The Sky Parlour - An Executive Maisonette Journey

[twinklecloud 2]

hi ricepapergirl,

thank u for dropping by! btw have u done up your house yet?care to share some of the pics of the idea that u mentioned?your idea is really really useful..i am still trying to figure out the balcony thing. the thing is we love the high balcony view and it will be a waste to build a roof on top..

if we dont build a roof on top, we cannot have it as indoor when we wants it indoor (especially during haze).

ahyong81, thanks for the tips..many of them give an estimate on the price not exactly very detail coz they mentioned have to view the place..

out of 10 , 10 all said need to view the place but i am not able to bring them all up.. how can i solve this problem?

thank u so much

[Ahyong81 3]

hi ricepapergirl,

thank u for dropping by! btw have u done up your house yet?care to share some of the pics of the idea that u mentioned?your idea is really really useful..i am still trying to figure out the balcony thing. the thing is we love the high balcony view and it will be a waste to build a roof on top..

if we dont build a roof on top, we cannot have it as indoor when we wants it indoor (especially during haze).

ahyong81, thanks for the tips..many of them give an estimate on the price not exactly very detail coz they mentioned have to view the place..

out of 10 , 10 all said need to view the place but i am not able to bring them all up.. how can i solve this problem?

thank u so much

You only bring those you shortlisted or confirm to view the house, normally if you give them your floorplan to them, they can calculate the cost of it already. The 7 id i went, they are all able to quote based on the floorplan, the only thing to take note is that the actual measurement of those works need to do site survey.

If the house is a resale unit, the actual floor area should normally be lesser and thus uses less material or smaller dimension because if previous owner got do renovation before, example plastering of wall, the distance between the walls should be lesser then the actual floorplan.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Ahyong81

[twinklecloud 2]

thank you ahyong81. the price they quoted all busted my budget.. m still trying to fine tune my layout.. and how to keep within the budget... btw i showed them the shifting of the toilet bowl.. 1 came back and told me it can be done.. 3 said cannot shift and one said it's ilegal need to go thru PE... =( so may i ask if yours went thru PE?

thank you

[Ahyong81 3]

No need to go thru pe. Lol its just using a p-trap connector and buy a p-trap wc. Those id that told you that. Please drop them, i wont give them my renovation project. They are so noob, actually sadly to say most id in Singapore are actually tarnishing the name of interior designer and contractor.

To be in id in Singapore, anyone can just do it cause you dont need to have any certificate or prior knowledge to be hired by the id/contractor company.

We are not even talking about structural changes to the house design or layout, why would you need pe endorsement. Lol. If i see that Id, i sure say him or her.... chinese got this saying:

In hokkien but i translate in english (direct, ignore broken english)

If you can swim means you can swim, dont say the swimming trunk oversized.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Ahyong81

[doubleEM 4]

Not sure if I'm correct but I think s trap and p trap only allows the use of bigger WC and not physically changing the whole actual position of the whole WC itself.

I think twinklecloud has intention to change the whole original position of the WC to another spot in the bathroom? Correct?

If this is so then I do not think it's possible. But I may be wrong.

[twinklecloud 2]

haha.. good one ahyong81! some told me WC cannot move at all, cannot change and when i showed them your pic, they said illegal.lol. then they said can be done, if anything i have to bear the responsibility. =(

meeting ID and discussion is tiring.. not sure how many times and hours have to spend with them to fine tune n reduce the quotation.. =(

I am still shopping and havent decided which one.

but have already shortlisted at least 3 and see who can come back with the most "ideal' plan and best price that can fit my budget. that should be the way right? really noob in this area.. and some can tell and try to "cut carrot".. really crazy

hi doubleEM,

after asking a ard and reading on forum.. you are right in certain way.. the s trap n p trap indeed use "bigger and more expensive" WC. the position of the WC, yes it can be done.i have seen it and the one ahyong81 mentioned is the one that mount onto the wall and hence may make the toilet smaller if the original toilet is already very small.. in my case the level one toilet. so i may just consider upstairs but still have to see the "price".

vinyl flooring:

may I ask those of u who did the vinyl flooring, how is the maintenance and effect? now i am thinking of overlay the whole house to save cost. one ID mentioned that it's "toxic" so not really sure how true it is..

[Jess131181 0]

Hi Twinklecloud,

I have recently signed for a resale EM with the layout exactly same as yours and I am also in the same boat as you. Can I check how much roughly did those id quote you? I also need lots of guide. Coz I am thinking to engage an id or get the contractors separately myself. ID they do the same thing by getting different contractor to do different things. Only thing is they mark up the price. But I am in a rush to move into my house before CNY next year and will only be getting the keys after Christmas. So about a month to complete everything.

Hope to hear from you !

[twinklecloud 2]

Hi Twinklecloud,

I have recently signed for a resale EM with the layout exactly same as yours and I am also in the same boat as you. Can I check how much roughly did those id quote you? I also need lots of guide. Coz I am thinking to engage an id or get the contractors separately myself. ID they do the same thing by getting different contractor to do different things. Only thing is they mark up the price. But I am in a rush to move into my house before CNY next year and will only be getting the keys after Christmas. So about a month to complete everything.

Hope to hear from you !

hi jess131181,

thanks for popping by. so where is your EM? the quote depends on how much u wanna do.. so far >100k as my house is really REALLY old.. first owner... everything still in original state.. =( hey no worries.. we all learn together.. i am still learning too..

btw how many ID/contractor have u seen? how much work do u need? redo everything?

ID mark up? yeah a few did but the ID usually help to solve and coordinate work so that u have less headache when problem arise.. that's what i heard.. but if you are able to coordinate and do yourself then find contractor.

wow! so rush! u only have 4 weeks to complete! well if yours is not major like mine i think shld be ok. so what are the things need to be done?care to share?

[twinklecloud 2]

oh ya.. wanna ask if it is ok to bring 2-3 ID to see the house and do measurement? or only can bring one at a time? anyone has experience on this?any input will be great. thank u

[hc28 0]

oh ya.. wanna ask if it is ok to bring 2-3 ID to see the house and do measurement? or only can bring one at a time? anyone has experience on this?any input will be great. thank u

I think 1 at a time would be most respectful to the ID. If I am ID, I go to the house and see other IDs around, I wont voice out any ideas or concerns I have on the spot. Also I will get the feeling that you are not sincere in dealing w me and getting my quote as a reference.

I ever encountered a situation whereby contractor for carpentry and contractor for window come up tgt. Both of them are measuring different things and both of them got questions or inputs for me. So who go first? End up the window contractor sian and just left saying he will email me the quotation. Can you handle?

Actually not my fault. Is the window contractor ownself come early.

[twinklecloud 2]

hc28, thanks for the feedback! u r right in a way... sometimes have to be a bit "sensitive". i tot of saving time..bring a few and go..lol..

now after u highlight, maybe i just bring one and another one another day...

[Ahyong81 3]

haha.. good one ahyong81! some told me WC cannot move at all, cannot change and when i showed them your pic, they said illegal.lol. then they said can be done, if anything i have to bear the responsibility. =(

meeting ID and discussion is tiring.. not sure how many times and hours have to spend with them to fine tune n reduce the quotation.. =(

I am still shopping and havent decided which one.

but have already shortlisted at least 3 and see who can come back with the most "ideal' plan and best price that can fit my budget. that should be the way right? really noob in this area.. and some can tell and try to "cut carrot".. really crazy

hi doubleEM,

after asking a ard and reading on forum.. you are right in certain way.. the s trap n p trap indeed use "bigger and more expensive" WC. the position of the WC, yes it can be done.i have seen it and the one ahyong81 mentioned is the one that mount onto the wall and hence may make the toilet smaller if the original toilet is already very small.. in my case the level one toilet. so i may just consider upstairs but still have to see the "price".

vinyl flooring:

may I ask those of u who did the vinyl flooring, how is the maintenance and effect? now i am thinking of overlay the whole house to save cost. one ID mentioned that it's "toxic" so not really sure how true it is..

Lol, illegal, i never even touch the original piping position. Ask them to quote in hdb rules to say that i cannot add a pvc pipe on the surface to another place within the toilet area. Seriously those id who told you that. Please voice out their company name. Those people who let them do their house should be worried. They dont know what can do and what cannot do.

Haha

[twinklecloud 2]

ahyong81,

u really pro! hehe.. i am glad i came in here.. if not really gena "con" by them.. many of them are "cautious" afraid after they done.. things may happen etc..

got another ID said can be done but need to "charge" me for the labour to suspend the wc to wall hung then to lay tile box bracket all in all > $1k to move the whole thing. is it worth spending the extra? =(

[twinklecloud 2]

may i ask is it uncommon not to box up the pipe in the bathrooms?is it worth paying additional just to box up?

[Ahyong81 3]

For bto flat, its already box up. So its common nowadays.

For resale, people worried for HIP, home improvement programme offer by hdb currently offer for flat 25 years and above.

Before i decided to box up, i call up hdb and they told me that starting july, they no longer change those big pipe if they are already those pvc type. If there is no leakage or crack to those pvc pipe, they will not change it. Formally in april, my uncle house was due for hip. He opt in and they change the existing pvc pipe, they cut a big hole from each floor, remove the entire pipe from all the storey and put in through, and then patch up the ceiling and floor.

In regards to the waterproofing, if you buy a resale and renovate your toilet, as long the waterproofing is done properly, when the HIP come, they will conduct a water test. If you pass you can opt out of the HIP. Even if you fail, you can still opt out provided you sign a imdemnity form with hdb. You can then ask your contractir or id to rectify it.