Industrial Loft Concept - Bachelor Pad

[ahzai66 0]

Hi greglhc, is there any way to see the pics of your home again? the pics in here don't seem to work anymore...

[greglhc 30]

Pics are back. Apparently I need to login to photobucket else they just archive the pics.

[Munger 0]

Hi greg,

May I know how much is the console and where did you buy it?

Thanks!

Finally the concrete looking panels are installed! It was a long wait and worth it

A closer look

Really transformed the feel of the living room

Workmanship also good. Managed to hide the wires behind the panels.

[greglhc 30]

Out of frustration, I'm posting a review regarding my aircon unit. It is a sys 2 from mitsubishi heavy industries.

Unfortunately it has been giving trouble over the past few weeks - causing electrical circuit in my house to trip intermittently.

Finally last week - these episodes of tripping has been getting worse so I finally got the agent technician to come down.

Technician coming down is not covered by warranty ($$$)

Basically three components in the outdoor unit need to be replaced - compressor, PCB (or motherboard) and heater coil.

Only compressor is covered by warranty

Problem is that the technician assessment is stupidly slow. Requires them to fill up a report and get approved from their supervisor

Only after approval from supervisor then can quote you how much it will need to replace everything, including labour ($$$$$)

Anyway I sought some third party advice - they install multiple brands and I've been told mitsubishi heavy industries aircon is most frequently encounter problems

Compressor always breaks down and needs replacement every 2-3 years.

Jialat. Very tempting to change the whole ac in my apartment.

Letting new home owners and renotalkers know - please consider other brands!!

[sarah833 3]

Hi Greg,

Its been a while since I checked out T blog, I just did a google of the long note you wrote about choosing colors for my friend. Stopping over to say hi and hope you have sorted out the air con issue?

How are the big items you bought from taobao, are they still going strong ?

I did some small renovation project this year to change the windows to single/double-glazed panels, replaced the shower sets, washnbasins and kitchen sink mixer to the loots I bought from Bravat annual sales, replaced the curtains with the linen curtains I bought from crate and barrel online store, reupholstered two dining chairs at second charm and finally custom made a hairpin leg kidney shape coffee table and two chairs from secondcharm month ago: ) . Shariffah is so friendly to work with. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Luxexplorer 2]

By chance I did find the chair supplier for Comfort on Alibaba while searching for restaurant chairs because we were refurbishing. They replied my enquiry that they are unable to ship to Singapore because of the contract between them and if i am interested to go to Comfort's showroom.

I have my qualms about ordering the chairs or anything from TB or Alibaba now because a guest was able to break the backrest of the fabri-wrapped wooden chair when he leans back from a hearty laughter. Since then, we have someone else broke the 2nd backrest so we really cant be sure about quality til it is already here. (and too late) Then again, some things that can be easily replace is safer than items like undermount sink, Shower sets, toilet bowl etc. The trouble is just not worth it even if the items arrived looking like what it should be. Thats why I am really appreciative of fellow forumers to give review after 6 months of use because that's when the problems could arise.

Recently one feedback from blogger about his TB sink always get choke. Plumber checked and there is nothing wrong but the drainage is too small so now he has to regularly pump it out like when he washes fatty meat and it will choke it up.
Another case is rust spots on her sink even there are no cuts and something growing out of it..

Being a sales person myself, I really believe we get what we pay. Grohe, Hansgrohe etc selling at 30% of the original??? I find it hard to think they are originals. They can look like but they cannot never be the real thing because of the composite used to make them.

My Grohe in parents house already 10 years and the feel is still as good as ever It is not the price we pay for them but the value we get from it thats most important. example the original vs a fake. $100 that last 6 months or $500 that last 10 years?

Just my 2 cents.

Totally agree! Honestly I think comfort gets most of their stuff from taobao.

And what I want to find is - the manufacturer on taobao whom the comfort buys from! Haha.

Thus truly effectively cutting out a middle man that does not provide much value-add (sadly)

Anyways this discussion is very interesting to me

I use this example of two "identical" products - the tolix chair with wooden seat, both by 4 diamond sellers

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.127.ZdMIYA&id=21396351959

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.188.siqYAG&id=9168209343

Both list the same dimensions and specifications. Yet the first one is about half the price of the second one.

What's the difference? You can see the second one is an actual retail physical retail shop which does replicas

Whereas the first one is probably one of the manufactures that supplies the physical shop or a nicely fronted taobao reseller in China.

Edited November 8, 2015 by Luxexplorer

[greglhc 30]

Hi Greg,

Its been a while since I checked out T blog, I just did a google of the long note you wrote about choosing colors for my friend. Stopping over to say hi and hope you have sorted out the air con issue?

How are the big items you bought from taobao, are they still going strong ?

I did some small renovation project this year to change the windows to single/double-glazed panels, replaced the shower sets, washnbasins and kitchen sink mixer to the loots I bought from Bravat annual sales, replaced the curtains with the linen curtains I bought from crate and barrel online store, reupholstered two dining chairs at second charm and finally custom made a hairpin leg kidney shape coffee table and two chairs from secondcharm month ago: ) . Shariffah is so friendly to work with. Thanks for the recommendation!

Hi Sarah! Hope the post about color selection was useful

Taobao items still going strong No rust on my sink/faucets/rainshower

Sounds like there're a lot of changes at your place - post some pics!

[greglhc 30]

By chance I did find the chair supplier for Comfort on Alibaba while searching for restaurant chairs because we were refurbishing. They replied my enquiry that they are unable to ship to Singapore because of the contract between them and if i am interested to go to Comfort's showroom.

I have my qualms about ordering the chairs or anything from TB or Alibaba now because a guest was able to break the backrest of the fabri-wrapped wooden chair when he leans back from a hearty laughter. Since then, we have someone else broke the 2nd backrest so we really cant be sure about quality til it is already here. (and too late) Then again, some things that can be easily replace is safer than items like undermount sink, Shower sets, toilet bowl etc. The trouble is just not worth it even if the items arrived looking like what it should be. Thats why I am really appreciative of fellow forumers to give review after 6 months of use because that's when the problems could arise.

Recently one feedback from blogger about his TB sink always get choke. Plumber checked and there is nothing wrong but the drainage is too small so now he has to regularly pump it out like when he washes fatty meat and it will choke it up.

Another case is rust spots on her sink even there are no cuts and something growing out of it..

Being a sales person myself, I really believe we get what we pay. Grohe, Hansgrohe etc selling at 30% of the original??? I find it hard to think they are originals. They can look like but they cannot never be the real thing because of the composite used to make them.

My Grohe in parents house already 10 years and the feel is still as good as ever It is not the price we pay for them but the value we get from it thats most important. example the original vs a fake. $100 that last 6 months or $500 that last 10 years?

Just my 2 cents.

Just want to point out some misconceptions

1. "You get what you pay for" - does not mean that when something is expensive, it is good quality.

2. Grohe 10 years ago is not the same as Grohe today

3. I'm sure chairs bought from Singapore also break:)

[sarah833 3]

Hi Sarah! Hope the post about color selection was useful

Taobao items still going strong No rust on my sink/faucets/rainshower

Sounds like there're a lot of changes at your place - post some pics!

Hi Greg,

The post about color selection comes in handy for my friend, thanks! Good to hear that your tb purchases are going strong: )

I didn't do up the kitchen,bathroom and windows (except for the double-glazed windows for the balcony ) three years ago. This is like home improvement project phase 2 The BRAVAT annual sales is worth checking out, most things are gg at 50% off during the annual sales during one weekend in August.

Edited November 25, 2015 by sarah833

[Luxexplorer 2]

Actually the Grohe German made and the grohe China made is what makes the difference from 10 years ago.

If you go the shop and asked really for the German made grohe you will feel the difference

Just want to point out some misconceptions

1. "You get what you pay for" - does not mean that when something is expensive, it is good quality.

2. Grohe 10 years ago is not the same as Grohe today

3. I'm sure chairs bought from Singapore also break:)

[Lazyfatcat007 5]

Hi Greg, may I know where you got the string shelves (the ones that you coppered)? Lovely and informative blog!!

[Buzybuzz 0]

Hi Greg. Can you recommend me your contractor. Pls PM me, thanks.

[Mannequin 0]

On 9/9/2013 at 0:46 PM, vanessa said:

Oh dear...if you change your mind and you wanna find something in Singapore fast...this is what i bought...italian designed and made...and the price point is just SLIGHTLY more then the grohe (made in thailand) range. Hope it helps

Hi what is the brand for the rain shower and tap? made in italy?

[Mannequin 0]

Hi

what is the brand for the shower head and tap? Made in Italy?