kardtoon
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Posts posted by kardtoon
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hi fan mates,been reading up tis section...
due to my living rm design and still needing the need to have a ceiling fan for better circulation, i shortlisted a fan design but have no idea how good the circulation is.
anyone has used the following before? is wooden blades to start with. any comments
Star Multimax designed by Y. Gorali
This looks nice. Where is it available locally?
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Need to install another meter for it. It's being done now already. Maybe you want to google and read up on it. Feed in tariffs and energy market company.I tried googling but couldn't find where this is being done in Singapore. Can you share the link on the equipment and pub link where this can be done? I'm interested to check this out for my house.
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Get a1. L99, resale, 2beder, rent out? Full or half facillities.
2. FH, New, top within 1 year, 2 beder, rent out?
3. L99, new, top 2014/2015, 2 beder
4. FH, resale, 2 beder, rent out?
5. FH, new, top 2014/2015, 2-3beder penthhouse
Hmm for investment, I don't think any of e above are relevant or important things to look at. I would consider other factors like area (I.e. Ability to hold value), rental potential (rental drives pricing), other factor that could potentially increase value (I.e. MRT that has not been fully priced in, future launches in this area, enbloc potential, etc).
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I recommend 3 to 4 months before key collection to confirm an ID or contractor. For these types of projects, it's better to have more time form the contractors to plan than try to rush last minute. No potential downside except paying your deposit to the ID a little earlier.
More time = less mistakes = less stress. This is my experience from 4 home renovations and 1 house reconstruction.
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Ya but the thing is you usually buy the lamps in a pair. I just find it weird to have two diff lamps on one side of the gate.Maybe if you talk to your neighbour nicely, they won't mind, unless they also have a pair that they are trying to maintain a consistent look. Interesting but a real problem... let us know how it works out for you.
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Hello All,I have been thinking of building a loft for my condo and did some research and enquiries of my own. This is what I have found out so far and will share it with those who are interested in knowing.
For private apartments with MCST,
1) Must get approval from MCST. You will need to get 90% approval from the committee of the MCST. This in itself is difficult if you have jealous neighbours.
2) Assuming you can get the approval, you now need to engage a PE to draw out and endorse on your attic/loft.
3) Now your PE must submit to help you get approval from URA. According to the URA Development Control Unit, if the maximum Gross Floor Area of this development has been fully utilised, it is unlikely that URA will approval. How to know what is the GFA for your condo? Check with your MCST. (BTW, the submission fee is $1500 and non refundable even if your application is rejected)
4) IF you can get the above done, your PE will submit the amended drawings to BCA for approval. BCA usually approves the submission as long as the pillar can support the additional load.
Therefore, it is really not easy to have it done. However you can always opt for a customised "built in DEEP cabinet". Still advisable to engage a PE to ensure that your cabinet can support & withstand the weight intended
I doubt any PE will be willing to endorse or certify any loft extension if they know you don't intend to submit. It's placing their license to practise at risk. My opinion only YMMV
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Hi... Does your unit have additional flr area (i.e. liveable is 100sqm and official unit size is 120sqm)??If this is the case, you do not need anymore GFA from the development to build a loft (assuming you keep it below 20sqm)??
Any architects can advise on the above case when the unit actually has a pretty substantial flr area on top of the liveable space? Building a loft doesnt incur additional flr area requirement in this case and doesnt need MCST approval?? Of cos, proper certification of works and building is still required.
I believe your "Official size" refers to "Net saleable psf". That's the number, property agents, developers use to sell you a property. It includes porches, ledges, bay windows, terraces, open balconies, roof terraces, etc.
A loft constitutes GFA. I was planning to build a loft in my new place, but scrapped it after submission to URA. After I removed the loft, I definitely saw GFA calculations go down.
BTW, I'm not an architect and I suspect most of them don't lurk in these forums.
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Before I started rebuilding my house, I have sourced for many builders and architects to quote. So far, the quotes are in the region of $200 psf onwards, depending on how you calculate "psf". Most would include all areas including void, ledge, car pouch, etc... The actual useful space is actually lesser and therefore the psf is higher.Hence, it is helpful to know how built in is computed. There are some fixed cost involved in construction and $400K is a very competitive quote even if the builder just build the structure, plaster the wall and help you to install tiles, sanitary wares and lightings. I have neighbours who got very cheap quotes and in the end, the contractor took his money and ran away. Get a performance bond to save guard your interests when the quote given is very low.
Cheers!
Yah agree PSF in itself is misleading. We have to count GFA rather than net saleable GFA. GFA will not include car porch, ledge, etc. For planning purposes $300 psf for GFA is a good estimate. During the process, one could get it at $220 to $260 but add fees, over runs, etc, may end up closer to $300. I find that a large part of the cost will come from materials used (tiles, paint, plaster, water proofing material, windows, roof, etc) so what those to maintain budget (but don't sacrifice quality please, house should stand up for decades!)
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dear guys, thank again for the great suggestions and thinking. Im will be going to the laywer again to discuss how we can settle this matter. I think this is 1 very unfortunate case out of 1000 deals. I hope not to withdraw from the sales also due to many uncertainly losses and seller will jump also. I think its best to quickly settle the deal with the seller (CPF not releasing, then i have to find the money to fill up this hole). Then the rest i will deal with the developer whether they wind up or not.Your lawyer works to protect your interest. How would you like to pay money for a property that get's tangled up in a legal tassle and your might never be able to resell or move in until much later (or maybe nevergets resolved)??! Even if you have to pay termination of S&P, it's up to the seller to sue you for it and frankly I think that's better than buying a problematic property.
I would advise you to trust your lawyer or if you don't, find one that you can trust. Untimately if you find that your lawyer is not acting in your best interest, you can take legal recourse. IMO much better solution than listening to internet chatter about how you should handle an expensive purchase. No one here is actually responsible for any mistakes or problems that you have from taking our advise.
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Once the OTP is exercised, Stamp Duty paid within 2 weeks, the S&P between the seller and buyer is a done deal. Buyer is obligated to take over the seller's responsibilities. Seller has not done anything to screw the deal, so the buyer is fully liable for seller's losses if the deal does not proceed. The subsequent relationship beween the new buyer and the developer is a seperate issue.Unless the seller knows about these issues and did not disclose this. I think there may be legal recourse though I'm not a lawyer.
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hi guys. you know how people usually put up lamps on the fence/wall besides their front gates? or a pair of chinese mystical beasts but that's another story. anyway, i bought a place recently and noticed there are two lamps - one in front of the other - on the front fence connecting to the dividing wall (of my neighbor). i find that real strange, not to mention unsightly. is that the same with your situation or do you work out a better arrangement with the neighbor? who pays the electricity if just one lamp?Shouldn't this depend on whose lamp this is?
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Thanks bro..I dont understand the rule here... if I fail, I will be taxed for the land value? So why cant they tell me if I can claim or cannot claim in the first place?
How to fail the claim? The truth is i didnt stay at the place when it was been rebuild.. so i dont think i should be taxed..
seems like another ploy to make their own coffer bigger by having vague rules? hahaha
I guess you might want to give them a call though I suspect the officer will provide clear definate answers. You might want to use the guidelines given in the 2 links provided above (one for reconstruction and another for rebuilt...I think). One of the conditions given (for reconstruction) is that you must not be enjoying owner/occupier rates for an other property for the contruction period and for me that will disqualify me... if you are renting, it might be okay.
Let us know how this whole thing works out for you, will be good learning.
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Hi bepgof,Thanx! Actually I was worried 'coz some people told me that u must plan well in advance and being a 1st time home owner, I don't know must about these things, so thought I better get some background work done.
Ok, so looks like I just have to wait until I collect my keys.
My opinion differs... Here's how I managed my last renovation on a brand new condo.
1) Get ID and design done on the floor plan. Most IDs can estimate the size and dimensions based on a draft plan. This is because size of certain items like doors are pretty standard and they use these to estimate and project the rest of the dimensions.
2) Complete layout planning, electrical plans, lighting plan, design of built in cabinets, beds, etc. It will take several rounds of revisions to get to a level where you are satisfied with.
3) Get cost estimates from the ID or from a tender process (if you are using a fee based ID). If tender is used, it can take a while to negotiate and revise plans to meet your budget.
3) Once you get keys, both ID and contractor go in to make measurements to confirm the plans. If you have a competent ID and developer, the initial estimates should be close but still worth to walk in and visually see the space as planning on paper can be different from physically seeing the place.
4) After tweaking of plans, you can start work.
5) A good time to buy loose furniture though imported pieces usually have a few months of waiting time. You can shorten this by buying earlier but have to take the risk of buying without actually seeing the physical size of your layout.
You can of course wait until you get your keys before starting even step one, it will just take longer to complete the reno and your house will be left empty for a longer period. This is a low risk way to manage the whole process and get more of the planning up front.
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Was trying to claim for vacancy tax refund for my construction period but was rejectedReasons
1) Relief in the form of vacancy refund is given to owners who intend to let our their properties but unable to find a tenant despite reasonable effort
2) Building has been undergoing repairs for the purposes of rending it fit for occupation
3) Does not cover restoration, renov, etc etc..
Was told that i can however claim for remission of property tax instead.. so at least i can claim something...
But anyone knows the different?
Also, IRAS ask me to complete a form (which they didn't attached in their letter) together with a copy of the Lodgement Form or Written Permission issued by URA...
What is this Lodgement Form or Written Permission issued by URA... ???
Want to write in to ask but they didnt give me an email address.. so wonder if any kind soul here know else i will seek these people out..
TIA..
Written Permission or WP is issued by URA to officially approve your planned building works. If you rebuilt or constructed your house, you should find the WP in corenet. If you still don't know how to locate it, ask your architect/builder. If you need to contact IRA, just click on the "contact info" link at the top right hand corner of their web page.
BTW, do note that if you fail in your bid for a remission claim, you will be taxed for the land value which will usually be higher than just paying your property tax.
http://iras.gov.sg/irasHome/page04.aspx?id=2422
Good luck!
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I really doubt $400K can do it.Take note of something called the Provisional Sum, which is the budget allocated for owner specific items, like sanitaryware, aircon brand, selection of tiles. If the Provisional sum is low, then the overall quote will be substantially low. However, surely a landed property is not going to have the same level of finishes as a warehouse right?
Even without provisional sum, 400k divide by 3400sf is 117psf. That's could be a record low for current market pricing. It probably doesn't include a lot of things necessary to move in. I will check very carefully on what is included and be extra careful about a builder who would price low to get the business and then try to 'milk' you later on. Worse still if they don't make money and bail.
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If your kids are still not in primary school, i suggest to think about which school you want to send your kids to and buy near there. It'll solve a headache you might have later and also property near good schools tend to hold value better. That's also why bukit timah is so expensive.
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Hi there, my parents have a 20y.o. inter terr which we are intending to do a reconstruct. As it is currently tenanted, we will only commence any sort of work once the tenancy lapse. We would like to know how long it would take from planning to the final product, assuming we have already shortlisted a builder.The ppty sits on a land area of approx 2200 sqf with a driveway for 2.5 cars. A built up area of approx 1800 sqf on 2 levels. We intend to increase the build up area to at least 3000sqf on 3.5 levels with 4 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, living, dining, kitchen, maid/utility room, a guest room (no toilet), study and hopefully a extra living area in the upper levels with entertainment facilities. Also pantry on all levels.
We are currently budgeting 500K for everything and was wondering if it is the market norm. Does anyone also know the rates for taking a recontruct loan btw?
Any comments and advise appreciated.
Cheers
faye
Contruction timing varies for different projects depending on complexity etc. For inter terrace, I've heard that it can range from 8 months to a year. My own reconstruction of my inter terrace is slated for a 10 months contraction.
Planning happens before construction and you can already commence before your tenant moves out. Expect no less than 4 months, assuming that you need to work through a brand new design.
500k (assuming this is all in cost inclusive of everything to move in) to build 3000 sq works out to 166 psf which is extremely cheap. A safer planning budget is around 300 psf.
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I was away on holiday, and I totally did not expect this fast response from everyone. Thank you very much for all the thoughtful and informative replies.I am just weighing my options; hence I have not clearly identified the house. But based on my search at PropertyGuru, and the likes, there are inter-terrace (FH/999) around $1mil. So I was basing my calculations on that low figure.
I was thinking of building a two-storey house with about 2000 sqft built-up area. That will be twice the size of my current HDB house. (So I think it should be comfortable). So based on kardtoon’s cost estimation guide, it will be $500k + $55k + $65k = $620. Wow! I think I need to save more before proceeding
Thanks for all your inputs!
PS: Does an open air roof garden counts as a built-up too (as compared to a normal roof).
Open roof garden does not count as gfa.
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Hop over to The Adelphi (opposite Funan center), drop by a few shops and have a listen to what they have. There are worlds of options beyond Bose. Cheaper and much better sound.
Alternatively, hop over to www.xtremeplace.com forum to chat with other home theatre enthusiasts in Singapore.
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As for your original question. Here's how I would do it assuming that I can find a $1M landed and rebuild for $300k.
1) Use your CPF/Cash to pay the initial 20% of the $1M house. Loan 800k from bank.
2) Use your remaining $300k for rebuild cost. Hopefully most of the $300k remaining is in cash because builders don't take CPF for payment
That way you avoid taking out a construction loan.
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hmm give u a gauge on A&A cost...its about 220 - 250 psf...so 300k covers roughly 1300sf....is that the size of your terrace?250 psf cost is a good estimate. I think $300k is really tight and might not be doable. A rough estimation of construction cost will be...
1) $250 psf x the sq footage you want to build
2) Add 11% of (1) for fees (architect, submissions, etc etc)
3) Add $50 to 80k for provisional items (lights, curtains, toiletries, etc)
For initial planning it's better to be more conservative rather than plan it too tight because once you start work, the house will be torn down and you have to fund it through to the end. So important that you get enough cash flow.
As for construction loan, check around with different banks. Some are tighter than others. I did notice something consistent across a few banks. Once they know that you plan to reconstruct, your mortgage will only be supported at <80% (typically 60 to 70%), the banks explained that this is because if you build halfway and run out of funds, it's difficult for the bank to repo the house and resell as it may be only a piece of bare land by then. One of the bank that I called (3 letters starts with D :-) ) expects you to provide progress reports and quarterly valuation as you reconstruct
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Yes, you are right. L shaped in a Terr hse. The neighbour renovated the house last yr & they use that as balcony. I supposed it should be approved. I do not have the floor plan yet. Thinking of getting them from BCA or get the builder or ID to get it.Appreciate any recommendation on builder or ID with A&A experience.
A lot of folks covert car porch roof into balconies after TOP inspection... aka not legal. You should check if your neighbour has approval.
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HiJust bought a terrace house. It has a L shape driveway. We have plan to do the below. Are they consider A&A? Do i need a builder or architect? Can an ID do this?
1) Planning to convert some part of the driveway as play area for my children & park the car further out. In that case, it will not have shelter for the car. Want to build a shelter or car garage.
2) Want to create a balcony at 2nd level by opening an entrance
3) create more light to the stairway by opening up the roof.
Pls provide some contacts of reliable builder or ID.
Sounds like an A&A job and you know exactly what you want. In that case, just use a builder, since an architect won't be able to add much value here.
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When I encountered this situation in the past, I asked the contractor to bring about 10 pieces of tiles that are closest to the current for me to choose. I subsequently selected one that I'm happy with and it was replaced.
Don't take their word for it. Ask for samples to select from. Maybe you can even replace 4 or 5 tiles so that you don't have one piece standing out.
Build Attic Room Need Help!
in Landed & Condo Private Properties Renovation Discussion
Posted
Nice stair case! Like the modern touch. Think you need a good and creative architect to do the design. Looking at this staircase, it won't be cheap, contractors will look at the complexity and probably charge you quite a big as it's an *****. Also structurally, it looks like some sort of strong mounting to one wall needs to be deployed. I wouldn't really worry about saving architect's fees but rather make sure that you get a really good one, preferably one with experience building something similar.
BTW, I submitted a plan to build an attic in the attic room (i.e. attic room within the attic) and did not get approval.