Looking Forward To Our First Home...

[Metalsubzero 0]

Lights Lights.. I was doing some lights shopping in Geylang, went to a few shops to get quotes for downlights, found out Geylang's prices are generally around $28-30 for a white framed downlight with 2x18w bulbs.. Very ex! I went to Extreme Lighting at Balestier and was quoted $22 for the 2x18w, but den the bulb wasn't Osram or Philips, can't remember liao.. Any1 got Philips or Osram bulbs for the downlights 2x18w for $22? LOL... $18 for the 2x13w ones, I think need to top up for Osrams bulbs..

Anyways, this was our initial selection for the dining lights, the SA told me it's called teardrops or sumthin.. He say very nice new design.. I actually agreed but after we thought about it, I thought I wanted the ice cube types, those 3 to 4 lights hanging down one.. This looks more classy, while the other looks timeless, neat, simple and clean which is what we want.. Most probably forgoing the teardrop design..

I think this lights have a cleaner look than the one above..

Anyways, I understood one thing from all this shopping, be it whatever thing you're buying.. Nowadays SAs will do anything to get ur business.. I can go to 2 different shops and they tell me different stuffs..

For eg., I actually placed a deposit for a Rega Fan at Geylang (I knew it wasn't a popular brand). The SA tells me very popular so many places selling, somemore say Rega has 24 yrs history in Sg, while Crestar only 5years.. Keep telling me Rega made in USA, Crestar in China..

Extreme lighting told me maybe Rega might be their in house brand, then Crestar is from Taiwan (I think I heard from more shops and ppl that it's from Taiwan) They told me to be wary of servicing for this kindda brands.. But den the Geylang guy tell me Crestar servicing s**ks, and their Rega servicing ah, warehouse ah, blah blah blah all bigger den Crestar's! Say Crestar small brand, not many ppl carry.. I think it's BS cuz I know alotta ppl has Crestar at home..

After I listen to both sides, I still dunno which one is better.. LOL...

So what I can conclude is, there is only so much u can listen to, everyone gives a different picture, in the end, it's up to you to believe.. And maybe see which SA is more convincing lor.. I also think that there is no confirm thing in this world.. MAybe Crestar is good, but when I buy I become the suey one get the 1 in 100 with alotta problems.. And maybe Rega mostly has lousy fans, but I heng heng get a good one last me for 10 yrs? I think alot goes to heng suay one.. So well, I will just go with my heart.. Crestar most probably.. Hahahaha..

I'm quite sick or going around asking liao.. Hahahaha.. I think alot of you guys are too.. Sometimes I feel the effort spent is not worth the $10-20 u save, unless u're talking about few hundreds difference lah.. So, if the price is affordable for you, just go for it.. (And yeah, like a lotta ppl say, buy liao dun go other shops see again, arbo you find a better design or better deal sure heart pain) Hahaha..

Edited May 9, 2009 by Metalsubzero

[Metalsubzero 0]

I like that brown? grey stripe tile(common toilet)........ very classy! Nice selection and combi.

Hafary seems to have nicer selection... more unique tiles. I like the circle one too........ but not too sure will be giddy

For me I preferred Sin Lek's more.. But have to agree the brown one is classy, but dunno whether fit to my theme or not.. Hahaha.. Should be ok right? Most of my furnitures' black, kitchen cabinet will be white with black galaxy top.. And I'm afraid it wouldn't match the kitchen.. :/

Edited May 8, 2009 by Metalsubzero

[guy77 0]

ya agree tat it is tiring to go looking for the best prices. but human nature is like that. wan to save on that small amount.

but me is lazy one, dun wan to venture too far. my area is near jalan besar/ balestier, so still ok la.

[pinkpetter 0]

Ya I agree on the shopping part. I didn't go balestier all that to look. Moreover we don't drive... so it's very ex for us to go and recce prices. So We bought nearly everything from Geylang/east side area. hehe

I like the MBR tiles from Sin Lek and the Brown ones from Hafary for the common

[apples 0]

hi,

i did get my downlights 2x18w at $22 with osram bulbs.

the first question george ask me was how many we buying ..

so i think the price they quote depends on how many u going to get

[Metalsubzero 0]

hi,

i did get my downlights 2x18w at $22 with osram bulbs.

the first question george ask me was how many we buying ..

so i think the price they quote depends on how many u going to get

I'm gonna buy quite a lot too leh.. I have about 15 or so downlight points and about 10 T5s.. LOL...

Hmm.. Dunno wor, gonna ask him change to Osram.. When I asked him abt Osram, he say nwadays Osram alot from China one also.. So he using the other brand.. Can't remember liao.. :/

[Metalsubzero 0]

ya agree tat it is tiring to go looking for the best prices. but human nature is like that. wan to save on that small amount.

but me is lazy one, dun wan to venture too far. my area is near jalan besar/ balestier, so still ok la.

Lucky u.. Like pet, the nearest place to my house is Geylang.. We Eastlanders.. Lol..

Yah, human nature wanna save save save on everything, but we also tend to forget how much we spent on time and effort.. (Countless walking from shops to shops) So much so that even the price differences doesn't make it worthwhile..

[Metalsubzero 0]

Ya I agree on the shopping part. I didn't go balestier all that to look. Moreover we don't drive... so it's very ex for us to go and recce prices. So We bought nearly everything from Geylang/east side area. hehe

I like the MBR tiles from Sin Lek and the Brown ones from Hafary for the common

You got same taste as my wife leh.. Hahaha.. But I dunno how to pull the brown selections off.. Lol.. Any one has any bright ideas? I suppose the white tile is the main tile, I dunno if I should place the left one or the right one as the feature or both.. :/ The left tile is supposed to be very shiny bronze color, looks different from different angles.. Certainly doesn't look the way it turns out in the picture.. The other one is more dull, but I feel is a better match to any other colors..

[pinkpetter 0]

But that first light with crystal teardrops really pretty leh.

As for the harfary tiles.. I think the right one is better. If you want both.. you can have one strip one the right on for the WC area (outside shower area) and the left one for the shower wall where your shower stand will be

Edited May 9, 2009 by pinkpetter

[Metalsubzero 0]

But that first light with crystal teardrops really pretty leh.

As for the harfary tiles.. I think the right one is better. If you want both.. you can have one strip one the right on for the WC area (outside shower area) and the left one for the shower wall where your shower stand will be

Actually I thought about dat too, one behind WC, one shower area, but dunno whether I can pull it off.. I dun wanna find out only after everything is laid up.. LOL.. Thanks pet though for ur suggestions..!

[Metalsubzero 0]

Went to my house for the first time for the bai bai cermony, bai tu di, bai tian gong and hao xiong di.. Took more den 2 hours to do everything.. Gotta sprinkle rice and salt around the perimeter of the flat, sprinkle water with a plant called Xue Liu Hua and also drip rice wine at every point of the flat where there is a corner or door..

Pictures time!!

View of Living/Dining from Front Door

Alternative view of Living/Dining From Bedroom 1

Kitchen (The Concrete bottom cabinet)

Top cabinet

As you can see the kitchen is freaking small, so the only way to go is to hack down the wall between the service yard and kitchen.. But den again, the beam between them cannot be removed and it is so low.. Sad..

The big big pipe beside the kitchen (Service yard)

What a mess at the washing machine area

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1189/10052009721.jpg

Common toilet.. Simple.. (Didn't realise I was in the picture, so edited myself out.. Hahaha)

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/3016/100520097252.jpg

The big big pipe in the common toilet

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/3142/10052009726.jpg

The small small MBR (Didn't seem as big as when the furnitures were in)

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/4460/10052009736.jpg

View from MBR bathroom - Purple walls, eek! So many groove lines, not plastering as the walls are quite smooth, but Uncle Ah Soon says he will fill up for us.. These lines are all over the whole house, living room also have!

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9313/10052009733.jpg

View outside MBR - Not superb but still ok...

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2954/10052009724.jpg

The small small MBR bathroom where I'm gonna squeeze a shower screen and a vanity cabinet

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/3528/10052009734.jpg

Tiles gotta go.. :/

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/8642/10052009735.jpg

The pink bedroom 1

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6928/10052009741.jpg

The wardrobe left behind by the previous owner.. Now my wife doesn't want it anymore cuz the wood a bit crooked.. (See left side of the wardrobe)

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/59/10052009742.jpg

The blue bedroom 2

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/9941/10052009740.jpg

Skirting **** - Wonders where the stains can be removed... Did not see this as the previous owner had placed a dining table there..

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/313/10052009751.jpg

The super normal doors, old liao too.. Gotta go..

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/9984/10052009745.jpg

The Living and room floor tiles.. Dunno wanna change or not?! Wifey wanna change but budget duno enough or not.. I remember Uncle Ah Soon says hacking and laying tiles and skirting for homogeneous tiles around $4k plus.. Wonders if I choose to relay got discount or not.. Or lagi more freebies? Hahaha..

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/4481/10052009744.jpg

The super old school York System 3.. Previous owner says the aircon is 4-5 years old and is serviced by Gain City.. Hmm.. He suggested trying it first before deciding whether to change..

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1633/10052009737.jpg

[pinkpetter 0]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Aiyoh I love service balconies leh. I think you're lucky that at least your pipe is in the service balcony and not in the kitchen. Otherwise it'll take up even more space in your kitchen...

[Metalsubzero 0]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Aiyoh I love service balconies leh. I think you're lucky that at least your pipe is in the service balcony and not in the kitchen. Otherwise it'll take up even more space in your kitchen...

Thanks pet..

I think one part actually goes into the kitchen side leh.. But the pipes are so big.. Dunno how to conceal, I'm thinking of pusing back the L part of the bottom cabinet after the position of the existing wall between the service yard and kitchen, but with the pipes there, dunno how to pull dat off.. -___-"

Anyways, Tomorrow den can get Uncle Ah Soon to go down and see.. Cuz gotta shut the house for 3 days.. :/

Hope he can apply the permit fast fast and maybe latest next monday can start.. No wait, have to get the FSM to give the greenlight.. Actually, the FSM is last minute den decide to get one, but well, he did helped us with the opening ceremony.. Arbo both of us are real clueless about these.. Really behind my initial plans sia.. Hope to move in by end of next month.. :/

[pinkpetter 0]

mmm one of the things I like about service balcony is that it prevents the hanging laundry from marring the beautiful kitchen. haha My laundry hanging in my kitchen is a big eyesore to me.

Anyways I think if you don't hack through the service balcony then leaving the pipes is ok. But if you do, then maybe you would want to hide it in a cabinet ba. Box up and put inside a cabinet. Uncle did that for mine. He boxed it up and the bottom part of it is in my cabinet.

End of next month should be ok..

Permit (without hacking of walls) can be approved overnight. So don't worry too much about that.

[Metalsubzero 0]

mmm one of the things I like about service balcony is that it prevents the hanging laundry from marring the beautiful kitchen. haha My laundry hanging in my kitchen is a big eyesore to me.

Anyways I think if you don't hack through the service balcony then leaving the pipes is ok. But if you do, then maybe you would want to hide it in a cabinet ba. Box up and put inside a cabinet. Uncle did that for mine. He boxed it up and the bottom part of it is in my cabinet.

End of next month should be ok..

Permit (without hacking of walls) can be approved overnight. So don't worry too much about that.

Actually I think laundry is ok la.. Most houses are lidat wat, especially older ones.. Of course if my kitchen is large enough, I wouldn't contemplate hacking the wall away.. I need the space as I will need a lotta utensils, and have to find room to store things for my children.. U know la, bottle steamer ah, electric air pot ah, den still got rice cooker leh.. -__- If u look at the pic, the existing cabinets really got no space if I should put a microwave, bottle steamer, rice cooker, electric air pot.. No space for cooking liao! Hahaha... :/

Yah, I will box the pipes up, Uncle already knows dat's what we want.. The problem is if I want to extend the L to the area in the service yard, the pipes are already there, Dunno how the L will be on the bottom cabinet since the pipes will most probably be at the 90 degree angle on the L shape.. Dunno u get what I mean..

Gonna be hacking the s/yard wall, confirmed.. Den the concrete cabinet also hack.. Also shifting the common toilet door slightly inside to the kitchen to accomodate the new kitchen door..