istel

So far, without the laminate, doors and aircon seem a bit cheaper... around 18-19k Going down again tomorrow for exact measurements and tile selections... Will update again after that haha

Will be waiting to hear about your experience with them my installation will probably take place somewhere in mid Jan. Took the clearance stock and heng heng got enough stock left to cover my living and 2 Brooms. Paid 50% down payment of $5.06 psf from $5.20 psf before gst for the Practiq AC5... Let me know if you managed to squeeze more discount out of them kay? haha...

Hi Dex bro, your t-blog has been a wealth of great info again I realized that there's quite a number of curious HDB aunties in SG that just sashays into flats that are doing reno without invitation and start asking questions haha... I met one of these aunties before when we were visiting one of my friend's place in Sengkang that was under reno also, I guess we're just too polite/paiseh to tell these aunties to bugger off... Sorry to hear about your CNS gate experience... You're really good tempered and patient with them. I would have gone crazy and call the sales guy up to give him a good piece of my mind...

Brought my contractor to view my flat just today... Waiting for the quote on the final confirmation

Finally completed my second appointment today... Haven't got the keys as I've agreed to allow my seller to have the apartment till next Weds for storing his stuff before he moves them into his new flat... Arranged for the SP utilities ownership transfer to happen next Tues so have to go and meet the SP utilities guy at my new place to allow him to do his meter reading cause the meter is inside the kitchen cabinet instead of the corridor... These few days that I've not logged on to update my blog... I've been busy: - Looking for furniture - Looking for electrical appliances - Looking for laminates - Looking for ways to earn more money for renovation For furniture, I believe we'll be getting S&C from AMK to help us with almost anything that contains wood... For electrical appliances, we'll be getting most of them from Everjoint I guess... I'm thinking of getting the cooking hob, hood and stove from Bosch as a friend has staff discount but I'm not sure if it'll be substantial savings... Washing machine seems to be either top loader Hitachi or I'll go for top loader continental drum... LCD... No idea yet but people keep telling me Sharp LCD very good... I was set on a Panasonic Plasma but there seems to be some class-action case in US against Panasonic for selling panels whose black lightens up to gray after a couple years of usage... Aircon... seems to be Mitsubishi or Toshiba... Fridge wise... am targeting 511L Panasonic NRBY601... Laminate wise, I've decided on Pergo Practiq (Limed Oak Plank) that is on clearance sale at Floor Options Here's the laminate and skirting that we've chosen We realized that when we get Bryan from FO to bring the samples to our place. The laminate's color scheme is very similar to our current owner's marble flooring... Not sure if that's good or bad Will try to update this space more often now that I'm nearing the collection of my house keys

Hi Dex bro, Apologies for the late replies... Yes, it's really a challenging task... We might end up getting a queen size bed with platform bed frame instead of a king size after all... It all depends on how I can squeeze my wardrobe and dresser together with the platform bed frame into the small room I guess... For the waterproofing stress test portion, it appears that most contractors don't waterproof the walls... My contractor told me that without waterproofing, the moisture might seep into the concrete so by right HDB wants to see the walls waterproofed... I've seen that link that you've posted here before but it slipped my mind, thanks for jogging it again Another thing I need to check is, my contractor told me that I cannot re-route these pipes in my shower room. Contractor told me if I want to re-route these pipes, I have to sign some undertaking documents to tell HDB that I'll be responsible for any pipe leakage for my upper and lower floor neighbors... Do you guys have any issues in re routing your pipes? If I can't re-route my pipes then there's no point in I hacking down the walls between the shower and the toilet right?

Looking forward to your updates Good point dex bro, you mean to say I should put it at where I have the book shelf is at for my common room rite? The series position is just the tentative position, I think I should change it to be closer to the room divider instead. Thanks a lot for pointing that out Tentative also, I'm trying to get a fengshui master to go look at my house before I decide on all the placements. My wife has a tendency to roll around while sleeping so I put the bed against the wall so that she's boxed in while sleeping Not doing wardrobe just a simple cardboard I guess, but good point, I might put the cardboard at the position where my bed is at now but that will put constraint on my dresser table -_-; The one in the bathroom is just a shower head, no bathtub cause you and I know it's hard to fit it in only the shower room, even after hacking down the wall between also hard to squeeze one in... Just something to check neu bro and dex bro, did your contractors waterproof the walls of the shower room as well or it's only the shower/toilet floor that was water proofed? Thanks for all the pointers and keep them coming Cheers

Hi Paul, looks like your reno progress is looking great Will be following your t-blog closely as well Cheers

Thanks for the heads up bro. You're right, it's a contractor's quote cause I don't really need a ID I guess... Electric works part... a couples of other contractors who quoted me are also in the range of around 1.2 to 1.4k... Should I outsource this portion of work in that case? They told me if outsource to other people, coordinate will result in delay of reno work -_-;; L-Box is supposed to be size of the living but not confirmed yet... Is it considered a good thing that he listed out all the labor charge rather than hiding them as hidden cost? Have to go back to him again to trash out all these issues I guess... I think after some considerations that I'll not go ahead with the glass partition and will just repaint all my existing doors. I'll still be changing the front gates though but not sure where to find the retro aluminum gate

Here's one of the quotes from my short listed contractors... Bros around here any idea if any VO is missing from this list? This quote overshot my planned budget by 10k -_-; Although, I'm planning to take out the glass partition, new doors, outsource laminates and aircon... Seems like it's still no where near 20k, the amount that I could still stomach... HACKING HACKING OF EXISTING SKIRTING FOR LIVING HALL AND 2 BEDROOMS HACKING OF EXISTING WALL TILES FOR KITCHEN AND WC AND BATHROOM HACKING OF EXISTING TOILET FITTING, SINK AND STOVE SUPPORTS 480 HACKING OF NEW ENTRANCE BETWEEN BATHROOM AND BEDROOM HACKING OF 1/2 WALL BETWEEN BATHROOM AND TOILET HACKING OF EXISTING WALL BETWEEN KITCHEN AND LIVING HALL DISMANTLE AND DISPOSAL OF EXISTING KITCHEN CABINET, WARDROBE AND CEILING CORNICES 980 LIVING HALL AND 2 BEDROOMS SUPPLY/OVERLAY LAMINATED FLOORING WITH SKIRTING FOR LIVING HALL & 2 BEDROOMS 1790 SUPPLY/CONSTRUCT TILES FOR ENTRANCE KERB 150 LIVING HALL: SUPPLY/CONSTRUCT L-BOX FOR LIVING HALL 480 LVING HALL: SUPPLY/LAY 12NOS. LIGHTING POINTS AND LABOUR TO INSTALL 12 NOS. PLC LIGHTS 516 SUPPLY/INSTALL ALUMNIUM GRILLES FOR LIVING HALL AND COMMON BEDROOM 280 SUPPLY/INSTALL 2 NOS. CLASSIC DOOR2 C/W LOCK SET FOR BOTH BEDROOMS 440 Utility SUPPLY/INSTALL 1 NOS. CLASSIC DOOR C/W LOCK SET FOR UTILITY 220 SUPPLY/OVERLAY FLOOR TILES FOR UTILITY (<$3PSF) 350 KITCHEN SUPPLY/CONSTRUCT CERAMIC/HOMOGENEOUS FLOOR TILES FOR KITCHEN (<$3PSF) 980 WATERPROOFING FOR KITCHEN 250 SUPPLY/CONSTRUCT FULL HEIGHT WALL TILES FOR KITCHEN (EXCLUDE CABINET AREA)<$2.70PSF 1,950 CONSTRUCTION OF FRIDGE, WASHING MACHINE AND CABINET BASES 450 SUPPLY/INSTALL 1 NO. SLIDING DOOR AND 2 NOS. FIXED PANELS AT KITCHEN ENTRANCE (10MM TEMPERED GLASS) 1,480 TO RUN OUTLET PIPING FOR WASHING MACHINE AND SINK 90 REPLACEMENT OF RUBBISH CHUTE (NEW MODEL C/W FRAME/FLUSH TO WALL) 250 SUPPLY/INSTALL A PAIR OF BAMBOO STICK HOLDERS 40 SUPPLY/INSTALL SOILD LAMINATED KITCHEN CABINET (TOP/BOTTOM=30FT)(INCLUDE STAINLESS STEEL DISHRACK, 2 GLASS PANELS, DESIGN HANDLES AND CUTLERY TRAY) 3,000 SUPPLY/INSTALL SOLID SURFACE TOP FOR KITCHEN CABINET (16FT) 1,280 SUPPLY LABOUR TO INSTALL COOKER HOOD, HOB, OVEN, SINK & TAP 50 SUPPLY/CONSTRUCT FALSE BEAM TO SUPPORT TEMPERED GLASS PANELS FOR KITCHEN ENTRANCE 180 TO MAKE GOOD ON AFFECTED AREA AFTER DEMOLITION OF WALL BETWEEN LIVING AND KITCHEN 150 SUPPLY/INSTALL SOFT CLOSING FOR ALL KITCHEN CABINET DOORS AND 4 DRAWERS 480 BATHROOM AND TOILET SUPPLY/CONSTRUCT NON-SLIP FLOOR TILES 680 WATERPROOFING TO BE CARRIED OUT 200 SUPPLY/CONSTRUCT FULL HEIGHT WALL TILES FOR WC AND BATHROOM (<$2.70 psf) 1,580 SUPPLY LABOUR TO INSTALL 1 NO. TOILET BOWL AND BASIN 180 SUPPLY/INSTALL 1 NO. SLIDING DOOR BETWEEN BATHROOM AND TOILET 290 SUPPLY/INSTALL 2 SETS OF ALUMINIUM/ACRYLIC BI-FOLD DOORS FOR WC AND BATHROOM 520 SUPPLY LABOUR TO INSTALL TOILET ACCESSORIES PURCHASED BY OWNER 40 SUPPLY LABOUR TO INSTALL 1 NO. INSTANT WATER HEATER 40 REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING WINDOW TO ADJUSTABLE TYPE AS PROPOSED 450 TO SEAL UP EXISTING ENTRANCE FOR BATHROOM WITH HOLLOW BLOCKS 320 WHOLE HOUSE AND GENERAL REPLACEMENT OF KITCHEN, WC AND BATHROOM EXISTING PIPES TO STAINLESS STEEL 690 7 SINGLE PWR PT=$350 ,7 DOUBLE PWR PT=$420 ,10 LIGHTING PT=$450 1220 1 A/C & 1 HEATER PT=$200 ,10 INSTALL LIGHT=$80 ,1 SCV=$100 ,2 TEL=$110 ,DISTRIBUTION BOARD=$280 770 PLASTERING OF WHOLE HOUSE WALLS AND CEILINGS 1350 PAINTING OF WHOLE HOUSE WALLS/CEILINGS WITH ICI PENTALITE OR NIPPON 5000(5 + 1 WHITE FOR CEILINGS) AND PAINTING OF DOOR FRAMES,PIPINGS AND GATE 880 SUPPLY/INSTALL 1 NO. WROUGHT IRON MAIN GATE C/W LOCK 480 SUPPLY/INSTALL 1 NO. SOLID MAIN DOOR C/W LOCK (NON FIRE RATED)AND VARNISHING 550 DEBRIS REMOVAL SERVICES TO BE CARRIED OUT 480 HAULAGE OF SAND TO BE CARRIED OUT 680 PATCH OF WIRE TRUNKING SHADOW AFTER REMOVED OLD ONE & PATCHING OF NEW WIRE TRUNKING GAPS 180 CHEMICAL WASHING FOR WHOLE HOUSE 90

Yeah, it's just to save the kitchen cabinet length... Save one foot cost? lol... Am discussing with various contractors... Some were saying if don't do top then have to do box up for the piping and electric cables... Yeah... I know what you mean, saw those concrete cabinets before when I was still house hunting, the agent was telling me can put granite top somemore with the concrete support $160 is quite reasonable liaoz bro, the ones I talked to quoted me $300... Yeah... Not enough space to implement I guess... sigh...

Hope to include this condiments shelf into the kitchen cabinet design although I would not put it so near the oven... For the top kitchen cabinet shelf... You think the carpenters can do it? Not sure if I have enough space in the shower room to do the shelving for my vanity sink...

Here are some of the "inspirations" that I had while searching the net... haha... If possible, I would like to do this for my L kitchen... However do the bros here think it's feasible? I wonder if it costs a bomb to customize the solid top... :/ If the above idea is a no go... I would like to do this instead... This might be one of the plan to save costs on the kitchen cabinets. Customize the kitchen cabinet on one side of the wall and get an Ikea shelf for the other side... ... limit of 5 pics per post is really quite irritating... haiz...

Thanks a lot for the heads up, will cross check my contractor's schedule again with your and neu bro's schedule hee... As for the pergo laminates. I've not receive the pm yet, could you check again? Thanks! Cheers

Wah, neu bro, up so early on saturday morning huh Hope to reduce damage due to workers' errors so wanna confirm the sequence haha... I just noticed something inside dex bro's toilet but I'm not sure if it's legal or not hee... Missus also wants one but I've no space to put it -_-; dex bro, Can also pm me the special lobang for pergo laminates? Many many thanks!

Updated with my proposed floor plan, expecting changes to happen but hopefully it'll not deviate too much from what I've planned...

Dex bro, thanks for the heads up. Have sent out my floor plans and am waiting for the various quotes . Seems like most will take around 1 week to get back to us... Have to be patient in the mean time... Also, I'll like to check with you or any of the bros here if there's a particular sequence where we should do the reno? Say, laminate flooring should go last because it'll get scratched if it's done before the other reno? Perhaps, it should go in this sequence? 1. Hackings and toilets overhaul 2. Re piping 3. Wall and Floor tiling for kitchen 4. Rewiring of electric cablings around house 5. Aircon installation 6. False ceiling / L Box installation 7. Plastering for bedroom and living 8. Install all furnishings 9. Overlay laminates Does this sequence make sense? If not, very sayang if the later jobs damages the jobs that were done earlier... Have you chiong for any of the sales yet? Went to a number of recent roadshows and sales. Price like not much diff from in-store pricing... Based on various forumnites' opinions, it seems like Audio House always chut lots of pattern when promoting but when it comes to delivery of what was promised... :/

Wow, your house's looking great neu bro I wish my reno's over already like yours, then can relak jack haha... I'm also in the midst of selecting the fridge, washing machine and aircon. To say the truth, I'm also quite obsessed with the ticks and what not, it seems that Hitachi has a series of fridge with 4 ticks and for one of the 332l or 358l model, the annual cost for electricity consumption is lesser than $120+ when I was browsing around Harvey Norman. Awaiting for more pictures

Yah... hard to find one that fits all our requirements de... Guess have to compromise here and there lor. Missus doesn't care how I do it or the cost, just wants it done her way haha... Nonetheless, thanks a lot bro. Mind taking some pictures of your house now that it's completed? Want to see see look look a bit hee...

Hi Wick, Nice to see you have everything you wanna do in mind. Any idea how much budget you're going to work with? Cheers

neu bro, are you sending him the detailed item by item quote? If so, can I have it too... So after all the negotiation and discount. How much was your total reno costs (without the furnishings)? Now negotiating around to see who can give the best bang for buck with decent service Very stressed, going to get key on 23rd and missus wants to move in by start of next year...

Posted up my floorplan... Will be updating this space more regularly from now on

dex bro, check with you... how do you use the floorplanner.com? I'm noob at it totally, any template I can use so that I don't have to draw all the rooms from ground up? [edited: it's okay bro, I managed to complete drawing everything out -_-;;] Your house also coming along nicely hee How's your contractor so far? Happy with him? Cheers!

Still waiting for the quotes to come in. So far, only Jason's Sincerity Pte Ltd is close to my budget...

Wah neubie bro, looks like your house is coming along nicely huh