schiz0id

Love your feature wall! Nice earthy feel to it. Btw, you having open concept toilet?

SHOPPING BASKET Bought this some months ago when there was a sale online. Seen it at homefix shops though a different brand but I suspect they are all OEM. Have not actually tried it but hope it works well. The button infront acts as the camera as well as the doorbell.

Haha yeah, must show off abit to your ID so you can keep them on their toes! Anyway, there's a third type of cement mix. Will post pics of those tomorrow

TILING UPDATE Wet Kitchen wall tiles are all up! Even the ones around the windows. Still waiting for the windows guy to finish up this window.. Guess they are waiting to do one shot with the grilles. My parents' wet bathroom all grouted! The whites are looking white! Their dry bathroom had another layer of cement screed up to prepare for the wall tiles they are meeting FLOOR UPDATE Was pleasantly surprised to see my younger brother's floor being prepared for the impending floor tiles. Next week - Floor tiles!!! Oh, and his toilet in the back is looking all nice and dandy with the white grout in place! Will post pictures of the main door and its hacking works tomorrow! Hope more areas will see preparation for floor tiles tomorrow!

Anyway, just to add on.. We initially considered getting the unblocked windows (casement + sliding) type too. But in the end, because we are still installing grilles, it didn't seem to make much of a difference whether it's the normal casement type or the new fangled unblocked windows kind. Another thing to consider is that the unblocked windows have a bigger frame (the bottom frame is bigger because the windows bring the frames along with them to enable them to slide all the way to the ends). As a result, the window panes themselves end up being smaller. That was also a consideration for us. So after much deliberation and factoring in the price, we decided to stick to good ol' casement windows

Ditto on that.. Just had my casement windows installed and very happy with them.

SHOPPING BASKET So, seeing how far our sofa is going to be from our TV console - a whopping 5 metres. We had initially set our hearts on a 55" TV. But when we actually went down to the view the TV, we found that it was really quite small when we stood 5 metres away. So in the end, we placed a deposit for a 60" Samsung LED TV! We initially placed an order for the 8000 series. But I think mum after looking at her depleting pockets, will downgrade to the 6000 series. The price is almost half that of the 8000! We don't really need the advanced features like surfing internet etc. We just need the size so we can at least see Phua Chu Kang's mole during re-runs! We also got the 32" LCD for my younger brother's room. My youngest brother and me will contend with watching US TV on our trusty Macs! Will be going down to the house to see the progress they've made today. Really looking forward to the main door hacking on Monday!!

Thanks sleek. Yeah, he's quite nice. And all the while, he was continuing to do his work - multitask!

Thanks pebbles! Yeah, waiting for the floor tiles now. Hope that'll be soon!

KITCHEN UPDATE I realised I love to post this photo of the Dry Kitchen. But I always neglect the other side.. So here it is...... The toilet entrance is hidden behind this new wall. This is also the view from the Wet Kitchen. And a peek inside the new wall will reveal..... A nicely tiled area where the new washer and dryer will be housed! The main door will be hacked on Monday to make way for a wider door! Can't wait!! Hope preparation works can start next week for the floor tiles!

CEMENT SCREED LESSON One of the uncles was rather nice today and explained the different types of cement works that goes on for any new wall to me. If it's too technical, just enjoy the pictures After the hollow blocks are constructed for a new wall, the first layer of cement screed goes up. This mixture comprises of cement, soil and of cos, water. In school, I learnt that there was a particular proportion that was the "correct" way. But of cos, I don't expect the uncles to be so precise and I trust their many years of experience. The balcony area is now levelled, screeded and looks part of the living room. The above shows a first layer of cement screed that goes onto the hollow blocks (or any uneven surface like the hacked off walls that they need to make good). Another view of the new living room area. This is a good estimate of the distance from our sofa to the TV. Yup, almost 5 metres away. Will post pics of our TV purchase soon Watch out for the MAMMOTH one! Okay, back to the lesson.. After the first layer is dried, a second layer goes on to smooth the first layer. This second layer is made up of just cement and water, thus you will notice it's a much darker hue of grey when it is applied. This layer looks a lil rubbery when applied but when dried, it's very light grey and ready to hand over to the plasterers to continue the works. The second layer that went up on my brother's walls today. This picture shows the different stages as mentioned above. Starting from right, the dining wall looks a bit more brownish than the background walls because this is the first layer (mixed with soil). Notice when it dries, there'll be holes and patches in them. Next comes the wall just next to it, in the back. That wall has been given the second layer (cement and water only), thus explaining its dark grey color. Notice it's a lot smoother than this first layer. Then the puny wall (right next to the yellow wall), is what the second layer looks like when dried. The many steps to constructing a wall. Interesting eh? Hope you went away with something from this post, I know I enjoyed my 'lesson' today

Hey frenny! Thanks for that They will be hacking the main door for widening on Monday! Yay! Anyway, the access/recess area was already bought by the previous owner, HDB just wanted to check their records to make sure. Only with the access area then only can we have a nice squarish living room else it'll be a rather odd shape.

We also didn't know could widen until we saw the upstairs neighbour had unusually wide main door. When we didn't get an immediate approval from HDB to hack the walls to widen the door, I called HDB up to enquire and realised that it is possible to widen but they needed to check if the previous owner had bought the access area. So my deduction is that it's due to the fact that the current main door's position is in a new position after buying access area. In other words, the walls that are holding the main door frame are not those "stiffeners" that cannot be hacked, unlike most main doors. They're actually new walls to house the new main door frame after the access area was bought. Hope it doesn't sound confusing

MORE TILING Tiling at dry kitchen finally completed with the wall done, together with the wall where the fridge is going to be! Wall tiling for my toilet is all done! Looking good! Finally got approval to widen our main door! Time to start on those floor tiles soon!!

MORE CEMENT WORKS Cement screed on the new wall at Dining area. First layer of cement screed going up on my younger brother's walls. With the new door frame and new wall above it. First layer of cement screed in my room looking dry and dandy. Waiting for the next layer! The last area to be levelled at the balcony area is done. Cement screed on the parapet and the walls also done! This uncle really works very fast and his workmanship is quite good. The blocks on the floor are strategically placed to help the wire net sit nicely under the cement. The wire nets were a lil rolled up at the ends thus this was necessary. [in all my past houses that i've stayed in, I must say this is the ONLY house I'm going to stay in where the store room actually has a nicer view than the bedrooms! ] Was treated to an interesting "show" today when two uncles used a loooong hose (3/4 filled with water) to take levelling measurements around the house. I was very intrigued, cos as old school as it may be, it was very fast and presumably accurate I guess. Would have taken pics to show the process but I was just amazed at how these uncles could use simple science to help them take measurements! I was literally following them around like this the whole time! [Disclaimer: This is not my bimbo moment! I am always fascinated by the uncles' ingenuity!]

Still no news.. I think you should probably change your topic to "Where can I get nice mee chiam kueh?"

Door frames definitely can change but I do know some will tell you the older frames are better quality and they will suggest you keep it The ugly pipings in our toilets will also be concealed except the one at the common area cos the toilet is already so puny! Yeah, the aircon guy came and we discussed about the trunking. HDB is known for not allowing this and that... Bleah.... The most you can do is to run the trunking below a beam and paint over it so it looks like part of the wall. You doing aircon for whole house? You changed all your windows including toilets? We did. Pricing about there too ~$6k. White powder coated ones. Should be the same yah since that's the norm now. Quality still not too bad. We're quite happy with it. When will you be at the house again? Let me know. See if can arrange to meet up. Then you can show me your grievances with the leftover s**t she left you Cheer up meantime - you have a new contractor whom i'm sure will definitely do a better job than her!

Yah man.... I was having trouble with my toilet at the common area. Initially wanted to put the sink outside of the toilet but decided to keep everything in. I think I need to lose some weight to fit in there How's your reno? Went up a few times to see your place cos I love your view!

Booked my slot on Friday to go pick up my iPhone 4S! Kinda pissed off with Singtel. Really don't know what they are up to.....

Haha! Thanks pebbles and eden Went up to the place today and all seems fine. Nothing looked exceptionally damp or soaked through. Looking forward to the renovation works continuing tomorrow!

Yeah.. I guess we have no choice too. Balcony no windows.. That part of the living is rather tricky with the windows. Now that the new wall is up, hopefully they can finally take measurements for the new window and soon that area will be shielded from the rain too!

Thanks sleek! Good for my brothers and relatives who want to know what goes on, on a daily basis! I try to go up everyday cos we have such a tight schedule. Best to nip any problem in the butt asap. So far it has proven fruitful cos the uncles can clarify with me on the spot instead of asking their boss who asks my ID who asks me. Come to think of it, that whole pic looks like its face! The cement screed on the left looks like its hair. Hahaha!

CEMENT WORKS Last of the door frames for the bedrooms is up. They still have to make good the wall on the left holding the door frame. New wall at balcony all up. Looking good! Dry kitchen looks nice with the new windows up. (Wonders when that wall will be tiled up... ) Wet kitchen finally starts on tiling. The area where this redundant rubbish chute used to be is also tiled up. The new frames for the windows are installed but windows yet to go up. It's a wet night tonight. Hope the wet kitchen won't be flooded! Notice the wooden ladder contraption in the last photo? It's simply a wooden plank with ladder-like legs screwed at the sides. It's very flimsy but somehow the uncles balance on it with ease. Mind you, the legs are not always equally slanted at the same angles. Sometimes one can be slanted 45 degrees, while the other is at 90 degrees! I really am very amazed how the uncles use this contraption and still do their work so skillfully!

WINDOWS It's been an exciting day today with the windows finally up! All except the living room cos that area is a lil tricky. Will explain more when the windows guy is back with the living room ones. Grilles yet to be up too. Think that'll be much later. Was quite ecstatic to see this lorry downstairs when I was on my way up. The window panes were sitting nicely waiting to be put up while the frames were being installed. Windows contractor making good the area before installing the frame then making good the area around it again after. (After taking this photo then realise we actually have 12 bamboo holders ) Completed windows in the Dining area. The black protective sticky tape is to be removed to reveal the nice white powder coated frames! One of the windows in the toilets. Interestingly enough, not sure if it's the white colour or the fact that it's one whole piece of glass as compared to the 3 small louvered ones that were there previously, after these were installed, the windows looked HUGE! Optical illusion.. Ha..... It's going to be a wet night tonight. Hope the rain doesn't enter the wet kitchen where the windows are not up yet!

Haha yeah.. I find some of their "clamps" very ingenious too. I probably should compile some of the most ingenious stuff these uncles can come up with!