looneygas

Hansgrohe Metris Basin faucet (code 04552000) with box. Solid brass construction with chrome finish. This is my spare set kept in cold storage. Minor scratches on body, lever and spout due to poor storage. Faucet is perfectly functional. Made in USA. This faucet is the USA equivalent of the local Metris 110 (code 31080000). Everything is identical except the hot/cold hose threading. I will include the adaptors to convert USA to local metric threading. Fyi, the local Metris 110 (31080000) retails for at least $300+. This is a great quality, good looking and lasting faucet at a steal. Welcome to do functional test before buying. Fixed price at $135.

Hansgrohe solid brass pop up drain assembly with lift up lever for the faucet (item code 30129518). Chrome finish. Item is still sealed in plastic package. Only $12.

Some trends have been overused and misused. However, some brands are popular largely due to reliability and asthetics...like Blum and Grohe/Hansgrohe. Their functionality and convenience is critical. Yes I used these brands too. I Certainly don't want the plumber or carpenter in within a short period after installation and these brands have proven themselves. Example, those semipro kitchen taps with extendable reaches and spray/normal streams from many reputable brands tend to have leakage issues (at the mouth or spout) within months of use but my Hansgrohe is still perfect after 1.5yrs of constant use. No drips even after flow is stopped. Not cheap but these brands prove their great value over the medium to long term. Having said that, beware of Grohe/Hansgrohe replicas when purchasing from PRC. 2yrs ago,Even those sold at the official TB Grohe/Hansgrohe websites weren't competitive compared to USA and Europe. Perhaps it has got to do with where product was manufactured. Maybe they have gotten more competitive now...

Indeed it is very well maintained after 15yrs! However, I'm also comparing the frequency of maintenance. Example, glass can be cleaned even after a few cooking rounds without fear of hard to remove stains...same might go for stainless steel. Doubt that grout can take that. Scrub too hard and it might also wear off. Speaking from personal experience...

1) Glass - oil/water stains can easily be removed with detergent followed by another wipe through. The glass uniformly shines again. 2) Stainless steel - oil/water stains can be removed but not easy to achieve the uniform metal shine throughout the entire backsplash without putting in serious effort. 3) Mosaic tiles - The tiles are easy to maintain but not the grout lines. Easily the option that requires most maintenance over the years due to the grout.

I visited this shop last year but was thoroughly ignored by the non senior citizens in the shop. After a few minutes, I was served by an elderly lady who also didn't seem interested but at least acknowledged my human presence. Their online prices might seem competitive but their attitude definitely priced them out of the competition. Still, I would like to say I bought almost all of my major electrical appliances from the more well known small neighbourhood shops which offered very competitive pricing and good service. So I don't think it's right to stereotype the small shops in the same stroke as LC. Conversely, I didn't like the attitude (or pricing) of most of the bigger electrical applicance chains around. Most salespeople were rigid in pricing (potential multiple purchases) or just reciting obvious information from catalogues/brochures. Go beyond that and most will either repeat the catalogue/brochure info (not answering the question) or just fabricate something that wasn't logical. As a consumer, I prefer honesty and I appreciate and admire an "I'm not sure but I will try to find out" answer if it is a question that the brochure/catalogue doesn't provide.

Stainless steel may look stylish or cold depending on individual preference. Imo, it only looks good in certain areas and that could be due to my high exposure to it at work. Stainless steel pros - strength, generally good corrosion resistance to domestic chemicals depending on grade of steel used, looks stylish if blended well into layout. Stainless steel cons - scratches easily with sharp impact but that's inherent to the material, must clean along grains else more scratches, water marks and fingerprint magnet therefore not easy to maintain the clean look. Price is dependent on grade you want. Try enquiring at the independent metal works shops at the light factory areas. Generally cheaper than contractors and ID pricing.

The only real downside of gas heater is it takes longer time to produce consistent supply of heated water. Then again, the downside of a storage heater is wastage of energy as entire tank is heated initially unless you can be sure to always use up the entire tank of heated water. Unlikely. Gas consumption is definitely cheaper compared to storage heater. Gas dryer.....If you have the space and cash to spare, don't hesitate and just get it. Saves your time and energy in hanging/keeping clothes, making space to hang clothes (esp for family of 5pax), watching for change in weather which can be stupendously fickle in the tropics and clothes taking longer to dry during wetter months. If you use the dryer 3-4 times weekly on normal drying mode, your monthly gas bill for the dryer is probably about $5-10. Of course, the dryer also requires capital but it will easily last min 5 years. Add the capital ($800+ but cheaper if bought together with heater) and operating cost ($10 monthly) for 5yrs, you will see that the cash outlay is well worth the time and energy saved

I'm currently using the same LG washer as Raphael for 1yr. On cotton mode/cold water/spin 800rpm, entire duration varies 70-100mins depending on load. Never had issues on extended duration or errors. Also used an older model of LG front loader with no issues on duration too. You might want to check the spin time and water temperature else there might be a defect on the washer so claim the warranty.

If you are getting a stainless steel sink, undermount is no problem. Never seen a stainless steel sink that needed replacement unless nobody does regular maintenance or pours something nasty in. You can opt for a better quality stainless steel sink as additional protection. In any case, when the sink shows its age, it's probably about time to do a makeover of the kitchen anyway.

Your experience for carpentry and painting finishes are typical. For some strange reason, carpenters generally don't seem to seal gaps/holes unless instructed. As for painters, my advice is instruct them to leave behind paint and touch up yourself. For these type of workers, they either don't have the passion/ownership or get frustrated when they have to do repeated rectification works and I was already mentally tired of talking towards the end of reno. To bypass all these negative emotions on both sides and save time/saliva, I decided to touch up the parts that I missed telling them. At the same time, it allowed me to understand the nooks and crannies of the entire house because painting really brings you high and low throughout the unit. Most importantly, I like the satisfaction of adding the finishing touches.

Can I have C's contact too? Thanks!

For the hall, the FCU can be shifted towards the hall windows side and onto the opposite wall of bedroom 3. You can run the piping either a short distance along the hallway or conceal in bedroom 3 and drill through the wall (between bedroom 3 and hall) and connect directly to the hall FCU. Some benefits of relocating the FCU closer to the hall windows is more effective cooling in an area where people will mostly be in the hall and no beam is required across the hallway.

I have 5pcs of new and unused wood composite decking with measurement 30(L) by 30 (W) by 2.5 (H) cm. Suitable for indoor or outdoor use eg elevating planting pot above flooring. Only $5 each. Self collection at Commonwealth. If interested, please PM or email freakix@yahoo.com.

Your place is very well designed and effectively executed by your contractor. Impressive! Can I have his contact? Thanks

Marble is fragile. Quartz isn't so but still relatively fragile. Marble can be damaged with a sharp impact, an aspect that's not within your control during transporation. Viewing both materials physically vs photos can be very different eg grains and direction of patterns. Finally, if there are defects in the delivered material, will the seller honor a replacement and how long would it take? An example from personal experience, I purchased my quartz top locally. After installation, I noticed a small defect in a moderately noticeable area. The entire 7ft slab was immediately removed and replaced within days with no questions asked. No delay to my reno. Imo, the savings are not worth the risks involved for something that is going to be fixed in your home for long term.

Want to clear asap. Prices negotiable....

I have 3 replica Benjamin Hubert Spinning pendant lights for sale. These were installed and removed because I didn't find the size suitable. They have been in storage for few months since then. Need to release them to free up much needed space. 1pc of purple BH1 replica. Dimensions: 24cm diameter and 1.5m max length including lamp shade height of 45cm. Height is adjustable by the cord. Refer to the photo with 2 lights (BH1 and BH2). Selling for $50. Condition 9.5/10. 1pc of purple BH2 replica. Dimensions: 40cm diameter and 1.2m max length including lamp shade height of 34cm. Height is adjustable by the cord. Refer to the photo with 2 lights (BH1 and BH2). Condition 9.5/10. Selling for $50.1pc of purple BH2 replica. Dimensions: 40cm diameter and 1.2m max length including lamp shade height of 34cm. Height is adjustable by the cord. Refer to the photo with only 1 light (BH2). Condition 7/10 due to some marks on the external lamp shade. Not very noticeable once it's installed. For the DIY-saavy, you can respray the entire shade to any color that you prefer and it will be a brand new light altogether. Selling for $30.All lights come with E27 connection. Prices are negotiable especially if you are purchasing more than 1pc. Self collect at Commonwealth. Please PM or email freakix@yahoo.com if interested.

Prices updated. Can deal at a better price if you can take at least 80% of the lights!

Price is negotiable. Need to sell asap to make space!

Very useful reno tips for noobs and others. Just wanted to add another point about wall mounting TV through my experience. In my previous place, I had wall mounted my TV. The viewing height and distance was optimal. Naturally, I decided to upsize to a larger TV within a year. However after wall mounting the larger TV, I found that I was looking slightly upwards. It took some getting used to but we really shouldn't have to subject ourselves to poor ergonomics. Of course, the alternative is to remove the bracket and reinstall but that requires more work and effort to clear the mess. Also depends on whether there is any obstruction in the vicinity of the TV. Anyway for my new place, I decided not to wall mount to allow flexibility for compulsory future TV upgrades! The loose cables can be organised and kept neat mostly away from sight. Ergonomics is really paramount compared to aesthetics but both can be balanced anyway.

I have some new and barely used LED track lights and tracks for sale. All light casings and tracks are white. As for reliability, I have friends who have been using these same type of track lights in their home for some time without defects. You can test and self collect at Commonwealth. PM or email freakix@yahoo.com if interested. New meaning never used: 2pcs of 18W warm white at 3600K; length/diameter 19cm/11.5cm: $26 ea2pcs of 12W warm white at 3600K; length/diameter 19cm/10cm: $17 ea3pcs of white tracks; length/width 1m/4.2cm: $4 ea or 3pcs for $102pcs track connector to join 2 tracks: $1 ea or FOC if you buy all 3pcs of tracksBarely used meaning used less than 10 times for short durations: 3pcs of 18W warm white at 3600K; length/diameter 19cm/11.5cm: $18 ea12pcs of 12W warm white at 3600K; length/diameter 19cm/10cm: $12 ea

Some advise on the ceiling fan installation. Although the post-reno installation might look fuss free, it might not be so. If you only decide to install a ceiling fan post-reno, the electrical wiring will be exposed and will not be aesthetically pleasing. And if you choose to conceal the wiring, the place will get messy from the debris. Also the question of where the electrician will tap the fan wiring from will determine how much mess is created. And if you prefer to have fan switch on the wall, it might affect the orientation of your switches and you might have to buy suitable ones to accommodate your new configuration. Not forgetting touchup painting to follow which is likely diy. It takes lots of energy+time to do an effective post-reno cleanup and you really wouldn't want to subject yourself to another round of cleaning even though it's on a smaller scale.

Those Ikea shelves can be installed but you aren't maximizing the BS space. Storage is very precious in current tiny HDB units and it gets even more precious when you have kids. Btw, try not to get Ikea shelves for heavy duty items as they tend to warp.

To put it nicely, your ID does not look like the type with ownership or generosity. The little signs are there. If he didn't explicitly state (verbally or contract) that your stuff should be bought through him, he shouldn't act like a spoilt kid. Anyway most people will buy their stuff through their own channels for various reasons so it shouldn't be something extraordinary to him. Still if you are unhappy about his reno handling, you should speak to him firmly about it else the situation will tend to deteriorate making the relationship a tense one. Try to be present during the critical works when his workers are around so you can directly gauge whether your ideas were passed on correctly. Might also get better ideas from the workers.