hello88

definitely can be done as most of our grandparents/parents reno their kitchen in the late 70s/80s and early 90s in this way.

ya, i did post in the thread, cant remember which page though. My house reno no theme, just simple design as me and hubby boh idea and that time also in a rush to move in. In fact, the entire reno was not a happy one. The HDD of my PC decided to retire this CNY ( didnt backup) and I lost most of my pics, also forgotten the password to the photos stored in kodak website. But I'll try to post some pics if I can retrieve from one of my thumbdrive but my photos are taken more than 2 years ago. Pai Seh to post with those of u who have designer renos.

ya, our bodies need some bacteria to keep our system working and also keep harmful ones from entering our bodies. Society becomes more hygenie-conscious yet more deadly diseases arising and people falling sick easily.

its really feels great staying in EM right? btw, looking forward to more pics of your beautifully done up EM. Also still waiting for your done up floorplan as wanna see how u done up your common loo upstairs as we got the same layouts as Jessie. In fact, I still dont like my common loo and its coming to 3 years liao....hahahaha yup, its really not easy staying together. Me also lucky that no need to stay with my in-laws cos they're stayin in their own flat and the fact that we have different religion so MIL ever hinted that different religion cant stay together when me and hubby just started 'pa-toring'. Heng man otherwise sure next time I die cos hubby is her favourite son. Anyway, my parents are staying with me for the past 1 year. Really got to give in alot as previously stayed next door at old place and had huge quarrel. Anyway, that's history liao.

cant remember the price but like what Mace said, very ex. I think we were told to expect something like min. 2.5k and also depend on panels required plus the designs. We dropped the idea because the wood might 'deteriorate' in years to come as my balcony has both rain (if very heavy) and shine. But I've to agree that it really look nice.

that's what happened to me the other time till I dun trust the agent. She said had to wait for letter but I got the dates instantly when I checked online. I was also the one who inform the agent on the 2nd appt date as that time very kiasu, almost every other day checked online for the system to be updated. If I didnt remember wrongly, the HDB letter informing us on the 2nd appt date came exactly a week after I got the dates online. Really cant expect alot from snail mails these days. let your wife comfortably settle the confinement first .....since not exactly in a hurry to move in and rush thru reno right?

i was also in the same situation back then. We needed to get a place badly and it was the only unit that both of u like. We were 'forced' to agree on the seller's and agent's terms...eg. 90days written on the OTP (giving them the option to submit for 1st appt latest by 90days), agreeing to the selling price yet no valuation done yet, allowing seller to stay for another 1-2 months after 2nd appt WITHOUT rent! Luckily, the application for resale was submitted within a month as seller already found a unit. We tried to ask for payment of rent if seller had to stay on after 2nd appt but seller and her agent refused. In the end, we gave in and told them max. 1 month. If seller had to stay for another month then pay us rent. Luckily again, seller's FSM told her that she had to move into new flat before Lunar 6 month so she moved out a few days after 2nd appt. But we had to start our reno before Lunar 7 month and move in after Lunar 7 month as we had to vacate our flat for our buyers. That's y, didnt have time to source for good Id/contractor.....and also didnt know the market rate for reno stuff. Now all of u so fortunate, can get some good advices in renotalk and other reno forums. yup, many EM sellers are selling at a loss if they're not the 1st owners. That's y I waited 6 years for this EM. During that time, the cheapest was around 450k, some 2nd floor even selling at above 500k but of course during that time, the age of the flat was younger. Finally, I got my mid-floor EM at more than 100k cheaper after waiting for so many years. Hope next time can make $ from this EM if I'm selling but I find that age of the flat affects quite a fair bit in the final pricing for the valuation.

how come your agent like that? Is he/she the seller's agent? Dont depend on him/her, go to HDB website and login using your SINGPASS to check your scheduled 1st appointment date.

ya, valuation of resale flats still shooting upwards and demand for resale also going upwards due to demand from PRs. But I think COV coming down, serious sellers are now asking for 15k-30k but there's still some trying to get buyers to cough out more COV

yup, definitely got to pay more. http://www.yongfang.com/Folding%20Door%204PC%202004.htm

login to yr cpf,check statement scroll down the page...u'll c the accumulated amt plus interest u have used for housing to date

i got The Helping Hand from Upper Serangoon to help me move my stuff. They are mostly former drug addicts and seeking a 2nd chance from society. They're really very friendly and helpful. U can also buy teak furnitures from them. Anyway, u can try to get a quote from them or other movers and do a comparsion. They dun charge u if u have your own boxes. I bought my boxes from another mover as had to spend quite sometime to pack my stuff. I think most movers charge by per trip and also depends on whether the flats (move out/moving in) have any lift access. Previously, I bought a daybed from Wihardja and the daybed couldnt get into the stupid lift though it was only 1.5m. In the end, I had to pay an extra $30 as they charged $5 per level. sob sob as for the surf board. Staircase landing is a great idea. Are u extending your living room to the balcony? If your balcony is still intact then u can hang it up on the wall too and maybe do some artistic drawings beside it. yalor, plus I see many of us got young kids who would never fail to drive us up the walls....isnt it great that EM got high high ceiling.....hahahaha.....

wow....looks like u bought a good condition flat so really can cut cost on reno as reno is so so expensive nowadays. ya, if really can spare the time, y not outsource as it'll definitely be much cheaper than having to sub all the work to one id/contractor.

wow, 530k is ex but I heard Bishan also selling around this price. The resale prices at Bishan and Tampines are quite stable all these years....the demand is very much always there. Since near to your parents so u managed to get the 40k grant? btw, how much u paying per month since the flat is more than half a million. wow, looks like your reno gonna be quite massive and wld cost big big hole in your pocket. That's the thing abt buying a big house and wanting to change this and that. Sometimes I do regret spending alot on my reno and furnishing and hope to re-do reno for certain part of the house but still waiting for $ to drop down from sky do u really have to change the windows and grilles? or able to make do with sellers'? plastering and rewiring very ex. Painting can outsource. Since u still got plenty of time till collecting the keys then might as well get a few more quotes. Need not bring contractors/id to your place first since it would inconvenient your sellers. Just fax/email or hand your floor plan to them and get them to quote.

ya, i think Chinese dislike and pantang with the digit 4 but I read somewhere recently that 4 is actually good in terms of Feng Shui but cant recall where I read liao

sell and buy? managed to get a high profit for yr selling? if its going to be an overhaul or near overhaul then reno would take abt 2 months (considered quite fast). I think u should be able to make it for Hari Raya. have u selected your id/contractor? Looks like you're going to be another EM owner who would end up with big big hole in your pockets. sob...sob. huh, EM to 3 room? I really cant imagine if I have to move all my stuff to a 3-room flat....hahaha. Wow, u still got half a year to do all the planning. Good for u! Shop around and take advantage of the sales nearer to year end. hey, any idea when the anchorvale complex wld be officially opened? wow, ur blog very creative leh. I must learn from u how to place the photos in the way u did it. Ur EM very nicely done up...no wonder u spend so much. Really like the ang ang bricks. Saw ur big big wedding photo on the wall at the staircase landing. Great idea and everyday can tian tian mi mi when u climb up and down the stairs... realised that there's a gate at the staircase entrance. That's for your child? I havent installed one yet. Might be getting a family friend to custom it as it'll be more solid. But still considering......

1stly, login to My HDB from HDB website to check your outstanding loan. Then login to your CPF to check the actual amt plus interest that u've taken out from CPF to pay for the flat. Do u plan to get another new flat from HDB? If u're getting it either now or in the near future, then u'll have to factor in the CASH levy.

Hi, nice walnut-coloured furnitures u have. All bought from Wihardja? btw, how much did u paid for the TV console?

most of us pocket big big hole . Think u the only one without any hole

anymore outstanding loan? Anyway, u can calculate your estimated cash proceeds using the HDB Sales Proceed Calculation

yup, very ex especially for those flats near to Central. Below are some of the recent transaction 700A Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 11 to 15 90.00 2003 $470,000.00 Jun 2008 350 Ang Mo Kio St 32 21 to 25 95.00 2001 $456,000.00 May 2008 354 Ang Mo Kio St 32 21 to 25 90.00 2001 $450,000.00 May 2008 596A Ang Mo Kio St 52 21 to 25 91.00 2002 $485,000.00 May 2008 596C Ang Mo Kio St 52 21 to 25 90.00 2002 $488,800.00 Jun 2008 596C Ang Mo Kio St 52 21 to 25 90.00 2002 $485,000.00 May 2008 596C Ang Mo Kio St 52 01 to 05 93.00 2002 $447,000.00 May 2008 596D Ang Mo Kio St 52 01 to 05 85.00 2003 $423,000.00 Jun 2008 so, moral of the story is to be prepared to pay more than 400k if one intend to get a resale flat in AMK, walking distance to central.

maybe your electrician staying same block as me. Didnt know my block got an electrician. For my unit, only balcony and a smalll part of my MBR affected by the West (sun) but its good la because laundry gets dried up very fast in the balcony. No need much maintenance for laminates. We use the magiclean wiper sheet to 'sweep' the laminates. This wiper sheet is really good for picking up dust on our floors and cupboards, etc. Its really a good helper when doing housework. I usually mop my laminates with sofix (for laminates), sometimes I also use Ajax. I use magic mop, microfibre mop or use a cloth to hand mop if I'm extra hardworking. So far, I never use solely water to clean as I still considered a cleaning freak and prefer the floor to smell nice and clean. I think u must have alot of carpentry eg. wardrobes in all rooms, shoe cabinets, TV cabinet, etc. U can use www.photobucket.com which is earlier to post the pic. This is from TPY's post:- . http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1142 show you how to upload photos and show it here. simply go to or http://www.photobucket.com , upload your photos and click 'Host it' Copy the codes in the textbox entitled ' Thumbnail for forums' and paste them in your post.

sorry.....heee....no la, only made a guess. heeee in fact, i think most forum got more females and males.

same thing happened to my Aunt's toilet (not EM) and already staying there for several years. Complained to HDB and after inspection and ding dong here ding dong there....finally they arranged contractor to hack the tiles, do water proofing and re-tiled back. Think my aunt paid $250 sama sama like her neighbour downstairs. In fact, this is the 2nd time as a year ago, her toilet ceiling leaking so also had to share cost with the neighbour upstairs. I think at least still cheaper than if it happens to the toilet in our kitchen cos who can we share cost with??? our spouses..... sorry, hijack your post to Jessie. no la, I think Jessie's unit wld be 4th and 5th floor. your electrician staying which Blk? I think more to do with the facing of the unit as some units high floor and very windy....hmmm....NS facing should be the most ideal right? U're staying near Punggol Pri right? memory getting lousy liao wow 70k....big hole and heartpain right but end of the day must love your EM and happy to return home to your swee swee house after a hard day at work. I also hack away the old tiles and got contractor to do cement screed first before laying the laminates.

I think u also bought at good price and so convenient with all the amenities around. Now should be ex. No chance to do reno also in a way good as u had to make do with whatever condition the EM came with. Now u already settle down for few months so see what really need to be done then do reno lor.