The Experience: Our First Home

[summersann 6]

Ah... yes fairly popular theme in SG and in RT-ers homes. Have you had a look at the other T-Blogs with that theme?

If you are going to get your own furniture (which is fun and I'll recommend to homeowners who have decent sense of aesthetics) these store listings may help?

- 20 places to buy mid-modern/vintage/retro furnitures: http://emrenoblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/20-places-to-buy-mid-modernvintageretro-furnitures/

- The (unofficial) Tan Boon Liat Building furniture directory: http://emrenoblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/the-unofficial-tan-boon-liat-building-furniture-directory/

- Places to buy home accessories & decorations: http://emrenoblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/places-to-buy-home-accessories-decorations/

I've seen quite a few t-blogs who go with the scandinavian theme. And one or two that went with the mid-century modern theme. They aren't really what we want though. Guess the little details really change a lot of the feel! And different people have very different tastes about certain things We're just planning to remember the things that we really like, then incorporate that into our overall design

Thanks for the links! Have already visited your blog way before I started this t-blog and saw all those places! Some are really going to come in handy!

[summersann 6]

Haha no I don't have a reno-blog. Thought of starting one but my renos occured when I was very busy. In fact, a lot of what I shared was learnt after the renos because I didn't have time to think through the whole process while it was happening.

I might compile the various topics discussed into a FAQ of sorts.

I may also start a post-reno blog on things we did after our renos were completed. All you get after your renos is a shell. A nice shell, but still a shell. It's the small things, the accessories that make a big difference. My wife and I have a long list of post-reno projects to personalise our house

Please do! I'll follow it very closely

[Pinkflowers 0]

I agree! When I saw the payment schedule, I just didn't think it was very fair because I would be paying each time something starts, without even getting to see the process or end-product. So, I would expect the final payment to at least be a significant-enough amount so that it would serve as a form of "protection" for ourselves. But great to know that you negotiated with your ID about the payment schedule! At least now I know I can do that

Noted! Will name-drop if I do use them. The boy was researching and found this other company that's apparently good too. Hong Tar Engineering Pte Ltd. Anyone heard of them? The boy's trying to do the calculations on how big an air-con unit we need. Here I was thinking air-cons were all the same, and that we just buy the brand we want and fix it in. Haha

I used Hong Tat Electrical. Not sure if that's the one you are referring to for aircon. So far ok, because the installation is still in progress and not completed yet. They were recommended by my ID - quite prompt and did a site survey, asked for floorplans before coming up with the calculations. We gave the sales guy our preferred brand and they gave us a quote and are now coordinating with our ID with the trunking etc - quite fuss free. The sales guy seemed quite knowledgable and gave good suggestions on where to place the air con blowers, condensers.

[summersann 6]

I used Hong Tat Electrical. Not sure if that's the one you are referring to for aircon. So far ok, because the installation is still in progress and not completed yet. They were recommended by my ID - quite prompt and did a site survey, asked for floorplans before coming up with the calculations. We gave the sales guy our preferred brand and they gave us a quote and are now coordinating with our ID with the trunking etc - quite fuss free. The sales guy seemed quite knowledgable and gave good suggestions on where to place the air con blowers, condensers.

Cool! Good to hear from someone who is using them if you don't mind, share how the end product turns out?

[Pinkflowers 0]

Cool! Good to hear from someone who is using them if you don't mind, share how the end product turns out?

sure!

[summersann 6]

Window shopping for furniture. Chanced upon a possible chair for the breakfast table/island.

Can't wait for the first appointment! Then we can finally settle on a designer

[summersann 6]

you mean decorative lighting for the house? http://www.crystal-chandelier-light.com/

Haha, thanks for the link. I'm not looking for such lights though!

[summersann 6]

After weeks of deliberating and waiting, it's finally November! Time for the first appointment this week, settle on one designer (think we have more or less decided on one!), and get down to designing the place

Still sourcing for ideas on how to incorporate our shoe area into the design. The boy and I have the habit of leaving often-worn shoes out in the open, which doesn't seem to work well if we were to just include a shoe cabinet under the window at the kitchen area (because then we'd see the shoes lying around when we're in the kitchen). Most IDs overlooked this. Only 1 ID remembered that it was important for us to have a space for shoes to be tucked under somewhere, yet not become an eye sore because of our open concept for the 1st floor. It's been slightly frustrating, realizing that many IDs just go for the big picture, but forget about the details that make a huge difference to everyday life.

Any ideas welcomed!

[summersann 6]

Aiming to create an area resembling this for the shoes and some bags/outerwear.

The living room should ideally turn out like this!

Kitchen should look somewhat like this, but perhaps experimenting with some colors!

Trying to incorporate some sort of a study area into the bedroom.

Looking at pictures of interiors always helps to calm the anxious soul

[summersann 6]

Shall post the quotation we've gotten from the 1 of the final 2 IDs still in the running (we have a current preference, but final confirmation shall be on Thursday!). Still waiting for the other ID to send us the final quotation.

Demolition & Construction Works - $6,742

Wet Works - $17,385

Painting Works - $3,800

False Ceiling & Fibrous Plasterboard Wall Works - $7,760

Glass Works - $3,606

Window Works - $3,938

Door Works - $5,460

Polishing Works - $4,720

Flooring Works - $4,600

Carpentry Works - $32, 043 ( we're aiming to cut down quite a bit from this)

Plumbing and Piping Works - $2,188

Electrical Works - $5,089

Miscellaneous - $720

Any opinions welcomed!

[Ken Wong 0]

Shall post the quotation we've gotten from the 1 of the final 2 IDs still in the running (we have a current preference, but final confirmation shall be on Thursday!). Still waiting for the other ID to send us the final quotation.

Demolition & Construction Works - $6,742

Wet Works - $17,385

Painting Works - $3,800

False Ceiling & Fibrous Plasterboard Wall Works - $7,760

Glass Works - $3,606

Window Works - $3,938

Door Works - $5,460

Polishing Works - $4,720

Flooring Works - $4,600

Carpentry Works - $32, 043 ( we're aiming to cut down quite a bit from this)

Plumbing and Piping Works - $2,188

Electrical Works - $5,089

Miscellaneous - $720

Any opinions welcomed!

WOW almost 100K reno... must be swee swee one.

u havent add in aircon, sanitary ware, lights and manty many (VO) more

[myrick88 0]

Mine standing at $84k now...and there's no electrical, no lightning, no ceiling fans, no sanitary ware, no curtain, no aircon, no roller shutter, no furnishing, no VO!!!!! Gosh....cannot think more.

[Ken Wong 0]

Mine standing at $84k now...and there's no electrical, no lightning, no ceiling fans, no sanitary ware, no curtain, no aircon, no roller shutter, no furnishing, no VO!!!!! Gosh....cannot think more.

item above is a must to install (easily 50K) but VO is a

Edited November 5, 2012 by popcornm3

[summersann 6]

Mine standing at $84k now...and there's no electrical, no lightning, no ceiling fans, no sanitary ware, no curtain, no aircon, no roller shutter, no furnishing, no VO!!!!! Gosh....cannot think more.

I totally understand what you mean. The other ID we're still waiting on, her quotation doesn't include any of the things you mentioned either. Plus, she forgot to add in some additional changes to the original floorplan (which means more $$). Don't even dare to think about it now

And VO. I'm praying there isn't any/much. Are you renovating an EM too?

[summersann 6]

WOW almost 100K reno... must be swee swee one.

u havent add in aircon, sanitary ware, lights and manty many (VO) more

No choice, the place we have is pretty much original condition. Except for the 2nd floor's parquet and the 3 toilets, everything else is getting hacked. Heart pain