DKCH

What a long day! Spent the morning at Ubin cycling, then headed over to Expo again since it was near. This time with the wife. 1. Put in the deposit for the clothes hanger. This model: http://www.tame.com.sg/images/p2.2.jpg. So, now just waiting for my place to be ready. 2. Bought Simmons mattress Premium series King size. Comes with two Deep Sleep pillows and Simmons mattress protector. Actually just put in a 100 dollar deposit, still not sure about it. But then, after looking at countless models, I am all ready to give up and just go with this. It's not too bad anyway for SGD2500. More on mattresses, we were actually considering Simmons that is imported directly from the USA. There is this new place called Mattress Giant located along Balestier Road that is like a P.I. for Simmons. Their mattresses are REALLY comfy! And cheaper than the like-for-like model sold by Simmons. I was all ready to go for that, but there was just one problem: the size. For the US model, the size is 193cmx203cm, which is bigger than the standard 180cmx203cm. This will be quite problematic when you want to find a bedframe or bedsheets. However, I travel to the states once in a while for work so bedsheets not a big issue. Only thing is the bedframe... Also, the warranty for the PI model is 12 years. However, you can't go to Simmons Singapore (authorized dealer is Ackerby and something...). You can only go to Mattress Giant. Anyway, for you guys who are going with tatami concept, then this is a pretty good deal. I just got back from Takashimaya and was asking the sales assistant at Sheridan. She says they don't sell 193cmx203cm, but their 180cmx203cm should be able to handle the US size provided the thickness does not go above 15inches. If you decide to go to Mattress Giant, go look for this 50+ year old guy, called Mr Kim. He provided me with a lot a lot of information. And he really slashed the price down for me. Still feeling bad that I did not buy from him. But I did promise that I would recommend him to other people. So, here it is: recommendation. Just tell him that Daniel recommends. The guy who was all wishy-washy at the expo.

Another big item that needs to be purchased soon would be a mattress. Lots of them over at Expo now. So many that I got totally confused! I only had enough stamina to try out Simmons, MaxCoil and Dunlopillo. Simmons seems to be out of my budget. For about SGD2k, I am getting the 2nd lowest range matress. With MaxCoil, they're selling SGD1899 for mattress with latex top OR memory foam. Then, tried Dunlopillo. Their Duchess series (older version, top layer thinner, but who cares) is going for SGD1799, and their Royal Premier for SGD2099. Oh, prices don't include bedframes. Ran out of stamina from lying down on mattresses and asking countless questions. Will be going back again with the missus. Her turn to lie down!

Hi. Yeah it includes delivery. They can store in their warehouse for a month, but I asked if one and half months they said ok. HUH? Cannot wash towels? Very strange!!! And yeah gonna be washing comforter, bedsheets, clothes, TOWELS. I think 6.5 also not enough. Probably will go with 7.5kgs. That should be safe. Deciding between Electrolux and Samsung. Need to recce a bit. Giving myself a couple of weeks then will purchase already. Wallet feeling a lot lighter already!

Thinking of getting this: http://www.tame.com.sg/images/p3L115_small.jpg Found their booth at the Home Design and Deco exhibition today. They're selling at SGD398. Seems ok lah. Poles are made of aluminium but the rest of the frame are stainless steel. Guy was showing me his thick sales order book with countless orders made so far. Haha. Anyone has something like this? Their website is www.tame.com.sg.

Yeah the insulation is drilled through the walls and through false ceiling and inside the walls. I think... As in, don't have those casings that will be running along the corners of walls and ceilings. I just got back from Home Design and Deco at Expo. ClosetDesign is there. They have special prices for the fair. I only checked the pole system. They are selling at SGD200 per foot run instead of the regular SGD220 (without doors). So, save a bit more. Then, the whole system will come with 4 drawers. It is an additional SGD80 per drawer (with soft closing system). Other than that, no limits on the number of poles or shelves or hanger bars. You should check out Alumix. Last I checked, they were cheaper than ClosetDesign. Will be going over to their place at Toa Payoh again for one last recce before deciding already. Oh and I just checked Gain City at AMK. Their Samsung washer WF7650 is going for SGD549 only. About 200 dollars less than normal. But it can only handle 6.5kg load, maybe a bit low for my clothes and bedsheets and comforter etc etc... Decisions, decisions...

Next to do: Go to Alumix and ClosetDesign and decide on who to sign up with... Also, time to look for a washing machine and fridge. Was at HN yesterday and they are selling Electrolux EWF1495 front loading, 8kg load washing machine for SGD999. Others in my shortlist are the Samsung WF8700 for SGD799 and the WF8702SPG for 899. Any feedback on these models?

Pictures of demolition works done last week: View from inside the kitchen looking out to the living/dining area. View from inside the kitchen looking out to the yard. Wall has been hacked down, so now the door will be to the right of the beam. Previously was to the left. This leaves space on the left against the wall for a tabletop and space for the fridge. View from living room looking at the kitchen. Same thing here, wall hacked down, and the door will be in the middle now. All the false ceilings, bar counter and floor tiles have been removed. Wife posing in the bedroom. Closet, dresser and false ceilings have been removed. http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/1347/25062009054.th.jpg' alt='a>'>

Wow, this looks NICE! And I was just at Choo Chiang yesterday getting the grey LeGrand switches. Hmm, this is nice...

Okay, according to the sales invoice, it says... 3/4 inch insulation. Not sure what that means...

HAR!!!! Hmm, does yours include concealed trunking? My guy says for concealed, for one unit, the cost for trunking is SGD200. That's what he is charging me. Mine is done by NationCool.

Hi hi, yeah mine is Mitsubishi Starmex inverter also. I tried to bargain down already, but apparently this is the lowest he can go already. I actually checked the System 3 with the same BTUs over at Gain City. They are charging a little bit more than this guy. Oh, the price includes changing of trunking. Hmmm, I hope I am not getting chopped.

More updates! After the hacking on Thursday, nothing was done on Friday because I was overseas. Wonder why the ID didn't have anything done that day. Hmmm... Anyway this morning (Monday), went to the new unit at 10AM. Met up with the aircond guy. Wife and I were deciding whether to get a System 3 or a System 2 for the place. The FCU in the common bedroom is still working fine, though it's about 5 years old. To do up a System 3 and replace all FCU, with changing of trunking (concealed), we were going to be charged SGD3650. 22000 BTU for living room, 12000 BTU for MBR and 9000 BTU for common bedroom. In the end, we decided to ask the guy to fix up a System 3 compressor, but to only change the MBR and living room FCUs since those are in bad shape. Charged SGD3000 for that. I made a deal with the guy. He will give me a good price for a 9000BTU FCU should my common room FCU die in future. Hope he remembers me! Then, tiler came along. ID and I told him where we wanted the tiles to be, and how they should be laid. Next, electrician dropped by. Told him where we wanted our power points, lighting points, switches etc etc. He was going to supply MK switches. However, the wife and I wanted to get LeGrand switches. Electrician says that it will cost 20% more! Felt that it is kind of a rip off. So, we decided to get our own switches. So, off to Choo Chiang we went. Got ourselves the grey LeGrand switches from there. Really a lot cheaper than what they sell outside. My Mandarin is quite lousy, but my wife speaks quite okay Mandarin, so she managed to get a cheaper electrician contact from the Choo Chiang staff should we decide to change electricians. Don't think we will change now, but at least we have options in future. Tomorrow, the plumber will be coming to do the pipings. More updates on the way!

Pics pics!

Hmm, actually I am doing this together with my reno. Now that you mention it, all the piping from the compressor will be going above the toilets and kitchen that have false ceilings already! So actually, don't have to hack any bricks or walls! Oh, but the drainage pipe will probably have a bit because changing position of one of the FCUs. Thanks for the tip! Gonna prepare my speech for the aircond man

Hi Storm, Wah, your insulation explanation complicated lah. Haha. I think I will ask my guy to provide sufficient insulation so that the place does not leak/sweat. If not, I'm gonna bang some balls I went to the Gain City at AMK. Their HQ. The exact models would be MXY-3A28VA (compressor), MSXY-GA10VA, MSXY-GA13VA and MSXY-GA22VA. I think they should also have 18000 BTU as well. Price would then probably be a bit cheaper.

Hey when you guys say Natural Cool, are you referring to NationCool? The one at IMM? My ID usually sources from one guy from Nation Cool at IMM. He came over to my place before I signed anything and viewing the place, recommended a System 3 9btu (common room), 12btu (masterbedroom) and 21btu (living/dining room). He also says that the compressor should be MXY-3A28VA. Price he gave, if use back the same piping, is SGD3050. If need to change piping, concealed piping, would be SGD3650. I asked GainCity about an hour ago and for the same system, they quote SGD3099. For changing the concealed pipes, they need to come down and evaluate. But the salesperson says that it would be about SGD300-SGD500 extra PER FCU! So, maximum top up SGD1500. Faint... Anyway, I have asked around and to see how much BTU you need for your place, you should take your square feet x 80. That's the ballpark figure. Then of course, see if you got super high ceiling, or you got huge heat generating machines, or you have a huge family, then you have to add a bit more cooling. Just FYI. Hmmm, SGD3650.... to do or not to do...

Hey I used to stay in Yew Tee block 640. Very nice and peaceful area there. And you are right about packing/unpacking/shifting. I so hate that. I think I have moved easily 4 or 5 times the last 5 years because I was renting a place, and moving overseas. Well, good for you. Your place looks good. Congrats!

Yeah, actually we spent a few months choosing an ID/contractor. In the end, we have chosen one. Can't really reveal the company now because of some complications, but once that is over, I will say. Then, if work is good, then good lah. If not good, then people will also know that it's not good With regards to theme, the missus and I are thinking of using mostly earth colours. Trying to stay away from pastel or bright colours. But, depending on what drawings the ID can produce, we may change our minds still...

This place is a quite old, about 12 years old. That's why gonna be doing quite major works. I've already appointed someone to do this place up. Hacking work started this morning. Was there when everything was being knocked down. Will continue until tomorrow and, hopefully, small touch-ups on Monday. Actually, we got the keys to the place first half of May but we're only starting the works now. Mainly because of procrastinating (gonna hurt my pocket, paying rent now and mortgage). But also, had a bit of run-in with the previous owner with regards to the actual size of the place and the size that they told us. So, we were barred from entering the place before getting the keys for measurement etc etc. Long long story. But, good thing is that things are finally underway. In a nutshell, going to be: 1. hacking living room tiles, all the built-in stuff. 2. laying homo tiles in living room, kitchen floor and walls, yard, both toilets floors and walls. 3. false ceiling and L-box in living room. 4. kitchen cabinets, changing position of the two doors in the kitchen to have more functional room. 5. tv console and feature wall. 6. study ledge in common room. 7. plaster wall in MBR to have a WIW. 8. redo the toilets. Total cost, projecting to be about 40k. Ouch.

Master bedroom, huge closet which is gonna go because it is a bit too dated. Table which was probably used for the computer and books by the tenant who was living here. Also going to be removed. Common bathroom. Gonna redo this as well as the master bedroom bathroom. Layout pretty much the same except that the master bedroom bathroom has a bath tub and it is broader.

Okay, here are some pictures of the place as we got it. Living room, looking from the window inwards: The bar counter is going to be removed. Common bedroom which is going to be left intact. Kitchen cabinets and yard outside the window. Gonna redo the cabinets, put in new tiles, and rearrange the floorplan of the place. So, windows will be gone. A bit complicated and the fact that the DB is in the kitchen on the wall between the dining and kitchen doesn't help.

New Tech Park?

Ok, here is the floor plan of my place. It is a total of 915 square feet, 2 bedroom unit. Problem is no store room, so gotta have lots of storage space. Used a digital camera to take the picture of the floor plan on a folded piece of paper, so some crooked lines...

Hi hi thanks! Still trying to figure out how to upload pics and add links to them. Hehe. But the pictures will be coming up.

After months of voyeuring t-blogs, it is time to start my own t-blog. But firstly, have to go upload some photos at some servers. Stay tuned!