typhoonz

I used to have 2 systems of Daikin in my previous place... So far so good and it's been running well... Of late I've heard that Daikin A/Cs are no longer manufacturer by them... Not too sure how true is this... Currently have Mitsubishi (Non Inverter) in my place... Easy maintenance and no problems...

Is the difference in savings really significant as compared to overseas buying and local shops? Of late I've been reading about this "Taobao" thing and people are buying LED lights... So far so good?

WOW!!!

Actually I would rather HDB take a bit more time to construct it properly... Seems like they are not bothered and want to rush through it and handle the problems later...

This time round smarter liao... Shame on me if I still got fooled the 2nd time...

My Mrs and I are new to EMs as it wasn't in our consideration when we planned to move to the east... 2 greenhorns and got bluffed big time... The main agent forked it out himself (that's what he said)... Anyway the house was sold 2 weeks after this debacle... Yes I too hope that we can find an ideal EM as its our desire to stay in one... The kids are growing up and need their own space... Hope those overpaid ministars don't mess with the ruling till I buy my house...

To add on to the problems, a year later I had spalling ceiling in my kitchen and bedroom... When the HDB "engineer" came down for inspection, he told me it's due to me opening and closing the window (expansion and contraction) so not their fault... Wah BTH and told him off on the spot... After the visit HDB just sent me a letter saying they "wash hand" and cannot do anything... I took the pictures and sent it to my MP (Cedric Foo)... 3 days later HDB called me and say that they will do the repair out of goodwill blah blah blah...

More or less prepared liao... A bit worried as I was thinking how to clean the top corners at the stairwell? Pretty high and you'll need a really long ladder to reach it... Anyway I was supposed to be staying in a 5A flat at Bedok Reservoir... It's those EM styled 5 room flat at Block 717... We were looking for a 4A flat in the east as we didn't want to be weekend parents anymore... Used to "deposit" our kids on Sundays at my in law's house for 4 years and we thought it's not good in the long run... While looking through the property listings 1 weekend and I asked the Mrs if we can afford an EM... Did our calculations and concluded that we could IF we can take a HDB loan... The previous ruling was that we can take another loan from HDB provided we are doing an upgrade... In this case we could as it would be from a 5 room to EM... So we began hunting and saw a listing of an "EM" at Blk 717 Bedok Reservoir Road... We asked the agent if this is an EM and he replied yes... We then asked we can take a HDB loan right (5 room upgrading to EM)? The agent said yes... So off we went... We liked the layout as it was on a lift floor and it's a corner unit... The corridor was purchased and it's now part of the house... Total floor area is 148SQM... Mrs and I made plans on what to do and how much we could do for renovations... Price per valuation $425,000 and COV is $20,000... On the weekend that we were supposed to sign, another agent turned up and he said that he's the main agent and the agent we met was his part time partner... We went like "ok" and went ahead with the paperwork... He then mentioned that this flat is 15SQF shy of an EM but it didn't really set off any alarm bells until we paid the $5k deposit and got home... I called the agent we have been seeing and asked him to confirm that this is indeed an EM... His answer was "Wait I check and call you back"... 10 minutes later he called and said he will confirm this with HDB in the morning... I nearly lost it and told him sternly that you confirm this and call me back by 9AM... Mrs and I couldn't sleep that night... The next morning I cannot wait and I called HDB myself... The worst case scenario came into play... That flat is a 5A and thus we cannot afford the bank loan for it... We would have to cough out an additional $400 per month on top of the monthly CPF contribution... Anyway the main agent called me instead of the part time one and told me that he will try to take the $5K back from the owner... 2 days the main agent called me and said that the owner refused to return the deposit and he will fork it out himself... The matter was settled and put to rest amicably... Still feel very sore whenever I walk past that block... Mrs and I always wanted to stay in a 2 storey flat... Sorry hor say my sad sad story...

Yes I have it and you probably won't notice it over time... Did the Kronotex sales person add in the "rubber" damping layer below the laminate? It was given to us free as we signed the package at an exhibition at Expo... The HDB parquet is really crap... So much for premium flats... Looking at the recent cases from the DBSS at Toa Payoh... They paid so much and yet the amount of complains is really terrible...

I feel that a home should not be overly done up till it becomes a showroom... Maintenance will be hellish, let alone it already being a chore... For me it's simple, practical and low maintenance... Maybe a kosong house for me can liao... Can save money too on renovations...

Between parquet or laminated flooring which is better? I currently have Kronotex in all my bedroom and so far so good, less a bit of squeaking after some years of walking on the same stretch... We chose the hardest and most scratch resistant (Mammut) and got "what we think" a good price when compared to high-end brands like Pergo... Had a very bad experience with HDB parquet in our first flat at Senja Road (Premium)... The parquet sunk it after a few months and had "holes" where the legs of the tables and chairs were... After that we swore off ever having parquet...

Aiyah all these are just excuses... The levy never go up also they say raw materials prices have increased, shortage of workers, blah blah blah...

Seems like this "hole in the wall" thing in toilets is catching on for most people who are renovating their house... Good idea as can leave out the extra accessories to place your toiletries... Also can do away the risk of your contractor accidentally cracking your tiles while drilling the holes for them... By the way what's your design for your staircase?

No lah not yet... Now collecting ideas only... Anyway not many people selling over there leh and the last few who posted have COVs that makes you go "wah lau or wah biang"... St Hilda's Primary is now at their temporary holding site along New Upper Changi Road and they will be there till end 2014... My in-law's place is just about a 5 min walk away so no point moving now...

I think those who made their home with the "wow" factors will find it pretty hard to maintain the "wowness" in the long run... I can imagine it to be really a chore and very few strive to keep it in prime condition... To me a house should just be comfortable and not overly done... A house should be a home and not a showroom...

I'm sure there are more... So starting your reno blog soon?

So far so good lah... My engrish is no better... What's most important is the details and pictures...

You are the same spikedoll from MCF?

Spent the past hour reading your updates... Very nice design and seems like your renovation is going well... Small hiccups here and these are expected so fret not... Am planning to get a EM in Tampines (Blk 856 A-F) next year around St Hilda's Primary... My daughter (P3) is already there and my son will be starting P1 next year... Don't want to think about the COV and it's expected to be higher than the sky... But of course if the house is done up nicely and only minimum renovation is needed, why not? Collecting ideas as we go along so can be more prepared... PS. I'll definitely be doing the tempered glass handrail... Must post pictures when it's done up ok?

More updates and pictures!!! When I got to the house, the painted door greeted me... Was very skeptical about the colour grey on our door but my doubts was cleared... The lights were mostly up... These are my PLC lights in the living room... 4 on each side so a total of 16... This is our children's room... This is our study room... The Kronotex guys in the process of installing the floor...

Wah your main door very retro leh... Very original... And by the looks of it, you literally have to re-do the whole house...

As the week progresses, our house goes into the final stage where all the stuff goes up... The agenda for this week is the L Box... This is the very badly taken picture of our L Box in the living room... Another badly taken pictureof the common ceiling between the MBR and the kitchen... Yet another badly taken picture of the MBR's L Box... More to come... These are our purchases from the ever famous Goh Ah Bee... Got 4 KDK ceiling fans, the Fujioh Hob and a Tecnogas Hood... These are from another famous hardware store in Renotalk... Poh Joo Hardware... Got the Joven 810i, the 910i and some hooks and toilet paper holders... This is our Electrolux oven waiting for its turn to be fitted... Until then, it lies quietly in 1 corner... Lastly, the whole lot from Chan Huat... Next update... A painted house with wooden floors in the 3 bedrooms...

Anybody using the above? Regrets or recommended? I'll be placing my order soon...

Back to our fully tiled house... Our fully tiled MBR toilet... Note the very ugly and very in the way sewage pipe... We have to get this boxed up which will in a way spoil the entire look of the toilet... This is the mosaic tile we got from Hafary that'll run behind the intended WC... This is our common toilet... Please forgive our very bad shooting angle... Again the also very ugly and very in the way sewage pipes... That's all for now... Next update will be our wired and piped house!!! Here's our wired and piped house... This is the study room... The children's bedroom and the kitchen pictures up next!!! This is the children's bedroom... This is our MBR and the piped toilet... Lastly, the kitchen pictures next!!! The wired kitchen... This WC is meant for the MBR toilet... It's now sitting waiting to be installed after the sink and the cabinet... And yes, it's a black WC... Until next time...

Our house is finally tiled up... Here are some of the pictures of the kitchen and the toilets... My refuse chute hole finally covered... Toilet pictures coming up next!!!