drawings, interior sketches, perspectives, renderings, color and material boards, photographs, and models.Contract Documents Prepare working drawings and specifications for non-load bearing interior construction, materials, finishes, furnishings, fixtures, and equipment for client's approval. Collaborate with professional services of specialty consultants and licensed practitioners in the technical areas of mechanical, electrical, and load-bearing design as required by professional practice or regulatory approval: Identify qualified vendors. Prepare bid documentation, collect and review bids.Assist clients in awarding contracts.Contract AdministrationAdminister contract documents as the client's agentConfirm that required permits are obtained.Review and approve shop drawings and samples to assure they are consistent with interior design concepts.Conduct on-site visits and field inspections.Monitor contractors' and suppliers progress.Oversee on their clients' behalf the installation of furnishings, fixtures, and equipment.Prepare lists of deficiencies for the client's use.EvaluationReview and evaluate the implementation of projects while in progressInterior designers are persons qualified by training and experience to plan and supervise the design and execution of interiors and their furnishings, and to organise the various arts and crafts essential to their completion. The professional interior designer provides a full consultancy service. A designer is a person, qualified by education, experience and recognised skills, who identifies, researches and creatively solves problems pertaining to the function and quality of the interior environment; and performs services relative to interior spaces including programming, design analysis, space planning, aesthetics, and inspection of work on-site, using specialised knowledge of interior construction, building systems and components, building regulations, equipment, materials and furnishings; and prepares drawings and documents relative to the design of interior space. So the all important question is how many of these home renovators out there are capable of the above and competent in them. Qualified, professional Interior Designers are far & few between. Interior Design is a science & art, not attainable without attending a professional & accredited ID school. In the local context, only LASALLE-SIA, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic offer courses in Interior Design / Interior Architecture. So far I encountered only one home renovator from Ciseern, who holds a Diploma in ID. Then there's the question of from which school of ID is that Diploma. This is not to say IDs must possess academic qualification but they must have completed professional training at the very least! Likewise you wouldn't subject yourself to medical treatment by a person who did not to complete medical school & armed with 2 medical degrees, would you? Let alone an operation that can cost you more than a leg or arm to the tune of $XX,XXX?

Anyone has contacts to carpentry contractors who fabricate & build kitchen cabinets?

Aiya, everyone's requirement and criteria is different wor - just take the TV for eg, one man's TV is another man's black box because everyone's visual sensitivity varies. Placement of TV also matters. As for air-con, the size/vol of the rooms to be cooled plays a critical input into the selection of brand & model. It is advisable that one learns how to calculate the cooling capacity required for each room that is to be cooled; this is required to select a fancoil unit with the required cooling capacity which in turn feeds from the total cooling capacity of the compressor unit. Most important of all, the decision reached ranks lower in importance than the deliberation process. Why not post the research you've done so far & I play the Devil's advocate for u?

For those thinking of engaging different contractors to renovate their flat, here's a checklist of furnishings & installations though it's rather unordered.

You're most welcomed, cacky! SERS flats owners are required to surrender their SERS flats within 4 months from the date of keys taking of the new replacement flat. The 4 months is for renovating the new replacement flat, vacate the SERS flat & surrender the SERS flat to the Government. Mighty short if u ask me. The grace period duration is likely to be different for 1st time flat buyers. Perhaps there is no date line at all for you as you are not required to surrender any flat to HDB! Come to think of it the latter is strongly likely to be the fact. Thus I strongly advise you call HDB's Sales Hotline: 1800 8663066 or email them since you are overseas I read.

My unit is 97 m² as well. Do not like that bay window ledge area at all; it is cumbersome against design & decor. What's worst is that it costs extra $1000 per m² and more to render it useful such as laying a panel on it to function as a desktop. You can refer to the quotation posted here. 3.00 MASONRY & FLOORING WORKS 3.01 Supply & lay 600mm X 600mm China polished homogeneous floor tiles ****/dining hall & household shelter c/w Teakwood timber skirting $ 1 ,950.00 3.02 Supply & lay laminate flooring at 3 nos bedrooms c/w Teakwood timber skirting (Supreme, cement screeding will be done by HDB contractor) $ 2 ,385.00 Ceramic tiles Porcelain Tiles FAQs Homogeneous / Porcelain Porcelain tile or Ceramic Tile

Anyone know the carpentry contractor(s) who fabricate & build kitchen cabinets for IntraDesign?

For my case which is SERS, the grace period given is 4 calendar months from the date of keys taking. You can obtain the grace period for your unit direct from HDB tel: 1800-8663066 Found more info on home renovation by : The 8 Commandments and Renovation Pointers

MP is probably the final resort. And a letter from MP can't change policies; this is how the civil service function. The key is knowing which unit your issue falls under: is it Repairs Management Unit or Housing Maintenance Projects Unit? Or some other unit? Then speak to the Head of the unit. The other workaround is to let the issue soak till it drips.

Perhaps the ID is the best person to enlighten on this costing? That said, I take my hat (& some hair) off to you on the amount of research you done. You are easily one of the most hardworking & involved home owners I've seen around in RenoTalk!

I do not think u should stomach this leaking issue. It's far better to nip this issue in the bud. Because the HDB inspector is short-sighted & failed to see the potential damage plus he doesn't reside in this EM, thus he couldn't care less. Who is to say the leakage will not worsen? And the likelihood that it will worsen is very real & high. Can u imagine the amount of potential damage? And the sheer amount of $$$ u have to fork out to repair this problem in the future? Speak to the right officer. I believe there should be one officer listed on the page, who is duty bound to help u out on this issue. Request for a better HDB inspector AFTER u convince the officer of the risks & potential damage if this leak is left to its own destruction.

Things do not fail due to the lack of luck or 'unluckiness'. The logic is simple: There are reason(s) why certain entities/people work and there are reason(s) why certain entities/people fail. The issue is whether the reason(s) are known or unknown. Luck is cited when the reasons for malfunction are unknown. Any entity that is subjected to usage will develop mechanical/electrical wear & tear over time and it's bound to fail or malfunction at some point of time - the question is when. This is the compelling reason why warranty & after-sale service is crucial. Warranty period duration is one of the factors considered, amongst other factors which varies according to the type of appliances/machineries in question, in the selection of certain appliances/machineries. In the context of home furnishing, large ticket items such as LCD/plasma TVs, fridges, washing machine, air-conditioners, etc, comes to mind. As for air-con, leakage that occurs not long after installation is one of the surest signs of poor installation. Leakage that occurs after lengthy usage points to the need for maintenance as the cause might be, for example, the clogging of drainage pipe. Bear in mind the seller's objective is not congruent to that of the buyer: The seller serves to better his own self interests. But with information, the buyer can align the seller's interest to that of his/her own. This alone nails home the importance of arming yourself with adequate & relevant information: Relevant information is King; In-depth knowledge is Queen. Any information obtained ought to be subjected to verification, regardless of source. Relying on unverified information subjects the info user to additional and unnecessary risk even when it is from a source you think is reliable.

Look for COP as that seems to be the only performance efficiency [PE] parameter aircon manufacturers publish for local buyers. There are other PE parameters such as EER & SEER, which are used by EPA for evaluation but these are not released by the aircon manufacturers for local market. Installation & workmanship are paramount: U can buy a 2nd hand aircon system and have it work with impeccable installation. But without quality workmanship, even an igloo would melt. I started on this renovation project just like anybody else: a total blue nOOb - know NUTS about home renovation & furnishing. I'm still blue, still a nOOb now but armed with slightly more information I obtained from endless research, understood & internalised. Research - that is the best advice. In this aspect, Google is your best friend online. Armed with adequate relevant information, the next step is to see, touch & feel the choices. The more time u spend on research, the less likehood u run into problems, even though it will not prevent problems. You reap what you sow. There's no free spoon in this world.

Found a blog that describes the owner's experience & journey of renovating his 1982 HDB 4I Resale Flat and it's current with pictures! For those researching on air-con (this is one of the most technical aspect I've encountered so far), here's CoolServe's Cool advisor. Check out its FAQ section too! For specifications of some brands air-cons, here's AireControl. It has a FAQ section too. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries air-con is one of the most affordable ones. Daikin is the most expensive.

Sure they can only IF U don't intend to pour some water & scrub the floor next to these appliances.

Home Design & Decor 2008 Saturday, July 5, 2008 - Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM Singapore Expo 1 Expo Drive, #01-01 Singapore, Central Singapore 48615 Public - Free Admission Hall 6A 05 - 13 July 2008 Time: 12:00pm - 10:00pm Show Profile: Furniture & Furnishing Organiser: Premier Exhibition Services Pte LtdContact Details:Tel: (65) 6736 3177Fax: (65) 6737 9170email: sales@premierservices.com.sgHomepage: http://www.singapore-expo.com.sg

For those who are sourcing for home concepts, I found a gallery at ICI. And prices of paint at eStore. My understanding on the latest date for key collection is likely to be before 17th July 2008 coz that's when China Construction hands over the development project to HDB.

You can refer to the HDB Renovation Guidelines - I believe there is no such ruling. Thus the question is why does your renovator (is he a ID or carpentry work contractor) recommends layout 2: Less work? Easy to work the cabinet? Or safety issues which happens to be paramount. Is there a power point near the sink in your preferred layout 1? Water splashes from the sink ought to be kept away from the power point and any electrical appliances connected to the power point. In addition, have you considered the ease of movement of a 2nd person in & out of the kitchen when one person is washing at the sink? In addition, feng shui (only if u believe it) recommends that the sink should NOT face hob directly in the principle of harmony which might be disrupted by the direct opposing of water from the sink against fire from the hob. I'm locating the hob at the corner, the other end from the fridge spot. Anything's possible as long as you're happy lah. Question is watcha gonna do on the short kitchen wall? Sink at the service yard? That will mean your washing of raw food and cutlery will be subjected to dust & particles in the air. Remember construction will persist till 2018. That's a good TEN years of air & noise pollution.

Renovating your HDB flat - Getting Started By Goh Mei Yi Published: March 7 2008, CATS Classified in The Straits Times Getting started You’ve been dreaming up colour schemes even before you’ve bought your new flat. But before you hire a renovation contractor to transform those dreams into reality, be aware of what you should and shouldn’t do. DO You must engage an HDB-registered renovation contractor to renovate your flat, even for works that don’t require a renovation permit. The HDB has a list of renovation contractors registered with them and also a list of Building and Construction Authority-approved window contractors. Certain types of renovation work require permission from the HDB. You can only start such work after obtaining the permit. For renovation work which doesn’t need a permit, you still have to comply with the guidelines set for carrying out any building and sanitary work in HDB flats. HDB doesn’t charge fees for the renovation permits, but it is the homeowner’s responsibility to ensure that renovation debris is cleared away. Some town councils provide debris removal services which you need to pay for. DON’T If you carry out renovation works that don’t comply with HDB’s guidelines, they are treated as unauthorised works. You will have to reinstate your premises to its original condition or according to the guidelines. Be wary of bogus contractors who claim to be from government agencies and mislead residents with repair and maintenance services which they claim are approved by the HDB or are compulsory.