Home So Far Away From Home

[AlisaWu 4]

A reno-journey starts when you begin your brainstorming, our brainstorming is going to last more than a year (unfortunately), and we are going to take our own sweet time, adding and building on this thread until our whole reno is over..

I'm an avid stalker of renotalk since trying to get a BTO 2 and a half years ago, have been itching for a year and a half already, now finally decide to start by doing some homework first so will not be pressured, when get the house, and make the wrong decisions, also so that we can be prepared mentally and financially.

First off, this home will be my 1st home away from my neighbourhood, I've moved 3 times, but never far away from each other.

Jurong East, Jurong West and Bukit Batok, however, after 1 year and 7 tries in BTO (even though we were both 1st timers), me and hubby finally got our dream home, a 5rm unit in Sengkang..

I really don't regret the wait and missing on all the other 6 tries because I really like this location very much (but secretly wishing it was closer to my parent's home in Bukit Batok)..

Below is my floorplan..

And the amount of works I would like done..

*moderators, if you find my post in reno works, can please help me delete that 1, I don't know how to or even if we are allowed to.. Thanks!!

will post my homemade 3D pics when I get home though I'm only done with the kitchen.

question to all the seniors here, with this amount of work, it is possible to keep under $20k (excluding lightings and furnishings, very reluctant to get a reno-loan )..

[Dannie 0]

If the toilets are not being hacked and retiled I think it's possible. You have some fair bit of carpentry but I feel it should stay around or below 20k. Just a guess!

[Dannie 0]

Also I think if you are not getting an ID but a contractor to do up the unit it can keep cost down. (like me) cheers!!

[AlisaWu 4]

not hacking the toilets (actually not allowed to, under HDB rule, new BTO can only hack after 3 years), might have to change the master toilet door to pd door though.. haha.. putting too much stuff dun think the door can open.. will upload homemade 3D of toilet to show you =x will start making tonite..

these are the selection of tiles provided by HDB, going to overlay the toilets as the glossy white seems abit strong for me.. going for something milder, like maybe matt peach..

and also the bedroom flooring, don't really like the parquet.. gonna overlay that with laminates..

though overall, i think these tile selection is pretty not bad (i've seen some pretty weird combinations HDB came up with)..

well.. regarding the ID/contractor bit, there are some overpriced contractor that cost more than IDs and IDs that are more reasonably priced than contractors, so no harm comparing more quotes (precisely the reason why i start planning so early).. however, should i choose ID or contractor, i already have a very good idea of what i want..

and the plan for the kitchen..

not posting the actual 3D yet as not very nice, never add all the details.. will do that slowly..

question though, how did you guys choose whether to get the city gas heater or electric water heater tank?

i heard that the gas heater is faster, but there is a flame, which my hubby not so keen on..

[lautakwah 0]

No update?

[casa 0]

question though, how did you guys choose whether to get the city gas heater or electric water heater tank?

i heard that the gas heater is faster, but there is a flame, which my hubby not so keen on..

Just for your info City Gas heater have no flame don't worry and U won't c any flame

Its good cheap

I haved installed 1 at my home supplying 2toilets no problem at all

[May_dream1 14]

Just for your info City Gas heater have no flame don't worry and U won't c any flame

Its good cheap

I haved installed 1 at my home supplying 2toilets no problem at all

there is flame lah, just that you cannot see it..... and i think the latest model, you will not be able to see the flame anymore. but for older model (like mine bought last year) i can see the flame.

[mikeyong500 4]

A reno-journey starts when you begin your brainstorming, our brainstorming is going to last more than a year (unfortunately), and we are going to take our own sweet time, adding and building on this thread until our whole reno is over..

I'm an avid stalker of renotalk since trying to get a BTO 2 and a half years ago, have been itching for a year and a half already, now finally decide to start by doing some homework first so will not be pressured, when get the house, and make the wrong decisions, also so that we can be prepared mentally and financially.

First off, this home will be my 1st home away from my neighbourhood, I've moved 3 times, but never far away from each other.

Jurong East, Jurong West and Bukit Batok, however, after 1 year and 7 tries in BTO (even though we were both 1st timers), me and hubby finally got our dream home, a 5rm unit in Sengkang..

I really don't regret the wait and missing on all the other 6 tries because I really like this location very much (but secretly wishing it was closer to my parent's home in Bukit Batok)..

Below is my floorplan..

And the amount of works I would like done..

*moderators, if you find my post in reno works, can please help me delete that 1, I don't know how to or even if we are allowed to.. Thanks!!

will post my homemade 3D pics when I get home though I'm only done with the kitchen.

question to all the seniors here, with this amount of work, it is possible to keep under $20k (excluding lightings and furnishings, very reluctant to get a reno-loan )..

To be honest kinda hard to keep within 20k sia... from my experience. u've got quite a number of carpentry works.

,

Mike

Edited July 27, 2012 by mikeyong500

[sunsetsky 0]

Hi,

I'm still doing my renovations currently. Haven't compared many qtns but glancing at your list it would be difficult to do within 20k.

Maybe you can separate list into required work to be done from your ideal/nice to have components.

If you can wait, then stick with hdb toilet tiles, then change everything to your preferred choice after 3/5 years, coz that's when their waterproofing warranty runs out. Then you can change all toilet tiles. And some items you can buy then get contractor to install, to keep the costs down.

Just my two cents worth. I think most important is you & hubby must be happy about the final outcome(flat)

[adidaem 6]

question though, how did you guys choose whether to get the city gas heater or electric water heater tank?

i heard that the gas heater is faster, but there is a flame, which my hubby not so keen on..

Storage heater better for rain showers? I dislike gas heater cos some times the water doesn't get hot enough, esp during cold weather. Over time, the spark thing may have problem. In my parents place the instant gas heater can die halfway thru the shower... Have to try a few times to switch on the flame which sucks when you are wet and cold. Could be cos the heater is old, but my over 20 years experience with gas heater is enough to put me off gas heaters for a long long time.... As for the oft cited reason for NOT getting storage heater cos of waiting time, I've never experienced this problem.

Yeah and I hate the flame too. Very scary looking...

[Sygnur 0]

Hi, started anything yet?

[AlisaWu 4]

1/2 year later and i'm back here again..

@Sygnur : nope, haven't started anything yet, we will be getting our keys by the end of this year, and we are going to start by slowly interviewing ID/constrators now.. like 1 week 1..

@adidaem : we have tot it thru and we are gonna go for the gas heater >.< i spoke to my colleague and she said her's was really good and heats up fast.. my family also uses instant heater (electric one, installed 2 years ago) and the water is always hot, whereas my hubby's home uses a storage heater (i think it's 10+ years old) and the water always takes very long.. but we will look revisit the idea after we get the keys and try the water pressure for ourselves..

we discussed the question of the gas thingy in the kitchen, but as we will be using induction cooker, we are more fang xin about this.

also (hubby made this point) if our neighbours install it, there is the chance that it will blow up anyway whether or not we have it >.<

i have since changed some of my ideas, hopefully they will cost less.. will post it up tonight..

also, can i have some recommendations for cheap and good ID/contractor/carpenter? >.<

[AlisaWu 4]

3 of the main areas that we are looking to do.. mostly carpentry..

Kitchen

kitchen cabinets

Living Room

glass sliding doors

elevated study area

bookshelves

tv console

install projector screen

Foyer

shoe cabinets

storage cabinets

as for the wardrobes in the rooms, we will be getting Ikea's Stolmen system and fixing it up ourselves.

for the masterbedroom, we will put sliding doors at the recess area in front of the air con ledge window..

basically will be something like this.. any comments??

will 20k cover these?

Edited February 28, 2013 by AlisaWu

[swaskie 0]

Hi!

i recently received the phamplet about gas heater from City Gas..

Was also puzzled if i should go for storage heater or gas heater..hence seek my ID's advise.

She told me that Gas heater cannot be placed in the toilet as i am intending to box up my storage heater in the toilet.

As for Gas heater needs to be placed in the Kitchen area..which for me....have space constraints as well and unsightly as i have quite a lot of capentry works (cabinets) too...so i dropped the idea of Gas heater...

So i am thinking...perhaps it also depend whether you are ok with open concept heater or not..and also the placement of the heater area...

[AlisaWu 4]

rough list of works

Carpentry

24.3ft - bottom cabinet

16.2ft - top cabinet

3.3ft - full height cabinet

8.7ft - wooden wardrobe door sliding

7.2ft - full height bookshelf

15.3ft - 1/2 height bookshelf

2.4ft - full height shoe cabinet

2.4ft - 1/2 height shoe cabinet

16.2ft - glass sliding door

6.6ft x 10.8ft - study platform

10.8ft - tv console

5.4ft - toilet cabinet

l boxes to cover unsightly pipes, aircon trunking, etc...

remove shower and some of the sanitary wares

To install

bathtub x1

shower kerb x1

shower curtain rod x2

rainshowers x2

toilet bowl x2

sink and cabinet x1

and depending on how the lights and sockets are, might need to shift some of it around.

20k??

actually, regarding the city gas thing, yup, i'm gonna have it in the kitchen, also, it's not that huge.

only 512 x 330 x 135mm.. and it is only $180, my colleague mentioned that she's using that and it supplies hot water to both bathrooms and kitchen so it's cheaper than 2 instant heater?

Edited February 28, 2013 by AlisaWu