3 Roomer In Potong Pasir

[HaiDeChen 0]

I recently bought a 3 room flat in Potong Pasir and have started reading Reno t-blogs religiously for information and ideas. Really thankful for all the interesting and useful postings!

Would like to share my thoughts and ideas as well as renovation pictures (as soon as I start) and would really appreciate any help or advice given.

Above is the floor plan of my resale flat, it's around 75 sqm and is located on the 2nd floor. (Pictures of actual flat to come later once I get my key)

[HaiDeChen 0]

Started looking around for kitchen concepts first.

The flooring in the living area and bedrooms are timber and still in reasonably good condition so have no intention to change much of it.

However, the previous owner had knocked down the store room and created a dining area instead. Would really like to have a large kitchen so am deciding to redo the whole kitchen and dining area.

Was inspired by colourful kitchens (in red) and black kitchens (for the sleek modern look). Am also thinking of going black kitchen with cabinet doors with strong woodgrains laminate.

some pictures that gave me inspiration:

[HaiDeChen 0]

With some inspiration in mind, I went out into the wild to search for ID/contractors to help fulfil or achieve my vision.

I started with just a idea to redo the kitchen/dining areas, but after much input from my relatives and friends and forum postings, I've decided to spend a bit more money upfront this time round to do up the toilets, the living area and bedrooms.

I want to share my experiences looking for IDs/contractors:

In total, I've seen 6 IDs in the past 4-8 weeks. As a newbie, I went to Singapore Expo exhibitions to look for IDs to renovate my flat. All offer 'attractive' pricing for kitchens and two toilets and fit into my small budget then. Spoke to a 2 IDs/salepeople? from 2 companies at Expo and got similar kitchen designs (the standard) and similar pricing. Both seem reluctant to change the basic standard design, and instead went on talking about their various selling points (ABS sealing for cabinets, roller cabinets etc, soft closing etc). In my mind, I have always presumes those are standard practices and not selling points, so decided not to engage either.

It was at this point I started reading renotalk forums to find out more about the ID companies at Expo and decided while they might offer really good deals, there are quite a number of future hidden cost ( like plumbing, electric rewiring, electrical points etc), so it's a no go.

I would go ahead to seek IDs/contractors on my own with a clear vision of what I want.

So off I went to IMM and Beauty World to seek out IDs.

1. IMM ID: seemed like a small company but later found out from forums they were part of a larger conglomerate with quite a number of bad reviews. Went into the shopspace and got greeted by a young ID/salesperson. He was trying to push for the standard package and used the same sales tactics as those in Expo, so I just told him I prefer to have my own design and would like a quote from the company along with suggestions if any. Sat down with him and talked for about an hour, during which all that transpired was me telling him what I wanted (i copied the idea from a magazine) and him trying his best to understand. In the end, we ended up with a topdown drawing made by both me and the ID and a promise for a quote. About a month later, I went back to IMM to have another chat with the same ID and got a top down computer generated drawing and a rather high quote. It was interesting to note that during the first meeting he told me that he could get the kitchen done along with other minor works in the toilet and living area for the same price as the quote and now could only offer the kitchen. He also showed me some laminate/veneer samples for the wooden cabinet doors I wanted but it was really nondescript and very clearly 'fake' looking. I was very disappointed and frankly a little bit pissed when he asked me to deposit 1k for a 3d computer drawing, saying that even if I do not sign up with them, the 3D drawing could be used for me to play around with different colour combinations. I took his quotation (16-18k without lightings) and said I will get back to him.

2. Beauty World ID: I REALLY wanted to work with this company, I have seen works done by the boss on renotalk forums and ABSOLUTELY loved it. Unfortunately, when I got there, I was attended to by a young female ID. First thing I told her was that I dislike wood laminates that look fake and I showed her pictures of what her boss has done. In the pictures, the wooden cabinets look like they were made of real wood, either that or the boss is a genius at playing with wood laminates! She told me they were laminates and proceeded to show me pictures of what she has done. The first picture she showed me immediately set the alarm bells in my head off! Artificial looking wood laminate cabinets! I told her straight away that that was what i disliked, and she said it's the same as her boss's work and proceeded to show me a whole bunch of wood laminate samples. It's as if she cannot understand what I meant when I said I wanted the wood grains in laminates to look natural. (sounds a bit pedantic but I've seen some really gorgeous wood laminate cupboards in renotalk forums and since it can be done, why not go for it?) She then proceeded to show me more laminate samples and more pictures of 'wooden' cabinets she has done. Anyway, I shared with her my vision for my kitchen and asked for a cement screed wall, which according to her is more expensive than tiled walls...hmmm. Anyway, she promised to give me a quote and it's been almost 5 weeks. Guess my budget was not high enough (i said 15k for kitchen). Am actually upset cause I heard such good things about the company but am unsure how to go back and ask for the boss to be my ID instead of her.....

Edited September 11, 2012 by HaiDeChen

[HaiDeChen 0]

After having rather negative experiences with some established ID firms, I decided to seek out smaller firms that are not necessarily openly out in the market.

I had no concrete plans on how to do that...haha...so decided to walk along the more popular furniture/lighting streets like Jalan Besar, Balestier and Geylang and throw caution to the wind by entering any small ID firms I see along the way. As frivolous as this plan seemed, the 3 places that I happened to chance upon actually yielded confident IDs who understood my vision, asked about my lifestyle and my life so as to suggest changes to whatever plans I have. And the best thing? All could give me a detailed quote in as little as a week, one firm even quoted (estimated) me on the spot and did a pencilled 3d drawing for me. Another little confidence pushing factor is ALL 3 offered to bring me to see work that they have done and are not afraid to share their ideas. They've also acknowledged that the renovation process is not something that will always go smoothly and there may be friction between me and themselves but we should always work towards resolving issues. I like that honest admission as it shows an understanding of human nature (although I hope to not encounter major problems).

At this point, I have abandoned my quest for a coloured kitchen and narrowed down my vision to a few simple words. I find that this helps me better visualise/look for what I want and it also helped the IDs help me create my vision of a dream home. To be fair, I did use some of these word with the 2 IDs and IMM and Beauty World but I got rather blank stares haha.

Industrial

Raw

Hard and Soft

Masculine

Splash of colour

Along with different ideas with the 3 IDs from smaller firms, I was finally able to concretise my ideas.

1. Use of cement screed walls throughout the house (except bedroom)

2. Use of darker somber colour in the kitchen, black and greys, giving it a almost monochromatic feel.

3. Use of open shelves in the kitchen and as bookshelves, giving a very open feel. Debating whether or not to use concrete shelves.

4. Keeping the timber wood flooring to give the living area a softer natural feel in contrast with the stark cement screed walls.

5. 3 basic colours used in the living areas/ kitchen : black , grey/cement plus wood (maybe I will get wood laminated cabinet covers..who knows)

6. Softness and colour will come from the furnishings and kitchen appliances.

7. Hacking of wall between living room and non-master bedroom to created a larger living area.

8. Open concept between kitchen and living area.

Things I've learnt from the 3 IDs:

1. Lifestyle choice is very important. Think about what room is important and how I use them.

2. Practical issues like storage are important, especially since I do not have a store room (at this juncture, if anyone has GOOD idea on how to store/hide a Mahjong table, please share with me....) Hiding of appliances (except for those meant to be shown) also to be considered as this would affect the look of an area.

3. Choice of lights are important, and frankly this is one area that I desperately need help in.

4. What is the role of the ID? just a contractor or will I be accepting of their ideas? At any rate, out of the 3, 2 are Interior Designers, 1 is an Interior Decorator. There is a difference.

5. Am I willing to push boundaries and social conventions on how a house should look like? This question was posed to me by one of the designers...who then went ahead to ask me if I would accept windows with no grills. (on the 2nd floor??? what about security? and insects etc? anyway a question for the future)

6. Always ask to see their works, and visit locations if possible.

7. Ask about payment plans, as all firms have different schedules.

Am now waiting for quotes from the 3 of them. Already visited one place by one of the IDs, while workmanship was good, the ID or homeowner's taste was so very different from mine it was difficult to ascertain what the ID can do....maybe I will ask to visit another location he has worked on.

[Charlenebth 0]

Hey, congrats and looking forward to more updates! When will you be getting your keys then?

Initially, I was also planning to cement screed all the walls in the living room and kitchen but was afraid it might get abit too dark for my liking so now I guess I'll just restrict it to one wall in the kitchen...

[HaiDeChen 0]

Hey, congrats and looking forward to more updates! When will you be getting your keys then?

Initially, I was also planning to cement screed all the walls in the living room and kitchen but was afraid it might get abit too dark for my liking so now I guess I'll just restrict it to one wall in the kitchen...

Getting keys in October but thought I better start looking at reno stuff right now.

Hmm, I was at a friend's place and he had cement screed walls everywhere. It's true that it's a little bit dark, but at night, with really good lighting, the house actually looks lovely. I'm willing to go cement screed coz I work in the daytime and will only be home at night, so it might not affect me as much.

Do you also have a 3 room flat?

[casa 0]

Welcome 3roomer

Hope to c your reno pics soon

[HaiDeChen 0]

Thanks Casa! Hope to start my renovation Week 1 of November. Meanwhile, I am hoping the owner will allow my selected ID and me to go and measure the place so that a more confirmed quote can be worked out.

Anyway, here are my experiences with the 3 shortlisted IDs that I like.

ID 1, along Serangoon Road: Was just walking around and chanced upon this shop. While I've seen them at exhibitions before and was not overly impressed, I really liked the showroom and went in to take a look. Was attended to by a senior contractor who gave me the idea for a darker coloured kitchen instead of my crazy red/orange kitchens. He was able to sketch out a 3D drawing of the kitchen I envisioned and gave me a rough quotation on the spot, with quite a detailed breakdown. Went through a number of laminate/ glass options for kitchen cabinets as well as took a look at his open concept wardrobes and the toilet in the showroom. I had the chance to go to one of his renovated flats, which unfortunately for me (or him) felt a little bit flat for me..again that might be the owner's taste not his.

ID 2, along Balestier Road: Was looking at toilet fixtures and came upon a bright green logo outside a small door with stairs leading up. quickly googled the company but could find no information. Decided to walk in anyway to take a look. Climber up the stiars and was greeted by one of the 5 or 6 IDs that worked in the company. I must say their office really looked comfortable and cosy. Once again went through the basic kitchen setup and the ID asked a little bit more about, my lifestyle and what i envisioned for my small flat. The idea of cement screeding the whole house as well as using concrete table came as a direct inspiration from some of the pictures he showed me. I really liked the fact that he offered (not sure if he was serious) to show me some of the flats he renovated even without me asking. Had a good time going through many many different kinds of black laminates with him. Again, I liked this guy because he showed an interest in what i wanted and made suggestions to modify etc. It felt way better than trying to push some standard design down my throat. Still waiting his quote which should be in my this weekend.

ID 3, along Jalan Besar: I would never have noticed this place. A simple concrete wall, on the wall a simple clean-cut font that announced the presence of the firm. Really going with gut feel, but I really liked what I saw. Felt more designer-like than most interior showrooms. So went down a flight of stairs and to my dismay, the office was locked. I had a good clear look into the office though, very very modern, very clean and clear lines. I waited for about 10 mins and decided to leave, but as I was going up the stairs, i met someone coming down and asked him if he was part of the company...and to my delight he was. So i went in to have a chat with him and looked through his portfolio. Really liked what I saw. When i presented my ideas to him, he asked me what did I expect his role to be. at this point, I was slightly taken aback, then realised that if I had all the ideas, I might as well go look for a contractor instead of hiring him. At any rate, I really needed help with lighting, overall look and feel of my flat and he seemed satisfied with my answer. Again, this ID asked about my personal life and what I envisioned. It felt right that and ID should find out more about your life in order to design for you. He was the one that also asked how far I am willing to go in order to achieve a unique look and I said he can try me ...hehe.

Well, I am torn between these 3 IDs, so I guess it will boil down to visiting a place they have renovated and looking at their quotes. All three are smaller firms and survive on word of mouth, something which scares me yet assures me at the same time. None of the 3 firms are new, all have been around for more than 7 years, so they really cannot afford to do bad reno if they are surviving based on word of mouth. Then again, I have no one I know that can vouch for them..so hmmmm. Anyway, since I am going with my intuition, I guess I should just trust them. Surprisingly, they all seem to be able to keep within my budget of 30k for a full house reno with aircon, + or - 1-2k (at least they assured me, I still need to look at the final quote.)

[HaiDeChen 0]

Am looking at the following appliances for my kitchen/house. feel free to let me know if they are any good/bad or if you guys and gals have any prior experience using them. Thanks!

Fridge: Samsung RT45TSGL

Induction Hob: Bosch PMI968MS

Washing Machine and Dryer:

Brandt 6kg Top Load Washer WTC9685

Brandt Top Load Dryer ETE6110K

Decided to pay a bit more for machines with smaller width so as to free up space in the kitchen.

My single indulgence:

Kitchen Aid Mixer KSM150

And I;ve already ordered a black Haiku fan and burnt a hole in my wallet! At any rate, it helps to further solidify my design ideas cause I have to make sure everything else goes with the black Haiky u

[HaiDeChen 0]

Furniture that will probably go with my flat:

Had visited some websites and Grafunkt furniture really captured my eye!

Probably cost a bomb, maybe buying a piece every 6 months or so...hehe

Edited September 12, 2012 by HaiDeChen

[cutebaby20 0]

Welcome, your collection keys is same as mine on Oct. I now also looking around.

[HaiDeChen 0]

Went abit kookoo and bought myself the Kitchen Aid KSM mixer and Brandt Built in 30cm Induction Hob TI1000B.

[Charlenebth 0]

Getting keys in October but thought I better start looking at reno stuff right now.

Hmm, I was at a friend's place and he had cement screed walls everywhere. It's true that it's a little bit dark, but at night, with really good lighting, the house actually looks lovely. I'm willing to go cement screed coz I work in the daytime and will only be home at night, so it might not affect me as much.

Do you also have a 3 room flat?

Yeah, just got my key last week but still cannot decide on so many things, not even the contractor! Maybe I could get some inspiration from this blog of yours. Hiak!

[HaiDeChen 0]

my key will be mine at end october....so paiseh..no inspiration as yet. I also have not decided which contractor to get. you should start looking...maybe walk the streets like me..haha. It's tiring but interesting to learn new stuff!

[Charlenebth 0]

my key will be mine at end october....so paiseh..no inspiration as yet. I also have not decided which contractor to get. you should start looking...maybe walk the streets like me..haha. It's tiring but interesting to learn new stuff!

yeah, have started looking since ages ago but still cannot come to a decision

to walk the streets alone and without a car is too much of a hassle for me. lol! in short, lazy la!

anyways, cant wait to see more posts from you.