A Home In Singapore

[ngunadi 2]

I am always the silent surfer of renotalk. But let me contribute a little bit of my renovation journey.

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30 December 2009

Finally, the missus and I are going to have place to settle down. We have done the necessary paperwork on the HDB 1st appointment. Now, it's 8 more weeks before the renovation starts.

It takes awfully long period from the case registration and the 1st appointment. Now, the missus and I are actually preparing for our renovation. We are hoping that the renovation could start 1-2 days after the keys handover. We would to quickly start the renovation to quickly settle the house. Who doesn't want to have his own place? On another note, my mum also pushed me not to move-in on April due to qing ming.

My wife is a designer so naturally she takes charge of all the designing. While I am in charge of butting-in and argue with her for practicality sake . Both of us agreed to save cost by minimize the renovation. As such, we are inclined to just hire contractor.

The main job for the renovation would be:

1. Total renovation of master bathroom and common bathroom. Both are dirty and not usable. Beyond redemption.
2. Conversion of outdoor balcony to be study area. I insist to have a designated study area.
3. Change the kitchen counter top, stove and sink. Too old so need to be updated.
4. Change of 10 years old aircon. Too old also.
5. Touch up of the wall & ceiling painting, cabinets' painting and marble polishing.

Minimal renovation right?

Edited January 18, 2010 by ngunadi

[ngunadi 2]

The Layout

The Works

DEMOLITION WORKS

[KITCHEN] Hack sink, stove and countertop

[LIVING ROOM] Hack built-in furniture and feature wall (gypsum)

[2 TOILETS] Hack floor tiles

[2 TOILETS] Hack wall tiles

[bEDROOM 2] Hack all built-in furnitures

[bEDROOM 3] Hack study desk and bed-frame

[MASTER BEDROOM] Hack bed-frame and headboard and vanity table

[bALCONY] Remove glass door

[ALL] Haulage (Compulsory)

MASONRY

[TOILETS] Supply and lay wall tiles

[TOILETS] Supply and lay floor tiles (includes waterproofing)

[bALCONY] Supply and lay floor tiles

WOODWORKS & WETWORKS

[KITCHEN] Install cooker hob

[TOILET] Supply and install glass shower screen

[TOILET] Supply and change aluminium bifold door

[TOILET] Supply/install new vanity counter with solid surface

CARPENTRY

[KITCHEN] Supply and install 2 doors for kitchen cabinet

[KITCHEN] Design, supply and install Solid Surface

[LIVING ROOM] Supply and install feature wall with gypsum with paint finish, L 2.4m H +/- 2.7m

[DINING ROOM] Box up the power cable

[DINING ROOM] Install mirror L 1m H 2m (5 nos)

[bALCONY] Box up the pipe

[TOILET] Supply and install cabinet

PAINTING WORKS

[ALL] Plaster wall (If necessary)

[ALL] Dulux/ICI paint for all internal wall and ceiling with 2 colours warm white and brown

[KITCHEN] Paint kitchen cabinets and change door handles

[MASTER BEDROOM] Paint cabinets and change door handes

[LIVING ROOM] Paint shoes cabinets

PLUMBING

[COMMON TOILET] Supply labour to install one toilet bowls, one basin and one water heater

[MASTER TOILET] Supply labour to install one toilet bowls, one basin and one water heater and glass shower screen

[KITCHEN] Install sink and tap

OTHERS

[KITCHEN] Supply and install black glass backsplash panel @ kitchen stove +/- 3.8m

[ALL] Change whole house window locks

[bALCONY] Supply and install aluminium windows +/- 4m run

[bALCONY] Supply and install aluminium white casement windows blue-tinted glass

[LIVING ROOM & DINING ROOM & BEDROOM] Marble Polishing

[MASTER & COMMON BEDROOM] Installation of Inverter Air-conditioner 3 System

[ALL] Cleaning and Chemical Wash

ELECTRICAL

[ALL] Supply and rewire ceiling lighting points + install lights (X nos)

[ALL] Supply and change all existing electrical sockets

[ALL] Supply and change new electrical sockets (additional double @$60, single @$50)"

[ALL] Supply and install 1 SCV point

[ALL] Supply and install 1 telephone point

Edited January 7, 2010 by ngunadi

[ossify 1]

Hi welcome to RT

Your reno looks like overhaul, but not as bad as mine.

Who's your contractor?

[ngunadi 2]

Thanks.

We have not found contractor yet. I have contacted some but yet to meet them.

Is it really overhaul? We try to minimize as much as possible so the main job is only on both toilets. The other works are just touch-up to make it presentable.

Hopefully all can be done below $15k. Otherwise, I would cut down other works like the kitchen countertop and stove. I think the sink really has to change.

I would post the current house photos once we get our keys (fingers crossed)

ps: I saw your eubiq solution. It's really cool. I want to install it in my tv cabinet and study table. For kitchen, I already allocated 4 power sockets for each side of the kitchen. But I think eubiq has to wait until all the renovation is completed.

Edited January 7, 2010 by ngunadi

[SGK 0]

Welcome to renotalk, and happy reno . Your wife is an Interior Designer?

[ngunadi 2]

@Thank you. She is an architect so can do Interior Design. And her current work also deals with design. So, she takes over the design role.

[ossify 1]

Thanks.

We have not found contractor yet. I have contacted some but yet to meet them.

Is it really overhaul? We try to minimize as much as possible so the main job is only on both toilets. The other works are just touch-up to make it presentable.

Hopefully all can be done below $15k. Otherwise, I would cut down other works like the kitchen countertop and stove. I think the sink really has to change.

I would post the current house photos once we get our keys (fingers crossed)

ps: I saw your eubiq solution. It's really cool. I want to install it in my tv cabinet and study table. For kitchen, I already allocated 4 power sockets for each side of the kitchen. But I think eubiq has to wait until all the renovation is completed.

I hope you can get quotations below $15k too. Try emailing designerhouse@pacifi­c.net.sg and get their quote. If I were to not DIY, I would have hired them

Eubiq isn't cheap unless you get it off the shelf at about $300 per set. For me, I am buying directly from Eubiq so Eubiq will install for me. They just need me to leave the wires for them. So I asked my electrician to run trunking and wires to the locations that I want to install the Eubiq track. It's great as I can incorporate my RJ22, RJ45 and my power into one whole system. If you get off the shelf, you can wait till all the reno is done, but you won't be able to incorporate the various adaptors, which would be rather missing the point of Eubiq...

[bigeyedfish 0]

Hi, welcome to RT =)

At first it looks like a simple reno but when you see the amount of work to be done, it is actually quite an overhaul.

I thought my reno could be minimal too but having to change this and that, it became quite a major reno.

[ngunadi 2]

I hope you can get quotations below $15k too. Try emailing designerhouse@pacifi­c.net.sg and get their quote. If I were to not DIY, I would have hired them

Eubiq isn't cheap unless you get it off the shelf at about $300 per set. For me, I am buying directly from Eubiq so Eubiq will install for me. They just need me to leave the wires for them. So I asked my electrician to run trunking and wires to the locations that I want to install the Eubiq track. It's great as I can incorporate my RJ22, RJ45 and my power into one whole system. If you get off the shelf, you can wait till all the reno is done, but you won't be able to incorporate the various adaptors, which would be rather missing the point of Eubiq...

Thanks, I will do that. Are they contractor or an ID?

I still don't really understand the Eubiq products range. Their website is not exactly helpful. If i get off the shelf, I can only incorporate the power adapters?

I saw that Eubiq can include data but most probably I would not use it as my data. I would use Wireless-N as no budget to install gigabit LAN for the whole house.

Hi, welcome to RT =)

At first it looks like a simple reno but when you see the amount of work to be done, it is actually quite an overhaul.

I thought my reno could be minimal too but having to change this and that, it became quite a major reno.

I guess u have a point. That's why I am eager to get any quotation back so I can adjust whether the reno works.

[Supersimon27 2]

The Layout

Welcome to Rt - Blog . Yr living room look huge !

[ngunadi 2]

@Supersimon27 ... Thanks. We even thinking to put some full-height mirror on the Dining Area side to make it perceived even bigger

PS: I could be joining the henner club soon. Yet to see him and other contractors for discussions and quotations

[Supersimon27 2]

@Supersimon27 ... Thanks. We even thinking to put some full-height mirror on the Dining Area side to make it perceived even bigger

PS: I could be joining the henner club soon. Yet to see him and other contractors for discussions and quotations

I see . need his contact jus pm any of us. Cheer

[ngunadi 2]

I have just met 2 contractors over the weekend. One of them did a reno on my fren's place. They are quite friendly (since we haven't pressurized or made any strange requests yet, if any. )

I have tried to contact Henry from I.D.Note or Jason from UBReno. I am disappointed with their response. I called/emailed/sms but none of them get back to me. I know they are busy now but I told them my reno would start after CNY. At least they should called me back or something?

On the other hand, if they are already too busy now, I wonder when I engage them, would they be able to delivery on schedule (with give and take several days)?

So maybe we won't engage them after all.

After I get the quotation, I would summarize my findings

[ngunadi 2]

We just received the 1st quotation. I guess we definitely need to cut down on some items. I just want to ask some questions:

1. Is the cost of hacking so expensive until S$1850?

2. Is the cost of PAINTING kitchen cabinet make sense?

3. Need to replace kitchen/2 toilets with s/steel pipe?

4. Cost of plumbing toilet bowl + tap + mixer = $150/toilet. Seems expensive.

5. I still have to pay the cost for them to clean up after reno? :S

6. He never include the kitchen counter-top.

1. To supply labour and tools to Hack and Dispose:

a. 2 x Bath room’s wall & floor tiles,WC / basins S$1,000.00

b. existing TV console, children bed & study table in Bedroom 3, full Bed Set in Bedroom 2. S$850.00

2 Haulage and tiles delivery from downstairs to work site S$200.00

i. Painting 20pcs of existing Kitchen cabinet doors & 4pcs drawer door. S$1,900.00

Edited January 17, 2010 by ngunadi

[ossify 1]

heh bro, welcome to reno

different contractors view you as different size carrot, some see big carrot, some see small carrot...

i. Painting 20pcs of existing Kitchen cabinet doors & 4pcs drawer door. S$1,900.00

at this price, i can buy 422 cans of Nippon spraypaint to paint your cabinet doors

on second thoughts, i buy 22 cans, the other 400 cans, i keep as kopi $