cookie0511

Welcome "neighbour"! Your flat is pretty near mine! I belong to the same cluster as getzski but nearer to your cluster! ;-) Really loving what you are doing to your place! I have fixed an ID but my renos haven't started. Looking forward to more updates!

No idea why the pic turns out so small!! Anyway for those who bother to go in and see, the proposed works are as follows : Balcony - construct a half-height fencing with a centre gate that opens into the living room. There will also be a full-height shoe cabinet but I didn't draw it in. It will be at the wall of the balcony facing the main door. Living room - essentially untouched, except to make an integrated TV console and fireplace and CD / DVD cabinet next to it. Kitchen - wall separating the living room and kitchen to be hacked and converted into a counter top. Cabinet to cover the rubbish chute with washing machine next to it so that area will be the laundry area. Common bathroom door to be shifted facing the toilet bowl so I can construct a shower screen at the shower area. Unfortunately the pipes are next to the toilet bowl in the middle of the bathroom, so if I do a shower screen, I won't be able to fix a sink. The ID suggested a corner small sink but I am not quite in favour. Any of you have any ideas where else to put the sink, please let me know, I will be really grateful! Wall between living / dining room and bedrooms - full-height book cabinet will be placed there. Master bedroom - wall extended into the 2nd bedroom to build a WIW. Master bathroom door shifted to the other side (facing the toilet bowl) so I can put in a small bath / jacuzzi tub. 2nd bedroom - door position is shifted due to the new wall. 3rd bedroom - essentially untouched except to shift the wall further into the room. Wall between the 2 common bedrooms - hacked down to create a deep space, so I can put an altar at that space. Any of you has any more ideas to share???

This is my proposed floor plan after renovation works.

Hello everyone! I've MIA-ed for so long due to some restructuring at work and since then everything have been so crazy! Now I'm back! Updates since last year : 6 February - Completion! Got the keys and felt so proud to finally be a home owner! January to March - brainstorming ideas on interior design. Finally I have decided on an English country-theme concept. Just personal preference as I have always liked this kind of interior deco. I wanted the following : Common bathroom - shift the door next to the kitchen window, install a shower screen and rainshower. Master bathroom - shift the door to the other side next to the room window, that whole shower area install a small bath tub Master bedroom - build casement wardrobes on the wall next to the door, king-size poster bed on the wall next to the window, side table, study table and dressing table. Balcony - build a panel / sliding door to separate the balcony and living room, full height shoe cabinet and settee Living room - full height CD / DVD cabinet next to the TV console Wall separating the living room from the bedrooms - full-height bookshelf I also like the idea of a fireplace to make the place more "country" feel. February - April - meeting with IDs to see which suit me best. April - decided to rent out 2 rooms for the time being. So renovations on hold but still sourcing with the aim for future renovation but I got the flat repainted all white to make it seem brighter. I also changed the windows from sliding to casement, as the sliding windows were a little spoilt and became difficult to push. The windows were done by Dennis of Home Style Design. He was one of the IDs I shortlisted but because he could only give me a modern look, I didn't get back to him in the end. Still since he had been so nice and patient, I decided to ask him to do my windows which he happily obliged. So the old brown square grilles and sliding windows gave way to a new white square grills and white casement windows with dark tinted glass. I initially wanted to do lattice windows but since I decided to have grills as well, I took the plain design as lattice would make the whole place look too messy with grills. May - Finally shortlisted 3 IDs specialising in country theme - Country Concept, Cottage Craft and Forest Woodworking. Out of the 3, I like the designs of Forest Woodworking best, but unfortunately they only do carpentry. If I sign the whole package (ie renovation + carpentry), it will set me back 68k for just MBR and 2 bathrooms! Besides they never got back to me after their initial quote, so I dropped them. A pity because I really really like their designs. They were willing to throw in the bookshelf integrated with a fireplace. Second choice was Country Concept, but they also only do carpentry. What I like is they do a lot of fireplaces so they said I can have the option of integrating the fireplace with the TV console or with the bookshelf. Their quote is not too bad too - 26k for all carpentry and cabinetry, including the kitchen cabinets. I don't intend to change the kitchen cabinets but they suggested changing the covers to make the kitchen less "modern" and more "country". And they use a lot of woodwork, so my entire place may end up looking like a rustic log cabin, which I actually don't mind too. However since they don't do renovation, if I intend to renovate the bathrooms and minor works around the flat, I have to pay for my own contractor, which will ultimately set me back another 30k or thereabouts. So I dropped them too. Third choice was Cottage Craft. I almost didn't get in touch with them because they took a very long time to get back to me. But because both Forest and Country Concept were dropped, I had to contact Cottage Craft again, and this time the ID came for a site visit. His ideas were really good and I really like them! He suggested using a half-height gate of sorts for the balcony instead of a full-height panel / sliding door so my living room / balcony can look bigger as the full height will make it smaller. Best is they do the whole works - renovation plus carpentry and they are full HDB licensed. However his quote was too high - 52k and his designs are too "renaissance" for my liking. I'm looking more for a Victorian to modern English country look, not the heavy Renaissance look. Still, I decided to keep Cottage Craft in mind for future renovation, until recently when I came across this other ID company. One look at their website and I fell in love with their country style interior designs! I contacted them. First meet up was in their office where they quoted me an estimate of 30k all in. Second meet up at my place where after seeing the space and brainstorming ideas, he came up with a 48k quote, all in. Still expensive but cheaper than Cottage Craft, and since I am still going to rent out and I won't be renovating until at least next year, that quote is still acceptable. I told the ID my concern that I will only be renovating probably in 1 - 2 years' time, but I really like their designs and that I will probably get them to do my place next time. He suggested that we work together by signing the contract first to show that I am a "sincere" customer so at least he can "report back" to the company, and he will hold the package for me. When I'm ready to do my renovation, I can let him know again. I only need to pay a minimal deposit. I can't believe the deal! Of course the more cynical part of me wonder if there can really be such a good deal. I read through the contract in black and white to ensure that everything is covered. Besides even if he absconds or cheats me, my loss is minimal. And if I abscond, he will not get his business ultimately so their company lose out more. Last week the ID and I met up to go through the final details. As I needed to do a bit more changes, the quote came up a bit higher than originally agreed, but it is already the cheapest I can get for the kind of look I wanted. And so we signed the agreement and I paid a very minimal deposit as agreed. I must say I am pretty happy with my final choice as this ID is willing and able to give me the exact kind of concept I want. So the final price came up to be 53k with the following items : Balcony Full-height shoe cabinet with low cabinet settee (15 feet) Low Height fencing with 1 panel swing gate with wrought iron finishing Living Room Dismantle existing TV console and feature wall and install fireplace integrated with TV console Add 2-way switch at main (balcony) entrance (existing switches are next to the old access doors next to the kitchen) Full-height CD / DVD cabinet 12-feet full height bookshelf with ladder (my favourite design of all!) Kitchen Hack down the wall separating the kitchen and the living room to convert it to a bar / counter top Alter and extend existing fridge base Replace cabinet doors Common bathroom Shift the bathroom door (seal existing entrance and open new entrance including patch up damage tiles) Hack off existing floor tiles and lay new floor tiles including waterproofing membrane 50mm high shower kerb and 10mm tempered glass shower screen Supply and install PD door Install toilet bowl, sink and rainshower Change bathroom window to top hung casement window and affix grille Master bathroom Shift the bathroom door (seal existing entrance and open new entrance including patch up damage tiles) Hack off existing floor tiles and lay new floor tiles including waterproofing membrane Construct long bath (with jacuzzi) with 63mm hollowblock and 300mm x 300mm tiles finishing Supply and install PD door Install toilet bowl, sink and rainshower Change bathroom window to top hung casement window and affix grille Master bedroom Extend the wall between MBR and Bedroom 2 and convert that part into a WIW (12 feet), with french doors as entrance Install suspended TV console with wall feature King size poster bed 2 side tables Study table Dressing table (3.5 feet) Shift existing switches, plug and ceiling fan point Common bedroom 1 (next to master bedroom) Seal existing entrance and shift entrance further in Create new entrance Shifting aircon and reinstalling aircon wiring Common bedroom 2 (next to store room) Push wall between Bedroom 1 and 2 further in Wall separating the 2 Common bedrooms To be hacked and the void space used for an altar Others Cornices for all 3 bedrooms 1 set of wrought iron gate for main entrance Painting works for whole flat Labour to install lights Plaster altar holder Chemical washing I am still keeping my option open to change flooring to black and white checkerboard. I quite like the existing flooring actually (homogeneous marble-like tiles) for the whole flat (except black laminated flooring for the kitchen), but then I always like checkerboard flooring! If I do intend to do that, I can top up another 8k, so see how!

Merry Christmas everyone! I just went for the first HDB appointment yesterday. If all goes well completion will be in early February. I've been sourcing out renovators lately. So far I've met with 3 and short listed one but I find his quote too pricey. I'm not even doing the whole unit but he's charging me 30k to do the following : 1. Changing tiles for both bathrooms 2. Storage gas heater 3. Glass full shower screen for common bathroom 4. Glass half shower panels for master bathroom 5. Changing both bathroom doors to frosted glass swing door 6. Repositioning door of common bathroom 7. Making wardrobe in MBR 8. Making integrated dressing table with full mirror and study table with shelves for MBR 9. 2 side tables for MBR 10. TV integrated cabinet with shelves for MBR 11. 6-ft bookshelf at the wall next to dining room 12. Converting kitchen wall into bar counter 13. Installing frosted glass swing door for kitchen 14. Making sliding door for balcony 15. Changing window grills to white powder coated 16. Changing windows to casement windows 17. Changing bedroom door knobs to lever kind 18. Reprinting bedroom doors 19. Reprinting walls and ceiling That's about it. Personally I think 30k is too expensive, but then I'm not sure what's the normal rate for renovation nowadays so perhaps someone can enlighten me?

Thanks for your tips. If a WIW doesn't work out in the end, I'm toying with the idea of having a build in closet with sliding doors. Not sure if that's feasible or would casement doors be better? Also is there a way to hide the pipes in the bathrooms? I find the pipes rather unsightly.

Actually this is the current layout of the flat, ie cupboard (not built in) on the wall between the MBR and BDR2, bed and dressing table in the MBR. You're right, that makes the room pretty spacious which is why I find the MBR big in the first place. Even my parents are impressed by the spaciousness and size of the MBR (and they own a landed property).

Sorry, I meant "storeroom". If I follow this plan, ie shifting the walls and expanding BDR3 together with the original storeroom, where shall I make another storeroom if need be?

I'm also getting my key only around Feb. So can "escape" CNY otherwise people are going to crash in!

Oh good idea! Maybe I should also do the same. Or else put a sink but the current owner already has a sink above the rubbish chute so if I move the sink I have to find something else to cover the rubbish chute.

Hi saintinity Your idea really sounds good! I can do what I like in the master bedroom without compromising much of the other 2 rooms. Just one question, in this case, where shall I put the stall if needed? Think I'll check your idea with the other contractors I'll be meeting and see what they say. I'm trying not to hack down walls or combine rooms to save cost though.

Wow Getzski That's a really good drawing. You did this yourself? Unfortunately I'm terrible at both figures (how to know exact measurements) and drawing. I'm a visual person but I can only describe what I want and leave the contractor to come up with the plan. That's why I like your layout! It's such a way that you can have a long WIW leading to the bathroom. Unfortunately my master bathroom is in such a weird position and the rooms situated as such that it's hard to do quite a lot of things. I haven't decided whether to touch the other 2 rooms as I'm keeping the option of renting out. Also if I knock down and combine some rooms if next time I need more rooms I'll have to convert back again and that'll cost. So for now I'm just playing around with the existing layout to see what I can do. As for storeroom I'm very tempted to hack it down and convert it into a small room or combine with the next bedroom but again that have to see the cost and necessity because even though I'm not even doing the whole unit, just the bathrooms, MBR and kitchen counter top, it's going to be quite a big sum already! Besides I do need somewhere to store my stuff.

Hi getzski What do you mean by HDB will build a bridge to connect the lift opening? How does that work? BTW, my kitchen has extra side windows, just like yours too! Thinking of putting a storage place there, what do you think? Otherwise that wall and windows going to look so bare!

Hi OceanEleven Thanks for your 2 cents worth! One contractor I met did tell me if I want a WIW, then I have to sacrifice the bathtub. Upon thinking, well, I guess I can do without the bathtub because I realise the extra cleaning needed if I am to have one. So he says in that case, he will build a WIW next to the bathroom, and it has to be a small one. I guess that's fine since it'll only be enough for my stuff, being a typical female and all. In this case, I can even fit in a king-size bed next to the window, with 2 side tables. TV console will have integrated cabinets at the side on the wall at the "long" side of the bathroom. Because the WIW is going to be small, there can't be a dressing table, so he will build one dressing table for me on the solid wall next to the bed, with the dressing table being integrated such a way that one side is the dressing table, the other side is a study desk cum laptop table, with shelves and cabinets on top. And so I have the other wall free if I ever want or need to place anything else in the future. The door leading to the room will then have a little corridor before going to the bed and the wardrobe. As for the kitchen, my initial idea was to hack down the wall but I realise that may not be feasible, because unless I can find the same marble tiles, otherwise the flooring is going to be affected. So this contractor's idea is that he will hack half the wall and convert that into a bar counter / counter top, and then build something above to make it hold wine glasses or lights or whatever. I find that a pretty good idea. As for bookshelf, he will build it into the wall next to the dining room (I plan to put a dining table at the window next to the kitchen). I am a massive bookworm, so I hope the bookshelf is big enough! I did ask him what about my piano? He said it can be put at the access door next to the kitchen. BTW, the access door is now at the balcony (which is not reflected in the floor plan). The one next to the kitchen is the old access door. Due to lift upgrading, the govt kindly built another access door at the balcony area leading to the lift, so now the main access door is the one that opens right onto the balcony. Hence my flat is one of those rare ones with double access doors! So far I am pretty happy with what this contractor said, but I'm still looking around before confirming. If any of you kind souls are able to contribute input on how else to renovate the flat, I'll be very grateful!