Budget Kitchen Renovation

[AnnieOoi 0]

Hi all, I've been an avid reader of renotalk blog for quite some time now. Was not planning to renovate my house, its more for looking at other bloggers reno journey.

So now im finally creating my own blog, but not for my place, its for my mum's new place.

For a start, my mum's new apartment is a 2nd hand flat but its an empty shell. There was not a single reno done previously. Previous owner was a filipino who rented the house(thats what i heard). So yeah..my mum bought over the house. I think they call it a JTC house, meaning no one bought the house and JTC acquired it or what. Im not sure myself. So those of you who knows what it is, please correct me if im wrong.

So mum was not planning to renovate the kitchen due to shortage of funds. Its a long story.

All funds went into buying their own house. So i decided that as the eldest daughter, why dont i just help her. But!! My budget is only 3.5K for everything. That includes the neccessary items like the stove, sink, internal rubbish chute, and add in the WC for 2 bathrooms.

Shall continue more tmr with the pictures. Lots of love.

Edited February 7, 2014 by AnnieOoi

[Songz 132]

Welcome to RT.

Sorry for the experiences you been through but i believe it makes you who you are now which I believe you must be a great person and have good relationship with your family ^^

Anyway hope to see more updates and I believe the people here will be more to willing to share and help in item purchases and design layout of your house

[ahhboi 15]

Welcome!

Finally found someone with as low a budget as me! I'm not doing the kitchen due to budget same as your mum.

Renotalk blog really see liao saliva drop but everyone budget are so "not budget" even though they put the word "Budget" in the tittle.

Camping here so that I can steal your method. lol

Edited February 7, 2014 by ahhboi

[myzticalz 14]

I totally know how this feels coming from a not well to do family. Jiayou and looking forward too. I agree, budget here always seems not 'budgety' as I thought. My budget actually makes me embarrassed to go to IDs to ask for quote, they will keep telling me why do so little stuff at your house. ~.~

[AnnieOoi 0]

Welcome to RT.

Sorry for the experiences you been through but i believe it makes you who you are now which I believe you must be a great person and have good relationship with your family ^^

Anyway hope to see more updates and I believe the people here will be more to willing to share and help in item purchases and design layout of your house

Hi Songz, that phase of of my life is over. Thank god

[AnnieOoi 0]

Welcome!

Finally found someone with as low a budget as me! I'm not doing the kitchen due to budget same as your mum.

Renotalk blog really see liao saliva drop but everyone budget are so "not budget" even though they put the word "Budget" in the tittle.

Camping here so that I can steal your method. lol

Hi Ahhboi, thank you for the welcome.

Yeah, when its comes to bling $$ bling, we have to be mindful of what we spend on, especially now that renovations cost a bomb!!

Mine was really budget for mum's place, and i did it, less then 3.5K

[AnnieOoi 0]

I totally know how this feels coming from a not well to do family. Jiayou and looking forward too. I agree, budget here always seems not 'budgety' as I thought. My budget actually makes me embarrassed to go to IDs to ask for quote, they will keep telling me why do so little stuff at your house. ~.~

Hi myzticalz, do not be embarrassed. Perhaps you can engaged a contractor as what i did.

But u need to roughly know what you want and tell that to the contractor.

The good thing about engaging a contractor is that you do not have to waste unnecessary hard earned money, and also you do not need to pay for the blueprint (if you want to view 3d designs for your reno). That cost money man.

[inthechouse 8]

Hi AnnieOoi, welcome. From what I know, JTC bought several balance flats in different neighbourhood during the 90s and rented them out to the corporation's foreign staff - many whom were white-collared workers. Tenants were not allowed to modify the flat in any way though, hence the lack of reno and maybe even aircon. JTC conducted regular checks during which they would also ensure the pipes are working and the windows don't fall off, etc. Several years ago, when the demand for these rental flats dipped, JTC began selling them in the open market batch by batch.

[AnnieOoi 0]

Hi AnnieOoi, welcome. From what I know, JTC bought several balance flats in different neighbourhood during the 90s and rented them out to the corporation's foreign staff - many whom were white-collared workers. Tenants were not allowed to modify the flat in any way though, hence the lack of reno and maybe even aircon. JTC conducted regular checks during which they would also ensure the pipes are working and the windows don't fall off, etc. Several years ago, when the demand for these rental flats dipped, JTC began selling them in the open market batch by batch.

Hi inthechouse, thank you for the info.

[AnnieOoi 0]

So i was looking for a good contractor to do the reno for mum's place.

Keep reading renotalk blog for many weeks to see who is engaging who and seem that mostly is engaging ID.

I came to know of this man name David, but the things is that no one is Renotalk seem to be using him, nor were there any reviews about his company.

But i thought, why not just meet him just to see how he do his thing and ask him abt his company and also i proposed what i want for the kitchen.

Meet him a few days after i contacted him, i think it was 1 week before CNY and he came down to took measurement, provide an estimated quote on the spot. Basically i kind of like what he quoted. It was not cheap it was not expensive but roughly within my budget.

Intially wanted to call up Perlyn/Mr Lau from Sunhup. They did my carpenty for my current home and their workmanship is marvellous, No complains at all.

But, he was busy for this period and i needed to to the reno asap as mum is moving is soon.

[AnnieOoi 0]

Painting was done first for the whole house. I shall not post the floorplan as am only doing the kitchen, but its an old 4 room corridor flat.

Im not replacing the any tiling as no budget. Haha. So did carpentry only.

For a start this is the kitchen after painting. Mum likes green.

Kitchen is quite big (i like ). Can even place a dining table. As you know current flats now are all Living/Dining instead of Kitchen/Dining.

The plan is to just to bottom cabinets, dismantle the alien sink, box up piping and change rubbish chute.

A few days later, David gave me a simple drawing he drew himself and send me the pictures of the rubbish chute.

We'll be changing to this and i got it at a good price, much lower then usual market price.

So yesterday 07/02/14, we met again to take final measurement and i told David that i will engage him. Seem that i made a quick decision but has not time to delay it any longer. As i was not making full payment, i thought "hey lets just engage him".

Have a feeling that he will do a good job. Woman's instinct

My final quote for the cabinets and rubbish chute is reasonable, even pressured him to give me a discount since it was the new year. Haha...

Edited February 7, 2014 by AnnieOoi

[Songz 132]

Woman's Instinct : Powerful weapon ~

All the best for the kitchen reno and hope to see the final outcome ^^

[inthechouse 8]

Looks and sounds good. All the best!

[AnnieOoi 0]

Finally bought all the necessary items for the kitchen at 1 of the hardware shop at Bukit Batok, (recommended by David as its cheaper then market rate)

Only thing is that all pictures/references have to based on their catalouge as their shop is not big enough to accommodate so many things.

Stove actual price at $370, got further discount on it.

Simple sink, big & deep enough to fit a wok (with tap mounted to 1 side instead of centre)

Simple tap.

Also bought 2 WC for each bathrooms.

This is the only physical sample that we can see at the shop. Purchased 2 units of similar design with white soft closing lids.

Lids will not be greenish as per sample.

In all spent less then $750.00 (before GST hor).

Deliveries for these items will be between the shop and David, heng ah my life will be easier. Already got so many other things in my hand.

1st downpayment made on Sunday 09/02, and today they will start to craft out the cabinets 1st at their own worksite.

[myzticalz 14]

Hello Annie, so happen, is this David from JiaMei furnishing?
Thanks!