Retrospectrum Meets Modernisation!

[aubrey 0]

Staying there while doing the renovation?!

Wont it be too messy and the air in the house wont be good,

especially for older people.

I suggest u find a place to stay,either at your relative place

to cut cost or in a budget hotel.

Isnt your place just open a brand new IBIS hotel?

maybe u can ask for a discounted rate staying a month there with your mum

I used to work in Hong Kong,i met some of the local when doing laundry at

the Laundry area and they told me that the rent the hotel room for 1-2 months as

their house is on-going renovation work.

For long stay guest usually the rate would be much cheaper too

aiyoyo after so much objection from 80% of contractors, my mom finally budge and think we may have to find an alternative place to stay. she is using her neighbourhood networking to source for room near our house. u know whats the most pek chek thing??? there is an entire unit that is EMPTY for 2 mths or so just RIGHT NEXT TO OURS! thing is, we do not know the owner so cannot contact him/her to see if we can rent it for a while. if we can, that will be PERFECT!!!! but for now, pek chek!!!! :D

[aubrey 0]

WOoo, your own tblog finally!

I had the same dilemma about the altar, it just doesn't go with the rest of the deco. :x Hence I designed a more funky one of my own, rather than getting the standard ones out there. (Of course, my ID gave me something similar and not entirely the same. hhahah).

I hope I will cover that soon enough in my blog to give you some idea. Basically, an altar can look like a display cabinet cum divider as well, and it doesn't have to look "orr-bit".

On base and skirting, it's subjective, check with your mum too. If she mops the floor with a wet mop, skirting might prevent the mop from touching the walls, that is one consideration also.

Whether you eventually need them or not, get your contractors to quote first based on your overall budget. Then remove them from the list, else some of them will just "transfer" that amount elsewhere if you tell them beforehand you don't need this and that.

Finally, staying at your place while it's under-going renovation can be quite a mess from all that hacking, drilling and tiling, besides you only have 1 toilet, while under renovation, you can't use at all. Quite inconvenient for your folks. Do try and see if you can find alternative lodging.

well u can see from my replies re. the altar..

i suppose that when we mop the floor, it will fall under medium wet to very wet but without skirting, i just "mop" the floor, whats the implications of that?

so far the contractors are quoting me out of my budget but its expected i guess. so now its the give and take game but honestly i dont even know how to begin to bargain with them..

and ya, i hope i find the owner of the flat next to mine!

[aubrey 0]

So far you got hear any rumours of getting enbloc or upgrading? Think you better check before proceeding with any reno.

the rumors started when i was 10.. now im 23 and its more than ever. any way to check for sure? dont think HDB will divulge that kinda info to me.

[aubrey 0]

Hi, congrats on gtg such a very centralised location! Wow, your flat is it opp OG or Kwan Inn Temple at waterloo? so envious huh, can walk to Bugis Junction leh. Can share how much u bought ur flat? must be ex rite, being in the middle of CBD.

Q - is fridge & washing machine base recommended?

As in my opinion, if you staying with your mum, recommended to do leh, becos own folks have their own way of cleaning and even if u tell them numerous times not to do "flood cleaning" they will still do it.

Q - skirting needed?

i tink doing skirting would be good and looks nicer and in future, wat if u change ur mind wana do, then make dirty one more time?

Anyway, if u r staying at ur place during reno, u confirm would regret one. so dirty & the air is like so dusty

nope its kinda opposite the new nafa. near sculpture square, wilby residences, oxford hotel etc. my block is the furthest from the hustle and bustle of bugis. thank goodness! my friend's place, just 7 mins away from me, she lives right in the middle of the indian temple and the kuan yin temple. before the new hotel ibis was up, the 7th month ge tai was there so you can imagine the noise u can imagine.

my parents bought the flat 45k in the 80s.

i think we should not stay in as well.. gotta look for our place!!

[aubrey 0]

Wah, finally your t-blog is up! Congrats!!

Cannot see your floor plan in the office leh, being blocked by firewall... but I have a feeling that yours is the same as mine, a 37 yrs old 3-room flat in TPY

BTW, if you need a place to store your barang barang, can make use of my study room... my study room is pretty empty, just 2 huge bookshelves & a rocking chair.

Pls post more pic

Hi pinklady, I think her parent bought that flat from HDB at $44K many yrs ago, not expensive at all

yokine9a, i think its gonna be hard to transport my stuff there. plus my house is riddled with clutter from my mom's hoarding habits.. but i appreciate the offer tho!!

[mrspiglet 2]

tiling is expensive! but i think not as ex as hacking. Nvr had i imagine that hacking can cost me so much when its just plain drilling. What's ur to do list btw?

Anyway even if enbloc also will take a few yrs to complete the new flats, so might as well reno now then to wait n wait. right?

[aubrey 0]

TO DO LIST

Hack entire house for new floor tiles

Change gate to wrought iron gate

Change 2 windows to adjustable naco/lourve - i forgot which is which

Change 2 bedroom doors to new classic doors (keeping the frames to save $)

kitchen cabinet & full length wall tile

redo toilet and windows

change casement window of room 1

painting

* plastering of wall - tentative

New list at the bottom!

thats about all that i need to do. so is it gonna be ex? ya im not counting on the enbloc. just hope im not that sway to kena!

Edited April 2, 2009 by aubrey

[pinkpetter 0]

mmm

New tiles for entire floor should cost close to 4-5k..

Changing of gate about 500?

Windows + the toilet ones will cost about 1k+

Doors will cost about 500..

kitchen cabinets.. top and bottom? What kind of worktop?

kitchen wall tiles 1k+?

painting 1.2k...

Toilet overhaul will cost another 3k.. cos yours separated one... more walls to tile.

All this is based on my stingy estimate...

electrical? change of DB box? switches? change of lights?

[aubrey 0]

mmm

New tiles for entire floor should cost close to 4-5k..

Changing of gate about 500?

Windows + the toilet ones will cost about 1k+

Doors will cost about 500..

kitchen cabinets.. top and bottom? What kind of worktop?

kitchen wall tiles 1k+?

painting 1.2k...

Toilet overhaul will cost another 3k.. cos yours separated one... more walls to tile.

All this is based on my stingy estimate...

electrical? change of DB box? switches? change of lights?

changed the lights alr, which was a mistake!

ya man the toilet overhaul is a killer! so tempted to just drop it and use the money to spruce up some other area due to tight budget, we will go for top and bottom but it will be short length-wise. worktop stated in quote is solid surface worktop, forgot the technical material term they used. is there any particular one to look for? so far some paint quotes for my 3rm is $1k, very good r me.

actually... pinkpetter, your quote is very spot on! u can be ID alr!

[yokine9a 1]

Go for better brand in solid surface, like Corian or Samsung... cheapo ones can be a nightmare... also, don't go for plain white or black surface, very hard to maintain.

Paint quote just $1k? This is cheap, Ho Bee charged me $1.5k for walls, ceilings, doors & pipes.

[aubrey 0]

Go for better brand in solid surface, like Corian or Samsung... cheapo ones can be a nightmare... also, don't go for plain white or black surface, very hard to maintain.

Paint quote just $1k? This is cheap, Ho Bee charged me $1.5k for walls, ceilings, doors & pipes.

so far 1 guy told me its a malaysian counter top. normally for those that u mention, how much is it?

yup it can even go under $1k if i use some non nippon/ICI paint, like $850?? but i want nippon/ICI so top up till $1k.

[pinkpetter 0]

changed the lights alr, which was a mistake!

ya man the toilet overhaul is a killer! so tempted to just drop it and use the money to spruce up some other area due to tight budget, we will go for top and bottom but it will be short length-wise. worktop stated in quote is solid surface worktop, forgot the technical material term they used. is there any particular one to look for? so far some paint quotes for my 3rm is $1k, very good r me.

actually... pinkpetter, your quote is very spot on! u can be ID alr!

mm why changing the lights is a mistake? haha my quote ah? ok ba...

mmm the toilet is a place where you can "play" with tiles and tile colour etc.. so it's up to you la... :)If you don't do.. maybe next time your area will upgrade and your toilets will be done?

the ones that yokine mentioned are good brands. Ah Soon gave me Bellus which he quote about $70/pfr. Cheap la. The good ones can go up to $120/pfr. I suspect Malaysian one.. is Bellus? mm.. up to your usage. If you're not keen on cooking often then never mind

MMMmm If your ID/Contractor is so particular... like $850 is cheaper brand paint and $1k is more ex paint then you must be particular with them also since you're paying for it.. like when the paint arrives it should arrive in the right paint cans lor. There was one forummer who was suppose to get the "good paint" but in the end get mixed paint.. paint which was mixed with cheaper ones.. he even sent samples to ICI to check... mm

I guess if it's the same cheap price for all kinds of paint then no need to be particular

[aubrey 0]

mm why changing the lights is a mistake? haha my quote ah? ok ba...

mmm the toilet is a place where you can "play" with tiles and tile colour etc.. so it's up to you la... :)If you don't do.. maybe next time your area will upgrade and your toilets will be done?

the ones that yokine mentioned are good brands. Ah Soon gave me Bellus which he quote about $70/pfr. Cheap la. The good ones can go up to $120/pfr. I suspect Malaysian one.. is Bellus? mm.. up to your usage. If you're not keen on cooking often then never mind

MMMmm If your ID/Contractor is so particular... like $850 is cheaper brand paint and $1k is more ex paint then you must be particular with them also since you're paying for it.. like when the paint arrives it should arrive in the right paint cans lor. There was one forummer who was suppose to get the "good paint" but in the end get mixed paint.. paint which was mixed with cheaper ones.. he even sent samples to ICI to check... mm

I guess if it's the same cheap price for all kinds of paint then no need to be particular

its a mistake as the wiring has been laid esp in places like the kitchen where we will do new wall tiles. usual course is to take out old wires, do wall tiles, lay new wires blah blah blah. but now my wiring is up and frankly, its all over the place as the electrician followed the way the old wires are laid.. and my power switches are so high up. will take pic and show u what i mean.

ya i realise i can do that but i wanna try to get it cheaper for total of both.. and my area has been upgraded, but as i was young and very noob, my parents called the shots so i was unaware of the discussion.

my mom cooks a lot and sometimes i cook too. i would say that we cook more than the average so need a good worktop. when ah soon quotes u, will he volunteer info on the origin of the items? i have a few ppl that i spoke to who dont really specify and i lost track of who i asked and who i did not.

ya man i heard about those dishonest contractors trying to pas these things off. i will check to make sure but i hope that there's a bond of trust formed.

[pinkpetter 0]

ahh I think I have an idea what you mean.. cos you have been living there all these while so mm.. I'm guessing you would want to keep demolition to a minimum...

in that case.. if you want the good quality solid surface then you might as well go for granite which isn't very much in difference if you go for china granite. Indian granite will cost more. Ah Soon didn't specify but then we didn't ask cos we weren't very concern with the kitchen. haha

Since you are staying there I really doubt they would try to cheat you. A little tough. Your mom will be home every day to watch them?

[aubrey 0]

well i believe if we were to reno and demolishing is part of the work to be done, just gotta bite the bullet and do it once and for all for a beautiful home but even so, i've been quoted $2500 for hacking of whole house (existing floor, cement screed etc) is that ex for a 3-roomer?

is granite more costly than the std worktops?

i doubt we will be stayin there to watch them and my mom has a part time job so when she works she cant watch them. well i think we were kinda noob in the first few rounds of meeting and discussion but i have armed myself with knowledge here so its harder to cheat me now!

how much do you think is a fair price to reno a 3-room with carpentry kept to a minimum? (only kitchen cabi & wardrobe, rest we will buy)