flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 13, 2013 Our search for an Ideal house in Singapore began way before we returned home. Hubby had scouted all over Singapore for a place we would call home eventually. Being away from Singapore for years, needless to say we were astonished by how much the housing price had increased To cut long story short, we eventually found an ideal location for our house and this is it, Our journey begins...Search for Contractor / IDs commenced immediately after signing the OTP. It was then I discovered the Reno blog which is such a savior! Lots of information and advice provided in the T-blog. What a great sharing and I've learnt so much from it. So here's my payback time, hopefully my experience can lend a helping hand to someone out there. Enough of words...here's some pics of the house layout & renderings done by the IDs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 13, 2013 The previous owner vacated the place 2 weeks earlier then expected and the house is super duper clean! So grateful to them. Prior to that, we had requested "Uncle" (i.e: The contractor) to submit the HDB permit earlier so that hacking works can promptly start on the first day of taking over keys. Yippee < Kinda of rush here as we were hoping to move in b4 CNY. >Day 1 - November 18, 2013 (Monday)Hacking works suppose to start today. There wasn’t anyone there when I went @ 9am….erh...did Uncle forgot? <agony>Day 2 - November 19, 2013 (Tuesday)Again, there’s no one at my place @9am when I visited….but when I opened the door…it’s like a battlefield. Impressive siah… Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 13, 2013 ....oh dear, blog says I have ran out of space to upload pics...any gurus out here can me on this? How do I upload more pictures? Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lala81 3 Report post Posted December 14, 2013 use photobucket, imgur, flickr to host. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 15, 2013 (edited) Day 6- November 23, 2013 (Saturday)We went Tile selection with IDs today. Took us about 1.5hours+ to complete the whole selection… (I actually thought we were pretty quick in selection as Hubby is the “chop chop” type but erhm…I pity my IDs who were ever so patient with us.) Frankly I can’t visualize the “looks” at all thus mostly dependent on IDs & Hubby to choose the tile. However, I super love the "bling bling" blue mosaic that ID has chosen. It’s so pretty, can’t wait to see the actual bathroom. Since we are at Balestier, next is the selection of Basin & Tap for the Bathrooms. This turned out to be the hardest, even harder than tiles selection. L Finally found “The One” that might fit my house. Now pending ID’s confirmation if they will fit the cabinet top….yup…it’s that small... Edited December 15, 2013 by flowerfans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 15, 2013 (edited) Day 13- November 30, 2013 (Saturday)Visited the site ….but erhm forgotten to take pictures again…silly old me. The workers had screed the wall & for once how I wished they are slightly slower in their action as I actually would love to have the brick wall look in the Dining room. Bo pian ....so tata brick wall.enclosing pic taken by IDs. Glad to see that the tiles are already purchased so I guess Tiling work will start on Monday. Yippee… Edited December 15, 2013 by flowerfans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 15, 2013 (edited) Day 21- December 8, 2013 (Sunday)IDs send us the final rendering of the entrance foyer. We decided to go with the following after much deliberation. Hubby & I initially chose the colorful tiles but after much pondering, I decided to go with the blue one as I am afraid that the colorful look might not last… Edited December 15, 2013 by flowerfans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 15, 2013 Day 26- December 13, 2013 (Friday)Met up with IDs to confirm the Carpentry drawings…quite a bit of changes to be made especially to the Living Room. Details like the location of switches, no. of drawers etc... Hubby & I spent quite a few hours going into details. Hopefully things are able to sail now….Pop by the house to take a peep…the tiling work has delayed a week…the progress is kinda slow....it's almost a month into reno works but tiling has yet to complete...gosh....I think there goes my hope of moving in before CNY..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 15, 2013 Day 28- December 15, 2013 (Sunday)I dropped a bomb to my IDs today after viewing the house. There is a flying beam (that drops down more than 440mm from ceiling) that smack across my living room ceiling. Initially thought it would be alright but today when we viewed the place after all the mess has been cleared up, we made up our mind to "hack it away". Well I guess this decision = more delay, more $, more agony for IDs & contractor & us! But, I don't want any regrets in future....Contractor said it will take a month for PE submission & HDB approval.... my gosh....does it really take so long to get the permit to hack a flying beam ( it is not a structural beam, i.e: not highlighted in black in the drawings.) .... Would like to seek advice if anyone has similar experience with hacking of a non-structural beam? ( The flying beam originally demarcates the living room & the balcony. However, the previous owner has already extended the Living room into the balcony area so literary there isn't any Balcony left. ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
getzski 1 Report post Posted December 16, 2013 Day 28- December 15, 2013 (Sunday)I dropped a bomb to my IDs today after viewing the house. There is a flying beam (that drops down more than 440mm from ceiling) that smack across my living room ceiling. Initially thought it would be alright but today when we viewed the place after all the mess has been cleared up, we made up our mind to "hack it away". Well I guess this decision = more delay, more $, more agony for IDs & contractor & us! But, I don't want any regrets in future....Contractor said it will take a month for PE submission & HDB approval.... my gosh....does it really take so long to get the permit to hack a flying beam ( it is not a structural beam, i.e: not highlighted in black in the drawings.) .... Would like to seek advice if anyone has similar experience with hacking of a non-structural beam? ( The flying beam originally demarcates the living room & the balcony. However, the previous owner has already extended the Living room into the balcony area so literary there isn't any Balcony left. ) call your HDB area office, and ask for the technical officer in charge of your block. He will likely be able to give you a concrete answer if you can get a hold of him. If he says no, then no point submitting the proposal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harriette 42 Report post Posted December 16, 2013 Hi there, flowerfans,We have the same ID! Regarding your beam issue, you can just submit your request to HDB. The technical officer probably will need to consult the HDB architect and engineer before he can reply you. Your formal submission will facilitate the procedure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 16, 2013 call your HDB area office, and ask for the technical officer in charge of your block. He will likely be able to give you a concrete answer if you can get a hold of him. If he says no, then no point submitting the proposal. Thanks getzski ! Great advice. Will call the "TO" to check it out...<keeping my fingers crossed> Hi there, flowerfans,We have the same ID! Regarding your beam issue, you can just submit your request to HDB. The technical officer probably will need to consult the HDB architect and engineer before he can reply you. Your formal submission will facilitate the procedure.Hi Harriette, I love the view of ur hse so rare now in Sg. We were initially looking for EM too but alas practicality took over and we settled for a hse nearer to Kids sch. Haha...so now always drool over others' EM. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pster 0 Report post Posted December 16, 2013 Congrats and welcome. Love the first 2 renderings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 19, 2013 (edited) Day 30- December 17, 2013 (Tuesday)Hiaz…the Technical Officer of HDB is not helping at all. Wanted me to submit the plan and he will submit it upwards before letting me know…aiyo this will waste alot of time ley.... Can’t he tell me straight away if anyone has done it before? Anyway, this is a stand-in TO as my original TO is on leave.. :（ Bo bian... Edited February 7, 2014 by flowerfans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flowerfans 1 Report post Posted December 19, 2013 (edited) Day 31- December 18, 2013 (Wednesday)While pending the fate of the hacking of the flying beam, we are now faced with a bigger issue --> Slow progress 3 weeks (ok, 2 days short of it) have passed yet Tiling works is still not coming to an end. (Skirting, Toilet Mosaic area & Entrance area have yet to start) ….unless there is a miracle but I really don’t see how they can finish all these items by tomorrow (even after extending it for 1 more week.) What frustrated me further is that when I visited yesterday morning, there was only 1 tiler and he was gone before 4pm when I went back. … Duh I wouldn’t mind if the work is on schedule ….. but they haven’t even started on items that were scheduled to be done up 2-3 weeks ago !31 days into Reno & we are still not done with Tiling Is this normal? Am I being too impatient? As usual, contractor is saying it’s year end, shortage of workers etc etc…. but based on the original schedule that was given to me, reno works will end only in early March…hence further delay meant that my reno work will take over 4 months! ... Seriously? 4 months for a 5 room flat??? This isn’t exactly what I am expecting from them. Sigh…am asking ID to work with Contractor to give me a revised work schedule..one that is practical and something they can achieve realistically. I have no use with a Work Schedule that works on paper only. Now I can't even schedule the delivery of household items and some items needs 8 weeks of advance notice. < tsk...tsk >Any advice from experienced blogger what's the usual work schedule i.e: what comes next after tiling? Or what can be done concurrently? Need help to keep check on the work progess... thx thx.Well, I really hoped that contractor already has a plan in mind on how to catch up and that it's my lack of info on the "plan" that makes me so concerned with the slow progress.... let's see what ID/Contractor comes back to me on the schedule before more updates...==> Sorry folks, not much pictures to show given the slow progress. <无奈ing> Here's the one & only pic I took yesterday of the Bedroom floor tiles. ( Oh, I have to give credit to the Tilers, they did quite a neat job. Although there are a few places that are not too ideal…but I think that will be too much a standard to request for. ) Edited February 7, 2014 by flowerfans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
