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cleong

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Posts posted by cleong

  2. Posted · Edited by cleong

    stainless steel railings,just saw 1 unit at bedok reservoir EM Val 560K selling at 1.1K so COV is 550K the selling must be crazy!!! :jawdrop:

    You must be talking about this one:

    http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/listing/hdb-for-sale-137-bedok-reservoir-road-11688569

    The asking COV is jaw dropping, even though it is renovated and looks recent and in good condition......

    I was expecting there to be a reservoir view at least.

  3. Posted

    Sellers will always want to sell high, buyers will always want to buy low.

    Things are not helped by having real estate agents going round persuading people to sell their flats, citing "can try" 100k COVs and also persuading prospective buyers that 100k COVs are "worth paying". They are commission driven and stand to profit from high prices.

    Just keep looking and I hope you guys who are still flat hunting will find a sincere seller instead of asking speculative prices.

  4. Posted

    Seems like EMs are the HDB apartments in the news right now and many are changing hands at eye-watering prices......

    Anyway, congratulations on your purchase and good luck with the renovation.

  6. Posted

    9. Hack off existing wall between Bedroom 2 and 3 (to combine both bedrooms into one, creating new master bedroom)

    10. Lay decking for balcony

    11. Install timber bi-fold door at balcony

    15. Install island unit

    18. Lay parquet on steps

    19. Install mild steel hand rail

    24. Create new wall to change entrance to bathroom (so that the common bathroom can become the new master bedroom bathroom)

    I reckon these items may drive your cost up. Timber bi-fold doors cost significantly more than equivalent aluminium framed bi-fold doors. Having a kitchen island may cost more if you have a sink there as it involves more plumbing work, not sure if the kitchen floor needs to be raised to accommodate the pipes running in and out below the floor. Reconfiguring your upstairs rooms also attracts cost in hacking and rebuilding - to be sure, you are customizing it to meet your needs, but it depends if your budget allows it. I did minimal modifications to my unit structure to keep these costs down, as hacking and building walls involves HDB approvals, and also to reduce cost. Its fine to have a wishlist but work with your ID on various scenarios and their cost implications to see what you can do without.

  7. Posted

    Haven't approached a contractor yet. Currently only approaching IDs because we're afraid of the hassle of engaging a contractor (the coordination and what not). Do you have one to recommend?

    We're hacking the first floor and retaining the second floor's parquet. Also hacking walls. The staircase needs to be re-done and the walls need to be plastered because the current one uses the uneven and bumpy kind of paint or something. The quote doesn't include rewiring, plumbing and furnishing yet :(

    Staircase is a big ticket item so it depends on what your "re-done" means. A minor freshen up should be reasonable, but an extensive rebuild of railings and floorings can run up to 5k and more. The contractor is going to ask for more money to plaster all the walls to cover up the rough stone finish that was so trendy back in the late 80s and early 90s.

  8. Posted

    What generation of EM do you have - square or rectangular balcony?

    If its the first generation, the study room next to the front door is already small to begin with.

    If its the second generation with a larger study room, sectioning off would create cramped conditions for both the study and the maid - and if the maid doesn't get the side that has the windows, its pretty crap conditions for her to live in. Literally a closet.

    Even if HDB approves it, I think its not such a great idea from the liveability aspect. i suspect though, if you put up fibreboard partitions that are non structural, though, HDB may not raise an issue.

  9. Posted

    Woah u guys really so lucky to secure at low COV! I viewed the units all asking so high COV... Any tips Bo? Lol

    Start with the Saturday Classified section...... then you need patience to see more EMs which increases your chance of finding a good one at a good price, and also finding a genuine as opposed to speculative seller. When you see more EMs you start being more "experienced" in sizing up relative value and then you can be more decisive in making a firm offer. Of course, you must set aside a warchest that is your COV offer limit keeping in mind you have to spend on renovation usually.

    I saw around 50 different flats in 9-10 months of flat hunting. I made a firm offer on my flat within ten minutes of walking through the front door. The offer was accepted, if I recall, the next day.

  10. Posted

    There is a limited supply of EM in NE too....no one seems to be selling. I notice many of the EMs are aging, like mine was build in the mid eighties ..... I wonder if there is any possibility of en bloc?

    2-3 units in our opposite block changed hands in the past year...... I guess those who want to sell, already have. Those who just bought, have an MOP to see out. I also wondered about en bloc - if we were to be en bloc-ed would we get back a similar size or forced to downgrade, and on what sort of a "compensation" package? Personally, the value of EM areas is not just within the unit, but the relatively lower population density in the neighbourhood and the way the estate itself is laid out. I do not like the densely packed new estates that have floor-to-ceiling windows that are nice in themselves but so close to the neighbouring block that you have to keep curtains drawn, or rooms so small that you can have a bed, a wardrobe and nothing else. An en bloc, imho would be a downgrade in quality of living despite a new 99 year lease and new unit.

    You also raise a valid point about age - new EM owners should be mindful that there will be problems like water seepage, cracks, old wiring, etc. which are unexpected costs. Try to get these sorted out during renovation and spend a bit more to do it properly. I've had to chase pipe leakage, wall seepage, and roof leaking (mine is the top floor unit) during my 1.5 years living here.

  11. Posted

    I don't know about you, but I held my final payment until I was satisfied with everything and also negotiated for a discount off the agreed quote due to late handover. They knew I was very pissed off missing on moving in during my wedding. In the end I got about 5-7% discount off the quotation. Although they were still supposed to provide 1 year warranty on workmanship I was mentally prepared to forgo it.

  12. Posted

    The EM posted above is really nice! bought from HDB? I thought about it too, but no way of knowing if they have any on hand and really based on pure luck!Lucky new owners there!Must be alot of savings!at least of few tens COV...

    The COV was in the region of 200k, which basically meant that the renovation factored into it. But in valuation reports, renovation and condition of the renovation fittings has already been included in that value. So in effect the renovation has been priced twice......

  13. Posted · Edited by cleong

    Sorry for the ranting... Any EM owners care to share the COV u paid , year you bought and location? Thanks

    My suggestion is to let the "fever" subside and the media turn its spotlight onto other types of housing and then you might be able to get some realistic asking prices.

    Some sellers are perfectly happy to continue staying in their EMs but are merely tempted by agents to "try their luck" so they will naturally ask a speculative price. I get plenty of flyers in my mailbox and shoved into my grille and porch all the time.

    IIRC my sale completed in 2010 and I paid 35k COV.

  15. Posted

    I'm curious how such a highly sought-after Queenstown flat would end up in the HDB ballot system instead of being sold on the open market? This is not a pre-MOP sale. I can only think of it being taken back by HDB.

    Nevertheless getting a Queenstown flat *at* valuation is great, you should have a nice stash of cash with which to do up your flat very nicely now. Congratulations!

  16. Posted

    Not to sound unfriendly towards the newcomers, but I've had a few enquiries regarding details about my renovation and/or cost, quotations and such like. Unlike others, my T-blog was only 2 pages long, and that information had been covered in the thread itself.

    On good days, I don't mind repeating some of the information, on other days, I just wish they bothered to read it all, instead of skipping to the finished photographs and asking questions which have already been addressed......

  18. Posted

    Sorry, your questions are very vague. Each apartment is different, in a different condition and each owner has different things in mind for it.

    1. any lesson learnt?

    Engage a good recommended ID if you have more money than time. Be realistic in your expectations of completion date. Early Dec 2012 to Early Feb 2013 gives you no margin of delay or error. Given the complexity of renovation, the following can happen: shortage of workers, delay in delivery of material, missed furnishings/electrical deliveries, furniture not in stock even though ordered. Mine was promised for two months and took three and a half.

    2. Reno tips to share?

    Set your budget then add 10-20% to allow for cost overrun. Write down in detail all that you want in your renovation and try not to add on after the quotation is agreed upon. Be prepared to strike things off if your budget cannot stretch. Variations can run up even if you don't want it to.

    3. Anything to look out for?

    Leaks. Loansharks. "Good friends". Fengshui if you're into that sort of thing.

    4. How much is your estimated Reno cost?

    Around $45,000. Furnishing was another $10,000-15,000. A system 4 A/C is already $4,000.

  20. Posted · Edited by cleong

    If your two upstairs bathrooms are linked by a common wall it may be possible to combine the two to create a single large shared bathroom with two doors.i might be mistaken but I think adidaem did it? That way you have more space to play withto have a bathtub and still have space for everything else.

  21. Posted

    I'm one of the owners that refurbished instead of replaced the original marble floor, you can check out the before and after photos in my thread. Link is in my sig. Anyway a lot of it has got to do with the stuff that's been accumulated by the original owner of the unit, once you brighten up your walls and de-clutter, the floor will be fine.

    As someone seems to have quoted, a new marble floor for the lower level is 20k. Polishing is 10% or less of that.

  22. Posted

    Bento28,

    How long have u been using the awning. I need to get a system that is good and reliable. There is no need to get Hdb approval right?

    Offhand, I could suggest checking out coffeeshop awnings where they open and close it several times a day - sometimes the manufacturer's label is still on the awning.

    When I repaired mine, I was advised not to open and close it within a short span of time because the motor could overheat(!). So far its still ok though.

  23. Posted

    Ohhh... how do you handle lizards? I hate lizard poop/lizards. Been spending $ regularly on lizard traps. Wonder if there is some effective way to prevent them from entering in the first place? Almost tempted to try the empty egg shell advice but not sure if it'll really work or create a smell (from the unwashed egg white)?

    I shoo them away - they help to keep other nasty insects at bay! My wife refuses to let me kill them anyway, and I suppose they're quite harmless. Only needs us to keep cleaning up after their poop. If you had a pet dog/cat you'd have to do the same...... :thumbs up:

  24. Posted

    The idea of putting a retractable awning system is pending. I have seen my neighbours facing challengea to maintain their awning. The motor can spoil easily or what happens when it is dirtied by birds or insects? How to bring it down to clean? More work for me? Haha :)

    Its not hard to clean as your master bedroom windows overlook the awning canvas. You just need to use a floor scrub on a pole to brush it every now and again, and you can retract it to bring the edge closer to you for cleaning. Birds don't perch on the awning because the angle is "wrong" for them. The only blemish is lizard poop...

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