csingeu

Hey May_dream! This is what i was originally looking at... but I think it might be hard to maintain, esp my area is not sheltered at all... I do hear of ppl doing it, and requesting the manufacturer to use marine-grade varnish/lacquer to coat the frame (those used for yacht), so as to provide better water proofing... I might reduce some of the "optional stuffs", like 1. slate wall tiles for balcony - agreed with wife that it will make the balcony look gd, and nothing more... - expected to save abt $1.8K 2. floor tiles for balcony - i'm still quite keen to do some wood flooring for the balcony; either chengai wood decking (~$1500), or DIY wood deck tiles from IKEA (~$500)... so maybe will just cement screed the balcony... - expected to save abt $500-800 3. bifold wooden balcony doors - likely to do WPC 6-panel sliding doors; easier to maintain and more sturdy... - expected to save abt $1.5K we'll be channelling the funds for more "practical" stuffs... those things that we can actually use and benefit from the usage... eg. my 5.1 HTS & home cinema projector. went down to adelphi to audition some HTS today... decided that I'm a pure consumer; not enthusiast or audiophile... think will just get something within my budget and sounds gd to our ears (which can't really tell the difference much)... and we're not so hardcore on such gadgets, to really upgrade it progressively... maybe will only upgrade... if spoilt la...

cannot reject offer... BUT... i teach you something... when they send letter to ask you to go for vocational assessment at their camp, just keep giving stupid excuse, like got sch activity, or MC, etc, and just ignore... though the letter may state "Order by Law".... it's CRAP... that time, I "gong-gong", scared they get the military police to catch me, if i don't go, so I went down... and I was then in... during the 1st month, one of the higher ranking officers (think S2) spoke to all the new recruits and said, "I'm so proud of all of you for volunteering for one of the most challenging vocations...." WTF!!!??!?!? Only then I realised that I've "volunteered" myself for the vocation, by going for the vocational assessment... Zzzz.... LOL... Yeah, that time I anyhow answer one, coz they put the questions as "Given a chance, would you do xxxx xxxx"... of coz parachuting & diving seems attractive to me... since most ppl pay money to get trained... or try out... in the army, you get paid to train for it... LOL... but yes, my stupid answers were "instrumental" to me receiving the d-a-r-n letter to go for vocational assessment... and now, I'm left with slipped disc, after I ORD and downgraded from PES A to PES C9L2... due to back injury from prolonged training and carrying of heavy equipment (i was in the anti-armour platoon)... think most of my camp mates, either have knee or back injuries or more... so now i'm a 20+ with a 50+ back... my slipped disc is diagnosed as "degenerative bone disease", which is common in old ppl in their 50-60s... 1 disc worn out 1 disc got shearing tear 1 disc protruding and was looking like it's pressing on my nerves from the MRI scan Doc said I'm lucky to be still able to walk, coz i should be in pain or have lower limbs numbness... I was ordered to stop strenuous activities... my back got better after 6 months of physio-therapy... but now, still having backache every now and then...

I was posted to COMMANDOS... think naval divers also quite high-risk...

LOL... most of the pics are from renotalk... some i remember the sources... some i don't... coz i just right-click and saved... but they all serve as gd references... when i'm communicating with my contractor... The panaromic view one is from Aaab's Hjem Would like to visit his place to see his utility room and kitchen also lor... Yes.. that's part of the intent; the other intent is so that i can sleep facing one of my favourable directions...

Too bad, my budget limited, and not so adventrous. if not. might really reconsider hacking utility room, and build a big kitchen with kitchen island (which wife thinks it's impractical)... partition the living room with room divider for sound-proofing when i play my rock band set with projector screen + HTS and install aircon for living room too!! okok... back to reality... think the new changes are for the better.. (and easier on pockets)... Kitchen: I actually liked the old sink position (in my previous layout)... but it does cramped up the walking space in the kitchen. I also think the half-height wall will drastically improve the ventilation and lighting conditions near the entrance and inside the kitchen... I hope the hood will be powerful enough to suck in the oil and stuff... MBR: new layout (which is actually the very very original layout, which was not in my design) is inspired by my recent trip to BKK, the hotel rm we stayed in have similar layout... which i think it's only practical to have a slightly large open area in the MBR... in case... need to do some stuff, like packing for trips, or even placing a toddler cradle or wat, next time... If i don't need the wind bonus, i would have done similarly... yes... i hope it will really improve the wind coming in... LOL... sliding glass window!! LOL... you think like my dad lor! but his idea more "hiong"... he wants me to hack the entire wall (the side where the utility wall is)... at the middle portion between the top and bottom cabinets, whereby the glass backing is usually at, and install sliding windows... his rationale: so that light from kitchen window can enter the utility room area.. *dots*... i didn't think that will work out nicely... think it will look ugly, and not serve the purpose of bringing the light into the utility room, and it will be hard to maintain, since i'll be doing the cooking ard that area... his other idea, was to install small top hung windows above the top cabinets, to allow light into the utility room... hmmm... don't like the idea too...

Will have chance to visit you one, since so near only... but maybe with others la... i pai seh to go alone... eh... this sat, i'm having marriage prep course (part 2)... LOL... yeah, we lazy to talk to more ppl le... since last Nov til now... almost 3 months liao... wife is sian le... and i don't think it can go any lower. even my uncle cannot quote me a vastly discounted price... now only think is to worry abt design and workmanship... haven't booked wedding dinner package yet... but going down to Novotel this Sat morning to meet the coordinator and check out the ballroom... look-see a few liao... likely to decide soon... short-listed ones included: 1. Amara Hotel - near Tanjong Pagar MRT; and meaningful for us... coz can say that's one of the places we got to know each other better as friends.... 2. Swiss Merchant Court - near Clarke Quay MRT; my company usually has their corporate planning seminars there; until recently... think the ballroom quite ok. 3. Novotel - got colleagues say not bad... 4. Grand Coptherne Waterfront yah... was discussing with my wife last night... we like almost going to sign contract liao... but haven't even see any perspective or 3d... think we really price-focused... really neglected the design part... i hope it will not be our greatest regret... eh... this sat, as mentioned, i'm fully "booked" too...

Actually, we both don't cook now. BUT we would see ourselves cooking in the future. How often? given that we're the lazy sort and both working, think most of the time, should be eating at parents' place (5 min walk away), or downstairs (my most preferred hassle-free option). cooking will be reserved for weekends, when we are less tired and more "experimental" or entertaining friends (or rather trying out stuffs with willing guinea pigs)... LOL... yah... now i'm a little clueless abt cabinet design also... coz nv do built-in b4... so far... my furniture all off-the-shelf kind... hmmm...

seems like other than monitoring the renovation works (and doing own QC inspection)... need to worry abt the small item purchases and delivery... sigh. your headache ending soon; mine coming soon... LOL...

If there's a "like" button for your post (like in Facebook or wat), I would have "like" it.

Ohh, i was comparing the size of the utility room, relative to my bedrooms... anyway, the other day, i also looking at the tiles on my floor, to visualize how big the space is. not very big lor... and hor... the 2.4 x 2.8m include the thickness of the wall. so if minus away 10cm-thick wall from which side, the internal floor are of the utility room is prob 2.2 x 2.6m... or actually, why not next time, you all pop by and have a look for yourself. LOL... it's really small (but definitely better than a storeroom la). extra panels allow open area to be bigger, when it's OPENED. when it's closed, if during rainy day or so, the extra panels => extra frames => extra "blockages.

thanks for your advice! think wife and me concluded that the frameless top-hung sliding doors not suitable for my balcony, for reasons you and Alex have mentioned. looking at 6-panel, 3 track sliding balcony doors, so that it can open wider... but wife's concern that the extra panels = extra frames = more "blockage" of view... price-wise => according to Alex, they go by $ psf, so 2 track or 3 track, 4 or 6 panels... same pricing.

Anyway, i think the storeroom is here to stay... maybe 10 yrs later.. if going to do renovation again (when kids are bigger), then think abt it la... think no island kitchen also... we not the super-cookers type... though my dad, who's the cook at home, wants me to have a bigger kitchen and kitchen entrance... yes... it's 2.8 x 2.4m... BUT... if you look at my other normal-sized bedrooms, it's 3.3 x 3.9m or 3.5 x 4.2m. so normal standard sized bedroom should be ard 3 x 4m la 2.4 x 2.8m ... think can only squeeze in a small single bedroom and maybe a small 2-door standalone wardrobe. plus wife doesn't agree that anyone should be staying in the small claustophobic place. can use it as a small study room, next time, i guess... just that, no aircon, not much natural lighting and ventilation (coz the side window is freaking small)... unless, doing it like RimBlock's way... which is to push the existing grilles and main door to flush with the access corridor, and maybe change the internal walls to glass partition...

Ok.. would want to go try anyway, yeah.. i think the utility room is quite f***ed-up... the size is not here not there... think the 5-rm EM which Soichiro has... it's really like normal HDB storeroom size (i think so ah...) and for the 2nd gen EM whereby the balcony is square & at the corner, connected to the living room and kitchen. think their lower level room is actually "Bedroom 3 / Study Room"... which is almost like the standard size bedroom. so if i hack the utility room, i don't have a storeroom. if i dun hack, it might be an oversized "waste space". SIGH.

need to discuss with my wife tonight again (but i think she very sian le... just want me to fix an idea and get started on the renovation, while keeping costs low). will have another "storage area" under the staircase... but won't be able to store a lot... or big bulky items. if want to hack and do kitchen island... need to rethink my kitchen layout (and take into consideration some FS advice)

yeah.. his quote is quite competitive. in fact, my main contractor's quote is marked up by abt $4... but at least, he's honest abt it when i asked him abt the quotes i've gotten from elsewhere; so he asked me to take those items out lor... and let Alex do... Balcony: wife thinking of frameless sliding type.. I'm not too sure if i have the same idea of what it is like... but becoz my balcony is not sheltered. if big rain, the water will be splashing in; hence, likely to wet the living room floor, as I believe the frameless kind is top-track only. and also due to the fact that it's top track only... think each glass panel cannot be too big, else too heavy to slide... and there might be stability issues... coz no frame to keep it in place, if got strong wind or rain... definitely looks better. in fact, i think my wife was thinking of that, when i mentioned to change to sliding kind... she was expecting those frameless one... and she wants it to be clear glass... (though the tinted ones... according to Alex has UV protection...) anyway, Alex mentioned it's more for internal sliding doors... as mine considered quite outdoor... u got pic to share? or quote to share for the frameless sliding doors? Utility: Dad thinks the utility room is too big to be used as storeroom... coz it's almost a small habitable room (with the small side windows)... and in his comments, such areas (meant for human to stay in) if not utilitzed, might affect "unwanted" stuffs... and also the fact that the storeroom so big, there's tendency to hog on to unnecessary stuff... plus it's like right beside the main door. Wife thinks otherwise; can use the storeroom to store our "future" bicycles and do proper shelving to keep some stuffs (baby stuffs, etc), which of coz, i think might be handed down or pass to others next time... and she's against more hacking to save on costs. RimBlock has converted that area into a computer/server room cum study). the side walls are replaced with glass partition and sliding doors. but his main door is flushed to the access corridor.

Oh yeah.. the NTU master plan... but somehow, the LRT for Toh Guan & Jurong East... is still "fresh" in my mind... I might have seen plans for it somewhere... but then again, maybe like what you said... it may have been scrapped... or i might have seen it in some "sensitive" info...

gotten the quote from Alex le. PM you later... anyway, gd to get him down to do measurement... he quite steady one... bring along his brother... so the brother goes ard doing measurements... and he explains to me the details lor... wat kind of tracks and locks they use... wat kind of materials or design more suitable for wat area... etc... he brought samples of the materials and parts along... quite gd... think i might change my original idea of having 6-panel wooden bifold foors for the balcony.. to maybe 4 or 6-panel sliding WPC doors instead.. think can save almost $1.5K... plus less maintenance problems... i hope... my dad recommended me to hack away the utility room... unable to convince my wife...

Hmmm... i thought i read something abt the LRT again recently... maybe some things in office... or in my dreams... hmmm... i thought it was mentioned in newspaper or the lakeside story exhibition (though I didn't attend la)... not sure abt the flood... at least... i dun think there is at jurong west ave 1 ytd and this morning... was at ubi area the past 2 days and today... for a software course...

*gulps* that's ard my area...

I thought they are integrating with LRT services for Toh Guan, parts of JE and Bukit Batok areas too? or izzit Pandan & Teban Gardens? pardon me... i might be hallucinating...

lol... i was posted to one of the "risk taking units"... last time i thought only son won't kana... but maybe have to be only child ba...

Eh... can have 2 compressors meh? the power rating ok ah? so it's a 3+2 system? My WC in MBR is at a different location from you. think the toilet layout slightly different. maybe the pipes for our kitchens also different ba.

I don't think you all need "Online Shoppers Annoymous". You need to start teaching courses and educating people on saving money and getting gd bargains thru online shopping! I'll definitely sign up. i'm noob.

WOAH! your layout quite interesting wor! Kitchen: I think my level 6 neighbour did something similar for the kitchen like yours... but of coz, without the partition and sliding door. you made me feel tempted to get kitchen island too. hmmm... I suppose the empty space beside the wash area is for your washing machine (and dryer?) and the empty space beside the chute is for the fridge. Something my contractor told me, when I wanted to put the fridge at the same position, is that, the fridge cannot be too tall, coz the waste pipe from the toilet upstairs was too low... so i think only left like... 185cm or so... if i build fridge base, it might be too tight... and your going to aircon your living and dining room? MBR: Some IDs proposed similar idea (i.e. the WIW at the corner there); but we decided not to have WIW. somehow, the way you do it, the place seems more "well-used" and still got some more space to spare. However, part of the MBR windows will be blocked? level 2 toilets: I like the way you tried to reconfigure the layout to make use of the "otherwise useless" space in front of the original common toilet entrance. Your MBR now looks bigger, with shower area AND bath tub! BUT, now your Bath 2 has no windows for natural lighting and ventilation liao wor... and not too sure, if your WC for Bath 1 can be located near the windows... coz there will be huge waste pipes to be connected? how your contractor proposes to do it ah? BTW, will you be boxing up the space under your staircase as storage area? and also, with your storeroom hacked, where would you be putting your stuffs? i'm quite curious abt how you will be using your dining area, and also the other 2 spare bedrooms. How many occupants expected?

I thought the pricing usually include sockets and switches... I did ask my contractor abt it... he said... will provide MK ones... but only rocker switches for living room and maybe dining room... but i want for all rooms leh... and I prefer Legrand Malliac series... then MK...