My City Haven

[snaem85 1]

Haha. Ya lah. I am very thankful the tiler is very good. Works fast, and the tiling came out very nicely. Everyday go up to bribe him with drinks, lunch and cakes leh. Was told that's the most laborious and time consuming part. After that it is areeba areeba, undalay undalay. Also, my ID super stressed out by me lah, as far as timeline is concerned.

I think whether u choose white or bronze ones depends very much on your design and colour scheme. It has to complement your ID. I looked at my opposite neighbour's windows and wonder whether I should go all dark tinted for more privacy and finally decided I prefer lots of light to flood the whole house. So I went for the non-tinted windows.

Hey, bro, you migrated all your pics ha... all not displaying liao leh, on your thread.

haha yeah. i was resizing it cos realised too big! lol.

maybe u can help me comment once the 3D is out. and yeah, tinting another major headache! :bangwall:

eh broo.. still havent pm me the damage for yo windows lei.. mine total got 5 windows + 2 louvres.

[ejszaka 0]

DAY 16

Met electricians late morning yesterday to go through the wiring requirements and placement of power sockets and light switches. Very professional and experienced I must say. The foreman gave very sound advise on what can be done, what can't, and what should be done, to balance practicality and aesthetics. They were hard at work when I returned to spot check during lunch and by evening time, alll the cables and wires were up and tied up in neat bundles.

Call me kiasu, but I gave this to my ID and the electrician to ensure they know exactly where I want my switches. Not exactly standard technical/eletrical notations, but they get the idea. Am not leaving to chance something I have to live with for at least the next 5 years of my life. Can rely on the ID to plan to the last minute detail cos only the home owner knows?

Tendrils everywhere.

The ugliest unconcealable light switches right outside the toilet.

Materials have been partially delivered for construction of the light boxes, toilet pipe box up and fake walls. They will probably go up over the new few days.

Edited September 22, 2011 by ejszaka

[potatoes 0]

Making good progress...

[Rover 0]

Ya., am happy to see things are moving. Must rem to hv ur housewarming once moved in (means must invite me *heehee*)

[ejszaka 0]

DAY 18

Been a crazy last few days. Went up to my place on Friday evening but haven't had time till now to upload the updates.

The ceiling guys started work. So did the CityGas man and the plumber. For starters, the ingress for the water, gas and electric cables have been relocated and neatened.

It looks like that now, thank goodness. All these will be hidden behind my full height cabinets. Can't imagine my ID had the cheek to tell me they could not be moved. Lesson learnt .. never take their word for it. They are always looking for the easiest way out. Always check yourself, with the relevant people, or pals who've had experience on Renotalk.

The outside looks quite a riot before patching up is done, but I really don't give 2 hoots lah. Old HDB flat, so am not expecting much. If the engineers and builders of last generation + old school HDB had an iota of common sense back then, we wouldn't even have to contend with these things.

Gas pipes have been laid to the hob point. All will be concealed when the kitchen cabinets are up. Made a slightly longer de-tour just to ensure that.

Edited September 25, 2011 by ejszaka

[ejszaka 0]

The pipes-of-disgrace have all been boxed up and will be will be tiled up tomorrow. It will serve as a doorway from the bathroom to the WC. There's only one access point, i.e. via the bathroom.

Erecting the partition between the MBR and hall. This hall used to be the other bedroom. It serves to conceal a lot of cables, wires and the aircon piping that serves the dining area (it's the white horizontal trunking). It's where my TV will be too.

The dining area with a 9 inch lightbox drop to accomodate the hiding of a small portion of pipes leading into the kitchen. I hit the roof and demanded that little portion be boxed up separately, and the ceiling be brought further up to the original 6 inches. That whole portion of the ceiling to be re-done, end of discussion. I am so excited to see how open my home will look from the extended living/dining area into the kitchen. The only object that stands in the way of the openness is 3 full height glass panels. Yippee!!

Can't imagine a 9 inch deep pelmat. NIGHTMARE!! This will be gone by the time I visit again tomorrow afternoon.

Edited September 26, 2011 by ejszaka

[ejszaka 0]

This is the partition viewed from the bedroom. It's the 'wall' for my pole system wardrobe.

The bathroom from a different vantage point, i.e. the WC area.

Edited September 26, 2011 by ejszaka

[Dreaming 0]

The pipes-of-disgrace have all been boxed up and will be will be tiled up tomorrow. It will serve as a doorway from the bathroom to the WC. There's only one access point, i.e. via the bathroom.

Hi ejszaka

Did you manage to tile up the box-up in your toilet? We tried to ask our contractor to do it but he say it's not possible because the underlying material won't be strong enough to hold the tiles.

Edited September 25, 2011 by Dreaming

[potatoes 0]

Hi ejszaka

Did you manage to tile up the box-up in your toilet? We tried to ask our contractor to do it but he say it's not possible because the underlying material won't be strong enough to hold the tiles.

I think u r right, My contractor also didnt put tiles on those box up areas.

[ejszaka 0]

When I took over the flat, the previous owner actually boxed up and tiled everything very nicely. I think it can be done. The boxing guy told me can take the weight. Will check with the tiler tomorrow.

[ejszaka 0]

DAY 21

Today is OpenNet day. It's the worst of nightmares. Firstly, you gotta kick up a ruckus to get an early date, cos my flat has already been installed with a TP but on a wall that has to be torned down. They won't entertain you for an early adhoc date to accomodate your reno.

So I went to sign on fibre service with M1 on 17 Aug, jump through hoops, and the managed to get a TP date for today. (Initially they didn't even want to entertain me, cos telcos can only facilitate TP installation if the TP isn't there. But if it's already there, but u need to relocate it for whatever reason, you take a back seat. Actually your own electrician probably can do the job better than OpenNet can, but NO, only OpenNet is authorised to do an laying/relocating, so you slowly wait).

The best part is, OpenNet being atas, can only say the appt is morning today, between 9am - 1pm. A ridiculous 5 hour window period. They have no means of locating their technician this morning to know who is doing the job, or roughly what time they can turn up. I called M1, M1 says my appointment is confirmed, but I have to check with OpenNet on details. I called the OpenNet hotline, they say mine is a case arranged by a telco, so I have to defer to my telco for more info. The usual pillar to post, Singapore style. All this while my ID waited there since 9am this morning for the guest-of-honours to turn up. It's 11.08am now. 2 hours before OpenNet's 5 hr window closes.

Edited September 26, 2011 by ejszaka

[ejszaka 0]

It's 2+pm now and OpenNet hasn't turned up for their morning appointment.

Seething mad now, but what can I do? Went up to the flat to take a look.

This is the portion of the pipes that almost cost me 3 inches - 3 inches extra depth in the light box. Thank goodness saved it in time. It will be boxed up separately.

View from the kitchen.

So it looks like that now..much higher than previously.

Box up for opening to the air-con compressor done.

Edited September 26, 2011 by ejszaka

[ejszaka 0]

Wardrobe space for the pole system.

Aircon pelmat for TV area, and partition prepared for the carpenter to construct the TV console.

Box-up in bathroom and WC being tiled up. Notice the two metal structures propping things up? The tiler told me the box is strong enough to hold the tiles and the entire artificial structure can be tiled. I hope they don't fall on me in time to come.

Edited September 26, 2011 by ejszaka

[prody 1]

Hi ejszaka

So you intend to get a pole system wardrobe. Can I ask which shop are u getting it from? Custom-make in your carpentry works?

Edited September 26, 2011 by prody

[ejszaka 0]

I am getting Alumix. No idea how good the quality is. I just know they have very limited laminates and materials available.... unlike SLIDEROBES (http://www.sliderobes.com/sliding-wardrobes.aspx). A bit disappointed that I have to change my design to suit their lack of choices for the doors.

Alumix is more or less modular and customisable. You just need to create the space required (or rather, the space you have), and buy the parts to suit your needs. e.g. number of poles, the shelves, the number of hanger bars, the LED lights, the drawers. Choose the door design and finishing, the laminate colour for the internal carcass, etc.