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bobztoise

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Posts posted by bobztoise

  2. Posted · Edited by bobztoise

    Updates (been too busy to upload photos):

    Day 1 (not today):

    Walls identified to be hacked

    walltohacki.th.jpg

    Wall separating kitchen and living room..

    walltohackii.th.jpg

    Wall separating MBR and Bedroom 2.. to make space for wardrobe

    Electrical and ceiling works began since approval for wall hacking was pending..

    unfortunately, cannot find the photos taken

  3. Posted

    Hihi! I'm also just starting to reno, hope ur reno goes well! is holland drive the new blocks near bouna vista? super good location!

    btw, can i ask how come your citygas piping at the kitchen dun just do straight down if your hob is just underneath it? i'm still thinking of a good way to pull my pipes so that it's hidden.

    also, i agree, lighting.com.sg is v cheap. :)

    I think it is because the hood needs to be mounted on the wall path directly above the stove

    generally the way it is run in the picture is most widely use as it is the "least unsightly" way of running the gas pipe

  5. Posted

    My 3 month old washing machine also like that, but thankfully has not vibrated off yet. During the spin cycle at 1000rpm, it is kind of crazy. I am so sure one of these days it will fall off. Scary!

    this machine was on my shortlist too

    so i did some research previously as my current Samsung is giving me the same problem

    according to the sales person, it is because the wash load has exceeded the max

    not sure if this is true though..

  6. Posted

    Hi all,

    got the following prompt reply from the HTL Marketing ..

    Hi,

    Yes, this whole set is fully upholstered in full leather.

    There’s no warranty for the leather as it’s subjective to care & maintenance. However, there’s a 1 year warranty for the structure.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    FYI. Yes bobzotise is correct but i would replace the word "left over units" as "extra sets" from their export factories in China. LOL...

    sorry, you are right... extra sets.. that's why very good value

  7. Posted

    Hi everyone,

    I have a fine washing machine which works real well. It's a top load though...

    I'm considering getting a dryer...

    Should I purchase a new washer/dryer unit?

    Any good recommendations? Thanks in advance everyone! :D

    Hi,

    for washer/dryer units, the wash load is always greater than the dry load

    hence sometimes 1 wash load needs to be broken into 2 dry loads for a complete laundry cycle

    for course, sometimes not everything that is washed need to be dried via the dryer

    also, in the event of breakdown of 1 function, there is a possibility that the other function cannot be used as well until repairs are done

  8. Posted · Edited by bobztoise

    Sofa

    ommartinoheadrestup.jpg

    OM martino with headrest UP

    ommartinoheadrestdown.jpg

    OM martino with headrest down

    After 3 consecutive weekends of searching, finally settled on the sofa

    Would have loved the unit I saw at Species or even a value-for-money unit at HTL

    unfortunately, due to time constraint, had to settle for this

    Not my top pick but acceptable... only half leather though

  9. Posted

    Hi there oinkoink, What is the material used for your sofa? PU?

    Thanks.

    Should be full leather

    Basically what you find are leftover units after exporting the rest

    Very limited pieces available for each design

    And at extremely good value as they are priced to clear and brand new

  10. Posted · Edited by bobztoise

    just received the product catalog from the Marketing Dept. Picture quality is definitely better than the one I took... :)

    Exact dimensions are 256cm by 216cm

    htl1387a.jpg

    256??? i want!!

    how much? only 1 piece?

    edit: it's sold... i presume to you...

  11. Posted · Edited by bobztoise

    Here comes the furniture for my entertainment room...

    Gorgeous. Stunning. We love this. :dribble: Although this should be easily the most expensive furniture we have bought so far but we think its definitely worth the moolas... Though i definitely not going to tell my mum how much i paid for it...... we chose mango colour for this piece as we think it matches the theme i have in mind for the entertainment room.

    Movie_sofa.jpg

    oh I absolutely loved this too!!

    but above my budget

    how much did you pay for it??

    may i also ask for wide is it? I forgot already but have so far not found a better replacement

  12. Posted

    Haha, you're actually quite fortunate number 4 never got back to you, really :)

    You are right

    I have been following your thread and am very sorry to hear of the horror you have been thru

    I hope they are reading this and make an effort to end your project on a good note

  13. Posted

    Hello,

    I am keen on the Sharp Healsio too but was upset when the lady at Best Denki said that the larger model (1500V) will not fit in my existing shelf due to inadequate height space for ventilation (only have abt 3cm extra height space). Now i am considering getting the smaller 26L model (1300V).

    Appreciate any feedback on these 2 models, especially the member who owns 1300V. Thanks!

    Hi, I did not buy the Healsio in the end

    Perhaps you can make a better decision by thinking thru what are your most used functions

    While it is probably true that steam cooking is healthier, how much can you cook with such a small cavity?

    My day-to-day use is mostly limited to heating up and occasionally thawing

    Using a steam oven means more hassle of filling and emptying the water tank with each use AND taking a much longer time for re-heat compared to a microwave

    Perhaps I will make the switch in future when a steam oven with a much larger cavity becomes available at an affordable price

  14. Posted

    as i known , now everjoint in their phone , u may be cannot give a better quote but u go down to their shop , they give a very good price

    y because we like to take their prices and ask superstore or shop to match their prices , they get a complain from agents

    yes it's true

    when i ask over the phone, they will give me a price which is already lower than the mega stores

    they then add, come down to discuss, better prices

  15. Posted

    Hi hotstuff & midoli,

    I finally found my the sofa that I like interms of size and design at HTL warehouse sale today. I find that its a good deal.

    05122010534.jpg

    What do you guys think? ;)

    oinkoink

    nice.. but can fit into living room?

    i called HTL several times today but no answer

    wanted to ask their operation hours

  16. Posted · Edited by bobztoise

    ID selection (continued)

    Here are the firms I went to.. may not be complete and details could be sketchy

    (1) Design Rebirth

    A relatively new company but helmed by very experienced people

    The most expensive "initial" quote but paid the highest attention to detail

    The final quote could have been lower but I could not proceed further as the quote was already beyond my budget before everything has been included

    A colleague has used them and handover completed

    Quality of work was good with great attention to detail and extremely close follow up

    (2) Sky Creative

    The only "big boy" I trusted as I have seen several of their designs

    Met with the ID (but I think should be salesperson) 3 times; seen an existing project they were working on

    I suspect their kind of structure works on 1 ID to several salesperson / project manager; so the salesperson will close deals and oversee the project while there is an ID who actually does the designing and conceptualizing the house

    I have no objections to such a setup as I think it actually makes the firm more effective; i.e. everybody focus on their strengths

    Salesperson I met was very clear with HDB rules and regulations and made no "over promises"

    Could tell she was very experienced in project management

    Made my final shortlist.. but someone else won it in the end...

    (3) Company H

    My final pick.. sorry I cannot name her yet because (i) the verdict will only be passed after handover and (ii) she has no time for any projects till after CNY

    A small firm along the likes of Design Rebirth

    Salesperson / ID / project manager all rolled in one

    Very impressed with her knowledge of HDB regulations and design skills

    I know she is all-in-one because she can draw the layout ON THE SPOT at a pace that tells you this is honed over years of experience

    Very very busy person (as I would expect) but never missed an email and SMS to date

    (4) Artrend (Balestier)

    Dropped in to have a look after seeing their impressive kitchen designs

    "ID" struck me as relatively young chap (can't be more than 30 yrs old) and was coaching a newbie to sit thru his presentation to us

    I use "ID" as I think he is more a salesperson than an ID (I think most of the big boys employ this same concept)

    Presentation was okay and walked us thru the 2 storeys unit to see their designs

    Told us will give us a quote within 2 weeks but never heard from them.. ever

    (5) Unimax Creative / Cissern / * / Weiken

    Went to these firms at Expo fair, IMM, MacPherson, TradeHub21

    All deployed fairly pushy sales tactics (today's promo package, GST waiver only today, last day for special price etc)

    As a saleperson myself; am extremely sensitive to sales talk

    Normally deal is broken by the first meeting and no follow up is required

    If the deal means more to you than the house is to us, then it's no deal

  17. Posted · Edited by bobztoise

    ID selection

    Forgot to talk about this earlier

    as this was quite a few months back.. some details might be sketchy..

    However, some general observations to share:

    (1) No news is good news

    If you cannot find anything or feedback on the internet or forums, the firm is either too new or they hardly screw up

    I think people are generally more ready to criticize than to praise so a good job is usually taken for granted but a bad job will surely make its way to the forums

    (2) Cheap is usually NOT good in this industry

    All the IDs and contractors need to make a certain money so that the job is worth their while

    I have spoken and discussed in detail with over 10 IDs / contractors

    The cheapest quotes usually gives me the worst vibes

    I have even signed with the lowest quote for another job for a relative and it was fairly disastrous

    With more jobs in the market than reliable firms (my impression), I doubt the good ones want to shortchange themselves being the cheapest

    Moreover, the good naturally get more and more jobs and will pick the higher paying jobs since taking 1 job is at the cost of foregoing another

    Of course I could be wrong and there are cheap and good ones... do share with other homeowners if anyone knows

    (3) The firms / deals at Expo are hardly any good

    I think there are reno/furnishing fairs at Expo EVERY week

    I cannot remember if I have ever been to Expo and NOT seen a reno fair aside from when Sitex, Motherhood or any major electronic fair that requires several halls

    So many, if not most exhibitors are permanent fixtures at these fairs

    Of course, some firms do rotate but for the large part, you will usually find the usual suspects there

    By the way, if any deal is "too good to be missed", it is usually not true

    I have asked for Expo pricing weeks after the fair at the shops itself and they will still be valid

  18. Posted

    Congratulations on collecting ur keys. any ideas on the long living room? Im getting a similar flat soon.

    Post pics soon okie!?

    sure... been running around non-stop the fast 3 days...

    current headache? SOFA!!!!

    been to Lorenzo, Cellini, OM, IFC, Furniture Mall, Harvey Norman, IMM, Suntec, even Carrefour

    more than 3 weekends still cannot decide......

    the one I really really like is way above budget and it's found at Species

    did some research and found a thread that is not positive about them

    strange thing is, the bad experiences seem consistent from 2008 to now..

    it takes a rather bad company to "sustain" such negativity for so long

    and then there was 1 at Winter International

    quite suitable in all aspects (dimensions, colour, size, design)

    but apparently related to Red Apple

    not sure if i want to take the risk

    another that i really like is from OM

    above budget and slightly over dimension

    hmmm...... :dunno:

    it takes about 6-8 weeks for sofa to be ready so time running out......................

  19. Posted

    i made a call to Mr L.... from everjoint and the price quote for the Brandt oven was the same at $789 but the oven for the bosch was at $635. However when i enquire from the mode of payment, he mentioned that i could either pay by cheque or cash only.

    The 2nd shop which i visited personally was at Goh ah bee which they sold me the items through a catologue. the price quote was $780 for the brandt oven wherelse the bosch oven was at $640/-

    The final visit was at Harvey Norman Milenia walk. I met this salesperson and my shopping trip ended when he guarantee me a price return should his price be higher then any of the neighbourhood shops but of course i was amazed by his knowledge on ovens given his years. pretty satisfied with the price quote given to me. Brandt oven at $780 and bosch oven at $630/- which i could either pay by cash or CREDIT CARD!

    He patiently offered me the extended warranty on the ovens (which i did not purchase) and he even told me that a decision could still be made as long as the delivery was not met. two thumbs up to him and i will definitely get back for my next purchase of my fridge if he can give me a reasonable price... looking forward to my delivery next wk!!!!

    Any assistance required to get his contact, pls email me and i will gladly pass on his contact to any forummer here.

    is the salesperson Devo?

    I met a very knowledgeable sales staff at that branch too

  22. Posted

    hi froggy & bobztoise,

    thanks for the suggestion. I know what is a ceramic hob already. Went to Hoe Kee to see the fujioh demo. I will get that set.

    So bobztoise...tomorrow collect keys already...must be excited...

    cheers

    oinkoink

    Yes... finally... less than 24 hours to keys...

    by the way, marshmallow is right; try removing the cover for cleaning before you commit the purchase

    it is indeed a little tricky

    it would be good to check out a few more models

    perhaps you can make a trip to CityGas gallery, more models to test but do not buy there as the prices are high and fixed

  24. Posted · Edited by bobztoise

    hi bobtztoise,

    whats a ceramic hob? Any website or pictures that I can see?

    Thanks.

    oinkoink

    I'm sure you have seen it before

    ceramichob.png

    Ceramic Hob

    Works on almost any kind of pots

    Red ring indicates heat is on

    Temperature auto moderates to desired level

    inductionhob.png

    Induction Hob

    Works only on "induction-able" pots

    i.e. no aluminium, no claypots, no teflon pots

    Pot does not heat up so you can touch the edges and top of the pot and still not scald yourself in most cases

    Heat gets transmitted into contents of the pot so cooking time is reduced

    any kitchen experts, correct me if i am wrong

  25. Posted · Edited by bobztoise

    About Electrical Appliances

    Thought I might share some tips gathered from my months of research

    Have been visiting various shops over many weekends since August or so

    (1) The cheapest (and for the cash rich)

    Everjoint at AMK

    Every single appliance that I checked had the lowest quote here

    From Samsung, Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Bosch, Brandt; they even carry hobs, hoods and ovens

    Unless they did not carry the item, otherwise they had the lowest quotes

    The downside is no credit card payment nor instalment schemes

    (2) The most negotiable among the "big boys"

    Mega Discount

    As the salepersons here run individual commissions, you can bargain better when doing bulk purchase

    i.e. there is no limitation that the salesperson selling TV must refer you to a colleague when you want a fridge also

    So if you are buying several appliances at one go, collate with 1 salesperson and nego for a discount

    If you buy the fridge from someone and ask for the TV from another, it is harder to get a good deal since commission gets split 2 ways

    I am not sure about instalment plans as I did not proceed to the purchase stage with them

    They also claim to have a price matching scheme where you can "place a deposit to lock in prices first"

    If prices drop further within Mega Discount stores before delivery of items, they will match the lower price

    Cannot verify the authenticity of this claim since this was a sure sign of desperation to close deal

    Note also that asking different salesperson on different days in the same shop will yield you different recommendations so do your own research

    (3) The "uncomfortable" pick

    Harvey Norman and Courts

    Been to several branches of both brands including the mega store at Tampines for Courts

    They seen to have the highest sticker prices and I suspect nobody pay those prices unless you did not ask

    Harvey Norman has an unspoken 8-9% discount off price tags on normal days; if you dun ask, they may not inform you though i think it would be strange if anyone was willing to pay the price indicated on labels

    Never go for Max Credit schemes at Courts, you are paying almost 3 times for your items if you do so

    Strange that they should advertise the scheme so much when a simple calculation will reveal that the total consumers would have paid over the 36 or 48 months will be way higher than the price tag

    In terms of product knowledge, none at Courts gave me a good vibe

    There were a couple at Harvey Norman but unfortunately; not my most comfortable choice

    (4) Those that know; know BEST

    Best Denki

    Best Denki's new tagline, you will see new posters along the lines of the above tagline

    I find it very clever

    From Ngee Ann City to IMM, most of the salesperson I spoke to display a deep understanding of their products not felt at other shops except 1 at Harvey Norman

    Perhaps it is the way they segregate the sales personnel

    The TV person will refer you to the fridge person who will then refer you to the washing machine person should you be looking for multiple appliances

    I get the impression that they will refer you to the specialist in that appliance category when you are doing your research

    Commission is also split accordingly so TV person, Fridge person will earn their respective deals from the appliance sold

    Hope the above helps

    I picked Best Denki in the end

    If not for cash flow concerns, I would certainly pick Everjoint as it is the lowest without a doubt

    Also, as my scheduled delivery is likely to be a week or two before CNY; reliability was my topmost concern

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