A Canvas To Our Imagination: Thoreau

[iceage 1]

Does anyone have contacts for 1) a windows guy 2) mirror supplier?

Alan's quote includes windows but kinda ex, and we are still looking for someone else to do it.

For mirror we couldn't firm up the exact size we wanted (for dining area) so we took it out of the quote first. Also looking for someone else cheaper, else we may just buy from ikea.

@iceage maybe you can put a corkboard/placemat on ur counter under all the items that may potentially leak! cut to size so it fits just nice under the item, so it won't affect the look of ur counter, and will help soak up any potential messes until you spot them. it's feasible if you only have a few appliances permanently sitting on counter. then for impt occasions when friends and family are over can just keep the placemat first for show haha. i think if we get a coffee machine i will cut out something as a base for it too.

Hi intheChouse,

yep that is exactly what I intend to do

Have to protect the countertop or else i will heart pain if see the countertop stained

[iceage 1]

Just echoing what has been said about kompactop. The two things I like about it - wood grain available and it's thin-ness so looks sleek.

It made durable because of the resin and most stains can be removed using thinner, including tumeric (which has been the thing that stains even the toughest surfaces)

The two things which you have be careful about 1. cutting on the surface, obviously will scratch 2. cannot put hot cookware on it directly - must have a trivet.

Hi Greglhc

How is your kompactop thus far? Any problems with it? Sorry intheChouse to hijacked your thread to ask about kompactop

[inthechouse 8]

Hey guys, no worries. Good to share info on anything relevant to reno- and then some!

Last night we had our first real taste of Alan's tales of horror... we saw online that he submitted the reno permit to HDB and it seems he got some parts of our hacking wrong! We only want a door to be hacked between two rooms but he submitted for an entire wall to be hacked, among some other mix-ups. The strange thing is there was nothing in the quotation about hacking a whole wall so god knows where he got that idea from. (Unless it's some kind of regulation to ask for permission to hack a whole wall even if we just want a doorway?)

We've whatsapped him and also sent an email with a clarified, colour-blocked, text-illustrated floorplan to him. Hopefully he fixes it and gets back to us soon.

Lesson #1: Check on things even when they're just super basic paperwork.

[greglhc 30]

Hi Greglhc

How is your kompactop thus far? Any problems with it? Sorry intheChouse to hijacked your thread to ask about kompactop

Hi iceage, it's been trouble free so far. Actually I did accidentally mark it with a permanent marker.

Only realised many hours later.

Freaked out and started scrubbing with surface cleaner and didn't work.

However, I checked with the sales guy and followed his advice - came off with Ronsonol heh

[inthechouse 8]

Here's our tiny master bathroom before reno. We'll be creating a vanity area outside the bathroom, and installing a shower where the existing mirror sits. We've been told that we will not be able to install a rain shower due to that hideous pipe. Even with a normal handheld shower, the idea of showering while facing the pipe is a bit of a turn-off. Alan mentioned that we can change the pipe for around 300 bucks, but did not elaborate on how that would make things better. For sure, the position of the pipe can't be changed. Does any pro here have any suggestion on what we can do to make things more sightly in there?

[iceage 1]

Here's our tiny master bathroom before reno. We'll be creating a vanity area outside the bathroom, and installing a shower where the existing mirror sits. We've been told that we will not be able to install a rain shower due to that hideous pipe. Even with a normal handheld shower, the idea of showering while facing the pipe is a bit of a turn-off. Alan mentioned that we can change the pipe for around 300 bucks, but did not elaborate on how that would make things better. For sure, the position of the pipe can't be changed. Does any pro here have any suggestion on what we can do to make things more sightly in there?

Hi IntheChouse,

Perhaps you can box up the pipes? Will that be better? Then you probably will not have to face to unsightly pipes during shower. I am facing the same problem with my common bathroom but yet to decide on the final solution as we have not gotten our keys yet.

However, you will need to take note that your rain shower cannot be too long or else you may bang your head against the shower disk.

[inthechouse 8]

Thanks, iceage! We are boxing up the pipes in the kitchen so why not the bathroom right? But would it be an issue to have carpentry in a constantly moist/damp area? (I'm assuming the "box" is carpentry)

[inthechouse 8]

By the way, demolition has begun! Some pix from Day 1.

Timeline: Permit applied for on Dec 2, permit approved on Dec 3, work began on Dec 6.

All these took place before Alan even received his first cheque.

[iceage 1]

Thanks, iceage! We are boxing up the pipes in the kitchen so why not the bathroom right? But would it be an issue to have carpentry in a constantly moist/damp area? (I'm assuming the "box" is carpentry)

Hi inthechouse,

From what my contractor told me, they will box up the area and put tiles over it to protect it from all the moisture/dampness in shower area. However, he did point out one disadvantage of boxing up pipes. That is in the event HDB were to upgrade the pipes or to do any repair, the box will have to be removed, which I seriously cannot imagine how messy it will be. Which is why we have not finalise on what we are going to do for our common bathroom.

[inthechouse 8]

Oh yes, think I heard of that too. Guess we're gonna have to shower with the pipes after all. Let me know when you make a decision though.

[inthechouse 8]

Went up to the site to meet a window contractor today. Was surprised to see that hacking seems to be more or less done- in just one day! And not only that, the tiles have arrived! We only sent the list to Alan a couple of days ago and were so worried that the tiles we picked out (weeks ago, even before we chose a contractor) would be out of stock, so we were really pleased to see that they had arrived safely.

Here's the doorway that was thankfully hacked correctly (on the HDB reno permit Alan requested to hack the entire wall). One room would be for just the bed and bedside furniture, and 'real' masterbed room would be hold our wardrobes, shelves, etc.

Can't wait to see the apartment after the tiles are done up! For the longest time, we didn't feel like the house belongs to us, but it sure feels a lot more personal now after seeing the decisions we made reflected.

[Makanology 29]

Hi, if you can, check that all the tiles delivered are the right ones. We received tiles that were meant for another project and subsequently were still with us even after our renovation.

[inthechouse 8]

Wow! That sucks! For the tiles to be taking up space in your house and also for the other family who probably had to pay extra. so Alan won't be doing anything about them?

We were very excited and already peeked at most of the tiles. Thankfully they are the right ones (but not sure about quantity). We will be bringing down our tiles check list and getting Alan to show all the different tiles to us before we make our combined first and second payment some time this week! *super kiasu after reading about all the Alan horror stories*

[retchlow 7]

not that scary la..

everything will be just fine....

[sevcrucio 0]

Hi Inthechouse,

Could you pm me Alan's contact and quotation? Thanks!