csingeu

hey RimBlock! congrats on the new addition to your family! btw, you look different in the pics... with the short hair... I last remembered you as having semi-long wavy/curly hair...

it looked like a Jack Russel Terrier when it was younger... maybe 4 months old... never did we know that it became a "monster" - a "GIANT" Jack Russel Terrier... btw, it's not my dog... it's my mum's... i only help to take care of it, when I have no choice... it's prob not a JRT... some local mixed breed... oh... i really have no idea... neither the vet... she just puts "Local Breed"

your chengal wood decked balcony... made me very envious... maybe i should have saved a few Ks from my projector + HTS... to spend on the balcony... AHHHHHHH.... next time ba...

Woah sis sleek! what a big place you've gotten... 135sqm 5A... really looks huge. and the place is really well-maintained!! (at least from the photos la) if my place was like that, i'll save my money and the hassle to do any renovation... maybe just the toilets la... doing renovation is so so so draining... i wish you have a smooth 2nd appt and renovation journey.

Hey sethho! Welcome to renotalk! and starting your own t-blog to share with us. ohh... actually I went down to lightings.com.sg ytd, to get my LED track lights and downlights... I was also going the same thought process as you... but in the end, we didn't get the Philips downlights... don't ask me why... i can't remember my argument also... i wonder if the high initial cost will be able to recuperate in the operating savings... and how long would it take... i think we'll stick to the cheaper $26 kind... btw, i'm not having a lot of downlights... prob just 5 in total...

I guess i'll have to go up again in the morning to see again... *heartache* sia... tiling works... is really the most troublesome one... i think carpentry will be a headache later too...

Hey Ely! Thanks for the invitation! Would love to visit your place, though it's at the other end of S'pore, from my side... btw, I think you look gorgeous too!! better dun let my wife read this... LOL...

argh... i hate receiving phone calls from my contractor during office hours... usually, it's nothing gd... today, he called to inform that one of the kitchen floor tiles, i've asked him to replace due to uneven joints... the replacement tile, though from the same tile no., had a slightly different tone... prob due to different batch... as i went up in the dark just now to see, i wasn't able to see clearly, but i can tell, there's really a slight difference... and i'm not hopeful that it will look the same after the acid wash... and that piece happens to be the one of the prominent pieces, into the kitchen... i wonder why my contractor did not keep more extra tiles from the same batch, for just-in-case works like this... argh...

Thanks bro Soichiro, RB, rickervon and others for their advice on the safety of sliding windows along the corridor. That's prob like one of the major peeves abt corridor units... lack of privacy, and now potential safety risk... in fact, at my current place (my parents' place), it has been broken into once, and it was thru my window (which is the room along the corridor); I can't remember how it was done, as i was still schooling then and was staying in hostel... the windows panes were prob unlocked then... and the aluminium window grilles gave way quite easily... it did scare the **** out of my mum... she lost quite a bit of gold jewellery and US dollars stashed at home... and the most chilling part... she found a chopper on the bed in the MBR... since then, she insists that i always keep the windows closed and locked, when I'm out, even momentarily... Alex (my windows contractor) had advised me to use wrought iron fixed grilles for my windows facing the corridor, and also to choose a design that's not just horizontal bars... but i think i've chosen asethetics over practicality. he has yet to install the grilles, which is supposed to be after ; maybe I should check with him whether I can change the grilles to wrought iron instead... as for whether to have them fixed... hmmm... have to consider again... btw, he's throwing in some free locking devices (similar to what rickervon is recommending) for the windows facing the corridor... actually, at my flat, i have seen some newly renovated units, with lesser security... they only have windows with privacy/reflective film, and not window grilles at all, even at the area facing the corridor... i know, coz i peeked in before, and there's only windows and the roller blind. but i think their unit might be fully aircon-ed and the windows are never open... oh well.. more things to consider... but nevertheless, thanks for all your advice.

No no... it's gd advice... at least you re-affirm the possibility of using warm and cool whites (i.e. warm for front/back, and white for sides) will discuss with my wife again... hmmm... anyway, for my cove lighting, there won't be any other hanging lights, ceiling fan lights in the centre or downlights ard the perimeter of the place... so, would that be of any other implications?

I have a quick question to ask all who are reading... so far, most of the newly renovated places I visited... the owners are using more downlights for general lighting in the living room and dining room... rather than cove lighting... I'm actually more keen to have cove lighting for the diffused ambient lighting... though i have been warned abt the possible "issues", like it's dimmer... or that the cove will collect dust, dirt, cockroaches, lizards' **** etc... my false ceiling is done recently, and i'm having cove lighting for these 3 areas: 1. living room 2. dining room 3. MBR And today I went down to buy my lightings... and I wonder what kind of T5 lighting should I get? 1. warm white 2. cool white 3. daylight i was told by the salesperson that usually ppl get daylight if they want it very bright... but warm white, if they want it to be more cosy, like those hotel feel... but cool white is not recommended, coz it's not here not there... i was initially thinking of warm white for all 3 areas... or warm white for MBR/living room and cool white for dining area... but mum was not for cove lighting (coz she thinks it's too dim), and hence was not very supportive of warm white; she was suggesting having a mixture of warm and cool white.. eg. cool white for the sides, and warm white for the front and back... since I won't usually be switching on all 4 sides together... i can still have some control over warm or cool white... what do you think? my delivery is coming next sat. would appreciate some advice from homeowners who have done cove lighting for their homes... Thanks!

Woah! thanks for your "support"... i hope you are still ard to read... LOL... but my updates are getting stale... Thanks all, for your patience... but i think you'll need more patience... LOL... been busy, with all the work piling up in office and also a lot of catching up with friends, etc... but more like, i'm getting lazy... & tired... so much have happened... i'm not too sure to update on progress or to share on the issues/defects... but i'll try to slowly back-date the updates la... for the few westies (mae29, sleek, knownothing & wife) who have popped by for a peek last on last Sat... they would prob have a better idea of the work-in-progress... slightly slower than expected, due to some cock-ups with my contractor's submission for HDB approval, and also due to some miscomm (i.e. I didn't manage to get some stuffs ready for my contractor to continue work) I was initially looking at 31st May for hand-over, but i think it's more like 15 Jun or later now...

hey sis friends78 & hubby! thanks for inviting me & wifey over to visit your new place! sorry, we were late... due to the heavy downpour at the west, leading to heavy traffic on PIE, and also the road works ard Bendemeer Road made me go in circle and of coz, my lousy navigation/driving skills... WAHAHAHA... anyway, i really love your high ceiling; it gives a very lofty and spacious feel to the whole place. I like your kitchen too; the choice of wood laminate and the white solid surface top (that sparkles!) and also the lighting under the suspended bottom cabinets for the "floating effect"... too bad I can't have that, coz my area still using LPG... I don't find your place very cheena leh... the elements are subtly blended in... ohh... and interesting wall decals at the main entrance; my wife's very keen to put up some wall decals too... but i'm like.... And thanks for the great food too! As for whether I'll invite fellow renotalk forum members over... I definitely will la... but don't know when only (coz i also not too sure exactly when it will be ready... painting pending on monday though)... still quite a few issues/defects to trash out with my contractor... the few of us (mae29, sleek, knownothing & wife) who popped by my place for a quick peek at the work-in-progress may understand some of my issues... maybe mae29 has some pics to share. LOL... nevertheless, I hope i'll be able to have you peeps over some time in mid-June (*cross my fingers it will be ready then*)

Hey May_dream1! Thanks for inviting me and my wife over. Really a great opportunity to view the final "products" of the 2 recently renovated units in Boon Keng. and of coz to meet many new friends (which I'm totally overwhelmed by...) LOL... I'm really intrigued by the "secret trapdoors" at your place. hehehe...' too bad your new TV purchase not installed yet; else, can really see the swiveling painting/TV in action... My wife loves your huge walk-in wardrobe and the long kitchen island (it's really great for hosting friends, and to chit-chat and makan ard the centre piece). I must say bro Supersimon's photos have made your amazing bachelorette's den even more showroom-worthy. And yes... thanks for the great food too! and also the chance to meet more westies (i.e. sis sleek & bro knownothing & wife - they are surprisingly hands-on kind) too bad, bro kobelala wasn't ard ytd; i've yet to meet him... and yes... Ely... i'm more "noisy" online than in real life would have loved to chat more with the sis adidaem and bro boyblunder... but i suppose i'm really ermmm... shy to join in the conversation... Ok... til next time... maybe Bro Kobelala's or Ely's... definitely mine not so soon yet...

Yes... i heard from Kong Tai... that 2CG no stock islandwide... and production is hampered by the Japan nuclear crisis... but luckily, mine's the LPG model... still got stock... just got it delivered over on Wed...

I'll try to be there.

My last paper is finally over! Most slack semester for me... Spent more time on renotalk, Reno research & election news more than revision... LOL... At Vivocity now... Waiting for my wife to knock off before we go check out Howard Storage World @ Harbourfront. And I'll resume my updates tmr... Lots of things to update on... Some have been briefly discussed here already...

looking good... really counting down liao...

this morning, i received a SMS from my contractor, asking me what's the dimensions of my fridge. i've clearly passed him a copy for his reference earlier, and was surprised by his question. anyway, i texted him, after i've checked my copy. during lunch, went over to my place to check the work-in-progress. not much done, but they are clearing the debris. so it was very dusty, and I left without staying more than 5 min. feeling bored with my exam revision, i cycled over just now to look-see again, and to label the WCs & basins I've bought. so i went to measure my fridge base too... coz his question this morning still lingered in my mind... btw, my fridge dimensions are 740mm x 1795mm x 710mm (width, height, depth) on his kitchen perspective diagram, he has indicated that the fridge base was to be 900mm x 760mm, as I wanted to cater for some allowance to shift the fridge in and also for cooling purposes. and i measured the thing... true enough... instead of 900mm (width) x 760mm (depth), it was 760mm (width) x 900mm (depth). no wonder my mum has been commenting that the fridge base seems to be protruding quite a bit... and in fact, last sat, while doing the electrical marking for the kitchen, my contractor was still marking out 900mm for the fridge area, which obviously doesn't tally with the base... called him up just now... i got a feeling he knew abt it... anyway, he said, he will be sending his tiler down to do the amendments... i just hope it won't screw things up more... i think 760mm (width) x 900mm (depth) is really not acceptable... there's going to be too much wasted depth and it's eating into the walking space... and yet, the fingers probably won't be able to fit in the sides, to shift out the fridge next time... besides, one side of the fridge will be boxed up (due to the sewage pipes)... oh well...

maybe they are entitled to AHG and all the other grants... and maybe getting 3-rm instead of 4-rm la... ... but yah... think the maths failed one... if not, it's some complex s-h-i-t that only statisticians and politicians use to "put wool over the eyes"

Hey RB! Thanks for the info. I'm still thinking where to place the projector to have minimal effect of image being blocked. Currently, I'm looking at doing cove lighting for my living room and mounting the projector on the back wall, like yours. However, doing the cove lighting, will somewhat lower the ceiling height ard the perimeter of the living room. And ceiling mounting the projector within the cove lighting L-box perimeter sounds pretty silly too, as i'll be blocking the diffused lighting... i'm thinking of changing to downlights instead... and ceiling-mounted projector... at least ceiling mounted.. it should be "higher" up, and less likely to block the images, if standing a little too close to the screen? coz we are thinking of playing "Just Dance 2" on Wii... and it requires pretty big arm movements too... and with 4 people in the living room... chances of blocking the image... is higher... how to retain my cove lighting and still able to get a relatively unblocked image, when Wii gaming? hmmm...

Hey RimBlock! I have a question for you regarding the placement of your projector. I'm thinking of back wall-mounting my projector, but i'm just wondering if people were to be standing and playing with wii motes or even kinect, in the middle of the room, will they block the image from the projector to the screen? do you face such problems? Thanks!

i think that's to create a very thin but even separation between any 2 tiles. The Chinese tiler who was working on the kitchen and living room wall and floor tiles used it... think it was better... than the msia tiler who did my bathroom...

Hey mae, now that I've sort of know my 33.3% of my luck... when you free to tell me my other 33.3% ah? sometimes, i feel, knowing the "truth", can be very scary... but not knowing it, it's harder to adjust the other 66.6%...

Talking abt this... when I was viewing flat at JW area (blk 40x area), already going to get a 4NG resale flat... (quite decent simple renov) at ard $20+K COV... but the unit was west-facing... but due to the relatively low COV compared to some of the other units which are in worse condition, asking for >$30K COV... I decided to go view a 2nd time... and was abt to make an offer... then I suddenly had a *faint* spell... like difficulty in breathing and giddiness... and like totally no energy (which is strange)... coz I just had my lunch b4 I went up... immediately, i asked my wife-to-be-then to leave with me... only managed to recover after I sipped some iced Coke and ate some fries... i nv really super enthu or believe such things... but that experience left me thinking... some signs are not meant to be ignored... anyway, glad that i didn't get that place la... coz I dun think I can live with the west sun... the whole place will be pretty hot most of the time...