Lauer

What kind of insects? Photos? Cheers!

In imperial china (that is, when there was still an emperor), Pi Xiu couldn't be found outside the palace, in a commoner home. If found, heads gotten chopped. In reality, it was something else. I couldn't imagine seeing an emperor KGing a Pi Xiu?

I took a quick look at the items (which is not really about a kitchen), probably 2 or 3 of them are higher than "norm". But considering that you have engaged a high end contractor, I supposed that you would be paying a premium of about 10-15 K. But you should be able to get very good finishing. I wouldn't want to discuss any discount with a high end contractor; he most probably would be insulted.

Erwin, No la, it is just that I have gone through the same process as yours. I supposedly most people do also. The bottom-line is what you like to have, the effect and so on. For cove, and also ambient lighting (behind mirror, above shelf etc), my experience is that fluorescent can provide more of the "wow" effect. Economical too, when compared to LED. Cheers!

Plaster-board the wall on which the power, data, phone etc points are to be located, if you don't mind sacrificing about 50 mm. Especially if the wall is to be re-plastered anyway. Not difficult to dismantle a plaster-boarded wall. Of course, false ceiling to concealing the running as well. Cheers!

If the wall between the kitchen & service balcony is hacked, then wouldn't the toilets' windows open to the expanded kitchen? Actually natural light can brighten an area up to 5m from the opening, and it can't bend a corner. Cheers!

Photos please? Cheers!

Why do you want it to go down? You are buying? Cheers!

I don't understand why a "bank loan is meant for people who dared to take risk"? If a bank is offering a lower interest rate than HDB, then to me why not? But it is true that a bank is quicker to react (and act) when a loan repayment date has lapsed, when compared to HDB. If indeed that banks are financing more "risk-taking" people for housing, I don't believe that the interest rates offered can be lower than HDB's. Cheers!

I think that, "the way to go", is really about what kind of effect you like to create. A cove is not similar to other coves; the size of its perimeter and it's height, and then the height of the cove from the floor. So, the effect you want, follows by the means to get that effect. Of course, there is also the wallet to consider. T5, T8 are fluorescent tube of different length. Indeed, there is a LED T5, much more expensive but its lighting effect is not the same as T5 fluorescent. Please go to a lighting shop to see the difference. PLC is commonly referred for downlight, but also loosely used to refer to other types of light by different IDs. Just my two cents worth of thought. Cheers!

Agree with Arowana. Are you sure that many have used LEDs for cove lighting? To create the right effect for cove or recess lighting (that is, to have the light covering the entire cove perimeter without gaps of shadow), T5 is still preferred. To convince yourself, just test them, LEDs vs T5.

Photos? Cheers!

Use razor blade (or knife blade) to gently scrap at the middle of the silicone patch, to break up the adhesive tension, and clean with normal window cleaner solution. Cheers!

Photo? What concepts? Cheers!

Situ, But hers is a new development/erection leh...

Buttercarp, The construction of a new house is truly an experience, particularly for one who engages the architect/builder route. I am grateful of the various contributors of this forum (and other forums) who tirelessly shared their experiences here for many years already. And to this forum I am now prepared to offer my two-cents worth of thoughts. You would find joys during the process, and also face challenges & setbacks, but all nevertheless a journey to enjoy.

My two cents of thought regarding construction of a maid room. For a functional room, it probably requires an internal space of 2m by 2m minimally, with a window to one side, and better when designed with a pull down bed if you wish to have the maid doing the ironing within. This means that for an internal width of 2m, it takes up to 2.3-2.5m when taking into account the brickwall. Considering that for a typical terraced house, the width is 6m or 7m, within the back a kitchen with ample windows and also a door allowing access to the backyard. When having the proposed maid room attaching, one could see that it would consume about 40% of this back facade. As the access door of about 1m wide could not be eliminated, so it affects more than 50% of this facade. And typically there is only two options for the window, either facing the back boundary wall or one side of the party wall. I am also intrigued by Buttercarp's new property, and if it is a strata development?

Hello Tarpal, Just my two cents of thought. Probably the easiest way is to buy lunch or coffee for an architect or QP, and have him do a preliminary review of your requirements on site. This project could pose some interesting technical & design challenges. I saw a number of forum postings where people wish to avoid BCA/URA submissions in an A&A project, possibly on cost and time considerations but I wouldn't recommend this approach especially where a project entails changing the facade/profile of the building and has safety issues to overcome. To my limited knowledge, I believe that there is a relationship between the GPR limit & height limit. It is better to get URA approval for modifications, to add height especially. Regarding the lift, presumably you intend to install this where the existing airwell is? Then be careful of the dramatic degradation of natural lighting & ventilation within the house. Or maybe by cutting through existing floor slabs at the 2nd & 3rd storeys? Then this would certainly require a PE certification, for re-engineering of floor slabs for the lift, strenghtening of existing columns to carry the additional weight of attic, in addition to possibly re-routing of exsiting power cables and/or sanitary, water pipings.

I agree with watchthewaves regarding airwell for a terraced house. The airwell design is probably the most important aspect of a terraced construction, that makes the house livable. An airwell is not the same as a lightwell, as it not only provides natural lighting to the enclosed areas but also facilitates (and accentuates) cross ventilations for each storey. Airwells are not equals. To make an airwell effectively, its placement & dimension should take into account the layout design of each storey.