May Our Dream Home Come True

[JCase 0]

Grats and consider yourself lucky. To get a balance unit these days is like striking 4D. I was in some position 7 years ago and am still very grateful. After your MOP, it is fairly certain than your flat will almost double in value.

Good luck with the reno.

[wei2 0]

Hi Sis, first off, congrats to your new place! I was in the same SBF excercise too, dint managed to get our 1st or 2nd choice, however we were quite pleased with our eventual choice. Will be starting a t-blog soon once we finalised the ID peeps and will document the entire reno process too. Will be looking forward to seeing the progess of your new home in time to come!

Thanks! This unit is actually our first choice, quite happy that we managed to get it.

I'm curious to know which unit you have gotten. Is it hougang area also?

[wei2 0]

Grats and consider yourself lucky. To get a balance unit these days is like striking 4D. I was in some position 7 years ago and am still very grateful. After your MOP, it is fairly certain than your flat will almost double in value.

Good luck with the reno.

Yep, we were really lucky.

I was telling my husband that the luckiest thing happened to me was to be able to get the unit we eyed on.

Pardon me, but what does MOP mean?

[May_dream1 14]

Yep, we were really lucky.

I was telling my husband that the luckiest thing happened to me was to be able to get the unit we eyed on.

Pardon me, but what does MOP mean?

MOP = minimum occupation period. That's means 5 years!

[wei2 0]

MOP = minimum occupation period. That's means 5 years!

Oh i see. Thanks for the enlightenment.

[wei2 0]

Went down late afternoon today to check on reno progress.

Workers were doing the last bit of tiling for living room.

Skirtings not up yet.

Base for kitchen cabinet and fridge is up.

However, i'm not very happy with it.

The round edge of the fridge base (circled in red), it looks ugly.

Is this the only way to do it, cutting small rectangular pieces?

Any advice?

Maybe i will get my contractor to do a square base without the rounded corners.

And for the part circled in blue, i understand that its for drainage of water.

But that hole is a potential nesting area for xiao qiangs.

What can i do about it?

Will you accept this kind of workmanship? The tiles around the pipe were not cut nicely.

Its suppose to be round, but how come so jerky?

I wonder if this is a common problem.

[MeRfMeRf 0]

Thanks! This unit is actually our first choice, quite happy that we managed to get it.

I'm curious to know which unit you have gotten. Is it hougang area also?

oic, me and my WTB when to the unit you gotten during our recce and shortlisted as our 4th/5th choice.

with the top 2 choices gone, we were quite lucky to get our 3rd choice eventually which is the one near to Serangoon Central.

[danelow 0]

Went down late afternoon today to check on reno progress.

Workers were doing the last bit of tiling for living room.

Skirtings not up yet.

Base for kitchen cabinet and fridge is up.

However, i'm not very happy with it.

The round edge of the fridge base (circled in red), it looks ugly.

Is this the only way to do it, cutting small rectangular pieces?

Any advice?

Maybe i will get my contractor to do a square base without the rounded corners.

And for the part circled in blue, i understand that its for drainage of water.

But that hole is a potential nesting area for xiao qiangs.

What can i do about it?

Will you accept this kind of workmanship? The tiles around the pipe were not cut nicely.

Its suppose to be round, but how come so jerky?

I wonder if this is a common problem.

The one u circle in blue, you may ask them to do a removable cover to cover that hole. As for the one you circle in red you can ask them do a 45 degree angle.

[AderKong 0]

Renovation Progress - Windows

Master Toilet window. 2 top hung.

Supposed to be white powder coated, workers made a mistake. This window will be taken down.

Master Toilet window view from kitchen.

Hi wei2, congrats to you in your new house!

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought (according to my contractor) top-hung windows are not allowed for toilets as per HDB reno regulation? If it is allowed then I must cho-cho my contractor to do mine as top-hung cos I wanted that but he said cannot

The round edge of the fridge base (circled in red), it looks ugly.

Is this the only way to do it, cutting small rectangular pieces? Any advice? Maybe i will get my contractor to do a square base without the rounded corners.

You can ask your tilers to cut those small pieces to even smaller pieces so that the joints can be smooth and rounder. It is can be done; just more tedious & requires patience.

Will you accept this kind of workmanship? The tiles around the pipe were not cut nicely.

Its suppose to be round, but how come so jerky?

I wonder if this is a common problem.

Not acceptable Better ask your contractor to quickly rectify that. Re-cut/tile that pipe area or do something to hide that jagged tile.

[wei2 0]

The one u circle in blue, you may ask them to do a removable cover to cover that hole. As for the one you circle in red you can ask them do a 45 degree angle.

Thanks danelow, will ask them to do a cover for that hole.

What do you mean by 45 degree angle? Any pictures to show?

[wei2 0]

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought (according to my contractor) top-hung windows are not allowed for toilets as per HDB reno regulation? If it is allowed then I must cho-cho my contractor to do mine as top-hung cos I wanted that but he said cannot

Hi AderKong, contractors will not be able to install top hung for the toilet windows as HDB will not grant them the permission.

But you can hire an experienced window installer instead. They will be able to get the permit from HDB without any problem.

Not acceptable Better ask your contractor to quickly rectify that. Re-cut/tile that pipe area or do something to hide that jagged tile.

Ok, will rectify this problem with contractor over a meetup session at my place this Saturday.

I have a list of unsatisfied work that i have to go through with him.

[AderKong 0]

Hi AderKong, contractors will not be able to install top hung for the toilet windows as HDB will not grant them the permission.

But you can hire an experienced window installer instead. They will be able to get the permit from HDB without any problem.

But my contract witht he contractor comes with supply & labour for the windows hence if outsource to a window installer, it will mean additional cost...no budget for that So have to make do with lourve window loh...

Hope the tiling of your fridge base and the piping area can be rectified and become swee swee

[wei2 0]

But my contract witht he contractor comes with supply & labour for the windows hence if outsource to a window installer, it will mean additional cost...no budget for that So have to make do with lourve window loh...

Hope the tiling of your fridge base and the piping area can be rectified and become swee swee

Can ask the contractor to take installation of the window out and replace with other items instead?

Because for my case, getting the window supplier directly to install is 1k cheaper than what my contractor quoted me.

Edited May 26, 2011 by wei2

[AderKong 0]

Can ask the contractor to take installation of the window out and replace with other items instead?

Because for my case, getting the window supplier directly to install is 1k cheaper than what my contractor quoted me.

WoW! $1K savings?!?! Good on you, wei2!

Hmm...but my contractor already slashed his profit margin quite dearly to accommodate to my budget le leh...I feel bad to ask to remove & outsoure the window installation..scared his profit margin will be further trimmed and he get scolded by his partner I mean, I want to achieve win-win situation with my contractor lor Your case different mah, cos your reno contract does not include window installation in the first place right?

I will discuss with Seth (my hubby) and see how ba...

[wei2 0]

Took a break today, didn't go on site to check out reno progress.

Went down to Taka sale in the afternoon and bought some bath mats

and also the Kenwood ice cream maker.

Was itching to buy some WMF cutlery and utensils, but controlled myself.