3 Room Hdb - Maximum Reno, Minimum Budget

[chngster 6]

Hi everyone

I'm pretty much a newbie and quite inspired to start a blog after reading so many. So just want to blog down my journey and maybe see if I can start a writing career. Hehe

Just a side note on my housing. I sold my 4-room HDB at Telok Blangah and bought a 3-room HDB at Clementi. Total downgrade but also toal debt-free. Fully paid off my 3-room with no loan. Future planning, I can still buy another house 5yrs later with 80% loan. Sold and bought my house with NO AGENTS at all. So that saved me almost 10K in commission. So for those who want to save more for your renovations, make an effort and do it yourself. Its not really that hard actually. All the processes are in the HDB website.

Next up, collecting keys on the 22nd of Sept. Coincides with wife bday so that is like the most expensive bday present ever for her haha. Have looked into a few IDs and started comparing quotes. Will share my experience below. I did not contact like many as some of the people here did. I only got into contact with 4.

Miss Karen.G - My former id/contractor who did my previous house and had first priority. She started her own company 2-3yrs back and is basically a 1 woman show. Her schedule was full so she can't help to quote and help with our project. However we were relieved she turned it down cos she was quite pricey but definitely no complain on delivery and workmanship. Hence the slight premium in price. Easily 20% higher. Plus she was featured in renovation and lifestyle magazines many times. So in a way, we can save on that premium haha.

Mr Nick.P - happen to chance upon his blogpage on his projects. He did a 3-room which had a similar concept that we wanted. So emailed him and asked for a meeting. He called in the morning the next day and within that same afternoon he managed to squeeze out a time to meet me at Lavender. Nice young humble chap, and I think he also started this new company with his partner. Later did I find out that he is actually the chief designer. Went thru what we wanted and asked for a quote. Very quiet throughout the meeting and you be wondering if he was even listening or understand. But I must say his free hand drawing is very good. chatted for an hr plus, and he said he will contact me 1 week later and even fixed a date that he will call me back. Not much of a first impression but nice enough chap.

Mr Vicent.G - Recommended by a friend who also did her 3-room flat in Commonwealth. Nice design and i must say pretty good workmanship. Went up to his office, pretty cramp to squeeze in 3 person located at Chinatown. All kinds of reno and lifestyle books in the office. Also another young man with one look you can tell his the arty farty kind of person. His more into design and lifestyle planning for your house. And base on my fren's house quotes, he is not cheap either. Nevertheless still checked him out and see what he can offer. Great listener, and gave his full attention. Siad he will go thru the floor plan and give us a quote and some ideas within a week.

Mr Andy - Saw his name on one of the blog here about his pricing and workmanship. He is purely contractor and not an ID. But after meeting him, never felt any spark or chemistry and the whole thing ended within 30mins. He shot down quite a few ideas saying HDB won't approve and stuff. But still promise to deliver his quote in a week.

So a week has passed.

Nick called on the promised date. Brought his assistant along. Came with a quote and even a layout planing of the house. Despite me thinking that he wasn't listening at all, he actually drew out all the details that I wanted on the layout plan. And this time he impressed me with his drawing again. He drew a cabinet upside down so that he can show me as he was sitting across the table. Reasonable quote as well as it exceeded slight out of my budget by a few thousand. By the way my budget was 35K and I really have many things to do. However he charges GST as well, so that sets it back to another 2-3k. Nick later also informed that he has his own carpentry. thats why he can give a better rate in terms of carpentry. The rest of the trade like window and grilles and aircon, he recommened we get our own contacts as it can be cheaper but he will still help to co-ordinate. Cos if we use his contact, he will mark up a profit too and make the quote higher. So I guess thats another point for honesty.

Vincent sent an email saying he operates different from other IDs. He's into project managment meaning he will design the house and send his design to his various contractor and get the best quote. So i figured that's just a nice way of saying, 'Thanks for giving me the chance to quote, but I dont think I want to do your project.' haha

Andy also sent in his quote. Quite compeitive with Nick. Some items he is cheap and certain items Nick is cheap. But then still no chemistry and I've always felt he's some cold Frankenstein. He may be good in his workmanship, but will have totally no or zero ID input.

Another week passed

We decided to go with Nick after seeing a project that he has done. My wife and I agreed that his workmanship is not as good as the previous ID we had for our old house. But it wasn't that bad. Afterall that unit was handed over almost 6 months ago. So it could be the home owner so we gave him the benefit of the doubt. Plus he has been very prompt in his replies and queries that we have and he gave pretty good advice in terms of functionalites and design. He also arranged a banker for us should we want to get a reno loan which we did.

So let's hope all things goes well.

[Doris Chin 4]

Hi and welcome! Nice summary.. i'm going to start looking for contractors and really have no idea where to start at all.. to be frank, contractors freak me out. Any tips on how to select?

[shir1307 6]

Good luck for your renovation journey!

[chngster 6]

HI DorisChin, thanks for your encouragment. Well personally there's no really perfect way to select a contractor. But I hope the following helps.

- Know what you want and set a budget first. It will help you sieve out which contractor/ID you can afford. Even if you have no idea or concept of your house yet, then at least set a budget.

- The rest like design and workmanship you have to go by faith liao. Even if you ask to look at their reference or past projects, they will only show you the good ones. But a good ID will help draw out your style preference. I'm sure we all roughly have an idea of what we want for our house but sometimes loses the words to express it.

- As to choose ID or contractor. If you really have an idea, it's cheaper to get a contractor that just listen to you and get the work done. Usually contractor that specialises in carpentry will have an edge over others cos carpentry is probably the main works of the house. But there are some ID that has their own trade so you have to find out too. Like my ID has his own carpentry, so therefore his carpentry works can be cheaper then other IDs who have no trade and sub everything out to others. That's also the other reason why IDs are more expensive. Cos they mark up everything that the sub-con that quote them.

-Check to see if they have any good/bad reviews here.

- Lastly, just have faith and be confident of your choice. Renovation is a life experience. Chemistry and feel of the vibes with the ID can play a role. Like Sixth Sense. Some ID u meet u will know they just can't make it. haha

Hope the tips help.

Edited September 3, 2014 by chngster

[chngster 6]

Hi Shir1307

Thanks so much for your encouragment. Hope to share more pointers with you.

[abbytan 1]

Good write up and definitely can consider to be a writer/blogger in future. Good luck to your reno!!

[chngster 6]

HI abbytan

Thanks for your encouragement. Being a blogger has cross my mind seeing all the free stuff and endorsements that they get. haha. Do hope to exchange pointers with you.

[chngster 6]

Learning how to upload photos and stuff. Hope this work. This is suppose to be my floor plan

Edited September 3, 2014 by chngster

[chngster 6]

Haha seems like the upload works, just that the pic is small. Will upload a planned floorplan later. Hopefully it turns out bigger.

[chngster 6]

Ok this is the floorplan that i drew using paintbrush. Very amateurish. Hope to send a few laughs along the way. haha

here's my plan.

- Hack the store-room and convert to a walk in wardrobe to be share by everyone including my 2 young kids.

- Hack the dividing wall of kitchen and living room to make it into one large area.

- Build a island in the middle so that the wife and kids can bake and do fun stuff in the kitchen

- Combine the island with the dining to have an extended look which also function as a work station.

- All the wash basin would be out of the toilet so that the bathroom will look more spacious.

- All door will be sliding. Note that there are no doors between rooms so that the kids can run over if they need us or go to the toilet.

- Oh and I have to hack away all existing floor and wall tiles.

All these for less than 40K

That kinds of summarised all that I drew. Welcome any comments or ideas if any.

Overall theme, minamalist with a touch of Scandi/Jap look and definitely very open concept.

[kimsim 8]

Ok this is the floorplan that i drew using paintbrush. Very amateurish. Hope to send a few laughs along the way. haha

here's my plan.

- Hack the store-room and convert to a walk in wardrobe to be share by everyone including my 2 young kids.

- Hack the dividing wall of kitchen and living room to make it into one large area.

- Build a island in the middle so that the wife and kids can bake and do fun stuff in the kitchen

- Combine the island with the dining to have an extended look which also function as a work station.

- All the wash basin would be out of the toilet so that the bathroom will look more spacious.

- All door will be sliding. Note that there are no doors between rooms so that the kids can run over if they need us or go to the toilet.

- Oh and I have to hack away all existing floor and wall tiles.

All these for less than 40K

That kinds of summarised all that I drew. Welcome any comments or ideas if any.

Overall theme, minamalist with a touch of Scandi/Jap look and definitely very open concept.

Cold Japanese style, but can't see clearly on the floor plan.

[chngster 6]

Hi kimsim

Yes i can't seem to expand it though. Any advise on how to do it?

[kimsim 8]

Please download free Picasa or used photobucket to upload photos

Anyway you need to crop an before uploaded

Edited September 3, 2014 by kimsim

[chngster 6]

cool..thanks so much. Will take note. I'm one of those few dinosaurs that is nuts over computers

[kimsim 8]

Seem like your master bedroom don't have any privacy

Before entry to bedroom at least need a door.