Westside Reno Story

[JL1516 0]

Work got underway at the same time.

First up were the protection to prevent accidents

The view was still ok, and I did feel psychologically safer

Next the wirings

We opted for complete false ceilings, vs cove/L box, as we needed a fan in the hall as well as in each room + I hated the idea of having dust, insects and creepies roost on the coves.

Edited November 13, 2012 by JL1516

[JL1516 0]

Next up was the false ceiling. I must say Jiawei's guys were quite efficient and tidy. There was hardly any mess around, compared to my previous ceiling experience in other homes, where it felt like a snowstorm had descended.

The window bays were also decked, but by another contractor that we engaged earlier. They ran out of trimmings of the same colour, so have placed a temporary trimming, which will be replaced.

[JL1516 0]

Back to furniture. This was a dining table I almost got, but did not, out of consideration it might be hard to match chairs. I did not like their chairs as it was too heavy. But the wood grain on the table and the legs were lovely.

[JL1516 0]

Was away past few days and took this pic of my hotel's coffee corner. I like the interplay of the red, wood colours, will try to adopt this concept for dining chairs

Edited November 20, 2012 by JL1516

[JL1516 0]

In the meantime, the decking guys (not Jiawei's guys but another company I had engaged separately) had come to do the balcony.

I had chose natural colour for the wood. So I got a big surprise when I saw this

They had given me a deep walnut colour instead! Called the guy up and told him this was not the colour chosen in the contract

In the end they came back to polish off the paint and gave it a clear lacquer instead

Looks a bit better now. But to be frank I am not sure if some of the woodpaint had already been absorbed and the colour now still looks darker than it should have been Sigh....

Anyway I had chosen Heveatech wood, which was supposed to be a multilaminate of rubber wood, which they claimed to be most durable and resistant.

[JL1516 0]

Got the invisible grille contractor to do add on grilles for bedroom windows. I had expected the same look and feel as the orginal grilles supplied by developer, but when I checked, mine looked more like a child gate that has been fixed on top half of window. The bars are also different in thickness and oval.

The contractor tells me this is the norm... anyone has any experience? I am thinking of asking them to dismantling it, and taking it back, cos it is below expectation

[DancingInTheRain 0]

Anyway this was a set of chairs I liked at the start of my planning. I was on the verge of getting them when I realised that the buttons can be dislodged easily, especially when you had naughty kids ... so it was called off too.

Nice chairs and sofa! May I know where you saw them and their prices if u recall? Thanks!!

[Batman 0]

Did you choose the material and have the chance to see and feel it yourself? Or the contractor just tell you verbally that he can "match"?

If it is the former, then you got a case; if the latter, too bad liao. Cos from the look of it, this looks like the "norm" cheap and easy

to fabricate and just install.

Good luck bro.

[JL1516 0]

Nice chairs and sofa! May I know where you saw them and their prices if u recall? Thanks!!

You can check out http://www.comfortfurniture.com.sg/

sorry cant remember prices

Did you choose the material and have the chance to see and feel it yourself? Or the contractor just tell you verbally that he can "match"?

If it is the former, then you got a case; if the latter, too bad liao. Cos from the look of it, this looks like the "norm" cheap and easy

to fabricate and just install.

Good luck bro.

Nope, did not see the material at all. Had asked them to come over to see my existing grille and do something matching. I guess this is an important lesson in managing renovation....

[JL1516 0]

Just some updates... been busy trying to put things right

Got the window grilles changed to something that looked more similar

Lightings and ceiling works also done

[JL1516 0]

A brief respite and clean up....

before works started again with the carpentry moving in...

[JL1516 0]

In the meantime we also got our fans, KDK baby fans for rooms and hall. Had wanted something bigger for the hall, but felt that 52inch blades were a little too big.

Also got this ventilator for WC room.. it seemed to work quite well

[JL1516 0]

The idea was to build feature walls for hall and dining area. Timber walls that create the 'planked' look

[JL1516 0]

dining.... this is the timber frame that is to hold the laminate planks

and of course, along the way furniture started coming in, and was stashed in any corner that would not be in the carpenter's way

[adidaem 6]

Starting a T blog is very unlike me. But there is a first time to everything.

We got a new apartment in the west. This would also be our 3rd move in about 6 years. So in a way I'm a little less excited and unfazed about the reno (especially having experienced some real bad jobs before)

Wow, 3 in 6 years is very frequent. But I guess with each move you know better what you need/want. Look forward to the end results. Jia you.