Impress21 Design And Build - My Home Makeover

[porkypig 0]

Hi,

Where is your place? From the view of your living hall..It seems like your house is located on the hilltop..

nice view..

[swift1302004 0]

DAY 60 cont

Minor touchups and rectifications were done during the past week, however I didnt like the lower glass panel of the top cabinet....it creaks on opening and closing ( despite spraying WD40 )and movement isnt smooth. I feel its the cheapo hydraulic arm used for that panel..even though it soft closing unlike the upper glass panel. Last week, one part of the hinge came loose when a screw popped out!

Initially I wanted to use the BLUM Aventos bifold system, but the carpenter said cannot be done now as the shelf will be in the way of the mechanism, so the other solution would be to use one glass panel instead.

So the new panel installed ...

There is sufficient head clearance, and easy to reach the panel. Stuffs can be easily accessed as well..

( note: caninet not organised yet...stuffs are just dumped inside )

Mechanisms used...the bottom BLUM damper added for soft closing, and it works rather well. (Notice this damper is not aligned properly just like the other side...need to rectify)

The other damper...(only noticed when I stood on a chair )..will need to call Henry to rectify

But otherwise, the panel is perfect - soft closing and quiet and best of all, no top up

Ha ha...must be objective mah ..but its acceptable for me and to my satisfaction

Hi Oogachaga,

From your pictures, your upper cabinet with the EF hood is align with bottom cabinet...may i know what is the depth of the upper cabinet and also EF model for your hood.

Thanks.

[oogachaga 2]

Hi oogachaga,

Do you mind sharing where you got the LED lights from? It is a clever idea instead of using PLC lights

Thanks ,

but an expensive one as with all energy saving stuffs,...the price to pay just to go green and save money

I got the lights from

Continental Electronic Enterprise

#B1-25 Sim Lim Tower, 208787, Singapore

Tel: 62934674

There are many varieties with diff colours available...I chose off white...this is how it looks like, encased in clear rubber material, with double sided tape at the back, it costs $42 per metre ( to add GST), the bare ones costs $35 per metre.

and I bought this adapter , $35 ,( hidden in the false ceiling ) and wiring connected to a switch, otherwise you will have to buy the other kind( like the ones to charge your batteries ) and plug to a socket - not very nice, and waste one socket.

Do check out the store to know more. There are also LED rope lights offered on ebay singapore...cheaper but I dont have much info.

Hi,

Where is your place? From the view of your living hall..It seems like your house is located on the hilltop..

nice view..

Hi,

Thanks its acutally built on higher ground, on a slope not hilltop la

Hi Oogachaga,

From your pictures, your upper cabinet with the EF hood is align with bottom cabinet...may i know what is the depth of the upper cabinet and also EF model for your hood.

Thanks.

Hi,

Yes, my EF hood, model EFCH 9401, is flushed with my cabinets but not the doors. Originally I wanted the hood to flush with the doors, however, if so, that white laminated cover will need to be removed, thus exposing the metal hood, so not very nice when you open up the door...if you understand what I am saying.

The depth of the cabinet is 32 cm not including the door.

Hi rumi,

I cant seem to pm you..perhaps your mailbox is full.

Heres my reply:

I am glad to help out

As regards to the handle, I did mention in my blog about the sloped handles..in your case its ABS trimmed sloped handles. I tried at a friend's place with the sloped handles...a bit tough to grip and takes more effort to pull out, especially for the drawers ( a no brand soft closing mechanism), more so if you have wet fingers...not much grip at that angle. You need to try out and see for yourself..maybe its the mechanism

With my handles that I have chosen, its right angles gives better grip for the fingers..and I like its simple sleek look.

Yes at Parisilk for $195, this telescopic hood model is slightly thicker than the slimline one which protrudes out ( EFCH9201, suction 580m3/hr)...you can see displays at Mega Katong or Mustaffa. Though chimney have higher suction power, they are also more expensive as well ( at least double the price )...

I need more storage space hence this model, plus I dont like cleaning...you have more work to do to clean the chimney ones.

Besides, I dont do heavy cooking like deep frying and stuffs, a basic hood will serve its purpose..at least better than no hood at all. Even with the chimney's high suction power, its still not 100%. In any case, this 9401 has the highest suction of all the slimline and telescopic models that I have seen.

It has a sleek clean design that is appealing, control buttons hidden behind...I even shortlisted Fujioh ( claims to suck really well, but not a great design and quite cumbersome to clean..need to unscrew the big plates,etc )

Bosch, brandt are expensive, other brands not so nice design as well as the price...so ultimatelye, its price ,design and value , so EF gets the vote...plus italian brand as well, but as with most products nowadays.... made in China Besides, if spoilt, not so heart pain to replace.

Its the Clipsal C-Vivace series that I bought...the legrand bought only the dimmer and switch to match side by side.

For labeled ones, you need to indent unless they have ex stock. It costs $7 each for the labelled ones (GST not included). I got my switches from Choo Chiang Bendemeer branch, sales person Adam.

Keep me posted,

Edited November 18, 2008 by oogachaga

[oogachaga 2]

Review:

My experience with Impress21 has been rather good.

Though my lower cabinet was mistakenly made the wrong height, it was made good, and one cannot tell the difference that it was amended

However, due to its lowering, the space between the countertop and the base of top cabinet is now 70cm( wanted 65cm ), which is still acceptable to me. ( in my TEKA receipt, it is stated that the min height from the base of the hood to the table top should be 65cm - 70cm )

Overall, the workers have been very pleasant and accommodating, no nastiness or black face when asked to redo certain things. I reckon the team work well together.

Henry has also been responsive, and does try his best to offer solutions to any problems encountered. With my project, he has proven to be responsible and trustworthy..I have to admit that I can be very meticulous at times, but still reasonable

Throughout the renovation, there has been no unpleasant situation, and problems are always resolved amicably

Workmanship is very good...I wont dare say its perfect.

I am pleased with the final result and the price

Now that I have made full payment, I shall see about the after sales service and will update.( I still have the top glass cabinet BLUM dampers to align, and the gas piping to secure ... guess I will wait for another week or 2, and try to find any other faults and consolidate them first before getting him to rectify)

--to be cont---(Some pointers to share and lessons learnt)

Edited November 13, 2008 by oogachaga

[baldeagle 0]

I note that your telescopic hood do not have a duct in the cabinet for ventilation.

[oogachaga 2]

I note that your telescopic hood do not have a duct in the cabinet for ventilation.

Hi,

Most of these hoods has a choice of 2 operation modes: exhaust and recirculation

I am running it on recirculation mode.

[oogachaga 2]

Some pointers to share and lessons learnt during my makeover

1. Prepare. I am always prepared before every meeting with the contractors. I have a list of things prepared to ask and discuss with the contractors…give them my specifications, and discuss whether they are workable, etc.

Then, after every meeting, I would email my requirements, that has been discussed, or some things that I have missed out , to Henry, so at least its in black and white…just in case, any dispute arises, besides, it is useful when seeking legal recourse if the need ever arises…hopefully not.

2. Dont assume their standard dimensions is equal to your expectations..eg their standard height for kitchen cabinet may not be what you expect. So do be specific if you are particular like me

3. Remember...most if not all contractors dont do metric! They still use feet and inches...carpentry work, mirrors, solid surface, etc

Try to convey your requirements directly to the contractor in charge , if it passes through many levels eg from ID to contractor to subcontractor to worker, it may get "lost in translation".

Well, mine did...c'est la vie

4. You need to have an idea of what you want, you are the one living in your home, not them, so dont let them dictate what they want for your home. Its easy for them to propose this and that to you, it may look nice at that moment, but will it be practical, costs, or can you live with it for a long time to come?

5. I have spent a lot of time planning my kitchen, poring through magazines, checking showflats, etc... believe me, there have been countless combinations of colour schemes, design, layout for my kitchen I have toyed with in my mind......

I like this one, hmm solid colours, and

this one too,

and this one also, wood laminates....alamak, how??? They all look really good....

but ultimately, had to choose only one.

( You can check out my kitchen inspirations here( will update if I see nice ones )..some are fellow forumers' ( thanks )

http://s437.photobucket.com/albums/qq96/ko...tion/?start=all

6. Kitchen planning:

Renovating a kitchen is not cheap, so plan carefully and make sure its the kitchen you want..you will be the one using it, not them.

Do consider the following, but its still up to one's preference:

a. height of kitchen cabinet...usually varies from 85cm to 90cm from floor to countertop

b. height of hood to coutertop..usually min distance of 65cm to 70cm

c. height of drawers for your cutleries and crockeries..use the internal height,...too shallow, you may not be able to put in your tall stuffs like bottles, jugs. Too deep and you have to remove stacks of plates before you can reach the bottom, or wasted space at the top.

d. soft closing mechanism...very useful, there are cheaper alternatives like MOBILE

e. depth of your countertop

f. dead corners...consider options like magic corners, pie cuts, or none at all

g. consider wide drawers for lower cabinets where possible...full extension runners are useful and practical.

h. do you need base for fridge or washer? Nowadays, not really...a fridge base will limit your choices in case of replacement.

i. visit BLUM or Hettich website for more useful tips on kitchen planning.

7. Do consider the height of your vanity top and your basin. I find the standard height of 85cm too low for comfort. After mounting the basin in my master toilet, it is at a more comfortable height to wash my face in the basin, without bending your back so much.

8. Just recently, saw wallpaper done at a friend's place. I noticed that the wallpaper was not neatly cut around the switch...not very nice,IMO.( will try to take a pic )

I think its best to dismantle the switch and mount it over so as to overlap the cut out edges , be it mirror or wallpaper, to give a nicer and neater finish.

9. Painting the cabinets/doors or repolishing your marble walls...remove any objects if possible eg door handles, shower bar, toilet paper holder, etc...so you get better results ...if they wont remove( they would just tape round it) , do it yourself.

10. Engaging your own contractors?? Yes and No.

Yes...if they are independent works from the rest eg..sliding glass door, mirrors, marble polishing

No, IMO, if you are redoing a whole place eg in my case, the kitchen, a lot of coordination needed among the subcontractors like tiler, carpentry, plasterer,plumbers, electrician...and if things dont go right, its easier for the contractor to get them back again...a lot of teamwork involved here.

11. Last but not least, you may have the best laid plans or dreams for your renovation, but you will still need someone to help transform them into reality, so take your time and choose your ID/ contractor wisely and carefully.

[ivy 0]

thanks for the great tips! It's really nice of you to take time to post them. will keep your advice in mind when it's my time to do reno, probably in apr 09

[oogachaga 2]

Hi,

Most of these hoods has a choice of 2 operation modes: exhaust and recirculation

I am running it on recirculation mode.

Hi baldeagle,

Heres the pic of the exhaust vents behind...its activated when the hood is pulled out

thanks for the great tips! It's really nice of you to take time to post them. will keep your advice in mind when it's my time to do reno, probably in apr 09

Hi ivy,

Youre welcome.

Good luck..and hope to see your pics here as well

[oogachaga 2]

Well, finally managed to find time to compile my furnishings' "damages"....

My furnishings:

1. Sanitary wares

- 3 sets of WCs and basins

- 2 sets of shower bar and nylon hose

Cost: $ 1,260

2. Taps

- 3 mixer tap

- 1 cold tap

- 1 yard toilet utility tap

Cost: $ 450

3. Sink

- kitchen sink

Cost: $ 290

4. Bathroom accessories

- 3 toilet paper holder

- 1 shower set

- 2 towel bars

Cost: $ 150

5. Kitchen and doors

- BLUM runners, hinges and dampers

- 2 x Magic corners

- 28 wardrobe handles

- 3 new door locksets

Cost: $ 950

6. Switches

- 20 switches inc dimmers, 5 sockets, 1 bell

Cost: $ 170

7. Lighting

- LED lighting

- 2 pendant lights for bedrooms

- 2 ceiling mounted utility lights for yard and storeroom

- halogen track lights

Cost: $500

8. Kitchen appliances

- TEKA induction hob $ 1013

- Bosch oven $640

- EF hood $195

- Cuizino gas hob $200

Cost: $2,048

TOTAL FURNISHING COSTS: $ 5,818

My total makeover cost is about $22K...about $2K above my original estimate

Nest possible project in the future ???:

- replace old curtains

- shop for new study table

- sideboard

...but must finish orgainising stuffs in the house first...taking my time and relaxing now, after a tiring makeover

[Deepwhite 0]

Well, finally managed to find time to compile my furnishings' "damages"....

TOTAL FURNISHING COSTS: $ 5,818

My total makeover cost is about $22K...about $2K above my original estimate

Nest possible project in the future ???:

- replace old curtains

- shop for new study table

- sideboard

...but must finish orgainising stuffs in the house first...taking my time and relaxing now, after a tiring makeover

Great estimation.. guess that you are off the hook only by 10% not so bad...but you had the best of everything

[oogachaga 2]

Great estimation.. guess that you are off the hook only by 10% not so bad...but you had the best of everything

Thanks

Actually, not the best la...more like value for money

Your progress looks good....am waiting for to see your completion

[Deepwhite 0]

Your progress looks good....am waiting for to see your completion

The TV console did not come out as well as expected but lucky hubby still ok with that... maybe will divert the focus point of that area...

[oogachaga 2]

Ok..here are some pictures to share of my home ..

Living area ( ugly but acceptable trunkings on wall for AV)...still need to accessorise...

TV console area

Sitting area..side table still wrapped

Sofa close up

Chandelier on

The 9 m high ceiling in living...

My TV area stark wall turns into this at night .....

Finding Nemo..

Howl's Moving Castle...

Console gaming

[mmycheng 0]

Love that ceiling! Gorgeous!

Do you have to pull the curtains everytime you want to watch tv? What about the windows at the top which there are no curtains for...will light entry there interfere with tv watching?