15k For My 3ng Reno

[dom07 0]

dear all, this is our 1st ever lovenest and of cos being a young couple, am on budget constraint for our reno...

our house is a 3NG resale flat.. this is our floor plan

these are the list of things we plan to do:

- hacking of all floorings (1 living, 2 bedroom, storeroom, kitchen and 2 toilets)

- laying homogenous tiles for 1 living, 2 bedroom, storeroom

- laying ceramic tiles (those normal types) for kitchen n 2 bathrooms

- 2 bifold doors for BR

as the wall that separates our living room and kitchen is already hacked off, we plan to construct a 5X3 ft laminated table

- kitchen cabinet (10 ft top and 10 ft bottom) w/ solid surface

- hacking the cement sink support

- changing the rubbish chute to stainless steel types

- changing all WCs and wash basins and conversion of squat to sitting WC (for common BR)

- changing main door and wrought iron gate

- painting the whole unit + doors

i've been to a few IDs for quotations already.. some say they can do within our budget but yet some say maybe abt 20k..

so just need opinions from all of you.. which ID will you all recommend that's affordable and reliable?

and to be practical.. is my budget too low for those items i need to do?

[CutePinkElephant 0]

dear all, this is our 1st ever lovenest and of cos being a young couple, am on budget constraint for our reno...

our house is a 3NG resale flat.. this is our floor plan

these are the list of things we plan to do:

- hacking of all floorings (1 living, 2 bedroom, storeroom, kitchen and 2 toilets)

- laying homogenous tiles for 1 living, 2 bedroom, storeroom

- laying ceramic tiles (those normal types) for kitchen n 2 bathrooms

- 2 bifold doors for BR

as the wall that separates our living room and kitchen is already hacked off, we plan to construct a 5X3 ft laminated table

- kitchen cabinet (10 ft top and 10 ft bottom) w/ solid surface

- hacking the cement sink support

- changing the rubbish chute to stainless steel types

- changing all WCs and wash basins and conversion of squat to sitting WC (for common BR)

- changing main door and wrought iron gate

- painting the whole unit + doors

i've been to a few IDs for quotations already.. some say they can do within our budget but yet some say maybe abt 20k..

so just need opinions from all of you.. which ID will you all recommend that's affordable and reliable?

and to be practical.. is my budget too low for those items i need to do?

15k it's not enough, maybe at least 20k if u use contractor, if u usse id maybe more higher

[yokine9a 1]

What abt electrical wiring?

$15K is really not enough. I hope you are not touching the 2 toilet's walls, else it will be even more. I didn't touch my living room, toilet, bathroom flooring, already 10K liao.

I only hacked kitchen floor, overlay bedrooms floor with laminated flooring. Mine is a 3I.

[babytan 0]

mine is a 3NG and allover reno cost 35K..20+ years old and nothing can be used...hacked everything

also depend on whats the current condition of the resale flat

yokine9a is right, electrical cost about 2-3K liao

btw your house layout exactly same as mine except for opposite direction..where is your new flat?? scali same area with me =P

Edited July 21, 2008 by babytan

[kunning 0]

Mine's a 3-rm but with a larger area. Reno cost will be $30k+. I think that's the gauge if you're doing a major overhaul.

You need to assess the condition of your flat and see what you can or cannot stand. For instance, if it's just old but usable, do you still want to keep it !! .

Then decide on what works should be done.

I actually surrveyed my new flat countless times before deciding on what to do. Even when you have started reno, you are also likely to change your mind about certain things.

To avoid going out of control (in terms of $$$), I recommend that your fix a budget (add a buffer for extraordinaries), and monitor it like a hawk .

Good luck!

[dom07 0]

mine is a 3NG and allover reno cost 35K..20+ years old and nothing can be used...hacked everything

also depend on whats the current condition of the resale flat

yokine9a is right, electrical cost about 2-3K liao

btw your house layout exactly same as mine except for opposite direction..where is your new flat?? scali same area with me =P

my new place at bukit batok west... wanted to get JE but too ex, cant afford

tats y.. i not planning to touch my wall tiles if not it'll be very ex.. only know now the sink support hafta hack, will affect current tiles (heartpain) but bo pian maybe just do some small patch up then paste sticker or watever deco loh. lol. thats y im not sure if those pipings and wiring have to re-do or wat.. sigh.. everything is $$$$$ zzzzz

[babytan 0]

my new place at bukit batok west... wanted to get JE but too ex, cant afford

tats y.. i not planning to touch my wall tiles if not it'll be very ex.. only know now the sink support hafta hack, will affect current tiles (heartpain) but bo pian maybe just do some small patch up then paste sticker or watever deco loh. lol. thats y im not sure if those pipings and wiring have to re-do or wat.. sigh.. everything is $$$$$ zzzzz

not very far from me leh..you just brought ah? how much?? when getting your flat?

wats the condition of the flat? how old?

can still save a little if you are not changing the wall tiles..

if the flat like 10-20 years old liao hor better change the piping and wiring leh in terms of safety

when i brought over the toilet pipe is CAST iron, so imagine how old is the flat..change to PVC for all, costs about $800 alone for the PVC...

have you visited any ID? i think you should go and visit 1 so that you will roughly know how much it will cost to do the reno and from there you can work according to your budget..do NEEDs and avoid WANTS..

HTHs

[yokine9a 1]

Are you planning to relocate your sink? If yes, then very likely underneath piping, floor tiles, wall tiles will be affected.

If you just want to get rid of the current sink support & do something else at the same location, then probably just need to replace some broken wall/floor tiles.

Yes, everything is $$. Like what babytan says, just do within your budget, don't need to care whether nice or not liao. All nice stuff need $$ to build

[babytan 0]

in spore all is $$..no $ no talk

yokine9a --> you check out the steamer already? i started to use but still finding hard to adjust..cos the head quite heavy and the steam like always kana my face and sooo hot leh..on the end always went back to the ironing board...

[yokine9a 1]

Not yet leh, me very unproductive hor.

You need to train your arms liao. Try holding the steamer head, raise your arm up & down for 50 times each day. Guarantee you will be as strong as Popeye The Sailor Man

OK, back to serious, I learnt from somewhere that a pair of plastic tongs is useful to hold on to your clothing while steaming, so that you can stand a bit further away & the steam will not kana your face/arm. Try it & let me know if this helps

[dom07 0]

not very far from me leh..you just brought ah? how much?? when getting your flat?

wats the condition of the flat? how old?

can still save a little if you are not changing the wall tiles..

if the flat like 10-20 years old liao hor better change the piping and wiring leh in terms of safety

when i brought over the toilet pipe is CAST iron, so imagine how old is the flat..change to PVC for all, costs about $800 alone for the PVC...

have you visited any ID? i think you should go and visit 1 so that you will roughly know how much it will cost to do the reno and from there you can work according to your budget..do NEEDs and avoid WANTS..

HTHs

yea .. 24 yrs flat.. got for 210k.. actually my 1st appt only on 6 sept.. but kiasu lah so do some reno research and look ard at the price loh.. cos prev owner stayed for like 5 yrs? so im not sure if they have done all these piping/wiring already not... the sink sure gotta relocate for kitchen cabinet.. so gotta see how to save cost for covering up the patches after hacking.

may i know which ID you engage??

i visited some IDs and got some quotations already.. some say can do within my budget whereas some quote 20k ++ imagine i gotta do those re-wiring and plumbing.. **FAINTS** add on like 2-3k alr..

i very scared gotta re-do wall tiles for kitchen/BR.. so bo hua... sigh.

[babytan 0]

eh i got my JE at 206K, still cheaper than yours leh, still say JE expensive??

i think mine is 27yrs old..you can ask owner if they ever did wiring before or not lor..the wall tiles in good condition or not?? i think those old flat wall tiles are the small small ceramic tiles right?

i think there is also 1 thread talking about NOT having wall tiles in the kitchen or half height tiles..you can go and recce..from there maybe you get some ideas

see my signature for ID name and can browse thru my blog if you free...

better to do some reserch now, get more info on hand and you will be able to decide better from there..go thru renotalk too..is very useful..

[dom07 0]

eh i got my JE at 206K, still cheaper than yours leh, still say JE expensive??

i think mine is 27yrs old..you can ask owner if they ever did wiring before or not lor..the wall tiles in good condition or not?? i think those old flat wall tiles are the small small ceramic tiles right?

i think there is also 1 thread talking about NOT having wall tiles in the kitchen or half height tiles..you can go and recce..from there maybe you get some ideas

see my signature for ID name and can browse thru my blog if you free...

better to do some reserch now, get more info on hand and you will be able to decide better from there..go thru renotalk too..is very useful..

which part of JE? i searched high n low.. ever since govt announce Lakeside gonna develop all flat price + COV rise loh.. eh.. yours is really a good buy leh! when i find the unit i like, the COV is too high.. and when the COV is reasonable, the unit is not what we like.. *headache* yea old flats is those olden stylo white small tiles loh.. even if hack wall tiles will also increase in $$.. thats y i very sian when i see the old type cement sink support in the kitchen.. sigh..

i read alot good remarks abt inzen.. its the shop at je yuhua village rite? but a guy wear specs served us.. we merely told him what we wanted and all he said what to get his boss, jonathon to get back to us.

sigh. and when i ask the indicative price of what we gonna do, their price is quite steep...

[babytan 0]

mine at jurong east st 21..signed the OTP in March 2008. we paid $16K COV

in jan & feb the COV in this area was like $20-30K we keep on tong-ing until COV drop a little (cos we asked for 2 months extension from my flat buyer)

the flat i got in super original condition and is 1st owner (son inherited from parents' flat) so reno is a major 1, cannot siam..we had a budget of $30K for reno but add this and that and ended up with $5K more

Inzen is just located opposite the SPC..from main road you can see the shop liao..

the spectacle guy is the designer, he does all the drawings and yes Jonathan is 1 of the partner. We being served by Roy, the other partner...

reading is 1 thing, you have to meet more IDs to get a feel of everything..since you are so much on budget, you have to make your stand clear and know what you want / dun want to do. either

1) give them your budget, tell them wat you want and see if they can do it

2) tell them wat you want and compare their quotes

i doesnt want to spend on much on reno in the 1st place but thinking back, i will be staying at this house for long time and of course i want my home to be comfortable..so hack lah just spend once and for all..

some forummers mentioned that your house is your house is not a showroom...kkekekekke somehow agreed

other than budgeting for the reno, you still need to set aside some $ for furnitures, lightings, fixtures, toilet / kitchen accessories...all these are $$$$$$...you can click on the link under my signature and see the reno whether worth it or not..kekkekkeke 100% completed HTHs

yokine9a --> will try out your method but i also very lame wan, see when i get the tongs if not i will just continue to use iron...

[dom07 0]

mine at jurong east st 21..signed the OTP in March 2008. we paid $16K COV

in jan & feb the COV in this area was like $20-30K we keep on tong-ing until COV drop a little (cos we asked for 2 months extension from my flat buyer)

the flat i got in super original condition and is 1st owner (son inherited from parents' flat) so reno is a major 1, cannot siam..we had a budget of $30K for reno but add this and that and ended up with $5K more

Inzen is just located opposite the SPC..from main road you can see the shop liao..

the spectacle guy is the designer, he does all the drawings and yes Jonathan is 1 of the partner. We being served by Roy, the other partner...

reading is 1 thing, you have to meet more IDs to get a feel of everything..since you are so much on budget, you have to make your stand clear and know what you want / dun want to do. either

1) give them your budget, tell them wat you want and see if they can do it

2) tell them wat you want and compare their quotes

i doesnt want to spend on much on reno in the 1st place but thinking back, i will be staying at this house for long time and of course i want my home to be comfortable..so hack lah just spend once and for all..

some forummers mentioned that your house is your house is not a showroom...kkekekekke somehow agreed

other than budgeting for the reno, you still need to set aside some $ for furnitures, lightings, fixtures, toilet / kitchen accessories...all these are $$$$$$...you can click on the link under my signature and see the reno whether worth it or not..kekkekkeke 100% completed HTHs

yokine9a --> will try out your method but i also very lame wan, see when i get the tongs if not i will just continue to use iron...

we were quite lucky lah.. COV onli 5k.. at least can spend more on reno.. imagine COV of 15k above, where to find extra for reno.. **** pok kai loh.. will be heavily in debt lols

yea.. i tink your reno 13k for those basic masonry, tiles etc is what we're looking for (very worth the $$$).. but i did approach the guy wif specs and told him all those i wanted.. he say maybe will cost up to 18k.

went to 2form @ tradehub.. tink their showroom quite nice.. they have a 3 rm resale package that includes most of the essentials like hacking of flooring/wall tiles for whole unit, plumbing works, supply and labour for wash basins, WCs and 1 false ceiling n L-box, 1 20 ft kitchen cabinet with 10ft solid surface. 1 6ft built in wardrobe and stuff like tt.. $16,988 which i tink is very reasonable.. so was thinking to take that package and top up a bit for re-wiring (1.6k), plastering (1.2k) and our dining table prob 1.5k with lighting constructed?

so far they're quite good lah. drew on our floor plan and showed how will the layout look like from what we wanted.. but how do you all bargain for FOC things when u decide to sign up that package?

we went to zhi sheng (quite recommended by forummers here), but quoted 15++k for what we wanna do BUT w/o hacking costs for kitchen/BR flooring, haulage and permit fees and also no wall tiles hacking/laying too.. so.. shang nao jing loh..