A Corner 3-Room Flat To Call Home

[koori 45]

Thanks for your compliments.

I need to help myself visualise before I make such decisions. The 30 minutes of planning and drawing is worth the effort.

1. Noted on the hidden rubbish chute problem. However my cabinet depth under the rubbish chute is only 10cm. I think the problem you mentioned happens where the full cabinet depth of 60cm is built ya?

2. Yes I'm using piped gas.

Oh, 10cm should be reachable quite easily... Can't determine the depth from the picture. I thought it is a full depth cabinet.

[kaykay 36]

Oh, 10cm should be reachable quite easily... Can't determine the depth from the picture. I thought it is a full depth cabinet.

Haha. I also just realised that the perspective is kinda off.. The depth looks more than the 60cm.. Paiseh..

[kaykay 36]

Came home to await delivery of the first batch of items from Taobao.

Man, I must say I am truly satisfied with random checks of the items.

The loot

http://

In anticipation of questions via PM, I am writing this now:

For those interested, please contact the following:

Amcon Express 68441911

Ms May Ho

The best way is to order directly from Taobao.

But in order to order directly, you will need a Taobao account.

To create a Taobao account, you will need the following:

1. China contact number

2. China contact person

3. China delivery address + "c/o <<YOUR NAME>>"

The above will be provided by Amcon via email. They will also provide a worksheet for you to fill in your purchase details.

Then pay with your local credit card to the sellers direct.

Do note the prices stated on Taobao have not included their courier charges (if any) to the warehouse yet. Usually it's only a few / a few tens of Chinese Yuan.

Alipay (the payment portal) will charge you a 3% processing fees.

Then send your worksheet to Amcon via email.

Do also let Amcon know the tracking number provided by the seller after they have couriered out the goods.

Please note that Amcon will not inspect the items for you.

For example,, if you order 5 items from the same seller in one single payment transaction, your goods will be packed in 1 carton if possible. This will be the unopened carton box that will be sent to your Singapore address.

This carton will have a tracking number. This is the tracking number you have to provide to Amcon.

You can request Amcon to ship to you your partial orders if you need them urgently, but if they do not add up to a cubic metre, you still have to pay the minimum charge of 1 cubic metre.

Refer to my first picture above. Those 11 cartons only took up less than 85% of a cubic metre!

Knowledge of the Chinese language is a pre-requisite to shop on Taobao.

Tips:

1. Shop and compare prices. They should vary around 5 to 10% between sellers. If a deal looks too good to be true, it usually is. Give it a miss.

2. If you find any itmes you like, put them in the shopping cart first. Don't buy impulsely.

3. After I selected an item, I will enter the seller's shop to look at the rest of his goods. Sometimes you may find other useful related stuff here. And sometimes you may find the same things here that you have shortlisted at other sellers. Try to minimise the number of sellers. Save on courier charges.

4. I wait another 1 to 2 days to see if I need to order anymore items before I make payment. Pay for all the items within a 3-day period. This way, all your items will arrive at the warehouse at around the same time, plus/minus a few days. It makes consolidation easier for the warehouse.

5. Check the detail measurements of the items.

6. Sometimes it's worthwhile spending a bit more on quality items. For example, I only chose 304 stainless steel-made items for all my bathroom accessories and fittings. They cost 3 times more than the alloy ones, but I think they are still way cheaper if you get 304 ss bathroom items locally.

7. Shopping at Taobao can be addictive. Don't overindulge just because it is so so so cheap..

Happy shopping.

[kaykay 36]

Some of the actual items.

Looks authentic Philips lights.

Kitchen sink

One of the 304 ss bathroom basket. Feels heavy and solid.

[kaykay 36]

On another note, I ordered this tap for top mount basin.

Then I decided to do undermount basin for my vanity.

Thus this tap will not be suitable.

Anyone out there looking for such a tap can consider buying from me ya.

The item is in my car, so we can trade quite conveniently.

The tap feels rock solid and very heavy.

The height. At least 20cm clearance for the topmount basin.

Another look.

The brand.

I will not charge any courier or shipping.

I bought it at 286yuan.

Selling at S$55.

Thank you.

[Songz 132]

Thats a lot of items from TB

Hope to see the review soon ^^

May need a few link of your loot. after the review.

Thanks in advance

[guojiawen 101]

Very useful and detailed sharing.

Thanks!

[alfredt 27]

thanks for sharing the TB info. very useful.

share the TB links too,, hehe

[kaykay 36]

Thats a lot of items from TB

Hope to see the review soon ^^

May need a few link of your loot. after the review.

Thanks in advance

Very useful and detailed sharing.

Thanks!

thanks for sharing the TB info. very useful.

share the TB links too,, hehe

With pleasure.

I just wanted to share my humble experience after deliberating on buying from TB.

It wasn't as daunting as I thought it to be.

I will share some links along the way.

However, reviews will have to wait after using the items, which may be much later.

Cheers.

[OceanEleven 203]

In anticipation of questions via PM, I am writing this now:

For those interested, please contact the following:

Amcon Express 68441911

Ms May Ho

The best way is to order directly from Taobao.

But in order to order directly, you will need a Taobao account.

To create a Taobao account, you will need the following:

1. China contact number

2. China contact person

3. China delivery address + "c/o <<YOUR NAME>>"

The above will be provided by Amcon via email. They will also provide a worksheet for you to fill in your purchase details.

Then pay with your local credit card to the sellers direct.

Do note the prices stated on Taobao have not included their courier charges (if any) to the warehouse yet. Usually it's only a few / a few tens of Chinese Yuan.

Alipay (the payment portal) will charge you a 3% processing fees.

Actually dont have to call Amcon or May if you are buying yourself direct.

Amcon will simply ask you to deliver to their warehouse and they will take over from there.

Important is the marking on the items as well as informing them if you are consolidating.

By the way Amcon offer purchase on behalf but charging RMB50 per link (regardless of quantity).

I am not too sure about TB need a Chinese mobile when creating account but I rem I dont have to.

Ail pay requires a mobile num but now Singapore mobile is accepted.

Paying by Credit Card with additional 3% reduce the saving and I dont see the point to do so.

I had written a little about buying from TB/Tmall in my blog.

Folks interested, may take a look.

[kaykay 36]

Actually dont have to call Amcon or May if you are buying yourself direct.

Amcon will simply ask you to deliver to their warehouse and they will take over from there.

Important is the marking on the items as well as informing them if you are consolidating.

By the way Amcon offer purchase on behalf but charging RMB50 per link (regardless of quantity).

I am not too sure about TB need a Chinese mobile when creating account but I rem I dont have to.

Ail pay requires a mobile num but now Singapore mobile is accepted.

Paying by Credit Card with additional 3% reduce the saving and I dont see the point to do so.

I had written a little about buying from TB/Tmall in my blog.

Folks interested, may take a look.

Thanks for clarifying.

I think you still need to contact Amcon at least once to inform them of your intention to send goods to their warehouse, don't you ?

Anyway you need their Guangzhou warehouse address too.

Try registering an account with TB. A non-China tel number will not be accepted.

The 3% is imposed by Alipay, not your credit card issuer.

Getting them to order at 50rmb seems a little excessive, considering the small value of my purchases.

I'd rather pay the 3%.

However this will be different if your single item is more than RMB1,700.

My 2cts.

[KimNaNa 6]

Hi Kay.. !

Wow.. Your purchases make me want to roll on that website.. Looking forward to more pictures of your Reno..

Cheers!

[kaykay 36]

Hi Kay.. !

Wow.. Your purchases make me want to roll on that website.. Looking forward to more pictures of your Reno..

Cheers!

Hi KimNaNa,

Go on TB, it's amazing the savings you can get from shopping direct.

Don't get addicted ya

I will be posting more photos soon too. Starting here bah.. Lol..

Finally some activities in the house today!

As i am just overlaying floor tiles for my kitchen, the change of the ugly cast iron drain pipe is changed to PVC one today.

It has to be the worst shot I've ever taken in my life! Could it be due to my excitement? haha.

Here's my tiles selection.. I'm disappointed I took only 20 minutes in my selection at Defu. I have read stories of you guys spending hours on end in the tile showroom. Kind of an anti climax feel in mine leh.. haha. It's almost like I did not fully utilised my choices..

Quite boring hor? So GREY......

Tiles delivered at void deck. That's not my car BTW. haha

Went to get some switches to play around with the colour combi.

Bought the boxes and spray painted grey.

Here's the outcome. I will be choosing silver switch with dark silver plate. (It's the one on the right)

That's all for now. More in a few days!

Cheers!

[James N Joean 8]

So u need to have a china friend in order to shop direct? Ur china friend need to so any coordination? Like for example will the shop call ur friend prior to delivery etc etc?

[Ashley Adam 3]

Nice layout and nice drawing! I am looking for ideas and thanks for sharing info on your house!