Hacking Out A Home-Shaped Hole @ Cassia

[OceanEleven 203]

Quite a fair bit of home makers purchase their lighting from Taobao and Tmall,

Price difference can be in excess of 50%. You may want to consider.

[Dwinsplace 48]

Yeah we are definitely considering lights from Taobao! Our chinese reading skills are crap though so its a bit daunting. Even with google translate side by side there's always this fear that the page says that they are actually only selling the wires and not the lights or something.

But every catalogue that we have seen from guys in singapore show us lights from taobao at a much higher price. So will probably try 1 or 2 at least.

Thankfully our ID says that her chinese is good so we will get her to QC for us.

But I would like to second my wife and ask for help wrt toilet choices.

My personal experience has been with lousy WCs that don't get all the waste down and I have to stand there waiting for the toilet to fill again and then flush again. Sometimes I even need to do it 3 times! Very time and water inefficient. The brand that did this to me was Caroma, so I'm avoiding that brand. Wondering if the renotalkers have recommendations on powerful (and reasonably priced) WCs?

[Songz 132]

Yeah we are definitely considering lights from Taobao! Our chinese reading skills are crap though so its a bit daunting. Even with google translate side by side there's always this fear that the page says that they are actually only selling the wires and not the lights or something.

But every catalogue that we have seen from guys in singapore show us lights from taobao at a much higher price. So will probably try 1 or 2 at least.

Thankfully our ID says that her chinese is good so we will get her to QC for us.

But I would like to second my wife and ask for help wrt toilet choices.

My personal experience has been with lousy WCs that don't get all the waste down and I have to stand there waiting for the toilet to fill again and then flush again. Sometimes I even need to do it 3 times! Very time and water inefficient. The brand that did this to me was Caroma, so I'm avoiding that brand. Wondering if the renotalkers have recommendations on powerful (and reasonably priced) WCs?

Friend use Baron (If i am not wrong on the spelling) and did not heard much complain from him.

Just get the least no. of ticks for the WC

[OceanEleven 203]

Yeah we are definitely considering lights from Taobao! Our chinese reading skills are crap though so its a bit daunting. Even with google translate side by side there's always this fear that the page says that they are actually only selling the wires and not the lights or something.

But every catalogue that we have seen from guys in singapore show us lights from taobao at a much higher price. So will probably try 1 or 2 at least.

Thankfully our ID says that her chinese is good so we will get her to QC for us.

If there is a concern about the quality, try using Tmall instead.

I would say the overall quality is pretty good. Buying from TB is a walk in the park. Just choose the lighting you want first then the review later.

My ID told me the light I bought, he saw a similar one going at $400 plus local, while I got 4 pcs for only $170. So do the math.

[Ks Toh 74]

But I would like to second my wife and ask for help wrt toilet choices.

My personal experience has been with lousy WCs that don't get all the waste down and I have to stand there waiting for the toilet to fill again and then flush again. Sometimes I even need to do it 3 times! Very time and water inefficient. The brand that did this to me was Caroma, so I'm avoiding that brand. Wondering if the renotalkers have recommendations on powerful (and reasonably priced) WCs?

The particular Toto model I am using has a very efficient flushing system. You can check it out at the Fullsen Toto showroom along Jalan Besar.

You can see a picture and video on my blog: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/topic/62505-top-kew-drive/?p=831111

Edited May 24, 2014 by kstoh

[Dwinsplace 48]

If there is a concern about the quality, try using Tmall instead.

I would say the overall quality is pretty good. Buying from TB is a walk in the park. Just choose the lighting you want first then the review later.

My ID told me the light I bought, he saw a similar one going at $400 plus local, while I got 4 pcs for only $170. So do the math.

Yeah I've been doing the math and its amazing how much money one can save from TB. I'll check out TMall as you suggested. Is that a specific seller on TB? How do i find the shop? Just search TMall?

[Dwinsplace 48]

The particular Toto model I am using has a very efficient flushing system. You can check it out at the Fullsen Toto showroom along Jalan Besar.

You can see a picture and video on my blog: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/topic/62505-top-kew-drive/?p=831111

Thank kstoh! I love your blog. You are super informative and detailed. Esp love how hands on you get. Unfortunately the singaporean lifestyle and housing space rarely allows for the collection of power tools needs to do the jobs. But I'm planning to invest in a drill at some point at least. Found that it has come in handy a number of times over the years at my folk's place.

I'll go check out that brand! At the moment I don't know the distance to my sewage pipe though but I'm trying to get recommendations.

[Dwinsplace 48]

Friend use Baron (If i am not wrong on the spelling) and did not heard much complain from him.

Just get the least no. of ticks for the WC

thanks songz! Yeah less ticks means more water per flush and more power right? Was hoping for a way to save water with sufficient power though. WIll check out baron.

[Dwinsplace 48]

How do you guys post off mobile devices? Especially photos.

Its kinda tedious to have to transfer the pics from my phone to my desktop and then to flickr before I can upload onto the blog.

[Dwinsplace 48]

Main door woes.

I've got this thing where I find it extremely tedious and irritating to have to unlock and open 2 sets of things. (gate then the door) Esp since I'm always carrying a bag and a helmet or two.

Having to balance the helmet between my knees while I'm hot and sweaty and fishing for keys SUCKS. Makes me want to the door down.

Thanks to renotalk I've discovered digital locks and RFID cards and how handsfree the whole operation can be. Which I LOVE! The technology has been around for a while now. Go up to your car with a proximity key and it opens at a touch. Why not the front door?

But the idea kinda fails once you add a gate to it. I mean, whats the point of having a keyless system when you still need to fish around for keys for the gate? But being WITHOUT a gate is kinda weird too. Like it does feel more ... naked.... opening the door to a delivery man when there isn't that gate to keep a barrier between the two of you. I know singapore is safe and all, but i feel more comfortable with a bit of protection between me and a random stranger at my door. I know my wife definitely feels the same way too.

Hence the woes. How to make it convenient, without feeling unsafe?

This is what I eventually came up with!

Main door idea by dwinsplace, on Flickr

The window is of a size that allows you to accept small parcels that would normally fit through a gate, or to sign for registered letters. The door stays firmly bolted the whole time. And if you had a big parcel to accept, well then you would have had to open a normal gate for that scenario anyway. Plus its different and kinda cool. haha. Lets see if the ID can custom something like that.

[OceanEleven 203]

Yeah I've been doing the math and its amazing how much money one can save from TB. I'll check out TMall as you suggested. Is that a specific seller on TB? How do i find the shop? Just search TMall?

Tmall is same as TB except Tmall sellers are supposed to be be more trust worthy and quality supposed to be better.

My experience with Tmall is pretty good, the items sold and packaging are up to standard.

[Ks Toh 74]

How do you guys post off mobile devices? Especially photos.

Its kinda tedious to have to transfer the pics from my phone to my desktop and then to flickr before I can upload onto the blog.

No need to transfer via desktop. For both Photobucket & Flickr, you can upload directly from iphone using their app.

For photobucket, the app also gives me the img link so I can post off mobile with photos. For Flickr, not sure if this can be done.

Edited May 25, 2014 by kstoh

[Dwinsplace 48]

Tmall is same as TB except Tmall sellers are supposed to be be more trust worthy and quality supposed to be better.

My experience with Tmall is pretty good, the items sold and packaging are up to standard.

Oh my god ocean eleven, you're giving me an entire new site to search??? I'll never sleep now. Lol

[Dwinsplace 48]

No need to transfer via desktop. For both Photobucket & Flickr, you can upload directly from iphone using their app.

For photobucket, the app also gives me the img link so I can post off mobile with photos. For Flickr, not sure if this can be done.

I've just downloaded Flickr app but it doesn't give me an img link I believe. Or at least I can't find it. Maybe I'll switch to photo bucket!

[lhheng 1]

Why don't you do a digital lock for your gate too? Problem solved... Google interlock Singapore. The answer there may suit you.

Main door woes.

I've got this thing where I find it extremely tedious and irritating to have to unlock and open 2 sets of things. (gate then the door) Esp since I'm always carrying a bag and a helmet or two.

Having to balance the helmet between my knees while I'm hot and sweaty and fishing for keys SUCKS. Makes me want to the door down.

Thanks to renotalk I've discovered digital locks and RFID cards and how handsfree the whole operation can be. Which I LOVE! The technology has been around for a while now. Go up to your car with a proximity key and it opens at a touch. Why not the front door?

But the idea kinda fails once you add a gate to it. I mean, whats the point of having a keyless system when you still need to fish around for keys for the gate? But being WITHOUT a gate is kinda weird too. Like it does feel more ... naked.... opening the door to a delivery man when there isn't that gate to keep a barrier between the two of you. I know singapore is safe and all, but i feel more comfortable with a bit of protection between me and a random stranger at my door. I know my wife definitely feels the same way too.

Hence the woes. How to make it convenient, without feeling unsafe?

This is what I eventually came up with!

Main door idea by dwinsplace, on Flickr

The window is of a size that allows you to accept small parcels that would normally fit through a gate, or to sign for registered letters. The door stays firmly bolted the whole time. And if you had a big parcel to accept, well then you would have had to open a normal gate for that scenario anyway. Plus its different and kinda cool. haha. Lets see if the ID can custom something like that.