Mansionette Owner

[potatoes 0]

We did away with the hood for our kitchen. My own experience with a hood back in my old place was that it didn't do much good for the fumes Another ID shared with us that he found his hood (and he used an industrial one at that!) useless and recommends his clients to do away with the hood. Of course, some people still swear by their hoods, so there's really no hard and fast rule. It depends on how often you cook and what type of cooking you do I guess? My guess is, if you really do quite a bit of frying, no hood is useful unless you use those that they use in hawker centres (the humongous ones ).

Hood or no hood? I included a chimney hood for 2 reasons:

- to do its primary job as hood. It is only logical to have a hood since I have an open kitchen and I would want to minimise the effects of heavy cooking. After abt 1.5 yrs, I still need to do regular cleaning in kitchen but at least it is more manageable.

- I always love to have a chimney hood in the kitchen for aesthetic reason. Makes me feel good and happy when I cook.....Heehee

Edited April 13, 2013 by potatoes

[JerTeo 0]

Hi everyone, I have been silently reading this thread and t-blog and I'm glad to join EM club finally bought a EM after searching since last July. Started finding EM in Yishun but ended up in Woodlands. Saw some of the EMs that I view in Yishun have been transformed by some new owners here. All so nicely transform, I am inspired to transform my EM too and hopefully will be nice as well.

[spikedoll 2]

Hi everyone, I have been silently reading this thread and t-blog and I'm glad to join EM club finally bought a EM after searching since last July. Started finding EM in Yishun but ended up in Woodlands. Saw some of the EMs that I view in Yishun have been transformed by some new owners here. All so nicely transform, I am inspired to transform my EM too and hopefully will be nice as well.

Congrats and all the best in your Reno journey! Do share your tblog

[adidaem 6]

Hello everyone, I'm very new to renotalk and we recently purchased an EM at Woodlands and will be getting the keys around this month end There's a lot of pages to read here and looked through very briefly. I have some very pressing questions so hopefully somebody can help enlighten me

1) We would like to cover up the balcony area's huge gap and currently there's nothing; no windows, no grilles. So our options: a) Place one of those automatic shutters to cover up when it rains b) Have casement windows so light still gets through when it rains.

Since the compressor will be within the balcony area, my question is, is it practical to cover up the balcony? We would like to use the balcony for gatherings so covering it up does seem attractive and currently leaning towards casement windows; just don't know if there's a downside to this.

2) The kitchen isn't exactly big, especially with the toilet in it, so I need lots of cabinets for storage. So my questions is, is a hood really necessary for cooking? I foresee medium cooking on most days with heavy occasionally. I would love to have a hood if it will actually serve it's function well but I've hear horror stories in which hoods just seem to circulate hot air around the kitchen so after some time, people just stop using it. I don't want a hood sitting on the wall looking pretty when I can have cabinets in their place for my precious storage.

That's it for now and any help will be greatly appreciated!

1) If the compressor is in the balcony, the heat will get trapped if you cover up with windows. That is a major no-no. A roller shutter would be better IMO, or at least a combi of shutters and windows for the heat to get out.

Don't forget that the 3 toilet windows all lead out to the balcony too. Quite gross to have all the toilet air circulating (and trapped) in the balcony IMO.

Oh and if you have full height windows you'll face a cleaning problem after some time...

2) Really a personal pref...

[annastans 1]

1) If the compressor is in the balcony, the heat will get trapped if you cover up with windows. That is a major no-no. A roller shutter would be better IMO, or at least a combi of shutters and windows for the heat to get out.

Don't forget that the 3 toilet windows all lead out to the balcony too. Quite gross to have all the toilet air circulating (and trapped) in the balcony IMO.

Oh and if you have full height windows you'll face a cleaning problem after some time...

2) Really a personal pref...

Thank you adidaem and potatoes!

I forgot about the toilets bit lol! Windows and shutters sounds like a not too bad option.

Potatoes, I've been thinking about getting the chimney as well! Only because it looks pretty lol!

Thank you for all the help pnce again, and it will definitely help in making a decision

[kooky 2]

Pardon my ignorance, why is the compressor installed in the balcony? Is it because you have installed aircon in level 1?

We decided to do away with aircon installation on level one (purchased system 3 to install in all the bedrooms which are on level 2) and the compressor is installed outside the void area outside the master bedroom.

Am I missing something which I should take note? Please share.

Edited April 15, 2013 by kooky

[JerTeo 0]

Talking about compressor, I would like to know are we able to install the compressor outside the house?

[adidaem 6]

Pardon my ignorance, why is the compressor installed in the balcony? Is it because you have installed aircon in level 1?We decided to do away with aircon installation on level one (purchased system 3 to install in all the bedrooms which are on level 2) and the compressor is installed outside the void area outside the master bedroom.Am I missing something which I should take note? Please share.

Not everyone has a roof for the balcony. If they don't the compressors are still in the balcony which will be double storey in ceiling height. Mine is the unit with a long black fan so if you see my unit you'll understand what I mean.

Talking about compressor, I would like to know are we able to install the compressor outside the house?

Have seen t-blogs where the compressors are installed along the corridor, I.e above the main door area just outside the two bedrooms upstairs. Think need approval tho.

[potatoes 0]

Talking about compressor, I would like to know are we able to install the compressor outside the house?

My aircon compressors are above my long balcony.....u can click on my latest tblog on my signature.....most of my neighbours will place them there. However, I also notice some placed them above the corridor. I m not sure if this is allowed.

Edited April 17, 2013 by potatoes

[JerTeo 0]

Mine is a corner unit, so I can't installed along corridor. My ID said can install compressor outside our service yard but so far I never see any compressor installed outside service yard.

[spikedoll 2]

The compressor/ condenser is in my balcony too.The balcony can get quite "heaty" due to the compressor when Aircon is on. My balcony is open concept ( no roof no windows).

[potatoes 0]

The compressor/ condenser is in my balcony too.The balcony can get quite "heaty" due to the compressor when Aircon is on. My balcony is open concept ( no roof no windows).

Agree...... but can also help dry laundry. Lol

[spikedoll 2]

Agree...... but can also help dry laundry. Lol

Haha agree too! Though I have a dryer but I don't use often. Now If i do my laundry at night i will hang my clothes near the Aircon condenser.

[texas5 0]

hi to all,

im doing renovation in july and currently sourcing for contractor. im rather shocked by the prices ID and contractors quote for EM staircase railings.

Im wondering has anyone tried direct sourcing for staircase work before? Im going for a simple design using mild steel as railing material but a ID told me will cost me close to 4k!

That is quite ridiculous because mild steel is cheap..even government uses it for public areas.

so would like to know whether anyone has contacts for contractor who specialises in metal works?

thanks!

[adidaem 6]

hi to all,

Im wondering has anyone tried direct sourcing for staircase work before? Im going for a simple design using mild steel as railing material but a ID told me will cost me close to 4k!

!

I dunno any contractor, but when I reno my place rem the railings was around 2k (think a bit lesser) and I did hv more railings than usual cos of one wall that was knocked down. My price doesn't include ID fees cos that is a separate quote.

But yeah $4k does sound over priced.