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If you're a Singapore homeowner with a house in Johor and considering a kitchen upgrade, I've got a great tip for you. Finding reliable cabinet and countertop specialists in Johor can be a headache, but I recently discovered AmpQuartz and had an amazing experience. Let me tell you why I recommend AmpQuartz: Singapore Sensibilities: They get what Singapore homeowners want. Their designs are on-trend and they focus on quality and functionality. Reliable and Organized: Unlike many Johor contractors, these guys have a very systemized approach. No missed deadlines or unexpected hiccups – everything was smooth sailing. Factory-Direct with a Showroom: You get the best of both worlds – competitive pricing since they're a direct factory, but the kind of customer experience you expect from a retail showroom. Customer-Centric: AmpQuartz genuinely cares about making the renovation process as stress-free as possible. This matters a lot when you're dealing with a project in a different country! I know a lot of us here have properties in Johor. If you want the look and quality of a Singapore kitchen renovation without the hassle, give AmpQuartz a try. They showroom: https://www.waze.com/live-map/directions/my/johor/ulu-tiram/ampquartz-kitchen-cabinet-johor?to=place.ChIJ664CAr1u2jERQMPtTgdE6Tg Contact them directly: https://wa.link/ampquartz Anyone else have experience with AmpQuartz or other Johor-based kitchen specialists that cater well to Singaporeans? Let's share our tips and recommendations!

We can all agree that the kitchen is one of the important spots in the home. With many of us spending lots of time in one, it makes sense that your kitchen interior should be safe and functional before aesthetic considerations. Even if you decide to engage an interior designer to help you it's still a good idea to have an idea on what works and what doesn't. Here are some guidelines on how to renovate your kitchen (in step-by-step order): 1. When picking appliances, go for products that give you an estimate of its total dimensions so that you can plan your kitchen space in advance. This information should at least be available on demand from the manufacturer if not stated on the product itself. 2. Place the sink as close to the drainage pipe as possible. The closer it is to the drain pipe, the shorter the pipe from the sink has to be. Cheaper and fewer potential problems in future. 3. Learn about the kitchen work triangle. Optimizing foot traffic flow and smoothing the transition from station to station without backtracking helps (e.g. not having to walk past the stove to get the sink and back). It's simple space usage logic, really, but one that can have a big impact (fewer accidents, less walking around, less bumping into one another). Image via Wikipedia. 4. Select (or design custom) your kitchen cabinets to work in line with the kitchen work triangle. (Layout and configurations for your kitchen) 5. Pick the finish for floors and walls: pick a finish that is puts up with water, soap and grease. Satin and semi-gloss paint finishes are ideal. Ceramic tiles could be okay too but you might have to worry about gunk buildup in between the grout (the mortar filling in between tiles) - a potential health hazard. 6. Based on your selections, request quotations from three independent contractors. This should help you evaluate the market better and give you an idea of how much your project should cost. (Submit your quotation request) 7. Have your new cabinetry delivery to coincide with the time the old ones are replaced. If the new cabinets are delivered too early then you might find yourself with no where to put it. Extra tip: go for kitchen cabinets that go all the way to the top to maximize storage space while also making the space look bigger. 8. Prep the walls (including internal components) and have them ready before the cabinets are delivered and installed. 9. Install the countertops and sinks. Solid surfaces are always a good pick since they're affordable, easy to install and very hygienic, but "quartz" and natural stone countertops have many pros, too. (How to choose the perfect countertop) 10. Plumbing comes next. Choose pipes based on strength, durability, flexibility, weight, resistance to corrosion and the method used to join them together. 11. Tile the kitchen backsplash. Go for a backsplash that complements your kitchen design as a whole (it should comply with the 60:30:10 colour scheme rule). 12. Painting and lighting. (A guide to lighting your home) 13. Delivery and installation of appliances. Again, make sure this happens at around the same time you remove the old ones - having the appliances delivered too early and you'll have to store those appliances somewhere in your a house (space that you might not have). Pull out the old appliances too early and you won't be able to use them. And there we go. Good luck with your renovation! __________________________ Put in Your Quotation Request __________________________ More interior design and renovation tips:

Stone suppliers in Singapore carry a wide range of kitchen tops. From natural stone like granite, marble and sandstone to solid surface kitchen tops and engineered quartz stone, each type of stone has its advantages and disadvantages depending on the desired aesthetic tastes and functionality. So how do you choose the right thickness for your countertop? There are several types of kitchen countertop stones which have their own physical characteristics. Depending on each homeowner’s individual lifestyle and expectations, different types of stone would work best. Today, we’ll take a look at the different thicknesses of countertops in production, their advantages and disadvantages. 10-13MM, OR ABOUT 1/2 INCH COUNTERTOPS. One of the first questions you’ll be asked by a stone supplier is the thickness you want. While thicker stones are preferred for their dramatic but minimalist look especially for natural stone or quartz, thin countertops have several advantages that any smart homeowner should consider carefully. THINNER AND LIGHTER. The biggest advantage that thin, 10-13mm countertops provide is lightness. Gravity does nasty things to a heavy slab that’s hanging off a surface, and trying to fasten it vertically would be a technical impossibility without special support systems in place. In many applications where the slabs hang freely and unsupported, excessive weight would jeopardize the structural integrity of the piece if special load-bearing or anchoring system is not in place. They are also much easier to work with and handle and do not require eight people just to move a slab from the ground floor up to your place. Stone Italiana Quartz carries exceptional 13mm quartz kitchen tops in three types of finishes; polished, rock face and grain. FLOATING COUNTERS, WATERFALL EDGES AND MORE. Thin countertops are a lot lighter than thick slabs, which makes it possible to build special applications. These include vertical surfaces such as feature walls, fuller backsplashes and waterfall edges. The sides of a kitchen island is a good example where waterfall edges have a nice touch. Thin slabs also make it possible to build floating counters where they are minimally supported by a foundation. Thin and light countertop slabs are also easier to cut and shape, which lends its suitability to integration work such as installation of a kitchen sink. If necessary, thin slabs can be laminated around a lightweight core material such as wood. This makes the countertop thicker without adding too much weight. 20-30MM, 1 TO 1 ¼ THICK COUNTERTOPS. MORE DURABLE Although heavier, more expensive and less versatile, thicker countertops are more durable than lighter ones; 30mm slabs are less prone to breaking compared to 20mm slabs, which in turn are more durable than 13mm ones. Countertops come in slabs as thick as 40mm or 60mm, but are often too expensive and too heavy for most homes to support. Soft stone such as marble and sandstone benefit significantly from the extra thickness. BUILT TO LAST AND CARRY HEAVIER LOADS. Thick kitchen top stones also last longer, which makes up for the difficult installation and high initial cost. Thick slabs of high-quality stone, especially when well-installed, also bring with it a nice hike in equity value, which alone is enough reason for stone suppliers in Singapore to recommend them. Thicker slabs are also best suited whenever high traffic/usage is expected, and a special emphasis on durability is required; e.g. kitchen tables, bathroom vanities, grilling stations (hard, natural stone like granite provide the best heat resistance), shower seats, decorative cutting boards and coffee tables. MORE KITCHEN TOP EDGE PROFILING OPTIONS. In addition, the extra material provided by thicker countertops gives homeowners more options for kitchen top edge profiling and fashions. You cannot cut deep curves into thin laminated countertops without biting into the laminated core. Edge profiles aren’t just for aesthetic purposes. For safety reasons, many interior designers and home owners opt for the bullnose edge profile, which is not something you want to accidentally hit.