oogachaga

Your stainless steel appliances really go well with your white kitchen The 3D kitchen looks great...but the brown laminates at that section doesnt really gel the whole look.

Thanks for sharing ...its nice to see the options available for future projects Hi baldeagle, I believe the wirings for the doorbell are concealed and done by the developer, as with all condos...the electrician just had to connect the doorbell and the press switch...no wires seen. Great! A white kitchen is timeless I was given a choice of tempered glass or stainless steel backing..both at the same price of $580...that is only for the long wall, needed to top up for the sink area as well....cant remember how much but its in my blog somewhere. I decided to go for stainless steel because a. can come in one big piece whereas the glass needs to be in 2 pieces, so got joint line...no no b. sturdy and wont break unlike glass c. clean, shiny and sleek look..goes well with white, and the chrome mixer and sink d. easy maintenance I was initially worried about the water marks ( from water splashes ) especially at the sink area....but surprisingly its not as bad as I thought. Maybe the 3M stainless steel cleaner I used helped ..its a must have Just a quick wipe will suffice...I think its more work to clean glass and mirrors. Of course, you need to be careful of scratches though. The white countertop also quite easy to maintain. ..in fact, fine dust and specks show more clearly on my black glass hobs than on the white solid surface. Otherwise, both are easy maintenance as well, just dust it and a damp wipe is enough. Do share pics of your white kitchen when its done Thanks Hope the pics will help you in your reno ...look forward to your photos

Congrats! Looking forward to the transformation! Simple can indeed be nice as well. What works are you intending to do, and how much is your reno quotation ?

This is a pleasant find which I forgot to post...concealed door bell ....no more ugly big box... Wired and battery operated Closer view

oohh....very hip and cool shades and the night lighting looks great too would love to see the final result of your paint work...remember to post pics

Congrats! That means your eagerly awaited reno can start soon...looking forward to the pics and the transformation!

Congrats on your completed reno! Your home looks nice and cosy...and kitchen is very cheery with that touch of yellow Sorting out and organising things seems to be taking forever...longer than reno ....I am just lazy and procrastinating

Wow! The cabinets look good and in white very sleek and clean, and also the glass in the stairs More pics pls! We have the same sink

Yes..its as good as watching in the cinema, but in the comfort of your home Wah! Thanks for the compliments Thanks! I have had suggestions ranging from adding a level there to painting the ceiling ala the sistine chapel and others like this or similar, or Painted wrought ironworks or clouds, which is very nice But ultimately, painting that ceiling is no easy feat, requires erecting a scaffolding, and costs..especially when you require an artist for the artwork. I still like my interior walls clean and simple with safe, neutral colours ..white, off white , earth tones; not many can appreciate bold colours....besides, its more marketable when one decides to rent or sell, and as with all renovation works, the costs is irrecoverable.

Ok...will check out your pics Ya, me too....it feels very spacious Its a 100 inch screen image...and actually, the curtains are useless, ...they are just there to collect dust! The images you see are taken, with the windows open and curtains at the side( hardly ever close them )...no need for total blackout....only the LED lights in the kitchen is turn on, for ambient lighting.

Ok..here are some pictures to share of my home .. Living area ( ugly but acceptable trunkings on wall for AV)...still need to accessorise... TV console area Sitting area..side table still wrapped Sofa close up Chandelier on The 9 m high ceiling in living... My TV area stark wall turns into this at night ..... Finding Nemo.. Howl's Moving Castle... Console gaming

Thanks Actually, not the best la...more like value for money Your progress looks good....am waiting for to see your completion

Well, finally managed to find time to compile my furnishings' "damages".... My furnishings: 1. Sanitary wares - 3 sets of WCs and basins - 2 sets of shower bar and nylon hose Cost: $ 1,260 2. Taps - 3 mixer tap - 1 cold tap - 1 yard toilet utility tap Cost: $ 450 3. Sink - kitchen sink Cost: $ 290 4. Bathroom accessories - 3 toilet paper holder - 1 shower set - 2 towel bars Cost: $ 150 5. Kitchen and doors - BLUM runners, hinges and dampers - 2 x Magic corners - 28 wardrobe handles - 3 new door locksets Cost: $ 950 6. Switches - 20 switches inc dimmers, 5 sockets, 1 bell Cost: $ 170 7. Lighting - LED lighting - 2 pendant lights for bedrooms - 2 ceiling mounted utility lights for yard and storeroom - halogen track lights Cost: $500 8. Kitchen appliances - TEKA induction hob $ 1013 - Bosch oven $640 - EF hood $195 - Cuizino gas hob $200 Cost: $2,048 TOTAL FURNISHING COSTS: $ 5,818 My total makeover cost is about $22K...about $2K above my original estimate Nest possible project in the future ???: - replace old curtains - shop for new study table - sideboard ...but must finish orgainising stuffs in the house first...taking my time and relaxing now, after a tiring makeover

Hi baldeagle, Heres the pic of the exhaust vents behind...its activated when the hood is pulled out Hi ivy, Youre welcome. Good luck..and hope to see your pics here as well

Some pointers to share and lessons learnt during my makeover 1. Prepare. I am always prepared before every meeting with the contractors. I have a list of things prepared to ask and discuss with the contractors…give them my specifications, and discuss whether they are workable, etc. Then, after every meeting, I would email my requirements, that has been discussed, or some things that I have missed out , to Henry, so at least its in black and white…just in case, any dispute arises, besides, it is useful when seeking legal recourse if the need ever arises…hopefully not. 2. Dont assume their standard dimensions is equal to your expectations..eg their standard height for kitchen cabinet may not be what you expect. So do be specific if you are particular like me 3. Remember...most if not all contractors dont do metric! They still use feet and inches...carpentry work, mirrors, solid surface, etc Try to convey your requirements directly to the contractor in charge , if it passes through many levels eg from ID to contractor to subcontractor to worker, it may get "lost in translation". Well, mine did...c'est la vie 4. You need to have an idea of what you want, you are the one living in your home, not them, so dont let them dictate what they want for your home. Its easy for them to propose this and that to you, it may look nice at that moment, but will it be practical, costs, or can you live with it for a long time to come? 5. I have spent a lot of time planning my kitchen, poring through magazines, checking showflats, etc... believe me, there have been countless combinations of colour schemes, design, layout for my kitchen I have toyed with in my mind...... I like this one, hmm solid colours, and this one too, and this one also, wood laminates....alamak, how??? They all look really good.... but ultimately, had to choose only one. ( You can check out my kitchen inspirations here( will update if I see nice ones )..some are fellow forumers' ( thanks ) http://s437.photobucket.com/albums/qq96/ko...tion/?start=all 6. Kitchen planning: Renovating a kitchen is not cheap, so plan carefully and make sure its the kitchen you want..you will be the one using it, not them. Do consider the following, but its still up to one's preference: a. height of kitchen cabinet...usually varies from 85cm to 90cm from floor to countertop b. height of hood to coutertop..usually min distance of 65cm to 70cm c. height of drawers for your cutleries and crockeries..use the internal height,...too shallow, you may not be able to put in your tall stuffs like bottles, jugs. Too deep and you have to remove stacks of plates before you can reach the bottom, or wasted space at the top. d. soft closing mechanism...very useful, there are cheaper alternatives like MOBILE e. depth of your countertop f. dead corners...consider options like magic corners, pie cuts, or none at all g. consider wide drawers for lower cabinets where possible...full extension runners are useful and practical. h. do you need base for fridge or washer? Nowadays, not really...a fridge base will limit your choices in case of replacement. i. visit BLUM or Hettich website for more useful tips on kitchen planning. 7. Do consider the height of your vanity top and your basin. I find the standard height of 85cm too low for comfort. After mounting the basin in my master toilet, it is at a more comfortable height to wash my face in the basin, without bending your back so much. 8. Just recently, saw wallpaper done at a friend's place. I noticed that the wallpaper was not neatly cut around the switch...not very nice,IMO.( will try to take a pic ) I think its best to dismantle the switch and mount it over so as to overlap the cut out edges , be it mirror or wallpaper, to give a nicer and neater finish. 9. Painting the cabinets/doors or repolishing your marble walls...remove any objects if possible eg door handles, shower bar, toilet paper holder, etc...so you get better results ...if they wont remove( they would just tape round it) , do it yourself. 10. Engaging your own contractors?? Yes and No. Yes...if they are independent works from the rest eg..sliding glass door, mirrors, marble polishing No, IMO, if you are redoing a whole place eg in my case, the kitchen, a lot of coordination needed among the subcontractors like tiler, carpentry, plasterer,plumbers, electrician...and if things dont go right, its easier for the contractor to get them back again...a lot of teamwork involved here. 11. Last but not least, you may have the best laid plans or dreams for your renovation, but you will still need someone to help transform them into reality, so take your time and choose your ID/ contractor wisely and carefully.

Hi, Most of these hoods has a choice of 2 operation modes: exhaust and recirculation I am running it on recirculation mode.

Review: My experience with Impress21 has been rather good. Though my lower cabinet was mistakenly made the wrong height, it was made good, and one cannot tell the difference that it was amended However, due to its lowering, the space between the countertop and the base of top cabinet is now 70cm( wanted 65cm ), which is still acceptable to me. ( in my TEKA receipt, it is stated that the min height from the base of the hood to the table top should be 65cm - 70cm ) Overall, the workers have been very pleasant and accommodating, no nastiness or black face when asked to redo certain things. I reckon the team work well together. Henry has also been responsive, and does try his best to offer solutions to any problems encountered. With my project, he has proven to be responsible and trustworthy..I have to admit that I can be very meticulous at times, but still reasonable Throughout the renovation, there has been no unpleasant situation, and problems are always resolved amicably Workmanship is very good...I wont dare say its perfect. I am pleased with the final result and the price Now that I have made full payment, I shall see about the after sales service and will update.( I still have the top glass cabinet BLUM dampers to align, and the gas piping to secure ... guess I will wait for another week or 2, and try to find any other faults and consolidate them first before getting him to rectify) --to be cont---(Some pointers to share and lessons learnt)

A big place and great layout! Congrats! Looking forward to the transformation. Good luck!

Congrats! ..nice layout! However, I am not sure if you have seen the actual showflat....but at 1012 sq ft, with 3 bedrooms and a bomb shelter, you have to pay attention to space planning. I like the hiddenbed idea....thanks for the tip. Good luck

Congrats on your new home Did you manage to see the hood? White and stainless steel too...nice More pics pls

Good to hear you have resolved your issues Looking forward to your completed project

Thanks , but an expensive one as with all energy saving stuffs,...the price to pay just to go green and save money I got the lights from Continental Electronic Enterprise #B1-25 Sim Lim Tower, 208787, Singapore Tel: 62934674 There are many varieties with diff colours available...I chose off white...this is how it looks like, encased in clear rubber material, with double sided tape at the back, it costs $42 per metre ( to add GST), the bare ones costs $35 per metre. and I bought this adapter , $35 ,( hidden in the false ceiling ) and wiring connected to a switch, otherwise you will have to buy the other kind( like the ones to charge your batteries ) and plug to a socket - not very nice, and waste one socket. Do check out the store to know more. There are also LED rope lights offered on ebay singapore...cheaper but I dont have much info. Hi, Thanks its acutally built on higher ground, on a slope not hilltop la Hi, Yes, my EF hood, model EFCH 9401, is flushed with my cabinets but not the doors. Originally I wanted the hood to flush with the doors, however, if so, that white laminated cover will need to be removed, thus exposing the metal hood, so not very nice when you open up the door...if you understand what I am saying. The depth of the cabinet is 32 cm not including the door. Hi rumi, I cant seem to pm you..perhaps your mailbox is full. Heres my reply: I am glad to help out As regards to the handle, I did mention in my blog about the sloped handles..in your case its ABS trimmed sloped handles. I tried at a friend's place with the sloped handles...a bit tough to grip and takes more effort to pull out, especially for the drawers ( a no brand soft closing mechanism), more so if you have wet fingers...not much grip at that angle. You need to try out and see for yourself..maybe its the mechanism With my handles that I have chosen, its right angles gives better grip for the fingers..and I like its simple sleek look. Yes at Parisilk for $195, this telescopic hood model is slightly thicker than the slimline one which protrudes out ( EFCH9201, suction 580m3/hr)...you can see displays at Mega Katong or Mustaffa. Though chimney have higher suction power, they are also more expensive as well ( at least double the price )... I need more storage space hence this model, plus I dont like cleaning...you have more work to do to clean the chimney ones. Besides, I dont do heavy cooking like deep frying and stuffs, a basic hood will serve its purpose..at least better than no hood at all. Even with the chimney's high suction power, its still not 100%. In any case, this 9401 has the highest suction of all the slimline and telescopic models that I have seen. It has a sleek clean design that is appealing, control buttons hidden behind...I even shortlisted Fujioh ( claims to suck really well, but not a great design and quite cumbersome to clean..need to unscrew the big plates,etc ) Bosch, brandt are expensive, other brands not so nice design as well as the price...so ultimatelye, its price ,design and value , so EF gets the vote...plus italian brand as well, but as with most products nowadays.... made in China Besides, if spoilt, not so heart pain to replace. Its the Clipsal C-Vivace series that I bought...the legrand bought only the dimmer and switch to match side by side. For labeled ones, you need to indent unless they have ex stock. It costs $7 each for the labelled ones (GST not included). I got my switches from Choo Chiang Bendemeer branch, sales person Adam. Keep me posted,

Final Renovation Damage Ok..lets recap the work done: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES -DESIGN CONSULTATION ,FURNITURE LAYOUT PLAN & MASTERIAL PROPOSAL -3D PERSPECTIVE DRAWING ,PROJECT CONSULTATION & MANAGEMENT -ON SITE SUPERVISION BY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL -3YEAR WORKMANSHIP WARRANTY LIVING/DINING HALLS -TO HACK AND PATCH SPRAWLING CONCRETE AT PASSAGEWAY(include patch master room window bay, exclude painting) BEDROOMS -REMOVAL OF LOCK SET FOR EXISTING DOOR AT 3 BEDROOMS KITCHEN, YARD AND UTILITY -SUPPLY/CONSTRUCT CERAMIC/HOMOGENEOUS FLOOR TILES FOR KITCHEN AND YARD(<$3 PSF) -WATERPROOFING FOR KITCHEN AND YARD TO BE CARRIED (2 LAYERS) -PLASTERING OVER EXISTING FULL HEIGHT WALL TILES FOR KITCHEN (INCLUDE DO TILES SKIRTING & PAINTING ) -CONSTRUCTION OF (DISCOUNTED $100 WITHOUT FRIDGE) CABINET BASE -TO RUN PVC OUTLET PIPING FOR DISHWASHER AND SINK -SUPPLY/INSTALL SOILD LAMINATED KITCHEN CABINET (TOP/BOTTOM=30FTS)(INCLUDE STAINLESS STEEL DISHRACK ,2 GLASS PANELS ,DESIGN HANDLES AND CUTLERY TRAY) INCLUDE CABINET FOR DISHRACK, CHOICE OF LAMITAK OR EDL @ $100PFR top up $150 for handles -SUPPLY/INSTALL SOLID SURFACE TOP FOR KITCHEN CABINET (19FTS @ $95PFR) LG HI MACS ARCTIC WHITE(INCLUDED GST) -SUPPLY/INSTALL 2 NOS. ALUMINIUM FRAME WITH FROSTED GLASS FOR KITCHEN CABINET -SUPPLY LABOUR TO INSTALL COOKER HOOD, HOB ,OVEN ,SINK & TAP & DISH WASHER -LABOUR TO INSTALL BLUM FOC -SUPPLY/INSTALL 1 NO.TOP HUNG TEMPERED FRAMELESS SLIDING GLASS DOOR AT KITCHEN ENTRANCE(10MM) change to 12 mm -SUPPLY/INSTALL STAINLESS STEEL/TEMPERED GLASS BACKING ON LONG WALL (BOTH SAME PRICE)TEMPERED -SUPPLY/INSTALL GLASS BACKING TO HEIGHT BEHIND SINK Change to stainless steel -TO DISMANTLE AND DISPOSE EXISTING KITCHEN CABINET -DEMOLITION OF EXISTING TIMBER DOOR FRAMES AND MAKE GOOD FOR KITCHEN AND YARD -ELECTRICAL: 1 OVEN PT, EXTEND 1 INDUCTION 15A PT, 1 HOOD/HOB PTS,REINSTALL EXISTING POWER PTS SUPPLY/INSTALL 2 NOS. T5 LIGHTS (INCLUDE LAY WIRES) Exact electrical work done: Kitchen: Hack and conceal -4x20A siwtches for induction ( new 32A ), oven ( shared 32 A ), dishwasher and hood (13A ), 3 double gang sockets, lay wires for LED and connect to adapter and switch The rest: Hack and Conceal one switch in living, replace 16 switches, install 7 lights, install door bell and its switch Total: $790 TOILETS LABOUR TO INSTALL BASINS, TAPS AND WC FOR ALL 3 TOILETS (PURCHASE BY OWNER) YARD SUPPLY/CONSTRUCT CERAMIC/HOMOGENEOUS FLOOR TILES FOR YARD TOILET(<$3 PSF) SUPPLY LABOUR TO INSTALL 1 NO. TOILET BOWL AND 1 NO. BASIN (PURCHASE BY OWNER) WHOLE HOUSE AND GENERAL -DEBRIS REMOVAL & HACKING OF FLOOR TILES & --cancelled--WALL TILES AS PROPOSED (FOC FOR YARD TOILET) -HAULAGE OF SAND AND MATERIALS TO BE CARRIED OUT (FOC FOR YARD TOILET)LESS $40 -WHOLE HOUSE GENERAL CLEANING AND WASHING (ACID WASH FOR NEW TILES) -PAINTING(WHITE) OF 6 SETS OF EXISTING DOORS/FRAMES AND MASTER TOILET VANITY DOORS(NOT TO REMOVE) -SUPPLY LABOUR TO REMOVE AND REPLACE WHOLE HOUSE SWITCHES(NOT POWER SOCKETS) PROVIDED BY OWNER and install 7 lightings After top-ups (there were no hidden charges) and some discount , the total damage came to less than $13.5K....not far off from the initial quotation The contractors that I engaged myself; - 3 sets of PD doors $804 - Marble polishing $650 - Dining Mirrors $850 Sub total: $2304 So my total renovation cost came close to $16K...slightly off my initial budget of $15, but still acceptable ...do note -- havent include furnishings like BLUM, sanitary wares, appliances,etc ......to be cont--- Thanks for your kind words Perhaps another project in the future...carpentry Stay tuned

DAY 60 cont Wardrobe - too expensive to replace and a waste as still in good condition, so decided to just change the ugly handles to update the look Original Handles 2 handles selected Stainless Steel Handles and the other, Brushed Nickel Handles Result ....not too bad Thanks Its ok... dont want to spend too much on renovation, I like the space so not too much clutter for me. Ya...enjoy watching movies in the comfort of own home... with friends. Thats why that wall is stark. Will post more pics...but my bedrooms not renovated lei, still messy with boxes..pai say.

DAY 60 cont Common toilet - no hacking done - just change accessories and paint frame New PD door and new switches New basin and mixer tap, painted mirror frame, and shower bar New WC New towel bar and toilet paper holder Thanks The carpenters are from Henry, Impress21 Design And Build...I dont have their contact, sorry.