Our First Home Away From Home

[zianziggy 0]

I have been lurking around for ideas since 2011. Even before my husband and I decided to buy a house here in SG. I love looking at the before and after pics. After viewing a few 3rm flats, we've decided to buy one in Bedok Reservoir which has not been renovated since it was built 30+ years ago, I guess. A lot of things to do with tight budget. We decided to avail the services of Home Success as referred by my friend. I read not so good reviews about them but I'd rather have a friend recommend someone rather than I find them myself coz I know a smooth reno "rarely" happens. There will always be some challenges along the way.

I asked my ID to try to finish the reno until the end of this month 'coz right now my family (4pax) is staying in a common room only but I don't want to rush her that much coz I don't want the workmanship to suffer. I just told her to make the house ready , although not completely done, soonest is end of the month so that we can move in.

Whole house reno with budget of 20k excluding furnishings

Day 1

Re-wiring

My ID called me this morning to inform me that the electrician is there to do re-wiring. Later, after work, I will be checking what has been done.

Edited February 28, 2012 by zianziggy

[zianziggy 0]

Day 2

While the workers were in the house doing the hacking, I went out with the ID to do shopping.

- tiles for the kitchen floor (the walls will be cement screed), C/R and M/R walls and floor.

- toilet accessories (bowl, sink, instant heater and shower)

- kitchen sink, built in stove and oven

- lights (downlights, cove light, and simple round lights for the kitchen, bedrooms, and store room)

- fanco black ceiling fan for the living room

Total damage: 3830

Among the purchases:

Edited February 13, 2012 by zianziggy

[zianziggy 0]

Here's the floor plan. I've been having problems posting this because I haven't printed yet so it's still in pdf format. I just copied someone's floor plan which looks like mine

Edited February 13, 2012 by zianziggy

[zianziggy 0]

Edited February 13, 2012 by zianziggy

[zianziggy 0]

Here's a 3D for the kitchen:

I think we're changing the floors to just gray instead of black and white. A portion of the kitchen cabinet will be changed to a tall cabinet for the built in oven and microwave oven.

As for the wardrobe, this is if we hack the wall between the store room and the master's. I think we're not doing it anymore because we don't want any more delays.

Edited February 13, 2012 by zianziggy

[zianziggy 0]

My reno is ending soon. We are scheduled to move in this weekend but there will be some incomplete job like the kitchen cabinets, paint touch ups, and electricals but other than that, the house is ready for occupancy. I havent been posting since Ive been busy with work, my kids, and the reno.

It's a simple project but we are all so excited to move in.

Here are some pics of the progress...

[zianziggy 0]

this will have a glossy white laminate and a solid white acrylic top.

Edited February 28, 2012 by zianziggy

[zianziggy 0]

We will be using floor laminates for the living room and bedrooms. As I was too busy to go around, I chose the color of the laminates, the doors, and the color of the paint for the whole house from the suppliers' website. For the laminates I chose Texas Oak to have that rustic look. For the doors, initially quoted veneer doors but I didn't see white doors from the choices of color so had to settle with a simple plywood door white white paint. For the paint, I chose lily white for the whole house including the ceiling. When my ID asked me for the color of the paint, she was surprised that I only chose one. I told her easy to maintain and touch up in case something happens.

Challenges faced:

- the kitchen ceiling I was told has leaking problem maybe due to wear and tear. I asked HDB to send somebody to check but as expected we were told the same thing so we had to bear half of the cost if we ask to repair it.

- we went over the budget for the furnishings. we went to Novena Hougang Plaza and bought a wardrobe (600 over our budget, sofa bed, and a shoe cabinet (not in the budget at all) so instead of getting a Panasonic Inverter Sys 3, we decided to take the system 2. (AC from Aron)

- this morning my ID told me that they cannot install the floor laminates because the AC has not been installed therefore the ac ledge will be left open and they don't want to be responsible for any damages to the floor. She even asked me to go there myself and put plastic with masking tape to cover the hole. But, I told her to ask her men to do it since they know better what type of plastic to use and how to seal it without damaging the plastered wall. In the end, I managed to ask Aron to install the AC on Friday and the laminates on Saturday.

[piknik 1]

So Tough for you to take care of two kids n manage the renovation..

Super mother.

Hope all will end well and you will celebrate the new home in time.

[zianziggy 0]

Hi Piknik! Thanks for dropping by my t-blog. Been reading yours silently and I find a lot of good ideas...like the old things new use.

[Dmon 0]

how was your reno? were you satisfied with home success?

[dracwy 0]

was just looking around & came into your t-blog, i chose the t-blogs without too much activities/replies as i find it a big headache looking thru everything

how's the reno going? u're not from SG? must be tough overseeing the reno. do put up more pics, would love to see how's the progress, and how close the final product is to the 3d pics.

Edited April 13, 2012 by dracwy