15 Shades of Grey - 4 RM BTO @ Woodlands Glen

[lkccchris 0]

On ‎10‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 3:23 PM, Clarence Lye said:

went to Ho Ho to took photos of my door colour and door lock - while googling for Ho Ho Doors alot of negative reviews came out about their service and etc..
So far i have yet to encounter these problems? Perhaps they have changed for the better, nobody knows.
There are still alot of IDs getting doors/frames from them and supply to customers, can't be that bad right? 

(ps: i have included the price on the pics as well, so those keen can just take reference on the pricing. if you need contact feel free to PM me)

Solid Door Laminate Colour:

Door Handle, think i'm gonna choose the black one for my toilet as i'm doing monochrome style in the common toilet with all the black toilet accessories. 

 

Master Toilet Sliding Door:

 

I was previously looking at the laundry systems such as EZ Living, KS Auto System, Steign and few other brands that are always selling at Expo.
After much consideration, we have decided to go ahead with Steign Solar as it fits what we need -  Solar Drying + LED Lights, etc. As you know all BTO now doesn't allow you to do much of sun drying, and just nice we need lighting at the service yard area. One good thing about this laundry system is that it has a LED light that gives a brightness of 1600 lumens (about 100W) which is bright enough for any kind of laundry in the darkest evening. 

If anyone is getting a laundry system, don't be lured by the pricing. Be sure to test it out and see how strong/flimsy the thing is.
This mostly flimsy part is the scissors arm, and be sure to check and see the motor and parts inside the system (some vendors show the internal of the dryer at Expo).

you won't want the scissors arm to be swinging around and break during strong wind (not that i am expecting a thunderstorm or typhoon..)

Was confused between their Solar vs Solar S model as the specs seems exactly the same except the difference in the colossal weight - 30KG vs 35KG.
I know, I know. nobody does a 35KG load of laundry at one shot. But you know - sometimes those army uniforms, field bags, combat boots and etc all weigh a ton after washing.

Therefore, we felt that more is always better than less in this case.

Solar Model:


Solar S Model:

 

Comparing Laundry System vs Dryer:

 

Hope I don't sound like a salesman for this product, just sharing about this item if anyone is looking to get a laundry system. 

Over the weekend, the person came for site consultation and it can fit nicely in my small service yard.
Best of all, the uncle (Mr Hong) is very knowledgeable about his product and electrical stuffs. He said that my Main Circuit Breaker (MCB) switches needs upgrading as all newer flats are usually B10, sad to say my BTO project provides us with only B6.

B6 = 6A rating
B10 = 10A rating

For those who are unaware of what S1 S2 S3 are, they are the lighting point around your house.
So all the lighting points will link to either of these Circuit Breaker switches. Apparently P1 P2 P3 are more for electrical outlets. (learnt something from Mr Hong, true anot I don't know. anyone can verify?)

Certain household appliances (eg. air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers) need a higher wattage (a lot more power) so they require circuit breakers of higher ratings, usually 20A.  Less power hungry devices like our televisions, lightings, computers can have circuit breakers of lower ratings, typically 10A or 16A.

Replacing these would help prevent my house from tripping due to the low Amp for my lightings, although i'm running mostly LED lights and shouldn't be an issue. But better to do all these at the initial stage right?

Need some advice from fellow renotalkers:

1) Anyone here uses vinyl flooring for your living and bedroom ONLY?
2) Anyone here using vinyl flooring for whole house (incl. Kitchen) ?

Why? Because I have some concerns using vinyl in the kitchen due to cooking/frying.
We were considering to overlay the current HDB Kitchen Tiles to a matching tile of my vinyl flooring since most contractors doesn't recommend hacking due to waterproofing issues and cost. Not sure why, but we really don't like the original tiles... 

Will there be any implication given that the cement screed height will be increased? There are some rumors saying that it affect the bombshelter door, etc...
any input would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Hi, are you selling/giving away ur original HDB's laundry drying rack?

[Clarence Lye 10]

On 10/17/2017 at 2:57 PM, lkccchris said:

Hi, are you selling/giving away ur original HDB's laundry drying rack?

i gave it to my ID.. if you've contacted me earlier iwouldnt mind giving it to you. 

[Clarence Lye 10]

over the past few weeks, there were some hiccups and issues with our reno.

1) Delay for carpentry
By this week, the carpentry has to be up as I have taken leave on 30th for eubiq site measurement and mirror measurement for my walk in wardrobe.

2) Service Yard Drainage Hole
If you see the picture below, the carpentry doesn't fully cover the floor trap nicely, have spoke to ID about this.
Gotta wait for the carpenter to respond then see how it goes. I thought it would be flushed outwards and cover nicely.. buti think in reality it isnt.

Usual kitchen base depth 600mm, mine is about 550mm because the 50mm is to cater the LED strip to sit nicely underneath the cabinet. 

I thought it will cover nicely like this after carpentry is up:

3) Bathroom entrance kerb
Tiler screwed up the Master Toilet. One of the reason why we wanted to overlay MBR is to remove the slope.
Not sure why the tiler feels that we wanted a slope and they overlay it back with a slope -.-

Luckily, after some "noise" from us, we manage to get them to re-do the whole MBR toilet and also remove the border for my shower ledge. Initially they mentioned that they can't do it because they have to hack the original slope and we have to bear any leakage and etc. In the first place, we already mentioned we wanted it to be flat and not slope. Now they are giving me all kind of excuses -.-

Also, not sure why they added the old school border at the edge of all the tiles.


this is after they fixed it:


For the common toilet, although nothing much is being done except for the shower kerb (which has the ugly border).

As you can see this rough part here, I thought that it would be smooth and even out during cement screed and align with the door. 

I didn't notice this initially because evorich covered it with their vinyl capping, and i requested them to change to the metal strip.

That's when you can see the real error here. Have to pay extra $ to "hack" this strip away so that my vinyl will align with the door.
I dont know why there's this jagged border at all the entrance that is not being removed during cement screed and also why didnt ID highlight this problem to us at the start, end up we have to pay $100 to remove both jagged border for both toilets. le wife argue and nego with ID on the $100, end up all agree that we pay 50-50 each.

So frustrated over these minor problems, why the ID didn't highlight such minor things to us and we have to find these faults/error ourself and then confront them on why this is happening.
I dont like it when ID have this kind of "you don't ask, i don't say" kind of mentality. 

This is after hacking away that extra "border" and level with the floor, evorich will need to come down again to touch up. (hopefully no charges)


Shouldnt it be like this from the start? the "entrance" is align with the door, and not have a weird extra "border" there??
How did you guys get over this "border" for those using vinyl?
 

Edited October 23, 2017 by Clarence Lye

[binchotan 0]

On 7/27/2017 at 9:54 AM, Clarence Lye said:

Started hacking of the kitchen floor and service yard yesterday, it was all done within couple of hours.
We engaged a separate ID/Contractor (Javen) to do up all these, super good follow up and progress is quick.

 

 

 

 

Can i have the contact to the contractor doing the hacking seprately. thanks 

Edited October 23, 2017 by binchotan

[matchalatte 16]

i totally understand what you mean about these little hiccups. its extremely stressful, most of the part its due to miscommunication so its largely unforseen. at the end of the day its more important they're willing to rectify. 

also i think tilers are old school in general, done by uncles and what not. they will do the plastic capping border by default, actually i have them on my kitchen door entrance also, which means you can still spot them in new HDB. do you have them at your kitchen doorway? those plastic cappings are a big NO NO to me also. but the least they could do is to find a matching border. your shower kerb one looks like they just mindlessly put a white capping on your grey (?) tiles. black one would at least look better. 

[binchotan 0]

On 9/18/2017 at 2:19 PM, Clarence Lye said:

The shop doesn't recommend anyone to buy fino because of the high cost.

Fino 1 @ 498
Fino 2 @ 930

 

they recommend me to get other model/brands such the ones below, but we both not interested. 
- Elmark P80
- Deka M3
- Deka M16

I called up a few stores in malaysia and Yako is one of the cheapest for Fino fans.

what is the diff between Fino 1 and 2? Price diff close to double

[binchotan 0]

On 10/10/2017 at 4:36 PM, Clarence Lye said:

hansgrohe directly. wanted to get from xtwostore but then i am not sure how the custom clearing thingy works. so give up the hassle, although the saving is like $200-400.. 

 

By the way, update on the MBR tiling works. And i also amended the title fo my tblog to 15shades of grey instead. LOL. 

Looking so pweety 
can't wait for everything to be done together with all the hansgrohe stuffs 

you overlay the MBR tiles

[Clarence Lye 10]

...

Edited October 23, 2017 by Clarence Lye
cannot delete post

[Clarence Lye 10]

2 hours ago, binchotan said:

Can i have the contact to the contractor doing the hacking seprately. thanks 

pm-ed u. not sure if they are willing to do if your job is too small. Most dont, but i can suggest you other contacts if yours is small job.

 

2 hours ago, matchalatte said:

i totally understand what you mean about these little hiccups. its extremely stressful, most of the part its due to miscommunication so its largely unforseen. at the end of the day its more important they're willing to rectify. 

also i think tilers are old school in general, done by uncles and what not. they will do the plastic capping border by default, actually i have them on my kitchen door entrance also, which means you can still spot them in new HDB. do you have them at your kitchen doorway? those plastic cappings are a big NO NO to me also. but the least they could do is to find a matching border. your shower kerb one looks like they just mindlessly put a white capping on your grey (?) tiles. black one would at least look better. 

I have them at kitchen doorway, but i screed the tiles off. so it looks like a normal beam. the border is definitely a no-no for me too. 
For my toilet tiles - first thing that caught my eye is the ugly border. 

No border will be nicer, for my shower ledge - there will be the shower glass there at the end of the day. So it will look nicer also.

1 hour ago, binchotan said:

what is the diff between Fino 1 and 2? Price diff close to double

 

Fino 1: cannot rotate (lesser colours)
Fino 2: can rotate (more colours)

 

36 minutes ago, binchotan said:

you overlay the MBR tiles

yes..

[Clarence Lye 10]

Progress on Carpentry (finally):

 

remember the part on the kitchen/service yard floor trap? the carpentry manage to cover about 95-98% of it.. so still ok i feel.

[Clarence Lye 10]

Went down last evening to check out the progress and it's moving quite quickly.

Kitchen carpentry installation is almost all up.

 

Living still WIP

WIW is nice as well, it's more spacious than expected.

I quite like how the WIW's leaf door is being concealed inside the wardrobe area, I will take a proper picture this Saturday.
 

[Clarence Lye 10]

8 minutes ago, purplegirafffe said:

Wow looking good, progress is so fast!

Could I find out what's the width of the gap between the wardrobes on both sides of the wiw? Think my layout is pretty similar, yours looks like the gap is comfortably wide while at the same time maximising space 

As per the detail drawing below it's 800mm.
Definitely looks bigger in real life than on paper (when you pull out the measuring tape to 800mm and visualise it)

I will do a on-site measurement & check on the actual size this Sat. 

On 9/6/2017 at 10:23 PM, Clarence Lye said:

Master bedroom walkin wardrobe, platform bed and toilet:

 

 

[Clarence Lye 10]

On 10/27/2017 at 4:37 PM, purplegirafffe said:

I see, thanks for the info! Mine's gonna be around 750mm, it was 800 at first too but squeezed out a bit more space for the bed on the other side, hopefully it'll be enough

i did the measurement.
it's 850mm. no wonder it's so spacious. 

But the platform height was 380mm instead of 350mm.
Getting ID to fix another step there so it's not so high when coming down.

 

 

 

Took leave yesterday and it's quite worthwhile as alot things were going on:
- installation of La Casa Wardrobe System
- plumber (installation of storage heater, shower stuffs, toilet bowls, etc)
- electician (install all lightings, LED, cove lights)
- eubiq came for site measurement
- installed bedroom ceiling fan

At one point of time, the house is filled with >10 people working on different things. 

Felt very accomplished, will post pictures when i go down to the house this weekend.
Now the house feels like a house with all the lights up.

ID screwed up some stuffs again, our extra tall larder at kitchen is without door -.-
Everything we wanted in the house has to be concealed or cover or something, now giving me us an open shelve tall larder i don't know for what.
Made some noise, and she say will give us the door.

Also, had to keep chasing her to arrange for Evorich and our doors to come.
End up i arranged all myself as it's much quicker. 

[Clarence Lye 10]

It's pictures time today.

 

This is the box-up done to conceal the gas pipings, not really that fantastic looking.. but at least i don't have to see the pipes. Oh well.

 

Sneak preview of the current house. 
Lightings, carpentry are all up. 

 

Living:

Comments: i feel there's TOO much storage at the display area. Geez. Overall it's not bad. but some of the pop-in / pop-out effect is not as per what we expected. Trying to see if the carpenter can swap some of the doors to make the pattern look nicer.
Waiting for the Eubiq, TV and Haiku fan to be installed and the whole living will be completed. Can't wait.. 

 

Kitchen


Comments: Was suprised that we was given 3 x Blum Aventos system, usually only 1 is given for the dish rack. Quality of carpentry quite good, hinges etc all very smooth.
Waiting for my Kompacplus countertop, eubiq and glass backing to be installed.

 

Dining:


Comments: We love how the brandt built in oven and microwave blend into the tall larder beside it (black colour looking laminate) nicely. So lovely 
Glad we didn't stick to the Chrome + black looking colour and upgraded to this all black model as our previous model were phase out. It's a sign. 
We will be placing our Island table here, it's also waiting for countertop (Ceasarstone) to arrive. Dont know why, it looks low. Have to wait for it to be fully functional. The island is meant to be 5cm higher than my kitchen countertop height. so when it's not in use, i can push it to the wall so the whole area will like a L shape kitchen countertop.

MBR:

Comments: WIW was much wider than on paper (800mm vs 850mm), therefore it was very spacious. And like the way it's like a room/concealed up.
No complainon this except for some minor laminate that needs to be touch up. LED & Fans were all up and running. Cove light & Master Ceiling Fan also installed.
I have plenty of storage at the platform bed. i really wonder if i will even use it as it's so difficult to access once the bed is on it. Bedhead cutout is for eubiq track installation.

 

MBR Toilet:

Comments: love the tiles + led effect in the MBR. Very cosy and romantic.
My vanity kompacplus top and basin are not up yet. Once it's up it will complete the whole look.

 

Common Toilet: (looking so boring and plain)

Comments: plain o' standard looking toilet. Trying to make everything black and white (except for the taps/showers). All my other accessories in this toilet is black.

 

Summary for now:

Pretty much what we are doing every weekend now. Checking on the works, quality, defects as we go.
We thought by engaging a more reputable ID company, it will help us resolve our load and burden.

Ended up, we have to take leave/time off just to see to all the minor stuffs such as installation, delivery.
And there's always minor issues/screw up. It's the kind that if i wasn't there, things would have gotten worst.

Example for Electrical sockets and switches, we have to go down to CCM directly and get it there.
As their electrical price/quote are sky rocket high, if we ask them to get it for us it means that its additional 2-10 bucks per switch/socket. (depends on types)

Laminates, Countertop and Tiles, we went down Hafary and Kompacplus and look at actual samples and chose our own tiles ourselves.
Although we engaged ID, it felt like we've engaged a contractor as we need to be on the ball to chase up and follow up on everything. Sounds pretty much like we are the ID, and they are like the contractors. 

It's the kind, if we don't ask, nothing gets moving. And if there's problem such as alignment, you don't notice, they don't say.
We have to chase for carpentry, plumber, electrical, wet works schedule date as we need to move in the house latest by 3rd week of Nov.

But overall, R&R have good contractors (electrical, carpenters) that's why they can offer lifetime warranty.
Perhaps if my ID is more merticulous and attention to detail.. it would be perfect.
At least its 100x better than our original ID (JJ) which give us general design/plan and boring colours.

 

 

Edited November 3, 2017 by Clarence Lye

[matchalatte 16]

love your carpentry! the color is really pretty, and i adore the colored PVC! it looks like wood with the grains, unlike mine which i find it a tad too dark. your black oven is to die for omg. how much did you pay? both my ovens are from bosch's cheapest range haha. 

you didnt overlay yr common bath's toilet? im also trying to dress mine up with black bathroom accessories. fingers crossed they'll look decent. 

i totally second what you say about needing to chase and errors that dont get mentioned, dont get rectified. its the same for me actually. but at least several of your things get done together, like what you said about 10 people working on your house at the same time. no such luck for me. my contractor prefers to just do 1 thing at one time, and after 1 job is done he will then arrange for the next. sigh.