LimeGreen

4 room: 2543 applications received for 199 units. 5 room: 1197 applications received for 95 units.

If the workmanship is good, $500 is not too much to pay. Maybe you want to find out more from your ID what the impact would be in the event that laid tiles are damaged and need to be replaced.

I decided not to use 800 x 800 homo tiles because I was advised that the cost of laying these tiles will be higher since they are heavier and need skilled tiles laying contractors to ensure gaps between tiles are small which in the case of 600 x 600 homo tiles it is easier to accomplish.

There is another shop near the overhead bridge where the Church of Holy Trinity is in Tampines Ave 2. The bus stop to get down is just after the one for Tampines Round Market. It is much cheaper in the States, however, the adapter for local Sg use costs $240++.

True... i think the eroding value is enuff motivation for us to find out and learn more about alternatives. For example. spending on skills development courses is one way since you increase your employability. The garmen always said we must upgrade... (with our own monies? ) One dollar coins underneath your bed? Better than me, I only have a can of peanuts.

You may want to re-consider time fixed deposit. Inflation is no longer just eating into our pockets by way of higher grocery bills, it is also eroding the money we safely put away in fixed deposits in our banks. If our money is sitting idle in a bank and earning interest that is lower than the rate of inflation, we are not making it work hard enough for us. Inflation averaged 2 per cent from 1980 to last year. The Government's official inflation forecast for this year is 4.5 to 5.5 per cent but as reported, the inflation rate was 6.7 per cent in Apr 2008. Over time, our nest egg will be eroded by inflation. For instance, taking the inflation rate of 6.7 per cent and our fixed deposit is earning 1.6 per cent, we are looking at a shortfall of 5.1 per cent. Maybe look for alternatives ways to make your money work harder. Just my 2 cents.

DSA, if you don't mind, can share with us which supplier give you this price? Hoe Kee? Thanks.

for your reference... I was told by Tau Interior that the doors HDB installed for our units cost about $400+ each and the main door cost at least $1200.

When I collected my keys, the officer did not highlight to me this clause. I asked her specifically on the "whichever is earlier", she said it is to prevent new home owners from delaying the defects reporting and taking their own sweet time. She went on to elaborate that as long as we report the defects before renovation starts then it is fine because their contractors also need time to rectify the defects. If you report defects after renovation has started, it is more difficult to assess the cause of the defects as it may be caused by the contractors you engaged. Ok here's one point to make you feel better ... for some reasons, I have not submitted my defects checklist yet after almost a month from keys collection.

Hi sumobear, Thanks for responding. Yes, you 're right. I personally feel that even if we hire an ID for designing, we will still be involved in the design work because of our own personal aesthetic preference. As for ID's style, I found that some ID firms actually used sales designer (no formal design qualification) and they are good duplicators. If you see any design you like in decor books/magazines, show it to them and they can create almost the same look. Creativity is lacking most of the time. Of course there are also exceptions. A friend once told me: "Most, if not all, IDs can come out with great designs if you have a deep pocket. I have yet to come across an ID who can work on a given renovation budget and yet create some unique, nice looking designs with a touch of creativity." Maybe there is some truth in it... Ok not to get sidetrack further, I am okay to do away with IDs producing drawings to help me visualize my home and would want to experiment around, hence I am exploring the possibility of managing the project myself. Thank you for offering to share your experience with us. Maybe you can begin by letting us know what simpleguy80 has asked and we can proceed with the discussions from there.

HDB's haulage and debris fees for 4 room and 5 room flat are S$177.65 and S$187.25 respectively. This fee includes haulage, debris removal and sand transporation. The fee is to be paid directly to HDB. Mr Lim (hp# at lift lobby area) charges $900 - $1200 for sand purchases (cement not inlcuded). He is the term contractor who has managed to win the bid from Bedok Town Council (BTC) to provide the service to Bedok Central newly completed blocks. Since IDs/contractors tiling quotation is based on: Number of tiles laid or used + cost of cement and sand + workmanship + IDs'/Contractors' profit, I asked BTC if IDs/contractors have an option not to purchase from Mr Lim, the staff said she is not clear on this and flat owners have to ask Mr Lim directly. Can anyone confirm if IDs/contractors liaise directly with Mr Lim for sand purchase and include the cost as part of the tiling quotation? Or are they separate costs to the flat owners? If your ID/contractor quote a haulage and debris removal fees higher than what HDB has quoted, then it is questionable and you can probe further to determine if he/she is trustworthy.

Here's some info from a post in renotalk forum

Hi all, Anyone here has taken the road less travelled, that is, instead of engaging an ID firm or a main contractor, you become your own ID project manager and engage the various contractors to turn your dream home into reality? If so, can you share your experiences? E.g. what are the essential things to do and what to look out for? Thanks.

Hi flysummer or forum members Would appreciate if you can PM me Ah Keong's contact number. Thank u very much!

I was looking at renotalk for kitchen and wardrobe carpentry. I know your post was dated 2006. Hope u still check renotalk. Can you PM me your carpenter's name and contact number? Appreciate it ! thks!

Hi Cyberj Can you PM me your carpenter's contact name and contact! I tried to PM youbut think ur box is full liow. Thanks!

Most likely will get Fujioh Fx900 Cooker Hood and Rinnai RB-2CG SV Hob. Yet to find out which dealer offers the lowest price. Appliances Price List (a little outdated but better than nothing)

Another post on defect checklist

On the subject of FS, if you engage one, do find out from him/her... - the effects of having the bath w/c in the center of the house. - the implications of missing "corners" (e.g. in the case of 5 rooms, there is a large empty space besides MBR, service yard and kitchen). Take a look at the floor plans, both 4 and 5 room units are odd-shaped, i.e. not a rectangle / square.

I think it is similar to those used for the 3 bedrooms, anyone can confirm this? Guess I have to go down again to double check... yup, main door no stopper, same as yours. You may want to check if your door knob has scratches as a result of hitting against the wall.

If I can recall correctly, there is a key insertion hole for both toilet doors. Like DSA, I was wondering how come the keys are not given out to us after confirming they are not part of the 18 keys issued. Went down to check again and confirmed no key insertion hole. Just use a coin to open. Btw, does the main door has a magnetic stopper like the doors of the 3 bedrooms?

I rather they don't upgrade it coz the hawker food centre is one place where we can find good, cheap food... Btw, Big Orange you can bold my id as I've gotten the keys today, thanks.

mE! Not doing 1, 2 and 4 - As my wife and I are tv addicts, we decided to ban ourselves from having tv. We also do not have a lot of clothings. 3, 5 Maybe. Whether a house looks good is subjective as beauty is in the eye of the beholder. From observing friends around me, there are a few things you would want to think about in reaching your decision... a) the effort requires to maintain the look of the house - I have some friends that have houses like showrooms but to reduce the effort of maintaining their houses, they even go to the extent of avoiding people from visiting them as it can really cause a mess and requires a lot of cleaning up after a gathering. b) your priority in rooms allocation - if you plan to have children in future and that you would not move to a new house in the short to mid term, you may want to allocate rooms for them. Then it would be a matter of deciding if a WIW is really required and takes precedence over housing your children. c) is the design child-friendly - if you plan to have children in future and that you would not move to a new house in the short to mid term, you may want to factor in this when designing your house. E.g. any edges that are low and potentially dangerous for children learning to walk? Or glass features that can withstand multiple knocks etc. There are probably more considerations... other might want to add. It is quite common to see couples going through the following lifestyle changes... Young, happily married. 二人世界 . Nice house with great design. Things started to accumulate over the years (so must plan to have more storage spaces). Arrival of children, less time to maintain house (get a maid or DIY), more time spend on looking after the kids. Houses get more crowded with a lot more items added because of growing family needs. Just something to think about.... ****** Nice site with some interesting designs http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/scc.php

Hi Cacky From: HDB Renovation guide FAQ Q6.How much time am I given to complete my renovation work? How soon would I need to commence the renovation works in my new flat and the frequency of the renovations allowed in a flat? For new blocks, you must complete the approved renovation works within four months from the date of the renovation permit. For established blocks, the approved work must be completed within one month from the date of the renovation permit. This is to minimise any inconvenience and noise nuisance to the existing residents. There is no restriction on when the renovation works should be carried out by the flat owners and/or the frequency of the renovation. This is to facilitate flat owners in the planning of the renovation in their flats, in terms of their financial resources and time schedule. Q11. I can't complete the renovation works within the time allowed? What should I do? Your registered renovation contractor can submit the request for extension of the renovation period via the “Application For Renovation Permit via Electronic Transaction” system (APEX) through the HDB InfoWEB at www.hdb.gov.sg under “E-Services >Housing Admin E-Services (HAES)>Submit an e-Application>Renovation Permit”. HDB Branch Office will accede to the request if the reasons given are justifiable.

Idol? No lah, juz 知足常乐 since we cannot get what we like, let us like what we can get. Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have. don't tell anyone I am from the garmen (gov).