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Thoughts on buying from Malaysia 1) Light purchase: Buy all your lights from Malaysia For same items, we save nearly half of what was quoted by Sg seller which is SGD 2,200. We spend only RM 2,000 for same items in Msia. 2) Ask your contractor for his name card to use for discount: Pretend to be a Singapore contractor bringing customer to buy from them and the Msia seller will discount up to 40% from retail price. However they will need a name card for their recording purposes. 3) Know Singapore price: Some things are more expensive in Malaysia so knowing your Sg price will help you to decide whether or not to buy from Msia. 4) Buy spare: If you buy from Msia, you can buy some spare like additional down-light so that you don't have to go back to buy when the current one spoils. 5) Measure first : Same as buying from Ikea, do your measurement accurately to prevent having to go back to Msia to replace the wrong items.

Thoughts on buying from Tao Bao 1) Air vs sea freight: Although Tao Bao provide convenient direct air freight service, the cost is much higher. I recommend sea freight for bulk purchases. 2) Reading past buyer comments: It is important to read past buyers comments however note that some comments are fake especially if the user name profile look funny. The more reviews there is, the safer it is. 3) No of sales made: Similar to point 2, the more sales that have been made, the safer it is. 4) Location of seller: If your sea freight forwarder is located in Guangzhou, then try to buy from seller in the nearby region. You reduce the risk of damages of your items during the transportation and the required time needed. 5) Use AXS instead of NETS payments : Use AXS machine to top up AliPay account to reduce transaction fee charged for using NETS. Also some TaoBao shops only accept Alipay.

Thoughts on saving money 1) Buy locally or oversea: If possible, buy all small but individually inexpensive items like table lights, small fans, dustbin, small decorating items from oversea. You will find that you save significantly adding up but your risk of losing lot of money getting any individual small items of poor quality is low. For any large or expensive item, I will buy locally mainly due to the transport cost and also that it is easier to rectify or return to seller for defective item. 2) Mix cheap and expensive items together: To reduce costs but still give a luxury feel, go for one or two expensive items but keep the rest cheap in a room. For example, in the living room go for expensive sofa but cheap and good design coffee table, TV console, TV. 3) Original or look alike item: As long the quality is similar, go for look alike items rather than the original. For example, I got similar Dyson fans from China which is of 80 percent quality to the original but at 1/10 of the price. 4) Don't spend on appliance functions that is seldom use: Be aware of seller trying to up-sell you items functionality that you seldom use. For example, self cleaning oven if your intention for the oven is more for show than cake baking. 5) Don't spend on extended warranty: I think not many peoples can find the extended warranty or remember whether that there is one after two years of usage.

no customised carpentry..cos it is very expensive so we only have customised cupboard for kitchen.. for electrical, it is not part of the reno package..so we redo the first floor only...and its already 3k..waa heartpain..the electrician keep asking us to do the 2nd floor also but being Mr and Mrs CAT (stingy) we die die reject..wahaha For water piping, we only shifted the dish washing area so it is not much work too..

yes, i think it is worth it..also we intend to stay here for a long long time so should be able to wait until the property market recover..keke

we basically redo the holder and replace the step with liminated floorboard only..

yes will do so in a more reasonable speed... i think only i update blog longer than 3 mths..haha..

Thoughts on ID vs Contractor Difference between ID and Contractor 1) Price: Contractor price is lower than the interior designers’. The pricing is low because contractors usually do not provide floor plan, perspectives, ceiling plan or detail drawings. They also do not or provide limited design suggestions. The reason for the higher price charged by the interior designers is due to their time and efforts. 2) Knowledge: Contractor are more knowledgeable on practical issue like L Box that are not enclosed tend to have maintenance issues with pest and dust accumulation while ID are more knowledgeable on design trends. 3) Worry-free renovation: For me, it all depend on your luck. Why? Because if your house have a lot of hidden problems that is not obvious during initial planning like past owner did electrical work using shoddy contractor, water pipes badly corroded etc than it is likely to increase time and money to rectify. However the more experienced ID or contractor can resolve the problem more effectively. 4) Design focus or basic renovation: Contractor is basic renovation with limited imagination. ID is more imaginative and aim for design customized for you. However be aware that to save time and effort, many ID reuse design template from their other past works so the uniqueness is questionable. 5) Services: Think I can only say that the more you pay the tendency is that you get better service since they can spend more time with you and still earn good money. Conclusion: My own personnel feel is that I will only spend a lot of money to engage a ID if I am living in a multi-millions property as the percentage of ID cost to the value of my home is low ($100,000/$3,000,000 = 3%). But if you ask me to spend 100k on a 400k flat, then I rather use the money on buying a bigger flat or a better location. DISCLAIMER: IT IS MY OWN PERSONNEL VIEW ONLY. :)

Toilet purchases from Msia Taobao purchases from China

We started looking at EMs just when the start of all the cooling measures start to kick in. We thought it is a good deal then when we got our EM at Bishan for COV of 45k as it used to be around 100k to 150k. Now that we got the flat, it seemed we are not that good at predicting the future as we saw some Bishan EM going for COV 20k..signz.. Anyway now that we have started the renovation process, it is becoming nearly quite as exciting as waiting for our first baby..keke.. As usual practice, we got many quotations from various contractors and manage to get a good quote for 45k. Let me list out the main work below: 1) Hack and replace with new tiles for level 1 2) Hack all old false ceiling and replace with L box for dining and living area 3) Hack and replace kitchen with customised cupboard and wall and floor tiles 4) Hack all 3 toilets and replace with new tiles 5) Overlay with laminated floorboard for level 2 6) Repaint the whole flat I will update with pictures soon. Update on 15 Sep 2014:- Finished product: New Before and after pic Demolish Living room 1st floor Guest room 1st floor Dining room 1st floor Kitchen 1st floor Stair 1st floor Stair 2nd floor Baby Room 2nd floor Study room 2nd floor Common toilet 2nd floor MBR 2nd floor MBR toilet 2nd floor

Pm you the contact le..

its $350 per window so $700 for 2 bedrooms..

I want to do curtain for my 2 small bedrooms window and was quoted $350 per window for single layer (mean only got night curtain but no day curtain), dim out fabric and no lining. Dimension is W161cm x H230cm. I think it is a good price.. should I go ahead?

Hi all..do you think 815k is a fair price to buy a bishan EM?

Hi people, Do you know any professional curtain sewer?

i think it is due to the busy CNY period...

yeah..only the really desp after too many trips to MBS casino go to moneylender..

what is "we will have enough"? Mean your CPF is more than enough to pay off the full flat? if yes then they will not lend you..cos HLE is after HDB clear out all your CPF OA..

maybe can get your reno loan from the bank you have borrowed before (HDB bank loan etc)..if you have no bad record, it will be easier..

get reno loan after you get your keys...then it wont affect your TDSR.. it is 6 time your monthly salary..so 3.6 x 6 =21.6k

Now GSS on, so I think can get good deal at major stores..

i like Bosch..cos I just bought the whole set for discount 1700 at gain city...cooker, hood and oven...GSS!! keke..