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Hi everyone, sorry have not been updating for a while... Currently in a busy period for the renovations and am waiting for more things to be completed before I do up more posts. Hopefully will have stuff up by end of this coming week!! Hi @Ks Toh Glad to hear your vertical garden is doing well. I look forward to mine! Yup, going with Toshiba. Will see how it goes for us... we actually don't think they look that nice (especially since LG has outdone itself with the ArtCool series) but as long as they work well, we're happy.

Oh sorry I had a brain fart and forgot that you'll need to hack away the wall separating the bathroom and the kitchen first, and since that's not allowed, no can do. Ignore me then!

http://www.guojiawen.com/2014/07/59-renovation-day-64-21-june.html

Hmmm... what about not hacking the bathroom walls and overlay instead? You can overlay with cement screed and paint over, or in the case of a kitchen, having carpentry on top of the tiles and adding a backsplash such as kompacplus or glass to hide the tiles. I notice a ramp up in your floor plan, does that mean your common bathroom floor is lower than the kitchen? Any BTO restrictions regarding the toilet floor? Can you screed over it to level up? Sorry I'm just throwing out ideas here... As for the mirror, there's something from Home & Decor Sg: http://www.homeanddecor.com.sg/articles/82484-7-clever-ways-hide-your-bomb-shelter/bomb-shelter-6--slide-6 The mirror idea is this picture: I think mirrors can go with any theme esp if done up full height like the pic above. Just ignore their subway tiles and concrete side table... But how abt your bed etc? Are you going to shift in your bed and sofa before the island is constructed? The ceiling isn't that high that the whole bed can go above the island, right?

Hey @matchalatte, Your unit is really quite challenging to work around. May I suggest two things? 1. Since you are merging both bedrooms into one, maybe you can consider "sacrificing" the common bathroom? Convert it into a dry area, maybe as part of the kitchen so you can place your island at the existing designated kitchen area rather than squeezing it into the living area? Walking sideways is one thing, but if you need to move in or out any furniture then the island is going to block the way. 2. Place full height mirrors along the bomb shelter wall facing your kitchen to make the space look bigger. Essentially it will double the perceived space. Don't really know if you can put mirror on the bomb shelter door but worth considering! I previously lived in a 56 sqm 3-room flat so I totally understand the importance of space planning. A bit of a headache but kinda fun figuring out ways to solve it! Jiayou!

Vinyl Flooring Our ID uses vinyl flooring from Bhong (I kept calling them Bong, but apparently it’s actually Bee Hong LOL), so we visited their showroom to see bigger samples to aid our selection. They had 2 series on display – the more affordable GreenPak line which is made in China and costs about $6.50 psf, and the premium Krono Xonic from Germany. My boss got distracted by the German series (“How can I look at the other one after I’ve seen the better one?”) but it came with a hefty price tag of $9.40 psf! One thing we noted was the GreenPak vinyls have a slightly glossy finish, while the Krono Xonic range look nice and matte. We both like the Columbus, while the boss loves Rocky Mountain Way (a bit too pattern-y and rustic for my taste, but he says I should give in to him for this because he REALLY likes it). Since our floor area is approximately 1000 sqft that means an additional $3k! The boss was seriously contemplating topping-up, and this is the very same man who keeps telling me to save money and keeps asking for discount left right center because we are spending a lot on the house and the renovation blah blah blah. And yet he also has expensive taste! What an enigma! (imagine the headache I got when we were planning our wedding!! "Must look nice! But cannot spend too much money!" *coughs blood*) For me, if we are going to spend $9 plus psf, then might as well hack away all the existing floor tiles and lay new ones! Amiright? Luckily we came across this brand Eco Pluz from Korea at the iQuartz showroom in Balestier Road. We actually went there to check out the iQuartz countertops and the boss spotted some vinyl samples lying around. On closer look, the designs were quite compatible with our tastes, has a somewhat matte finish, and the sales rep Suveda informed us that they can do the delivery and installation with skirting for $6.42 psf (including GST). Not bad, we thought! (We even went to check out the popular Evorich but price quoted was $7+ psf without skirting and we felt the patterns had too many “eyes”) In the end we decided to go ahead with Eco Pluz, and chose Light Pine for the Living Room and Dry Kitchen, and the darker Cottage Grey for the bedrooms, and we are very happy with our choice! Even their skirtings look really nice: The boss feels that the end result is comparable to the Krono Xonic but for a cheaper price. And somehow the darker pattern we chose actually had some of the Rocky Mountain Way effect so the boss is doubly happy! They finished installing in one day, but left a gap for us at the main entrance because we haven’t changed our main gate yet – they will return again to finish up once we have dismantled and replaced the main gate. Before the vinyl installers came in, we had to get our ID to make sure the patched up areas on the floor are not uneven - since we hacked away some walls and shifted the door positions, there were holes in the floor where no tiles were present, and they filed up these holes with cement. Some of the patching wasn't done too well so they had to smoothen with sandpaper (the Eco Pluz guy noticed the unevenness when he came to do his measurements). Why We Chose Vinyl Flooring Overlay vs Redoing Tiles Save cost because there is no longer a need to hack away existing tiles, re-screed (cement is now more expensive for HDB) before laying down new tiles Save time because can be finished in one day. Tiling need to wait a few days to "set" first before workers can step into the house. Warmer feel. Tiles are cooler, and wood plank tiles look nice but feels quite bizarre to step on because they feel cold. Technically you can recycle the vinyl planks if they are clicked-on and not glued down. Just dismantle and bring to new place. Cons: Water-resistant, not water-proof. I don't really know what would happen if you let water pool over the vinyl, but at least with tiles you don't need to worry. Scratches - better don't be dragging furniture around the house! But this applies to pretty much every other type of flooring... I think if doing vinyl flooring, always choose a system which doesn't require the planks to be glued down. Less hassle in the long run, and you can avoid volatile emissions from the glue. The 3 brands I mentioned here all do not need glue. Lastly, always have cardboard protection done up right after your flooring is done. Your ID/contractor is doing you a disservice if they don't include this in their quote.

Toshiba is losing money, but not filing for bankruptcy....yet. I hope. Think a lot of Japanese companies not making as much money as they used to. Even Sony at one point was losing a lot of money but they are still around. My husband says it's because they care so much more about quality and less into marketing and cutting costs unlike Chinese and Korean brands. They really take pride in their work, but it's tough for them in today's cut throat competitive market. I also remember that Toshiba stopped bringing in small appliances into Singapore market to cut down on losses. So now we can't get their TV or microwave etc anymore. Uncle B says not all AC companies sell Toshiba, he thinks his company and Gain City are the only ones in Sg selling Toshiba AC. I think there isn't any prohibition related to having a stove at the service yard. But of course if you're going to cook a lot of curry, then the neighbours might complain LOL.

Hello! Looking at your floor plan, I do think this is a great idea! I like your moodboard, some photos look very familiar to me haha, cos I favourited them too! The marble look is supposed to be on trend this year, and it goes well with metal finishes. Copper and rose gold will complement them very well too! Can't wait to see how your place will look like! When are you getting you keys?

The common bathroom got big fat pipes so confirm cannot run along the wall there: The master bathroom is better as we're boxing up the shower area and also having a long vanity mirror cabinet so the trunking in the master bathroom will be hidden.

Forgot to add-on a few more things: Major tip: Try not to run AC trunking behind built-in carpentry in hopes of hiding them. My husband's cousin did that and when he had issues with his AC and they needed to replace the trunking, they had to tear down ALL the carpentry. Imagine the heartache!! Always ask for AC installation to be done in 2 visits: First visit installation of trunking and drainage pipes after completion of wet works, and second visit installation of compressor and blowers/fancoil units towards end of renovation (after painting and carpentry installation). When talking to AC salesperson, must ask for this! Otherwise they will charge you extra. If really cannot install in 2 visits, make sure the blowers are wrapped up nicely or else will get dust-choked. Bernard says in situation such as my living room which needs 2 blowers, should always turn on both together otherwise the single working blower will get overworked and will spoil faster. Same principle applies when turning on the AC in a room and leaving the door open... Uncle B also says that every 6 mths, on a rainy day, should spray some water at the back of the compressor to wash off the accumulated dust. Will help to extend lifespan of compressor. (My husband almost asked.... why rainy day? Aiyo, sometimes brain leave at home one, this man) AC servicing is important. Ideally every 6 mths, by professionals. This is to make sure the AC work efficiently and will extend the lifespan. Hope I didn't forget anything. Will edit if got anymore additions...

Air-conditioning Our flat came with an existing Mitsubishi Starmex System 4 which had been installed about 5 years back and seemed to be in quite good condition. The previous owner, however, mentioned that once the living room AC unit is turned on, the other blowers in the rooms will not be cool at all. The boss is very heat-intolerant and his utmost priority (besides paying for things) is to ensure the living room, which will undoubtedly be his favourite hangout spot, to be sufficiently cool to his liking. We got an AC contact from the previous owner (ANCO) and got the AC guys to come to the flat and discuss if we can a) change the existing configuration while preserving the existing units as much as possible and b) add on another blower to the living room. The guy from ANCO suggested we dismantle the current blower in the master bedroom, and add on another system 2 for both master bedroom and living room (means convert existing system 4 to a system 3+2). The existing living room blower is to be shifted to a better position. Total quote was $3950! When we asked how much to dismantle everything and give us a new system 3 + system 2, quote was $7k I then visited AB (All Best – will they censor the name?) at Century Sq and asked them how much they can quote us. The salesperson I spoke to, Bernard (slightly grumpy-looking uncle, but very informative) was adamant they don’t do modification or shifting of existing blower’s position – says will need to change all the trunking etc, might as well dismantle everything and install brand new ones. When I brought our floor plan along, and he asked more questions about our expected usage pattern (turn on master bedroom every night, and living room only during daytime on weekends), he advised us to do a system 4 + 1 where the master bedroom gets a dedicated compressor to achieve maximum cooling and to reduce electricity bill. His personal opinion is that a system 3 + 2 will use more electricity because 2 compressors will be on when we use both living room blowers. I asked for prices for 2 different brands, mainly Mitsubishi Starmex and LG Art Cool (so chio looking!), and found out that LG does not have any system 1 (single split). He outright refused to talk about Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, saying it’s a parallel import which has nothing to do with Mitsubishi Starmex and that they are made in China and ordering parts require a 3-mth waiting time. Before leaving, I also asked his opinion regarding both Mitsubishi and LG. He states that both are comparable, good quality brands for AC. And when I ask for his personal opinion on which is the best brand, he surprised me by saying TOSHIBA. I was intrigued. Mainly because I assumed Mitsubishi Starmex is the best brand in the market (together with Daikin, but uncle said Daikin is not powerful enough for my house). I’ve never heard of Toshiba’s AC. Bernard then said that Toshiba is rather low key due to the lack of marketing, but those who know Toshiba will know that it is very reliable albeit more expensive. His own house and his brother’s house all use Toshiba. But now they are having a promotion for Toshiba, so the price is more reasonable. Tell me more, I said. (I am a sucker for promotion) He says that for my house, I should consider using Toshiba’s system 5. Toshiba has a very high capacity compressor, and at 41k BTU, is one of the highest offered in the market, hence Toshiba is one out of 2 brands which offer system 5 (the other is MS, but their compressor is of lower capacity). The compressor is made in Japan and limited to 20 sets – once these are sold, they will no longer import compressors in from Japan due to higher costs – will get them from Thailand instead). He suggested 24k BTU + 13k BTU for living room, and 3 x 10k BTU for all bedrooms. If you look at the numbers, a 41k BTU compressor can support both living room blowers plus one bedroom blower during the day time, and easily all 3 bedroom blowers at night. Even did a test blow for me at the shop! At maximum fan speed and at 21°C for Mitsubishi Starmex, and 24°C for Toshiba, yet Toshiba’s feel cooler. Needless to say, I was very impressed. The price given was $5399 and includes $200 Choice vouchers. Went home and reported to the boss. The boss likes LG a lot because the black glass blowers are super chio. LG would cost 200 bucks more. He ding-donged on the decision but the need to be cool outweighed the looks of the AC. Toshiba system 5, it is! Installation Installation turned out to be a pain in the butt due to our unit’s layout and the presence of many low beams. I naively thought my plan was good: The installers actually asked us to top-up for materials because they had to use a lot more trunking than expected! I was quite outraged at that time because I had previously shown the salesperson our floor plan and already told him the challenges related to the trunking, yet nothing was mentioned about additional costs. The installers couldn’t proceed and Bernard called me and said that due to the additional costs, if I don’t top up, they will actually lose money from the installation and he will refund me fully the deposit I made. He was very apologetic and said my house was a real challenge and that other AC companies will likely do the same thing and ask for top-up. What is a girl supposed to do then? Called the husband and he said we should just pay the additional $400 to spare ourselves the trouble. I then agreed and only then installation could start. When I asked the installer if the additional length of trunking will result in less efficiency to the blowers situated furthest, he said luckily I chose system 5 because the compressor is strong enough for the additional distance. System 4 + 1 or even 3 + 2 would have problems. At least that mollified me and reassured me of my choice. After installation of trunking was done, it was quite a sight seeing all the obese trunking running amok! Sigh... boxing up is sure gonna cost $$$$! But at least living room got minimal trunking so we're grateful for that! Summary of AC knowledge: BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. Obviously higher BTU means higher cooling capacity. Sometimes also expressed as kW. 1kW is approximately 3412 BTU. One way to calculate the amount of BTU needed for a room is Room Size (in sqft) x 65. But this looks inflated so take it with handful of salt. Or round down. Source: some AC blog somewhere. If turning on too many fancoil/blowers at the same time, compressor will be overloaded and blowers will not be able to cool sufficiently. Over time, compressor will overheat and motherboard will spoil sooner. Motherboard is most expensive spare part to replace (easily more than $1k!). Source: Bernard from AB. Mitsubishi Starmex & Daikin – all parts made in Thailand LG – made in Korea Mitsibushi Heavy Industries – made in China and assembled in Thailand. Parallel import and unrelated to Mitsubishi Starmex Toshiba – made in Thailand except for specific compressors made in Japan

I've asked the staff from VG regarding your suggestion, here's what his reply is: Herbs can be grown on the vertical garden, but limited selections only The Red/Blue lights (he referred to them as UV lights) are quite glaring to the eyes and will cast a pink shade on the green wall and will not make it look beautiful He still would recommend growing herbs in pots with natural sunlight. I think the vertical garden should be seen as a decorative element to the house, so no herbs on it! That's where the Smart Garden comes in!

Hi @daryl78. I'm too lazy to PM so will just post a table here: Disclaimer - please use this only as a guide to pricing. Contractors and ID also need to eat rice and every quote will have some variations. Cheers! We are ok if they are not entirely flat because it will be on one wall only. But so far the results seem quite good so no complaints.... yet.

Ooh, which ones didn't grow so well? Do tell so I can avoid buying those. Wow a lot of ppl seemed very concerned abt my service yard becoming my wet kitchen. To be honest, I really don't cook much so think it should be fine. Plus too late to change already :s

Err, that's the original wall colours and we're not keeping it - will paint over soon!

That's great! At least HDB is efficient in getting back to you. Cross fingers that ugly door will be banished!

Growing Herbs Some of my friends who knew about my vertical garden asked if it can grow herbs. Sadly, no, because herbs actually need more sunlight and the VG system is designed for indoor plants which thrive on less light. So how does a gardening noob with some interest in gardening and yet is a lazy bum grow some herbs? By getting this Smart Herb Garden by Click and Grow from Amazon instead. There was a big discount during Black Friday so I just bought this to try (US$30 plus Amazon free shipping, comes with 3 Basil cartridges). Just plug in and remember to top-up water (there is an indicator). The capsules contain NASA-inspired “smart soil” with embedded seeds which will begin to sprout once the LED lights are turned on. It really works! (My friend is growing them for me on her office table cause I got no space at home/work) The official website has a lot more variety of plant types and best of all is, free shipping to Singapore for purchases above US$50! Use this link to enjoy 20% off first order. Since the 3-plant Smart Herb Garden seems rather successful, I’ve placed an order for the Smart Garden 9 which will only be available in August 2017 onwards. That way, I can grow salad and herbs at home! Eggsciting! If not convinced, I suggest searching YouTube for Click and Grow reviews. Quite a lot of video reviews there. Don't say I bojio!

Going Green - Vertical Garden If you noticed from our floor plan, there is a hindrance to achieving a fully open kitchen, namely an Unhackable wall. Coming soon to a theatre near you... I jest, I jest. This means no island, but a peninsula instead. (But for convenience sake, we shall still call it an island). My initial idea was to dress this wall with some texture, using craftstone: But the husband aka boss wasn’t too impressed with what he saw on the 3D and with the real craftstone. He thought we should use the same bricks for the TV feature wall but I didn’t want to repeat the same bricks as I felt it will steal the TV feature wall’s thunder. Either way, we were both doubtful about this wall, but then I came across this online: I loved the idea of having greenery in the house and this was the perfect wall to have a vertical garden! But I have absolutely zero experience in gardening, so I thought we should do fake plants for easier maintenance, but I too did some research on real vertical gardens. The boss also liked the idea very much, and said he would prefer real plants. I shortlisted 3 companies which specialise in Vertical Gardens and picked Vertical Green (website here) because they have done many projects and seemed to have the best system around. They also offer a maintenance package in case really #greenthumbfail. Fellow renotalker @Ks Toh also engaged VG for his vertical garden and I sounded him out – he was very happy and proud of his vertical garden. Check out his t-blog here: The vertical gardens in all Innisfree outlets are done by them, so if you are curious, you can go check out Innisfree! There are two types available – tank and tank-less. Example with tank. The tank-less system needs direct water connection, while the tank requires manual top-up of water every couple of weeks. The system is designed to be as hassle-free as possible, just need to top-up liquid fertiliser and do some pruning every month. Since we are taking into account the vertical garden during our renovation, we are going for the tankless. We must supply VG with: 2 x 13A electrical points for their timer etc Lighting points for the indoor growth lights (which they will connect to their timer) Water inlet & dummy pipe Outlet connection for drainage They will install the ‘hardscape’ first, and planting is done only after all dusty works have stopped – means right before moving in. Even though my ID had no clue about vertical gardens when we first mentioned to him, he is more than happy to co-ordinate the required electrical works and plumbing with the VG guys. Thumbs up to him! If you are wondering about the price, it is certainly not cheap! It’s about $750 per sqm, and be prepared to add a few hundred bucks more for the tank or drainage tray (for tank-less) and growth lights! There are other cheaper options available such as doing an artificial grass wall, or a moss wall, or artificial plant wall but personally I feel this is something quite unique and the plants can also help to reduce VOCs in the air. Plants + Industrial combi is quite nice and I’m really excited about having my own garden in the house!