3 Bedroom Penhouse

[JoanneNg 1]

Hello everyone! 

My husband and I just got the keys to our penthouse. It's the first time we're actually so involved in the renovation. So excited and we can't wait to move into our new home! We have been reading the forum to do our research diligently. Thank you everyone for sharing your experience with us! Now it's our turn to journal down our renovation journey in this t-blog. 

Here goes our floor plan:

 

 

 

[JoanneNg 1]

Time Constraint

We confirmed the purchase in late Dec & at around the same time we had found a buyer for our current unit, and we will need to vacate by 30th Apr, however the ph owner will only handover on 7th Feb. We intend to redo the whole house but the time is very tight, fingers crossed! So we wasted no time in finding a suitable contractor/designer, I actually intended to meet about 6 contractors/designers. But hubby said no, knowing how fickle minded I was, so we decided 3 is the max.

Contractors

1. Uncle Leng from Poh S**** Design - Recommended by my friend. The contractor is very prompt in replying and follow up closely. The quotation is reasonable but it comes in lump sum total cost for each component of carpentry work, renovation work and etc instead of individual cost. We felt that there are lack of details and transparency in cost in the event that we decided to change certain requirement in our renovation. Only speaks Chinese.
2. Ed**** from * and E - Got their contact through forum. Able to answer every question we throw at him, very experience. Do not provide any design inputs, more like a "I just do what you need" attitude. Quotation came 5 days later, after we reminded him everyday. Requested him to make a few amendments and the next quotation never came. WhatsApp took a long time to reply, after that I gave up.

Designer

1. L** from A*** Design - Recommended by my friend who got her ph done by them too. Met him and his designer at their showroom in Dempsey Hill. He took a quick glance and offered us on what theme to do while the designer took down plenty of notes, I actually wanted Peranakan but he insisted on more of a posh style of feel. I wasn't too pleased but he slowly convinced me that this house should be designed in a way to bring out the whole feel. He told us he will return with a quotation, the meeting ended in 20 minutes without hubby and me saying much. Totally different experience from the contractors, but my friend assured this is how they work, so we decided to wait and see. 

[JoanneNg 1]

Follow up meetings on 19th Jan

1. Uncle Leng final price was very competitive, however like I mentioned many things was under "Lump Sum". There was no measurements in the wardrobe all these, but he promised everything is can do. -.- 
2. L met us at his restaurant (yes he runs a restaurant too), he provided us with a 90% accurate quotation list and 4x 3d drawings when we haven't confirm anything with him. We only realise the girl with him was actually in charge of design, and after that we created a group chat with the 4 of us inside. Whatever changes we wanted was done promptly, and we only managed to meet them on 15th Jan. Hubby and I was impressed that in the span of 4 days, they managed to do so much. We hoped they can bring such efficiency to the renovation process and we signed up with them the next day.

[JoanneNg 1]

19th Jan Follow up meetings

1. Uncle Leng final price was very competitive, however like I mentioned many things was under "Lump Sum". There was no measurements in the wardrobe all these, but he promised everything is can do. -.- 
2. L met us at his restaurant (yes he runs a restaurant too), he provided us with a 90% accurate quotation list and 4x 3d drawings when we haven't confirm anything with him. We only realise the girl with him was actually in charge of design, and after that we created a group chat with the 4 of us inside. Whatever changes we wanted was done promptly, and we only managed to meet them on 15th Jan. Hubby and I was impressed that in the span of 4 days, they managed to do so much. We hoped they can bring such efficiency to the renovation process and we signed up with them the next day. These are the 3d drawings:

 

Master Bathroom

 

 

Living Hall

 

Kitchen

 

Master Bedroom

 

Roof Terrace

Edited February 14, 2018 by JoanneNg
Typo

[KFC1189 11]

Very impressive 3D drawings! Is the current roof terrace an open one? Are you allowed to put a roof over it?

[JoanneNg 1]

6th Feb 18 Key Collection

The day we have been waiting for . . . . . . .

 

Living Room

• Will be dismantling all the wall laminates and carpentry

 

Master Bedroom

• Removing all carpentry

 

 

Master Bathroom

• Sorry bathtub, I have never liked you 

 

Daughter's Room

 

Common Toilet

• Tiles cracking up, mirror far too huge.
• Hacking everything

Edited February 14, 2018 by JoanneNg

[JoanneNg 1]

7th Feb 18 9AM - Site visit

After dropping my kids for school, I drop by about 9AM. Guessed what I saw, everyone is there and already put up all the protection and ready to go. So much difference in efficiency compared to my previous contractor. So after the project manager of the id firm finishing giving instructions, I left site with him.

 

7th Feb 18 5PM - Site visit

After picking hubby from work, we went to take a look as we were nearby.

 

Kitchen is beyond recognition. HAHAHAHA

 

Bathrooms all equipped with water heater, looks very new. So we decided to re use it.

 

 

 

Bathtub also gone

 

There was this ugly basin for clothes washing, gone.

Edited February 14, 2018 by JoanneNg

[JoanneNg 1]

12th Feb 18

As promised by ID firm, we will complete hacking before CNY which is delivered. As the timing is very tight and we only have free time on weekend, we went to choose tiles quickly at Hafary. Given the amount of tiles we needed to buy, it only took us about an hour. Because ID had already shortlisted for me and hubby, really good service I think. I forgot to take photo of the whole piece of tiles as I was too busy, I only have these samples to show for.

 

This is for the the roof area where the artificial grass is, then we just put on top. Black and white marble, I like!

 

Then ID suggested kids can have a more fun featured wall in the bathroom. So the colourful mosaic

Edited February 14, 2018 by JoanneNg

[Katherina Koh 0]

Always my dream to own a penthouse!

Followed

[rizcbz 0]

Hi Joanne Ng,  

Wonderful your updates, don't mind share me the contractor contact details with company name,

is the job carryout by L?? pls Pm me.

thanks in advance.

 

[Yy2008 0]

Hi Joanne,

nice post and nice ID u have! May I have the contact information of your contractor pls? Thanks!

Edited February 22, 2018 by Yy2008

[JoanneNg 1]

Hello happy new year all readers,

Work has resumed on 3rd day. However I was on holiday, but I was updated daily on the progress. I only managed to visit today, and these are some of the works done.

I delayed quite a lot of their work, because I did not purchase any basin or w/c. Now I'm in deep ****.

However they did what they could, like most of the electrical, aircon, water pipes & tiling works . . . .

I bought the Peranakan tiles because it was nice however it doesn't really match the theme, but still designer said we can try to blend it in.

 

And my $14 mosaic   . . . . . . . .

 

Sigh now I'm so worried I can't move in time, because some of the work couldn't move on as planned. They couldn't install w/c, rain shower etc.

Edited March 2, 2018 by JoanneNg

[JoanneNg 1]

Start of this week,

I quickly went to purchase all the tapware, W/C, basin etc etc.

Luckily a lot of time was saved because ID has already shortlisted for me according to the measurements . We just need to basically go down to the shop and . . . . . . . pay.

As of today, 

My full marble bathroommmmmmmm.

 

 

My impromptu breakfast table tiles.

 

[JoanneNg 1]

Hello all, I've been away for holiday as it school holiday. But anyway I went up to take a look today and took some photos.

Basically all my equipments are there and partition and painting works done. I might be able to move in just before deadline. As updated by ID, tomorrow we will finish installing all the cabinets, then work is almost done. Will update tomorrow 

[Yy2008 0]

Hi Joanne,

can u pls share which ID do u engage? I’m looking for an ID for my bto and yours seems doing a great job!

thanks

yy