Bor-Lui-Lan Reno (3 Rm Bto Premium)

[blackie 4]

Got the house key in July 2014, source for ID and contractors from June till Sept. Lucky me, manage to source for a reasonable ID that meets my pathetic budget of $15K. Most of the ID will like to ask about my house theme, my reply is Cheap and Nice theme, please!!

The pricing nowadays has been shot up sky high, thanks to labour tighten exercise. These days the reno companies will charge you anything for every individual small job. Hence, the cost of a simple reno will end up sky high. For example, by adding a Tee joint for bidet spray will cost you $60. You can purchase the tee joint for less than $15 and remove the existing elbow joint and attached the tee joint just in 60 second. Also, the problem with me bor lui yet wants to come out so many pattern for the reno. So I find ways to reduce cost and yet get what I want for this reno. For example, no kitchen base as I go for bottom suspended cabinet this will save me couple of hundred so as no cement base for fridge and washing machine. Seriously why would you need the base for? Those good old days pouring the floor with water and thorough washing are gone.

As you read those jobs that I commented bor lui means is to reduce cost. (bor lui means no money in hokkien)

Orh yes, my bro ID is from Vanhus Ben Lim 90119444. Call him bro will get special discount, I think. Ben is a patience and kind ID, out of sympathy he close two eyes, not one to help me to meet my pathetic budget. Like the glass door handle for my new living room entrance, I want it to look good not like a toilet door. Instead of using those C shape design, he source for those slightly atas design (long bar design) without additional charges. He even offer to regrind my New living room parquet area coz the between the wood parquet and the tiles are not level after the hacking of the wall between common bedroom and living hall. Also, FOC box up the air con area at the master bedroom WIW and shoe cabinet area. Enough said for the Pros, as for the Cons he hardly advise on the space planning and design for my house. Maybe I didnt give him the chance? As the entire house design idea mainly comes from me so he got no say as I believe this is my house so I adopt the I can decide!! theory.

Anyway to me is that his key role is to assist me in space planning whether the design I plan able to fit into places and helping me to select the color theme for paint, laminate design to fit into my bor lui theme and coordinate the renovation work. If you were ask me to grade him, I will give him 8 over 10. As for the renovation work is 8/10 too. I have spotted couple of small lousy workmanship and I pointed to him, without questioning Ben will arrange to get it rework to my liking. As for the 3D drawing, is so so, however I didnt make a fuss out of it, because is only a drawing not the real juice.

The renovation has been completed, downtime 5 weeks. Total cost I paid to Ben is $15.5K as follows:-

1) Hacking existing wall and seal up the existing entrance at common room 1. I converted this bedroom to my new living room due to various reasons, one of them is that I overhead my neighbours wife complaining to the hubby You want me to go blind is it?? sofa placed so near to the tv!! Feel like telling her to look at the bright side, you dont need remote controller for good!! You cant blamed her isnt it!! The new BTO is puny in size. So bor lui why waste the money to hack and seal up the common bedroom? To me living room is my favourite playground in the house. Thats why willing to pay to get it done. But the existing common bedroom entrance is facing the toilet is not good for fengshui. This is why the old entrance got to seal up and makes an opening on the other side. As toilet cannot face the living room, so bor bian Fengshui Master advise (copy notes from fengshui book bor lui engage one to look look see see).

2) Woodwork kitchen comes with Blum system (those cheaper one, I think) only one side and cant even afford to do a L shape!! Table top is using Samsung solid top, looks good. The other side of the kitchen is to place my fridge and cheapo Ikea foldable table as breakfast table etc, shoe cabinet, comics cabinet, tv console cabinet and WIW open concept design except for the top (ahem coz no budget for door so is open concept design lah). Vanity top set is from tabao, tap recycle from HDB and mirror get it from Ikea. To my surprised the entire woodwork for my house interior is cover with PVC laminate at no cost.

3) Simple L box at new living room and partial false ceiling at master bedroom (why partial, again bor lui)

4) Glass work glass door for new living room and fixed panel glass without door for master toilet with curb (why no door? Bor lui)

5) Electrical work est $900 add a double socket at the Kitchen area to place my fridge at the back instead of placing right infront of the entrance. Also pay for shifting socket point, Data point and tv point and extend and add lighting point. Including installation all lighting (lights purchase from tabao and some from old house).

6) Painting Nippon 2 coats.

7) Curtain - $700 for existing living, new living room and master bedroom Look for Andrew 90079665

8) Racking for bomb shelter $180 - William 98524730

9) Others purchase of new - air-con system 2 from Gain City (one trip only), Panasonic heater, Wooden solid door and toilet bi-fold door from Siong Door (cheap and nice) household and kitchen stuffs (EF hob). Toilet and kitchen accessories purchase from Tabao via Peeka. Furnituredining table and storage bedframe is new the rest will be recycle from my old place :{ Total damage for this reno estimated $20K, ouch!

[blackie 4]

My floor plan

Here is my finished project picture:-

1) shoe cabinet

2) shoe cabinet rear & Comics cabinet

3) WIW

[blackie 4]

4) kitchen cabinet

Breakfast table (ikea）

5) living room wall feature with tv console

6) master toilet

7) BS shelving

To add some designer feel, so I brought wall mural decal and wall paper from internet to spice it up. Here is the result:-

http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo207/blackhondaboy/57BEDF43-1CBF-4816-8D45-1E70CA113459-2302-000002F303AF9324_zps605f8275.jpg

[blackie 4]

Curtains

Tabao lighting

Service balcony

Kitchen, living rm

Toilet, BS

Foyer

[Magus 陳憓慶 1]

I like the floating kitchen cabinet, is there any restriction on the weight? Did you took any picture on how they mount the flame to support the weight ?

[jabbathehutt 3]

I like the floating kitchen cabinet, is there any restriction on the weight? Did you took any picture on how they mount the flame to support the weight ?

Yes I would like to ask about the weight part.

[blackie 4]

Here you go, i got it FOC too.

[Magus 陳憓慶 1]

I still don't know how he does it =x

your contractor gives you a weight recommendation because I plan to do granite kitchen top =x

[blackie 4]

I still don't know how he does it =x

your contractor gives you a weight recommendation because I plan to do granite kitchen top =x

Err i ask him can I do the "bar top dance"? His replied is by all mean!! I cheapo i go for the Samsung solid top coz is sleek. As in the thickness is thinner and looks so much nicer. My present place all my solid top and with backlash is so thick which i hate it after looking at it. My ID claims that Samsung quality is better bla bla. To me is that as long as the cost is within my budget, why not?

[blackie 4]

My last TB order is here. Mostly wallpaper, sticker and service balcony cabinet. Just finish DIY over the weekend. More to come though, here is the finishing.

Service balcony cabinet, cost $85 without shipping. Not sure is a good deal or not coz been trying to get cheap one (less than $100) but no luck.

Sticker Wall paper at the passage way.

Hello kitty - Cover the vanity and left over for the shower screen.

Light switches hello kitty anyone?

[blackie 4]

Took me quite awhile to decide whether to install window or roller blinds at service balcony. As I prefer to have full view feel. So decided to source for a good and cheap roller blind. Went to few places and finally found a good quality bamboo blinds shop. Do take note that only real bamboo will not cause mouldy. Real bamboo blind cost 3 to 4 times of the price of those "bamboo" that u find in the market.. Also is adviseable to cover it with plastic backing. There are 2 types of plastic backing - with wire mess and clear plastics type. Wire mess backing is the better choice and is more lasting. Clear plastics will crack after long usage. You can choose to paint the blind with choice of your color too with additional charges.

With lady luck i manage to get what i want that is real bamboo blind with wire mess backing and is painted in white at the cost of $300 plus. Usual price of such specification will cost you over a $1000 plus!! I got this good deal due to the previous owner ordered the wrong size without checking the actual dimension. Again luck is with me as my requirement dimension is slightly smaller so the shop guy is willingly to cut it to fit my requirement.

Today just got it install and so happy with the quality for the price that i m paying. The dimension is 2.5 m width x 1.5 m length.

Here is the pictures

Edited February 5, 2015 by blackie

[blackie 4]

Bor lui to pay craftstone for my tv feature wall. So brought wallpaper craftstone instead and DIY. Yes the wallpaper from tabao.

Edited January 24, 2015 by blackie

[Sappyd 8]

Can i have the link for the craftstone wallpaper from taobao?

[castanst 0]

can share the supplier of your bamboo blinds?

Tq

[Richard Chia 0]

where did you get that wall paper use for passage way?