Ryvian Renovation Journey

[ryvian 3]

Hello everyone,

I'm going to 'graduate' from this renovation journey pretty soon. Thus, I decided to share this t-Blog with everyone, as well as to keep it as a record for myself in future. I also hope that this t-Blog can manage to help someone too.

My wife and I were considered quite young when we apply for this BTO in 2012. I was 25 years old while she was 20 years old then. We had no peers going through this stage and we had absolute zero knowledge on the progress. But we went ahead anyway. We considered ourselves very lucky as we managed to get queue number 26 (First timer + Live near parent scheme). We get to select many units and eventually we decided on a high level unit with good view.

Being young and with low cash funding, we need to save as much as possible. Thus, we began sourcing, reading reviews from the internet, forums and seek advices from people.

Let me share the layout of my unit:

Earlier on, I mentioned that we had zero knowledge right? We started out by meeting as many IDs as possible. We had zero idea on what we actually want. IDs are IDs afterall, they shared many different ideas with us. After meeting about 6-8 (we lost count) IDs, many quotation, we soon have idea of our own. It was like jigsaw puzzle, we took the good advices from different IDs and it became our idea.

Finally, we met up with a contractor which was recommended by my new neighbour. I shall name him as 'Steven'. Steven is able to fulfil our requirements at a much lower price than IDs. My neighbour's parent unit was done by him, and it was pretty well done. As such, we decided to pick him for this renovation journey.

Check out my renovation work within 25K budget (Painting, Window grilles, Ceiling, Carpentry, Plumping works, electrical works)

Let the journey begin...

Contents

• Layout
• Bare House
• Aircon
• Kitchen Part 1
• Kitchen Part 2
• Kitchen Part 3
• Toilet
• Electronic Loots
• Furniture Loots
• Malaysia Loots
• Online Purchases Sneak Preview
• Living Room Part 1
• Living Room Part 2
• Bedroom 2 (Study Room)
• Bedroom 3 (Guest Room)
• Master Bedroom
• Living room (Final Photo)
• Taobao Loots 1
• Taobao Loots 2

Edited November 12, 2015 by ryvian

[bykaraanne 30]

Can't wait to see more pictures! My hubby and I were 21 when we balloted for a flat, and 23/24 when we got it (now), so I totally understand what you're saying.

I bet it's beautiful!

[ryvian 3]

Choosing a contractor is different from an interior designer. Interior designers are able to provide you with 3D drawings on how the actual layout will turn out before constructing. But contractor do not provide such service. Thus, you will need to let him know what you want.

I mentioned in my earlier post that we have sourced for 6-8 IDs. That did not go to waste even though we did not choose them in the end. They had provided us with ideas which can be useful. We went to find images from magazines/forums/Facebook as our mood board.

After much discussion with Steven. We came out with this mood board to show to Steven:

Living Room

Kitchen

Master Bedroom

Toilets

To add on, we took up floorings and doors from HDB Optional Component Scheme (OCS), which is deductible via CPF.

Steven provided us with a initial quotation of about 22K including painting, window grille, electrical works and plumbing works. Which was the cheapest from all the quotations we have had. We decided to add study table with top cabinet in the mid of renovation. Stay tune...

Edited October 19, 2015 by funnysnow

[ryvian 3]

Let me bore everyone with my house before renovation first.

Living Room

Dining Area

Kitchen

Service Yard

Corridor

Master Bedroom

Bedroom 2

[ryvian 3]

Air-Con

Steven advised us to contact air-con installer to lay their trunking before anything else. As such, I had contacted 'Sunny' from 'AJ Aircon' (You can PM me if you want the contact). 'AJ Aircon' is organised by one of the resident in my BTO estate, as such there's a bulk purchase going on. Price wise is also the lowest I can find.

The spec of the air-con that I chose is as follows:

Aircon: Mitsubishi Starmex
System 3 - 9x9x9 (MSYGE10VAR2)
Compressor: 30k BTU (MXY3A28VAR7)

Armaflex: 1/2 inch
Wire: 4c70 or 3c70, sigma or keystone or dne
Water Pipe: 16mm
Copper Pipe: g22 half inch

It comes with 2 trips. First is the installation of trunking only, and second trip is the blower + compressor when we want them to put up.

Personally, I felt that Sunny's workers were very professional. Usually I will expect some hiccup here and there. However, everything went perfectly smooth and they are on time. Their workmanship is excellent.

We decided to install 3 air-cons in all bedrooms and opt out air-con in living room. As we felt that we will not on the air-con in the living room.

And finally the aircon blower installed after one month later:

One of my room.

For my Master Bed room

Edited November 12, 2015 by ryvian

[ryvian 3]

Kitchen Part 1

My wife started to love cooking and baking since few years back. But due to limited tools and equipments, she's always complaining. Thus, she's dying for a kitchen of her own.

Kitchen is always the most expensive in the whole house due to heavy carpentry works. We decided to make full use of the spaces we have.

Let's start with kitchen transformation...

• Supply labour and material to construct hollow block support for kitchen sink with internal tile finish.

This idea was shared by seniors and we felt this is a must. We do not want our woods to rot due to moisture collected under the sink.

• Supply labour and material to box up kitchen entrance (extend) with 1 side tile finish

We requested Steven to box up the entrance as we wanted to install a casement door for entrance.

This is how it look like before carpentry work

One day, I dropped by at night. I was shocked to see all the carpentry works for kitchen in the living room.

And guess what. All the carpentry works was up on the following day!

[ryvian 3]

Kitchen Part 2

Table Top

One day, we were at Paya Lebar for some reason which I had forgotten why. We passed by this shop selling tiles along Paya Lebar Road. We went in with an intention of getting pricing for subway tiles which we want to install in the kitchen. So, we chanced upon Caesarstone tabletop. My wife saw this model, 'Classico - 3100 Jet Black', and she love it very much. We had heard about the good quality Caesarstone is, we decided to check for the pricing. The salesperson and I get along quite well and quoted us for $140/ft run, which is cheaper than what the market is selling. My wife and I was okay with the pricing but I managed to bargain for slightly more discounted rate. We decided to put deposit straight to secure the pricing. I tried to search everywhere if my pricing was average, to my surprise, everywhere is much expensive than this.

Next up, table top!

After my tabletop is up, my black back glass is up!

Our entrance door to the kitchen!

Edited October 19, 2015 by funnysnow

[matchalatte 16]

hi! is yours a premium flat? i see that your flooring is polished porcelain tiles and yet your room windows are 1/2 height.

[hc28 0]

My entrance door to the kitchen!

Your kitchen door looks really good!!

[ryvian 3]

hi! is yours a premium flat? i see that your flooring is polished porcelain tiles and yet your room windows are 1/2 height.

Hello. This is a standard 4-room unit.

And yes. They are Polished Porcelain Floor tile

Edited October 18, 2015 by funnysnow

[Ceestar 0]

Kitchen Part 2

Table Top

One day, we were at Paya Lebar for some reason which I had forgotten why. We passed by this shop selling tiles along Paya Lebar Road. We went in with an intentional of getting pricing for subway tiles which we want to install in the kitchen. So, we chanced upon Caesarstone tabletop. My wife saw this model, 'Classico - 3100 Jet Black', and she love it very much. We had heard about the good quality Caesarstone is, we decided to check for the pricing. The salesperson and I get along quite well and quoted us for $140/ft run, which is cheaper than what the market is selling. My wife and I was okay with the pricing but I managed to bargain for slightly more discounted rate. We decided to put deposit straight to secure the pricing. I tried to search everywhere if my pricing was average, to my surprise, everywhere is much expensive than this.

Next up, table top!

After my tabletop is up, my black back glass is up!

My entrance door to the kitchen!

Your kitchen color scheme (white cabinet top, wood grain bottom, black glass backsplash and black countertop) is exactly the same as mine! I even got a black tempered glass hob..haha.

Do you find that the black countertop + black glass backsplash made the kitchen appear to be smaller? Though I still love it but if given a 2nd chance, I would opt for a white glass backsplash instead.

Love your black frame kitchen door!

Edited October 17, 2015 by Ceestar

[ryvian 3]

Toilet

As for toilet, we did not revamped the whole toilet. We decided to keep it as simple as possible.

This is how it look like before anything is done. The sink given by HDB was so ugly. So, we decided to get Steven to dismantle the sink and order new one for both bathroom.

Left side is common bathroom while the right one is MBR bathroom. My wife insisted on wet/dry area as she would not like to do her business on a wet floor. So it's necessary to construct a kerb and shower screen.

Check out our "Vanity Cabinet with Top Cabinet with Mirror Door with Solid Surface Top" Everything is supply and install by Steven which cost me $1000/- for both bathroom. Not sure if it's cheap or expensive.

Here's the final photo of our simple toilets which I took today. We had gotten Steven to change the 'egg crates' and changed it to acyclic sheets and also to add T5 lights to make the toilet a little more cozy.

Just a few days ago, we told Steven that we want to install a ventilation fan in the MBR bathroom as we felt that it was stuffy when we are inside the toilet. So he sent his sub-contractor to come and did measurement yesterday. And today, the ventilation fan is up. This cost me another $200 which I felt is reasonable amount for supply and install.

Overall, both my toilet renovation cost me about $3,000 including plumping works and electrical works.

Edited October 19, 2015 by funnysnow

[ryvian 3]

Kitchen Part 3

Today, my refrigerator, built-in oven and washing machine is in the house!

Lastly, our subway tiles as our 'featured wall' in the kitchen! Look at how the copper pipe went missing from the photo. Steven mentioned that he had a hard time trying to box up the copper pipe to match with the back splash glass. It was beautifully done!

Another side of my kitchen!

This is how it look like from my service yard.

Service Yard

Half Height cabinet for more storage!

We requested our pipes to be painted black to match our theme!

[Lazyfatcat007 5]

Hi Funnysnow, how do you mount you electric plug on the glass backsplash? And is the backsplash 'protruding' out cos it seems the backsplash and subway tiling are not at the same distance. Can take close up pics? Thanks so much... Cos I'm wondering if it's possible to mount some stuff on the backsplash but worried it might crack.

[ryvian 3]

Hi Funnysnow, how do you mount you electric plug on the glass backsplash? And is the backsplash 'protruding' out cos it seems the backsplash and subway tiling are not at the same distance. Can take close up pics? Thanks so much... Cos I'm wondering if it's possible to mount some stuff on the backsplash but worried it might crack.

We did not mount our electric plug onto the back glass. Instead, we did a layer of lamination above the backsplash glass.

As for the backsplash glass and subway tiles. They are separated by a 'pillar'. Do refer to this image:http://renotalk.com/forum/uploads/gallery_66736_906_22321.jpg. I don't know how to explain. Haha.

I do not have the photo now. I will take again on my next visit to this new home. Keep you updated again!

Edited October 19, 2015 by funnysnow