Qhouse@fernvale 5Rm

[istante0 0]

Mrs Merry! Thanks so much for the reply, really appreciate it and I am heartened to know that good contractor do exist! I had been dealing with someone who has been shortchanging me by providing as little renovation work as possible while making sure that the bill total up to around our budget. Maybe I will give Andy a call soon and find out more from him since my reno work will only start in September. Just one point I am wondering, is there many items left out from the original quotation? Does he add on many "unforeseen" items once the renovation starts?

[littlemissyfen 0]

Howwas your review of your ID contractor? Is the quality of their work good?

Possible to PM me Andy's contact?

[razzberrie 3]

Hi Merries,

Very nice home! I love the neutral backdrop for decorating and putting your personal touch. I would like to know if the electrical box next to the main door / kitchen is full height as it looks in the photos. How does the inside look? Still have 3 more years to getting our keys so am curious if the box can be shifted and pillar knocked down.

Thanks!

[mrmerry 2]

Possible to PM me Andy's contact?

Check thread posts and signature.=)

[kingfisher07 0]

Hi MrMerry, I read on your thread that you are using Hiiga's AEON LED lights.

Can I ask how's the LED quality? Any problems after the installation? We are considering Hiigaa AEON LED as well.

Btw what is FSM stands for?

Thank you!

[mrmerry 2]

Mrs Merry! Thanks so much for the reply, really appreciate it and I am heartened to know that good contractor do exist! I had been dealing with someone who has been shortchanging me by providing as little renovation work as possible while making sure that the bill total up to around our budget. Maybe I will give Andy a call soon and find out more from him since my reno work will only start in September. Just one point I am wondering, is there many items left out from the original quotation? Does he add on many "unforeseen" items once the renovation starts?

Hello IsetanteO,

There is no unforeseen items once the renovation starts. The only changes that we had were genuine unforeseen minor alterations and he will inform you the costs upright and if you like to change. I must stress that YOU (homeowner) need to be very meticulous with every single details at quotation and layout/technical drawing stage. This save the whole hassle of any other last min decisions on-site or miscommunications. Many at times, unhappy incidents happened as owners change their mind upon seeing the actual site reno as they can't visualised the real environment prior to that. Home owners need to play their role too. For Andy, he knew our preferences and expected quality to be delivered after numerous meetings together on drawing boards stage.

We have blown an additional 7K as we changed certain things along the way - 1 example is changing kitchen glass backsplash to quartz backsplash was a huge cost difference. But that was clearly our decision and costs was made known to us. His quotation is very itemised and all inclusive. So those things that wasn't executed will not be billed to you. I hope that clarifies. - Mrs Merry

[mrmerry 2]

Hi Merries,

Very nice home! I love the neutral backdrop for decorating and putting your personal touch. I would like to know if the electrical box next to the main door / kitchen is full height as it looks in the photos. How does the inside look? Still have 3 more years to getting our keys so am curious if the box can be shifted and pillar knocked down.

Thanks!

Hi Razzberries,

Yes, its full height. It cant be knocked down for our house layout. It's 100% original with all the electrical box and points for WIFI and blah. HDB also laid the gas piping outlet at that pillar too.

The only thing we did to ensure a seamless look was to apply to a layer of sealant to the original door and paint over with our wall paints.

- mrs merry

[mrmerry 2]

Hi MrMerry, I read on your thread that you are using Hiiga's AEON LED lights.

Can I ask how's the LED quality? Any problems after the installation? We are considering Hiigaa AEON LED as well.

Btw what is FSM stands for?

Thank you!

Hi kingfisher07

We love their lights! Awesome!! Our whole house is lit by their quality products - even bathroom, service yard and bomb shelter. Haha!

The Merries are serious book readers - so if we can read comfortably long hours under this lightning. The verdict is clear.

Seriously, this money spent (compared to those much much much cheaper version) is worth every cents. Maybe we are very sensitive to light temperature and colour - it fits us functionally and it makes our home look gorgeous at night too. haha.

We realised, pretty homes need decent quality light sources. It REALLY set the home in a whole new dimension.

FSM means FENG SHUI MASTER.

- mrs merry

Edited August 15, 2013 by mrmerry

[fal681 1]

Updates by Mrs Merry:

Someone enquires about the type of quartz we are using. I did a quick research and found this site : http://www.terrafirmasurfaces.com/kitchen-bathroom-countertops

It explains the major brands of quartz tabletop. Ours is HanStone - Aspen. However, we might change to tranquillity (new!!); given that fact that it really looks brighter and almost lookalike like marble!

As for Silestone, it basically has an additional anti-micro bacterial protection in each slab - that makes cleaning easier. But to what extent? I really don't know.

Oh, I also added Andy's contacts in our signature; thus anyone who needs his contact, can call him up easily. So far, he has been very prompt in replies and assist us in renovation plans - Our reno works start only on coming Monday; will feedback more once things are moving!

Able to share your costing on the kitchen cabinet and Hanstone top pfr..Tx

[pinkyceline 0]

HiHi, nice nice. can let me know your renovation cost pls?

[mrmerry 2]

Able to share your costing on the kitchen cabinet and Hanstone top pfr..Tx

Erm, i cannot recall on the actual costs. our kitchen had 2 x backsplash ( one particular piece is from ceiling to table top) , 2 x table top, 1 x island top - all HanStone Quartz for about 7kish i think.

Kitchen costs - I can't recall. 15k? I made alteration to all the bottom shelves to be heavy duty track drawers.

- mrs merry.

[mrmerry 2]

HiHi, nice nice. can let me know your renovation cost pls?

Eh, we spent about 58K for the whole reno. 15K for furnitures and appliances. 3K for lights. 3K for all the sinks, taps, toliet bowls and blah.

Much costs are sunk into better material selection and re-doing the toilets, service yard. Mr Merry wants a a consistent look for the entire home. Not even a tiny space like service yard can be spared too. I was trying to convince him to spend less but not fruitful.

Of course a pretty home comes with a heavy price. We're broke now! Now I'm thinking how to delay Andy's payment to later months. *ahem*

- mrs merry

Edited September 7, 2013 by mrmerry

[JSimmy 0]

Hi Mishmish,

We were looking at various brands - Turbo, Rinai, Hobz, Electrolux, Brandt and many others. Turbo is the cheapest that had a bundle deal - Hob/Hood/Oven at just $1.5K at Courts Megastore Tampines. Mr Merry doesn't like Turbo purely for aesthetics purposes - He can't stand their logo!. Haha.

The Turbo lady recommends us using glass surface hob saying very durable and she has been using for 15 years. But other brand sales persons said that stainless steel is more durable and ideal for long hours of brew. We don't like Turbo hood design. So since we can't pair it, we give it a miss.

We chose Brandt as we really like the hood design plus the high suction power is 1000m3/hr (very impt for open concept home). The noise level is also lower compared to other brands when turned on to the max. The hood is made in France, finishing quality is well made. To pair with the hood, we chose the stainless steel hod with 3 burners. I wanted a digital self cleaning oven, plus the oven has cool door function. Our oven is placed on the island, thus this feature is ideal. Mr Merry allowed me to burst the 2k budget! Very happy!

In all, both of us are very visual and having an open concept kitchen, we need equipments that looks nice, appeal to us (we need to feel good when we both cook) and of course functional. We were also being served by a very nice sales person Mickey at Harvey Norman Millennium Walk.

I hope the above helps! - mrs merry

Hi,

Can send me your quotation with breakdowns as I would like to do a comparison...TIA

[mrmerry 2]

hi JSimmy

i think its abit useless la cause i know he plus n minus for various things to ensure his own fee. so its very unfair to breakdown and compare items by item. We are after all not talking about items but a overall service he rendered for us. =) sorry bro.

OOps. i just realised i think u meant the hood n stuff,ill ask mrs merry to revert to u k she's the penny master.

Edited August 24, 2013 by mrmerry

[mrmerry 2]

updates by mrs merry:

It's 2 months in the new house! Mr Merry snapped the first photo showing his mopping evidence; whilst on his Teacher's Day off day last Friday.

We already paid up everything. Despite that, Andy still promptly send down his painter do some touch-up work; one of the new wall has a crack line (the side of the washer/dryer) and the painter got it fixed within a week of notice. Both Andy and painter said that's very common for newly erected walls.

Till now, we still highly recommend Andy's service. I missed the hustle and buzz during the renovation period.

Our house remain bare. The speed of how dust accumulated is like a child sucking lolly. Fast and messy.

House warming parties shall be starting soon as we get more settled in.

For those still renovating, good luck!

Edited September 7, 2013 by mrmerry