My 1St Home - Resale 3Ng Renovation

[MoonRiver 1]

Hi guys, i'm new to this forum, new to renovation.

I initially wanted to buy a "ready-to-move-in" type for my 1st home, as really knows nothing about renovation. The only memory of renovation is when i was in school, helping my father repaint our old house many many years ago.

But it is really difficult to find a house have everything you like, hence after several viewing - end up I bought a 30yrs old house with a good price, and have to do renovation inside out.

I have to worry about how to do RENOVATION now!

[MoonRiver 1]

My ID was recommend by a friend. He did my friend's house last year, nicely done!

Before make the decision, I was hesitated if to use ID or Contractor for a while, as budget concern , contractor is relatively cheaper. but because I don't know much about the renovation work, if use direct contractor may have difficulty in coordination and may end up cause more in unnecessary rectification.

As for price wise, I compared the quotation from 3-4 ID firms, the prices are more or less the same except one firm (N*D) , just some IDs added est.electricity and some not. so it is easier for me to decide to use "D*G*" base on good experience of my friend.

Look forward to my new home!

[MoonRiver 1]

2 weeks later, I'm going to HDB to collect key for my resale 3NG.

Here is my floor plan:

http://www.renotalk.com/forum/gallery/image/3569-floorplan/

My budget is around $30K. The original condition of the house is really original and old (30+yrs), have to redo everything.

[MoonRiver 1]

Still learning how to post the pic...

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Edited March 7, 2014 by MoonRiver

[MoonRiver 1]

My ID just came back with some 3D drawings, base on what I wanted - "simple, comfort, modern".

Living Room:

1/ Hack the wall between living room & kitchen, open up the space for dining.

2/ Add a glass panel to separated the kitchen, as well as to have better view from main entrance.

Kitchen:

1/ Shorten the kitchen space as the original kitchen including dining space, where I want to relocate it to between living room & kitchen.

Chaos,

Edited March 7, 2014 by MoonRiver

[sforshor 84]

My ID just came back with some 3D drawings, base on what I wanted - "simple, comfort, modern".

Living Room:

1/ Hack the wall between living room & kitchen, open up the space for dining.

2/ Add a glass panel to separated the kitchen, as well as to have better view from main entrance.

Kitchen:

1/ Shorten the kitchen space as the original kitchen including dining space, where I want to relocate it to between living room & kitchen.

Chaos,

Hi,

quite similar to my initial budget and plan. Somehow, I can see you will be over haul the whole place. Let's set your 30k aside. If you were to change all Doors , Windows and Grilles as well.......Near 40 k is a realistic figure. Excluding lighting s. My 2 cents worth.

* Mine 40k + -

Edited March 7, 2014 by sforshor

[MoonRiver 1]

Thanks much, Sforshor. Your commend really to the point.

I saw your 3D for living room and kitchen. Personally I like your house design very very very very much. Think your floor plan similar as mine.

Mine design was initially very look like yours, except I'll hack the wall between kitchen and living room.

My initial quote was around $42K. I tried my very best to keep in budget, but still exceeded by $2K after several round of scrubbing.

1/ I've cut down the whole TV console & feature wall design

(by using off-the-shelf type TV console)

2/ Shorten kitchen & kitchen cabinet by only doing bottom cabinet

(I do cook, but may not spend so much time in kitchen in fact, and upper cabinets blocks the natural light, defeat the purpose of open concept kitchen, I like the home to be bright naturally)

3/ Only change doors, not change windows and grills

(think windows can do it later easily, if really don't like)

4/ Using laminating floor in bedrooms.

Anyone got good ideas?

Chaos,

[sforshor 84]

Thanks much, Sforshor. Your commend really to the point.

I saw your 3D for living room and kitchen. Personally I like your house design very very very very much. Think your floor plan similar as mine.

Mine design was initially very look like yours, except I'll hack the wall between kitchen and living room.

My initial quote was around $42K. I tried my very best to keep in budget, but still exceeded by $2K after several round of scrubbing.

1/ I've cut down the whole TV console & feature wall design

(by using off-the-shelf type TV console)

2/ Shorten kitchen & kitchen cabinet by only doing bottom cabinet

(I do cook, but may not spend so much time in kitchen in fact, and upper cabinets blocks the natural light, defeat the purpose of open concept kitchen, I like the home to be bright naturally)

3/ Only change doors, not change windows and grills

(think windows can do it later easily, if really don't like)

4/ Using laminating floor in bedrooms.

Anyone got good ideas?

Chaos,

Hi

my point of view, you & your ID can always "play around" with the quotation. My frank advise, if you gonna change those thing which you think you will change it sooner or later, do it in one time. For example, you change doors only but not windows and grilles. At the end of the day, you have new doors but your windows and grilles are old...... You will feel not complete.

I saw your 3D, very nice, it was my initial plan too to have a open concept kitchen but unfortunately the unit I bought is a Prefab house, so no hacking allowed. Another one is, I can see from your floor plan, I personally think, ALL done , a 40k or slightly below is a do-able....... Good luck and hope you get a good ID.

- No need to cut away the feature wall, this part brighten up your living room.

- Cove lighting is really the attraction of small house.

- Pain one time, use all LED.

- Built kitchen cabinet only on one side, save a little cost.

My 2 cents !

Edited March 8, 2014 by sforshor

[MoonRiver 1]

Thanks, Sforshor. Your comments are all very pertinent!

Share with you my master bedroom 3D as well:

Master Bedroom

Master Toilet

Chaos,

Edited March 9, 2014 by MoonRiver

[sforshor 84]

Thanks, Sforshor. Your comments are all very pertinent!

Share with you my master bedroom 3D as well:

Master Bedroom

Master Toilet

Chaos,

Very nice too

But the two hanging lights in bedroom will cost you a Bomb.

[MoonRiver 1]

Yep, lights are really expensive in sg. Plan to buy all the lights from TaoBao - less than 400RMB each. Much cheaper.

[emptysoulz 0]

Nice hanging lights but i think they may be a pain to clean when dust accumulates on them

Need to climb up with chair/ladder to wipe the top ones if not will look black black with dust

[MoonRiver 1]

Emptysoulz, you're right. Cleaning will be a headache...

However it has slipped off my mind when I saw beautiful crystal lights. just can't resist it!

[sforshor 84]

Yep, lights are really expensive in sg. Plan to buy all the lights from TaoBao - less than 400RMB each. Much cheaper.

I bought all these crystal lights in TaoBao too. Even after the shipping cost me 3 times lesser than buying locally. And I believed most lightings in Singapore come from China too. But buying online is something risky lor. And you need to assemble yourself.

[MoonRiver 1]

I bought all these crystal lights in TaoBao too. Even after the shipping cost me 3 times lesser than buying locally. And I believed most lightings in Singapore come from China too. But buying online is something risky lor. And you need to assemble yourself.

Ya lol. Online purchase is risky, for example: color in picture may not exactly the same when you receive it, etc.

Got to do lots lots research on what you planned to buy. On Taobao, many sellers selling the same look of lighting, but quality not exactly the same. It's safer to choose:

1/ Top seller with consumer guarantee,

2/ Top seller with good comments from most of buyers

3/ Better to choose products with detail descriptions

4/ Read very carefully about the dimension, material, accessories, etc

Even after all the researches, you still not feel safe until the goods reach you with what you want...

but somehow you will still love Taobao...

Edited March 10, 2014 by MoonRiver