ultimax

Purchased this, then saw another mixer I liked even more. Don't you hate it when that happens? Used only for 2 weeks. Only $50! PM me or SMS 98234100. Features: ● Single lever satin brushed nickel kitchen faucet XK09 ● With versatile 360-degree swivel spout ● Drip-free operation ceramic cartridge ● Smooth single handle adjustable temperature and flow rate limitation ● Single-hole, deck mounted installation ● Water pressure tested for industry standard ● Standard size 1/2 "plumbing inlet connections ● With two 50CM flexible hoses,all mounting hardware are included

I second this. In fact, I cannot stress this enough. Ideally you'd only make the final payment after you've lived in the place for a few weeks. And only pay after whatever needs to be rectified is fixed. Do not go along with promises like "OK I'll have it done by the end of the week." I wouldn't even place too much faith in the warranty given, if any. The main reason is not that they won't honour the warranty or finish up the work, but how you will become last priority after the ID receives final payment. There's simply no incentive to do so when there are other clients, who haven't paid yet, to serve. The industry's very competitive, everyone's trying to make as much money as possible, so even the nicest ID can suddely become unresponsive once they've received the final cheque from you. [quote name='adidaem' Btw do try to 'stress test' your place. Switch on the appliances and aircon/heater, etc, splash water around your toilets. Basically try to quickly check if there are any major defects before you make your final payment. Else very inconvenient if a drain chokes after you've moved in, etc. Best to spot any defects asap.

Hi spiffy, I would recommend the sealant. It repels water and supposedly prevents staining. Cement is porous. But i would only do it after the floor is sandpapered. Contrary to what i think my id thought, the sealant doesnt glue the loose dust to the floor. If its there it will still flake off. The sealant used is matt so theres no shine, which is the look i like.

Oh yeah I see it but only after you pointed it out. My patch is much smaller, but it's a lot worse. Like a real stain. Yours at least looks kinda smudgy. But it's big ... I guess if you know it's there your eyes will always end up focusing on it. A lot of the defects in my place have that effect on me. But other people don't notice them. Still, it's lousy workmanship (for my reno) which bothers me!

Ah ... we too cement screed our kitchen and living room. We also have a mysterious dark patch which does not look natural. We also suspected the workmen messed up. But who knows ... the response we got was "I look at you, you look at me." Thankfully we were planning on putting a rug over the area so the spot's hidden. What's worst is this right angle mark we have in the kitchen. It looks like the spot was covered by cardboard and something happened, resulting in an imprint. Our biggest problem is the powdery feeling. Here our ID was completely ignorant. I asked him a few times if the floor would be powdery, and he said no with great confidence each time. I was so convinced that he knew what he was talking about that I think I posted somewhere else that cement screed floors don't have to be powdery if you use a special sealant, which he did. Turns out that's not the case. Even with the sealant the floor's still powdery and we;ve been mopping like mad. I think we're slowly getting used to having light grey feet. It's gotten a bit better, I think, but hardly what the ID promised. Someone else in another thread said he manually sandpapered the entire house over a few evenings with his wife, and solved his problem. Maybe that's the only way forward ...... Like you, I won't go with cement screed if we do reno again. It's unique, but maybe not worth the hassle after the novelty wears off haha.

I personally spent about $60K plus plus all in to reno a 4 room BTO, no floors and no doors. Abt 40K on ID, 20K for everything else. In hindsight, I would have spent less on the ID, and more on the other stuff. I find the custom carpentry etc. is not very value for money. Nice lah, but I could have cut back on that, and channeled the money to furniture or accessories. I'm in the process of dressing up my house (because when you finish renos, all you get is a nice, but empty shell) and I am finding it's the small things which really make your house look special. Not so much the huge built in items. Those items fade into the background after a while. It's these small accessories which also make your house stand out. Even things like photo frames, kettles, pots, pans, fans and table lights. Otherwise, a lot of the designs sort of look like one another. In fact, you'll keep hearing this from IDs: "oh, we don't want your house to look like everyone else's!" Then you realise if you're not careful, that's the design you'll end up getting

Hello, That's a very good question but there's no simple answer. In general, I think it's to be expected that things are getting more expensive. Quality labour cost has gone up in particular. A lot of construction work requires skill, and I think contractors know getting the cheapest workers will cause them more problems because they do a lousy a job, and when the client complains, the contractor will lan lan have to redo it. So might as well pay for someone with experience to do a good job in the first place. Unfortunately, these quality workers are becoming rarer, so they can command better wages. No one wants to be a tradesman these days. Sad lah ... So, I think anything that involves custom work has gone up a lot in price. Custom carpentry especially. Here's a tip: consider incorporating IKEA stuff. People always say it's lousy, but it's not that bad if you use it smartly. For example, consider using an IKEA wardrobe system, but maybe customising the doors? The doors are the most exposed, and IKEA doors aren't the best. For the other parts, replace them as they wear out lah ... IKEA will be here to stay, and their stuff is all modular and is therefore easily replaceable. Based on my limited observations, I think $35K is the average ID (will be less for contractor) cost for a 4 room flat. This excludes your home appliances, bathroom fixtures, lightings, aircon etc. That will typically be another $20K. So the average grand total for a reno, all in, is $55K. That said, personally, I think the overall feel and look of the place will also be "average," unless you invest a lot of your own time and effort to figure out how to squeeze as much from each dollar spent. More on that later. The reno budget, of course, can be less, it can be more. I think that goes without saying. Some people rather have a very plain design, but top of the line quality appliances. Others are OK with cheaper appliances, and will spend more on the design/construction. It's a matter of how you channel your resources. My advice to planning your reno budget is this: 1. Decide on a reno budget you die die cannot exceed. 2. List out all the items your ID/contractor will not provide, eg. home appliances and the items listed above. Be detailed about this.Walk around your current house to see what you will need. Spend a few days thinking about this. You don't want any unanticipated costs. 3. Get a quotation for all these items. Quite easy to do. 4. Deduct this amount from your reno budget. The balance will be your budget for your ID/contractor. Tell them that is their budget they cannot exceed. I think the most important thing is not busting your reno budget. That's where the heart pain comes in, because it wasn't planned for. If you plan everything swee swee, with maybe a bit of a buffer, you'll feel a lot better because you know where your limits are. I find a lot of people (myself included) started with the ID budget first, then factored in the other stuff which added up to quite a bit! So we busted our budget, and felt the pain haha. At the end of the day, your reno budget, whether high or low, depends on you. Different people have different approach to renovation. Generally, how much you spend comes down to these 3 things: 1. How long you're planning on staying in your home? If it's for say only the HDB min. occupancy, then some are OK doing the bare minimum renovations or going with typical contractor $10-$20 packages. 2. How much are you willing to pay for "comfort" and "satisfaction"? Some are willing to spend more (sometimes a lot more) on reno because they feel **** shiok being in the house. So they're willing to pay for that kind of satisfaction. Others get their satisfaction by having money in the bank, so they're OK with basic renos. 3. How hands on are you? Can you DIY some of the stuff? Contractors charge quite a lot for labour to do simple things. Are you willing to go through each item in the quotation and decide if it's "value for money?" Very often IDs and contractors can stick within your budget, but when you look at individual items, you may realise it's really not worth it. Quite a few items, esp custom carpentry, is not always worth the money. Like a feature wall for $5K? When you see the finished product, it's nice, but you can't help but ask yourself, "is it really worth $5K? For that?!" Perhaps you'd like to channel that money into some other part of your house which gives you more bang for your buck. This takes time and you need to do your homework. I think more often than not, people just let the ID decide as long as the theme is to their liking and the overall budget is not exceeded. So, how much you sepnd depends a lot on your future plans and your personality. So that's something you've got to think about on your own.

Hey spiffy, Why do u regret it?

Hey XTR, I have the same gas heater. THe fan kicks in very frequently, even when no one's using hot water. It's pretty loud. Is this normal?

Hello Spiffy, Following the progress of your renos now. Love how everything's turning out. Slow and steady wins the race I think there's nothing wrong with using paint in the bathroom. In fact, it's a much cheaper option than tiling. And you can use the money saved to buy quality accessories. The plain, untiled walls will really make them stand out because of the contrast (plain vs something interesting). We didn't do much to our bathrooms and left them mainly in stock condition. So, boring HDB floor and wall tiles. When the renos ended, they honestly looked really boring and unimpressive, even incomplete. But it looked a lot different after we added in the accessories! It's amazing what a big difference accessories can make. For example, we added a quality shower curtain (polyester fabric, not PVC) with a lovely design and wow right away, the bathroom looked that much better. I also think in terms of aesthetic value-add, accessories often give you more bang for buck, especially with ridiculous per foot run charges for built-in carpentry or masonary work. Are you going to leave the hollow block kitchen counter exposed? And did you say you're going with a cement screed floor in the common areas?

Trying to express what you want is quite normal. Very often, you know what you don't want, but don't know what you want Our tastes are very similar. Pay attention to your cabinet doors. Because they are so big, they can make or break the style. You'll need doors with a little bit of embellishment, not the flat, two-dimensional, straight-lined design that's popular with IDs now (because it's supposedly in vogue, and it's much much cheaper to fabricate). As I mentioned earlier, consider working with Ikea doors. Custom making them can be expensive. But check out how much it costs to do so anyway, and see which is a better overall deal. You can also have some fun with door knobs and handles. They can really change the look of a place because they're so visible, and there are so many of them around your house.

Haha no I don't have a reno-blog. Thought of starting one but my renos occured when I was very busy. In fact, a lot of what I shared was learnt after the renos because I didn't have time to think through the whole process while it was happening. I might compile the various topics discussed into a FAQ of sorts. I may also start a post-reno blog on things we did after our renos were completed. All you get after your renos is a shell. A nice shell, but still a shell. It's the small things, the accessories that make a big difference. My wife and I have a long list of post-reno projects to personalise our house The two worst things you can tell an ID are: 1. "My budget's flexible." Give your ID a firm figure so that he has a figure to work around. Unless of course your budget really is flexible ... 2. "Finish renos as soon as possible." Who defines "possible?" Chances are, the ID will if you don't seize the initiative to do so. We made both mistakes. Worked out in the end, but it caused a bumpy initial start. I think it's important to start a business relationship on the right footing, and ensuring everyone's on the same page as far as $ and time are concerned is fundamental to that.

I think it's a reasonable request. Though I'm not sure how you would calculate the penalty. I suggest you take the contract home to read, then add the clauses you want. IDs will expect you to sign the document on the spot. Tell them you want to carefully read through it. I think 9 times out of 10 people will just sign on the spot. This will add time to the process, but if you want to really protect your interests, you've got to set that time aside. The ID may not want to modify his contract, though. There isn't any industyr "norm", but he'll probably say it's a standard contract. What should you do then? You can walk away, but you may not find another ID you like. And as you know, all this takes a lot of time. IDs, sadly, are not interchangeable. It's not like going to Harvey Norman if Best Denki doesn't want to accommodate you. As you can see, if you're an honest client, you're really at a disadvantage when it comes to the ID contract. You just gotta pray that your ID can put himself in your shoes, and see where you're coming from. I would be upfront with the ID about the deadline. First, give them a reasonable deadline. Then tell them you die die cannot move in later than that. Make up some excuse if you have to. Like you'll be evicted from your current flat. Then ask for a completion of works schedule. Your ID should then know your deadline really is fixed, and he should play ball if he's honest. I wonder if the newly passed "Lemon Law" is applicable to renovations with shoddy work

Here's my 2 cents. Sorry for butting in "Checking" is ambiguous. It's best to ask what level of supervision can you expect from the ID? A daily visit? Weekly visit? Or visit only after the completition of each stage? I find complications can arise if you like your IDs, but they're a small firm. Let me explain. A small ID firm may mean well, and have good people not out to cheat you, but they can't give you their undivided attention because they have multiple projects. They may over commit themselves because they underestimate the amount of time needed for each job (perhaps due to inexperience or unanticipated delays). If they're new in the industry, they desperately need to build up their portfolio. It's the only way they can get new customers. So they find it hard to turn down a job even if their plate is quite full. I think most IDs will know where their breaking point is, but if you're the client approaching them just before that, chances are they'll take on your job and only realise it wasn't such a good idea later on. Before that lesson is learnt, they usually think they can just work a little harder. The problem is even if they're willing to work 24hrs a day, it's just impossible to be at 2 places at once. They can supervise your project to the level you'd like, and expect, as a client. Being small, they may also have cash flow problems. Because the level of trust is so low in the industry, materials have to be purchased upfront. They're also afraid of clients running away with their designs. The horror stories Iv'e heard from both IDs and clients are truly amazing. I can see why the level of trust is so low. That's why IDs often insist on a large part of the cost almost upfront. They want to protect their own itnerests, and need it so they can get work done. They may have very little credit, or resources, on their own. Depending on your IDs, there may be some wiggle room for negotiations. But the payment schedule you've shared looks pretty typical. It can sometimes be worse, with up to 70% almost upfront. The big complication is the relationship. Ironically, more problems could be caused if it's good (you like them, they like you). What should you do if there are delays/complications? Where should you draw the line between being a compassionate human, and being 100% business? When should you put your foot down? What should you do if they ask for more time, for example? You don't want to be a jerk because you're a nice person. You also realise they can sabo your renos if they feel you're being difficult. That is why ground rules are so important. If there are complications, you're in a better position to negotiate because both parties went in knowing full well what was expected of each other. (that said, you must also be a good client, and not be unreasonable)

Don't worry about it. Better to ask now then to regret not asking in the first place Yes, by sketch-up I was refering to an impression of the final product, which is typically in the form of a computer generated 3D drawing. What you want is to see how everything will look together. Talking generally about design concepts (themes, what goes where etc.) and seeing them in detail, can be very different. Things like proportion aren't apparent when you discuss a design conceptually, but are immediately visible when you see a diagram. You don't want any surprises! One of my friends had to demolish a wall himself because he had only seen it in a 2D layout and didn't realise it'd be that ugly in real life. Thankfully he visited his place an hr after the wall was put up so the cement was still wet. When he called the ID, he was told to just knock it down himself (the workers had already left by then). How much "hand-holding" an ID provides varies. If he takes you shopping for items, I think you can assume he'll do so with his work flow in mind, so there's no issue with no having the items when he needs it. But if he doesn't, or perhaps you don't like what he's recommending, or the shops he's taking you to, you'll need some time to shop on your own. You'll then need to know when the ID will need everything by. You don't want to receive a msg from yoru ID telling you he needs your lights in 2 days time coz that's when the electrician is coming down. And when you tell the ID you need maybe a week to get them, your renos may stall. And it may be "your fault" because you didn't have the lights ready. If you're too casual with your ID, he may run things according to his own convenience, and his schedule, not yours. It's a balancing act. You can't ride your ID too hard and be unreasonable, but you can't be too hands off either. Remember, you're the boss. You need to know what's going on! It's good to always have your renos mapped out so you can plan ahead.

No problem. I learnt a lot the hard way haha. I think the golden rule is this. Your reno is a business deal in a tens of thousands of dollars. Many of us don't even handle such large contracts at work (at least I don't haha)! Yet, the ID industry is so poorly regulated and structured (unlike, say banking or finance) it's easy to forget that we're dealing with large sums of money. I think you've got every right to want your ID to be accountable to every single detail. A certain amount of give-and-take is important to keep everyone happy, but there must be ground rules set at the start, and everyone should stick to them!

Haha no problem. Knowledge is power! Go into your renos prepared! Yeah, the CASE agreement is a bit OTT, but it does what it's supposed to do - protect the consumer Here's what I would insist on at the very least 1. A sketch-up/mock up once the design is finalised. Not just detailed drawings but an actual presentation of how the room will look like when put together. 2. Details of all finishings. So, don't just be OK with the ID telling you that they'll have a row of "bottom-hung cabinets." The ID must tell you how it will be configured, the materials used and its external design. 3. A schedule of works, with fixed deadlines. This will include when tile/laminate selection will be done. 4. List of things that you will need to provide which they do not, and when they will need it by. For example, lighting and aircon installation. THese are the two big things. You'll need time to make these arrangements and you don't a situation where they give you only 2 days of lead time. Set these ground rules and everything else should be OK!

I think agreeing on a schedule is important. We didn't do this, partly because we're pretty trusting and had given our IDs a generous amount of time for the work required. But in hindsight, as clients, this was pretty stupid. I guess we were lucky nothing bad went wrong. Some inonvenience, but nothing major. The next time, we'll insist on something black and white if we renovate again because this is still a business contract. One needs to protect one's own interest. If you have chemistry with the ID, it's easy to be friendly with them. But they aren't your friends. I would highly recommend you ensure your ID gives you a week by week schedule of everything. He will definitely give you a payment schedule. You in turn should demand a completion of works schedule. This way he knows you have something to measure his progress by. Otherwise, it can often be initial slow progress, then a mad rush to finish in the end. Corners may be cut. Think of it this way. If all you agree upon is 3 months to completion, all he's responsible for is that single deadline. He's not accountable to you for how he gets there. I see a schedule as a way of getting value for time.Just like how you want value for money with your ID budget, you also want value for time with the time set aside for renovations. If the ID doesn't tell you how he's spending the 3 months renovating your place, perhaps you're actually getting the raw end of the deal. I was quite hands off when it came to project management etc. and monitoring site progress. I don't think my IDs consciously did this, but they may have assumed I was more "chin chye" and took their feet off the pedal a bit. They delivered in the end, but I think it's human nature to be more "flexible" with people whom you are friendly with. This is especially so when they have multiple projects to do with limited resources. My advice in general is to go into your renos seeing this as a 100% busienss transaction. Make sure you have Terms & Conditions for your IDs, because they surely will have them for you! Don't fall into the "I think I better treat my IDs nicely or they may drag their feet and sabo my renos" trap and overcompensate by being too generous and always leaving the ball in their court! This is one lesson I learnt as a newbie.

I think all Crestar fans use the alumi motor, right? I have 2 Crestar Rainlites and so far so good.

Anyone still interested in DIYing the roller blinds? The DIY motor kit (excluding tubing and fabric) is US$129. Shipping to Singapore is a flat US$89 regardless of the number of units ordered! I just confirmed this. More info here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Roller-Blinds-Remote-Control-Motorized-DIY-Kit-/190516573800?pt=US_Blinds_and_Shades&hash=item2c5bac3668 (it says US$139, but if you go to their website, it's only US$129). Have no idea what I'm talking about? Check out XTR's DIY motorised roller blinds project! http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=48141&view=findpost&p=709328

Hey, Am interested in picking up basic woodworking skills too. Also interested in welding. With these 2 skills, I think you can do a heck of a lot by yourself! It'd be great if someone could run a course for us.

1. Did you choose the aircon, or did your contractor include it as part of his package? If so, it probably is a non-inverter aircon, which is a few hundred dollars cheaper than an inverter equivalent. You should double check. 2. I'm not sure what type of door you're getting. It's best to go to Yon Tat doors to do a comparison. There are a lot of doors, and the quotation description really doesn't tell you much. You've got to actually see and feel the door. Prices range from $250 to $1000+ each, so you really should do your homework here! 3. In fact, for all the parts your contractor is supplying, i think it's best to shop around and price the market. So stuff like sinks, toilet bowls, fixtures. At least have an idea of the market prices for what you're getting. I personally think contractors make the most money by giving you a "lump" quote for a few items. eg. installing and supplying toilet bowls. Many ways they can hide extra cost in that quote becaue it is not specific enough. More difficult if they broke it down further to labour cost, and item cost.

You must use a tile bit. It looks like a spade. Pic below. Switch off the driller's hammer mode. I like to use the bit with a variable speed drill first to slowly get the hole going. The bit is very efficient and neat. Once you make it through the tile, you can use a regular masonry drill bit to deepen the hole Any good hardware shop will have this bit, even the neighbourhood ones. Homefix has it too but sizes may be limited. It's less than $10 there, abt $5 at the neighbourhood shops. I have to say this is my favourite bit because it saved me a lot of money. Didn't have to pay the contractor to mount my bathroom/kitchen finishings Good luck!

Maximum Credit Co. They sell electrical applainces. One of those shops like Goh Ah Bee, sell everything. We bought quite a lot of stuff from them with friends so I guess we got a good price. My ID has already told them to fix the problem. Let's see if they do. I know Gain City etc. all ahve problematic installers, but the real test is if they are willing to fix things when you point them out.

Might be different for landed property, but for a HDB 4 room BTO, I was quoted ... $75 for single wall socket, $85 for double. $160 to relocate SCV point $45 to install a light point but $15 to install the light.