moissanite2

My reno is currently on-going. I'm someone who has eyes for details and can't stand poor workmanship. Having read some T-blogs here and learning from other's valuable experience, I've been visiting my flat pretty frequently to check on the progress which I was glad I did! There were indeed several miscomms along the way and also the workers could clarify details with us owners on the spot when unsure. I'm not sure if I'm asking too much cos my ID has been reasonable in his quote but I reckon uneven tiling surface and chipped tiles are not acceptable. My ID ever promised that he'll do my house till my satisfaction but the project manager recently told me not to scrutinize the house till nearer to completion date before handover. To be fair to them, I told my ID I'll only require defects at obvious and eye level to be corrected. But commonsense tells me that by that time it'll be too late and I reckon they'll come up with all sorts of excuses to not correct the imperfections and ultimately I'll be forced to accept the chipped and or uneven tiles. Any forummers out there with similar experience? Care to share and advise? TIA

Hi guys, thanks for the valuable info shared above. Sorry but I'm a noob in such areas. My resale flat is currently under reno and I'm having false ceiling throughout the whole house to conceal any ugly trunking and cables. My previous owner has installed the TP but right next to the main door! So my ID said he'll fix an appt with opennet to relocate it at the main TV wall in the living room. Phew... HTB is IT dinosaur but we've already signed on to Singtel fibre at the recent PC show for Mio cos of his soccer. I'm trying to figure out what cabling for fibre needs to be done during reno so as to future proof my house reasonably (HTB and I are not very high end IT users) and eliminate the possibility of installing trunkings in future. I understand the part on the TP to the TNP and Home PNA but I'm concerned about the home coaxial network. I read up Singtel fibre FAQ and it mentioned cable with surface trunking for installation! Please pardon my ignorance. Can any kind soul tell me what exactly this coaxial thingy is? Is it something like the SCV point kind of installation? Or cat6 cables with RJ45?? TIA

Okie... looks like no one has experience with Liyoda bulbs. Oh well... Can any kind souls out there advise me what's the difference between Philips Genie and Tornado series bulbs?? When I go to DIY shops, the Philips light bulbs claim on the packaging that 8W=>40W brightness, 12W=>60W brightness, in multitude of 5 times the brightness. The PLC downlights that I have ordered has two light bulbs each and seems like installing just one bulb is not that aesthetically pleasing. Anyone has tried using one bulb for a two bulb downlight? How many W light bulb did you use? Is 2x20W per downlight too much? I hope to be environmetally friendly and be nice to my pocket too (utilities bills). Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Did our fair share of ID shopping and finally engaged Idzign as my ID. Their price is reasonable. I can't say rock bottom cos I think I'm fairly charged for quality. Fabian is simply fabulous! He is very experienced, not pushy at all and is able to propose good ideas for us after hearing HTB and my likes and needs. My HTB and I are very comfortable communicating with him. Regarding hidden cost, I think it's inevitable cos there would be changes along the way. I was concerned about this too and asked Fabian. He's upfront about it and prep us on the possible areas where top ups might be needed. I think for my case, it would be topping up for nicer tiles or mosaic, using better mechanisms or handles for cabinet or wardrobe doors, and the additional lighting points because we are using many downlights. There would be other unexpected changes along the way, like having to conceal pipes or beams at unexpected locations unique to different houses. One has to be realistic about budget and strike a balance between the wants and needs. Hacking started today... Can't wait to see the finished product!

Thanks Neubie!! That really cleared the smoke for me!! Bobian, already sign up for mio tv with Singtel liao so gotta keep finger crossed that it won't hang at the crucial moment!! In case it does, can you share some good websites that I can stream live for my HTB?? Who knows with my 100mbps fibre connection, watching live stream might be more shiok than mio tv through phone line!! If can't, can pm me the websites? Just went for first site visit for the "new" (actually already 30 yrs old liao) house and to my horror, ex-owner had the open net point installed right next to the main door! ID says he can't touch the point!! Alamak... what's next? Pay open net $200 to relocate the point??

This is getting increasingly confusing. Please correct me if I'm wrong... 1) SCV is for people who subscribe to Starhub for cable TV. So without signing with Starhub, SCV points are useless, right?? 2) Open net is optics fibre connection. Signing with Starhub, Singtel or M1 for fibre plans all utilise this point? 3) Normal free tv (Ch5, Ch8, ChU, CNA etc) must connect to the normal analog antennae (if one had not signed up with Starhub)? I let HTB sign up with Singtel for mio tv because we are getting fibre connection. Other than the free analog home phone line that Singtel throws in free, why do I need normal telephone line?? Ain't the mio tv coming in through fibre?? Sorry for my ignorance. HTB is one endangered IT dinosaur who knew nuts but wants soccer etc so no choice I gotta do the job. But no point paying so much if the viewing pleasure will be affected. I'm getting worried cos I'd read many horror stories of mio tv that comes through phone line freezing and hanging so that I thought it would be better if the signal comes through fibre. If it's still coming through phone line... OMG! Do I need to get a dedicated phoneline so my HTB can enjoy his EPLs?? Thanks in advance.

Hey Collins, You're an expert!! Can you enlighten me what's lumens and gus? I was doing some research on LED light bulbs and came across this two terms...

Fibre is all the rage now and HTB die die wanted Mio TV cos he wants soccer! We were quoted SCV point in the electrical package for the reno and initially we wanted to pay extra for another SCV point in the MBR. Now that we signed up for fibre and since fibre is already installed in the newly acquired flat, do I still need SCV points??

$299?!?! That's a steal! I thought it'll cost at least $600 to $800. Did you buy it online?? Yeah, using the stand for your future baby is a good idea. It's very solid and stable. My house won't be ready till at least 2 months later. Do show us a pic when you managed to hang it up.

Hey Collin, Are you able to provide a rough gauge or range, how much it would cost me to fit LEDs for all lightings for a 93sqm 4 room resale flat?

Hi Stardust205, we meet again in another thread! Thanks Neubie for your sharing. Generally, it's true that energy saving bulbs cannot be dimmed but I think Philips had made a breakthrough in 2009. Check the following link: http://www.newscenter.philips.com/au_en/standard/about/news/tornado_enews.wpd I did see this Tornado bulbs in stores recently. Do note that halogen bulb produce the nicest sparkles for chandeliers but they produce a lot of heat as well! If you're keen enough, check out this Philips Tornado range... My radar for plc downlights are on... I look up to study lights everywhere I go. Was at a Kopitiam food court just now and noticed that they have so many big round downlights, easily more than a hundred! And taking a closer look, one out of the 2 light tubes (which I guess to be 18w tubes)are detached, leaving only one tube working in the twin bulb downlight. That act must have help halved the electricity bills! If I could have my way, I'd gone for all 3w LED downlights but they're still too costly at this point. While I understand that downlights are embedded in the false ceiling or L-boxes hence limited projection range aka brightness. I'm seriously contemplating to negotiate with my light guy to change the 2x20w Liyoda bulbs to 2x8w (or even just 1x8w, since 8w=40w conventional) superbright Philips energy saving bulbs. Saves my wallet and helps the environment too! And also, I only read about Osram and Philips bulbs in this forum. Anyone had experience with Liyoda?? Good or not?

Nice!! I saw this too but didn't buy cos there's no head support so I can't "nua" on the chair. Stardust205, what are you gonna do with the chair stand since you're hanging it from the ceiling? I saw a few nice ones at Goodwood but they retail close to $1K each and I believe a big part of the cost goes to the chair stand. Throwing away the stand is like throwing away my hard earn money... Heart pain so didn't buy also. My white rattan swing cost me $230. How much is yours?

Yes, I did my fair share of research here in Renotalk as well as visited many light shops and finally settled on 2x13w plc downlights but my jaw dropped with the number of lights my small flat needed! I was quoted $18 for a 2x13w plc downlights with Philips light tube and atco ballast. However, after reading some expert advice here and knowing my man is not a handyman cos he doesn't know how to change ballast, I told my light guy to change all my downlights to E27 holder so that there's no ballast to change, as well as suited for LED light tubes once the price drops to an affordable level in future. But my jaw dropped when he mentioned that he'll be giving me some China made 20w light tubes for the E27 holders instead of 13w. That means each downlight will consume 2x20 = 40w and in a bedroom with 4 downlights, the energy consumption would be 4x40w = 160w!! Just now, I was studying the various light tubes available for sale at a shop in the market. A 8w Philips super bright tube (for E27) can generate 40W brightness. I'm confused and concerned now. I don't want a shock when I get my utility bills. Wouldn't just one 8w Philips super bright light tube be bright enough rather than 2x20w China unknown brand to churn out 40w brightness?? I read in the garage sale section when a guy sold away his 26w light tubes cos one light tube is bright enough for his downlight. Do I really need 2x20w per downlight? Or 1x8w Philips super bright will do? Any advice is appreciated.

Hi Stardust205, Tried to pm you but got error msg saying you can't receive new msgs. Well, no secrets here. I got my rattan chair from Manila Furnishings (68, Thomson Road). It's just one bus stop after Novena Square, the last shop of a row of old shophouses opposite United Square. Very easy to find cos they hang rattan chairs outside the shop. Go asap cos last I heard, they're ceasing operation and renting out the shop. Just kapo a bit -- can show us your chair?

Stardust205, you're most welcome. The spring is optional but I paid for it cos I want the bouncy feel. Neubie, thanks for raising the weight concern and sharing the link. The boss of the rattan shop sold this hook to me and as I mentioned, the anchor part will open up like a flower in the ceiling for a good grip (closed as shown in the pic). I guess I trust his judgement cos I'm plus size.

Hi Stardust205, Here's my rattan swing... Uploaded with ImageShack.us and the accessories that come with it... Uploaded with ImageShack.us The wall hook on the right will open up like a flower for a good anchor into the ceiling.

Hey, I bought a rattan chair to be hung in my HDB living room. My ID said he'll install the hook in the ceiling for us, the type that people use to hang the sarong cradle aka "yo mua". My current house has one in my mum's bedroom. Have not heard of any restriction though...

Sigh... I only get a small L-shape 3 seater.

Thanks for your replies! I guess I'll have to listen to my ID and fiancé then. If I can't place the fan above me, I can always place myself under the fan!

Good for you Mortred. My fiancé stubbornly placed a 50% deposit at a shop along Balestier Road for a (overpriced) "super leather" sofa and a dining table that he picked from some China catalogue in the shop plus 4 chairs that the salesman had no picture to show us, just based solely on verbal description, despite me telling him that super leather is not real leather cos the colour samples shown to us had fabric backing! He chose to believe the salesman instead and committed to a super leather(which I strongly believe is synthetic, and it felt even more cheapo and stiff than PU) L-shape sofa for more than $2K! Nightmare started when we researched the shop in Renotalk after committing and to our horror, it had a bad reputation! I couldn't sleep after we saw very cheapo looking China chairs that fitted our description to the salesman in a food court. I also got increasingly concerned about the safety of the huge glass table top balancing only on 2 small points diagonally from the base! I did raise this engineering concern in the shop but the salesman assured my fiancé "no problem". To close the deal, I'm sure most salesmen, if not all, will say no problem to whatever concerns raised. I half persuaded half forced my fiancé to cancel the dining set. He couldn't stand the sight of the cheapo looking filmsy China dining chairs too and I told him we had no grounds to argue at point of delivery if the chairs do not meet our expectations because we made the mistake of not knowing how our dining chairs will look like at point of sales! I also do not want to live in fear not knowing when the glass table top will shatter under poor balancing. As expected, the shop would only issue cash vouchers for the value of the dining set cancelled. No choice we were made to upgrade and pay more than $3K for a half leather half PU sofa!! Imagine they actually want us to pay in full before delivery!?! This time, we held our ground and refused to make full payment until we're satisfied with the delivered sofa. Keeping my fingers crossed now... Haiz...

Good day to all! Based on personal experience, be it in kopitiams or my NTU hostel room, I need to be directly under the ceiling fan to feel the wind and be cool and nice. But when discussing the position of the 5 blade ceiling fan in my resale flat living room, both my fiancé and ID brushed me off when I mentioned the fan should be installed above the sofa. According to their plan, the fan would be installed in the middle of the living room, meaning to say the fan would be directly above the empty space between the sofa and the TV wall. Both of them insisted that people sitting on the sofa would still feel the breeze but I beg to differ. My ID says the position I wanted would be very "pai kwa" (ugly). But I thought the ceiling fan is there to keep me cool and not as a decoration?? I'm not convinced. Forumers who had experience with ceiling fans, please help me. Any input is welcome before it's too late (reno due to start mid June)! Thanks in advance!