Modern Em Reno@ Bukit Panjang

[JohnB 15]

Hi,

yes, my solid surface is from Ikea.

I enjoyed using my ikea's kitchen. It is very functional and it matches all the ikea's accessories/fittings. While the soft closing provided by Mr Yeak for my other carpentry is decent and ok, Ikea's soft closing (supposedly Blum) is much better. We have no budget for Blum in our carpentry.

Buying the ikea kitchen was very tedious:

1. I have to go down to ikea to study and research before knowing what I want and what is suitable.

2. I have to write down every cabinet that I want so that I can tell the ikea guy what I want to buy. I also use the ikea's kitchen planner software, which was not easy to use.

3.Then I have to liaise with the ikea contractors - one for kitchen cabinets and one for solid surface.

And inevitably, I bought some wrong sizes for some cabinets. But luckily, the ikea contractor helped me to bring to ikea to exchange. I need not go down personally.

Working with Mr Yeak is much easier. I simply have to call him or at most, meet him to discuss.

I will PM you Mr Yeak's contact.

Thanks, Hariette. Much appreciated. I am glad you started a t-blog and appreciate you documenting your renovation experience, and providing reviews.

IKEA Kitchen

I am surprised to read that your solid worktop is from Ikea. I had thought they did not have any. But, I am very happy to find out that they do. Thank you. We have been thinking of getting an Ikea kitchen but held back due to the lack of a solid worktop offering (or so we had thought).

Do you happen to know the unit price of your solid top?

I love your kitchen. Your kitchen is the only Ikea kitchen in Singapore that I know of. I hope, if we do indeed go ahead with one, that ours would turn out as nice–functional and enjoyable–as yours.

How did you find their kitchen guy and contractors, expertise- and service-wise?

I like your wardrobes too. I am now thinking of getting PAX wardrobes!

Mr Yeak

Thanks for sharing his contact information. He seems good, and I really like how he has helped brought your nifty innovations to fruition. Could I trouble you for his charges, please? I will send you a PM.

Edited May 27, 2014 by JohnB

[Harriette 42]

Hi JohnB,

my kitchen top is white quartz ($115/ft). Ikea has several price range for their solid top. The most expensive is $150/ft. Mine is somewhere in the middle. There are cheaper ones. I also paid an additional $15/ft for backsplash and anti-drip. I also opted for sinks that are integrated with the solid top. I find that this is much cleaner.

Ikea's contractors for the cabinet installation (Robert) and solid top (Gigi) are very very experienced. So they know what they are doing.

Price-wise, an ikea kitchen will cost about the same as one done by the contractor. Generally,

Pros of an Ikea kitchen:

• the soft closing is very good.
• as the cabinets are factory-made, they come in uniform sizes and the look is very neat.
• installation is fast - according to the contractor (Robert), it only takes 3 days for a typical sized kitchen. Mine took 6 days.
• can fit all ikea's accessories
• it is well-designed and functional. Water do not splash on me when I washed things. I used to have this problem in my previous contractor-designed kitchen.

Cons of an ikea kitchen

• alot of work/hassle in purchasing - you need to tell the ikea staff every module that you want to buy. There are many modules. The ikea staff took 3 hours to key in my orders into the system.
• if you buy wrongly, you may have to exchange it yourself. I got some sizes wrong. Robert helped me with the exchange, so I didn't have to do it myself.
• The cabinets are made of chipboard. Not solid wood.

Photos below were taken at Ikea Tampines:

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

[tarzanboy 6]

Hi, brother Harriette may I know that before you engage Mr Yeak where you view his workmanship do he had a shop or company for viewing or discussion any advise thank

[Harriette 42]

Hi,

Mr Yeak has a shop in Yishun. I met him there to discuss quotation. Some time after that, he brought us to his client's home at Jurong West to view his workmanship.

Hi, brother Harriette may I know that before you engage Mr Yeak where you view his workmanship do he had a shop or company for viewing or discussion any advise thank

[Guest YingLing Eng]

Hi harriette.

Very impressive blog post, extremely detailed and many tips for first time house owner like myself.

Please PM me Mr. Yeak and William contacts and design fees.

Also, do u need to pay for the additional renders that u subsequently posted? Because usually designer provides only 3 Views right, not sure if this is a stupid question, because I am really a noob...

Thanks in advance!

[Harriette 42]

Hi YingLing,

I have PM-ed the contacts and fees. I don't need to pay for the additional renders. I think the number of views can be discussed. For my case, I just accept whatever renders Jay gave me.

[asychanbaby 10]

Hi Harriette!

Love how your kitchen turned out!

seriously Ikea kitchen is very functional with all the pull-out larder corner cabinet etc etc and they are not as expensive as when you buy them outside right?

And that kitchen island! genius!! maybe after 5 years or sth i can re-renovate my kitchen and make it like yours hehe May I know how much did you pay for all the kitchen work you get from Ikea? many thanks in advance

[TheNgs 0]

Hi Harriette,

Would you mind PMing me Mr Yeak's contact details?

Thanks!!

[JohnB 15]

Hi JohnB,

my kitchen top is white quartz ($115/ft). Ikea has several price range for their solid top. The most expensive is $150/ft. Mine is somewhere in the middle. There are cheaper ones. I also paid an additional $15/ft for backsplash and anti-drip. I also opted for sinks that are integrated with the solid top. I find that this is much cleaner.

Ikea's contractors for the cabinet installation (Robert) and solid top (Gigi) are very very experienced. So they know what they are doing.

Price-wise, an ikea kitchen will cost about the same as one done by the contractor. Generally,

Pros of an Ikea kitchen:

• the soft closing is very good.
• as the cabinets are factory-made, they come in uniform sizes and the look is very neat.
• installation is fast - according to the contractor (Robert), it only takes 3 days for a typical sized kitchen. Mine took 6 days.
• can fit all ikea's accessories
• it is well-designed and functional. Water do not splash on me when I washed things. I used to have this problem in my previous contractor-designed kitchen.

Cons of an ikea kitchen

• alot of work/hassle in purchasing - you need to tell the ikea staff every module that you want to buy. There are many modules. The ikea staff took 3 hours to key in my orders into the system.
• if you buy wrongly, you may have to exchange it yourself. I got some sizes wrong. Robert helped me with the exchange, so I didn't have to do it myself.
• The cabinets are made of chipboard. Not solid wood.

Photos below were taken at Ikea Tampines:

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

Thank you, Harriette! That is such a great help. Much appreciated. I am looking forward to getting my keys and rolling up my sleeves and taking on the renovation!

I have learnt quite a bit and got scores of ideas from your t-blog. Thank you heaps.

[alant 4]

PM-ed. Thanks for reading my blog.

Can I have Mr Yeak contact? I also need to do up the service balcony. Thanks.

[Harriette 42]

Hi Harriette!

Love how your kitchen turned out!

seriously Ikea kitchen is very functional with all the pull-out larder corner cabinet etc etc and they are not as expensive as when you buy them outside right?

And that kitchen island! genius!! maybe after 5 years or sth i can re-renovate my kitchen and make it like yours hehe May I know how much did you pay for all the kitchen work you get from Ikea? many thanks in advance

Hi,

I love my kitchen too! It is very functional. And yes, I love the island too. Having a powerpoint on the island allows me to have steamboat conveniently at the adjacent dining table

Price-wise, an ikea kitchen will cost about the same as one done by the contractor. Ikea's design and soft closings are better than a Contractor's, while the wood used by contractors are better than Ikea's.

[Harriette 42]

Hi Harriette!

Love how your kitchen turned out!

seriously Ikea kitchen is very functional with all the pull-out larder corner cabinet etc etc and they are not as expensive as when you buy them outside right?

And that kitchen island! genius!! maybe after 5 years or sth i can re-renovate my kitchen and make it like yours hehe May I know how much did you pay for all the kitchen work you get from Ikea? many thanks in advance

Can I have Mr Yeak contact? I also need to do up the service balcony. Thanks.

PM-ed.

[Harriette 42]

Here are some "Showflat-looking" photos taken of my place, by my IDs:

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

[Harriette 42]

More photos from my IDs:

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

[Harriette 42]

And more photos .....

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr

image by Harriette_Tan, on Flickr