mummychua 4 Report post Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) Without further ado, my floor plan... We took a long time to buy this house. This previous owner finally sell it to us on the 3rd offer. I'm probably the only few people who paid for relatively high COV in this current market. Plus the place need a overhaul. The previous owner hacked off the kitchen wall and store, reposition the mbr door to the left and build a store using part of the 3rd bedroom with the door of the store open between the 2 common room. Stove and bed position indicated on the floor plan by my fsm.So here is the biggest problem with the renovation. The recommended bed position for mbr is blocked by the toilet. Initially we planned to hack and make the toilet smaller. But its not possible cos there is a water pipe is blocking the way, i cant hack all the way, so no point hacking. Went back to fsm for another position, but the 2nd position wont work too. Paymaster insist to follow fsm recommendation so now my idea is to build a platform instead of having a normal bed frame so that the bed can sit in rather than popping out.No idea if this will be weird. Any other suggestion are welcome! Edited June 23, 2014 by mummychua Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mummychua 4 Report post Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) Photos of the house before hacking: Edited June 16, 2014 by mummychua Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mummychua 4 Report post Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) As per the blog title, view outside my new home. Love it... Edited June 17, 2014 by mummychua Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mummychua 4 Report post Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) Choosing of ID/Contractorwe didnt have much time to shop for a contractor as we sold our old house way before we bought this unit. currently we are bunking in with my dad, whole family in a small room, not the best arrangement. that's why we need to rush the renovation and hopefully move in before the start of chinese 7th mth. therefore when it comes to choosing of contractor, our 1st consideration is dateline then price. all in all, i talked to 3 contractors and 1 IDs. was very keen to work with the other 2 contractors as they are very competitively priced. the only ID we talked to is a intro from a very good friend but she's over-priced plus she doesn't seems to have much idea on the design of the house. behave more like a contractor than an ID. we finally made the choice to engage the 3rd contractor who promise to make the dateline and price not too far of from the other 2, plus he's seems to be able to help with some design and color coordination. he feels more like a ID than the so called ID my friend recommended. fingers crossed that he really do a proper job in such a short period of time. Edited August 4, 2014 by mummychua Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mummychua 4 Report post Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) started hacking on the 12june and within a day, everything hacked and debris cleared. looks promising... Edited June 18, 2014 by mummychua Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mummychua 4 Report post Posted June 17, 2014 My Tiles... Tile for the living, kitchen and part of mbr (most of mbr will be covered by platform). Choose the same tile for all 3 areas, hoping for a uniform and flowing look.grey tile for yard and the 2 toilet floor, matching up against the main tiles for the house. toilet wall tile and floor tiles. somehow the floor tile look different here.subway tile for my kitchen wall. hope that i wont die cleaning them. bought a chimney hood, pray that it will do what it claim to do. anyone else uses this type of subway tile? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mummychua 4 Report post Posted June 18, 2014 the 1st purchase for the house is from taobaohttp://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=35757948001&spm=a1z09.2.9.9.o0egkfnot the cheapest sink in taobao, but i wanted a 60/40 double bowl sink with the tap mounted on the sink rather than on the kitchen counter top. saw the same sink selling locally at S$500plus without the tap nor the soap dispenser. and the qty looks good, as good as how it look on the pictures. thrown in some LED downlight and LED stripe with the shipment and ship via amcon. hoping to get the sink in quickly as i requested for my contractor to do a concrete sink support instead of the regular wood support and he requested to have the sink in earlier. i should have shipped this few item via peeka instead. too kanchong liao. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mummychua 4 Report post Posted June 18, 2014 (edited) 2 set of Grohe mixer and tap from Home & Bathroom, just beside Hafary at Balestier. According to my contractor, this shop sells the cheapest Grohe stuff. Well they are slight cheaper than what i see at IMM but i cant rmb the different. saw a rainshower with thermostat mixer selling at S$600plus, quite a good buy i think but paymaster object since we are not the rainshower ppl, it will just for show. well...toilet bowl from a shop doing closing down sale along Balestier rd. S$330 a piece, not sure if its cheap but its a one piece bowl so chin cai just buy. Now thinking if i should buy basin from taobao. saw one i like, selling S$200 locally, tb sells it at 200plus rmb. but worry if the basin will survive the trip Edited July 9, 2014 by mummychua Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LHWH 7 Report post Posted June 18, 2014 We bought our basins from hoe kee all quite cheap. 100-145 sgd. taps were 35-55 sgd. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ks Toh 74 Report post Posted June 18, 2014 2 set of Grohe mixer and tap from Home & Bathroom, just beside Hafary at Balestier. According to my contractor, this shop sells the cheapest Grohe stuff. Well they are slight cheaper than what i see at IMM but i cant rmb the different. saw a rainshower with thermostat mixer selling at S$600plus, quite a good buy i think but paymaster object since we are not the rainshower ppl, it will just for show. well...Noticed that you referred to Grohe but your picture shows Hansgrohe. In case you do not know, Grohe and Hansgrohe are two completely separate companies (and rivals too). Both have entry level made in China and high end made in Germany models. So when you compare, you need to compare between similar range models. I have no idea which is better. The jury is divided on this. It may depend on the range and model. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OceanEleven 203 Report post Posted June 18, 2014 toilet bowl from a shop doing closing down sale along Balestier rd. S$330 a piece, not sure if its cheap but its a one piece bowl so chin cai just buy. Now thinking if i should buy basin from taobao. saw one i like, selling S$200 locally, tb sells it at 200plus rmb. but worry weather the basin can survive the transport. WC can be cheaper if you go for 2 pc type. Less than $250 can get.I bought basin from TB and make it in one piece. Request seller to crate the box. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mummychua 4 Report post Posted June 19, 2014 (edited) Noticed that you referred to Grohe but your picture shows Hansgrohe. In case you do not know, Grohe and Hansgrohe are two completely separate companies (and rivals too). Both have entry level made in China and high end made in Germany models. So when you compare, you need to compare between similar range models. I have no idea which is better. The jury is divided on this. It may depend on the range and model.thanks for the inform. didnt know that they are rivals! their names make them sounds more like sister company than rivals. dont see what's the big deal about those so called high end models. to me turn tap, water can come out ok le... but must look nice lah and i want to coordinate my tap and mixer brand. WC can be cheaper if you go for 2 pc type. Less than $250 can get.I bought basin from TB and make it in one piece. Request seller to crate the box. very assuring to hear that. i read your write up on how to purchase from taobao, very helpful. tried to download aliwahwah but somehow i cant do it on my computer. anyway with my lousy chinese, it will probably take me half a day to type a single sentence in chinese. will probably buy basin thru peeka and get them to tell the seller to crate it. Edited July 9, 2014 by mummychua Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mummychua 4 Report post Posted June 19, 2014 The previous owner left a 1yr old system 3 aircon, but only till today i was told that the is not a inverter system. We are a little bothered abt it as we will be turning on 2 aircon every nite. But im not sure if the increase of electricity consumation is justifiable for the change. If we will change i will most probably get a system 4 so that the living could have one but a system 4 cost almost 4k. Piangz... budget burst like siao... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OceanEleven 203 Report post Posted June 19, 2014 The previous owner left a 1yr old system 3 aircon, but only till today i was told that the is not a inverter system. We are a little bothered abt it as we will be turning on 2 aircon every nite. But im not sure if the increase of electricity consumation is justifiable for the change. If we will change i will most probably get a system 4 so that the living could have one but a system 4 cost almost 4k. Piangz... budget burst like siao...Please check if the piping of the 1 year old system 3 are also 1 year old?If it is not, then perhaps you should consider to change the piping then to consider if to keep the system 3.During renovation is the best time to change piping, else if hidden by box up or carpentry, it will be a nightmare in years to come.Also, you can ask if you can run the piping for System 4 but use back the System 3 plus one additional blower.Not sure about the cost and feasibility though. You have to find out from aircon seller. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bianzi 52 Report post Posted June 19, 2014 Mummychua I have the same dilemma.. Mine is a 5-6yr non inverter system. System 4... All looks new except the one in the master bedroom which I supposed is used daily... If change is another 4k plus law.. Sian also. But like wat oceaneleven mentioned, I scared it will break down in 1-3 yrs time and if I need to change the whole system, then might affect the reno structure... Ai..... The previous owner left a 1yr old system 3 aircon, but only till today i was told that the is not a inverter system. We are a little bothered abt it as we will be turning on 2 aircon every nite. But im not sure if the increase of electricity consumation is justifiable for the change. If we will change i will most probably get a system 4 so that the living could have one but a system 4 cost almost 4k. Piangz... budget burst like siao... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
