dragonnite

i see on the website there's series 5/7 etc ... so confusing... all i need is a basic LED tv (no need any fancy smart features or anything), HD will do, no need 3D cos i'm a very basic user... any recommendations for a 46" model ? thx v much !

i just wanted to say thank you for your informative posts, especially around the carpentry bit. good to see that ur reno is going well ! too bad i have already picked my a/c and bathroom stuff before i came across your post. for those of you like me, who don't have a car and cannot go across to JB to buy stuff, having combed jln besar and balestier (and ubi etc etc), the cheapest place in SG to get ur bathroom stuff is really royal fanco at jln besar. none of the other places' prices come close, imo. the only problem is you end up ordering off a catalog most times so this means, do ur homework and "tour" the other places like hoe kee etc first, then go down and order. i think another point that u made is very true - time to do homework. my ID told me that what i did with him over the space of about a month (and that's only for design), most ppl do within 2-3 weeks, including buying all the sanitarywares etc. i had the luxury of using about 3-4 mths to talk to my ID, shop around for everything (u had like a year ! ) - this is not something everyone will have. so to echo ur advice, i would really advise everyone to set aside at least about 2-3 weekends (more if u're not the decisive type) to really shop around and check out the various places in SG. at least picking out the various items will not be a rushed decision and there will be less stuff to regret later on.

i walked into their showroom at IFC, sungei kadut and was put off by the heavy handed selling tactics of the salesperson there. imagine, a particle board 1.6m study table (plain white, 3 drawers) with steel legs, she quoted me $1.6k ! i guess i looked like a nice, fat carrot...

does anyone know where i can buy this in SG, besides ordering via Amazon ? OXO good grips holder

I know F&P's fridges r quite good but not sure about their washer/dryers. Established european ones for washer/dryer, i think there are lots of reviews in the forums about them: - Brandt - Thomson - Electrolux - Miele Japanese washers (dunno about their dryers) - Panasonic - Hitachi - Toshiba good luck...

Agree with quite a few other people - the key is to see samples of finished work by the ID/contractor. I eliminated one of the shortlisted ones just by this - it's kinda hard for me to part with a sizeable chunk of money just based on instinct and words, even though the quote was cheaper. In this whole process, I think it's very important to focus on logic and facts. Even after going with your selected ID/contractor, there's still give and take. I always find that it's like in life - you win some, you lose some. Eg. for me, even though I have to shell out a small fortune for LED lights, I tell myself at least I won't have to worry about changing the light bulbs. So yes, there will be small hiccups/unhappiness/misunderstandings along the way, nothing and nobody's perfect. It's all a matter of how you deal with it and to make sure that whatever decisions/compromises you make on this, it is something you can live with and not something that everytime you look at it, you will be unhappy or feel regret about. Incidentally, for those who are still unsure of "hidden costs", it's not hidden costs as someone has rightly pointed out but stuff that's typically not included in your contractor/ID's quote. They are : - Air-con - Fan - Electrician/wiring (including the light switches) - Plumbing - Sanitaryware : water heater, WC, taps etc - Lights - Hood/hob So don't forget to include most of the above in your budgeting, unless your quotation comes with the items explicitly. Good luck all !

Yeah, i wasn't too sure about Candy so I didn't opt for it. I know that Thomson & Electrolux have been making washers for many many years so they are ok for reliability. I bought extended warranty from HN - total is $1087 nett.

Here's the results of my research, I went to Harvey Norman Millenia over the weekend to check out their prices. Also called Parisilk, Mega Discount and Audio House to check out their prices. Thomson 8kg Top Load Washer TX9814 $1,538 Dimensions: W 45cm X D 60cm X H 85cm Only 8kg slim top load washer on the market and the most expensive. Drum is indeed bigger and deeper than the 6kg model and the catch is a little more solid than the 6kg one. Sizewise is just a little wider. Thomson currently has a promo to give a NTUC $100 voucher with every purchase of this model. No other promotions available. HN $1439 audiohouse $1439 mega discount $1399 parissilk $1350 I did consider the Electrolux 6kg Washer EWT106411 at $1,099 (Dimensions: W 40cm x D 60cm x H 85cm) but then saw the Thomson 6kg TX9607 going for a low price of $899 + $50 ntuc voucher + $100 cashback from Thomson. Since the $100 cashback only applied for 10 sets bought that day, I went for that. So I've learnt - even though the price of the item could be cheaper at other stores, sometimes with these exclusive in-store promotions, stuff can end up being cheaper at the bigger stores like HN/Courts. And it's definitely worth your while to call up these stores one by one to find out which store could have the best price before you buy.

I have a space constraint as advised by my ID for my washing machine size - it has to be under 50cm and preferably around 40cm or so, which drastically cuts down my choices... I initially wanted a japanese 8kg washer but looks like that's not possible anymore. And ... the price is double of the normal Japanese models ... My ID has also given me a list of the possible ones I should consider, I've looked through the forums, googled and arrived at the list below. Would appreciate anyone's feedback on the individual brands' reliability, after sales service etc. Electrolux EWT106411W Thomson 8kg Top Load Washer TX9814 Thomson 6kg Top Load Washer TX9612 Brandt WTC9680 Of course, there are probably more out there ... would appreciate your views ? Thx !

My ID submitted for me both hacking and reno applications, no need me to go down or to authorise him or fill in any form. One of the walls I needed hacked required PE approval - that was handled for me too, never had to appear or even see the PE. Just get letters from HDB about it only ... Fyi, you can monitor the status of your reno application via the myHDB page.

I was at both AllBest and GC at IMM. I didn't want to walk into AB cos there were 4-5 salesppl sitting around looking very bored - all smacking mosquitoes. I was served by Andy (I guess it's the same one people raved about before). Unfortunately, I must have looked very poor that day cos he gave me a simply bo chap attitude, and when I asked about insulation and what they use, he told me Armaflex and looked at me as if I was stupid. Price quoted was $3120 for mitsubishi starmex inverter system 3 for 9k, 12k and 18k BTU blowers, 5 years. Sorry, want to buy also won't buy from you liow ... GC next door was slightly better, but still a bit stuck up but at least, didn't look at me as if I was stupid for asking questions about what insulation they use. And upfront told me $120 more if i use the 1/2 inch insulation, thicker than the normal one. Same config for $3119 so not much of a price difference here. Also including 5 years thingy due to their GC expo. I went to GC at Expo with the intent to buy - was served by mickey. Since I didn't need much explanation of the features etc, didn't really spend time on that. However, even though I already indicated I wanted to buy, he still took the time to explain and show me pictures of the insulation, copper pipes etc before preparing the sales order. Also calculated for me the BTU to make sure the living room can be served properly by the 18k BTU blower. He also explained the payment terms (10% upfront etc etc) during the sales order issuing, all the terms on the sales order, what's covered and not etc. Unfortunately, cannot really bargain ... oh well ... Fyi, their 5 years warranty thing is on til this Thurday 8 Nov.

Wah, 6 doors ?! Woo hoo...that's a lot of food... I'm inclined to Panasonic or Mitsubishi for fridges, both have proven to be reliable.

Ah, I checked the pricing of the undersink versions : from $999 - 2399. And the setup is for a separate drinking tap from the countertop, without the need for the acidic water discharge collection point. I actually think that if you're going for pure filtration, Hyflux could be a good bet too. Dunno about their filter replacement cycles though, in terms of running costs. Their gurgle tap is ugly though ...

Interesting article. Now I'm even more confused. Out of curiosity, how much is Cleansui ? And how much would the replacement filters cost, do you know ?

I have used the Vax dry and wet vacuum cleaner before - good and powerful, leaves the granite floor feeling very clean. Drawback is the rubber tubing for the water will smell if not dried thoroughly. Heavy to lug around, troublesome to use. Can use to clean cushions, mattresses etc - but I never used it for that b4. I used an entry level Electrolux model (I think the cheapest one, ~S$100 here) when I lived in BJ. Workhorse, powerful suction but v noisy. Bagless - after using this one, I swore never to get a bagless one again cos cleaning out the compartment is quite revolting. Has a washable hepa filter etc. Made in China model. I have just bought an Electrolux bagged model zjg6800 for my new place. Equally powerful, as far as I can tell, very quiet (silencer model) at the highest setting. This one was going at a special price of $149 a few weekends ago at Harvey Norman, price I was quoted at Audio House/Gain City was $229, Courts was selling at $169 or something. One of the few models that are made in Europe still. IMO, I still think Electrolux makes the best vacuum cleaners around - my mom had an old one that conked out after 10 years. My China one I brought back here and is still going very strong, at about 2.5 yrs - my parents use this over the Vax cos it's more convenient.

Hey potat0, I'm thinking of getting the same Jupiter Alphion unit and will also be collecting the acid water on my countertop. Also planning for a separate water inlet for the system - I happened to speak to Gary and he showed me pictures of how their people will drill holes on the countertop and cap the water inlet, which means there's 1 exposed tubing on the surface for the acid water discharge. Will be speaking to my ID tomorrow on how best to place this whole setup, and will share what his thoughts are.

Hi snappy and ivy, Can I please have the list too ? I Pm you my email separately... thx !

The Panasonic model is from their new ecoNavi range - has inverter I think and is from their new energy saving series. Frankly, if you have a size constraint, u may not want 2 look at brand and simply juz go with whichever that can fit. If you like 3 door, get the 3 door. Remember that no matter what advice other people give you, you are the user at the end of the day. You have to like it and it has to work for you.

Umm, this is how I chose my fridge, just for your reference. 1. Brands Mom (and a bunch of other friends) advised these: - Panasonic - Mitsubishi - Fisher & Paykel Which brand you pick is up to you, I prefer Japanese cos if anything wrong, I can probably get replacement parts and labour cheaper and easier than F&P, altho nowadays, since F&P is quite common, servicing it shld b ok but dunno about cost of replacement parts. I almost forgot, price !! F&P was too expensive for me so I only looked at the Japanese ones. 2. Capacity Since I don't cook often, I wanted to buy the smallest possible (<200 litres). That's not the best idea cos if I'm going to have guests over, will it be able to handle those situations ? Of course, going for the biggest model in the store is also dumb. I decided to go for something around the 300-400l range, roughly 1.6-1.7m in height. 3. Efficiency 3 ticks vs 4 ticks ? Minimum is to go for 3 ticks, 4 tickes will only save you $2-3 a month, so calculate to see if it's worth paying a few hundred dollars more for an equivalent one but has just 1 more tick. 4. Configuration Since mine is considered small-medium, I only looked at the 2 door type. Frankly, those side by side thingy look good but not very practical. As someone so pragmatically pointed out to me, can put in a big pizza box/party sushi box ? I opted for bottom freezer - again, because I don't cook a lot so my freezer compartment won't be very heavy/full. And since I'm vertically challenged , if the item is heavy, I won't have to climb on a chair to get at it. Again, based on my cooking pattern, since I will access the "normal" stuff most often, I don't see the logic of having to bend down most times to get at these items. I think top or bottom freezer is personal - friend tells me this good reason tho, as we're both vertically challenged. If you drop something frozen from a top freezer, you may chip your tile or at the worst case, cause injury to yourself. Bottom freezers don't have that issue. 5. Size At this point, I had already narrowed down my choice to 2 fridges - the Mitsubishi MR-BF43C or the Panasonic NR-BW415. They're roughly the same so it came down to this question : tall and thin (Mitsubishi) or the short and fat (Panasonic) ? Ultimately, I chose the short and fat cos I liked the depth and breadth of the feel of the fridge compartments. Definitely no issue to fit in a large pizza box/party sushi box. I hope that helps ...

Wah, heng I saw this - almost wanted to buy order from them liow. Thinking of ordering from Wasser Bath but they don't have the S/S vanity basin + sink that I wanted for my common bathroom. Heard that they are ok. Any reviews of after sales service from Royal Fanco ? Their prices are terrifically good, somewhat unbelievable. For this Turbo hob I was looking at, they quoted me $380 but at Wasser Bath, it's about $480, granted that I haven't opened my mouth to negotiate yet but $100 is a bit of a stretch to match ...

This is a good point. For my flat, even though I oredi paid the 1K deposit at that time, before I paid the other 4K, I actually went to check out the neighbours on the same floor, upstairs and downstairs, just to get a feel of the people I will be living with (and to check for potential ah-longs). As a friend said, 1K is a small loss compared to if you suddenly find out something bad later on. Thankfully, everything checked out fine ... I looked at like 15 or so in the span of 3-4 mths and got so tired before stumbling across this one. So for those who are still looking for The One, keep looking and don't give up !

Actually, i have the same question as potato as my house reno is going to start and i guess if there's a need for more holes on my countertop, i better be mentally prepared. I was planning for the marvello jp101mx then i saw that the jupiter venus is even cheaper, and call me superficial but it's prettier. Anyone can tell me which one is better ah ? I think both are 5 plate versions and.... i have a budget constraint... From what i saw at kemp trading, there are 2 ways of attaching the countertop unit: - directly to your kitchen tap - extra tap on your countertop that controls the water flow to the water ioniser IMO, method 1 is the ugliest, method 2 is the cleanest way on the tabletop but requires an extra tap (anyone knows if this can be any tap or must buy their $100 one ?). What they showed me was the discharge is just by the side of the unit, whether into a pail or something. Ugly, if you asked me. The other pictures they showed me weren't that much better. I just get the impression that somehow, the acid water discharge comes as an afterthought to this whole setup and no one actually spent time thinking about the best way to do this ...

thx v much, may !

I'm planning to get the Panasonic but the smaller version of BW415. I compared Mitsubishi vs Panasonic and opted for the Panasonic because of the bottom freezer due to my usage habits. Mom swears by both these brands. 1. I don't really cook so I don't use the freezer that much - I hate having to bend down most of the time since the "normal" compartment will be the one that I'll be using most often. Ergo, everything I usually use is more or less at eye level 2. I'm short so having to stretch up to get something heavy out of the freezer is a challenge, since they tend to be somewhat bulky and heavy. If i drop it, I may at most chip a tile but in the worst case, I can end up injuring myself. I think inverter or not, you should just look at the number of ticks. I was told by the guys at Audio House that the electricity bill per month differs by about $2 between 3 ticks and 4 ticks. Fyi, Audio House has the best price for these items so far but Gain City may be able to match their prices. I know F&P is very good but my worry is when parts/servicing needs to be done - it may turn out more expensive compared to the other more common brands.

thx very much ! i think friven is one of the brands for bedsheets ...