OceanEleven

This is what I meant. I didnt like the door unable to open to flush with the wall, hence the change.

Didnt see you mentioning wanting a walk in wardrobe? Any floor plans to share for comment? My old place is a walk in wardrobe with pole system. Best of both world? Not exactly. Pole system looks nice generally in most design. But to me, I feel pole system need an enclose space to stand out, a cordon off area up to an entire room and not left in the middle of somewhere. So if you are doing a complete room for pole system, then you will have the “wow” effect. Then the other “wow” effect is the “untidiness” that comes along with it. Imagine all sorts of hangers of different shapes, size and colours expose in bare sight, couple with the colours and lengths of clothing, open shelves of folded clothing, or basket bin storage, it is indeed a big “wow” Do Google for images of pole system, not those in bare form but those fully loaded, you might then get a clearer picture. As for walk in wardrobe, most HDB MBR is almost impossible to siphon off an area for WIW and yet able to house a king size bed comfortably. Hence most will resort to hacking into another room for WIW. Overall, this reduce living space, imagine 1 room gone for WIW. Myself would rather use the room as wardrobe area with study tables for work/net surfing/gaming. Also more importantly, one room short will have impact in future selling, coming from a been there, done that perspective. Regardless of WIW or pole system, both are “open”. Less frequently used area will accumulated dust very quickly despite the room’s windows are always closed or even in air condition for most of the time. Do weigh the pros and cons and which best suit the needs and lifestyle.

Brick wall – Not sure where are you gonna erect the brick wall? The wall outside BR3? Length approx.. 2.62m. Or the wall that runs the length of the living area approx.. 5.82m? A box of wall tiles covers approx. 1m2. Given height of HDB is approx.. 2.8m hence very metre in length requires approx.. 3 boxes of tiles. I guess local prices now cost about $100 per box. Last known price was $80 about 2 years back. Today may cost $100. 2.62 x 2.8 = 7.336 approx. 8-9 boxes x $100 = $900 5.82 x 2.8 = 16.296 approx. 17-18 boxes x $1800 = $1800. Labour is the killer part in brick wall. Even that 2.62m length can cost $3k just for labour. So imagine the 5.82m length, contractor can ask for $5k up. Anyway, if you are keen to have brick wall, you can fish out info from my blog where I purchase my brick titles from Msia at half the local price with self-collection. Own transport required. http://www.renotalk.com/forum/topic/63586-back-to-the-west/?page=15

Budget 25k for 4 room is doable but with many exclusion. Flooring will easily set you back 5k up, regardless of tiles/HERF/Vinyl, subject to final choice of material. Carpentry for 2 rooms and kitchen approx.. 7k min. Painting min 1.5. Then the balance to others. Also subject to electrical and window grilles, if inclusive, 25k kinda tough. Coming from as a previous owner with laminated floor and currently vinyl, I do not have any problem with both material. Since vinyl is joint, concern is water seepage into the joint, happens ONLY if one do not clear the spill and deliberately left water puddle unattended for long time. Normal mopping and cleaning is easy. As for parents, you would have to decide and perhaps just go ahead with what you want and like. No point getting something of 2nd choice when heart’s desire is within reach. If you see my place, my parent are a little sceptical of the dark vinyl, not to their preference but really, my place, my rules. The disadvantage of your kitchen is that the shape is squarer than rectangle. Since your place is new, not sure if you can hack the walls separating the service balcony and kitchen. I did that and my kitchen stretches into the service balcony and still housing the dryer and washer. Hacking allows longer top and bottom cabinet, hence more table top space. As well as feeling roomier and spacious. Temper glass shower screens are nice but still restrict space as compare to shower curtain. But MAIN issue are the stains accumulated over the period of just 1 week. One has to be diligent to keep cleaning to maintain the clarity else pretty unsightly. Vanity cabinet is a superb idea as they can be used to keep toiletries and others cleaning product, making the place neat and tidy. It also offer the opportunity to play around with mirror size, a big mirror can be easily incorporated with the cabinet rather than conventional smaller sizes.

There are 2 schools of thoughts. Some say less space buy lesser, like the wardrobe. Now in your case, kitchen cabinet. Less space, less purchase. I belong to the other school. Be prepare than unprepare. Till the day I use the space, I will leave it empty. No point when I need only to realise that I do not have it. I cant stand appliances laying around the kitchen top. Lol. Cluedo, kind of like your dilemma now.....clueless. Anyway, my take on the sink, just go with the big size, as this is a daily use item. So you will get to appreciate the size and easy of usage. Again, when it comes to shopping, try not let your heart leads the way.

If you really have tons of stuff, especially kitchen barang, please do top hung, you wont regret. Better store in kitchen than in some corners where it will be forgotten since you do not have a store rooms as well. I know "topless" is airy and open but I value tidiness more. Else also sieving thru tons of things to find one item is time consuming.

It is just a normal silver knob, similar to old school cabinet door knob, except it is silver looking alloy material. The glass guy will know and have it. It is a simple and straight forward one to one replacement. This is more of a personal preference, I do like the door to be open parallel to the wall and not slanted, so the knob being "thinner" helps. Also minimal contact with the wall as well.

Wah, no TB for new place, you dont know what you have been missing out. It is a very simple process, buying, paying, consolidating and shipping. Sea freight cost are reasonable as well. Till date think I had done about 10m3 of shopping in TB.

If your glass door swing inwards into the shower area, you may wanna check if the handle hits the wall. I had a similar handle but I change it to a knob type instead of the handle type. It still hits the wall but at least can open to 90deg, slightly wider and parallel with the wall.

ID Shopping Like all, shopping for the right ID/contractor for the dream home is part and parcel of the renovation process. So, how, what, where, when to find the IDs and also what to look out for when seeking for the prefect ID and what to expect during discussion. I will dabble a little on these. Mind-set – This is one very important aspect. Home makers must be prepared mentally of what they want and expect. Some will ask, if I know what I want, then why the need for an ID. Then again, if you don’t even know what you want, how would others know what you want. By knowing the needs such as a specific theme, specific look, specific furniture, specific feel and the list goes on. Some will want spacious, some want storage more space, some no vinyl, some no tiles floor. So you must at least know what you want, this will form a basis for discussion and that is where the ID will work their magic and propose, plan and design. Here is when ideas will flow, the general look and feel will set in. Colours, designs, laminates, paints will then be in place to set the mood. However, if it exceed the budget, items can be trimmed or reduce and work around it. SO now, the ID. One have to seek thru all means – friends, advertisement etc. Renotalk provides a good platform for us all to see and have a first-hand experience of the work done by the particular ID. From here, we can gauge, estimate and decide if we want to do a meet up for further discussion. Gather a few candidates, and sieve them out one by one. Best not to have like 15 and do meet all of them up, in the end one will likely to compromise and just go for the one that seems acceptable due to exhaustion and frustration. My personal feel is that the first meet up is not to see portfolio but more to communicate, have a feel of each other. If first impression is not that pleasing, perhaps it is better to move on. People are biased, once it sets in, pretty difficult to uproot. This is the time for you to express what you want and expect, not going to the extend to talk about materials, laminates, tiles design. If the discussion sway from talking about space planning/design, likely is gonna be lengthy and exhausting for all parties. Imagine repeating the same thing to 10 IDs within one month. So just keep it short and simple. Tell the ID what you want, such carpentry in the kitchen, top and bottom? Wardrobe for all rooms? What kind of kitchen top etc etc. Such information are needed for ID to come back with a quote. Most of the time, ID will know how much to quote but wont know what to quote, as in how many feet of carpentry, need hacking, tiles or vinyl, brick wall etc. Upon receiving the quote, which is always exceeding budget, don’t feel beaten don’t demoralised, certain time can be fine tune and remove. Just work on it, else work around it. Some things gotta go and you will find nearer to budget and yet still working with your chosen ID. Cheerios.

JJ, next time must post video when shower.

Hacking including the walls then retile? Have you decided to do top hung and back splash?

****!, Now I regret it. Make me "gian", only.....

My take, if dont like it, just hack. Depth of pocket is an issue, go take a loan. I know, easier said than done. The key point is how you wanna feel after moving in. If never hack is gonna bug you for the longest time then here’s your answer. Imagine after a hard day’s work, coming home, yet seeing that area you regret not hacking, this is only spike your blood pressure a little. That little niggling, tingling sensation is gonna ruin the overall feel.

JJ, cant see your rainshower pics.

So, Berried, house reno done? Any open house visit?

Sent you his contact. I would not say he specialises in only certain style/themes. Rather I feel he has preference for certain styles/themes. He likes dark effect leaning towards industrial. However, he mould my place towards a modern contemp which was much to our delight. Have the chance, speak to him, bring along pics of the sofa, book self, he really works wonders with space planning.

Pity that you had made your decision, else would have introduced mine to you. Flexible ID with meticulous mind-set of a contactor. Never reject my ideas but only to either improve it better or simply shedding light to other aspects where I am convinced to gun down my own ideas.

1) Tiled flooring. It's a personal preference. I've everything against vinyl and laminates, don't ask me why. Perfectly understood. It is just that unexplainable irking feeling that comes around haunting yet impeccably unmistakable kinda embedded in the DNA even before the dinosaurs walk the earth. 2) Apronfront sink. Either you think your sub-cons can install that or they can't. Don't ask me weird s**t like whether I have installation guides or if I could change my choice of sinks. Straight as an arroe. Duly noted, walk the talk and put the hand to work and dont promise the moon and deliver a baboon. 3) 2.79 meter long L-shaped couch. No, I cannot change it to a non-L-Shape couch, and no I cannot make the couch shorter because my girlfriend LOVES that OM couch. You're a designer right? Plan the space! It is a good start. At least one think you know you will want. 4) 2 meter long bookcase. My girlfriend loves it. End of story. Fit it in. Pieces of the puzzle falling in. Tips the scale and let all know what to plan around. 5) Caeserstone countertop. My girlfriend loves to cook and she is cooking for me until the day one of us dies first. Yes, I know it is pricey but it's not anything I've not factored for. This is a piece of nice stone to have. Like you, I can fathom the difficulty of incorporating it with simple planning. Before anyone thinks I'm being unreasonable, I'd factored in all kinds of angles and plans to fit the stuff in. There were some cases that the ID's design would be compromised that I did relent on the size/ type of furniture. And I only relented because I got so bored being the one coming up with the solution and yet being expected to pay $50-$60K to solve design issues. Unreasonable is overkill. Things you want falls well within the wants and needs of a reno. A good ID should be able to work their magic and plan according to them. Yes, maybe a little tweaking here and there but not outright omit and reject.

Wallnut for me. Especially overall place has a dark theme, smaller accessories can be of a lighter tone to create contrast.

Pardon me, cant help it, cant stop laughing. Me heng, mine finish then the “flaming” came. Then I say “Bo bian leh, I PAID all by myself, so I have to learn from the lesson lor.” Being the smarts folks they are, they understood the in between the lines. Anyway, your den, your rules. Take it with a pinch of salt. Wait, make it a large pinch. Who don’t know marble can last forever and gold plated don’t rust. Until the dough comes from the commenter, else maintain poise and carry on smiling as if you are vying for Ms Universe.

Actually hor, white easier for mould and dirt leh. Used to have all white also. After some time, mould grow, regardless of storing wet or dry things. Now swap to laminated interior, 18 months on, good as new.

Hi, why internal all white for the carpentry?

Just to add on a little about the kitchen, I had the luxury to hack away the walls/door separating the kitchen and service balcony, creating a more elongated look and feels more airy. So I had managed to get more table top space stretching into the service balcony hence I chose to place the stove nearer to the service balcony window for better air flow. The sink is beside the stove with approx. 700mm in between. 700mm gap for preparing food (wash and cut). Also I had penned some thoughts about oven positioning on my blog as below: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/topic/63586-back-to-the-west/?page=25

Nah, please don’t say advice. They are just trains of thought I challenged myself when I did my own planning of my place. King size bed is lovely as we spend min 6 hours on it daily so it is definitely worth it. As for positioning, really have to see the layout. Depends if you are placing along the length or the breadth of the room. Take away the length of bed, another 10 to 15cm for frame, perhaps you may get the walking space from the end of bed to the wall. Cater in for wall mounted TV, a rough estimation of balance walk space can be estimated. Eg base on ATZW floor plan. Room length is 3150mm. assuming one is placing the bed parallel with the window. 3150 – 2000 (Approx. king size bed length) – 150 (bed frame) = 1000mm. Within this 1 meter, you have to cater for walking space as well as the wall mounted TV. Generally it is more than enough. However some families may need wardrobes if all other rooms are taken and will prove to be a challenge to plan then. Also placing of aircon blower may be taken into consideration. Some dont like it direct facing while some are restricted due to running of piping.