The Cave

[curryqueen 0]

After lurking in this forum for more than a year, I've decided to start a T-blog to increase the number of 3rm reno blogs in the forum.

Not sure how frequently I can update the blog, but for now, here is the flr plan:

It's a low floor, corridor unit that is just 2 minutes walk from the Serangoon Circle Line interchange and just down the road from my parents.

The gd thing about my unit is that I only have 1 corner unit neighbour on my side of the floor. There are 2 other units on the other side of the floor but we are separated by a VERY LONG corridor. No lift yet though, so must climb up.

Second appointment is in late June, so will probably need to start sourcing for contractors soon. Reading so many blogs on IDs and contractors has gotten me a little stressed out with all the possible things that could go wrong.. but will take things as they come... praying that I will be able to find a gd & honest contractor that can work within the very small budget I have in mind.

One thing I would definitely want is to paint 1 living room wall & perhaps the entire common bedroom in matte black (hence the moniker "The Cave" for my flat). I have lots of bks, anime figurines, paintings, etc to display, so am not too worried abt the flat being too dark and dull... I'm quite sick of white. The only place where white will be seen is on the ceiling, toilets and kitchen.

Edited May 12, 2010 by curryqueen

[lilithfiend 0]

another 3-roomer..welcome and congrats on your new flat!

[newnyew 1]

welcome curryqueen!

wa i feel hungry liao, seeing ur nick

[ossify 1]

welcome fellow 3mer

[Zelly 0]

welcome curryqueen!

wa i feel hungry liao, seeing ur nick

Esp seeing the nick before just before dinner. Curry best with lorti!

Welcome welcome!

I love serangoon area! Your place should be between ave2 and 3 right?

[Mickey M 0]

welcome curryqueen!

wa i feel hungry liao, seeing ur nick

Curryqueen, run run. Don't let New New eat u. Lol.

Welcome to Renotalk.

[leechaorui 2]

Welcome CurryQueen. Hope to learn more from your T/Blog reno experience.

[curryqueen 0]

Thanks all for the warm welcome!

@Zelly: yes, around ave2 & 3

@Rondy: Red, green yellow... all can! Except japanese curry... that one is what I call "pian geen na" type of curry..no kick one.

@Mickey M: New New won't eat me one lah.. she very nice one, hor?Btw, I think your flat is really cool! really like your green wall!

@Ossify& lilithfiend: Thanks thanks, fellow 3rmers! Will need your help to get lobangs in the near future! Lilthfiend, have you managed to find your windows yet?

Here's what I've been thinking of doing:

• Hack skirting for LVR, CBR & MBR

Change wiring & piping

Change BR & LVR windows & grilles. Remove grilles for Kitchen & MBR

Extend MBR toilet out, with basin outside ,WC & Shower area remaining where they are (my MBR toilet will have no doors!)

Raise MBR toilet flooring (except the shower area) to be level with MBR

Change all the toilet stuff (WC, basin & Shower) Have s/s draincover (cannot stand the white plastic one that turns yellow over time)

Do water proofing for the toilets. (need to do for kitchen?)

Spray paint floors of the 2 toilets & kitchen

Hack off kitchen cabinet, change rubbish chute to the flat type.

Change store room doors to sliding ( currently it's those accordion PVC type)

Seal up CBR's door opening(may insert display shelving there since already got 1 hole) & knock another opening facing the LVR

Have sliding panels as doors for CBR & MBR

Plaster & paint any walls not covered with tiles or furniture

Use industrial pipes and mdf boards to do full-length wardrobe & full-length, wall to wall shelving area in CBR for TV, books, etc

Do kitchen bottom cabinets with aluminum trim & s/s countertop

Glass splash back

have a 2-1 inverter aircon

Ceiling fans for the 2 bedrms & LVR

Now, question is can I do all these with less than $20K?

Edited May 12, 2010 by curryqueen

[lilithfiend 0]

Thanks all for the warm welcome!

@Zelly: yes, around ave2 & 3

@Rondy: Red, green yellow... all can! Except japanese curry... that one is what I call "pian geen na" type of curry..no kick one.

@Mickey M: New New won't eat me one lah.. she very nice one, hor?Btw, I think your flat is really cool! really like your green wall!

@Ossify& lilithfiend: Thanks thanks, fellow 3rmers! Will need your help to get lobangs in the near future! Lilthfiend, have you managed to find your windows yet? my windows will be fabricated by my renovator..they promised to give us drawings before they fabricate them..hopefully will turn out like we expect! i spoke to a few window people but none are able to do what we want..

Here's what I've been thinking of doing:

• Hack skirting for LVR, CBR & MBR

Change wiring & piping

Change BR & LVR windows & grilles. Remove grilles for Kitchen & MBR

Extend MBR toilet out, with basin outside ,WC & Shower area remaining where they are (my MBR toilet will have no doors!)

Raise MBR toilet flooring (except the shower area) to be level with MBR

Change all the toilet stuff (WC, basin & Shower) Have s/s draincover (cannot stand the white plastic one that turns yellow over time)

Do water proofing for the toilets. (need to do for kitchen?)

Spray paint floors of the 2 toilets & kitchen

Hack off kitchen cabinet, change rubbish chute to the flat type.

Change store room doors to sliding ( currently it's those accordion PVC type)

Seal up CBR's door opening(may insert display shelving there since already got 1 hole) & knock another opening facing the LVR

Have sliding panels as doors for CBR & MBR

Plaster & paint any walls not covered with tiles or furniture

Use industrial pipes and mdf boards to do full-length wardrobe & full-length, wall to wall shelving area in CBR for TV, books, etc

Do kitchen bottom cabinets with aluminum trim & s/s countertop

Glass splash back

have a 2-1 inverter aircon

Ceiling fans for the 2 bedrms & LVR

Now, question is can I do all these with less than $20K?

think will be kinda tight, but worth a shot..seems like you're not gonna hack the flooring? if you're not hacking your kitchen floor, then i think no need to waterproof. your kitchen cabinets sounds like what gimz & baby are doing, can read their blog to see pics. be warned that s/steel countertop will cost.

[gimz63251073 0]

Here's what I've been thinking of doing:

• Hack skirting for LVR, CBR & MBR -- need to include cost for make good after hacking. If contractor damage tiles while hacking then might have trouble finding matching tiles.

Change wiring & piping -- piping as in those PVC big pipes or the water pipes? Wiring as in rewire whole house?

Change BR & LVR windows & grilles. Remove grilles for Kitchen & MBR -- no grilles! We also!

Extend MBR toilet out, with basin outside ,WC & Shower area remaining where they are (my MBR toilet will have no doors!)

Raise MBR toilet flooring (except the shower area) to be level with MBR -- have to check with HDB if levelling is allowed, esp in wet areas..

Change all the toilet stuff (WC, basin & Shower) Have s/s draincover (cannot stand the white plastic one that turns yellow over time)

Do water proofing for the toilets. (need to do for kitchen?)

Spray paint floors of the 2 toilets & kitchen -- spray paint would act as a layer of waterproof. But of cos not as durable.

Hack off kitchen cabinet, change rubbish chute to the flat type.

Change store room doors to sliding ( currently it's those accordion PVC type) -- store room have sufficient space to slide? can get a cheapo swing hollow door if want to save $. No need for good doors in storeroom in my opinion.

Seal up CBR's door opening(may insert display shelving there since already got 1 hole) & knock another opening facing the LVR

Have sliding panels as doors for CBR & MBR

Plaster & paint any walls not covered with tiles or furniture

Use industrial pipes and mdf boards to do full-length wardrobe & full-length, wall to wall shelving area in CBR for TV, books, etc -- what kind of pipes are you looking at... copper? i also wanted to do a bookshelf or storage using pipes... but worried about maintenance as copper will rust...right now i plan to use some left over conduit pipes to make a small shoe rack.

Do kitchen bottom cabinets with aluminum trim & s/s countertop -- going for the uncluttered look? me 2! now cabinets almost done..

Glass splash back

have a 2-1 inverter aircon -- can get non-inverter if not a heavy user

Ceiling fans for the 2 bedrms & LVR -- i suggest KDK! simple looking and powerful.

Now, question is can I do all these with less than $20K?

please see my KPO comments in green..

i must tell my parents that 3 roomers are increasingly getting popular! haha....

$20k enough or not also depends on the stuff you are doing (need more details) and the stuff you are buying (lights, hob, WC, basins, showers, hood, taps..etc)

noticed that you also did not include main door and grilles..?

Hacking of walls to create a new opening will cause some damage to the floor and since you are not doing your living room floor, there will be a patch there..you might want to consider it again..

many things to consider...since you have floor plan, can go around collecting quotations already!

[lilithfiend 0]

hey curryqueen, i just realised you wanted to do a bookshelf using pipes! that's a fantastic idea!! i actually have this picture in my "inspirations" folder as posted in my blog some time ago.

Behold the copper pipes bookshelf:

G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S!!

[newnyew 1]

Curryqueen, run run. Don't let New New eat u. Lol.

Welcome to Renotalk.

MM, u becoming rondy liao! virus!

[curryqueen 0]

hey curryqueen, i just realised you wanted to do a bookshelf using pipes! that's a fantastic idea!! i actually have this picture in my "inspirations" folder as posted in my blog some time ago.

Behold the copper pipes bookshelf:

G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S!!

yah yah! I was drooling when I saw this on your T-blog.

I have been following this amazing blog where this couple did their shelving with pipes and wooden boards.. got instructions some more!

See this linkDIY Pipe Shelving They also gravelled their own driveway, did the porch slated shelter, etc... quite fascinating!

I also like this:

BTW, how you do make your photos bigger in photo bucket? mine very small..

Edited May 11, 2010 by curryqueen

[lilithfiend 0]

very cool, that link.. makes me wanna go and start one of those myself..

anyway, your photobucket images are coming out small cos you're copying the thumbnail link. you need to look for the proper image link and copy that instead..

for example, you copied & pasted this:

[url="http://s926.photobucket.com/albums/ad109/pixieseet/The%20Cave%202010/?action=view&current=zenit-libreria-bookcase-for-living-.jpg"][img=http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad109/pixieseet/The%20Cave%202010/th_zenit-libreria-bookcase-for-living-.jpg][/url]

but you should have copied & pasted this:

[img=http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad109/pixieseet/The%20Cave%202010/zenit-libreria-bookcase-for-living-.jpg]

HTH!

Edited May 11, 2010 by lilithfiend

[curryqueen 0]

please see my KPO comments in green..

i must tell my parents that 3 roomers are increasingly getting popular! haha....

$20k enough or not also depends on the stuff you are doing (need more details) and the stuff you are buying (lights, hob, WC, basins, showers, hood, taps..etc)

noticed that you also did not include main door and grilles..?

Hacking of walls to create a new opening will cause some damage to the floor and since you are not doing your living room floor, there will be a patch there..you might want to consider it again..

many things to consider...since you have floor plan, can go around collecting quotations already!

Wah... how did you put your colored comments into the quote? Must learn from you all.. I'm a techno dinosaur when it comes to all these.

I plan to change ALL piping n wiring. The owners had stayed there for more than 13 years liao so i think will have to change everything.

Sliding dr for storerm: Plan to get 2 panels.. 1 slide to the left, the other slide to the right. Dun intend to laminate those doors. Just paint them over. Door can be simple MDF or fibreboard...Can't get swing dr as it takes up space.

Yah... aiming to be uncluttered for kitchen.. I think that the more storage you have.. the more you will stuff things inside and will forget abt them. But may add a shelving on the top... so that the things I usually use will be in sight...See how first... looking forward to see your kitchen!

Am currently using baby KDK for my bedrm with remote.. Agree its very powerful, but once i put to second speed it gets a bit noisy (got the "whup whup" noise)... I'm thinking of fanco aroma or maybe the amasco empire. Not sure how gd amasco empire is though...

Air-con: really thinking abt inverter or non-inverter. I seldom use.. but because I'm a very light sleeper when the non-inverter air-con start and stop, I will sure wake up one. Maybe should have 1 inverter and 1 non-inverter for the CMBR (coz that one is for guests).

Not planning to change my main dr & gate. Will probably just repaint them white (it's currently a hideous brown colour). I love my old HDB door! Still got the glass panel on top! Am thinking of doing some glass painting there.

Edited May 12, 2010 by curryqueen