rinarobert

hi kingzkong, noticed that your lighting is from JB. is lighting in JB really cheaper than Singapore? we wondering whether go to JB to look for lighting to save some money. but we no idea whether it is really cheaper or not. any comments from you? thanks... btw, where is this "One Lightings....in JB"?? happy reno! and hope you recover soon! cheers rina

very good idea, window shopping at home.... save time, energy, also shortlisted by someone else first ... actually i do the same thing, just didn't think of this term...

hi cavie, care to share your contractor contact? can PM me if not convienent to publish here. 谢谢了! rina

hi toonsim, your glass coffee table and side table were bought from Alumix, you mentioned, right? may i know where is the Alumix showroom mah? really like it... i think can make my small flat looks spacious thanks.... regards, rina apple jie jie, you so easy to get tempered, hah.... then, as long as you still hanging around this forum, your pocket hole cannot close liao... haha... anyway, it's an eye opening experience to see around this forum cheers rina

hi James, I become your blog's loyal reader liao... visit everyday, more than one time a day... you add in google ads lah... read about your lighting, you mentioned you bought your lighting at Nam Hwa, may i know its exact address? seems the price quite attractive leh... last time visit a lighting shop, brighton or what... cannot remember, the most normal looking lighting, no design at all, just plastic white color one, 11 lights cost more than 600 bucks... yours really good deal... haven't called uncle yet, checking defects, waiting HDB to come and rectify, meanwhile wait for hubby to arrange with contractors... do you know whether uncle Eng Hock busy or not recently? heard that all contractors all busy at the moment... know that you will move in your new flat, congrats... though it is a tiring process, no choice, so just take your time and enjoy it bah... regards, rina

hi James thanks for your prompt reply!! yeah, it is lucky to get a responsible and reliable contractor... especially when you cannot go to monitor everyday. i am a bit headache about the timing, since i collect key tomorrow, then defect rectification, then can start reno. my expectation is to move in before CNY, but after reading threads here, i am not that confident already. because i haven't contacted any contractor yet, lazy... and also want to get a feel of the real size of the house before confirm what to do. but husband say sure got contractor can take our job. i kiasu, don't want to hire a "don't know who" contractor. bobian... time not enough, money also not enough... then how? have to see how lah... i used to stay clementi also, for a few years, that time working in science park, never realize that clementi is such a expensive place ( in terms of housing lah) until last year my friend compare housing price of clementi and kim tian... actually we same balloting exercise, only that you apply clementi, i apply bedok. you got the last 5 rm for Chinese, i got the last 4 rm for Chinese, hahaha... so happen... happy reno! good luck to me! also merry xmas to you! rinarobert

hi James (or call you gohkm?), which contractor did you choose? 是 uncle Eng Hock 吗? just now, i read your another thread talked about your reno quotation, so wonder whether you use uncle Eng Hock this time? remember i once asked for uncle Eng Hock's contact from you through PM !! i am going to get my key on coming Wed, will start collecting quotation. thanks...

hi cherlyn, where to find your "my house pictures for sharing" thread? our blk got cats meh? i didn't notice because i only drop by for two three times, for a short while only... maybe old estate all like that... although ours is new, but near old estate mah... last time i stayed AMK, a lot lot lot of cats downstairs. if pretty young meow meow ok lah, still can dahan... i don't like those dirty and ugly one... i am scare of rats 老鼠... mine 2nd floor, near the CRC once saw a terrible scene before near old HDB blk dust bin, hope that won't happen below my room...

mine 2nd floor, smallest one, so you probably know which unit I get lah... actually nearly all the units were grabbed already. what i guess is that those owners are not hurry to move in, like those young couple, preparing for wedding... so only after wedding they will move in. they can slowly and elegantly renovate their house mah... my reno also simple one... not much design... those showflat kind of reno looks good, but don't really feel like a home, and maybe a few years down the road, become outdate... then no good. somemore some design is not practical. i am a practical person, think a lot of maintenance issue before i go into design... good and bad i think now renovation price jumps with the property booming market. am i right? not a good time to do reno. but no choice, 明知山有虎, 偏向虎山行, hahahah....

mine is B182... yes, you are right... "fated that the house is for you"... hehehe... after 3 rounds of mentally preparation ( 3 ballots) and disappointment, we happily accepted the unit. when we received the letter from HDB, I got the feeling that GOD gives us this unit. I am so happy that HE is with us. my hb always says it won't be bad if it is from GOD... !! although not ideal, still not too bad you got ID info? I also did quite a lot research, but want to use contractor since not much design, only basic reno... you have contacts?

hi neighbor, happy to meet you here! mi same blk as you!!! we took the very last unit for Chinese, not that ideal, but thinking of the market condition, i am happy already. altogether we applied for 3 times, this bedok one was the first one, followed by bi-monthly WIS sector B and C. this first one is the most lucky one, queue no. 145... the rest were all rear of the queue. so when HDB invited us to book flat, without hesitation we grabbed it although the smallest one... now waiting for key, don't know when can get... now do some reno planning. my reno will be a simple one. I don't follow trend closely, my style is simple but practical and at the same time meet my comfort level, can already. I want to engage a contractor, heard that if I don't want this theme that theme... and know what I want, engage contractor instead of id can save some money... hehe... $$$ not enough mah..... want to know something from you har... how is the condition of your unit? are there a lot of rectifications involved? can remember or not how much you pay for haulage (don't know whether spelling correct or not) and sand? heard that the price shoots up very fast... our blk should be full already, right? I hope I am the last one to do reno... haha... that way I can avoid the noise... my current place is doing upgrading, sometimes stay at home during the day, very very super noisy... hate it! but last two mths ago, before we booked our flat, we once went up to see the surroundings, found that a lot of flats above my one were still vacant. don't know how now. hopefully can move in before CNY. but now seems a little bit difficult... sigh... anyway, to meet you!!! later if need info, may consult you, ok?

Hi Lee Ma Ma May I have your contractor contact please??? can PM me if not convenient to post here... thanks

hi blueberet, nice to see neighbours here. we applied the bedok north 4 rm end of feb. but first round we were not invited. and after don't know how many round, we were finally informed to select our house. and at that time there is only one unit left for Chinese. bobian we take this last one. not that ideal, but to me, it is better than buying resale and paying that crazy COV at this property boom period. since we booked the flat, now nearly two months already, still waiting for the key. have you got your key? how long did it take for your case? we once try to call our office to push a little bit, but seems that the lady was not happy to receive such calls. we are really in urgent need now, so today I wrote an email the our in-charge officer, but till now no reply. don't know what they are doing. start your reno already? where did you get your ID or contractor? while waiting the key, we are sourcing information and collecting contacts... very time consuming and a lot study and headache.... but thinking of the new home, still very happy...

oh, i c.... thanks

thanks for the reply!!! that means even you plan to lay tiles later, you still can ask HDB to do screeding for you provided they agree to do so??? the benefit of screeding before tiling is to save some cost for sand and labour, am I right to say that? reno for me is something that really need effort to understand and learn !!

Hi renoGirl and all, may i ask a question as why i saw in a few thread that before reno starts, people mentioned that they will apply to get their floor screeded by HDB? i understand from some other treads, of course i don't know correct or not, only those that want to lay parquet or laminate, or those cannot afford even basic reno like flooring will do screeding. anybody would like to enlight me on that? BTW, if want to do screed by HDB, when is proper time to apply? before getting key or after? Thanks!

like that hah... it should be a happy experience to work with a nice and handsome uncle... then I am looking forward to seeing him...

not late, not late, very fast already... thanks a lot... now after work already, cannot expect people still sitting in front of computer so Eng Hock is the renovation uncle, right? or rather a company name?

hi gohkm, may I have your contractor's contact? thanks & regards, rina

can't see your photo leh... ohh, using double side mounting tape ahhh, I thought have to use some kind of glue. and my hb said have to put many glue and will have glue stain inbetween strips... then should be not that difficult to DIY photo not there, otherwise can have a zoom-in on your door handle... ehhh, strange, after posting the msg, scully can see all the photoes...

wahhhhh........ Brainstorm, I thought I was crazy to post a message at that time, you are even ... to reply at even later time..... Yes, the normal featured wall is a bit costly and I went to a future neighbour's house before, and saw their featured wall, it's about 5cm thick, really eat up our space since ours is 85 sqm only... I am looking for an alternative way to cover the HHS until yesterday saw yours BTW, do you have a more close up shot of your door? If possible I want to have a more detailed idea how it is done. and see whether I can DIY

Hi Brainstorm, just now read your blog, saw alot of your reno pics... find something interesting... your "built in door" which you use to cover the storeroom door. I am looking for something to cover my House Hold Shelter door as well... normally people in this forum use featured wall or painting or wallpaper to cover it. but got pros and cons for each method... yours is something new... want to know where to get the door... of course must clarify first: is your storeroom also a House Hold Shelter with thick door? if not, then cannot borrow your idea liao....

Hi fellow forumers, yesterday when I was around my future home with HB, met with a contractor who was doing floor tiles for a neighbour. we chit chat with them, and found out that they provide labour only to lay the tiles for the house owner. all the tiles and raw material (cement, etc...) are to be provided by house owner. and they said they charge S$2.5 psf for labour. Is it a reasonable market price for labour cost? I have no idea about that. since our reno is going to be very basic one. we are considering to find contractor for each individual items... if we can find a reliable tiler with reasonable labour charge, we may go to buy tiles and raw material ourself. Any comments on the S$2.5 psf labour charge for floor tiling? many thanks...

ohhhhh..... I see if die die must DIY, then got to first, but time not enough already. Hee hee.... so many professionals out there, better engage them...

oh... I see... another thread talk about DIY paint, so difficult to save some money... DIY paint sounds horrible leh...