KayLan

Much better with Carbide tips but still we have some real tough concrete. Carbide tips can penetrate those solid concretes but speed is too slow... I believe and agree with all, patience is the KEY!! Thanks everyone for you help and tips. Cheers!! KayLan

I wish I knew this before I purchased mine. never mind, no regret... will borrow from u if required ..)

I understand from my friends, who recently done similar work that $45 is the standard rate but you can bargain if you have volume, say 8 and above. I had a total of 14 points and I managed to get it at $20 per 2X points (without casing) and one with casing(around 5/6ft) at $50. I felt $50 ex but never mind, only one that ex.

Try garage sell of this forum. Also try http://www.sg-house.com/forum-27.html, http://www.singaporebrides.com/forumboard/...785/268785.html and http://www.singaporeexpats.com Good luck!

A bit ex for power points!! 2x13A Point is generally $20 - $50 depending upon where you want to put that extra power point. In case it just adjacent to an existing point and no need for wiring or casing - $20. In case needs wiring or casing then up to $50 depending upon length. I just did a couple of weeks back and my electrician was too expert!!!.... never switched off any of the power and never shocked!! He finished adding 14 power points in less than 2 hours with two smoking breaks ..)

Thank you all. I understood my blunder when I visited a selffix shop yesterday evening as I was wondering what went wrong. I found there is a separate drill bits for tiles. The black one looks like an arrow. Not sure whether a carbide or diamond.... I guess carbide!! Thanks clockwork for your generous tips.... I think I will be able to do it right this time. I will try on Saturday and will update you how it goes ..)

Hi, I was trying to drill tiles on my toilet with mixed success. I chipped the place with a hammer so that drill does not slip all around. I used the hammer mode of my BD drill. I used the masonry drill bits. I used a BD510 drill. The problem I am facing is, in some cases the drilling is smooth but in some cases it does not move after the initial mark. The drill bits becoming red hot and get spoiled. I spoiled 3 bits to drill around 6 holes. I have miles to go, I mean many holes to drill to fix up my IKEA LACK shelves. Can you please advice what went wrong? I tried with metal bits but even worse. Your suggestion is highly appreciated

Painting is fun. It's doable provided you have time. My painters were novice and I ended up painting almost half of my 5R, that also after daily office hours. Ceiling is the toughest one but you need one or two coats there. Walls are much easier. Just have two rollers, one with an attached pole to paint the top sections and the other with normally reachable areas. To save your cleaning effort, spend some time to mask properly rather than to jump into painting. Ironically, my paints and tools costed me less than labor cost that also novice painters without any sense of finishing. If you have reasonable stamina, each room will take approximately one full day... so 4 room will take 5-6 days (3BR+Hall+Kitchen..) to complete. You have one week? if yes then just do it. Let me assure you, you will be much more happier than any professional painters, never mind the money saved, in fact quite a lot.

Just purchased Mitsubishi 3DR 45T from Courts. To me, 3 door is the optimal numbers of doors. I hardly use chiller section and hence 4DR is useless to me. As people mentioned earlier, you need vege, you know what to open. You need cold water, you know what to open. No wastage of cold air, aka energy!! Second reason, generally vege compartment of 3DR are much better in shape than the tiny, little one on 2DR. If you go to mkt once in 2/3 weeks, then you know!! Third reason, generally equivalent size 2DR fridge will be fatter(I mean wider), where as 3DR are slim and taller.... saves useful space. Final reason, it looks better than 2D or many door fridge to me... all these comes at additional cost, generally expect 50% more to pay than similar size 2D fridge.

Thanks Gladyslim.

I have seen a big workshop on Avanni's ground floor but not sure whether they customise or not... My guess will be yes. regarding picture, give me some time, not yet moved in and the place is still very dusty. Plan to clean this weekends!! Cheers!

Thanks Gladyslim, highly appreciate your guidance. Can you please help me with tempered glass. I need to have those tempered glasses for display shelves for my daughter, mainly to keep all those teddy bears and stuffs. I need to buy few more for bathroom shelves also. Please let me know where can I buy those tempered glasses. I stay in Hougang.. so any place near to Hougang will be preferable... however I like to visit those DIY shops... so any place also OK. Thanks in advance

Not sure what kind of furniture you are looking for. In case, you are looking for CHEAP and GOOD and not so EX or BRANDED/DESIGNER stuffs AND you have ONE DAY FREE then it is worth to visit Sungei Kadut area. I have visited 30+ furniture shops, including all the popular one such as IKEA, NOVA, Novina, Beng Tuan, Morries, vHive, Casa Italy, Barang Barang, Courts, furniture online, Defu and so on. more than 30+, no kidding, I enjoyed those visits. I found Sungei Kadut to be the most reasonable place... the only issue there is the nearest makan place is a bit far, near to the MRT track. 1. There are so many furniture shops, including most popular brands, one beside another. 2. In general, Sungei Kadut shops are more friendly and helpful, except RED APPLE. There is a **** and heaven difference in sales persons attitude. Many of the city shops that I visited was spoiled by the pushy, breathing over your neck and unfriendly sales staffs. Where as Sungei Kadut was a refreshing different, including Novina. Sales staffs are more ground to earth and does not mind (or at-least does not show off that openly on their face or action!!!) if you do not buy anything from them. 3. Prices are more realistic there, if not the cheapest. Bargain is still the norm. Generally GST and transport is waived off. Prices can be reduced to 5-20%... not like 30-50% on city shops. 4. No need to bother about quality, ultimately all the furnitures are either made in China or Malaysia. 5. Few shops that I can reco on Sungei Kadut are a. Avanni Design (on the corner, purchased my wardrobes) b. K&D .. (just beside IFC, not purchased anything but will revisit them again for more stuffs) c. Novina .. (opp to Avanni, across the road. Much better than their city counterparts. I purchased one unplanned bed frame from them and got delivery already on promised date and time) 6. I had unpleasant experience on Red Apple only, but not much different than city showrooms. Hope this helps

Yes, yesterday got delivery of our wardrobes(4 nos). So far good experience. Was served by Ron and few other helpful and happy go lucky sales persons. Experience was very pleasant, opposite to what we had in Red Apple or Nova. Price was also reasonable if not the cheapest (I have visited 30+ showrooms, big+small!!! ha ha). Delivery was on Wednesday, after 3:00PM. They called me on Monday to confirm the delivery date. Again called on Tuesday to inform me tentative delivery time and finally called on Wednesday morning to confirm delivery time. At around 11:30AM, requested whether can deliver early and delivered at 12:30PM. The two person delivered was reasonably able to fix up and align the wardrobes for me. So far pleasing experience, was delivered what was ordered. I was really skeptic about the model as most of the wardrobes comes with thinner walls, a bit thicker than the back wall but much thinner than the doors. Have not checked the wardrobes properly as we have not moved in yet. But so far Avanni is meeting all their promises. Will definitely visit them for our future requirements.

For general purpose, specially for woods, No problem. For wall... so far OK, for concrete .. success is mixed with hammer function. Can drill some concrete and spoils/burns your bit for some concrete. Metal.... not really can drill. I think, 700W will also not make much difference. To drill all those heavy duty one, you need a real drill machine, like my electrician shown me.

Thanks all for your expert help. Finally I purchased from eStore/Power J Trading at Yishun. I purchased one 20L can and five 5L cans of Nippon Easy Wash!! and few other stuffs. Here are my observations on paints 1. Out off major 4 popular brands, Berger is the cheapest. Jotun is similarly or highly priced than Nippon and Dulux. Most popular are Nippon and Dulux, other two are very distant runner up. 2. Beside, Power J Trading, other two good good shops that I visited are Chye Seng Paints at Ang Mo Kio and Johong Hardware at Hougang. All the three shops are very patient and helpful and no way pushing for sales. 3. Visited as well as called quite a few shops beside the mentioned three but not really worth. Defu lane shops does not have ready stock or not interested for small volume. 4 What tilted the scale for Power J is, they have 20L cans, which are much cheaper, compared to four 5L cans. Otherwise also, their price are $2-3 cheaper($58 vs $55) compared to the best price available in city. 5. Finally, Power J has huge stocks of hardware stuffs, including tools. I regret, I purchased all those things earlier from different city stores. Power J can be a one stop shops for all your hardware needs. Prices are similar to city store, if not slightly cheaper. Staffs are very helpful, specially that healthy(I mean not skinny) Chinese lady. She arranged one person to push my trolley all the way to the main road!!. 6. For Power J, you need time to go all the way there and transport to carry your items. I paid $12 for a taxi ride back to Punggol. Money wise, may have saved $40 kinda but most important to me is the experience. 7. Disclaimer : I do not work for Power J, neither any of my close one remotely related to the company. 8. Now happy painting!!... pushing those kanchong painters!!!

Agree, there is not much price difference in paints... so far could not found a paint store that is selling at a huge discount.

Thanks a ton. I am looking for Nippon Easy Wash or Dulux Wash & Wear paints. Looking for 9 cans of 5L So far got following best prices 1. Nippon at Hougang ave 8 showroom - $58 for 5L can, very near by my current house. 2. Dulux at Ang Mo Kio ave 3 - $56 for 5L can 3. Dulux at eStore/Power J - $50 - $60 for 5L can, based upon BASE, not sure what is base 1 and what is base 2 and so on. Not sure whether it will be worth to go all the way to Yishun to save few dollars per can. Could not visit the Defu lane shops as their opening time is not that convenient for me.

Thanks, I plan to visit eStore sometime this week. Not feeling too comfortable to buy paints online, old people; old brick & mortars mentality. Transport is still $15. Just a question, their price includes GST or not?

Where to buy paints for walls? Big shops like selffix/homefix has no deal at the moment and prices are the highest Nearby hardware shops are giving $2/3 discount for 5L cans, still costlier. eStore having some Dulux promotion, price so far is the cheapest. But not sure whether there price including GST, how much they charge for transportation and of-course quality of their product. Anyone having experience with eStore? specially on paints front? Could not visit Defu as their paint shops are generally closed when I can visit them. Any help is highly appreciated I will update this thread later with my own experience

He he...who know, economy is bad mah!! alredi purchased entire toolbox, I mean toys for big kids... burned around $140 Planks are laminated on one side, I am planning to add a coat of paints also

So far so good. It comes with a 2 years warranty. Yes, it comes with basic accessories. Bit set is for 50+ additional accessories. Just in case I break few accessories, I need not stop my work... you know typical kiasu mentality ..) I notices, NTUC Xtra also selling the same item at $69.

I was planning to build some simple wooden racks for my store room. Asked for few quotations and all are more than $400+. I just wanted to have simple four level U shape racks for all the three walls, except the door wall. So finally decided to DIY. First question was, where to buy woods, the major material... here are my discoveries that may help fellow DIYer IKEA - Tampines has different sizes and different materials. Prices ranges from $19 to $59 per planks. It appeared very expensive to me. Defu Avenue 1 - There are many carpentry shops, at the middle of Avenue 1. They can customise your requirements. Prices are reasonable, much cheaper than IKEA. Sungei Kadut - The carpentry shops just opposite to Novina show room. Can customise as per your requirement and can arrange transport to your home at a nominal cost ($20). For me, it was the cheapest, I purchased all my required woods from them for my store room rack at $160 including transport to my house. Hope this info helps all those who are looking forward to purchase timber/wood. Just to add, I purchased the other tools, including a B&D drill($69), additional Bits($20), Saw, Chisel, File, level, T, hammer and other tools, all with in $140.

I hope you have already settled this. In case you are still looking to purchase wooden/laminated planks, here are the options. IKEA - Tampines has different sizes and different materials. Prices ranges from $19 to $59 per planks. It appeared very expensive to me. Defu Avenue 1 - There are many carpentry shops, at the middle of Avenue 1. They can customise your requirements. Prices are reasonable. Sungei Kadut - The carpentry shops just opposite to Novina show room. Can customise as per your requirement and can arrange transport to your home at a nominal cost ($20). For me, it was the cheapest, I purchased all my required woods from them for my store room rack at $160 including transport to my house. Hope this helps all those who are looking forward to purchase timber/wood. Cheers! KayLan

Hi, Recently purchased a B&D power drill from Homefix-Harbourfront outlet at $69 (usual price $99). They are running Hariraya sales promotion. Purchased the big B&D bit sets also at $20, usually at $29. Not sure whether this is the cheapest deal but after visiting many shops, definitely this was a reasonable buy. Anyone looking for drilling machine can have a look there. Giant - Vivo city also selling the same model at $89. Some other shops selling similar stuff at $109. Just for your info. I want to DIY my store room racks and so far I spend around $300 for tools and material. I believe it's worth to invest on tools than a contractor for simple doable jobs. Cheers! KayLan