Hougang/kovan 4A Resale Reno Journal

[Changbp 5]

23 hours ago, kovan4us said:

Neufloor Update and Verdict

 

It's been a month since the touched up.  I believed that's enough time for me to calm down.

 

Trip to Showroom

 

Before the Neufloor guys come down to fix the problems, we went down to their showroom in Guillemard Road.  

 

The salesman explained the product and gave us a demo: lighting it on fire and scratching it with a coin.  I examined the system and got a better idea how to put the system work.

 

Fix-it team

 

The same two guys came down.  Found out the supervisor's name was Q? or sounded like it.  He didn't seem to want to let us know.  He also said that the first guy who came down was Andy, his GM.  At this point, I didn't know if I could believe his words.

 

How to install skirting

 

If you don't already know, these days, the vinyl floorings are mostly using clip-on: easier, faster. 

 

In the showroom, the skirting, or side board was also clip-on.  Something similar to this:

 

 

I didn't had the chance to take photos while the salesman was explaining it to me in the showroom.  In the case of Neufloor, the metal clip was nailed to the floor.  Then the skirting board was pressed down onto it.  In either system, no nails will show.  Not like this:

 

 

 

Then they had to cover the nails with coloured silicon.  It was so badly done it was like screaming out to me, "check me out! Nail inside!"

 

 

An Unforgettable Conversation

 

When asked, the supervisor replied:

 

"We only do that (the clip-on for skirting) in Europe.  We don't do that in Asia."

 

Then why did the showroom use the clip-on?  

 

"That was wrong.  We told the salesman already."

 

You had a clip-on system for floor tiles.  You also had a clip-on system for skirting.  Can't you see that someone had already thought of the installation process and designed the system, why didn't you just follow it??

 

"It's like that one, we don't do it in Asia."

 

  ....

 

"We have done hundreds of houses in Singapore.  All like that one."

  ...

 

"Really, we have done HUNDREDS of houses in Singapore..."

 

After the third time he mentioned it, I shut up.  There was an epiphany...

 

I should not be angry with him.  Instead, I should be angry with YOU... 

 

The hundreds of YOU who had done it before me.  If enough of YOU had spotted it: the nails, the sharp and uneven corners, the mis-matched colour between the floor tiles, gap-fillers and skirting... then the less I had to deal with it.  It's like passing the problems on and on...

 

They did tried their best

 

I was sure they did.  They got hold of some of my boxes to weight the tiles down in places, tried to use razor blades to smoothen the corners...

 

By then, I had given up.  Because without the right techniques and tools, there was no way they could fix the problems.

 

European Standard vs Asian Standard

 

Macbook vs Acer/Asus/Lenovo...

 

When I mentioned this incident to my brother.  He had the same experience when his condo in China was being renovated.  

 

"We are not up to the European standard and renovation workmanship in China is not quite up to our standard."

 

 He had to show the workers there pictures of how things are done here.  Even then, they didn't know how to do it -- no expertise, no tools.

 

Conclusion

 

Material wise, it was good: comfortable to walk on and none of the 'stickiness' on a hot day when your feet are a little damped.  Conceals dirt pretty well too. However, I could not condone the bad workmanship and equally bad excuses.  

 

Verdict: Avoid.

Apparently, nailing in the skirting seems to be the standard here. Mine was also nailed in and concealed with putty and paint.

I could do Have done a better job easily by just applying liquid nails (the construction adhesive use to bond kitchen glass backsplash to walls) and thus nothing to conceal.. I wonder why these guys couldn't think of it? Nails are cheaper?

 

 

Edited April 8, 2016 by Changbp

[kovan4us 5]

On 4/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, JohnJohn said:

By any chance, could you share the washing machine you are using pls? I'm looking for one now and am confused by all the brands and jargon out there.

Hi JohnJohn,

Get a front load, it is more gentle on your clothing.  Brand wise it should not matter much.  I am using Miele, bought during their warehouse sale.  

I will be writing a piece on my laundry system: washer, dryer and auto-hangers.  I love it because my laundry area is practically free of clothing.  

[JohnJohn 13]

Thank you very much kovan4us!

[kovan4us 5]

On 4/8/2016 at 11:54 PM, Changbp said:

Apparently, nailing in the skirting seems to be the standard here. Mine was also nailed in and concealed with putty and paint.

I could do Have done a better job easily by just applying liquid nails (the construction adhesive use to bond kitchen glass backsplash to walls) and thus nothing to conceal.. I wonder why these guys couldn't think of it? Nails are cheaper?

 

 

Hi Changbp,

Nailing is cheaper and also faster.  Doing so would let them finish 3 bedrooms in 2 days.  

Glue is definitely more work, I think.  But my main gripe about it is that the flooring system comes complete: clip for flooring and clip for skirting... It's a system, and they choose to do their way.  haizzz... sell "European" look and deliver "Asian" workmanship.  

[kovan4us 5]

On 4/8/2016 at 8:54 PM, Stream said:

Hi,

I find your posts to be very informative. It's first time I heard of Gerberit!

Since you did the ledge in the shower area, I'm just wondering why the two hot/cold water pipes below the mixer are not concealed in the ledge? Was there any constraints?

Also, you posted pics of the old air-con ductings. How did it turn out after your renovation? Any pointers?  

Hi Stream,

It's Geberit... sorry about the spelling mistake. 

Good question about the pipes... I did kinda ask, but no one seemed to want to do it.  Maybe because we are not allowed to conceal them?  

As for the aircon, here's a pic from on of the bedroom.  We shifted the aircon for these 2 bedroom to the top of the doors.  The other room's pipe went through the wall to this bedroom.  So, unfortunately, this bedroom gets the ugly trunking, mostly near this area.

 

The rest of the way is somewhat flushed with the wall, so it is not too bad.  Anyway, there will be shelving here. 

The living room set is moved so that the trunking can goes through the wall into master bedroom.  

We had carpentry done to somewhat conceals it too.  

For two of the aircon (living room, the further bedroom), the distance to the compressor is drastically reduced.  I believe it had an effect on the delivery of cold air.  In the living room, with aircon set to 25C and fan on, it gets cold very quickly.  

 

[kovan4us 5]

"Almost Perfect" Laundry System, Part 1 -- The Gadgets

 

Miele, by accident

 

It was mid September, 2015, just a month after placing our option to purchase for the new apartment.  Although we had been browsing the kitchen section of Harvey Norman's, Best, Gain City... we knew we were not in a hurry.  Where to put them if we do buy?

 

Then we saw the ad for warehouse sale for Miele.  We had never notice Miele and decided to go take a look at what they had to offer.

 

We reached the sale location at around 11am.  Almost half of the items, mostly demos and showroom sets, were gone!  Even after the price reduction, they still cost more than a brand new set of other brands.

 

However, my wife was mesmerised by this:

 

 

She said it just felt right.  I was pretty angry actually, I had wanted her to get a front-load and she resisted.  Now, just like that, in mere seconds, she's converted.

 

I, on the other hand was busy being mesmerised by this:

 

Specifically, this:

 

 

I did not expect to find this many ticks on... a dryer.  I also couldn't recall if I had any appliance that spots so many ticks.

 

I want this!

 

They looked really good stacked together.  We hesitated because we had not own a Miele before and the price, even after 60% discount, was still 50% more than what we had budgeted for.

 

For warehouse sales like this, it would be best you come prepared.   We were discussing, all the time standing right in front of the set we were interested in, a lady walked in and bought it.  We ended up waiting for almost an hour before getting confirmation that someone was letting go a reserved set.

 

--------------------------------

 

The dryer uses a heat pump technology: heat is returned to the unit unlike conventional vented or condenser type and therefore more efficient in energy consumption.

 

Another thing to look out for is whether it comes with a drain pipe.  Since our units are stacked, we could connect the drain pipes of washer and dryer to the same outlet.  This way, you don't have to clear the water tray.

 

-----------------------------------

 

** Also bought an oven.  Couldn't help it.  It is built like a bank vault.  Door is heavy.  So solid...

 

EZ Living

 

We had one of the pull down and out system before.  My wife instantly recognised the same salesman, Jeff.  This time, we got the EZ bella S5.

 

 

 

All the pieces were in.  Next, the perfect process.

[kovan4us 5]

"Almost Perfect" Laundry System Part 2 -- The Performance and Process

 

Performance -- Front-Load vs Top-Load

 

Front-load is better.  We had been using top-load all these years and now we knew why those who use front-load swears by it.  The clothing comes out much much less wrinkled.

 

Performance -- Dryer for extra straightening effect.

 

When you combine it with a dryer, the result is even better.  This is because the heat from dyer straightens the clothes further.

 

Is it not good enough to wear?

 

 

 

Ok, this white school shirt may not look that good on photo, but this is so much better than what's coming from a top-load (I did take a picture but just couldn't find it).  And trust me, it is good enough to wear to school already.  After you put it on, 5 minutes later, they all look like this right?

 

The "Perfect Laundry Process"

 

Washer --> Dryer -->  EZ Bella for assistance to put them on hangers --> Wardrobe

 

 

There!  If you still don't think it is awesome, just think about it:

 

 

 

• No more laundry racks of any kind around.
• No more clothing out to dry.
• No more messy and wet laundry area.
• And the most awesome -- no more ironing!

Is it not the perfect system?

 

Perfect System Ruined

 

"You need to iron my shirt, it's a little crumpled.  I put it in the laundry basket."

 

"Ok.  But why are the rest of the clothes here?"

 

"Well, since you are ironing, might as well do it all."

 

What??!!

 

She couldn't stand it that I was out of the picture with this Perfect Laundry Process, she had to create some excuses to make me do work.

 

The process is perfect.  It's just ruined by pure, unadulterated jealousy.

[saikofreakAP 2]

52 minutes ago, kovan4us said:

EZ Living

 

We had one of the pull down and out system before.  My wife instantly recognised the same salesman, Jeff.  This time, we got the EZ bella S5.

 

 

 

All the pieces were in.  Next, the perfect process.

Can PM mi the contact and price for this?

[JohnJohn 13]

Hi Kovan4us, I'm thinking of the Bella S5 too. What do you think about it? Can hold a lot of laundry? Easy to use? How was the installation process like? Sorry for the many questions. Thank you.

[kovan4us 5]

1 minute ago, saikofreakAP said:

Can PM mi the contact and price for this?

Hi!  You can find the info here: http://www.ezziliving.com/. 

[saikofreakAP 2]

Just now, kovan4us said:

Hi!  You can find the info here: http://www.ezziliving.com/. 

Thanks

[kovan4us 5]

1 minute ago, JohnJohn said:

Hi Kovan4us, I'm thinking of the Bella S5 too. What do you think about it? Can hold a lot of laundry? Easy to use? How was the installation process like? Sorry for the many questions. Thank you.

It is quite flexible.   There are 'holes' along the outside rails for your to insert hangers.  You can put in 10 of those.  However, once you use the hangers, the 2 outer poles are useless.  

The 2 poles in the middle can come off the holder so as to fit large item like bed sheet.   Also, you can extend the poles if you have space on either sides.  All in all, good for maybe 20 pieces of clothes?   

Installation is quite straight forward.  You just need to make sure there is an electrical point for them to connect to.

[bykaraanne 30]

Hahaha love your posts. So informative and humorous!

[JohnJohn 13]

Thanks Kovan4us.