inthechouse

Hi everyone, took a while to finally unpack the remaining of the 20 boxes shifted over. Housework for a 4-rm flat is a killer! (If one has some injuries and no prior experience!) Still getting used to the master bathroom... coz we all have to adapt, right? Sometimes I dream of my second home of which the bathroom will be done properly... Anyway... Nothing new up update except for one powerpoint switch which pops back out on its own after it is switched off. The entire socket is also slowly detaching from the wall. Has anyone encountered this before? So far we've asked someone to drill a few screws into the bedroom walls for some poster frames. I'm not open to hammering nails into the wall due to the plastering. There's this long living room wall left to decorate. And it's really not easy to layout frames of various sizes in order to position them properly to mark the spots for screws to be drilled in. As they are quite big, I don't wish to take the chance with the 3M stickers. Wish me luck Lastly, some of you may remember that incident I had regarding the purchase of my TV. Looks like it's happening rather frequently in Singapore. Check out this news report by TODAY: http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/spike-shops-make-false-claims-draw-customers?singlepage=true

Thank you, Astarz. Apologies for the belated reply! Enjoy your cave too!

Hi both, as mentioned, he and his worker didn't do a very good job with the application of the "finishing". But if you're ok with exploring further with him, I'll share the contact. Meanwhile, to save costs, you may wanna consider buying over the "finishing" from me. I've got 3/4 of a tin left, because my 5.9m wall only required 1/4.

Thank you! Happy reno! Thanks! Yes, it was a bit of a nightmare. I say it again that clueless first-time homeowners shouldn't anyhow sign with contractors no matter how popular they may seem. They're not gonna give you practical advice which could then lead to you having to live with certain inconveniences for the next xx years. Do your research (on reno AND the contractor) then make an informed decision. Nobody wants to hear uncalled-for snarky remarks from their contractor every other day.

Thanks, Songz! Congrats on your key-collection and have lots of fun with your reno and furnishing! Take care!

Thank you, alfredt! All the best!

Hi everyone, just wanna update that we've just handed Alan the final cheque. Quite glad that this 4-month rollercoaster ride has come to an end. There were some disagreements before the final payment was made, but I shall not go into details. In case you're wondering, all requested rectification works have been completed - though not without some protests from Alan. Well, at least everything got done. Once again, we brought up the fact that we had to bring in and pay someone else to finish off the cement screed wall in the kitchen, but he countered to say that he can't do anything if the client has "higher expectations" than what his workers can deliver. The owner can feel free to pay for someone else to do it, but he won't absorb the cost. Let's just say he came to collect his final payment well prepared and armed with a host of "counter-arguments". But he was agreeable to some sort of a discount at the end. As for the drainage situation in the MBR loo, the tile guy and the glass guy who came at different times to do touch up both asked me 1) if the glass panel was added at the last minute (like an after thought) 2) why wasn't a hole created in the 90-deg corner of the aluminum frame for the water to pass through 3) why wasn't there an extra drainage hole created near the WC. Well guys, I WONDER WHY TOO! Told them that 1) the glass panel was ordered right from the start 2) it was Alan who didn't wanna do the extra drainage hole for us ... And was met with a wry smile from these guys. They must've found it familiar. So there's no reprieve. We'll just have to live with having to sweep out and mop up the water each time it "ponds" near the WC. The other solution is to wash the bathroom less frequently, like once a month, maybe. It's not that big an issue, if one were to compare this with everything else that's going on in the world... Other than that, no problem at all. So far so good, 1 month after move-in. Anyway, it's been a huge learning experience for us, and we hope this blog helps the newbies in some way, like how we've learnt so much from the other t-bloggers here. Good luck to everyone and may your reno be smooth and good!

Well, well. Look at the parting gift Alan's plumbing guys left for us. Over the weekend, we had called in Hupfarri to check on a loud, gurgling noise coming from 1 WC. He opened the covers and this is what we saw. No wonder there was so much crap being flushed out initially. This has got nothing to do with the noise, of course. He also said that the siliconing should have been done all across the length of the tank, rather than just in the middle. I told Alan about it, and he said there's no need to do it all the way. Then I said the Hupfarri people recommend that it gets done. So he had no choice but to say ok. Anyway, speaking of Hupfarri, we've been quite pleased with their after-sales service. Same goes for VYY Pte Ltd (Swingslide Door). That's about it.

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, Alan is insisting nothing can be done about it. And it's not like we know any better. The hole that his workers offered to drill seemed smaller than the last finger of a child. That's not gonna work. I see. Fingers crossed I won't need to call any of them. But good to know that the electrician was accommodating.

Closed an eye to several small things. As for the rest, everything should be fix-able, less the MRB situation. Certainly hope we don't find anything else along the way. It would definitely be easier for us to spot stuff if we were a tad bit savvier... Were they willing to do it for you for free?

Thanks to all for your encouragment and advice. Hi jayque, what if we pay him after everything have been rectified, but find more thereafter? Won't be surprised if we do...

So Alan came by unannounced over the weekend to check on whatever rectification was outstanding. We told him about the drainage situation of the MBR bathroom floor and he said something like, "it's like that if you don't do a high and low floor". We then said that it was him who did not want to do it for us. Guess what he replied? "Anyway do already also no use." Awesome, right? So we said, "That's not true, your guys did it for us in the CBR and everything's well and good in there." Then he said: "Do already very ugly coz the higher part will be too high". Now, are we all 8ft tall? In the CBR, the height difference is only 1 tile's thickness. Which is, what, 1cm? The conversation was now getting very ridiculous and we did not want to prolong the nonsense any further. It's sad because we are the ones who have to live with the inconvenience everyday for the rest for the time we live there. While they just collect their money and live happily ever after. We also told him that we had to get someone to touch up the cement wall which his people had failed to do. But he was unmoved, even after having seen the wall with his own eyes. Speaking of money, Alan asked for his last cheque asap. This, despite not having that "final inspection" that most people have. He just kept repeating that we should rest assured that if there are any problems, he will get someone to fix it, even if we've paid in full. Because they are "professional" - something which we've long started to doubt.

I censored it. HAH. From my recent experience, yes, I agree that there are a lot of dishonest merchants out there. And bad customer service is rampant! Yes, I remember yours. Boo!!

Saw this on my FB news feed this morning. Just thought I should share it, because it's not the first time I am reading about this local furniture company. "After 5 physical trips to Small Claims Tribunal court and CASE consumer association, i finally managed to get an 85% refund on the useless, defective office chairs that i bought from unscrupulous merchant L**h L**h!!"

Thanks, Songz. You're ever so encouraging. All the best to your reno!

It's been over a week since moving in. We really like how quiet the place is, compared to my previous home, which was a walk-up right next to a semi-busy road. We're still short of a shoe cabinet and coffee table, plus the furnishings in the guest room, which is now still holding about 5 of my 20 boxes. The dog has peed on some area and it's been easy mopping everything off. Previously we were told by many IDs/contractors to retain the old tiles and just laminate it over. But we knew we couldn't trust the furkid not to mis-pee. And anyway, the flat was in the "original state" so I am guessing the tiles, which have some cracks, are over 1 decade old. Maybe 2. As for gripes, apart from the troublesome wall in the kitchen, we're not pleased with the drainage situation in the MBR bathroom, as mentioned. Lesson learnt: Insist, insist. If you've read my earlier posts, Alan was reluctant to create an extra drainage hole in both bathrooms. But his workers did it for us for the CBR. And now that bathroom works fine. It was a mistake not to have insisted they do it for the MBR too. Then there are some inconsistent paint blotches on 2 bedroom walls. The painters had assured us that they would look fine after the paint dries. But they don't. Told Alan about it and he is fast to wanna arrange for a touch up, but like I said, we don't really want to see the painters again, so we're contemplating painting it over ourselves. Over the weekend, Alan had his tiling team come over to touch up some grout lines in the bedroom floors, as well as apply something to minimize the visibility of some cracks on the MBR bathroom wall tiles. It can't be replaced because they said the tile cutter is blocked by the water pipe. So they can only apply some form of concealer. I expect to see them again to touch up the grouts of the living room. Tiny holes have appeared sporadically. I've also asked for the boxing up of a ceiling pipe in 1 bedroom, for which Alan arranged very quickly too. It's pretty inconvenient to have touch-ups and add-on works once you've moved in. Extra cleaning la. But I guess that can't be helped.

Some updates about our cement screed wall in the kitchen (1 wall)... As mentioned earlier, it was left nice and raw because Alan's painters did not provide a decent finishing for it. We asked for matte and they produced some overly thick, glossy liquid which wasn't even mixed properly, thereby leaving lots of bubbles on the wall (on the patch they "tested" out on, which was bigger than one would normally select to test on!). We then asked for the patch to be removed, and the workers wiped it off with thinner, and scraped off the last bits - probably really stubborn bits - thereby causing a few vertical dents. The wall looked nice on its own unfinished, but it got powdery, and worse, we recently found small clumps falling off! There was this independent sub-con we found, who claimed to have sourced for a special blend of matte "epoxy". If not for the falling clumps, we'd not have decided to proceed with the application of this special blend. See pix for how nice the light grey effect was! Anyway, the subcon came over yesterday, and to our relief, the finishing effect was truly matte. In fact, it is rather gorgeous if you're going for the vintage/retro look (we're not, but nevermind), as it causes a slight sepia, old skool effect. Taping the skirtings like all painters should. Alan's painters did not, that's why we had to spend time, effort and money cleaning the paint off the skirting tiles all over the flat 3 days before move-in. Unfortunately, though, the guy and his assistant were in a bit of a hurry, and the hasty application and hurried strokes resulted in a wall of unsightly inconsistency (by my own standards). I know it's not easy applying varnish or lacquering, and of course, some may say it's nice/ok to have mixed strokes for that raw effect. But I was really expecting a consistent finish. Personal preference. For those who wish to know where the special blend came from, the sub-con said it's not available in the stores, as he had it mixed in a factory. We have 3/4 of a big tin left over, and we are happy to sell it off at a token price. Please PM me to arrange. Note: It is perfectly do-able to paint it yourself. All you need is a small, "non-furry" roller, a tray to get rid of excess liquid (which they did not bring ), a good deal of patience and a few hours in the afternoon. Do it area by area, without being overly ambitious. Spread the liquid thin in quick strokes so they do not dry and leave roller marks. It is your wall. You're the one living with it and staring at it day in and out. Nobody will take better care in working on it than you. Anyway, the patched up dents + the mended holes around the water pipes and electrical trunking are of a different colour, so after the finishing, they do look out of place. But we've tried our best with that. According to the sub-con, Alan's guys had used plaster instead of cement, so I think we should all stop calling it a cement screed wall, huh? I don't know what's the diff, nor the pros and cons of both. I just know that if bits start falling off, it was badly done, no matter what was used. Told Alan about the falling clumps and his reply was consistent: "Cement walls will crack." I said crack, yes, but bits are falling off, you know? What if these clumps get bigger?? He then said he would get someone to come touch up. But I've long lost faith in his people who did the plastering and paint. The former left uneven bits around the living room walls, and dents around several window frames. The latter, well, read my earlier posts. I really don't wish to see them again. Now we're waiting to touch up half of the wall - the half that has less finishing than the other. We really, really love the half with the thin application (they finally got it right after doing half the wall!) but since we can't thin the thick side, we can only thicken the thin side. If you know what I mean. It's yet another work week so this can only be done over the weekend. All in all, this wall has proven to be very "leychey", not to mention expensive ($300ish charged by the sub-con). If you happen to be a client of Alan's, who's thinking of having cement screed walls somewhere in your flat, you may want to take a greater interest in the creation and development of the walls. Don't just leave it all to him.

Hi there, we got the decals from Tokyo. The safety gate (LUCKY BABY Smart System 2-Way Swing Back Gate) is from BabyTown. Specs and details here.

We love cats. But we have allergies.

Not sure if you'll know where the source but if so, please share it with me. My gate/door is number-less.

Yeah I liked it for the colour. And that it doesn't require screwing because it is "pressure-mounted".

It's been almost a week and I am still airing them. But the wardrobes are empty coz I am still living out of the boxes. The smell is very faint now so I can start filling them up this weekend!

It's a her. Hehe. She spends the day in the kitchen, but not to worry, we've got a pretty decent-sized kitchen. At my old place she has peed all over - including the sofa - out of boredom, spite and old age combined. The gate is from Babytown. With the biggest extension, it costs a whopping $110! There are cheaper options if one does not mind it swinging 1 way instead of 2. Thanks for the tip! Will check it after work!

It was on sale at Natural Living's Sunget Kadut outlet. Many good finds at that 3-storey bulding (or was it 4?). It was one of my favourite shopping spots. Wood dining tables (solid and veneered) cost between $800 to $1.5K, depending on size. Definitely cheaper than Scanteak and Ethnicraft, though not as pretty as the latter. It's $200 for an L-Shaped rack with PVC planks. An ordinary rack should cost just $150. Do call and ask. The uncle is quite ok.

I've had my fair share of bad experiences with certain shops/suppliers during my reno and furnishing phases. All I can say is that customer service at some places is appalling. Or perhaps non-existent. I will tell my friends to avoid these places. And for those bad reviews I read here, I will avoid the companies myself.