Dogs & Us

[babytan 0]

i) Skip the feature tv console. =)

ii) Ask for cheaper doors. I think there's a lower grade which is still acceptable... abt $240~ thereabouts.

I think i know who gave u this quote. Haha! I had not spoken to them. =)

hahahah you know i know was thinking that also, just mount LCD to wall hor..the feature wall & console is 6ft each...or i was thinking is it safe to buy from ikea those suspended console and attach to wall? i got problem leh cos my boy very "itchy" when he sees legging..he will mark on it wan leh..i him also no use, he no scare leh..so trying not to get items with legs

my husband also wants the living room to look nicer = spend $ lor

do you mean nyatoh (duno how to spell le) doors?

how much was your reno quote?

Just curious, if you're having 20ft kitchen cabinets FOC, why you need additional kitchen cabinet btw?

And you can source for cheaper doors elsewhere though. Living room feature wall you can opt not to have it unless you and your hubby wants it. I mean from the floor plan, the wall where the tv feature is at, seems a bit small to be quoted so high somehow? I must say that the cost for paints is cheaper by 100 compared to Nippon paint service. Still Nippon & ICI paints comes with 2 colours for house + 1 sealer or what for the ceiling at 800-900.

FOC 20ft is top & bottom leh, total length including the L-shaped is 26ft wor (this is wat ID said) so got to pay add 6ft..then i was thinking how do they measure huh? is it from 1 side till the end, then from the end part to the other side? if like that we lugi leh cos is double charges for the L corner right?

you mean i go and buy doors myself and ask the people to install huh? where got lobangs? any contacts to give me? ask you all huh, he say if the resale flat DOOR FRAME if metal then need to change, if wood dun need wor..is it true? cos frame cost another $120++ and if we dun change, they will paint it over or wat? will it looked very weird?

painting consider cheap after asking him to reduce saying we just need 1 colour..lolz initial quote was $1050

Hmmm... din know HDB main door can be "non-fire" type. Thot all main doors must have certain minimum fire protection.

For a three room flat... your quote is a little on the high side, especially the carpentary work....price of your solid surface also seems high as for that price, I think you can get granite. Per foot run for wardrobe is about $230. Instead of sliding door to your wardrobe, you may want to consider string curtains?

As for TV feature wall... it is subjective. I chose to put up a simple partition wall with paint finishing... which cost me $350. Then add a TV console at the bottom for another $440. Save money and I can also bring my TV console elsewhere when I move out in the future. Too many built-ins give you very limited options in the future.

However, if you are happy with your id... thats the most important.

Ever toy with the idea of merging your living room and spare room? I love a big living space. Else, shift the wall to make the spare room smaller... like a study room. That will give you a bigger living space... can accomodate a larger flat screen TV!!

ya HDB main door doesnt need to be fire rated, almost all contractor i went to said no need wor..a fire rated door + frame cost more than 1K++ think market either 1/2 hour or 1 hour fire rated..dun need la, if got fire, CD come within 5 mins liao, where need 1/2 hour..kekekek just for laugh

what is the market rate for solid top? maybe i ask him for granite la..was thinking of curtain for WIW..but nice curtain la..cos the door is costing so much leh..not intending to hack common room cos we might have frens staying over or parents coming over leh, then they no place to sleep le

ya hor, built in cant bring with you leh..let me think think..

btw, he quoted me $260 for the rubbish chute and thanks for bluefly & goalhome, i told him $99nett can get liao..wow his eyes big big and told that cost price already $100 then suddenly he just put FOC...lolz

what else? pls help

[BunBun 5]

If you don't need a big kitchen space, then 20ft is probably fine since only you, your hubby & 2 doggies? Do you have any kids btw? It just depends on how much storage you need for kitchen? Now that max mention about the granite top, it is indeed ex, I suggest is that you compare the prices of the Solid surface & counter tops in the market first before you go mention to your ID about it. My apologies if I am not of help in this as we'd engaged my parents in law lobang only, never did much comparison. Just compared against Ikea's pricing which we were eyeing one of their kitchen back then But I know that we got a good deal since my father in law know better about the market prices.

I also under the impression that most HDB flats must have Nyatoh doors for main door only

[ranval9 0]

you are right, there are BIG pipes in the toilets, need to apply for permit to hack bah but cannot dun hack cos it is just tooo small..1 toilet with 2 doors so whoever going to the toilet will have to lock both

told liao leh but all come out is more than my budget

guess is due to hacking and carpentry..need to reduce more leh, gave up study table / shelf and thinking to give up shoe cabinet too..still need 35K (not inclusive of electrical)...

how much you spent on your reno?

hacking is the major cost of my reno too ...

i hack kitchen flooring and whole of my master toilet wall cum flooring tiles.

total it cost me 29K including lightings.

i had some freebies as i took up a package .. can't recall if it is for new or resale ??

my place was relatively young ( only 5yrs and well maintained ) thus i laminated all my 3 bedrooms flooring.

I forgo all the build in carpentry for studyroom, only foucs on my master bedroom, living/dinning hall and kitchen. To complete the reno look, i got shoe cabinet too.

I'm also looking out for a string curtain or normal curtain for my WIW.

euff of blah blah ... you can see my reno t-blog for the pics.

you have to be firm abt the budget.

i always tell the IDs that i'm not happy abt the outcome. off my budget .. get them to revise or throw in more freebies ... lucky to meet my ID Broyz after knowing another fellow reno forummer and the others are history.

Edited March 30, 2008 by ranval9

[ranval9 0]

As per current quoted:- if i were you :-

keep the extra 6Ft storage at the kitchen , as you like to have L shaped, dun have a proper storeroom.

(wall to wall abt 20ft while 6ft is the extra i think)

choose cheaper doors .. like what skywolf mentioned - $250 plus

if your doors are still useable, just paint over or laminate ... Woah la .. you get a new door look...

doors are not so impt and can change the next time ~

tv console can do a simple one wall feature to mount flat LCD TV

but must think carefully what you going to place on it, you can check out it from Ikea.

( totally understand how you react to your boy's markings ... my boys too doing the same ...

but they are so silly to keep bumping their heads )

will do away the sliding door for WIW, having string curtains or normal curtains can liao.

( allow me to DIY 1st and show you the result )

will buy shoe cabinet and a little seatee from ikea , cheaper

DIY studyroom

hmm... think can source for others ...

Edited March 30, 2008 by ranval9

[Greycat 0]

Chap 1 leg here.....I thot HDB main door can ask frm HDB if too old? My mom's place is 3rm HDB, I hafnt tried yet but the main door is super old...I heard dat HDB can replace for u?....dun need to ownself buy I thk.....

[Max383 1]

Not too sure about solid top's market rate today... I ruled it out very early stage because over time, solid tops will have scratches on the surface and can stain permenantly...esp white tops.

Market rate for granite top is about $80-85 per foot (depending on your bargain power)... for China granite. A granite is a granite... doesn't matter where it is from, the properties are the same. Difference is just the design... European and Indian granites are more expensive ($95). Granites are very strong and long lasting stones... ideal for kitchen.

My kitchen granite is China 818. It was a gamble cause we have not seen people use that design. You can see the picture in my t-blog. Most use pure China black and star galaxy black for kitchen top.... nice but too common leow and easy to see stains on top so have to clean often. My China 818 granite turns out to be very nice!... And because of the pattern... stains are not easily seen.

what is the market rate for solid top? maybe i ask him for granite la..was thinking of curtain for WIW..but nice curtain la..cos the door is costing so much leh..not intending to hack common room cos we might have frens staying over or parents coming over leh, then they no place to sleep le

ya hor, built in cant bring with you leh..let me think think..

Not only you can't bring along.... built-ins, if not maintained properly, can be an eye-sore over time. When you accidentally chipped off the laminate, knocked the corner...etc.... you have to live with the damage for a long long time, simply because it is a big and expensive project to dismantle and build a new one.

It also devalues your flat if...after 5-10 years, potential buyers sees it as an additional hassle to tear down the old carpentary work, rather than an asset. More often than not, the old built-ins are a liability as buyers would likely have different taste.

It is not to say built-ins are bad.... they are an efficient way to save space. But do so only if you think it is necessary. Otherwise, buying off-the-shelf furniture gives you flexibility and saves you money as well.

Edited March 31, 2008 by Max383

[Max383 1]

Hmm..... just an idea.... ever thought of having your master room door swing the other way (swing right) and have your walk-in wardrobe opening perpendicular to the door?... meaning, when room door is opened in full.... the same door closes the opening of the walk-in wardrobe... if you want to access the wardrobe... you must close the room door, which is usually the case anyway. That would save the need to have an additional wardrobe entrance door, no? And if you don't want guests to see your wardrobe, just make sure your room door is opened in full. idea??

[Greycat 0]

But if person A is gog to WIW frm inside the bedrm and person B open the bedroom door, got danger might hamtam person A wor? Tight space....? Just a thot here....

[Max383 1]

Haha...probably. But if just two persons staying there... can cope lah. If not, when using WIW, lock the door lor. Save money mah.... also an interesting concept. Agree that one must think of practical application as well.... this will be up to individual living style.

I like to toy with different ideas... not all are practical.... obviously. Haha... but always good to spend time think of different ideas on how to make your place more liveable.

Many times, my ID and contractors will tell me some ideas cannot be done.... most of the time, what they meant was it has not been done before. Cause when I ask why.... they can't answer. So my advise, work with your ID to come up with as many ideas as possible.... then start eliminating them based on practically and budget. Have fun in the process! !!

But if person A is gog to WIW frm inside the bedrm and person B open the bedroom door, got danger might hamtam person A wor? Tight space....? Just a thot here....

[LLhome 0]

welcome babytan! guess i'm a bit late....

anyway i faced the same prob like u few mths back. i oso hv a dog n hv sold my flat. so during the reno period i gotto move back to my mum's place which is not reali convenient. coz i got a cat there n there's oredi 6 ppl in the 5 rm flat not including me n my hubby. but no choice coz i can't find a better solution. somemore my dog quite big size so not easy for me to find a place to stay n we oso cant bear to leave her in the pet hotel. so e 3 of us gotto squeeze in my mum's place for the past 2mths.

are both sides of u n ur hubby family allergy to dogs? if not then tink u gotto place ur 2 lovely doggies to pet hotel bah. but i noe its will definitely be the last resort coz i hv gone through tis b4. its reali heartbreaking to stay apart fr them.

as for ur quote, tink maybe u can try to forgo some items which u tink its not reali necessary like the doors n plastering of the wall. maybe can just paint over the door? is the wall condition veri bad? we did not do any plastering for the wall n still it look quite gd to us. maybe u can forgo tat? or maybe can cut down the carpentry? the things u list is quite similar to my reno. btw which id u approach? if not convenient maybe u can pm me.

Edited March 31, 2008 by LLhome

[babytan 0]

If you don't need a big kitchen space, then 20ft is probably fine since only you, your hubby & 2 doggies? Do you have any kids btw? It just depends on how much storage you need for kitchen? Now that max mention about the granite top, it is indeed ex, I suggest is that you compare the prices of the Solid surface & counter tops in the market first before you go mention to your ID about it. My apologies if I am not of help in this as we'd engaged my parents in law lobang only, never did much comparison. Just compared against Ikea's pricing which we were eyeing one of their kitchen back then But I know that we got a good deal since my father in law know better about the market prices.

I also under the impression that most HDB flats must have Nyatoh doors for main door only

i dun need big kitchen but i need more storage as i am moving from 4room to 3room thats why having more cabinets for storage. me got 2 furry kids only..keke that means my solid top cost 990 / 13ft = $77psf?

you are so fortunate that father in law know about such, my side all no idea wan leh..got to look for info ourself. i dun mind nyatoh door for main door, just like the 1 i am having now..maybe can talk to him about this..btw, went to besglas today at IMM, was thinking if i can find cheaper bi-fold door for toilet..wow their cheapest was $320 only acrylic material and not even glass..

As per current quoted:- if i were you :-

keep the extra 6Ft storage at the kitchen , as you like to have L shaped, dun have a proper storeroom.

(wall to wall abt 20ft while 6ft is the extra i think)

choose cheaper doors .. like what skywolf mentioned - $250 plus

if your doors are still useable, just paint over or laminate ... Woah la .. you get a new door look...

doors are not so impt and can change the next time ~

tv console can do a simple one wall feature to mount flat LCD TV

but must think carefully what you going to place on it, you can check out it from Ikea.

( totally understand how you react to your boy's markings ... my boys too doing the same ...

but they are so silly to keep bumping their heads )

will do away the sliding door for WIW, having string curtains or normal curtains can liao.

( allow me to DIY 1st and show you the result )

will buy shoe cabinet and a little seatee from ikea , cheaper

DIY studyroom

hmm... think can source for others ... !!

hahha definately more cabinets for me, no choice leh, i got no more space liao

doors not possible as the flat is super original, 20+ years old liao..you got any contacts to buy doors?

TV console how to explain to him simple huh? even if i say 1 piece of wooden plank he also charge me the same as this is consider designer rite..kekekke i already told him i wanted simple and zen look liao lor..he still add mirror / glass insert but he said can deduct little $ if i want him to remove..i wonder how little that sliding door for WIW really cost alot..i will consider..keke

shoe cabinet too..just saw some nice 1 at beehive gave up on study room liao, far too expensive for us, buy outside cheaper

Chap 1 leg here.....I thot HDB main door can ask frm HDB if too old? My mom's place is 3rm HDB, I hafnt tried yet but the main door is super old...I heard dat HDB can replace for u?....dun need to ownself buy I thk.....

you are welcome to chap many legs!! really ah, i dun mind if HDB can change for us leh..i go check, any news will let you know

Not too sure about solid top's market rate today... I ruled it out very early stage because over time, solid tops will have scratches on the surface and can stain permenantly...esp white tops.

Market rate for granite top is about $80-85 per foot (depending on your bargain power)... for China granite. A granite is a granite... doesn't matter where it is from, the properties are the same. Difference is just the design... European and Indian granites are more expensive ($95). Granites are very strong and long lasting stones... ideal for kitchen.

My kitchen granite is China 818. It was a gamble cause we have not seen people use that design. You can see the picture in my t-blog. Most use pure China black and star galaxy black for kitchen top.... nice but too common leow and easy to see stains on top so have to clean often. My China 818 granite turns out to be very nice!... And because of the pattern... stains are not easily seen.

my ID quoted me about $77psf for solid top and you mentioned that market rate for granite top is about $80-85 per foot..so if i tell him i wanted china granite and scali he charge me more..sianz liao lor

actually i dun mind from which country as i am only a maggie mee cooker hahahah as long as look nice and can last, i am still ok to clean the top everyday as this is not a difficult job lah but i also read somewhere that they dun suggest take dark colours as scratches are very obvious? i cant remember from which thread le..

welcome babytan! guess i'm a bit late....

anyway i faced the same prob like u few mths back. i oso hv a dog n hv sold my flat. so during the reno period i gotto move back to my mum's place which is not reali convenient. coz i got a cat there n there's oredi 6 ppl in the 5 rm flat not including me n my hubby. but no choice coz i can't find a better solution. somemore my dog quite big size so not easy for me to find a place to stay n we oso cant bear to leave her in the pet hotel. so e 3 of us gotto squeeze in my mum's place for the past 2mths.

are both sides of u n ur hubby family allergy to dogs? if not then tink u gotto place ur 2 lovely doggies to pet hotel bah. but i noe its will definitely be the last resort coz i hv gone through tis b4. its reali heartbreaking to stay apart fr them.

as for ur quote, tink maybe u can try to forgo some items which u tink its not reali necessary like the doors n plastering of the wall. maybe can just paint over the door? is the wall condition veri bad? we did not do any plastering for the wall n still it look quite gd to us. maybe u can forgo tat? or maybe can cut down the carpentry? the things u list is quite similar to my reno. btw which id u approach? if not convenient maybe u can pm me.

welcome, later better than never ya i think i "ransacked" your blog before also le..you have a very sweet GR rite? think i saw her picture but i cant remember were you the 1 with pool table in your house?? **SORRY eyes tiak stamp, saw in your signature liao cos i was searching for people with their reno done by ideal house..how would you rate them in terms of the workmanship? will i have the honour to visit your house if convenient? hahah i very thick skin wan hor..i want to see your doggie also leh

cannot dun plaster le, super original condition and nothing ever done, very old looking flat..my ID is Danny wor..ever heard about him? but mine 3 room need $30+K which if compared to others seem like on the high side leh..am i really doing too much things

last resort also cannot send them to pet hotel leh, i cant bear, duno they will bully my dogs or not..as per bunbun suggestion, we are having the idea to move in during reno lor, just stay inside 1 room 1st..bo bian wor

Hmm..... just an idea.... ever thought of having your master room door swing the other way (swing right) and have your walk-in wardrobe opening perpendicular to the door?... meaning, when room door is opened in full.... the same door closes the opening of the walk-in wardrobe... if you want to access the wardrobe... you must close the room door, which is usually the case anyway. That would save the need to have an additional wardrobe entrance door, no? And if you don't want guests to see your wardrobe, just make sure your room door is opened in full. idea??

good idea also but in terms of fengshui got any effect or not huh? cos the door open tong balek way liao wor

but i was think the distance between the WIW n door cannot make it as there will be little extension of the WIW wor

Edited March 31, 2008 by babytan

[skywolf 0]

hahahah you know i know was thinking that also, just mount LCD to wall hor..the feature wall & console is 6ft each...or i was thinking is it safe to buy from ikea those suspended console and attach to wall? i got problem leh cos my boy very "itchy" when he sees legging..he will mark on it wan leh..i him also no use, he no scare leh..so trying not to get items with legs

my husband also wants the living room to look nicer = spend $ lor

do you mean nyatoh (duno how to spell le) doors?

how much was your reno quote?

I am !! + now. Have to cut down, currently @ 36k (w electrical). But dunno where. Hubby wanted to do windows together when I tell him can do another time.

Let me bang more + before i revert to steven.

[babytan 0]

1st, let me say thank you to all your replies and advice

(if not later i forget liao..lolz)

we already make do without the following:

1) he created another entrance for kitchen toilet door cos he said too small if i wanna put vanity top

create new entrance - $120

seal up existing toilet entrance - $380

told him i wan to keep the door no matter what la, save $500 leh

i gave up the vanity top $1300

2) the package only homo tiles for living & kitchen. rooms are laminate only. therefore no hacking for rooms. if we want homo tiles for rooms:

hacking all bedroom existing tiles - $400

top up add cost (laminated floor to homo) - $960

told him just stick to package, laminate rooms and homo for living & kitchen

3) gave up also study table - $1040 and bookshelves - $660

4) 2 bedside table - $560

told him just gave me 2 planks of shelves FOC to serve as bedside table..

5) gave up half height headboard - $1080

6) intend to have a full height cabinet next to fridge (inverted L-shaped) - $860 gave up also

I am !! + now. Have to cut down, currently @ 36k (w electrical). But dunno where. Hubby wanted to do windows together when I tell him can do another time.

Let me bang more + before i revert to steven.

hahha relax..my initial quote was $43K++, after cancel this and that, now $33K++ NOT including electrical

yours is new or resale huh? how many rooms? you saw the quote i posted? yours similar to mine? or if you convenient, send to me leh..i also wanna kpo kpo

or best, both of us can meet them together and ask for cheaper quote keke

[Greycat 0]

Harlow....

U can consider get stuff or planks frm ikea too wor....can get ur ID to install for u? We got 2 planks (abt 80cm--1m length) n askd contractor to install for us on the wall near the bed, becomes a ledge to put things....If I rem correctly, these planks frm ikea r very cheap n can install urself oso wan....

easy to diy...

[ch0c0l4te 0]

1st, let me say thank you to all your replies and advice

(if not later i forget liao..lolz)

we already make do without the following:

1) he created another entrance for kitchen toilet door cos he said too small if i wanna put vanity top

create new entrance - $120

seal up existing toilet entrance - $380

told him i wan to keep the door no matter what la, save $500 leh

i gave up the vanity top $1300

2) the package only homo tiles for living & kitchen. rooms are laminate only. therefore no hacking for rooms. if we want homo tiles for rooms:

hacking all bedroom existing tiles - $400

top up add cost (laminated floor to homo) - $960

told him just stick to package, laminate rooms and homo for living & kitchen

3) gave up also study table - $1040 and bookshelves - $660

4) 2 bedside table - $560

told him just gave me 2 planks of shelves FOC to serve as bedside table..

5) gave up half height headboard - $1080

6) intend to have a full height cabinet next to fridge (inverted L-shaped) - $860 gave up also

hahha relax..my initial quote was $43K++, after cancel this and that, now $33K++ NOT including electrical

yours is new or resale huh? how many rooms? you saw the quote i posted? yours similar to mine? or if you convenient, send to me leh..i also wanna kpo kpo

or best, both of us can meet them together and ask for cheaper quote keke

Hi Babytan,

I think we're with the same ID, right?

Recognize the drawing...

Are u finally decided to use this ID?

Good.... somebody to compare