My Home @Jurong West

[veronehoo 0]

Search for house

We began our search for a flat and finally bought a resale 5i HDB at Jurong West.

Will be collecting key on the 8th of June but will let sellers stay for another month.

Renovation will only start on the 8th of July and have to be completed in 3 weeks so that we can move in before 31st of July i.e. beginning of the lunar 7th month.

When we saw view the house, we agreed that no major renovations except for 2 areas:

- Living room area - fabricating false ceilings with L box and down lights,

- Kitchen – replace new kitchen cabinets

In the end, as we started to discuss further, the list gets longer and in the end, this is what we will be doing for our renovation:

Living/ dining area:

- To fabricate & install entrance shoe cabinet with feature wall for house hold shelter, L-shaped and c/w low settee

- To hack portion entrance floor & lay pebbles floor

- To install false ceiling of living & dining area.

- To fabricate & install full height tea toned tinted mirror at dining area.

- To fabricate & install feature wall with cabinet living area.

- To hack & remove existing simple cornices living/ dining & made good after hack.

Kitchen:

- To fabricate & install PD door for kitchen.

- To hack portion kitchen entrance floor & lay new floor tiles.

- To dismantle & remove existing kitchen cabinet.

- To extend washing machine base with new tiles.

- To fabricate & install kitchen top & bottom cabinet with 1 nos. tall unit (include 1 nos. dish rack , 1 nos. cutlery tray c/w soft closing sytem)

- To fabricate & install 16ft kitchen work top with solid surface top and glass backing.

MBR:

- To fabricate & install feature wall with cabinet at MBR area.

Common bedrooms:

- To fabricate & install 6 ft full height wardrobe for bed rm 2, swing door.

- To install false ceiling with curtain pelmet at MBR, bed rm 2 & 3

- To revarnish existing parquet flooring for master bed rm. & Living.

Bathrooms:

- To supply & install clear tempered glass shower screen for 2 toilets

- Supply labour to install 2 instant water heaters, toilet bowls, wash basins, kitchen sink & taps, accessories, etc.

- Supply & install 2 nos. PD door for toilet entrance

- To fabricate & install vanity cabinet with solid surface top for MBR toilet.

General

- To fabricate & install 3 nos. veneer bed rm door set

- To replace existing water piping to steel water piping

- To supply & painting whole house

- Clearing of debris/ chemical wash & general cleaning/ lay paper protection

Possible to accomplish all these with a mere budget of $20-22K?

This is the floorplan:

Search for ID

We decided to look for about a few quotations to compare:

1) Hoe Aik Construction - Went to Hoe Aik Construction at Clementi during a weekday afternoon and it was closed. Managed to spot a name card through the glass window and we called the mobile number on it. An old man - Mr Tham turned up about half an hour later. We discussed our requirements and when I saw him scribbling brief notes and arrows on the floor plan and I became sceptical that he can produce the quotation. True enough, he said that he can only quote if he views the house. Immediately dropped him.

2) Ideal Design – We walked in to Ideal Design and were attended by Nick. He was a responsive and easy-going young man. Gave the quotation on time with space planning and lighting points. Too bad the quotation was over way above our budget.

3) Home Success – My parents’ house was done by an ID who has left the company. A lot of variation order items and overall overpriced. Anyway, DH suggested getting a quote for comparison. We were attended by Kenny when we walked in. He was responsive and accommodating young man but his promises seemed “too good” to be true. In the end, insisted that he added those “trivial FOC” items such as curtain pelmet, removing cabinets & wall dividers, extending fridge base, labour to install toilet accessories/ fittings etc. Overall, he was obliging when negotiating for the total amount.

4) Joo Guan Huat – After seeing so many favourable feedbacks about Peter & Sam, I called the office and was given Sam’s mobile number. Met him at his office few days later and he appeared sincere and patient. Quotations were given on time and he was also very obliging to make amendments. But the problem was, he seldom picks up his calls and arrangements to meet him have to be scheduled on weekends.

5) Homely Image – Sent an e-request for quotation and after several calls to go down to their offices for consultation was turned down; they sent their ID Phoebe to our home. After furnishing her with the floor plan and requirements, she promised to revert few days later but never did.

Edited July 7, 2011 by veronehoo

[Kobelala 8]

Hi Congrats on your new home and welcome to RT

Hope you'll find a good ID to renovate your place

[Wenx 0]

Congratz to another Jurong-er!

[yumiko 0]

Welcome welcome veronehoo...

I am another Jurong West-er reporting here. If I am not wrong, your layout is the 65X series right?

[veronehoo 0]

Ya, mine is the 65X series Can share the other t-blogger's link so I get some inspirations..hahaha

[metalbone 0]

Ya, mine is the 65X series Can share the other t-blogger's link so I get some inspirations..hahaha

Hi, I also live in the 65X Jurong area!

I am also currently searching for ID.

My renovation list is quite similar to yours but all the quotations I got so far were quite big figure.

Have you chooen which ID?

[veronehoo 0]

Hi, I also live in the 65X Jurong area!

I am also currently searching for ID.

My renovation list is quite similar to yours but all the quotations I got so far were quite big figure.

Have you chooen which ID?

Shortlisted JGH, so far quotation is about $25k. Sam will be taking measurements tomorrow for a more accurate quotation.

Good luck in your ID search

[west 1]

congrats on your new place!

i am from the same area, and this is exactly the same layout as ours but we are moving out soon

a very spacious layout in view of today's hdb's design

kitchen is big and spacious too!

[metalbone 0]

Shortlisted JGH, so far quotation is about $25k. Sam will be taking measurements tomorrow for a more accurate quotation.

Good luck in your ID search

All my quotations are >40k but I do want to change all my floor tiles in my whole house so I guess it add to the total cost.

[potatoes 0]

Shortlisted JGH, so far quotation is about $25k. Sam will be taking measurements tomorrow for a more accurate quotation.

Good luck in your ID search

Hi Veronehoo, u mean JGH can meet all your specification at 25K? Can you PM me their contact?

[veronehoo 0]

Hi Veronehoo, u mean JGH can meet all your specification at 25K? Can you PM me their contact?

PM Sent.

[GetFuzzy 0]

Hi Veronehoo,

What a coincidence, we shortlisted JGH too! We just met with Peter and felt he was very experienced, just drawing on the floor plan to scale and advising us based on it made a difference compared to other contracters we met! =)

Our new house is 4NG and our renovation is similar to yours => kitchen, 2 bathrooms and a bit of carpetary in bedroom and living room. We did not ask for false ceilings in living room as we fear it will be expensive. May I check with you your quotation? Will be you so kind to share with us by posting it here or pm?

Do post pics or start a blog! It's so exciting to have a new home! Good luck for your renovation and all the best! =D

[veronehoo 0]

My renovation is starting today...at last. Sellers are a young and nice couple moving to a resale DBSS at east area. They are also very kind to move out 1 week before the one month extension agreement.

Some pre-reno pics to share:

Living room entrance to construct L-shaped feature wall cum shoe cabinet

Dining area to construct full height tea-tone mirror:

Kitchen for overhaul:

Edited July 7, 2011 by veronehoo

[strikingreality 0]

Congrats! I'm also starting reno today! Here's wishing you a smooth and fuss free reno!

[veronehoo 0]

TV area for feature wall cum TV console:

MBR & common toilet for minor work such as floor tiles overlay,piping box-up:

Edited July 7, 2011 by veronehoo