Our Cosy Country Home

[oda 0]

There is this layer of skim coat that covers our concrete ceilings, some sort of a kind of plastering. It's the same as checking your floor or wall tiles. Need to basically knock with a hard object to see if it's hollow. There's a diff between the sound made by a hard and hollow surface. My HB said it could be due to the poor quality of the plastering used by HDB, that's why it dropped again and again.

However, if you have false ceilings all over your flat, this shouldn't be a problem. Cos if the skim coat comes off, it will fall on the inside of the false ceilings instead. Then again, it doesn't make sense. The first time it happened end last year, we have not even started renovating, let alone use anything to knock the ceilings! And to think that it comes off after painting is absurd! My HB merely knocked on them gently to check, and they started cracking. It's not that we were drilling the ceilings or what. Sigh...

Hi countrylover, I have a spare brand new 5L ICI Pentalite Mouldguard White colour selling at S$40, you interested? Good for ceilings.

http://sg.auctions.yahoo.com/sg/i::256755331

Edited June 3, 2008 by oda

[countrylover 0]

Hi countrylover, I have a spare brand new 5L ICI Pentalite Mouldguard White colour selling at S$40, you interested? Good for ceilings.

http://sg.auctions.yahoo.com/sg/i::256755331

Thanks for the offer! We've actually purchased our paint. Will chk with my HB how much he has purchased, esp with this irritating ceiling problem! Dunno wasted how much paint already. Sigh...

Will PM u if we need extra.

[countrylover 0]

A team of six people including a HDB officer, project manager, project consultant and contractors came to inspect our flat yesterday, after we jumped big time and made "a lot of noise" about the recurring ceiling problem. The HDB officer looked like he's in shock and disbelief over the damages.

After discussion with the project consultant and manager, they said that the only way to resolve the problem is to hack the ceilings in the whole flat. The hacking started this morning and will take about five working days to complete, including patching and painting.

Might as well I guess, hopefully no more problems after this!

But seems like our reno plans are gonna be delayed again. Three weeks wasted due to the irritating ceiling problem! Guess we won't be able to move in by June already.

[BunBun 5]

Don't worry about this. At least your ceiling problem will be fixed and you get a new ceiling. At the very least you dun have to pay for the ceiling which is one load off but I suppose that comparing the cost for the new ceiling, I think the cost of paint for the ceiling is not high.

Just take it at a step for your reno process. Everyone at a time or so will encounter hiccups along the way.

So sit back relax and focus your attention on what you need to get instead.

A team of six people including a HDB officer, project manager, project consultant and contractors came to inspect our flat yesterday, after we jumped big time and made "a lot of noise" about the recurring ceiling problem. The HDB officer looked like he's in shock and disbelief over the damages.

After discussion with the project consultant and manager, they said that the only way to resolve the problem is to hack the ceilings in the whole flat. The hacking started this morning and will take about five working days to complete, including patching and painting.

Might as well I guess, hopefully no more problems after this!

But seems like our reno plans are gonna be delayed again. Three weeks wasted due to the irritating ceiling problem! Guess we won't be able to move in by June already.

[countrylover 0]

Received the quotation and designs from our carpenter yesterday. It's slightly over our budget of $8k, so gonna discuss with HB if we are going with it, or making changes to some carpentry items.

Need to make changes to the kitchen cabinet too, as the design wasn't what I actually wanted. Need to have a canopy over my cooker hood for sure!

Don't worry about this. At least your ceiling problem will be fixed and you get a new ceiling. At the very least you dun have to pay for the ceiling which is one load off but I suppose that comparing the cost for the new ceiling, I think the cost of paint for the ceiling is not high.

Just take it at a step for your reno process. Everyone at a time or so will encounter hiccups along the way.

So sit back relax and focus your attention on what you need to get instead.

Thanks! Yeah, in a way, it's also a blessing in disguise. Good thing the defects happened early. Can't imagine the headache and heartache when all reno works were completed and we have moved in, and the ceilings come falling down!

[TYM 0]

U posted the pics of ur ceiling in STOMP?

[BunBun 5]

Post more of your reno progress too. Waiting to see how your country theme will turn out

Sometimes you can opt not to do certain things for the kitchen carpentry which is what I did for my kitchen. You can find other alternatives to complete the look if its over budget.

[oda 0]

Don't worry about this. At least your ceiling problem will be fixed and you get a new ceiling. At the very least you dun have to pay for the ceiling which is one load off but I suppose that comparing the cost for the new ceiling, I think the cost of paint for the ceiling is not high.

Just take it at a step for your reno process. Everyone at a time or so will encounter hiccups along the way.

So sit back relax and focus your attention on what you need to get instead.

Agree with BunBun...

Can't wait to see your completed reno...

[countrylover 0]

Agree with BunBun...

Can't wait to see your completed reno...

Thanks. I can't wait for it to complete too!

But seems like will be delayed for a while cos of the ceiling problem. Due to that, all my reno works gotta halt. Can't imagine that we wasted 3 weeks for HDB to rectify problem.

Really hope everything can resume after this week.

[BunBun 5]

Though the reno works will have to hold first, I think you can buy your most impt items first now that midway into the reno + you already painted the rooms I assume? Can even arrange to schedule delivery for the items to arrive since almost all can hold for a few weeks to a few months till delivery.

Thanks. I can't wait for it to complete too!

But seems like will be delayed for a while cos of the ceiling problem. Due to that, all my reno works gotta halt. Can't imagine that we wasted 3 weeks for HDB to rectify problem.

Really hope everything can resume after this week.

[oda 0]

Just curious, the white patches that dropped from the ceiling are layers of paint or layers of cement?

[countrylover 0]

Though the reno works will have to hold first, I think you can buy your most impt items first now that midway into the reno + you already painted the rooms I assume? Can even arrange to schedule delivery for the items to arrive since almost all can hold for a few weeks to a few months till delivery.

I've only painted the sealer coat for the ceilings. However I insisted to HDB that they shd repaint my ceilings for me due to the time and money spent and they agreed. However, they can only start painting next week as it takes a few days for the ceiling skim coat to dry. Will arrange for the rest of my paint to deliver by this week though, so can start painting the room that doesn't have problems.

I'm gonna confirm my carpentry works by this week & that will take a few weeks too. And like what you've pointed out, I've also started shopping for furniture. Was at IFC over the weekend, will probably check out the Ubi industrial area also.

Just curious, the white patches that dropped from the ceiling are layers of paint or layers of cement?

The patches that dropped are the skim coat, a thin layer of plastering. The ceiling itself won't drop, cos it's concrete. If it drops, then it will become a disaster.

[BunBun 5]

At least no need to paint again yourself cos HDB will do the painting but must make sure not slipshod too. HDB works aren't that fantastic if you ask me cos all HDB flats have uneven walls cos of the uneven plastering.

How I know? Is cos I painted my current place with hubby not too long ago and find that some walls are not evenly plastered so there were light patches of paint when I painted the walls. So have to reapply all over again until colour is even.

now you're getting your things ready so no worries about your reno at the moment. Just be sure that the work is done properly by HDB.

I've only painted the sealer coat for the ceilings. However I insisted to HDB that they shd repaint my ceilings for me due to the time and money spent and they agreed. However, they can only start painting next week as it takes a few days for the ceiling skim coat to dry. Will arrange for the rest of my paint to deliver by this week though, so can start painting the room that doesn't have problems.

I'm gonna confirm my carpentry works by this week & that will take a few weeks too. And like what you've pointed out, I've also started shopping for furniture. Was at IFC over the weekend, will probably check out the Ubi industrial area also.

The patches that dropped are the skim coat, a thin layer of plastering. The ceiling itself won't drop, cos it's concrete. If it drops, then it will become a disaster.

[oda 0]

At least no need to paint again yourself cos HDB will do the painting but must make sure not slipshod too. HDB works aren't that fantastic if you ask me cos all HDB flats have uneven walls cos of the uneven plastering.

How I know? Is cos I painted my current place with hubby not too long ago and find that some walls are not evenly plastered so there were light patches of paint when I painted the walls. So have to reapply all over again until colour is even.

now you're getting your things ready so no worries about your reno at the moment. Just be sure that the work is done properly by HDB.

Hey, I also paint the house ourselves... but I didn't paint the ceiling at all becos I think the original colour by HDB is white enough...hehe....but except for the bathrooms' and kitchen's, I did painted them with ICI Mould Guard cos I think their ceilings need to be protected due to moist and oily fumes...

[BunBun 5]

Kekeke I painted the living room, study & passageway ceiling a diff colour. Only the rooms and kitchen ceiling are left untouched.

Hey, I also paint the house ourselves... but I didn't paint the ceiling at all becos I think the original colour by HDB is white enough...hehe....but except for the bathrooms' and kitchen's, I did painted them with ICI Mould Guard cos I think their ceilings need to be protected due to moist and oily fumes...