My Dream Home@bk

[May_dream1 14]

Dear all,

After reading all the t-blog and topics, i also decided to write down all my steps in getting my dream house. I am excited and there are frustrating moments and happy moments. Just want to share with everyone my experience, especially those that are planning to get their own dream home too.

To me, getting this flat was a miracle. Firstly, i was not eligible to buy a hdb flat due to my age but as i am all alone in Singapore, my appeal went through for me to get my own flat. It was such a relieve as i have been renting rooms or flats for the past decade. Finally i am able to buy my own home!!!

Then to the process of choosing a right flat for my budget. After looking through all the ads, decided that hougang was a good place due to the price and location. After viewing a few, none was appealling to me. My sister suggested somewhere nearer to town so went to look for ads nearer as in Serangoon, Potong Pasir and even Boon Keng. Finally on one evening, decided to view this flat which i fall in love with immediately. The next day i got the OTP.

[May_dream1 14]

Here is my floor plan:

[berry_surprise 0]

i'm looking forward to your new place (already)!

[May_dream1 14]

i'm looking forward to your new place (already)!

Thanks, Berry. I am excited too

[May_dream1 14]

My progress so far:

i have met up with 3 designers and 3 contractors. Only given quotes for 2 of the designers which are in the range of $50-60k. A bit tad expensive and now i have to rethink about all that i want to do and where i can save money. Definitely having such expensive renovation is not very friendly to my wallet.

Here are some pictures taken when i went to sign the OTP. Nice view and i love the quietness and yet convenient to mrt station.

[May_dream1 14]

Must do:

I think kitchen and toilets are the must do.

And i want to do open concept kitchen. That means, most probably will have to change the living room as well. With hacking of walls in bedrooms into 1 big master bedroom, also means that i have to redo the master bedroom. All these added to be such high costs.

[reglxt 0]

Congrats to you

hope your reno will be smooth sailing

[Nuar 0]

Hi, May_dream1,

I came to check your reno blog!

And I must tell, that I looooove your floorplan! That's the type of flat I would buy if I was looking for 4rm flat! - no coridors, no walkways, just simple squarish design. I think open concept kitchen would fit perfectly!

Congratulations!

Hope your reno will start soon! Did you decide on the theme/consept already?

[May_dream1 14]

Hi, May_dream1,

I came to check your reno blog!

And I must tell, that I looooove your floorplan! That's the type of flat I would buy if I was looking for 4rm flat! - no coridors, no walkways, just simple squarish design. I think open concept kitchen would fit perfectly!

Congratulations!

Hope your reno will start soon! Did you decide on the theme/consept already?

Thanks Nuar. a few IDs told me that my floor plan is not that good cos the living/dining is too long. L shaped sofa will have difficulties to place.

but i love the MBR cos the attached bathroom is not "eating" into the space of the bedroom.

My reno will only starts in March. My ideal dream home might have to be thrown out of the windows due to budget constrain.

[Nuar 0]

Thanks Nuar. a few IDs told me that my floor plan is not that good cos the living/dining is too long. L shaped sofa will have difficulties to place.

but i love the MBR cos the attached bathroom is not "eating" into the space of the bedroom.

My reno will only starts in March. My ideal dream home might have to be thrown out of the windows due to budget constrain.

Hi, May_dream1, well, long living room - nevermind. If you really decide to go for open concept kitchen - it will make space more squarish. Alternatively you can just split living room into two sections, without phisically deviding the room of course. It will also be nice.

hehe. Dream home is always too pricely somehow. I guess it all depends on how long you are going to stay in that flat - if it's a long-term purchase, it's best to make your home as homely and as high-quality as possible, so that you can live there comfortably for the next 5-10-15-20 years or longer.

In my case, we intend to stay in 3rm from 5 to 10 years. So, will try to make reno as nice as possible, but keeping the budget to the minimum (but must not compromize on quality though).

[May_dream1 14]

Hi, May_dream1, well, long living room - nevermind. If you really decide to go for open concept kitchen - it will make space more squarish. Alternatively you can just split living room into two sections, without phisically deviding the room of course. It will also be nice.

hehe. Dream home is always too pricely somehow. I guess it all depends on how long you are going to stay in that flat - if it's a long-term purchase, it's best to make your home as homely and as high-quality as possible, so that you can live there comfortably for the next 5-10-15-20 years or longer.

In my case, we intend to stay in 3rm from 5 to 10 years. So, will try to make reno as nice as possible, but keeping the budget to the minimum (but must not compromize on quality though).

still thinking of how to make it nicer without spending too much. i want to stay as long as possible, if can be 20 years, then 20 years it will be. Basically just waiting for govt to en bloc it. hahahahaah..... i don't like to keep on moving... so that is why i am trying to make it as high quality as possible.

[neubie 2]

still thinking of how to make it nicer without spending too much. i want to stay as long as possible, if can be 20 years, then 20 years it will be. Basically just waiting for govt to en bloc it. hahahahaah..... i don't like to keep on moving... so that is why i am trying to make it as high quality as possible.

If it's long term staying, then it will be worth the effort spend more & do up nicely. One time pain, bite the bullet n do it. The worst thing is to face with something for the next 20yrs which u regretted not doing it in the first place.

I think for four/five roomers, highly unlikely will enbloc.

[May_dream1 14]

If it's long term staying, then it will be worth the effort spend more & do up nicely. One time pain, bite the bullet n do it. The worst thing is to face with something for the next 20yrs which u regretted not doing it in the first place.

I think for four/five roomers, highly unlikely will enbloc.

really?? not ever? i guess no point thinking about that for now. i rather able to stay there as long as possible.

[manutd1972 1]

hmm....if this was my floorplan, and i'm staying alone......i would:

1) maintain living/kitchen wall (refer to Pt 2 for reason)

2) hack walls between living/bedroom 2/store, and combine all 3 spaces into 1 huge living space. Tt's why i'll keep the living/kitchen wall so that the living doesn't become way too big to present a design nightmare.

3) hack MBR/Bedrm 3 wall to combine both rooms and make a bigger MBR.

4) if really need storeroom, den partition a small storeroom frm the new, bigger MBR. New storeroom shld be at left corner of new MBR, wif the storeroom door facing the access balcony.

5) Wif a bigger MBR, i will also den extend the Master toilet, "eat" into a bit of space and designate this space as the dry area of the new Master toilet. This way, i hv more room to play wif for the toilet and hence, be able to create a luxurious bathroom for my "Zen".

If need 2 bedrooms, den i will maintain Bedroom 3 and still go ahead wif Pts 1 and 2. the current MBR is quite a gd size anyway, and the toilet doesn't look very small, so shld still be able to play ard wif it's design. As for a storeroom under these circumstances, i will create one just outside Bdrm 3, wif the storeroom extending frm the left wall all the way to the entrance of Bdrm 3, thus creating a corridor outside the entrances of MBR & Bdrm 3. This will give me a squarish hall to play wif, plus by using the right lighting in the newly-created corridor, i can give the entrances to the MBR & Bdrm 3 a nice, luxurious, "private apartment" feel.

Yes, all these will cost a lot, but i'd rather spend more, take a reno loan etc, and create a dream home for long-term stay.

Oh crap, aft taking another look at d orig floorplan, just realised can't hack storeroom to create new, bigger hall cos of the beams. Den i'll scrap the corridor idea and extend the storeroom entrance to the beam, thus creating a T-shaped hall. My current hall is a bit similar and i can tell u, it's a really big, nice, airy hall for my 3-rm unit.

[May_dream1 14]

hmm....if this was my floorplan, and i'm staying alone......i would:

1) maintain living/kitchen wall (refer to Pt 2 for reason)

2) hack walls between living/bedroom 2/store, and combine all 3 spaces into 1 huge living space. Tt's why i'll keep the living/kitchen wall so that the living doesn't become way too big to present a design nightmare.

3) hack MBR/Bedrm 3 wall to combine both rooms and make a bigger MBR.

4) if really need storeroom, den partition a small storeroom frm the new, bigger MBR. New storeroom shld be at left corner of new MBR, wif the storeroom door facing the access balcony.

5) Wif a bigger MBR, i will also den extend the Master toilet, "eat" into a bit of space and designate this space as the dry area of the new Master toilet. This way, i hv more room to play wif for the toilet and hence, be able to create a luxurious bathroom for my "Zen".

If need 2 bedrooms, den i will maintain Bedroom 3 and still go ahead wif Pts 1 and 2. the current MBR is quite a gd size anyway, and the toilet doesn't look very small, so shld still be able to play ard wif it's design. As for a storeroom under these circumstances, i will create one just outside Bdrm 3, wif the storeroom extending frm the left wall all the way to the entrance of Bdrm 3, thus creating a corridor outside the entrances of MBR & Bdrm 3. This will give me a squarish hall to play wif, plus by using the right lighting in the newly-created corridor, i can give the entrances to the MBR & Bdrm 3 a nice, luxurious, "private apartment" feel.

Yes, all these will cost a lot, but i'd rather spend more, take a reno loan etc, and create a dream home for long-term stay.

Oh crap, aft taking another look at d orig floorplan, just realised can't hack storeroom to create new, bigger hall cos of the beams. Den i'll scrap the corridor idea and extend the storeroom entrance to the beam, thus creating a T-shaped hall. My current hall is a bit similar and i can tell u, it's a really big, nice, airy hall for my 3-rm unit.

Hi manutd1972, thanks for your idea. Someone suggested to change the bedroom2 as hall but I need it as a bedroom (guestroom). I can't have the master bedroom as it is cos too small. My wardrobe need at least 8 doors and my bed is ultra big. So your plan not very suitable for me.