Mixed Theme Home In The West

[bebebe 0]

Hi,

like many, i have been hanging around this forum for a while and have found the information extremely helpful. I will be renovating my folks' flat (which im staying as well). Hope to be able to share some useful information too!

After a search of one mth-ish, I have more or less decided on my contractor. Was deciding between a contractor and id initially, but settled on a contractor eventually after the following considerations:

- cost,

- advice from my friend who just did her place. She found her ID totally useless in terms of providing ideas and she could do just as well without him and with the help of home decoration magazines.

- limitations of my place in terms of furniture and fengshui etc.

I really couldn't believe how renovation cost has sky-rocketed with the property boom in Singapore. I had an initial budget of 10k for a complete overhaul of kitchen and common toilet (excluding electrical and plumbing works). After obtaining quotations from the contractors, my 10k budget had to be toss into the air. The quotations were mostly hovering in the region of 14k. Going through the quotations is a real nightmare. Some conclusion though - cost of carpentry works seems pretty standard. The variation comes in through hacking, haulage, removal of debris and cost of laying the tiles.

I finally found someone who could do the job within my expanded budget of 13k. My quotation for carpentry seems to be on the low side (based on what i have gathered from this forum so far), however, my contractor has included some funky charges for debris removal (removal fees along are >1k). However, I still chose him in the end cos he is the one with cheapest overall price, plus the recommendation from my friend. Hope my choice is right.

I have already chosen the tiles for my kitchen and toilet, as well as the theme for my place.

Gotta head out alreayd..... will update a bit more over the weekend, as im meeting my contractor to choose the laminates, and burn some plastic. Hopefully can upload some pics to show the dismay state of the current place now.

[crazycar 0]

hooray.... 1st to spam.

remember to post more pictures.

[babytan 0]

2nd to spam!!

welcome to renotalk looking forward to your pictures

[h4happy 1]

3rd to spam!!! Good Luck!!

[weishun 0]

Welcome aboard bebebe, hope everything goes well and smoothly for your renovation. Do remember to post pictures for the brothers and sisters here to see k? Cheers!

[bebebe 0]

Thanks all for the warm welcome.

Not been updating cos nothing much has been happening. Finally, my renovation is starting next tuesday. It should be one week of hacking, one week of tiling and finally carpentry works. cant wait!

Was in bkk over the weekend to hunt for some furniture, lightings etc. Went to Suan Lum market, MBK and Chatuchak. The lightings feels quite decently priced -- all below 300sgd. The furniture were very nice too. Saw a coffee table for 100sgd only. Some pics of what caught my eye...

At Chatuchak

At MBK

Really wanted to get this for my room,

and this for dining, but no stock for both! Some good luck i have.

Settled on this eventually. The bottom row of crystals have been changed to pink. Will be using this light for my room.

The light came with a plug into power point. I was told that it can be easy converted to fit normal lighting point. Is it true?? I also have another standing lamp which i would like to convert into a pendant as well. Hope it works.

[strychnine 0]

SPAMMED !

Wow I didnt know BKK is such a resourceful place to go when it comes to home decor.

Good findings !

[Angelwrath 0]

Hey, im a fanatic BKK shopper!

Can share with us how u arrange for shipping back to SG?

[bebebe 0]

yeah, bkk is really fantastic. can find lotsa gems if you search a little. There's a lot shops selling designers' copy too.

Hi Angelwrath, hi-5! I love bkk too. There's so much things to see!! Sorry, can't advise you on the shipping cost, as I hand carried my stuff back. According to the seller, for something like the lights, she reckon the shipping cost is around 100sgd -- I think it should be less though.

[bebebe 0]

hope im not getting paranoid. After paying 20% down payment upon signing, there was no news from my contractor. Told him to liasie with my dad subsequently, but i learnt from my dad ( been a week since) that the contractor had not called. Tried calling the contractor on his given hp no few times, but got msg that subscriber not in use. Tried on his alt no. with my hp -- no ans still. it was only after a few hours that i tried with my hse phone (which i hv never tried calling with) that i got an ans. And contractor told me the hdb permit only allows works to be started on thurs -- and all these he wld not have told me without me askihng!!?!?!? when i probe a little more abt me having not chose laminate for kitchen cabinets etc... he suggested meeting me at my place. Hope he turns up. I feel somewhat unsettled.

[jjcian 0]

hope im not getting paranoid. After paying 20% down payment upon signing, there was no news from my contractor. Told him to liasie with my dad subsequently, but i learnt from my dad ( been a week since) that the contractor had not called. Tried calling the contractor on his given hp no few times, but got msg that subscriber not in use. Tried on his alt no. with my hp -- no ans still. it was only after a few hours that i tried with my hse phone (which i hv never tried calling with) that i got an ans. And contractor told me the hdb permit only allows works to be started on thurs -- and all these he wld not have told me without me askihng!!?!?!? when i probe a little more abt me having not chose laminate for kitchen cabinets etc... he suggested meeting me at my place. Hope he turns up. I feel somewhat unsettled.

OMG I hope that everything goes smoothly for your reno!

[bebebe 0]

renovation finally started. so far so good. some pics for before reno....

Finished hacking. Just starting to lay the tiles.. There was some delay as we got our tiles wrong. !!

Work done so far....

only hacking and overlaying for the exposed areas

kitchen floor tiles

toilet floor tiles (looks almost like kitchen ones. hehe)

can't wait to see the rest of the work!

[applefreak 1]

got flr plan to see?

[Ravenski 0]

Just curious, did u and ur parents continue to stay at the house while renovation is on? cuz hacking of tiles and stuffs can be quite noisy eh? my mum is also thinking of hacking the kitchen tiles cuz the tiles are popping out themselves after 23 years!

-melting_starz-

[bebebe 0]

Here's a floor plan which i drew up. The proportion's a little off though.

The flat is quite old already, ard 16yrs. And the layout is quite sucky in a sense, cos there are alot of pillars which makes laying furniture a challenge. The thing that gets me most is the common toilet. I must have one of the worse toilet layout, cos the shower area is right smacked at where the door is. Explored all possible ways, but there is no practical way the shower area can be separated (not even a kerb). Can only drool at everyone's shower screen.

So far, have not really bought much stuff, except the sink and the hood (both from SSC). Having quite a bit of headache searching for the bathroom basin, and also can't make up my mind too. Was quite set on getting a square/rectangular basin, until my dad pointed out, "Dont you think it looks like public toilets?" Since then, all square/rectangular basin that i see just reminds me of those in public toilets. And i think my dad has a point........... Just have to find a un-public toilet looking one.

Melting_starz, my dad continued to stay in the house during the renovation. I am actually staying at my rented place, and will be moving back when reno is done. Hacking's not that bad, since only a day or two. It really makes the place messy and dirty though, as I was home few days ago, and I can't find anywhere to sit in the living room! Wonder how my dad can take it. The renovation should be quite fast though (within a month max). My reno started last Thurs, and the laying is already almost done (and there was 2 days delay due to wrong tiles). Maybe your mum can take a 2 week holiday, and endure with the reno for 1 week?