Runningman 13 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) Hi all,been a silent reader for the past 1 year and ve really learnt a lot from the RT members here in T-Blog, those precious experiences, ideas and tips which help us a lot through our reno journey. Its really wonderful to see how a place to turn from nothing to a home after concept, reno process, furnitures and decor. Hence we decided to start our T-Blog (we got our keys on 1st Oct) and as usual 1st thing - our foor plan http://renotalk.com/forum/uploads/gallery_48023_3_57614.jpg Edited February 17, 2014 by Runningman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Runningman 13 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) We ve shortlisted a few contractors and ID before we got our keys and were more towards in finding a contractor in the 1st place as we ve a strong concept and we know what we really want for the theme of our home. We wanted a mix of Zakka, country home and some would say Scandinavian style, keke a mix of few styles - 杂货田园简约风 and I was reminded again and again by Mrs Runningman that to keep it simple Okie before we go more into our style, here are the list of Contractors and ID we met:1. Desmond from Koong Yee RenovationsHe was the 1st person we met and I personally find him quite a friendly guy and promt as he will reply msg immediately and send msg to confirm appt again the day b4 . We went down to his office to discuss and he listen to our concept but Mrs Runningman feel that he not that familiar in our theme. He mentioned during our discussion: "we don't like to follow what others do and reno..." when we show him some references we found and this sentence left a bad impression on Mrs Runningman It is only towards the end of discussion Desmond chit chat with us about the problems he met with other home owners and advice us on certain reno process, savings and furnitures to look for and thus Mrs Runningman find him quite friendly and will decide after seeing his quotations. I think he is an expereinced contractor / ID and a nice guy but he seldom do our theme as we can see from his portfolio during the discussion. We waited for a couple of weeks for his quotation and Mrs Runningman was not happy with it as why it took so long to revert and was not quoted based on what we want. However I suggested to ask him come down our place to see the actual site and further discuss again since he is quite sincere. He was very punctual and this time round he show more interest and gave more ideas to our theme on site. 2nd quotation revised and came back to us and he show sincerity and promtness in amending the changes, I believe Desmond will be a responsible guy if we engage him to do our reno but after much discussion with Mrs Runningman, we decided to turn down his offer as we feel he might not be familiar in our theme and we got a more competitive quotation from another ID we met. 2. The Legendary Mr KAs the title stated, he is very famous in RT forum and had often see him doing reno for scandinavain style which is quite similar to what we want. I was very enthuiastic and eagar to meet him as I strongly believe that he is the chosen one to do our reno. However, as others say, the more you expected, the more you will be dissapointed ........... He came down to take measurement on site and we discuss our ideas with him but can feel that he wasn't interested and he seems busy throughout our discussion, but I was still very interested in giving him our project despite Mrs commenting aobut his attitude... He promised will send us the quotation in a week time but he was late. Only when I checked with him again then he sent the quotation back bout a week or more and was over our budget a lot more! I msg him to arrange for a 2nd meet up and to amend some changes on quotation, and this was the time I started to lose my interrest on him.. he never or seldom respond to msg, and even if I called him, he was always seemed busy and replied "I let u know again" but he never let us know anyting after we waited and waited.... I even told him I can accomodate to his timing and wana sign with him after amending some changes to the quotation, but he still replied the same thing again.." I let u know" We waited but still no reply from him and gradually my hope on him faded and dies away.... I msg him telling him (after waiting for a week on his reply) if he's not interested in our project then its fine but at least let us know and he finally replied saying:" can do, but only be done after CNY." I was like WTH, I already told him I can accomodate to his timing in the 1st place and I dun mind after CNY and he still tell us this now.... He let us waited long for his reply on 2nd meetup despite that I even said I wana sign with him after making some changes and yet he had not shown any apologies or anything wrong with it... Sigh anyway its fine and we understand he is really busy and have no time/interest to take up more projects. We believed he will deliver and carry out the reno process good but definetly not as others commented him to be fast and good in their post. Just our luck and fate that he is not the "Chosen one" He is too busy for us.3. Colin from Renozone aka The Chose One Met Colin on site and he is a very friendly, humble and nice guy who listen carefully on our concept and ideas and also gave us feedback and options to our design. A few of his suggestions enlightened us and we really enjoyed the session with him where there were sparks 火花 during our discussion and we feel that he really understand what we wanted and he is also experienced in our theme. After a week, quotation is back and I mus say, his price is really competitive and reasonable which is also near to our budget. Met up with him again for 2nd discussion, things went on smoothly and he managed to further cut down the price for some amendments and throw in some freebies that we requested and again sparks ignited keke and inside our mind we ve decided it will be Colin liao. Although he is an ID but he will not overcome us with his design or override us, instead he gave us concrete feedback and accomodated to our design and concept, a very nice guy who listen to us and always promt in replying our msg and these gave us confidence in letting him to do our home. Edited February 18, 2014 by Runningman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Runningman 13 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 1st thing 1st, after confirm with Colin and waited a couple of days for permission from HDB, we hacked away one of the walls at the kitchen entrance to create more space and visually bigger.Our hacked wall Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chubbylobster 1 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 ah! I have that wall too! & the wall is still there!! >.< Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Domokun641 3 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 Hi Running Man Good dAy, mind sharing your reno quote and the items you are doing? Thanks! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Runningman 13 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 ah! I have that wall too! & the wall is still there!! >.<Hi chubbylobster, keke yup we feel that it will be better if its hacked and make a bigger entrance to Kitchen area Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Runningman 13 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 Hi Running Man Good dAy, mind sharing your reno quote and the items you are doing? Thanks!Hi Domokun641, we prefer not to disclose the quotation as different people will ve different requirements and to be fair to our ID. roughly the Items we are doing will be:1. Hacking of wall2. Lay wood texture homogenous tiles3. 20 ft Top and bottom Kitchen cabinets4. 7 ft wardrobe for MBR5. replace current MBR toilet door with swing door6. 5 ft mirror door cabinet for MBR toilet7. 8 ft book shelves8. 9 ft suspended study table9. 7 ft display cabinet10. Painting and timber skirting works11. Lay selected craft stone on feature wall12. 3 ft Island13. Customised MBR bed frame14. 10 ft Bay window with cushion in MBRbasically thats about what we will be doing, hope it helps 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Runningman 13 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) The must have brickwall for Zakka homeDinning lightMrs so in love with the skirting which match our zakka theme wellMr strongly requested stripe wallBook shelve in progress Edited February 17, 2014 by Runningman 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alfredt 27 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 the stripe wall is interesting. are the lines actual grooves or painted lines or sticker lines ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Runningman 13 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 the stripe wall is interesting. are the lines actual grooves or painted lines or sticker lines ?Hi,the lines are grooves lines painted in beige colour. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skins 2 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 Hi,the lines are grooves lines painted in beige colour.Sorry u mean u paint on the actual walls or its a laminate then u paint on the laminates? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Runningman 13 Report post Posted February 17, 2014 Sorry u mean u paint on the actual walls or its a laminate then u paint on the laminates?It's spray paint plywood with groove line painted in beige color separately and mounted on wall. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hojichalatte 21 Report post Posted February 18, 2014 Nice Zakka theme!! I first know about this theme from 摆家乐.. and chen han wei did such a good job in it! So looking forward to seeing your completed house... all the best! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Runningman 13 Report post Posted February 18, 2014 Nice Zakka theme!! I first know about this theme from 摆家乐.. and chen han wei did such a good job in it! So looking forward to seeing your completed house... all the best! Hi hojichalatte,thanks a lot! yup we always wanted this theme and ve been doing research b4 we collect our keys. Yup we saw that episode of 摆家乐 too, and I am doing something similar like his coffee table by using crate boxes. We ve similar layout and I am now reading ur blog too! Looking forward to see your completed house Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hojichalatte 21 Report post Posted February 18, 2014 Hi hojichalatte,thanks a lot! yup we always wanted this theme and ve been doing research b4 we collect our keys. Yup we saw that episode of 摆家乐 too, and I am doing something similar like his coffee table by using crate boxes. We ve similar layout and I am now reading ur blog too! Looking forward to see your completed house cool!! i like that coffee table~~~~~ his idea of popping out chair too.. kekeke... thanks! mine still gt a longggggggg way to go lah... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
