Renovating Extisting Flat (lived-in)

[alyplwwf 0]

huh sounds bad. and you all really have to make do. but then such renovation usually dun take too long so it should be ok.

Likewise cos I'm doing basic reno for my 5 room now. in time to come when we have more cash then we'll do more (like the toilets) heh

thanks pinkpetter. What basic reno r u doing for your 5 rm ? Is yours a new flat or you are staying there now ?

[alyplwwf 0]

clockwork, saw your blog and really impressed by your DIY, really creative and artistic.

Do you have another kitchen cabinet with adjustable shelves opposite your other kitchen cabinet with cooker, fridge and sink ? Really like your kitchen cabinet colour combination and design. From the reno progress photos, I can imagine the real mess and is really very headache.

[applefreak 1]

granite might be cheaper than marble

but it's at least 4 times more expensive than porcelain tiles

[pinkpetter 0]

thanks pinkpetter. What basic reno r u doing for your 5 rm ? Is yours a new flat or you are staying there now ?

hihi

Oh oh forget about the flooring thing. mm I also discussed this flooring thing with many forummers wor. MM think nowadays very few people do granite liao. Mostly do homogenous ba. Not taking into consideration the different grades, (compare normal types)... I think should be Marble most ex, then Granite, Homo, then Laminates. Laminates these days can be very very nice looking also. If don't have pets and kids are ok, then laminate is a good and cheap choice I think. otherwise think Homogenous is a easy to maintain choice ba. Marble scratched will have *heartache* ... might die of heart pain.

mmm like you were saying about people who want high COV... if you renovate and spend a lot on renovation then next time when you sell will also hope for high COV. then hard to sell.. Just in case la. but if you dun wan to sell and wan to live forever then it's ok

Mine is a resale. Have to redo flooring and kitchen cabinets. mmm can see what I need to do in my signature. but that's basically it. Actually I din even want to do flooring. but the current condition too jiat liat so forced to do.

[clockwork 0]

clockwork, saw your blog and really impressed by your DIY, really creative and artistic.

Do you have another kitchen cabinet with adjustable shelves opposite your other kitchen cabinet with cooker, fridge and sink ? Really like your kitchen cabinet colour combination and design. From the reno progress photos, I can imagine the real mess and is really very headache.

The full height build in cabinet is located opposite my fridge with adjustable shelves. It basically acts as my store room. 1 side is used to keep big items like ladders ,foldable chairs , ironing board and vacume.

The rest is misc stuff like my precious sewing machine & other stuff.

I choose black & white coz it's easy to match if I want to repaint my walls , which I so often do

And it's easier to play with colorful accessories .

[clockwork 0]

If you don mind me asking, who was your ID and how much was the reno for your whole flat. They quote you on package price or individual charges ? How was the workmanship and follow up service ?

My ID is from Chew Interior. very friendly lady

Basically I went to several reno firms and Chew gave me the best price.

I came with a list of items I want done for my reno. Most reno firms have several packages with a nett price.

They'll try and persuade you to do unnessasary things , but you have to say NO. And stick to what you want. Some packages may be identical to what you want , just some items added here & there. just tell them to deduct the cost or ask for something free, like cooker hood , air-con , bath room accessories , etc..

My total reno cost no more then $16K and worksmanship is very good. She's very fierce with the contractors. She willingly absorbed quite a few stuff for me.

It boils down to how you interact with the ID. If your clueless , they'll rip you off.

Me & hubby planned this reno for almost a year, deciding on what we want and did research on cost price items like sinks , doors , downlights and other stuff. And I'll tell the ID , don't try and rip me off as I know the cost price of the items.

I saved a few thousands $$ , like buying my own kitchen sink , toilet sink , downlights , wiring and lighting was done by my hubby who's a Technical Officer. I just pay for the labour.

I understand they need to make $$ too, but if the cost is too high , I'll ask the ID to justify why the item is so expensive.

As for the overlay of tiles , if it's an original tiles fron HDB , you cld probably overlay them . But still need to check with HDB coz if not done properly , the new tiles will "pop" out.

Edited September 4, 2008 by clockwork

[alyplwwf 0]

heh clockwork,

want to ask you one thing - yr full height cabinet (acting as store room) also in the kitchen, so you have cabinets facing one another on both sides of the walls right ? that means your kitchen passage way will be very narrow ?

I thot of doing the same as you and convert my existing store room to a study / computer room.

[clockwork 0]

heh clockwork,

want to ask you one thing - yr full height cabinet (acting as store room) also in the kitchen, so you have cabinets facing one another on both sides of the walls right ? that means your kitchen passage way will be very narrow ?

I thot of doing the same as you and convert my existing store room to a study / computer room.

My kitchen is really huge And the full height cabinet and kitchen stove cabinet don't really face each other, coz my kitchen is long.

The full height cabinet starts at the entrance of the kitchen and the kitchen stove is more nearer to the kitchen window. It's not really facing each other. At any time , 10 pple can walk around my kitchen

My full height cabinet stop directly opposite the fridge

Planning had to be done on what I store in my cabinet. Items I don't use regularly are kept in the 1st door next to the kitchen entrance, so I won't block the way when pple are going in and out. And it's items I don't regularly use , I don't open the door most of the time

And other misc items are kept on the top section of the cabinet , only items I used regularly are stored within reach.

[alyplwwf 0]

My kitchen is really huge And the full height cabinet and kitchen stove cabinet don't really face each other, coz my kitchen is long.

The full height cabinet starts at the entrance of the kitchen and the kitchen stove is more nearer to the kitchen window. It's not really facing each other. At any time , 10 pple can walk around my kitchen

My full height cabinet stop directly opposite the fridge

Planning had to be done on what I store in my cabinet. Items I don't use regularly are kept in the 1st door next to the kitchen entrance, so I won't block the way when pple are going in and out. And it's items I don't regularly use , I don't open the door most of the time

And other misc items are kept on the top section of the cabinet , only items I used regularly are stored within reach.

Thanks Clockwork for your explanation. At first I thought your full height cabinet is extended all the way to the common toilet. I can now imagine how your kitchen looks like.

If I do the same as you, I will have to hack half the wall btw the living room and kitchen or else the entrance will be very narrow. Still considering

[666 0]

I remembered when I was young, my parents reno the flat. Mine was only 3 room flat with no toilet in MBR. So when contractor reno the toilet & kitchen..

It caused alot of inconvenience to us, i went to my relatives place or neighbour place or even to school to bathe. Public toilet to pee etc..

Really dont want to go thru dat experience again..imagine 3am wanna wake up pee..pee in the bottle..lucky no stomachache.

[alyplwwf 0]

I remembered when I was young, my parents reno the flat. Mine was only 3 room flat with no toilet in MBR. So when contractor reno the toilet & kitchen..

It caused alot of inconvenience to us, i went to my relatives place or neighbour place or even to school to bathe. Public toilet to pee etc..

Really dont want to go thru dat experience again..imagine 3am wanna wake up pee..pee in the bottle..lucky no stomachache.

Hi 666,

For my case, both MBR and kitchen toilets will be upgraded by HDB first, so that means I will start my other reno just after HDB completes the toilet and windows changes. In this case, I should have no probelm with shower or pee pee but with the dust / mess and shifting of furnitures

[pinkpetter 0]

mm I dunno le but if I were you.. I'll do my reno at the same time HDB do the toilets. hahaha so one time inconvenience.

[alyplwwf 0]

mm I dunno le but if I were you.. I'll do my reno at the same time HDB do the toilets. hahaha so one time inconvenience.

I have the same intention but can meh ? Will HDB contractor allow ? With two different contractors doing work at the same time, it will inconvenient one another.

[lyuira 0]

We are planning to renovate our toilet. We have another one, so we'll be staying in the apartment during the renovation.

Now the silly question is - does someone need to be present everyday to check on contractors while they are working? Or do you think it's enough to see the results of their work at the end of each day and disturb the coordinator if something is wrong? We intend to engage an ID to renovate the toilet.

[jiajia82 0]

We are planning to renovate our toilet. We have another one, so we'll be staying in the apartment during the renovation.

Now the silly question is - does someone need to be present everyday to check on contractors while they are working? Or do you think it's enough to see the results of their work at the end of each day and disturb the coordinator if something is wrong? We intend to engage an ID to renovate the toilet.

is enough to see the results of their work end of each day, since u intend to engage an ID to guide for u. just let the ID check for u as they receive ur money else u imagine: u sit/stand there nth to do but just watching those "clothless" guys/bangla hacking tiles or laying tiles for u