Mandy & Lincoln - Renovating Our First Home

[mmycheng 0]

Agreed, we are lucky to be born here. However, we cannot take what we have for granted...like many of these countries filled with civil strife and religious extremism, they have similar charactertistics like us such as being multi-ethnic and multi-religious...it boils down to how the people in the country can tolerate differences and celebrate diversity instead of using it to create divisiveness.

I have now stayed in my house for 2 weeks and 2 days...haha We have vacuumed and mopped once, done light sweeping a few times and that's it...can see the dust started to accumulate on the table tops and all...yucks! But we're just not domestic folk... so I have gotten an auntie cleaner to come in regularly to help us do the cleaning. She's an old neighbour from my mom's place and she agreed to charge us only $10 per hour. I think it's reasonable. She'll be coming tmr! Yay!

[Angel81 1]

Oooo... What did u ask ur auntie cleaner to do for u? I intend to engage one for my future place as well, but dun reali know what type of cleaning jobs can or cannot be included.

[ahockz 1]

mmycheng, u can open a cleaner shop and get comission lah. a lot ppl fro the neighbour will ask u if she can also help out. ^_^

[mmycheng 0]

Oooo... What did u ask ur auntie cleaner to do for u? I intend to engage one for my future place as well, but dun reali know what type of cleaning jobs can or cannot be included.

I'll probably get her to help me out on these few main things for the weekly chores:

1. Vacuum floor

2. Mop floor

3. Clean toilets (including toilet bowl, sink + sink area, floor and glass shower screen)

4. Clean kitchen cooker, hood, tops and floors + wipe cabinets if greasy

5. Dust and clean surfaces (e.g. tabletops, consoles etc)

6. Wipe glass surfaces in the house (i.e. dining table, study room divider, exterior of fish tank, living rm feature wall and doors)

7. Empty dustbins

There are other chores which she can also do but at the moment I have no need for them yet:

- Wash clothes and put out to hang dry

- Fold washed clothes

- Iron clothes

- Clean windows

- Clean cabinet surfaces (especially hard to reach tall cabinets)

- Clean fans (ceiling and standing fans)

- Wash bedlinen and change new set

If you're interested to know what these day cleaners can do, you can check out various websites of companies who offer such services. They have a more comprehensive list I think. My above list is based on a short discussion with the auntie and a stock take of my projected current and future cleaning needs.

mmycheng, u can open a cleaner shop and get comission lah. a lot ppl fro the neighbour will ask u if she can also help out. ^_^

Haha ahockz...u interested ah? For you I'll take less commision and give you special price....

I'm glad I found this auntie lah, the market rate now is at least $12. $10 per hour services rather difficult to find plus many agencies will charge a one-time off hiring/admin fee of a couple of hundred dollars upfront. Other agencies which I found on the internet offer cleaning packages to make it cheaper per session but I don't really want to commit to a company or cleaners I don't know plus they usually offer a standard cleaning package. At least with this auntie, she told me I can be flexible what I want cleaned, one week more, another week less also no problem. Good hor?

Anyway, whether really good or not, let me try first then I'll know. She's coming later this afternoon.

Edited December 1, 2008 by mmycheng

[mwerkz 0]

I'll probably get her to help me out on these few main things for the weekly chores:

1. Vacuum floor

2. Mop floor

3. Clean toilets (including toilet bowl, sink + sink area, floor and glass shower screen)

4. Clean kitchen cooker, hood, tops and floors + wipe cabinets if greasy

5. Dust and clean surfaces (e.g. tabletops, consoles etc)

6. Wipe glass surfaces in the house (i.e. dining table, study room divider, exterior of fish tank, living rm feature wall and doors)

7. Empty dustbins

There are other chores which she can also do but at the moment I have no need for them yet:

- Wash clothes and put out to hang dry

- Fold washed clothes

- Iron clothes

- Clean windows

- Clean cabinet surfaces (especially hard to reach tall cabinets)

- Clean fans (ceiling and standing fans)

- Wash bedlinen and change new set

If you're interested to know what these day cleaners can do, you can check out various websites of companies who offer such services. They have a more comprehensive list I think. My above list is based on a short discussion with the auntie and a stock take of my projected current and future cleaning needs.

Haha ahockz...u interested ah? For you I'll take less commision and give you special price....

I'm glad I found this auntie lah, the market rate now is at least $12. $10 per hour services rather difficult to find plus many agencies will charge a one-time off hiring/admin fee of a couple of hundred dollars upfront. Other agencies which I found on the internet offer cleaning packages to make it cheaper per session but I don't really want to commit to a company or cleaners I don't know plus they usually offer a standard cleaning package. At least with this auntie, she told me I can be flexible what I want cleaned, one week more, another week less also no problem. Good hor?

Anyway, whether really good or not, let me try first then I'll know. She's coming later this afternoon.

keke. if good can recommend me too

[Angel81 1]

If you're interested to know what these day cleaners can do, you can check out various websites of companies who offer such services. They have a more comprehensive list I think. My above list is based on a short discussion with the auntie and a stock take of my projected current and future cleaning needs.

Haha ahockz...u interested ah? For you I'll take less commision and give you special price....

I'm glad I found this auntie lah, the market rate now is at least $12. $10 per hour services rather difficult to find plus many agencies will charge a one-time off hiring/admin fee of a couple of hundred dollars upfront. Other agencies which I found on the internet offer cleaning packages to make it cheaper per session but I don't really want to commit to a company or cleaners I don't know plus they usually offer a standard cleaning package. At least with this auntie, she told me I can be flexible what I want cleaned, one week more, another week less also no problem. Good hor?

Anyway, whether really good or not, let me try first then I'll know. She's coming later this afternoon.

Yah loh.. There are afew agencies that i've checked out. Although they have a more comprehensive list, they'll need to charge more for extra work to be done. Then also need to pay them admin fee. Some more duno if the cleaning aunties they send are good and honest anot. I prefer those word of mouth ones, who can be more flexible in their hours and work.

Yah, let us know how she is k? I tink lots of pple will ask u for her contact. hehehe... Does she stay in Jurong itself?

[mmycheng 0]

My auntie cleaner came today but didn't do any cleaning because I don't have the right cleaning tools at home. So we went shopping together at the neighbourhood hardware shops to buy the stuff. She'll be coming on friday instead.

I also spent some time showing her my house, explaining in detail what I needed cleaning etc. We agreed to a cleaning schedule of 4hrs, once per week subject to any changes/additions from my side. This works out to an average of $160 per month which is very reasonable lah.

Yup, she stays in Taman Jurong. Within walking distance from my place in fact! From what I know, the auntie currently has 2 households lined up for Dec 08 and 09. One of her existing customers is moving to a bungalow and she will stop cleaning for them cos the new place is too far for her. If you guys are interested, can PM me and I can help you ask her if she wants to take up one more new job.

[ahockz 1]

mi not so soon lah. only move in next Oct 09. only maybe, if reno able to complete, then go stay weekend?

anyway, mi and my wife will plan out what cleaning need to be done and how long to need do to, see if we can do our own first a not lor. such as . . .

Aircon

mop floor

wipe cabinet

wipe wall

etc.

[pinkpetter 0]

My auntie cleaner came today but didn't do any cleaning because I don't have the right cleaning tools at home. So we went shopping together at the neighbourhood hardware shops to buy the stuff. She'll be coming on friday instead.

I also spent some time showing her my house, explaining in detail what I needed cleaning etc. We agreed to a cleaning schedule of 4hrs, once per week subject to any changes/additions from my side. This works out to an average of $160 per month which is very reasonable lah.

Yup, she stays in Taman Jurong. Within walking distance from my place in fact! From what I know, the auntie currently has 2 households lined up for Dec 08 and 09. One of her existing customers is moving to a bungalow and she will stop cleaning for them cos the new place is too far for her. If you guys are interested, can PM me and I can help you ask her if she wants to take up one more new job.

Whoa seems like this auntie very good le. She seems very responsible and all... mm

[mmycheng 0]

Hi, I'm giving away my moving boxes. I've got a few big ones and a few small ones to give away. Interested, pls let me know. If not claimed by next week, I'll give them away to the local karang guni man cos my storeroom is starting to become packed liao...

[pinkpetter 0]

Wah I want.. but you live far far... I go and "beg" from my fren in Bedok. heh heh... I'm sure boxes are a very precious commodity amongst us lol

[ahockz 1]

from the east to the west. lolz :)

[mmycheng 0]

My auntie cleaner came in today. Finally, my floors are clean, tabletops are dusted and glass panels wiped. She also cleaned my windows and washed the toilets. Feels nice to come home to a clean home! She was happy cleaning our place too...said we're very clean people to begin with, especially since we have a dog as well... Anyway, it's definitely the right decision for me.

My TV is coming tomorrow! Yay!! So excited....finally a relief!...I've been deprived of a TV for 2 weeks liao... showing withdrawal symptoms already...I can't stop staring at TV screens when I'm outside...

Hi, I'm giving away my moving boxes. I've got a few big ones and a few small ones to give away. Interested, pls let me know. If not claimed by next week, I'll give them away to the local karang guni man cos my storeroom is starting to become packed liao...

Yeah lor pinkpetter...u live very far...come all the way for a few boxes maybe not worth it...hehe... anyway, the boxes have been reserved by someone else already. Should be coming to collect them tmr afternoon.

[pinkpetter 0]

Wa see. I knew it'll be reserved FAST! boxes are so precious. I have a whole stack in my house right now. going to -pack pack pack soon.

[mmycheng 0]

Hmm...does anyone know where I can find a good and sturdy ironing board without having to burn a huge hole in my pocket for it?

My current one, bought for around $40+ from Carrefour just CMI lah... the legs are shaky and the ironing pad keeps on shifting around... grrr....

Have been looking around but the ones with sturdy legs and a good ironing pad (not the ones with super thin and lousy cushioning) cost at least $200!! Faint and

Edited December 5, 2008 by mmycheng