kelsyll

Have not been blogging the past week. Day 19 - 31/12/10 Electrical and tiling work continues. Meeting with the cornice guy to discuss. So in the end did simple cornice to conseal the wire trunking. While we were there, the carpenters were there to measure the base. Convey my requirements to the carpenter. Keeping my fingers crossed that things would be smooth. Day 20 - 1/1/11 Tilers continue working while I was busy working too. They are trying to complete the kitchen and the cabinet base. Kitchen tiles and cabinet base completed. Rubbish chute completed. A pity it's pink wrapper. If it is blue, will probably not tear away the protective sheet. Day 21 2/1/11 Sunday no work done. Tension building up 'cos only 1 week is left. Day 22 3/1/11 Electrical continues. Tilers continue to work. Toilet windows installed But alas! The ventilator was installed at the shower area of the MBR. Hubby demanded that it be changed. Tilers were affected. The MBR wall tiles is affected. Whoever did the measurement was just too careless. Who would want the ventilator at the shower area instead of the WC? If only they had used a little more common sense. Day 23 4/1/11 Plumbing works. Spent a little time making phone calls to order my cooker hood and hob. Realised have not purchased built-in-oven yet. Rushed to TM1 to place order. Decided to call in painter to paint the bedrooms first to save time the next day. Day 24 5/1/11 Painter started working very early. After sending our young boy to school, we reached job site at around 8:30am. The painters have already started work. Cornice ppl yet to appear. 12 noon cooker set delivered, went down to make payment. Cornice ppl yet to appear Called him at 2 pm, he promise to come asap. Delayed due to shortage of manpower. Hubby still contemplating the design of dining area. He's going to cause a little delay. Day 25 6/1/11 Cornice man working alone. Hubby decided to change the dining area to Lbox instead of cornice. Got the electrician to come down and modify the cable point. Bedroom doors installed. Hubby went to purchase the door lock set. Till today, I can't visualise how the door would like. Anyway, all I request is a masterkey. Hate to carry bunch of keys around, love the idea that one key opens all. Cornices all done except the dining area due to our change in design. Hope everything gets completed tommorrow.

Yes it's the A11YS. But a shop along Jln Besar is even cheaper, it sells at $160. If u need can pm you. In the end we bought reglite petite at $100 each. As we need 7 pieces, we decided to save. Many ppl has advised against remote controlled fan due to the complication should the fan is faulty.

I'm not aware of that. But my painter didn't say anything when he saw my request. He quoted me $1800. Initially, he didn't include the main door or any doors. But after he painted the sealer, he told me he will paint the door for me too. Was it out of good will or because we didn't have a lot of colours? So not being very calculative to negotiate the price helps after all.

Got the quote from the sanitary fitting. Exceeded budget. Needed time to think properly. Hubby diverted again, attracted by Elmark's fan sleek design. We need 7 fans. How can we afford to blow our budget with Elmark's price. Pulled him off to the fan shop opposite the road. After enquring, the salesman quoted us Reglite petite $100. With such attractive price, we made a fast decision to purchase all reglite petite and forsake the KDK with remote control. Purchased the Elmark instant heater $135 each. Wanted sliver for both toilets but only left 1 piece. Compromised on the black for the common toilet. Anyway, our feature is black, so it matches. Late for work. Rushed home to work.

Day 18 'cont 5pm + Went back to Jln Besar, stopped by Adamas, they didn't have the wash basin that we have zoomed in. Though their price for the cooker hood and hob is $790. Good price. Will come back and get this. Decided to go back to the same shop we enquired yesterday. Browse around while waiting for hubby to park. Amazingly, another lady who came to this shop also returned today. Coincidence or affinity? Or maybe she has done comparisions and this is the cheapest shop. Reconfirmed my selection with the boss. Asked for some discount. Owner claims that Jln Besar has the cheapest deal compared to Geylang, and Balestier. How true is it? I have no idea, 'cos we are not so hardworking to scout/comb so many shops. More concerned with the design. Trusted our instinct that the boss will give us quality products although we hope to pay peanuts. Paid $1360 7pm + Went back to Vertex building - The lightsculture. We were there on 2 Sundays ago. Met up neighbour. And the boss happens to be our neighbours brother in law. So he had promised a good rate. Concluded our light orders. 1) 3 3M track lights 2) 6 2M track lights 3) 1 light for play area. 4) 3 light holder with simple light (don't know what is it call but cost only $10... ) 5) 30 lights for the track lights. Pending is the dining light and entrance light. Just can't decide. can wait. Price - dunno.... Only felt secure that we won't be short-changed for quality. By now, can't think clear anymore, just trust our instinct. 9pm+ Went to ikea to get the wire basket. not very cheap afterall. $19 per basket. but better than having trouble getting our folded clothes. Resisted the tempation to eat the $1 hotdog, 'cos I needed somthing with hot boiling soup. Age must be catching up 'cos I used to survive very well my McDonalds $2 Mac-chicken burger. Or maybe my helper has pampered us too much with home cook food. Long day finally ended. Very tired but I need to blog down before I forget everything.

Day 18 30/12/2010 8am Received a call from my electrician. My peaceful sleep interrupted Had I called him last night and inform him that I had pasted the wiring plan on the war, my sleep would go undisturbed. My 4 year old boy asked me about my schedule today. Told him I'm meeting the electrician, carpenter, air-con ppl and need to purchase lightings and sanitary fittings. Upon hearing our schedule for today, he was totally upset. He's getting really bored at home. Asked to me if he's going to school. Counted for him 9 more days before his school start. Even more upset. He made me feel that I have really neglected him these few weeks. Both my boys must have felt like they are in . Left for site at 10am. Confirmed some details with the electrician. Air-con man was here already too. Requested for some changes on the positioning of the fan-coil. Insisted on certain things. Air-con man was so pissed off with me. He walked off, light up a cigarette before coming back to complete the discussion. Electrican was also kind enough to explain some technical details to us. The whole place was dusty, noisy, chaotic with 3 groups of ppl working. 1) 3 tilers - 1 in MBR toilet, 1 in common toilet, 1 in kitchen. 2) 2 aircon ppl 3) 3 electricians. Sometimes you hear sounds from cutting of tiles, plenty of drilling, hammering sound by the air-con and electricians. Carpenter didn't appear at 11:30am. When I called him, he realised he had forgotten the appointment. He promised to rush down. Plumber didn't appear too. While waiting for them, we went for lunch to save time. After lunch, plumber appeared. Discussed the routing of the water pipe with him. Carpenter finally appeared! He discussed with the tiler some technical details.....jargon that I don't understand. Conclusion, after completion, my doorway will be 1metre. Took some final site measurements for the kitchen, mbr wardrobe. Went to the void deck to discuss the details. Told him my requirements. Showed him a ikea kitchen cabinet concept. He sketched for us the proposal on the spot. Asked for a cupboard with lock. This is useful for me to stock up(hide) tidbits, snacks, biscuits, sweets under lock and key. Both my sons are very 'independent'. When they know where my helper keeps food they like, they will bring their stool, open the cupboard and self-service . It's a dilemma for me. If I don't stock up, I worry they don't have enough food. But when I stock up, they finish the food/snack they like almost immediately. Even when their tummy's bursting, they still say they are hungry. Negotiated with carpenter to help us dismantle our existing alumix system and help us fix up in our son's bedroom. He discouraged me from using the wire basket for kitchen cabinet. His rationale was it is a waste of space and $$$. After much persuasion from him and hubby, dropped the idea. Gave him all the dimensions of cooker hood, hob, built in oven. Need to give him the dimensions of wire basket to fix in the wardrobe. Has to purchase it from IKEA. To cut down on the timing, decided to forgo solid surface. Between postform and laminate surface, choosed laminate surface to have lesser joint. With that, carpenter is able to hand over on 7/1/2011. No dependancy on the solid surface ppl for the completion. If we put glass surface on the laminate surface, it would look as good too. Hope the design would turn out fine and beautiful. Meeting finally ended at 3 pm. Went upstairs to take a look before leaving to purchase lightings and sanitary fittings. Was like War zone with the dust and noise. My poor neighbours.

Day 17 29/12/2010 Will be using the little time I have in the morning to purchase my fans. Sanitary fittings. lights maybe not possible. Has already locked in 2 models. We do not intend to do any vanity top so this model is perfect to place our neccesities Wash basin Kitchen Sink - big enough to hold my 40 cm wok. Cooker hob Cooker hood

I am not monitoring against thief...more so to prevent new dosmetic helper or maybe when my children from switching off the power switch. Sometimes when I'm out for a long day, would really want to see what's happening at home. The previous experience with a very bad Philipino maid has prompted me to think of this.

Day 16 29/12/2010 Can't stand the idea of spend $2K on curtains. Decided to visit IKEA since it's only close to 8pm after visiting job site. What a fruitfull trip. Will be using this blue curtains for MBR and sons bedroom (Has to be blue partly due to fengshui) Anyway I like the bright blue better compared to the black. Pink and purple to girlish for my man and boys. Blue curtains $12.90 for a pair Curtain rod $1.90 Has to visit site again to measure the windows length. Hopes it fits. Total cost $29.60..... Decided not to put any curtains in living room and other rooms. May put in roller blinds later on when our budget allows. Very cheap shelvings....considering to put them near my bedside instead of using a bedside table. May purchase the oval shape mirror for the toilet cost only $25 per piece. I simply love IKEA things. Cheap but looks good if you match them correctly.

Day 16 28/12/2010 Last day of plastering. Hubby's not working today, decided to go to job site. Poor workers, he discovered a flaw that he will not compromise. The beam at the balcony was not make level. So my main contractor has to rectify this problem before hand-over. Very glad that we decided not to remove plastering from her contract. Else the tilers and the plasterer would start blaming each other. Now although they are blaming each other inside their heart but they can't openly express it as they are both subcon from the same contractor. The fault is not noticable for layman, but for professionals, it is very obvious. Just wondering why the plasterers never notice it. They have to apply 3 layers on that same beam. 3 times and no one noticed or no one wants to take the initiative? 12+ noon Hacking of addtiontal toilet entrance from music studio. Hubby witnessed the hacking. Was very fast, done in 1/2 hours time. Visited the site in the evening. MBR toilet wall tiles are done. Tilers has levelled the floor for both toilets and kitchen area. Was dark by this time, used my iPhone torchlight application to shine the MBR toilet tiles, loves the feature tile that we have selected. Can't wait to see my completed project.

PMed you already. Hope you get to save $$$ too.

I have installed data outlet in 3 rooms. Will be placing my Starhub router in the MBR. Rationale is if we are not at home, the MBR will be locked. No one would be able to power off the internet router and CCTV recording device. So there has to be a additional data point from Opennet to my MBR .....then don't understand already. He drew a diagram uploaded it, maybe you would understand better?

Day 15 27/12/2010 To my horror, I forgot to send my helper for medical checkup due on 26/7. 1 day past due date, hope MOM don't give me trouble. I need her to help me shift house. Drove to the clinic, drop off my helper. My elder son decided to stay with his beloved auntie. Younger boy chose to follow me to our new home. Wanted to do some measurements in their bedroom. Has decided to place our existiing queen bed in our children's bedroom. Reorgnised their bedroom layout....Objective is to find an excuse to buy my pole bed. 4:40pm Call my contractor to check on the additional toilet entrance. Finally it got approved. She told the officer "Please approve fast, else reject the application so that she can answer to us." Shortly after, the officer called back and gave approval for the hacking. 5:30pm Drop by the curtain shop. After choosing my materials, the owner says it will cost around $2000+ WOWWWWW! blow budget again. Must really reconsider whether to use ikea's curtains and roller blinds. 6:30pm Meeting with electrician. Finally got to meet up with my electrician. He's my friend long time contractor. Gives me a rather good rate for my double plugs. Gave him the floor plan go through with him my requirements. He makes some markings on the wall. Explained to me opennet and starhub....but I blur blur only understand a little. He gave me a suggestion to create false ceiling on the dining area, put cove light and down light. No need for dining light. With this can shift our table any position we like. 7pm + The tilers left. Very hardworking lot. The toilet wall tiles are up. Saw my feature. Very happy with my choice. Hubby should be quite happy too after he sees the effect tomorrow. 8pm Left the job site. Still early decided to drop by TM 1 to shop. Realised forgot to confirm the type of switch used. But never mind, will confirm again on Thursday. Happy shopping. Wanko 60% discount for selected items.

Choosing my wall colour. Finally sit down and plan the colours to paint. Decided not to do it with my husband. He's fantastic at changing his mind, challenging my 'bold' colour choices. After flipping through Dulux colour catalogue, decided on the following :- Ceiling :- Light & Space White All walls :- Light & Space Frosted Dawn Dining and TV Console Wall : Choco Pie Music Studio : Light & Space Sunny Lime Children's bedroom : ? ? shold I stick to white or paint another colour?

X'mas Visited the site in the morning. Tilers and plastering ppl are working hard. Really appreciate their hard work. 1st time during X'mas I'm not lazying at home and watch the holiday movies. Feel a little upset but has no choice. Today's saw a TV console in Mode at Enterprise building @ Kaki Bukit. Got side-tracked and wanted to pay for it immediately.... Impulse...Very lucky we didn't do that. Nothing much to shop as most shops are closed for X'mas. Went off the Furniture mall at Beach road. Our objective : To find a pole bed. Check out the price of 'nice' dining table. Not long after walking into the mall, found a pole bed that we both love. Price was $2150... a little steep. Will confirm this buy if we can't find anything else. Side-tracked again and went into Smart closet design. Had a chat wtih the designer...got some new ideas on the colour tone to choose. The closet price was $1800...My carpenter would be chargin us $1500. The more you shop the more confused you get. Decided to call it a day at furniture mall. Rushed off to Jln Besar to see if Adamas is open. Rushed into the shop and got a rough quote on the things we want...Unfortunately, they do not have the wash basin that we want.... but their prices seems to be cheaper than the shops that we enquire yesterday. Very tired...all shops seems to be selling almost similar design..now just need to calm down and go the quality on product and pricing. Leave this for next week.