BlueFly

Hi David: Can you pl quote : a - 1 x wood rack, W34.5 inch x D 14.5 inch x H 10 inch, made of 1 horizontal piece and 2 vertical side pieces. b - Plain wall-mounted shelves, one piece measuring W 80-cm x D 50 cm to support 1 dry cabi and 1 PC, and another set of 2 shelving pieces W 140cm x D28 cm for books, and 1 printer-copier m/c. Either stained (or spray-painted white) solid pine, kapor or ramin wood or melamine glossy white laminate. TIA !

Hi ALL: Before you choose a suction hood, you should consider these points: a - A suction hood should really absorb the greasy oil, not just suck and look pretty. Why pay good money for a hood that sucks (pardon the pun)? Most mfrs rate their hood based on suction power i.e. power of the motor, instead of how well the unit absorbs grease and oil vapor from the burning wok. You may be surprised that western brands usually rate their suction based on the motor kw, which has nothing to do with how well the unit performs in absorbing oily vapors from the air. Also, western cooking methods usually are not as oily or greasy as Asian-style cooking with the wok, and therefore I am inclined to think the western brands are not made to perform best in Asian kitchens. This was my experience with a premium German brand that I used in my previous condo. Perhaps older and wiser, I think differently now. After checking around, I could find only 1 mfr that had SISIR (now Spring S'pore) certify its absorption of oil vapor, and is meant for Asian stir fry cooking. b - Ease of maintenance - throw out those suction hoods that come with fibre or paper filters. Go for those that does away with filter, relying instead on a permanent metal filtration system so that you can see the oil being collected and absorbed form the greasy cooking vapors as you cook! I had difficulty buying paper filters for my German hood and the paper filter clogs up so fast bcoz the unit wasn't meant for Asian kitchens, only for western style cooking of braising, steaming, oven roasting, etc. WIth a permanent metal filter I was able to maintain my suction hood easily. c - Also, look for a flat smooth surface in your hood that inclines towards the hood back away from your wok. Most hoods are designed with the paper filter directly over the wok, and these have a ribbed surface so that oil collects on the oil-laden paper filter and seeps through the ribs, dropping back days later into your wok (urrggh!). With paper filters you need to change filters frequently to avoid this problem. d - Finally, ensure there is sufficient head room with your wok spaced further out from the backsplash, since the suction hood dimensions are fixed - to avoid knocking your head against the suction hood as you move to peer closer and inspect your burning wok. Follow and maintain the recommended hood to burner hob distance to give best / optimum oil absorption rate. I overlooked this last point and to this day I have to be careful whenever I bend down to inspect the burning wok. My choice of suction hood and verdict after using it for 2 yrs will be published soon on my blog. Meanwhile, you may wish to read the mistake made by the contractor installing the :hood.

Hi ALL: When you buy a burner hob, these are the points u shld consider: a - Ease of cleaning -- many ppl forget about maintenance and cleaning. since we use our burner hob every day, it gets greasy and oily fast. So easy maintenance is a feature I always look for. So look out for small manageable trivets, as most trivets are clumsy, heavy and large, making cleaning them a chore. b - Hot fire -- our Asian cooking requires wok hei or unami - you know, that very hot fire to give a special taste to your stir fry when you need that on occasion. Most western brand hobs I think are not built to burn very hot. c - Also, at times you also require a fire that can be kept very very low to just simmer your slow-cook herbal soups, Emperor herbal chicken and tonics. Look for a burner that can be set to very hot and very low flame. d - Aesthetics - it is better if the hob is also good-looking. So, which burner hob did I choose? If you wish to learn more, check out this review and verdict and why I was extremely delighted with my choice.

Yes, I absolutely agree - no cement base is needed for today's fridge or washer. I forgot to check this out and went along with the id' quote which included cement bases for the fridge and washer. Regret my lack of foresight - see cement base After living in the completed flat for 2 yrs now, I think the cement base is not required at all, as my fridge and washer came with "legs" that raised the bottom about 2-inches from the floor. Think about the advantages of no cement base: a. Rearranging and moving around yr fridge and washer is possible, but not if there is a cement base. b. If you replace yr old fridge / washer, you don't need to get another that can fit onto the same cement base. c. You save the cost of the extra cement base. Cheers

Most curtain contractors charge too much for their curtains and installation. I paid $880 for mine. See blog - curtains Later when I needed some amendment, the curtain contractor quoted $60 just for a simple re-hemming for one curtain set !! Peeved, I decided to look for curtain sewers at Chinatown, and finally found a good one at Tek Kah market. She charged me $10 only for the re-hem. She will sew a complete curtain set (i.e. 2 curtains like mine for one 6-ft or 4-pane window) for $30, which is really cheap ! Workmanship was quite good too. So, if you are on a budget, suggest you buy your own curtain materials, get yr present contractor to fix the curtain rails, then go to any lady sewer to make yr curtains. To ensure she understands what and how your want yr curtains to be sewed, show her some sample. You'll be surprised how much you can save.

Some issues to watch out for on casement windows: a. Contractor needs to get prior HDB approval before installation. So make sure the contractor gets approval early or the works will be delayed unnecessarily, as in my case (delayed by ONE months!). b. Make sure window edge comes with felt to shot out dust. After all the advantage of casement windows over sliding windows is that no draught can get into the bedroom or living through tiny "gaps" as in sliding windows. This will reduce energy costs in air-con rooms. c. Make sure the rivets are stainless steel. See example for installation of Casement Windows

Tempered glass will shatter into many small pieces instead of a few big pieces - to avoid shattering you need to ensure the glass surface is NOT scratched. My black glass backsplash is now 2 yrs since installation - and no problem so far. See the installation photos

Stainless steel backsplash is more used for commecial kitchens whereas glass looks better in home kitchens. But to each his own ! My glass backsplash is black and as others have pointed out, you only install the backsplash AFTER yr electrical outlets / box / plugs are installed. Then the contractor will measure and cut the glass backsplash to fit exactly around the electrical power outlet(s). See Black Glass Backsplash on my blog for example .

Sorry I cannot recommend any, because I used 4 separate movers and all gave me problem. But I wish to highlight my experience so you may possibly avoid my unhappy experience if you can: Mover 1 agreed on a price some 1-2 months ahead of the moving. Last minute price was changed by them, so I decided on another one, not because of price but I hate dealing with people without integrity. LESSON: Make sure you have something in writing, altho most don't give black-and-white agreement. Simply just write on a piece of paper and get the movers to sign. This will save much argument later. Mover 2 agreed on items, price and time over the phone. When the workers arrived on the scheduled date, the supervisor said he cannot do the job because the items are more, are heavier, or the fridge needs dismantling to go thro the door, or the double bed is too big, or the wardrobe is too big and heavy and must be taken down the stairs, etc. They have a hundred-and-one excuses simply to make you pay more at the last minute before they will move your items. Finally, as my brother had taken leave to help with the moving, I decided to let the supervisor / workers move whatever they felt was within the price I had prior agreed with the office. End of the day, only 3/4 of the items were moved. And I had to look for another mover for the rest. Again, I didn't give in to their extortion trick but stuck to the agreed price, though obviously I was on the losing end. LESSON: This is a common trick, so word-of-mouth recommendation is important. That is, use a mover who has been engaged by someone you know (not recommended by people you don't know because some movers use friends to recommend on forums like this - my experience in one case ). And tell the mover-office before they sned the workers that the price is firm and fixed and you will not pay any higher price even if the workers didn't agree later. Problem is, most "office" hires third-party bangla workers to do the moving and it is these blanga workers who get "cheated" because the office don't tell them exactly what items would be moved, to deflate the hiring price so the office pays a lower rate to the workers ! Mover 3 did the job on agreed items, price and time. But the supervisor was chinese with 2 other chinese workers, and two others were blangla. And you know what? The chinese workers with the supervisor simply did the "talking", did only a little packing and moving, then sat down to idle the rest of the time while the 2 poor bangla workers did all the work ! They were bullying the bangla workers. Obviously when I bought drinks I gave only to the bangla workers. Complaining to the office was useless because the workers were all hired "off-the-street". LESSON: Ask the office who will be the workers. I didn't have worker problem with mover 4 because all were bangla workers, so no exploitation by one group against another. Mover 4 did the rest of the job. Nothing to complain because it was a small job requiring only one trip. But I can't recommend because again it was simply an "office" that hired workers off-the-street. Thus there is no assurance you will get good treatment because the same office use different workers depending on the workers' availability. I am unwilling to name names because this is their rice-bowl, movers are very competitive, and naming names doesn't solve the problem. Sometimes you get good work, sometimes you don't. The office blames the workers, the workers blame the office for "over-selling". I don't know who is to blame, so to be fair, just to share the problem with forumers so you will be better prepared to negotiate. All the best !

Hi Jstar_closet: Thank you for visiting my blog. In response to your question, a. I got the rain shower head and arm from Poh Joo after visiting several other shops. b. I paid $110 for the rain shower head (PJ 801 shohwer rose) and $35 for the arm (45 cm concil shower arm). Some consideration when choosing your rain shower head : Is the head made of metallic-coated plastic, stainless steel or brass? I opted for brass because I dislike having to change and repair if the rain shower head spoil in future. As you know, those with plastic metallic paint are light and tend to corrode over time, just like door knobs. Repair costs are not cheap, so altho more expensive it is better to buy brass from the outset because in the long run it is indeed cheaper ! In my last home I have brass shower heads that practically never needed replacement (over 20 yrs) whereas I replaced my handshower (made of plastic) every few years. Also, to get a good "shower" effect, ensure your plumber install the rain shower rose quite high up the wall, preferably as high as possible. You can get an attached handshower head but that means you have to place the support holder for the handshower on the wall. In my case I did not get the handshower head because I wanted a concealed and clean look, and to have a head holder on the wall will spoil the look. Also, you can attach a handshower head only if your rain shower unit is connected to a hot-water tank as source. In my case I enjoy cold showers just like in the rain...so I don't connect a hot-water tank to my rain shower unit. Besides, I also decided to install a separate instant hot-water shower in the same bathroom! So I have the best of both worlds. Especially as this month is a very hot month, I shower using the rain shower unit, and it is really c-o-o-l. Other times, when the weather is chilly, I use the instant hot-water shower unit from Panasonic. You can see all these photos on my blog.

Model is Amasco Model : Merz with 52-inch fan blade - the fan blades are made of wood; bought 2 sets for $320 c/w 25w lighting kit.

Yes, our first washer was a Thomson Vedette that came with a built-in water heater. And the clothes washed really clean. Hot water is better for army uniforms and those heavily soiled clothes, but cold wash is just as effective for ordinary office clothes and casual wear.

Thanks, guys -- actually it was a simple solution to a knotty problem. I had already bought the rain shower head and fittings, as well as ordered a Rinnai gas water heater to be installed in the kitchen. The large Rinnai heater would provide hot water to the bathroom, kitchen sink, and washing machine. Problem was, there was no way I could run the criss-crossing hot and cold water pipelines nicely. And I had to knock a 2-inch hole in the kitchen wall to exhaust the fumes from the Rinnai heater. In the end I decided to abort the plan, return the Rinnai heater and install an instant water heater for hot showers, leaving the rainshower for cold refreshing showers on hot days. So far the 2 showers have served us well.

Can't decide WHETHER to have rain shower with hot water storage tank (with messy hot and cold water pipeline all over) OR use instant heater for neat piping, economy, and to avoid waiting for water to heat up in storage tank? Actually, why not have both in one bathroom? We don't have the luxury of 2 or more bathrooms, and so decided to install both rain shower and instant heater in the single bathroom that came with the 4R hdb flat built in 1982. We now use the rain shower for that cold, refreshing shower on a hot day, and sometimes use the hot instant shower for those cold days. Rain shower on one bathroom wall: Instant heater on opposite bathroom wall:

I suggest you conduct an abrasion test before you commit to any laminate brand. I was horrified to find the laminate surface in my kitchen cabinet easily "scratched" when a low force was carelessly applied to the surface. Experience related here: Abrasion caused by a slight brush with a power drill wielded by the electrician.

Thanks for yr comment, ongpbr. AMASCO fans are being retailed at Suntec Carrfour; also several shops at Jln Besar stock the fans. Got mine from a family-run nondescript shop - Licio Lighting Trading at 359 Jln Besar. Also, AMASCO has a website which I first googled to research the brand and quality. No, it is not true fans are "normally" sold with installation included. Went to several shops, and all of them will quote the retail price w/o installation. If you want installation they will simply outsource to an electrical contractor for the installation (another $50-$100, varies from shop to shop) and quote you the installaiton cost. Same as for water heaters, etc. And fans don't need calibration, but rather re-balancing, especially because the motor head can be tilted and wobble if the fan blades are not equally weighted and balanced. My ID and electrician helped to install all the fans. The KDK fan initially was silent, but made the sound only 2 days later, so the sound was not due to any inherent technical problem but simply that the wires were too long and should be shortened, which I will do when I hv the time.

Yes, your reason is logical. The more "room" b/w fan blades and ceiling, the more "freer" the air circulation is. Hence you could be right. But I don't think so. All fans for HDB flats must follow certain height restrictions, or the fans will not be allowed for installation in HDB flats. My AMASCO fans have about the same fan to ceiling height as the KDK ones, yet give me good wind effect, the only difference being the larger fan blades. No, the KDK fan was installed by my ID. I think the "sound" can be resolved when the excess wires are trimmed and the thingie re-wired. But for now i will leave that to another time. Thanks for your thoughts.

BTW, for ceiling fan do not get one with fan blades shorter than 48-inch. I bought 2 sets KDK fans with remote control for my living and dining areas, and as an afterthought, 2 sets of AMASCO ceiling fans with light fixtures for my bedrooms. Guess what? After installing the KDK fan in the living room, I decided not to install the other KDK fan for the dining area. The KDK fan has short blades and therefore does not produce a good wind effect, unless one sits directly under the rotating fan. Moreover, the KDK fan is not easy to install and made a "tok-tok" sound as the fan operates, because the wiring interfered with the housing around the motor head. In the end I left the housing out. Also, I am surprised few forumers mentioned local product brand AMASCO. I am very happy with the AMASCO fans installed in my bedrooms. The wind effect is strong, the fan operates silently and without any wobble, and overall gave me an impression of excellent product quality. And the 2 AMASCO model fans I bought were much cheaper than what i paid for the KDK fans.

Dunno if this helps -- but check the glass panel you install is really tempered glass. Many pass off ordinary plate glass as tempered glass coz the consumer is no wiser, and given the distance of the burner hob from the glass panel, some ordinary glass can withstand the heat from the flame for several months... until one day the heat stress finally cause it to crack. To assure me the glass they supplied is tempered glass, the supplier showed me the TEMPERED" logo trademark on the product itself, so that if it breaks in future due to heat stresses, I can ask for a replacement. Well, I don't know how good the "HH TEMPERED" logo is (being a noob in this line) as anybody can simply silkscreen a logo onto any glass panel to pass it off as tempered glass. But it is better than nothing, and I figured anyone who takes the trouble, has a long establIshed business, is unlikely to be a fly-by-night operator. Well, so far so good -- it has been 6-7 months without incidents so far. And my hob burner is using the Rinner innerflame technology, and I can tell you, the flame is really hot, much hotter than the usual burner hob !

for yr purposes you could use a glass-tempered stovetop with 2 or more burners mounted onto the glass top, and for the splashback you could use tempered glass.

just a reminder -- it is impt you bear in mind the load when you order blum fittings. i ordered and used hettich fittings because of the larger and heavier loads my drawers need to carry -- so that the drawers open smoothly and closely silently. The design, kitchen zones, organization and mistakes made are detailed on my blog here and here.

i had no problem laying laminated tiles over ceramic tiles, as the laying turned out nice and professional -- head to my blog to see pics. whether parquet floor or laminated floor, you can lay directly over the existing ceramic floor. like you, i was initially concerned about the laminated floor being higher than the original, but in the end it was ok, not noticeable at all. b/w parquet and laminated floor, i prefer laminated floor because my previous parquet flooring needed re-polishing every 5-6 yrs, and the parquet shows wear and tear in locations where the chair rests/moves about. i learnt from the web that laminated flooring do not suffer from such issues, the only issue maybe the "feeling" and "sound" as one walks on the laminated floor. after a few weeks, however, you get used to it and the laminated floor feels good and solid now. my preference? give me laminated floor anytime!

For the moment I am without any camera. I believe photos of the completed kitchen were already posted. In any event, if you wish to visit for a close-up look, give me a pm and I will arrange.

Happy you find the blog useful. Hv not updated the blog for several months now, as I am struggling to produce a lighting plan for my flat. Info on how to light up home interiors is scarce on the web, hence I hv to experiment and improvise. That will be put up on the blog when I hv finished my lighting plan. Yes, in the past, cabinets with solid wood doors and trimmings, etc were specified for premium kitchens. Today solid wood kitchens are still popular, but the look seems "retro" to me, and I now prefer the fresh look of "glossy" kitchens in beautiful colors. Such modern design kitchens hv appeared with glossy laminate on doors and cabinets -- which I find very appealing. Must say I like the new look of my present kitchen much, much more than my previous solid oak door kitchen and corian worktop. Thus glad we hv similar tastes. Glass Backsplash? Well, now that it has been installed, I would prefer the original white tiled backsplash, coz it gave the kitchen a more airy and spacious feel. Not that we don't like the glass splashback -- we love it -- but I don't think it was worth the cost. I was charged $800 but subsequently negotiated it to $600 (original $400). The $800 arose because the guys had to re-cut the glass as 1 single piece instd of 3 separate pieces (detailed on the blog) -- I didn't want seams to show b/w the glass pieces. ID admitted the fault was his, as he forgot to pass instruction onto the glass factory. So in the end, for goodwill and because my ID did a good job on my reno, I accepted part of the increased cost without murmur. The glass backsplash makes cleanup easy after frying, unlike the original tile wall, as oil could get into the groves b/w the tiles. That is the only benefit I could see -- good for lazy ppl like me who likes cleanup quick and easy, since I hate cleanup ! So you find my blog likes to share things that make cleanup easy and quick, and if you have kitchen tips, please let me know so I can put them on the blog to share with other readers. Aesthetics? Well, the glass spashback may look nicer than the original tile wall to some people. In my case I wld be equally happy with the look of the tile wall or glass spashback. So worth it? Maybe, if it had cost $400, but certainly not $600. Conclusion: we love it but I don't think it was worth that cost.

Hello carboonxy, You've got an exotic name, "carnoonxy" sounds like some kind of granite, slate material ? No matter -- yes, the Blanco came with 2 s/s perforated stoppers that you plug into the respective drainage hole for each bowl, as the sink has 2 bowls. I like the stopper design -- as you said, you simply press the stopper down to stop water draining out of the sink bowl, and just pull up slightly to let the water drain out. As regard the tap you mentioned, my previous tap was like that, a designer piece from Grohe in red and white. I mentioned my (unsatisfactory) experience with that designer tap on my blog and explained why -- "May 20, 2008 Choosing a new faucet". <-- click to access Those comments however may not be true today, as taps evolved and newer and better faucet designs are launched. Nevertheless, it is wise to check out friends' experience with the specific faucet you are eyeing, simply because when you buy at the shop there is no provision to test out the faucet first.