Cosy Chill-Out Bar Home

[G_luv_M 3]

Hi all, and here we are to document our reno journey with all fellow renotalk readers. Of course, I myself is one of the readers as well. To cut things short, here is the floor plan:

Purchased an HDB 5 room resale in July, proceeded to market my current flat in Aug and sold it in Sept. Phew... October came and we collected our keys to the resale flat. Renovation commenced straightaway the next day. Reason being, I need to handover my current flat in December. So, gotto rush.

Here's some pre reno photos we took the day we collected our keys:

common bedrooms

master rm

the inner part of the living hall

poorly maintained kitchen

common toilet

As u can see from the photos, the condition of the flat wasn't too good. so it calls for a full overhaul. Everything in the flat needs a new facelift and the person to do that facelift, at this moment, I will address him as YL. YL was also the magical man behind the reno of my current flat which I will be handling over to the buyer this December. Now I rest my newly purchased resale flat with him to complete the facelift for us. As our title suggest, infact, it was YL who gave me this idea, a "chill out bar home". Keeping our fingers crossed, we are both fully laid back and shall wait for YL to "surprise" us.

[G_luv_M 3]

As HDB permit can only be applied after HDB 2nd appt, and with the process time required by HDB, the hacking permit would require 3-4 days before it can be released to us. So, our first few days of facelift process only allowed us to do up the ceilings and removal of all the unwanted built in cabinets.

The whole flat shall have false ceiling with LED downlights installed. Estimated number of downlights needed for the whole flat... including kitchen.... 40.

The highly efficient workers

Here's some of the unwanted waste...there were more in the bedrooms...

[G_luv_M 3]

With carpentry works in the making, we have to start some shopping first so that dimensions can be provided for carpentry work.

Hood and Cooker

From the all famous Goh Ah Bee. Went down to their friendly neighbourhood shop at Kovan. Surprisingly, plenty of people there browsing through their catalogue. We grabbed hold of one shop assistant and ask him for a good cooker recommendations. He only gave us 2 brands to choose from, which he said is the most trustworthy in terms of quality. Italy brands Bosch or Brandt.

and....here is our selection:

Sink and mixer

Went for a hot afternoon "stroll" along jalan besar. A sink at Hupfari caught our attention. It is an extremely heavy stainless steel sink which the salesperson claims to have condensation control, etc etc.... cant really recall.

For the mixer, we weren't looking for any particular brand. Just wanted something that can be pulled out so that the whole sink area can be easily sprayed and clean. However, the few shops which we enquired, all discouraged us to get the pull out mixer claiming that it is not durable and a lot of issues appears after short term usage. In the end, we were recommended with the above mixer, which is not a pull out type, but a hardy steel mixer that can swirl and twist abit, meeting our requirement.

Lastly, we need to get a fridge so that ample carpentry space can be set aside to slot in the refrigerator. Our selection is a 4 door hitachi French fridge purchased from Goh Ah Bee as well.

We have also shortlisted a hitachi front load washer from Goh Ah Bee, but yet to confirm order. Will talk about that at a later stage.

[G_luv_M 3]

As hacking, drilling and reconstruction works commences, YL also start breathing down our necks to get our air con up and running so that they could seal up the ceiling and plaster the remaining walls. SO our one day air con shopping trip wasn't shopping for the best deal in town, but shopping for someone who could install it for us on the very next working day!

Fortunately, at IMM, we managed to source for one. Our requirement was a system 3 + another system 2, total 5 units, running on 2 separate condenser. Well, I would said inorder to rush into the installation, we paid a slight premium for our 5 units of Mitsubishi starmex. If we had more time to look around, definitely there would have been cheaper deals out there.

Here is one of the 2 units in the living hall.

Hacking and reconstructing:

Edited November 7, 2014 by G_luv_M

[G_luv_M 3]

Shopping experience at Tampoi Lighting

Many has been raving about their dirt cheap lightings bought in JB, especially those who bought from Tampoi lighting. As a typical Singaporean myself, how could I not be lure by the word "cheap"?!

Before my trip to JB, sought YL's opinion on the pricing I should look out for the LED downlights. He mentioned, cheaper than RM25. Made my trip down to JB in great anticipation. Arrived at tampoi lighting and was greeted by a large crowd of shoppers. From the speaking accent, 80% of them appears to be Singaporeans. We looked around at the LED downlights... GOSH! there were so many different pricing , but all the down lights looked somehow similar to me!

Here are 2 examples:

I asked the shop assistant for clarifications on the pricing versus the model, the kind shop assistant showed us a weird expression and said if you take the cheaper one, may have more problems. I do not know if he is implying that we should get the most expensive ones on the shelf, those costing rm 50-80??. But given that I am looking at 40 led downlights to purchase, I really could not convince myself to take the leap of faith that the downlights will be all fine when I bring them back to SG. What I worried most was.. of the 40, maybe just 30 works fine. They couldn't be expecting me to bring the spoilt downlights back to JB for an exchange isn't it. With that, I decided not to get their downlights.

Next I looked around the shop for their ceiling fan which I was told, the cheapest u can ever find nearby, is in JB. Indeed, the ceiling fan prices are much cheaper than SG. In order not to waste my trip, I selected one ceiling fan which I pretty much liked the design, as air circulation for my living hall.

YL had reminded me to get some colour changing LED strips for cove light décor in the living hall. We instructed the shop assistant to pack for us 2 set of 5m colour changing LED strip.

Before leaving the store, a round shaped dining lamp caught my attention, without second thought, I asked for that to be added into my bill.

Back in sg, we showed YL photos of the ceiling fan. His comment was "finish". From his experience, the fan quality wasn't one of those better ones. He expect the fan to most probably be quite shaky. As we purchased it in JB, there wouldn't be any warranty here in SG. He intro an experience fan installer to me and asked me to send photos of the ceiling fan parts to him and ask him for his opinion. The kind installer gave me a call and told me that based on his experience, there is still a chance whereby he may be able to stabilise it. I have yet to install the ceiling fan but will update on it when I have done so.

Next, the LED strip. The first packet we opened, YL discovered that the wire to connect the LED strip to the transformer was missing. So this bring us to one unusable pack of LED strip. Luckily I bought 2 pack, so we opened the 2nd pack and install it. Things went well for the first night, it was changing colour and lighting up nicely. Next day, when we tried to on it again, it couldn't light up anymore. A brief check seems to suggest that the lights has fused! Fused on just the 2nd usage!! SO much for lights at tampoi lighting.

To summarise, I would say, yes the price is cheap. But the quality definitely is not there. Purchases we made here in Singapore has gone thru stricter QC check and with the safety sticker on it, it give us abit more confident. What I got from JB, other than at a good price, there wasn't anything fascinating about it. Probably I bought some spoilt goods whereby the Malaysian have brought it back to the store to exchange, and somehow it is being resold to a Singaporean like me. An led strip that has no wire and another one that fuses the next day, if they were bought in sg, I would probably send them back to the store and asked for an exchange...but not for these which I got them from JB.

I still have a dining lamp which I have yet to open the box and thoroughly check thru. Also do not know if it is going to fuse or whether is it even going to work. Hopefully it doesn't disappoint me again.

In conclusion, shopping at tampoi lighting will be at your own risk. Perhaps a lot goes down to luck as well. Hopefully fellow renotalk readers will have better luck than me at tampoi lighting.

well, for myself, I ended up asking YL to settle all the led downlights for me in SG. Foyer, corridor, décor lamps, etc, I bought them at a shop in Jalan Besar. The shop owner is also a freelance painter. Above his lighting shop, there is a gallery whereby he displayed all his paintings. Worth a visit.

[G_luv_M 3]

Shopping for digital door lock

My choice of digital door lock is biometric type. Have been browsing through the various website for models to install. Apparently, there wasn't many biometric door lock model to choose from. Currently I shortlisted the below 2:

for the metal gate

for the main wooden door

I need some feedbacks. Would there be any kind souls who had installed similar lock care to share with me on their experiences when using the lock? Do you encounter problems with the swiping of your finger to unlock the gate/ door?

[G_luv_M 3]

One more last update before I retire for the day.

Tiling work partially completed for my 2 bathrooms and kitchen. Partial look of the toilets below, full toilet look to be withhold at the moment.

common toilet

master toilet

Some of the cabinets has arrived, carpentry work to commence soon.

Also, my flooring! It was a tough decision, especially with YL kept trying to influence me to choose a colour which he insist to suit the flat design but I preferred something else.... nonetheless, he is the one renovating our place for us and he has seen more renovations and design than us...soooooooooooo................argggggghhhhh....

Guess which one out of the 4 below was our final decision?

[Guest]

hey there, i have already planned a tampoi shopping trip tomorrow with my husband. but looking at your experience with tampoi, i think i should really have a good second thought and def share your experience with my husband before we purchase anything. Good luck for your renovation there.

[hannya2407 0]

hey there, i have already planned a tampoi shopping trip tomorrow with my husband. but looking at your experience with tampoi, i think i should really have a good second thought and def share your experience with my husband before we purchase anything. Good luck for your renovation there.

i have bought from tampoi too and below is my experience..

Ah Kiat was the one who attended to me few mths back and based on his recommendations, husband and i chose quite a few items from the huge selection of things they have in store. We bought a total of 5 fanco fans, 2sets of Joven heater with rainshower , 20 odd pcs of 12W LED downlight (very bright when finally installed in our home), many E27 and E14 lightbulbs for our lightings which we ordered from taobao.

He checked for us all bulbs and downlights were in working condition before packing, went through with us the full package and components of the heaters and fans. And indeed things were working in good condition upon installation.

[Guest]

i have bought from tampoi too and below is my experience..

Ah Kiat was the one who attended to me few mths back and based on his recommendations, husband and i chose quite a few items from the huge selection of things they have in store. We bought a total of 5 fanco fans, 2sets of Joven heater with rainshower , 20 odd pcs of 12W LED downlight (very bright when finally installed in our home), many E27 and E14 lightbulbs for our lightings which we ordered from taobao.

He checked for us all bulbs and downlights were in working condition before packing, went through with us the full package and components of the heaters and fans. And indeed things were working in good condition upon installation.

I just went to tampoi last sunday & it was so packed with people, I will make a trip back again for the lights once my ID confirmed on the false ceiling.

[mrbytez 6]

How much is that Hitachi 4-door fridge? Auto ice maker have to top up water tank or linked to water pipe?

[G_luv_M 3]

How much is that Hitachi 4-door fridge? Auto ice maker have to top up water tank or linked to water pipe?

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply. Been super busy with all the cleaning, ordering, delivery, etc etc.

There are 2 model to the french fridge. One is auto Ice maker, one is traditional ice maker.

Auto Ice Maker - $1520

Traditional - $1399

We were initially comtemplating on the auto ice maker. Staff showed us a 'demo' fridge, user will need to top up water into the container and the fridge will auto make the ice and drop the cubes into the container. However, the auto ice maker took up a pretty large space in the freezer and it is built into the freezer, not removable.

Traditional one, the whole ice making compartment can be removed. If u do not need any ice cubes, you can take out the whole mould and container, including it's holding stand. They pack the ice freezing device like a large rectangular lunch box.

Depending on your requirement, u can choose which type you prefer. But as for us, as we have a liquor bar counter in the hall, so wife's decision was definitely the removable 'ice box' which we can bring it out to make our icy drinks.

[G_luv_M 3]

Master Bedroom

Carpentry at master bedroom is considered 99% up other than one last laminate which is still missing... supposingly to be behind the bed head.

Lovely wifey needed wardrobe space for her clothes.. so 80% will be her's.

The L-Shaped wadrobe at left side of room.

One more column of shelfing cabinets at right side.

The flush wall was built up to hide the aircon trunking running underneath as well as even up that slab of wall so that there wont be any gaps between the bed and wall.

TV console with a sliding door. At any one time, only one side of the console will appear. Usually the display side. For fengshui purpose, the TV is hidden behind the door. SLide to watch. Choosen laminate is a "loud" one to bring some happy mood into the room.

[G_luv_M 3]

Common Bedroom 1

Base on floor area, this bed room is bigger than the other and it also has larger windows, even bigger than the master bedroom. So, will leave this room for our naughty little boy.

Design wise, as the boy will grow up, we didn't want to make it too childish. At the end, we just threw the little boy with all the colours and he picked 3 colours. YL played around with the 3 colours, we did not know how the room will turn out until its ready.

Edited November 28, 2014 by G_luv_M

[G_luv_M 3]

Installations

Fan

As mentioned in one of my previous thread, the fan was bought from Tampoi Lightings with a doubtful quality. Engaged a super experienced fan installer, Erik to check on whether the fan is suitable to be installed. Erik mentioned that the fan is a designer fan which will not pass singapore quality check due to the weight. Apparently, in singapore flats, ceiling fans weight are limited to a certain weightage and my current designer fan is way too heavy. It is also slightly lower than other ceiling fans which are suitable for the singapore market. Nonetheless, he promised to do a safe job for me and here it is:

Erik managed to balance the fan using his OWN balancing kit (cause my box even tho mentioned balancing kit provided, but it was not included!) and my fan is literally 100% free from shakes and vibrations. Excellent 5 star skill performance by Erik. I was extremely pleased with the fan now. Enjoying the breeze....

Dining Area Lamp

I only made 3 purchases from tampoi, the LED changing lights which came with missing wires and dumped, the fan which i am pleased with after installation and last is this dining lamp. It turned out good too!

Digital Door Locks

Also, my locks are up. For both door and grille. Personally, i'm pretty much enjoying the convenience of no keys now. Properly installed and working fine. The gate one has no handle while the wooden door comes with a handle.

Digital Peep Viewer

This is one random purchase we saw online and it has turned out to be one of the most fascinating purchase we made. It complemented our digital locks well.

and here is a front view of our main door....

http://renotalk.com/forum/uploads/gallery_64133_568_150.jpg

Guest room

Guest room built in wardrobe is also ready. As is a guest room... so keeping the room simple. No other major renovation works for the room.

http://renotalk.com/forum/uploads/gallery_64133_568_109329.jpg

Other things that were up includes window grille and curtains, which i am super satisfied as well. You will be able to see them in other pics soon.