bepgof

My opinion: to create awareness to world at large over certain issue, 500 viewers is completely NOTHING. Human memory has this "recency effect". When you do human interview, you will understand. Today remember you, tomorrow forget you. History tells. Wrt complaint, always must know own limits first, WHAT (one arm?, one leg? completely down?) result to achieve, aim then trigger. If perceive no result, save all the breath, bite the bullet, cos tomrrow has to continue.

If yr seller demands for rental for this 1 or 2 days earlier stay, ask him to eat s h i t and die.

Don't mention. What kardtoon mentioned also true. By now you should know the S &P, and try to have concepts of what you want to reno even before getting key/card. About 1 or 2 months before get key/card (depend on total unit of the condo, may take quite a while to be yr turn to be called up to receive key, aft TOP, can always call up yr lawyer to check the status, or can ask him to expedite the process), get quotes from reno firms (try limit to 3 max). Also download, print & read this, sure help you in understanding your new envionment. http://www.bca.gov.sg/BMSM/others/strata_living.pdf

Hi lalala, care to share the reasons drove you to terminate the exclu agreement?

So kiasu, wait for TOP first lah, still need to wait for your turn to be called up to collect keys. No detailed fl plan will be given. Have to more or less put in the dimensions here & there yourself after measurement. When get key, then call ID to see the actual and make proposal, minimum reno needed for condo, like lighting, false ceiling, some capentry.... Check and submit defects report get them rectified, if any, first hor, before reno starts.

I also kena 3 parties. I buy, the seller to me buys & contra with the seller. Look like you are in the middle- who sells yet buy & contra with your seller. 1. Don't need inspection lah, unless lot of nice stuff inside & before hand, got list an inventory list or not? If don't, WHAT to inspect? 2. Ask yr agent to help by getting key earlier (b4 2nd appointment) from your seller, so you can shift all yr stuff in first. Hopefully he got place to sleep....not to mention reno. I got key abt 1.5 months before 2nd appointment for reno, ID still screw up schedule. I missed out my "good day" for moving in, postphoned many events.... finally deducted 2.2k from reno retention sum. Must plan ahead.

Ducting is to prevent "short circulation" of air, especially true for those high speed fans. You see those wall-mounted or standing fans which spray out water vapour? Covered with a "round guard" to create some distance between the air intake & air blow out? That is to prevent SC of air. It increases efficiency! In fact those 12"-16" home use standing or wall-mounted fan should also be covered with the guard to properly guide the air in & out. But cosmetic wise not nice, i guess.

You are correct. 1st first shop I went to & saw the welding portion of the bracket, errr, proceeded to 2nd shop, showed me the similar, the 3rd shop, also the same! I asked for any more "tok kong" one, shop owner said it is all like that, many ppl buy and this is specially made by factory in Singapore. No choice, just bought 2 sets. If U too big, fan will wobble at higher speed. I tested mine ok. Condemned the stupid mounting ! I don't understand why Everjoint does sell the bracket & bolts, goods likely to be brought in fm malaysia, no wonder much cheaper than the KDK agent.....

Hur? As i mentioned earlier, even if you manages to get a higher valuation( before resale & loan application), at end of the day, you're still need to pay this "extra" valuation & + interest, not to mention the extra $180 for the new valuation report. Now you case is considered "dust settled". You can "blow" the dust up again by : 1. Cancel your 1st appointment, agents, seller agree? 2. "Renew" bankloan, should be foc, so long so you stick to the same bank, give yr assurance by letter. 3. Valuation report will be out 2 wk after valuation hor, & need to pay $180. 4. Re-quene for 1st appointment.... 5. "touch wood" you got lower vaulation?

Your paragragh gives me impression that you have "no house" to stay after 2nd appointment date of selling yr house. Cos you siad "to ensure other parties have also vacant their houses..." . Now you know 2nd appointment date for the house you are selling, & yet to know the 2nd appointment date for the house that you are buying. Is this the case? 2nd appointment date is the "cut off" date when the owners of the flat exchanges hand legally. No inspection is require b4 2nd appointment if agent/buyer/seller never asked before hand. Just make sure the house is "empty" a day before 2nd appt will do.

Clear cut answer!, anyway, rought how much for LUP or another P call what?Estimated how much, don't mind check for me. My present place got 1 old & 1 new lifts. Everybody use the new (every floor), + residents in this blk seem very busy, in/out lift very often, some more, different floors got different siblings. I NOW know got 6 units are related! My floor got 4 units but 3 owners! The ones opposite each other is father & daughter . Wrote to TC to asked abt why 1 old 1 new. The new one is FOC.

Landlord is responsible for valid indentity of tenants during their tenancy. PR is no issue, those "permit holders" be extra careful. My experience: -Sept 2006 moved out (on & off back to home), started engaged an agent from HSR throught church friend. - Screening/selection/"interview", finally signed TA for 12 months with to a Philli coupler (PR) with 2 children + 1 maid. Coupler has been in Singapore for 8 year working in citi bank. 2 children were then in Philli, applying Singapore PR.....TA started in Dec 2006 for a year. Submitted all these to hdb, incl signed TA. Every 2 months paid a visit tot them as well as old neighbours (as spy haha). - After some months, agent kept calling me asked if I wanted to sell the unit, got 1 buyer bery interested......I ignored, she kept calling weeks after weeks. Sort of piss off with her. - Did some homework on resale pricing, & one day called her - $450k, take it or leave it. 2% comm. Sort of to scare her off. - Same day, at night, she called said the mother of owner went visited the unit & "very happy". Wow really fast! - Next day she called me: sale confirmed! That was sometime in Aug 2007. We caught in surprise, & honoured our words, . The agent did all the coordination job. Everything started rolling...valuation, resale application... - But the tenant die die could move only in end Dec 2007 to fulfill the 12 months TA. OK , buyer waited. - Agent told us about this "selling with tenancy" situation - owner cannot move a single item from the unit. We surprised, but think back, those stuff already "old" enough to be discarded....Bed sets/Sofa/Dinning table/aircon/TV/Refri/tables & chairs... - HDB inspector one day called me to remove "illegal" fixture outside windows. I removed. - 2nd appointment in end Nov 2007, first time met the buyer at hdb hub. Tenant paid us 12th month rental & we paid back the same to buyer. - Never got chance to read the valuation report, was told by agent it was $350k. 1. HDB knew I was doing "selling with tenancy". HDB inspector asked me this & I confirmed with him. 2. Not long after dec 2007, coupler informed us that they've bought a 4rm in Chai Chee. 3. Asked agent why the buyer was so "desperate" - oh, they have one daughter due to register for P1 in 2008, Saint Anothny Girl is just opposite the road & their "Tampines Court" was about to "en bloc". Till now, still no en bloc. 4. Later understood from some agents, actually can make arrangement with buyer to retrieve those "old" stuff. So selling with tenancy = selling with no tenancy!

For KDK's V56VK ceiling, does not come with bracket & bolts. Need to buy at other hardware shops. I was looking high & low to 3~4 shop for the "specific" O size. Brackets & bolts like something like these, "self-expanding" bolt when tightening. http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/2834/rawlplug.png http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/5323/ceilinghook.png http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3121/throughbolt.png

Overlaying (tiolets) always having imperfection in areas like: 1. Floor trap's "neck" - water traps between old & new layer, then smell.... 2. Edges along walls - not perfect sealed, water traps in between 3. WC's "neck" misalignment... 4. Water finds its way to stay in broken gaps between tiles, then water...... If die die must do overlay, must do water proofing before overlay.

Swee !

DavFong, let bygone be bygone. Anyway, got buy my idea in buying lottory or not? Shares? Try 3 months & full stop. Or can tell us your unit #? Let's "huat" together. Yes, ID has "unexpressed" or "implied" duties to ensure the site's security & saftety, issues like "fire", "theft of items", "debris", & "3rd party property damage" etc, when the site is in his possession. He has rights to deny any unauthorised access to site too. ID = Clerk Of Work, to coordinate all activities wrt reno to fall within stipulated time span/schedule. In fact, for reno, ID is having heavy responsibility. Though all these are not spelt out and signed in any papers. On the other hand, owner shall not deem fit to place "items irrelevant to reno" while site is in ID's possession. ID could claim irrelevancy as to his scope of work. These are common law. Ok? Thank you. Ah hia, wrt to SPF: Those "vandalism" cases, owner lodged format complaints, vandalism happened again, owner spent money installing cctv, finally caught the culprit & handed evidence to SDF, you know much time, $ the owner spent? Just to see this culprit being put behind bar? Owner not satisfied by the "long time" taken by SPF & feedback to MP, MP wrote letter, explaination letter returned saying they were shorthanded & OI kept changing. what can you do? Give me your number & let's "huat" together is more practical lah.

Some pics here: http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/7247/bbalbeam.jpg http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/8199/bbeamdinning.jpg http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/7263/bbeamfolyer.jpg http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1945/bbeamkit.jpg http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/5277/beamreduce.jpg http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/9752/3plier.jpg http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7565/5pilars.jpg http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/6928/bench.jpg http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/4269/bkitchenwallentr.jpg http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/4280/bwallkitchen.jpg http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/7844/wipkitent1.jpg http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3461/wipkitent.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6307/origtk.jpg http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/3266/revisedz.jpg Here are my layout, original & revised. Built in 1979, move in early 2010, $518k+10kcov, typical pt-blk, original state (lok kok), 4 units per floor, #23, morning sun, "balcony' facing N(no more bal, floor flushed with hall, become part of hall). Main reno=69K+, rewiring/ aircon/hod/hood/oven/tv/blue ray/console =90k+. I did apply some fs knowledge here, invited 3rd bro to site for "2nd opinion" after recd key. 1. Noticed total 5 beams (height=14") over hall, dining, study(est window), kitchen. -Once enter hall, beams very obvious during viewing, felt being "pressed" especially when stood under beams (beams not indicated in original plan) - to counter to reduce the "pressing" effects, do 5" fasle ceiling, L, rectangular, square boxes over hall/dining/study/rooms. Kitchen's beam can't do anything, so just leave it. 2. Found balcony obstructing (with sliding drs), removed s.dr, flush fl even level with hall. All windors changes to alu epoxy casement type. 3. No "throat" issue, but "store room" besides "throat" is an issue- storeroom meant for storing "unsighted" stuff.....this "room" is a bit special-removed door frame and door, installed a horizontal blind from within. So this is not a "room". 4. See original plan, felt "not bright enough" at locations: dining, kitchen and hall portion near kitchen. I walked in/out via original kitc entrance many times during viewing, my wife said I "seow" leh. I even stretched my arms to "measure in the air" the length of wall.(There was then a cabinet placed aginst the wall). Actually I was calculating, intend to open a 48" entrance, with L,R sliding doors. To counter the "dim" locations: Sealed orig entrance half height, another half cover with 10mm transparent glass, knock down wholw wall to construct a 48" entrance to kitchen/hall. But cannot 48", can only 44", unless the glass doors protrude out 2 inches each from L & R when fully open. No choice, finally told ID ok lah open 44"!. 5. Construct 2 x 6 ft study benches at east windows (L&R) with suspended shelf & cabin. Shifted mbr's door toward dining, to make a 6ft to the study bench. Change mbr door's swing dir, but realised when door open "big big", ppl at hall can see inside mbr - "General sits behind rule" applied here - built 2 pilers to "block" the view, yet allow air flow. Built another 3 pilers at L study bench for daughter, let her to have some "Left-side backing" effect while at study area, not to distract her concentration while ppl walking ard hall/dining. Another 3 piles at side of TV console for "swee" - just to make total 8 pilers. 6. A 12ft half-height mirror at dinning wall. ID told me max lenghth for lift to take is 8 ft, no chice, break the mirrors into 2ft-8ft-2ft, joined vertically side by side. Reason for mirror to be there: 1. "swee", 2. look more spacious/bright up space, 3. "double the food", 4. Comb hair/adjust cloth in rush hr. 5. Self admiration, 6. practice speech. 7. I changed all the door frames, except main door's - just merely follow the "2nd opinion" from 3rd bro - he said something very "imaginative", can't really stay in my mind. Asked me to install the main door & gate's direction as in revised plan - a "welcome home" signification he siad. 8. Top-hung sliding doors (glass)at both tiolets, swing glass doors for 3 rooms. One 4ftx2ft granited-bench outside main door. 9. One last but not least: I specially marked the locations(before installation) for ceiling fans, one at hall (center to L box), one at dining (centre to square box). For? Even distribution of "chi" - I supposed.

I applied common sense & observation/experiences: Windows got winds, disturbing fire flame, waste gas=waste money, mil insists on "built in burners" only. Entrances are meant for ppl in/out, while great cook doing his job , make sure his position not obstructing the human traffic flow. If stove kena catches fire, or, touch wood...., ppls inside inside can evacuate via entrances. Bro Ngunadi, I anyhow guess you stove/hob might have been placed quite near entrance (some more got wooden frame)that master Chang asked you to paste dark film as protective- wood not being burnt to ash! ...... I'll share my layout within a day or 2.

1993, I installed nyatoh stripes in raise platform in mbr, result - more or less the same as parquet - strink, surface dryup, scratches, fine cracks.....

Double edged sword cuts one's bone and deep to soul.

My previous condo's 3 rooms, sigh. Initially swee swee. after 3 yrs, sigh. All legs padded, still scratches here & there, lacquer surface appeared to be "dried", have fine hairline, never mind, gaps between wood get widen - wood started to contract! No choice , fill up gaps with wood-filler compound (same colou as parquet), apply cream onto surface to "sayong" the lacquer, makes it "softer". Scratches - nothing can be done, unless grind and polish it!.

This has been a very challanging issue in fs. In kitchen we need fire to cook & water to wash, luckily no wood is needed to make the fire, or else... Our fire does not produce any ash(earth) (cos no wood), some more kitchen with so many metallic stuff, got ceramic tiles and some clay pot as earth, so all the 5 elements co-exist together within confined space with the cooker in the centre, good or no good? South fire, North water, East wood, West metal, Centre earth. I also very confusing lah. But try not to near window and kitchen/tiolet entrances, why?

This fluid (a bit gel like,highly acidic, pronounced as "teck sai" in teochew) ppl like to use to throw onto car for "revenge", the paint peeling effect is "wonderful". It is water-soluble, not so worry. Ppl also use that to clean the carbon in exhaust pipes in car or motorcar. It attacks plastic, polypropene-based plastic, paint (all kinds, 2k, 3k, metallic....), reacts with stones (marbles, granites) cement etc. So long as you always standby a wet cloth nearby, it is safe. Many years back before married in 1993, helped my then "girl friend" now my wife, HDB rented 1-rm unit. I was young, got time & patience, but no money. Now the other way round, "old", no time and "no patience", a bit of money only leh.

I thought you already rented? Apply on line permission is almost immediate, but the process of collecting/verifying the particulars for submission(especially, some still in oversea) really unpreditable, or may be can just add on after approval. Be careful on passport/workpermit expiry date. A month might be too short for selection, unless you like those "whoever come just take". 2 months would be prefered for proper selection & screening of tenant (assume a family). My experience was 2 months before shifting, started get an agent (through friend) to find "lobang" - family only, no ah lian/hua/beng/seng/divorcee/uncle/auntie....turned out everything swee swee, rented out 11 months, the 12th month's rental paid to buyer of the flat. Except, there is a clause in the .... cannot retrieve assets (table, chair, aircon.etc...)during selling while unit actually in rental. Anybody cares to share about this clause?