New House, New Life, New Hope

[Sze Hui 0]

Began searching for a house 2 yrs back, but we had always hesitate even after seeing house which we like. I guess time was not very right then. Until 2010 Apr on a business trip to Taiwan, my taiwanese customer brought me to see a fortune teller whom she strongly recommended cos' her mum spent 30 yrs time to prove the words of the master. The master told me the reason for my mum's frequent headache is due to my current house. With these words, i start to seriously flip the papers every weekend and view houses.

Finally settled with this house in Oct. We actually preferred another one at Bt Batok cos' alot of unblocked greenery around. This house was the 2nd house we viewed on that day, n was memerised with its views of the chinese garden, hence confirmed on the spot of COV 55k. We regretted after that, cos' 55k for a very original condition seems not very right.

Anyhow, we eventually confirmed on the house. Will try to take pix of the surroundings in future.

[Sze Hui 0]

Stayed at a boutique hotel in taipei n really love it. Thought of having such design. But of cos' in terms of costing, not very practical.

[pinkwhale 0]

Welcome to Tblog!

Congratulation on getting ur new house.

Actually IMO its not so ex to create those feel that u posted above. Maybe just choose one or 2 area u want to emphasize on. Do a design that u like and ur house will become ur boutique hotel!

[Sze Hui 0]

Had a month to find contractors. Spoken to 4 contractors as such:

1) Mr S (strongly recommended by a picky friend) - No HDB license. But provide very good service. Can feel he's sincerity and earnesty in my first meeting with him (understand from my friend that they ask him back several times to rectify he's work and he's always ok to do it). Appears very honest as well. Inspected he's work which is not bad. A very careful guy that will always ask you "are you sure you want to do this?" "whose doing the cleaning, you or your mum?" Ask for a revised quote, but he came back late. Anyhow, i dropped him cos i feel that my house will be very very simple.

2) Mr R (strongly recommended by another choosy friend) - HDB licensed. Very sincere guy. Didn't find he's idea suitable for my house initially. Ask for a revised quotation and he came back with it. Confirmed him with he's 3rd revised quotation. Went to inspect he's work. Very detailed and well done. Not the cheapest of all, but i'm sure with him, i can get a good night sleep. (he told me he also wants a good night sleep).

3) Mr S from R&R - met @ exhibition. Cost is very very ex. Drop him already after 1st meeting.

4) Mr D from 3D - My frend's hubby. Cheapest quotation among all. Checked the works of he's co. Totally cannot make it.

With that, i settled for Option 2.

[Sze Hui 0]

Show some of the 3D done by Mr R.

We went to Hafary to choose the tiles. He had the flow in the whole house. He emphasize alot on texture of the house. I enjoyed my process of selecting the tiles.

Kitchen is not final copy. Had to do some amendments to the laminates

[NeoBY 1]

Hello

Nice big living room you have

[Sze Hui 0]

Hello

Nice big living room you have

Eh...that's not my living room. That's my entertainment room or study room.

[NeoBY 1]

The one at the entrance not your living room?

[Sze Hui 0]

The one at the entrance not your living room?

oh...paiseh..u referring to my floor plan... haha..i thought ya referring to 3D. Its not that big, but its squarish. I am currently staying in a 5rm 121sqm, so the new house looks much smaller to me.

[Sze Hui 0]

Our completion was on 16th, but the ex-owner gave us the key during our inspection on 15th. Contractor had to start work on 16th itself. So last min went to buy rice and salt and borrow a hammer for the "groundbreaking ceremony"....Phew.

Anyhow, below are pix of the hacking

First day already finish the hacking for kitchens n toilets. Very efficient

Except that a small hick-up. I need to change the door of my MBR. It was originally agreed to change to close to the doors of the other room, but in the end, i prefer it to b on the other side. Need 10 working days for the approval. So hacking considered incomplete.

Tiles of kitchens also here.

Kitchen wall tiles

Kitchen floor tiles

[Sze Hui 0]

Now very kanchiong cos' i havent bought alot of things.

Aircon unsettled, lighting also unsettled.

I am sourcing for LED downlights. Understand that there are those that can just change the bulb of incandescent light. Can anyone advise where to get those squarish LED downlights?

[Sze Hui 0]

View of common toilet. Now i finally understand y some forumers said they preferred their wall in this state. Its really nice.

Toilet floor tile. I really like my tiles alot. See the texture of the tiles. This is where my ID expertise is, gradient and feel of the tiles.

I wanna ask my ID to hack away this. But he feels that the $$ can b put @ a better use for buying hobs etc. All my other rooms have walls on top except for storeroom and one bedroom. He will put plywood and ceiling board to cover up.

I saw this laminate in my office and feel its nice. Will ask my ID if possibility of using it in my kitchen since my floor tile is also grey.

Edited January 20, 2012 by SzeHui

[Sze Hui 0]

Works stop at kitchen wall. Screeding is done. Love the look. always wanted a raw kitchen wall, unfortunately, my mum, the traditional one refuse to accept this idea. So got to tile it.

Got my wall sticker from Insadong, Korea, at 48,000won. My mum love trees. Gonna paste this in her room.

This shall be in my room

Tried to get simple wall stickers cos' i read about how difficult it is to paste. My mum always love trees and couldn't bear to part with the trees at my current house. So i hope this can compensate abit.

Edited January 25, 2012 by SzeHui

[potatoes 0]

View of common toilet. Now i finally understand y some forumers said they preferred their wall in this state. Its really nice.

Toilet floor tile. I really like my tiles alot. See the texture of the tiles. This is where my ID expertise is, gradient and feel of the tiles.

I m currently having same type of toilet tile as the one u have in the photo. My opinion is that while it look and feel nice... The downside is that they are hard to maintain.... Somewhat difficult to get rid of dirt stains if they are left there for sometime. Got to do regular cleaning to make sure the stains don't become permanent ones.

Happy Reno

[Sze Hui 0]

Share my quotation as per below. Within some of the items, there are also a few FOC one. But i shall not list down each individually. Also, my selection of tiles have exceeded the price quoted and he has absorbed this for me.

Hacking works $2850

Wet works $9177

To supply and lay floor tiles @ kitchen, Tiles based on $2.80 per sqft.

To supply and lay floor tiles @ C/bath. Tiles based on $2.80 per sqft.

To supply and lay floor tiles @ C/bath. Tiles based on $2.80 per sqft.

To supply and lay wall tiles @ C/bath. Tiles based on $2.20 per sqft.

To supply and lay wall tiles @ C/bath feature wall.. Tiles based on $3.50 per sqft.

To supply and lay floor tiles @ M/bath dry area. Tiles based on $2.80 per sqft.

To supply and lay floor tiles @ M/bath wet area. Tiles based on $3.50 per sqft.

To supply and lay wall tiles @ M/bath. Tiles based on $2.40 per sqft.

To supply and lay wall tiles @ M/bath feature wall. Tiles based on $3.5 per sqft.

To screed and plaster kitchen walls.

To supply wall tiles @ Kitchen exposed areas only. Tiles based on $2.50 per sqft

To construct and install cabinet base, washing machine and fridge base in tile finish.

To erect hollow block Low wall @ Kitchen.

To supply and install waterproofing membrane @ kitchen and 02 bathrooms.

To hack and lay tile @ main door treshhold.

To construct hollow clock wall to seal up extg Master Room Entrance in Plaster

Finish on both sides.

CEILING & PARTITION WORKS $1415

To supply and install false ceiling @ passageway & part of TV room.

To supply and install Light Pelmets @ passageway & part of TV room.

To supply and install L-Box @ Living Room.

ELECTRICAL WORKS $3723

To supply and lay lighting points. 26 nos

Installation of all light fittings.26 nos

To supply and lay single 13amp SSO 10 nos

To supply and lay double 13amp SSO 12 nos

To supply and lay SCV points.

To supply and lay Tel points

To supply and lay heater point.

To remove and terminate all affected wirings and cables only.

To supply and lay cooker hood point.

PLUMBING WORKS $1200

To lay copper pipings for 2 bathrooms and Kitchen incl installation ONLY of all

fittings and accessories

To convert squatting to sitting pan @ Common bath

DOORS / WINDOWS / GRILLES $2400

To supply and install veneer doors c/w lever handles/locksets. 4nos

To supply and install door frame. 1nos

To supply and install tempered glass shower screen.

To supply and install aluminium bi-fold door with acrylic panel. 2nos

To supply and install wrought iron main gate.

GENERAL WORKS / OTHERS $2030

Painting for whole house incl doors & door frames.

Floor Protection for whole house using industrial corrugated board.

Cleaning and chemical wash for whole house.

To supply and install new flushed stainless steel rubbish chute.

CARPENTRY WORKS $10590

To construct and install top & btm kitchen cabinet in laminate finish. 29ft

To construct and install Tall Unit in laminate finish.

To construct and install box up pipings.

To construct and install timber ledge in laminate finish @ low wall.

To construct and install full ht casement door wardrobe in laminate finish. 8ft

To construct and install full ht casement door wardrobe in laminate finish. 6ft[/i

To construct and install full ht cabinet in laminate finish. 3ft

To construct and install low TV console in Laminate finsih c/w sliding tinted glass

door.

To construct and install study table (5ft) with top hung cabinet (5ft) in laminate

To construct and install low backing @ TV console to hide cables.

FOC:

To supply WC 2 nos

To supply central heater. 1nos

To supply T5 fluorescent tube. 2nos

To supply standard fluorescent tubes. 6 nos

To supply PLC downlight with glass cover. 7nos