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Hey Diavonex, that's a great idea! Sounds perfectly reasonable and i'm sure it doesn't violate any regulations does it? DO you know of a reliable plumber that i can get for a quote as well? Can you PM me his contact?

Hi everyone, can some kind soul verify what my ID said. He says that if i wish to change all the water and plumbing pipes in my old flat, then i will have to hack up the wall and the floor cos they don't know where the pipes really run. This is despite the fact that i have a plumbing layout supplied by my condo Management office. He says that i will then have to relay completely new floor tiles and wall tiles for the kitchen and the bathrooms. Is this all true? Is there any more conservative way of changing all my pipes without doing so much hacking works? Thanks much for any advice/ thoughts.

Hi everyone, I'm about to start work renovating my semi detached house. Has anybody got any reliable electrician that you've worked with or can recommend? I need someone to do all the wiring works for my house (A&A). Really appreciate any help. 688

Hi Everyone, I'm starting my A&A works on a semi detached house real soon and need to engage a reliable electrician to do the electrical wiring for the whole house. Can anyone please recommend any electrician that has done a good job and that you trust? 688

Hi there, I'm no expert as i'm also just about to renovate my house. But just some thoughts after asking a whole series of architects and design and build companies. Firstly, if you are thinking of doing major renovation works and increasing the gross floor area by more than 50% (sounds like it cos i think your new GFA of 4500sf is a lot!), then you have no choice but to hire an architect as they are the only ones licenced to do Reconstruction work or New erections. A Design and Build firm can do so much as A&A works only and the URA has strict guidelines as to what this entails. Here's an excerpt from the URA circular: DEFINITION OF “ADDITIONS & ALTERATIONS’’ VERSUS “RECONSTRUCTION’’ OF LANDED DWELLING HOUSES 34 To qualify as an “Additions & Alterations’’ to a landed dwelling house, the following criteria must be complied with: (a) the proposed additional gross floor area does not exceed 50% of the approved gross floor area; (b) the external walls that are to be removed and replaced with new walls do not exceed 50% of the approved external walls; © structurally changes to the existing landed dwelling house such as replacing or constructing new columns/beams and reconstructing existing floor slabs do not exceed 50% of the existing; (d) changes/replacement of entire roof, regardless of increase in height as long as it does not involve an additional storey; (e) addition of an attic provided the increase in GFA is less than 50%; Proposals that do not comply with any of the above criteria are considered as “Reconstruction’’. The following works are deemed as reconstruction regardless of whether the works exceed 50% of the existing building: (a) Increase in storey height – Changes/replacement of the entire roof involving an additional storey (b) Change in housing form – Works which result in a change to the landed dwelling house form, for example, from semi-detached house to detached house. [Amendment history -Circular No. URA/PB/2005/21-DCD] All the best!

Hey Triplel, thanks for your advice! Ya, heard that if submissions are needed, it would turn out ti be very expensive. I'll check out Mr Loo, he sounds like a man that fits our criteria. If you don't mind sharing with me on a PM your name, i'd love to say that it was you that recommended his services. I don't mind the time consuming bit so please if anybody else has recommendations of who's good at landed housing A&As, please do advise me cos this is really the first time i'm embarking on any sort of reno and it has to be the derelict house that my in laws stayed in when they first got married! Please help!

http://www.bluescopesteel.com.sg/BlueScope...f4-45855862b3e7 http://www.jumbo-decor.com/bhp.htm hi - I was looking at this thread and was hoping to catch this pics from these links as I am a very visual person !! Is it possible to give me some update on these links? Appreciate your help!

hi. noticed your thread started a while ago......no comments on this company? may i ask why you were interested in this company in the first place? I have seen a colleagues's place finished by this company. I am also looking for others who have used their services.

My husband and I are going to embark on some A&A works on an old (>20 yrs old) landed property. We have visited some firms but found that they are mostly interior decor firms. Any idea which firm is good for this sort of work? Architecture firms are out because we are not rebuilding from scratch and we have a budget thanks 688