Jump to content
Find Professionals    Deals    Get Quotations   Portfolios

wyx03

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content Count

    167

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    2

Posts posted by wyx03

  1. Posted

    While removing the downlight from the false ceiling, I suggest that you wear some kind of eye protector to avoid particles from dropping into your eyes while looking upwards. It's also good to have someone to hold a vacuum cleaner close to the downlight that you are removing. Otherwise the particles will just flying around in the air.

  2. Posted

    hahaha don't worry, my 1st draft is the same as yours... I use paint brush and mark those items I am not getting for my new home + measurement error & google the images of the items I am buying, just cut n paste onto the drawing and send back to my ID to amend. Sometimes verbal communication really cannot relay what we really wanted, it is better to do some simple visual for your ID then the rest up to him to photo-shop nicely into the drawings. Unless you really have no idea what you want for your home, then rely fully on ID to design but I guess most home owners aga-aga know what they are expecting and just need I.D to draw out to visualize the outcome.

    Show you a sample of how I sent for amendment.. hahaha

    haha...we did the same. Making many slides of ppt with photos and comments, but still........ :bangwall:

    Hopefully the revised 3D drawings fix at least 80% of them ....finger crossed :bow:

  4. Posted

    we already signed up with him. I think we have spent more than 20 hrs in discussion since we 1st met him at his office on 8/18. Other than buying a car and our existing HDB flat, we have never spent so much on our hard earn $$....so better be long-winded before signing the reno contract :D

    But, we did turn down one very good and sincere ID from DnT after a ~5 hrs discussion. We liked her style, but too bad that it took her ~2 weeks to respond on our 1st draft quotation due to her on-going projects. We felt so guilty and sorry after deciding to drop her :bow:

    Nothing new to update now while waiting for HDB to rectify the defects. So, spent time at home testing all the LED lights bought from Tmall...so far all good. Still got 30pcs of 12W LED downlights to test.....

  5. Posted

    Continued from yesterday unfinished discussion with my ID on the details of the reno items, such as the design theme, design and layout of cabinets, wardrobes, materials, etc. Total time spent was about 6 hrs....so thankful for his patient and flexibility :good:

    Nothing much can do from now on other than waiting for the notice from HDB after they rectified the defects, which involves cracked and uneven tiles... :(

  6. Posted

    Received TMall online purchase packages yesterday. Opened every box to inspect for defect, especially 2x basins (38x52cm), 2x mirrors (60x80cm & 45x60cm), 2x T5 tube's LED lights, 2x toilet mirror LED light bars, 50x LED downlights and the SST kitchen sink. So lucky that all of them are in good shape. Tested a few low-profile 12W LED downlights and the 15W T5-tubed LED lights. Very satistified....bright, evenly spread light and didn't get as hot as expected after turning them on for few hours :yeah:

    gallery_62932_509_107193.jpg

    gallery_62932_509_104428.jpg

    gallery_62932_509_96092.jpg

    gallery_62932_509_4557.jpg

  7. Posted

    Went for defect inspection with my ID today. Spotted many that need HDB to rectify. Was told to wait for HDB's update in 1~2 weeks time, which means my reno will be delayed. Left only less than 6 weeks for my reno :(

    Here are the defects spotted and reported to HDB:

    1) > 1M hair line crack on the wall next to dinning area

    2) Scratches on the main door

    3) Broken light switch in bomb shelter

    4) Uneven mosaic tiles in both WC

    5) Uneven wall tiles in MBR WC

    6) Sharp edges between uneven tiles in MBR WC

    7) Hole along MBR WC door frame due to insufficient cement

    8) >5 cracked tiles in common WC

    9) Uneven mosaic tiles in common WC

    10) Rusted common WC's door frame

    11) Broken circuit breakers' catch in DB box

    12) Flaky and cracked paint on the service yard's wall

    13) Terribly low water pressure. HDB explained that they will increase the pressure once more residents started occupying the flat.....hope that's true :rolleyes:

  8. Posted

    Me and my wife shortlisted only 5 IDs recommended by forumers here. Most of them are quite professional, especially a young lady in DnT. She was so patient sharing her ideas with us for more than 4 hours (until 9pm, IIRC). We actually wanted to engage her as our ID, but I guess she was too busy with her on-going projects that she could only start preparing the 3D layout for us about 2 weeks later. So, we eventually signed up with our current ID who has more than 20 yrs experiences as contractor+ID. My home reno will start probably 1~2 weeks from now. Hopefully, no surprises along the way as my reno cost ~65k for a 110sqm 5 rm BTO :rolleyes:

    Good luck to your "ID-shopping" :) ......it's a very exhausting process I would say.

  14. Posted · Edited by wyx03_2002

    Juz collected the keys today. Did some auspicious 1st door opening ceremony such as rolling in pineapple, spreading rice/salt at corners, etc. Took measurement of all the flooring dimensions and briefly inspected for defects. Nothing major except a hair line crack on one of the wall at dining area (need to check with ID if that's normal though), and a broken light switch in the bomb shelter. Took some photos to share with those who are still waiting for their key collection but can't wait to see how their new home looks like

    Floor plan

    gallery_62932_509_57473.jpg

    gallery_62932_509_173345.jpg

    gallery_62932_509_235357.jpg

    gallery_62932_509_243611.jpg

    30/12/2014: Edited to consolidate all photos due to limitation in gallery, and updated with post-reno photos. Feel free to pm me if you need photos at certain places in the house.

    • Thanks 1

  16. Posted

    Just to share my previous experiences with them back in year 2002. Very disappointed with their ID (Kenneth) in doing my renovation, which cost >sgd30K for a 110sqm 4-room in CCK. Workmanship is below average and lots of excuses to not fix problems such as uneven overlaying of floor tiles in kitchen and bathrooms, etc. Eventually, we have to give up on him and engaged other contractors to touch up the defects at our own cost. Hope they have improved by now.....

  19. Posted · Edited by wyx03_2002

    Hi, Bought the REI-A330DP (with pump) from Universal Union at ~422 with GST. Didn't bargain much as we were so delighted with the services provided by the boss. Tested it at home without running the pump, the water pressure is slightly better than my exsiting Joven water heater. Will test it with pump running after next Monday's pre-sales inspection by HDB. Intend to use it for my new top floor BTO.

    Was looking for Joven SL30iP initially, but couldn't find it locally. Pls share if you found it locally with the approved SAFETY label. Thks!

  22. Posted

    Hi, anyone care to share the pro's and con's of the top-mount and under-mount sinks?

    Considering to get a ~800mm SST sink on my quarts table top, but undecided on which type of installation that gives less trouble in term of water leaking through silicon seal, maintenance and future replacement. Thks!

  23. Posted

    Why I prefer AE rather than TB the reasons and experiences i encountered. To be direct, AE also MIC stuffs. As for TB, normally you need a Daigou to do all the orders for you. Most of them don't ship overseas.

    If the products you ordered reach Sg without any problems or defects, TB is always the first choice. But if in the process of faulty items, scratches, or even the items not right, 65 daigou will represent you to nego with the sellers.....

    But the negotiations will be always you on the losing side. Yes, one on one exchange, BUT...... you need to sent back the items to them, who is gonna bear the shipping cost? I call share from my experience and most Singaporeans mentality, " Aiya, forget about it, so troublesome" This was what I encountered by ordering my coffee table from TB. My daigou can only nego a 40 RMB refund for me, I had post earlier, a big cut on one side of the table. Pathetic right? A coffee table cost SGD 200, got a refund of only SGD8.

    I bought many items via AE. I encountered 3-4 problems and it was solve within hours. First was the sink faucet, one of the tap leaks. I took a photo, no need to sent back the item, the seller resent another one for me with DHL within 4 days.

    Second was my LED rain shower, again the seller sent me a 8" head but i ordered and paid for the 16"...... and yet the seller sent me a 16" for replacement within days, and I kept the 8" one , still with me.

    No doubts AE is more expensive but I really found it worth.

    And a few more incidents...... The above are all my personal encounters and experience. IMHO

    Just sharing hope it will help those people who's first time reno. I learned from Renotalk, and it's time to share ........... Good Luck!

    Hi Sforshor,

    Thanks for your detailed tips! I guess I will buy those fragile items from AE and the rest from TB.

    Just met with a few IDs last weekend. Spent few hours with each ID (~3 hours at DnT)...it's really a very tiring process.

    Do you know if every ID from the same designer house uses the same contractor? Thanks!

  24. Posted

    Hi

    Hi Ashlee,

    I also saw it and liked it a lot. I asked my contractor to do the same.

    And it was very screwed up. It is not as easy as it seems.

    So please choose a good contractor.

    Sharing some mistakes that we learnt along the way:

    1) insist on having correctly sized tiles that will fit the width of your concrete structure to minimise tiler's effort in cutting tiles, we had tiles that were slanted and chipped as well as tiles that are unequal in size with jagged edges

    2) ensure that contractor have steel bars to reinforce the cement slab, we are halfway through our reno and our cement structure cracked! not sure if steel bars were laid properly (or if they were even used!!!) to reinforce the cement slab and we are worried now.

    3) ensure that the 'neck' of your tap is long enough to go through the cement support - we needed additional 'height' because we told contractor we wanted cement support with tiles and granite countertop, hence the tap's neck length became problematic.

    4) ensure that contractor got the 'correct' countertop height - our contractor built the support about 2 cm lower than what we requested - we got him to rectify it and it became more problematic. So, get it right the first time- less headache later.

    We are still midway through renovations. Hope it can be all trashed out and everything will be ok.

    Good luck to you and hope this helps!

    Good tips on the steel bar reinforcement. Thanks!
    • Like 1

  25. Posted · Edited by wyx03_2002

    Hello! We hav engaged Ideal House ID after getting quotes from abt 10 other companies? It was a tough decision - between Ideal House and another company in terms of cost and reviews on Renotalk.

    Reno has started! Hopefully all goes smoothly! I'm too lazy to start a tblog. Haha but will show some finished photos once completed!

    Could you please pm me your other choice of ID? I plan to shortlist a few IDs and visit them this weekend. Thks!
×