Our First Home At Yishun (5i)

[donal5 0]

Hi All, we recently bought a resale flat at Yishun after a very long search.

First appointment: 14 Dec 2010

Second appointment: End of Jan 2011 or Beginning of Feb 2011

So reno will have to start after Chinese New Year.

Here is the floorplan:

Currently still looking for ID/Contractor. We went to a few IDs (PL, Ideal Hse, A&D, Vogue) and Contractors , so far IDs not very impressive as we bump into young or new ones most of the time The first impressions are mostly asking how we want to do the design. I thought they are the pros

At the moment only 2 quotes came in, one from ID PL and one from a contractor recommended by my friend. The quotes from PL is kind of high, will meet the ID today to see the design.

So far, we have a feeling that contractor maybe more suitable for us since our budget is tight (around 35k), although this budget may seem a bit tight for the floor size we have.

What we intend to do:

- Electrical rewiring

- Plumbing

- Total reno of 2 bathrooms and kitchen

- Create a doorway between bedroom 3 and master bedroom

- Hack and change all the tiles in living room and all bedrooms to homogenous

- False ceiling or L box in living room and bedroom 3 (This will be where the bed is)

- Built in wardrobe in master bedroom and bedroom 2

Thanks to bro Steelze, who has been helping us with advice here and there. We have a lot of similarities in floorplan and budget

[donal5 0]

Met with my ID from PL today, the quote is a bit too high more than 45k, of course with a lot of unnecessary stuff and glass doors in kitchen and bedroom separation door, which we dont like. The homogenous tiles for living and bedroom is quoted $7/sqft with labor. This is expensive, I told him this is too much. I think I can get better price. Maybe some forumers can give some advice if this is expensive or not.

We also met with Edmund from DX today. We told him roughly what we want and he is very experienced. He told us what to do and what cannot be done.

Hope to get better quote from him.

Looking at the quotes from the ID, I am a bit doubtful if I can get anything below 40k from IDs.

[neubie 2]

Met with my ID from PL today, the quote is a bit too high more than 45k, of course with a lot of unnecessary stuff and glass doors in kitchen and bedroom separation door, which we dont like. The homogenous tiles for living and bedroom is quoted $7/sqft with labor. This is expensive, I told him this is too much. I think I can get better price. Maybe some forumers can give some advice if this is expensive or not.

We also met with Edmund from DX today. We told him roughly what we want and he is very experienced. He told us what to do and what cannot be done.

Hope to get better quote from him.

Looking at the quotes from the ID, I am a bit doubtful if I can get anything below 40k from IDs.

tiles are usually charged at $3 ~ $3.5 psf and labor is charged at $3.5psf. so not really that expensive.

[gals_mama 0]

Met with my ID from PL today, the quote is a bit too high more than 45k, of course with a lot of unnecessary stuff and glass doors in kitchen and bedroom separation door, which we dont like. The homogenous tiles for living and bedroom is quoted $7/sqft with labor. This is expensive, I told him this is too much. I think I can get better price. Maybe some forumers can give some advice if this is expensive or not.

We also met with Edmund from DX today. We told him roughly what we want and he is very experienced. He told us what to do and what cannot be done.

Hope to get better quote from him.

Looking at the quotes from the ID, I am a bit doubtful if I can get anything below 40k from IDs.

Our budget also went up from 30k to 35k and now the final bill is 42k plus. That is despite us keep cutting stuff. BTW ours is a ID job. In my opinion, if u know the colours and design which u want, go for contractors.

[donal5 0]

@neubie: So I guess we have to see what the ID can cut down. He is going to revise the quotes for the excessive carpentry work (cabinets, shelves, suspended study desk, a lot of ceiling work) and the glass doors. BTW 45k is without electrical wiring.

@gals_mama: Yea, we are waiting for a few more quotes from contractor (DX and Basic Image). If things work out, I guess this is the better route for us. Getting very expensive, I guess if we keep the same it will be close to 50k with the electrical wiring.

Wah yours goes to 42k? Yours is a 4-room right? Do you have a lot of carpentry work?

[steelze 0]

heyy donal5, welcome to t-blog! didnt see ur thread until now. paisay paisay.. hope u have a fruitful weeks sourcing ur ID /contractors.

Since IDs hard to match ur 35k budget, u may wanna try contractors. personally, i think neubie quote very good. haha. or u may wanna try vincent from ideas4room. he quoted me 36k for everything previously...

take ur time.. the right ID /contractor will appear somehow.

[donal5 0]

heyy donal5, welcome to t-blog! didnt see ur thread until now. paisay paisay.. hope u have a fruitful weeks sourcing ur ID /contractors.

Since IDs hard to match ur 35k budget, u may wanna try contractors. personally, i think neubie quote very good. haha. or u may wanna try vincent from ideas4room. he quoted me 36k for everything previously...

take ur time.. the right ID /contractor will appear somehow.

No problem Steelze, in fact, thanks for all the info. Now, after talking to DX and Basic Image, we are going to drop the idea of getting ID. Some IDs really dont have technical background on what can be done or not. Anyway, most IDs, or I should say almost all the IDs we went (around 6) do not get back to us until now (2 weeks alrdy), except Plush Living. We are getting tired of going all over Singapore for IDs, also getting sick some more.

The quotes from contractors I got is about 33k plus minus here and there. This sounds quite ok for us.

Going for 1st app next Tuesday, hopefully the owner say the tenant have moved out alrdy or moving out soon, so I can ask contractors to go in and measure. Getting excited

How's your reno going? I bet it is almost halfway right?

[steelze 0]

hi donal5, how's ur reno sourcing progress? =)

[mistgun 0]

Hi All, we recently bought a resale flat at Yishun after a very long search.

First appointment: 14 Dec 2010

Second appointment: End of Jan 2011 or Beginning of Feb 2011

So reno will have to start after Chinese New Year.

Here is the floorplan:

Currently still looking for ID/Contractor. We went to a few IDs (PL, Ideal Hse, A&D, Vogue) and Contractors , so far IDs not very impressive as we bump into young or new ones most of the time The first impressions are mostly asking how we want to do the design. I thought they are the pros

At the moment only 2 quotes came in, one from ID PL and one from a contractor recommended by my friend. The quotes from PL is kind of high, will meet the ID today to see the design.

So far, we have a feeling that contractor maybe more suitable for us since our budget is tight (around 35k), although this budget may seem a bit tight for the floor size we have.

What we intend to do:

- Electrical rewiring

- Plumbing

- Total reno of 2 bathrooms and kitchen

- Create a doorway between bedroom 3 and master bedroom

- Hack and change all the tiles in living room and all bedrooms to homogenous

- False ceiling or L box in living room and bedroom 3 (This will be where the bed is)

- Built in wardrobe in master bedroom and bedroom 2

Thanks to bro Steelze, who has been helping us with advice here and there. We have a lot of similarities in floorplan and budget

How much you purchased for this unit? Welcome to Yishun..

[donal5 0]

@Steelze, we have shortlisted a few contractors. Did not go any further yet, both my wife and I are falling sick. Going for 1st app tomorrow, then can ask seller when are the tenants moving out so we can bring the contractors to do detail measurement. Bought a bed last weekend though... hahaha... How's your reno? Pls post some pics of the progress.

@Mistgun, we bought it for 412k total.

[maxwell207 0]

we hav similar story .. i just went my 1st app and gettin key on end of jan and ours 5I too ... i have not contacted any contractors/id yet . i always feel that id ll be more exx. correct me if i m wrong.. so maybe ll just go thru with contractors.. if you find one, can pm me .. thzzz

alrdy bought the bed? wt is the damage

[donal5 0]

Hi maxwell207, welcome to RT and congrats on your house. During the 1st app, the owners agree to hand over the keys on Jan 25th, getting excited...

Yes, after looking at quotes from several IDs, I dont think I can get an ID with a price close to the contractors. Plus getting really tired also. Maybe I am not fated with IDs, cause most of the IDs I went to did not get back to me and the ones get back to me is quite exp.

Yea, we got our bed while looking for other furniture... got a king size bed w/ frame for $2.3k frm Courts. My friend told me that I can get cheaper price in the furniture warehouses in Sungei Kadut. Too bad... alrdy pay deposit... Maybe some other furniture I can get from there.

[spartan83 0]

Hi maxwell207, welcome to RT and congrats on your house. During the 1st app, the owners agree to hand over the keys on Jan 25th, getting excited...

Yes, after looking at quotes from several IDs, I dont think I can get an ID with a price close to the contractors. Plus getting really tired also. Maybe I am not fated with IDs, cause most of the IDs I went to did not get back to me and the ones get back to me is quite exp.

Yea, we got our bed while looking for other furniture... got a king size bed w/ frame for $2.3k frm Courts. My friend told me that I can get cheaper price in the furniture warehouses in Sungei Kadut. Too bad... alrdy pay deposit... Maybe some other furniture I can get from there.

Hi Donal5,

I got a contact for quite reasonable quotation for my 5-rm from this forum, have touch base with this company-Vangard, they quoted me 27-28K+, from wat i understand, they provide project management and still take care of design aesthetics. maybe in your case, you can check them out. Perhaps u can mention that u were referred by me, and i may get some referral comm. haha! PM me if you want the contact.

cheers!

[maxwell207 0]

Hi maxwell207, welcome to RT and congrats on your house. During the 1st app, the owners agree to hand over the keys on Jan 25th, getting excited...

Yes, after looking at quotes from several IDs, I dont think I can get an ID with a price close to the contractors. Plus getting really tired also. Maybe I am not fated with IDs, cause most of the IDs I went to did not get back to me and the ones get back to me is quite exp.

Yea, we got our bed while looking for other furniture... got a king size bed w/ frame for $2.3k frm Courts. My friend told me that I can get cheaper price in the furniture warehouses in Sungei Kadut. Too bad... alrdy pay deposit... Maybe some other furniture I can get from there.

i went to those Sungei warehouse before.. most of them cannot make it .. or maybe i dont know where to shop

[donal5 0]

Hi All... just realized that the wall in my house has lines as shown below. Any suggestions on how to fill the line? I asked my contractor, but he said even if I fill it up, after some time, a crack line will show up. Help please... thanks...