My First Reno Journey

[wheat 0]

Hi all,

Will be getting the keys to my first home soon and so came to this forum to look for advice for renovation. This is my floor plan and will be looking to speak to about 3 IDs in the coming days

Edited August 6, 2012 by wheat

[mikeyong500 4]

Another em! Huge~

Welcome~

Have a smooth sailing renovation!

,

Mike

[May_dream1 14]

Wow! Another EM! Congrats!

[Gazingstarz 0]

Welcome and enjoy the planning.

[potatoes 0]

Congrats Wheat! Is your EM in Tampines?

You intend to hack off the wall of the utility room? That would certainly make your 1st level look even bigger.

However, u may want to consider storage for bulky items.

Are you having a open kitchen concept?

[eekenji 3]

Welcome to renotalk ~ EM has lots of potential on Reno .. How much u planned to spend ?

Our 5i also our first reno ... Looking forward to see your plan layout ☆

[wheat 0]

Congrats Wheat! Is your EM in Tampines?

You intend to hack off the wall of the utility room? That would certainly make your 1st level look even bigger.

However, u may want to consider storage for bulky items.

Are you having a open kitchen concept?

Yes, my EM is at Tampines. The wall of the utility room was already hacked by the previous owner, not planning to put it back. We are going the convert the area under stairs to a storage area, still thinking if we need extra storage area or just force ourselves to do more housekeeping and not hoard items.

Wife was against the open kitchen concept for fear that the whole place will smell and be oily during cooking, so looking for a "semi-open" style, with half wall and glass..

[wheat 0]

Welcome to renotalk ~ EM has lots of potential on Reno .. How much u planned to spend ?

Our 5i also our first reno ... Looking forward to see your plan layout ☆

An overhaul was probably needed so we are looking at about 65K for the entire reno. Not sure if it's realistic since it's our first reno experience, but we decided to salvage the marble flooring at the 1st floor so that should save us a fair bit

[whitehousey 0]

Yes, my EM is at Tampines. The wall of the utility room was already hacked by the previous owner, not planning to put it back. We are going the convert the area under stairs to a storage area, still thinking if we need extra storage area or just force ourselves to do more housekeeping and not hoard items.

Wife was against the open kitchen concept for fear that the whole place will smell and be oily during cooking, so looking for a "semi-open" style, with half wall and glass..

Congrats on your new place.

Yes, full open kitchen will have problems when you stir fry or cook oily/smelly stuff.. Especially if you don't want to mop the whole house every time you cook.

Can consider glass door to give the illusion of space with full open kitchen but still closeable.

[Gazingstarz 0]

An overhaul was probably needed so we are looking at about 65K for the entire reno. Not sure if it's realistic since it's our first reno experience, but we decided to salvage the marble flooring at the 1st floor so that should save us a fair bit

Think $65k is possible if you retain flooring ;

I retained my marble flooring and parquet; remodeled level 2, open kitchen concept all in with electrical is at that price too;

If you need design , going for Id will be abt the $80k mark

Mine is a gen 2 EM, going thru my round 2 snail crawling Reno now

[wheat 0]

Think $65k is possible if you retain flooring ;

I retained my marble flooring and parquet; remodeled level 2, open kitchen concept all in with electrical is at that price too;

If you need design , going for Id will be abt the $80k mark

Mine is a gen 2 EM, going thru my round 2 snail crawling Reno now

Shortlisted 3 IDs

1) Inside Living

2) Urban Design

3) Dhome

Hopefully, they are able to work within my budget, if not will be exploring contractors/renovaters instead

[casa 0]

Welcome hope to c your reno pics soon

[potatoes 0]

An overhaul was probably needed so we are looking at about 65K for the entire reno. Not sure if it's realistic since it's our first reno experience, but we decided to salvage the marble flooring at the 1st floor so that should save us a fair bit

70k to 80k seems to be the benchmark for complete overhaul of EM nowadays. I m glad to have done mine exactly 1 yr ago at a much lower cost.

Keeping the marble flooring is certainly going to reduce ur reno cost quite significantly. The other big costs would be the staircase, electrical rewiring, plastering. Don't forget that there is added cost for lightings, furnishing....

[Gazingstarz 0]

Shortlisted 3 IDs

1) Inside Living

2) Urban Design

3) Dhome

Hopefully, they are able to work within my budget, if not will be exploring contractors/renovaters instead

Bear in mind that renovators do not give detailed space planning, project schedule and def no 3D DRAWINGS.

So if u are the kan Jeong type, the renovators/contractors can drive u crazy.

Imagine I am always surprised by the renovator each time I visit my site (every 2or 3days)

Try to go id or contractors who hv done EM

I went to a few ids (the popular ones) and theres a lot of stuff these designers dunno.. And I need to conduct a mini briefing for them (ESP the young designers)

They hv nice fanciful designs but not practical esp when u need to maintain it.

[potatoes 0]

Bear in mind that renovators do not give detailed space planning, project schedule and def no 3D DRAWINGS.

So if u are the kan Jeong type, the renovators/contractors can drive u crazy.

Imagine I am always surprised by the renovator each time I visit my site (every 2or 3days)

Try to go id or contractors who hv done EM

I went to a few ids (the popular ones) and theres a lot of stuff these designers dunno.. And I need to conduct a mini briefing for them (ESP the young designers)

They hv nice fanciful designs but not practical esp when u need to maintain it.

My ID never do EM before. I m lucky coz I think he under quoted my reno when I did mine last yr. Yes plenty of hiccups, but when comes to $$$ .... I rather "live within my budget".