A Corner 3-Room Flat To Call Home

[kaykay 36]

Dear All,

Welcome to my T-Blog.

I am starting this T-Blog to chronicle my reno journey, in the quest of creating a cosy, liveable space that i can call home.

After living in a 121sq.m 5room flat for the last 15 years with my wife and 2 kids, many of my friends are unbelieving when I mentioned my next flat is an 82sq.m 3 room unit.

My decision on a 3 room is purely financial. Maximise profits, live loan-free.

I sold my previous flat just before the HDB prices and COVs came a-tumbling (last May), and have been living with my parents since.

Saw an opportunity to purchase a flat fully paid, and with a COV of $2k, I signed an OTP within 5 hours of viewing this flat.

I took ownership of this flat 2 weeks ago, and I have been discussing my plans with various IDs and contractors. Details later.

Now for the customary obligatory floor plan.

What attracted me to this unit is

(1) the location-Bedok, (lived here half my life)

(2) the large kitchen (I love to cook),

(3) top level in the block (well, technically I live on a more "atas" stratosphere than 90% of my neighbours. Right? Lol)

(4) windy - at least it was windy when I first viewed at 3pm in the hot afternoon, and thankfully still very windy after I took over the keys 4 months later,

(5) chance to create a study room where the "excess living room" sits

(6) Corner unit (privacy)

(7) North-South orientation, thus NO WEST SUN!! I suffered badly in my previous flat the dreaded west sun. I bought it when I was much younger and deemed the west sun as a minor factor in a flat selection. Clever me...

(8) I can go on, but I think any further points would just me justifying to myself. Haha..

However, I certainly did miss a couple of shortcomings of this flat when I viewed, in the excitement of it all.

Only in an empty flat do these defects show up.

(1) Master toilet space is miserly. Utterly miserly, making me miserable..

(2) Ceilings are spalling badly. (Pictures in the next post). Being in the top floor, my upstairs neighbour is the space managed by the Town Council, the storage water tanks and its water proofing, and the weather elements.

(3) The walls are not aligned right-angle. There is a slight 2-3degree (by my estimation) tilt, making the floor space a trapezium. Although 2-3 degrees do not seem much, running the 2-degree deviant over 4 metres show up the huge difference. Placing furniture will then also be a challenge.

It shows as right angles on the floor plan though. Not funny, HDB...

(4) Maybe there are more that I have not discovered yet.

Okay, getting long-winded already.

More pics coming up in the next posts.

[claypot 46]

Welcome to RT, 3-roomer.

82sqm is consider quite big for 3-room. So envy that you bought at a right time with only 2K COV.

All the best to your reno.

[titi 1]

Congrats on your good timing. Actually, yours is considered 3-1/2 room.

Yep, afternoon west sun can be unbearable. I once lived in one with the family room and MBR directly exposed to it. After a hard day's work, I returned to a hot oven. My miserable few years there.

I love top floor. No ugly sewage pipes and knowing the time your upstair neighbour flushes their toilet esp when you happen to also sit on your throne. I hate the imagination of someone peeing or pooing on your head

Spalling ceiling is common but not a major problem. Town council will fix for sure and for free. If yours is an upgraded block, there's no issue as they will re-waterproof and erect another buffer layer which make water seepage and radiation heat (if any) non-existent. And the ceiling is usually slightly higher.

Your MBR's toilet is indeed small. But you do have a good sized kitchen.

[kaykay 36]

Welcome to RT, 3-roomer.

82sqm is consider quite big for 3-room. So envy that you bought at a right time with only 2K COV.

All the best to your reno.

Hi Claypot,

Yes indeed it is considered big for a 3-room.

2k cov was a bonus. But don't need to envy.. many units are going sub valuation nowadays..

Edited February 28, 2014 by kaykay

[kaykay 36]

Congrats on your good timing. Actually, yours is considered 3-1/2 room.

Yep, afternoon west sun can be unbearable. I once lived in one with the family room and MBR directly exposed to it. After a hard day's work, I returned to a hot oven. My miserable few years there.

I love top floor. No ugly sewage pipes and knowing the time your upstair neighbour flushes their toilet esp when you happen to also sit on your throne. I hate the imagination of someone peeing or pooing on your head

Spalling ceiling is common but not a major problem. Town council will fix for sure and for free. If yours is an upgraded block, there's no issue as they will re-waterproof and erect another buffer layer which make water seepage and radiation heat (if any) non-existent. And the ceiling is usually slightly higher.

Your MBR's toilet is indeed small. But you do have a good sized kitchen.

Hi Titi,

Indeed I've had enough of west sun. The house feels like an oven even late into the night in the hot months.

Love the kitchen. Love having no sewage pipes to hide. Love not hearing above toilet being flushed. Love the winds.

Simply hate the small mbr toilet. I will definitely be relocating the entrance of the toilet, and bringing the vanity basin out of the toilet.

Thanks for the pointer of town council repairing spalling ceiling for free.

[Songz 132]

Welcome to RT & 3 roomer

Hope to see more updates coming.

Good luck wish and you a smooth Reno ^^

[KimNaNa 6]

Hello everyone.. Very new to RT.. I am so glad I came across this thread..

Congrats KayKay on your great purchase..

Just to share that I am also looking into purchasing this model ..

Viewed one on low floor,mid floor and even managed to get a viewing for one on the top floor..

Hoping I will be an owner soon too..

Looking forward to read all your updates ( great insights from ur first post already ! )

here's wishing u a great and smooth Reno..

[kaykay 36]

Welcome to RT & 3 roomer

Hope to see more updates coming.

Good luck wish and you a smooth Reno ^^

Hi songz,

Thanks.

Looking forward to see your updates too!

[kaykay 36]

Hello everyone.. Very new to RT.. I am so glad I came across this thread..

Congrats KayKay on your great purchase..

Just to share that I am also looking into purchasing this model ..

Viewed one on low floor,mid floor and even managed to get a viewing for one on the top floor..

Hoping I will be an owner soon too..

Looking forward to read all your updates ( great insights from ur first post already ! )

here's wishing u a great and smooth Reno..

Hi KimNaNa,

Thanks for your comments.

I must say that this model is one of the most, if not the most, spacious 3-roomer available in the market.

Good luck on your search.

Hope you get a good unit at excellent value too.

BTW pls send my greetings to Mr City Hunter. I am a big fan of both of you.. Lol..

[kaykay 36]

Some pics of the spalling ceiling.

I managed to speak with the town council and HDB.

Unfortunately, both these parties are oppositions in the government, so some tai-chi masters at work were evident. (No prizes for guessing who the masters are..)

However, I assured both of them that I will settle the patchup work costs myself.

I just needed the town council to ensure that waterproofing is done up properly, otherwise my repairs would have been in vain.

This is the bigger headache to me - the slantedness of the wall.

The house is already very small. To contend with furniture placement on slanted walls add to the pain.

Taking a closer look, it seems that certain walls are slanted by more than my initial estimation of 2-3degrees..Sigh..

[kaykay 36]

On a happier note, I did some shopping while waiting for the keys collection.

A friend managed to help me get some great deals at her workplace.

Wifey and I are looking forward to grease-free frying in the house..

My solid single-piece-top walnut dining table and bench + 2 chairs.

I scrutinised all edges, underside, and fine grains, and I have to concur with the sales person that it is indeed a single wood piece for the table top.. Price was reasonable too. Less than $1.6k

Love at first sight..

I also bought items at taobao.

Kitchen sink, rain shower sets, Philips ceiling lights, taps, pendant lights, some misc bathroom accessories are on a container right now to Sg.. Pics of the physical items will be posted later..

Edited March 2, 2014 by kaykay

[kaykay 36]

My reno plans..

1. The storeroom has to go. It feels claustrophobic with the huge chunks of wall in the middle of the house. I want the house to feel airy, lively, and bright. With the kitchen thus opened up, a breakfast counter will break the living area and the kitchen.

2. Creating a wall to enlarge the common bedroom to house my 2 growing kids. The younger boy will take the external part of the room. The elder girl will take the inner, which comes with more privacy. Their maternal grandmother will also live in with the girl, as she is our caregiver for the young boy in the day.

3. Relocating the mbr toilet door.

4. Bringing the vanity basin out of the mbr toilet.

Above plans are translated on the following floor plan..

[Songz 132]

Nice setup and with the walls from the store gone you will have a bigger space.

However I will suggest to build those tall cabinets for storage as I think you will bound to have things you need to box up and store.

(*Juz my 2 cents worth)

[bianzi 52]

On a happier note, I did some shopping while waiting for the keys collection.

A friend managed to help me get some great deals at her workplace.

Wifey and I are looking forward to grease-free frying in the house..

My solid single-piece-top walnut dining table and bench + 2 chairs.

I scrutinised all edges, underside, and fine grains, and I have to concur with the sales person that it is indeed a single wood piece for the table top.. Price was reasonable too. Less than $1.6k

Love at first sight..

I also bought items at taobao.

Kitchen sink, rain shower sets, Philips ceiling lights, taps, pendant lights, some misc bathroom accessories are on a container right now to Sg.. Pics of the physical items will be posted later..

the dining table looks good... where did u get that from?

[kaykay 36]

Nice setup and with the walls from the store gone you will have a bigger space.

However I will suggest to build those tall cabinets for storage as I think you will bound to have things you need to box up and store.

(*Juz my 2 cents worth)

Agree with you. Storage cabinets in the pipeline.

I cannot stand clutter in the house..