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zihui

Mission Impossible

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Congrats on owning your EM ! (My dream too :sport-smiley-004: )

I worked on a shoestring budget too when I got my BTO flat, we managed I'm sure you can too.

Why don't you let us know what you would like to be done and how many people are staying there, and forumers can put our brains together and give some ideas :good:

Thanks cloudsabove!

For this place, only the 2 of us will be staying in it

Actually, we're realistic people. We know that with the kind of budget that we're operating with, we need to be practical and target the key areas first

thankfully after numerous discussions with my HTB and the contractor (his uncle), we have all reached a decision - the marble flooring on the ground floor may be dated but it's still in reasonably good condition. Therefore we will give it a good, professional polishing and then retain it. No hacking to be done to the living room! :good:

 

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Join 46,923 satisfied homeowners who used renotalk quotation service to find interior designers. Get an estimated quotation

Hi Zihui, it's great to see you start your own tblog! Once again congrats on owning an EM. Though you a small budget to work on, I am sure you will be able to work around it. I was also in the same situation as you and I didn't want to take any home loan. My reno was kept simple and nothing fantastic.....just wanted a decent and cosy home, that's all.

Like what 3Dyms and Mrmerry shared, focus on the important things first....cheers!

Hello potatoes!!! *waves enthusiastically*

I've taken your advice and started my own t-Blog hahahahahhaa

I know!!! To be frank, your t-Blog was (and still is) a HUGE source of inspiration for me.

Even though I've read it from start to finish, I still refer to it so often!!

And please don't be so humble - you may have started wanting something 'simple and nothing fantastic... just wanted a decent and cosy home' but you've DEFINITELY managed to achieve wonders considering your budget!

If we manage to obtain the kind of results that you did, we'll be THRILLED

 

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Haha, more welcomes. Welcome to the maisonette group! :D

Like most others have shared, 40k is going to be really tough. If you plan to do the bathrooms, make sure you get that part done before you move in. My place was undergoing bathroom renovations when we were buying the place from the previous owner, and boy was it messy. It was a nightmare visiting the place during the bathroom upgrading works. Things like air-con, built-in stuff, walls and flooring must be done too.

We overhauled our EM a few months ago. Couldn't keep to the budget at all :P

All the best!

Hi summersann,

thank you for the warm welcome! (PS Yes, I know how to use the multi-quote function but everyone has been so friendly that i wanted to respond to each and every one of you personally)

you're absolutely correct. actually, the bathrooms are a huge source of headache for us.

We definitely need to overhaul all the toilets. Problem here is that we have 3 toilets (one in the MBR, another on the 2nd floor and one on the ground floor)

With regards to the toilet on the ground floor, according to the previous owner, it was actually a wash area. They decided to convert it to a common bathroom.

Now my HTB and I are in debates as to whether or not we should convert it back into a wash area.

For me, I'm in favor of converting the ground floor toilet (located in the kitchen) back into my dry washing bay where I can put my washing machine and dryer.

My HTB insists that we should have a toilet for guests to use on the ground floor as it doesn't make sense for them to run up the stairs to use the common bathroom whenever they need to use the loo

What do you think?

 

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Now my HTB and I are in debates as to whether or not we should convert it back into a wash area.

For me, I'm in favor of converting the ground floor toilet (located in the kitchen) back into my dry washing bay where I can put my washing machine and dryer.

My HTB insists that we should have a toilet for guests to use on the ground floor as it doesn't make sense for them to run up the stairs to use the common bathroom whenever they need to use the loo

What do you think?

Hi Zihui,

just my 2 cents, I think your HTB has a point there.

Even halfway through watching TV, running upstairs for the toilet seems a hassle to me.

The kitchen looks big enough, and if your dryer and washing machine can be stacked on each other, it will take up only a small space.

Place it beside the toilet, put up a wall made of board (forgot what it's called) to make nice nice. Cheaper than hacking the sanitary wares and making good again. haha

 

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Hi Zihui,

just my 2 cents, I think your HTB has a point there.

Even halfway through watching TV, running upstairs for the toilet seems a hassle to me.

The kitchen looks big enough, and if your dryer and washing machine can be stacked on each other, it will take up only a small space.

Place it beside the toilet, put up a wall made of board (forgot what it's called) to make nice nice. Cheaper than hacking the sanitary wares and making good again. haha

Thanks for the solid advice, cloudsabove...

that's exactly what my HTB said as well. If I remember correctly, his exact words last night were, "You might as well buy me diapers to wear at home because if I'm watching TV in the living room, I'm not going to run upstairs in the middle of a horror movie just to use the toilet" or something to that effect :bleah:

That's very good advice and I'll be sure to consider it carefully... actually my HTB said the same thing as you. He said that we can find a way to either cover up the washing machine or to camouflage it properly. Unfortunately, we've already placed a deposit on a top-load washing machine....

Here's another picture of the kitchen. The sellers put 2 fridges side by side, followed by a washing machine:

856a.jpg

Edited by zihui
 

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We are the most kancheong people around.

Our first appointment with HDB is only on the 2nd of August. Second appointment is targetted to be the 12th - 14th of Sept

The reno hasn't even started and we've already started buying and ordering electrical appliances 8|

we went to the Electronics Fair @ Expo last weekend and ended ordering our fridge and washing machine to be delivered after our reno is completed. Photos of the purchases to follow shortly. But on the plus side, we were there with friends and one of them bought us a gorgeous Microwave Oven (to be delivered with our other purchases) as a housewarming present. Not bad - havn't even signed any documents and we've gotten our first housewarming gift! :notti:

We also bought a Toshiba LED TV which we intend to place in the MBR. Ironically, as this was a cash and carry item ($689), we had to collect it on the spot so it's currently sitting in my HTB's place and won't be utilized until we move in. There shouldn't be any problems with the TV if we don't turn it on for 3 months or so, right? :help:

Here's a photo of the very satisfied HTB posing with the first purchase for our new house!

9yus.jpg

 

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Here's the other purchases that we've confirmed with delivery to be done only after we move in:

1) Samsung Fridge RT54QBSL ($749)

ksq5.jpg

2) Samsung Top-load washing machine WA-95W9MIC ($269)

65sr.jpg

3) First housewarming gift - Samsung microwave oven (we felt too paiseh to go check out the price)

3b3c.jpg

Edited by zihui
 

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LoL...... can i say Great Men Think Alike ? :jammin:

Since the purchase is already made, a new solution will come forth. It's all good :)

LOL Great minds think alike... BUT FOOLS SELDOM DIFFER :bleah:

Just kidding...

It's all gonna be GOOD! :jammin:

 

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Hi Zihui, did you check with HDB is your block will be under up grading soon? you estate is under Yue Wah if I'm correct, this might save you some cost.

 

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Hi Zihui, did you check with HDB is your block will be under up grading soon? you estate is under Yue Wah if I'm correct, this might save you some cost.

Hi mark,

I'm lost.

are we expecting any upgrading to be done?

what kind of upgrading are we expecting?

this is a very interesting development!

as long as i hear the magic words, "this might save you some cost" my ears perk up! :notti:

 

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Hi mark,

I'm lost.

are we expecting any upgrading to be done?

what kind of upgrading are we expecting?

this is a very interesting development!

as long as i hear the magic words, "this might save you some cost" my ears perk up! :notti:

I'm asking cause we have ours done last month, all 3 toilets, sewage pipe, main door, electric load. You can check with your area RC or HDB, if there are plan for this you might want to wait. Just sharing my thought. Cheers

 

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I'm asking cause we have ours done last month, all 3 toilets, sewage pipe, main door, electric load. You can check with your area RC or HDB, if there are plan for this you might want to wait. Just sharing my thought. Cheers

OMG Mark, you are a genius.

I called up HDB, who diverted me to the Branch Office. After I explained what I was enquiring about, the officer asked for my (soon-to-be) home address. When I gave it to her, she confirmed that the HIP program is in the pipeline for my unit / estate.

Problem is, there is no schedule as yet. It's just in the planning process. No announcement for polling has been made as yet. So I went to read up more on this -

http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10328p.nsf/w/UpgradeWhatsHIP

hmmmmmm

I can't possibly blindly wait for the HIP to be announced right? There are some issues that we need to address immediately like the toilets, the structural issues and the spalling concrete right? So should I just get my contractor to proceed first and then opt out of the HIP later on? I mean, I can't possibly intentionally ignore spalling concrete issues like the photo I took of the ceiling in the unit:

dwk6.jpg

 

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OMG Mark, you are a genius.

I called up HDB, who diverted me to the Branch Office. After I explained what I was enquiring about, the officer asked for my (soon-to-be) home address. When I gave it to her, she confirmed that the HIP program is in the pipeline for my unit / estate.

Problem is, there is no schedule as yet. It's just in the planning process. No announcement for polling has been made as yet. So I went to read up more on this -

http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10328p.nsf/w/UpgradeWhatsHIP

hmmmmmm

I can't possibly blindly wait for the HIP to be announced right? There are some issues that we need to address immediately like the toilets, the structural issues and the spalling concrete right? So should I just get my contractor to proceed first and then opt out of the HIP later on? I mean, I can't possibly intentionally ignore spalling concrete issues like the photo I took of the ceiling in the unit:

dwk6.jpg

I understand your concern, after all new house, everything need swee swee. :good:

 

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I understand your concern, after all new house, everything need swee swee. :good:

hahaha it's not just that, mark

i'm asking myself if i can live with the old, dilapidated toilets for a couple of years while waiting for the HIP to come along and the honest answer is that I can't

Think I will most likely proceed with the reno as planned and then opt out of the optional HIP later on

 

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