petunialee

Hi All... I documented the lessons I learnt through my house construction because I want other house owners to learn from my mistakes. Managing the process so you don't get cheated by anyone. No one looks after your house construction better than you. Everyone else has vested interests. http://petunialee.blogspot.sg/2011/04/house-construction-13-some-lessons-on.html What to look for in an architect http://petunialee.blogspot.sg/2010/09/house-construction-1-architect.html Buying cheap and good sanitary ware http://petunialee.blogspot.sg/2010/11/house-construction-3-sanitary-ware.html Building strong walls http://petunialee.blogspot.sg/2012/04/stiffeners.html Waterproofing your bathroom properly http://petunialee.blogspot.sg/2011/08/waterproofing-your-bathroom.html Waterproofing your 1st story slab properly so that damp does not creep up through your tiles http://petunialee.blogspot.sg/2010/12/water-proofing-1st-storey-floor.html Waterproofing flat roofs http://petunialee.blogspot.sg/2011/06/about-waterproofing-flat-roofs-and.html Get a warranty on your glass panes http://petunialee.blogspot.sg/2012/08/delaminating-glass-panes_10.html

Has anyone used this company to transfer funds for overseas property purchases? http://www.pay2home.com/

Owner Developers - If you don't make sure you have stiffeners, no one will. http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2012/04/stiffeners.html

Mongrel puppies are more resilient than pure breeds. They are loving, loyal and protective of the home. Please someone... adopt these 3. http://www.petunialee.blogspot.com/2011/12/fatty-puppy-friendly-puppy-frightened.html

Yes... I have my TOP. I can't remember how long it took though... Here is a new blogpost on my construction journey. http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2011/11/reliable-contractors-1-elite-deco-pte.html

Some things I learnt when waterproofing the bathrooms... http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2011/08/waterproofing-your-bathroom.html

If they need to open up the road to lay a heavier duty cable than the one they laid 30 years ago, it takes 3 weeks to 1 month (sometimes more) from the day you pay up the connection fee to Powergrid. Powergrid needs to seek permission for their works from NEA, NParks, LTA. Prior to that, it takes 2 weeks from the time your electrician makes an application for a connection to the day you get your quote.

Congrats! I am glad you are comfy with your team and you have a good archi. I'll PM you for his contact so that I'll use him the next time (if ever) I build a house. Do update on how your archi is at the end of your building process eh? I don't suppose any prizes go to the house that gets completed first so I guess if this is the time you need to conceptualize and refine your house design then the time is well spent. It isn't how you start I guess, it's how you end. Mistake 1 I should have specified a 10% buffer for my household shelter. Mistakes can happen when casting concrete and we casted a little smaller than specified and had to rework. With a 10% buffer, a little smaller or bigger would still be within regulations. Mistake 2 I should have built up to maximum i.e., 6000 sqft. Mistake 3 Use a flat concrete roof. I was afraid of flat roofs and the heat that radiates down from them, so I chose a metal roof with double density + cement board insulation (which is very cooling) but my archi gave me a very good insulation system for the little bit of flat roof that I have... which is quite cooling too. Mistake 4 Use an open out gate instead of sliding gate. Most people have their gates open out and this saves driveway space. Mistake 5 Design a higher ceiling for 2nd storey. High ceilings are very pleasant indeed. Mistake 6 Don't underestimate how small shower space can be at 1.2m. I should have designed larger bathrooms. Mistake 7 Have big huge windows in bathroom (with frosted glass and plant screens). I did manage to get these though... because I wanted them so much. Mistake 8 Should have designed an open concept bathroom with access to outdoors... and half open to elements. Overall, I do like my house a lot. When I talked of selling, it was to make money but I don't think the market is gonna rise up very much in the next 2 years so that plan is shelved. Haha.

Who is my builder? http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2011/06/who-is-panda.html

About waterproofing bathrooms and external flat roofs: http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2011/06/about-waterproofing-flat-roofs-and.html

A new blogpost on metal roofs... http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2011/06/about-metal-roofs.html

Here is a new blogpost http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2011/06/house-construction-14.html

I can't comment on whether builders who build 50 houses a year are better (or as good as) those who prefer to build only 6 a year and give it personal attention. I do know that I like my main con, but would not recommend my archi. I check the site everyday, and even with a strong team, I find things to raise with my main contractor. I requested an extra stiffener for a wall that faces a sort of wind tunnel. I spotted a missing kerb in the bathroom which could pose problem to waterproofing later... As the house was being built and things get translated from plan to reality, I found myself making adjustments, and I was pleased that the contractor was available to meet me at site (at some periods where there is a lotta activity) almost everyday to discuss adjustments... and make conceptual changes before he starts to build. I am there to observe how they set out my bathroom so I can stand in the space and really feel how I am gonna use it. How I will move from one area to another. Even 10cm can make a lotta difference to how one experiences a space. Some of my adjustments went to 50cm. What is on paper may not feel right once it is built. I made countless adjustments, and I tried to get these adjustments right before the thing was built. This means making a myriad small decisions (at some periods on a daily basis at the morning brief to workers). Just yesterday, I bought coffee for the plumber so that he would help me move the water inlet pipe to the exact place I decided that I wanted whilst standing in the bathroom and feeling the space. Changed powerpoint positions. Changed lighting positions. Changed door placements etc... material for the door etc... I was there at every important milestone. Gosh... I even watched the cement test being done and insisted to climb up the scaffolding to examine the welds of the steel roof structure. The contractor gave me my own hard hat and steel boots. With all this close attention, my archi didn't pass scrutiny but my main contractor did. In fact, my main contractor gave me some design ideas which my archi should have tried to think of, except that he (the archi) was so busy with plenty other projects (other multi-million dollar factory contracts, and a contract to build a zoo), I was just another digit in his accounting books. My archi was not amenable to discussing space use etc once everything was drawn up. He didn't really care. After the roof went up, my contractor saw potential for a small loft in each of my children's rooms, and he actually designed it with me (costed it for me) before I asked my archi to do the paperwork. I was paranoid about structural safety. I used my RTO thoroughly... made him check and inspect everything. My RTO made life difficult for my contractor. As for interior and kitchen designers, I don't have them. These I considered surface issues. Kitchens and interiors can be easily changed. The important thing for me was to get the structural works right, so the RTO was more important than the kitchen/interior designer to me. Our styles are very different. This may help forummers decide which style they prefer, and what type of contractor to engage.