A Bachelor's Bedok 4 Room Flat

[daolevo 0]

Bought my 4 room flat towards the end of 2015 but have to leave it vacant for 6 months to wait for the HDB Home Improvement Plan (HIP) to start before I could commence my renovation. This is the floor map of my house. It is 92sqm, 4NG type.

Edited May 28, 2016 by daolevo

[daolevo 0]

Well, it's an old estate so the reno was old with wall paper all over the bedrooms (including the ceiling). I definitely have to do a major overhaul. 

Edited May 28, 2016 by daolevo

[daolevo 0]

I have to leave it vacant for about 6 months to wait for the HDB Home Improvement Plans (HIP) to kick in before I can start my renovation. A lot of my friends advised me not to move in before that. Very dusty, messy and I can't do up my toilet before that. Anyway, these are the options. 

They will change the toilet pipes, give you a new basin, toilet bowls, toilet doors for both common toilet and master toilet. They will also change your door to a fire proof one if you have not changed yours. Sad to say the previous owner already changed the door before, so HDB is not willing to change a new one for me.

My choice is the Blue Package. Pink Pokka dots and Yellow tiles too obiang for me.. the least ugly one is the Blue..since I'll be using the MBR toilet, I'll let HDB do up the common toilet. MBR toilet for my ID to do as I want to extend it. 

The metal grill gate also freaking ugly. After much consideration, I told them not to install for me. I rather forgo my CPF money for the purchase. 

[daolevo 0]

As what most people would do, I went to a few ID to ask for quotes and opinion. To me, it's about the feel and communication between the ID and me. I don't like the way if the ID has attitude and talked to me in a stuck-up manner. And I know what I want to try buy a lot of items from Taobao. So I make it known at the start that I want to reduce the cost of renovation as much as possible. And whatever I can try to buy from Taobao, I would try. 

Anyway, after talking to a few IDs, I decided to go with Kennes. He was an ex-colleague of my current colleague. Met him up and had a chat. He was patience and understood what I wanted. And so I signed on the dotted line. Kennes' Email: kennestan@divasinterior.com

Basically, I'm going to hack half the wall to join the MBR and the room next to it and replace with a barn door. I'm converting my MBR into a walk-in wardrobe and use the other room as my bedroom. Here's are the 3D drawings he gave me. 

I'll extend the MBR toilet with the basin at the dry area and put a small 1.2M bathtub in it (I LOVE BATH!). 

I'm going to leave the other room minimal reno as I'm going to rent the other room out anyway. Just do the flooring, lighting, aircon and change the windows. 

[daolevo 0]

Finally the HIP started last Wednesday. They said it would take about 10 days to finish. All the hacking and drilling. The noises and dusts are killing me. 

Luckily I listened to my friends' advices not to stay there. I simply put a numeric lock at the gate and passed the password to the HIP office. Asked them to open themselves in and lock it when they are going out. The house is empty anyway except for my Batch 1 items I bought from Taobao to start for my reno.

I saw people bringing their toiletries basket with towels over their shoulders to go to the shower cubicle at the void deck. Thank goodness I don't have to go through this!

[daolevo 0]

I arranged my first batch of Taobao purchase to come in before the renovation as I would need them. Things like tiles, kitchen basin, MBR toilet basin, bath tub, shower head, etc. 

I use www.oops.sg as I have quite a lot of bulky items, which I rather they deliver straight to my house rather than I have to collect them as compared to other freight forwarders. Their service is quite good. Generally very user friendly cos you just need to do your own tracking and arrangement on their website. Bear in mind they have minimum requirement of 1CBM. 

My tiles are rather heavy and their delivery company do not do delivery to my flat. They had wanted to place them on the void deck and for me to arrange my own contractor to bring them up??!! Anyway, thanks to the Oops staff I manage to request them to deliver the tiles to my flat for an additional charge of $150. 

Sad to say, most of the 300*600 tiles were badly cracked (3 boxes of 24 pcs). The supplier was willing to replenish me 3 boxes and I bought additional 1 more boxes for all the dimensions I needed. But well, the supplier screwed up and forgotten to give me the 3 boxes they promised. They said they will make the delivery to my Oops warehouse in Guangzhou asap. But that will mean additional shipping charges and I'm not sure whether they can make it in time for my reno. Sigh!

These are my Batch 1 items:

1) Kitchen Sink - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&id=18803806007&_u=s2cho4nu3c5a

2) Kitchen Tap - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&id=13167995824&_u=s2cho4nuc8dc

3) MBR showerhead - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&id=522948033119&_u=s2cho4nub41f

4) Customised MBR sink with wooden cabinet - https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=19562094234&spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&_u=s2cho4nua1e0

5) Kitchen and MBR toilet floor tiles and MBR wall tiles - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&id=525103387860&_u=s2cho4nuc8cd

6) White tiles for the Kitchen - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&id=37096333626&_u=s2cho4nu98f1

7) MBR shower pole and curtain - https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=8920187807&spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&_u=s2cho4nu9b1b

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=4764681159&spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&_u=s2cho4nu3066

8) Digital Door view - https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=35814959208&spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&_u=s2cho4nu75b7

9) Samsung Digital door lock - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.5-c.w4002-6799136818.24.0zSCxa&id=528345672760

10) Bath tub - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&id=42854930247&_u=s2cho4nu1b5a

11) LED spotlights and tracks - hmm.. the links were no longer available 

12) Philips LED ceiling lights - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&id=39848335440&_u=s2cho4nue92a

13) MBR water tap for the sink - https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=40734472597&spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&_u=s2cho4nud705

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=38403926559&spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&_u=s2cho4nuf912

14) Lightings for the rooms, toilets, etc - 

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=37865666835&spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&_u=s2cho4nu21f1&skuId=60441148025

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=45787892965&spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&_u=s2cho4nufc3e

15) Barn door - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&id=38023520248&_u=s2cho4nuea11

16) Both toilets accessories - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.xG87vm&id=42470705722&_u=s2cho4nu2e3c

I have yet to open them up as it's going to be a lot of work. (I'm single, alone, remember?). So I told my ID, I would leave him to his contractor to open them up when they are ready to use. In the event if they are badly broken, no point sending it back to China and get a replacement. It would be too late, too much hassle. Let's replace with a local one. 

I mean so far I've seen my friend's purchase from Taobao, generally no major issues. I think the only problem was my 300*600 tiles cos they were not packaged properly and too big. So tend to get broken. Lesson learnt not to buy big tiles from TB. 

Well, finger crossed that all the rest of the items are intact. Would take photos of them when they are unpack. 

 

Edited May 28, 2016 by daolevo

[Tigaroo 1]

20 hours ago, daolevo said:

Bought my 4 room flat towards the end of 2015 but have to leave it vacant for 6 months to wait for the HDB Home Improvement Plan (HIP) to start before I could commence my renovation. This is the floor map of my house. It is 92sqm, 4NG type.

we have same type of layout... just that mirror image... my unit is at AMK

camping here to see the development

Edited May 29, 2016 by Tigaroo

[daolevo 0]

3 minutes ago, Tigaroo said:

we have same type of layout... just that mirror image... my unit is at AMK

camping here to see the development

cool! Have you moved in yet? How's your reno?

[Tigaroo 1]

20 hours ago, daolevo said:

 

question... Are you terminating the air vent piping so the bath room look neater without some many pipe running vertically and horizontally ... looks like worm turning here and there going thru walls.

see mine- MUP done 16 years ago

Edited May 29, 2016 by Tigaroo

[Tigaroo 1]

1 minute ago, daolevo said:

cool! Have you moved in yet? How's your reno?

slow like a snail.... your progress is fast and furious...

existing place so still staying there, cos of revamping...

packaging up is madness-  but almost done with pack , will be moving on the hacking my toilet once HDB approve the permit.

[daolevo 0]

HDB upgrading for my common toilet almost completing. It's not so bad afterall. I thought they will have blue tiles all over. 

[daolevo 0]

My renovation also started as well. They have hacked the MBR toilet wall cos I'm extending the toilet into the dry area. 

They have hacked up everything in the kitchen. 

 

 

Edited June 2, 2016 by daolevo

[daolevo 0]

They have hacked a whole in the wall separating the MBR and the room next to it. This to put a barn door.. I'll seal up the actual MBR door so there's no two doors on one wall. Bad fengshui.

[daolevo 0]

They have also hacked the MBR toilet as I want to extend into the dry area. 

[Oshotz 0]

On 5/28/2016 at 5:22 PM, daolevo said:

Bought my 4 room flat towards the end of 2015 but have to leave it vacant for 6 months to wait for the HDB Home Improvement Plan (HIP) to start before I could commence my renovation. This is the floor map of my house. It is 92sqm, 4NG type.

Interesting thread bro, so we gonna become neighbours.
Just got my own place, exact same as yours in Bedok as well.
And also need for HIP to clear first before reno will start.  The best thing is polling is not done and no firm details of the exact date to start the upgrading.

I'm also in the midst of brainstorming for ideas doing reno for my new place. 
Can pm you for more details??