Kellhound

My contractor also advised me to avoid translucent PC awning due to heat. Need to do opaque shelter instead

I think you need to plan a buffer for surprises midway (could be major or minor) but almost 100% sure to happen. I'm planning for 10-15% myself.

I would agree but it's low risk and not no risk😀

You have to also make sure that it is always accessible (by right), meaning you can't build over it e.g. build a cabinet over it.

I was advised not to move toilets too far away from current location as you need to connect concealed piping/waste/drainage etc. so I'm just expanding some of my toilets. I'm focusing on doing renovations that does not require submissions to keep costs down and schedule as short as possible. Since you are already doing A&A, it may still be worth it to change toilet location in the overall scheme of things. My house is 26 years old and I am changing all the electrical wiring and water piping. Check if your power supply is already 3-phase. If not, you may want to upgrade.

I agree that airwell is good for inter-terrace as it brings in light and airflow. In general, I would even say it is a selling point as most inter-terraces don't have it. Should keep it unless you really really need to reclaim the space. Provisioning for lift should be at least 1.5m x 1.5m space depending on type of lift.

I would also say $500k-$600k plus.

Copper does oxidize(turn green), right? May add metallic flavour to water?

Sorry it should be PPR and not PVC. According to my contractor, the cost of PPR is almost the same as SS. It needs a much thicker wall for concealment and when pipe is punctured, It's very hard to repair, coz cannot be welded. Copper is more expensive and it will get corroded over time. He recommends SS as it is the most hardy, cost is cheaper and won't get corrosion. So just wanted some 2nd opinions.

Hi Snoozee, I was offered options of stainless steel or copper or PVC for water piping. What are the pros and cons of each?

How would the wiring connect to a sliding gate? The wiring would need to have slack for almost the entire length of the gate when it opens?

Your side gate is separate from the main gate, right? What video intercom/doorbell system are you using? Is it wired and how has it been coping with sun and rain so far?

Does anyone know of a reliable keyless door lock for an outdoor side gate (next to main gate)?

I was interested in the enterprise APs as well but was concerned whether I would need the same brand controller or if I could use my 3rd party router to control them

These look pretty nice but they only have Chinese firmware. Around RMB375 each. It's a gigE wall point as well as a AX1800 wifi6 AP.

Yes, POE is a must. What brand/model of AP are you using? I've a friend who went all the way to using UBIQUITI UniFi Dream Machine Pro for his house wifi.

Hi Do you guys use AC or DC motor for your autogate? It seems DC motors opens/closes faster but a salesman (who's selling AC) told me that AC motors are stronger in term of power and will last longer. There is no carbon involved. DC motor lifespan is shorter as the carbon have limited lifespan. Any truth in that?

I'm inclined to agree though I've read a comment that the white turns yellow over time

Hi, tried to PM you but you can't receive messages?

Same here. Kept seeing their ads on my FB feed. Price at $85pfr for kitchen cabinets is the lowest I've seen but take note that this price is for white internal surface. For coloured internal surface, there's an additional $20pfr to be added

Do your cameras have upgradeable English (Global) firmware? I noticed that some of the Dahua cameras are actually meant for use only in China but Aliexpress sellers install a "hacked" English version of the firmware to sell overseas. They explicitly say that the firmware cannot be upgraded.

Any need to have fixed domain for remote live view? Are these the cameras and DVR you bought?

6MP is pretty good already 😀 The higher res you go, the more HDD space you need. How's the software interface for Dahua? Are you able to access live view remotely? Do you go through Dahua's server?

Yes I am planning on getting POE cameras. Leaning towards Hikvision as they supposedly have better night vision (?). I also want to install them myself as it seems rather straightforward to me but just wanted to check if there are any potential complications or blind spots I'm missing.

Do you guys engage a company (integrator) to do your CCTV or do you buy the equipment, tell the electrician where to lay the cables and install the cams, and set up yourself?