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Hi Songz Congrats on getting your keys. Consider doing a door frame by your carpenter? Can use laminates as per your carpentry work. I am doing that for me hse....same problem after hacking wall to make open kitchen...

Hi Songz, How are you doing? 7 days to key collection....must be really excited right? The slated wall portion I am going to plaster only. Basically that will be where the cabinets will be. The sink area is concrete. Carpentry work not up yet. It does eat into the cabinet space but it gives the whole bottom cabinet more support for cooking and washing then just wooden cabinet alone.

Got ID...me lor...keke. Initially,I thought its pretty expensive for a contractor too... But after comparing a few quotes...I think its pretty reasonable. The other contractor I found on RT quoted with overlaying of living and bedrooms floor with inova laminates, without change of windows, without concrete sink support, without electrical wiring and without aircon, only light box in living for 41.5K...both IDs I approached quoted in the 47-48k range without electrical wiring and Aircon as well. Besides the fact that I find my contractor price reasonable, I went along with my gut feel that I can trust him. So far so good, but until I live in, I really won't know...

Masonry Works: Only completed tiling last week. Took almost 3 weeks. Delayed as I was hoping to top up kitchen flooring to be same level as living room but eventually had to drop the idea anyway due to structural constraints. I saw how SK tried to get round the problems with his other contractor buddies but after a few round of discussions, I decided to drop the idea. SK saw how much I wanted it and offered to try our luck and submit for hdb approval. But I didn't want to waste time, everyone's effort and also deal with the disappointment. I think it will look just as good with a drop at kitchen entrance anyway... The wood grained homogenous tiles MBR toilet floor (taken when floor not done) Kitchen and toilet wall adjoins area As you can see photos are taken when in the midst of tiling job. By the time I remember I had to take pics, my tiling was completed and covered. Taken and sent to me by my contractor, as I was busy at work and couldn't go over to check on progress...kitchen cabinet based are up and tiled and the concrete sink support sitting nicely on it. And the windows are up too....I wanted to do sliding windows for entire unit as I thought it looks simpler. My contractor SK suggested louvred window for corridor bedroom and living room after he realised I am not an aircon lover. His rationale is that I get all the light I need, the natural air should I decided to not switch on my aircon and at the same time maintaining privacy and safety. I am glad I took up his suggestion. Love the windows!

Demolition: Store room, wall tiles and floor tiles hacked. Completed in 2 days.

Hello! Please pm me the url got the online light shop too. Tks.

It has been a while since I updated by T-blog. The renovation journey has started and there are so much to do and so much to learn. I am glad to find a contractor who has been very patient with me and who has been willing to guide me along. Lets call him SK. I always like wood or wood-like floorings and was reaserching on laminates, vinyl floorings and wood grained ceramic tiles. Before the sales completion, I was pretty sure I will settle for laminates as I can save on hacking. However, after I got my keys and SK went up for site view, he told me to hack the floor whether or not I am using laminates or tiles as the floor from main door to living and the kitchen is very uneven and besides the floor has already been overlaid. Hmm..so ta-dah my job made easy---woodgrained ceramic tiles. Better to use tiles as it will last much longer anyway. Beforehand, I told SK that I understand that he will get a discount from the shops they deal with and it will be easy for him to return excess tiles orderd or request for more to be delivered should there be unexpected changes. But if I really cannot find what I like, then we will have to go other tile shops. I always tell him I want to save as much as I can without him being shortchanged, and we always look for Win-Win outcome At the tile shop he brought me to, I fell in love with a woodgrained homogenous tile but at $6.50.sqft, thats $3.30 more than what SK quoted me initially. That will cost you 2.3k more, Miss. You must remember a bit more here and there can mean a lot at the end of the renovation. After thinking hard, I told him the wood grained homogenous tile is what I really like and that I will rather buy cheaper furnishing to make up for it. I can change furnishing every few years but I don't think I can go through the hassle hacking the floor so often even if I have the money. "Well, in that case you can also consider not having the full glass door separating kitchen and living and have less ceiling works. That will do too." How nice of SK to give me alternative solutions instead. I love the floor tile so much that I am using it for the entire house except for the toilets haha... Yeah so end up only 4 type of tiles for the entire house. OK...ok I know that is boring, right?....Nah simplicity is beauty. Woodgrained homogenous tiles for living, kitchen and bedrooms--- LOVE LOVE Floor tiles for Toilet Wall Tiles for Toilet Wall tiles for kitchen

Hi when trying to upload photos did anyone experience the image properties dialog box that will not go away whether you click on the ok or cancel button? Even when you click on the x button on the right hand corner another dialog box pops up and says some options has been change are you are sure you want to close the dialog and when you click ok, you go back to the same image properties dialog box that has no reaction. Its irritating cos sometimes you get stuck like that and all you can do is to close the whole tab and you lose all that has been written in the post! Can someone help?

Hi I am thinking of topping up my kitchen floor to level with my living room floor. I understand EPF is not allowed since late 2012. What is the replacement method that is approved by HDB? Need some advice. Thanks

I see...so now is the time to look for ids/contractors...have you shortlisted one yet? Although repeating requirements again and again can be pretty tiring process it does gives you a better idea of what you want and can do for your unit. Given that your reno can only start mid March and if you are not in a hurry to move, you got quite a bit of time to shop for ID/contractors...enjoy the journey...tough but surely worth it after you see your place all done up

Hi hi....Welcome to RT and congrats on your new home! I just bought a 3 room and have intention to knock the storeroom that's sandwiched between living room and kitchen...aka open concept and separated by glass door...I worry about the maintenance too but want to aircondition the living/dining area and need to make the space visually bigger so not much options left. If you don't do a lot of cooking, actually open kitchen is nice isn't it? Can even do island cum dining area...

Hi Seng, congrats and welcome to RT. Looks like you will be getting your keys mid to end Mar? Have a pleasant reno journey.

Hi Songz Yup best time to stalk and steal ideas are between the 2 appointments. That's what I did. Haha. My reno should end ard the time you get your keys. And I agree with you totally that it is very taxing on the wallet for single scheme. And thanks for the link with the FS tips.

Hi everyone It has been a long time since I update my Reno T-Blog. After a long wait, I got my keys 4 days before CNY. Well, for the past 2 and a half months, I have been immersing myself with reno ideas and pictures to get a feel of what I want. Looking for ID or contractor itself has also been a learning experience for me. I went to 2 IDs and 2 contractors for quotation. Each meeting, I learn something new and more about what I want. Actually, I am quite amazed by how some fellow bloggers visit and talk to 10 or more IDs or contractors.That really need a lot of hard work and determination. Kudos to them. I shortlisted a contractor for the job. 45k for the following job (summarized below since contractor gave very detailed breakdown with size and unit price). Hacking of all floor tiles in entire unit Hacking of all wall tiles in kitchen and 2 toilets Hacking of all existing cornice and false ceiling Supply material and labour to lay homogenous tiles for entire unit and stairs at main door entrance Supply material and labour to lay homogenous/ceramic wall tiles for kitchen and toilet Supply and apply water proofing for kitchen and 2 toilets Supply material and labour to construct kitchen cabinet base and concrete sink support Cove lighting and false ceiling for living, part of kitchen and 2 bedrooms Supply material and labour to extend stainless steel pipe for entire house Installation of wc, basin+taps, shower system, washing machine, storage heater and bathroom accessories and chute Electrical works-rewiring of entire unit including new sockets est 13 single pwr point 13 dble point 13-15 light switches, A/C, scv point, data point. light installation Refurbish main door including new locks and handles. 2 solid veneer door incl new frame and locks for 2 bedrooms 2 bifold doors for 2 toilets 1 glass door for kitchen Aluminium windows (white powder coated) + clear glass, sliding for corridor windows and casement for kitchen and mbr Aluminium grilles (white powder coated) for all windows wrought iron gate Strip of rough stony surface in living room + painting of entire unit 32ft (top and bottom) kitchen cabinet incl full height tall unit 13ft quartz/ solid surface kitchen counter top 3ft full height shoe cabinet 7ft wardrobe for each bedroom Mitsubitshi Electric Inverter system 3 + installation Box up of water pipes and a/c pipes Queen size Bedhead frame for 2 bedrooms chemical wash entire unit Debris and haulage I am looking forward to the renovation! Can experience reno bloggers give some tips as to what to look out for during the different reno stages? Some mistakes will take money and time to rectify. Always good to take precaution rite? TIA

I bought mine at 17K COV. 3NG in Jurong East, near wet mkt, hawker center and neighbourhood shops but it is not walking distance to mrt.