Lakmy

Me in Pasir Ris... somewe between Loyang and Downtown East.. St.21

Hi Clockwork! What a drastic change. Wow I wish I was as brave.. Cheers!

Hi! I am a hindu but I consulted a geomancer. Maybe it helps that the vastushastra we practice is very close to fengshui. It cost between 500 to 1000 $. Some things recommended were, hanging a mirror, placing alum + rock salt in bathroom (scientifically proven to eliminate malodors) wearing a particular gemstone (jewelry by any name is still jewelry) in a ring or pendant. Putting a landscape scenery/poster without any water source (as too much water already so I changed my painting) Changing position of study table, beds etc. Covering up certain mirrors or glass surface with curtains... eliminating broken objects (helped to spring clean) choosing wall colors and curtain colors to match. Putting a picture of galloping horses etc. None of the above had any religious connotations. So I dont see any harm in using fengshui which bases itself on the earth;s positioning (E_W_N_S) vis-a vis a homes location as a science rather than as a religious practice. The above is all my own opinion and views and u r free to disagree or differ

Hi everybody! I have never lived below the 7th floor all my life, until now when I am on the ground floor! And I love it! Like some of you have said, its the neighbours and the condition of the estate you live in that is the most important!! There are 2 groundfloor units in my block and my neighbour is a Chinese family with 3 kids (the eldest is same age as my eldest:) and a cute puppy who joyully welcomes us with a kind of jump and rotate routine .. I took the initiative and broke the ice and now we are on warm terms and the kids get along like a house on fire. They are also living on the groundfloor for the first time.. moved in couple of years before us. At the Aug mature estate ballot with a number of 558 I had to choose between 3 units in Pasir Ris, when my turn came... 2 were 2nd floor with views of carpark and view of basketball court respectively. The groundfloor unit which until then we had crossed out.... had totally ublocked view from all the windows.. of a verdant grassy stretch full of palm trees... and machiam like landed property. Lots of space for my gardening hobby.. and easy to teach my son cycling My housing agent friend said if you want USP when it comes to selling go for highest or lowest. So I decided to go for lowest Yeah cockroaches seem nearer.. esp after a fogging session by the town council... I see them all around, but they used to crawl out at night even on the 7th floor and above. Inside the house... with good ventilation and breeze and essential oil (I have tried Patchouli and Youli Youli not too strong .. just nice) and all the Mozzie routine practiced deligently as advised by nea.. no mozzies or other creatures so far. One thing I appreciate the most is a kind of pavilion hdb has built at a distance mostly between 2 blocks.. with lights/fans/taps provision...most wakes/weddings/whatevers are held there... so I still dont feel them intruding on my living space. Kudos to HDB on the pavilion for functions idea!

Not true! My dining area fan has 4 lights and since it has a 9 feet+ ceiling height I put a ceiling fan ... I think 54" and I find it very cool. the lights are 11 watts each- the philips twister ones. I think how cool the wind is depends on ceiling height n motor... imho

I used 3M to hang a clock. Less than 2 kg ..but i still used a 2 kg hook. A couple of nights later there was a big crash. It had fallen hook and all. The glass pane cracked into a million pieces. Luckily nobody was hurt. Had followed instructions and done it right...so how?? The paint below also got stripped. So a white patch the size of the 3M tape now remains a constant reminder.... Like Mace I wud recomment conventional nails and hammer!!

Hi Gumbokins! Feel like I have been in hibernation, logged in after ages!! hopes all well with U! I too started off with plants from Ikea in my new house, Had them indoors for a short while, now transplanted into bigger pots. Just spent about $30 on a varied collection of easy to grow plants... + fertilised soil + some simple pots. Japanese bamboo, money plant, a small yukka, 4 plants which my kids chose.. 4 weeks later: a couple of plants seem to be on their way to plant heaven but most are flourishing so becoming more adventurous. now I have added basil and mint to my collection.. for their fragrance. A couple of my upstairs neighbours actually volunteered cuttings from their plants when they saw me transplanting, so its a good ice-breaker too From one I got a couple of bulbs of the money plant (not the creeping type, but the ones most chinese houses seem to have with red ribbons tied to them... anyone knows their name??) and its already growing a beautiful new bud... ready to unfurl soon. Another gave me a couple of bromeliads (What is that?? see this link :http://www.baag.com.au/fsg_bromeliads.html) So now I am set!! Go Green!

Hi! Havent been online for almost a week... vowsh , they offer me a choice of plain black or white india granite or a number of china granite with patterns. Have lived forever with black Indian granite, back home, so decided to go for a beigish granite with patterns...(think they call it tiger pattern) love it!! Kitchen psf is $69 And granite is $90 If I choose a galaxy black or pearl black I wud have to pay $120 psf...just fyi. The kitchen is their 10th Anniversary gift to the customers so they actually did it at cost. This even their competitors agreed, was a very good price which they cant match. My total reno, including total hacking and relaying of 2 bathroom floor and wall as well as kitchen floor and walls, and service balcony floor tiles All the carpentry work.... 3 wardrobes (13 + 6 + 5 feet), bookself cum storage cupboard (8 feet) + shoe cabinet- cum divider (4 feet full height, with mirror backing) as well as painting + plumbing + electrical work came to 27 K. Exceeded my planned budget by 4k........ I spent another 4 k on buying lights + toilet accessories + hood-hob n aircon + grills + ceiling fans ...right up to the last hook I purchased came into the 4 K So grand total of 31 K for a EA (area is 150 and ceiling is higher than 9 feet, maybe bcoz its a ground floor unit.... so all the dimensions viz windows doors, curtains were extra large... compared to normal hdb stds) Best thing about them is their punctuality, every appointment my Id was on time and handover also as scheduled... have moved in on 8th Dec... so far no complaints.... and still have a 8 year guarantee!!

Hi Skywolf! lookin4change from sgbrides... Welcome to Renotalk.. Good buy.. and am sure Mace will approve of the square layout... FS wise!! Happy New Year to all the resident and non-resident spammers...

Hi Mrs.Zc31! Good to see you here too! Hi Mr.Zc31! Its been some time since I saw a reno blog that I feel like following thro to the end.... Keep up the good work. Here's to the 2 of u

Good Morning Mace! You n Mrs. Mace were wonderful hosts!! I cant forget that great gear-filled mechanism on ur kitchen wall.. that also tells the time. N yeah rosewood treasure trove!! I will have a difficult time convincing hb why NOT to buy a great Ah Kong clock LOL! Great to meet Cantona (The Hunk ) Applefreak! missed meeting u leh! Donno why ....but was looking fwd to meeting u too. BKKTeng! Did I get the name right?? It was wonderful talking to u n hb too! No Monday morning blues today lor!!

Hi! U chk out clockworks blog .. can DIY n re-do the table top. What I did is this: Bought the wood-looking roll of paper with adhesive on one side and stuck it on my daughters table. Can buy at any hdb area shops... which sell all the mops/buckets and everything-in-between shops. At 2.50 per roll. Very strong adhesive and its a big roll.. got lots leftover, Make sure u smoothen as u stick and ensure no bubbles... somemo waterproof so can wipe with wet cloth to clean. Looks like brand new.. worst case it she messes again I can peel it off and fix a new one end of next year!! P>S>Hi Mace: I just realised I made a cheep n eazy contribution

Gumbokins! Waah U really brave lady lor But still kena subdued by A**** How aa... if I was in ur place I wud be sooo scared! Gumbokins the Lion(ess) hearted!! Hope u dont have any more hassles... just paste a notice saying 'if they trouble u will send A to renovate their home" that will surely scare them!! LOL

Did he say hack up whole floor or only hack the 4 affected tiles n replace?

True! Very True! If something is my idea and he implement and it works out its like "see I told u" Lucky I am nearby coz he seldom supervise, in fact quite a few times he ask ME to "can go over n help me to tell the workers..." As the end is nearing, he keeps bleating abt how the kitchen was such a good deal so he is not making much.... IS that MY problem.. hello! am I the one who askd them to open a booth n offer a 10th anniversary promotion!! Go fight ur boss lah! or whoever made the decision!! As its coming to a conclusion he is telling me that i have to top up for a couple of things... closing the ventilation gap on top of the door in one room (which was a small job but which his electrician or someone saw as partly spoilt n ripped the whole thing off) Shud I be made to pay for that?? abt 150 he is charging!! Another is a false backing for my altar so I can hang pics on it rather than drill on the walls... that one I want to pay.. dont want free!

Anyway to return to the original topic: We put the sink inside the kitchen cabinet... So as to not corrode by mistake. Ray from Asia excel says,,, sometimes they wash hands or pour excess cleaning solvent into kitchen sink n can cause rust spots. Hob n hood as long as covered will be ok. Worried abt splatter by irresponsible cleaners on to the kitchen surface. I must say I am impressed with the service provided by the Asia Excel boss.. Ray. He personally bot the whole stuff in a van and place it in my kitchen Pouring cats n dogs ... somemo. My Id who was like... If u go with Lookz whom i recommend' then u wont have this problem in the first place..... Was also silenced by this kind of service!! Kudos to Asia Excel... to err is human but to rectify n deliver on time is excellent service!!

Hi Gumbokins!! He do the same to me.. Chemical cleaning b4 plumbing Can u imagine .. all the wc n basin n taps all over the place n he did chemical cleanin, This stupid A**** is getting on my nerves The vanity cabinet in CBR is too close to the wc. No place to squeeze in a leg... forget sitting comfy on the throne!! "No choice then we have to dismantle it hor" he says " I told u mah! will b v close mah!" I remember i asked him do we need one in CBR... He said will be very nice, once in alifetime do reno n all that rubbish. I later did coz of my d'ter almost a teenager... can use lor. Once we finish tiling I ask him "we cancel n not make vanity cabinet? Coz looks like no space?" ... he say no can make...no problem... i got make other houses even more smaller than yours and still very nice..... And today he says...It was MY decision ... what is he for .. if he cant advise what to do n what not to do!! Somemo keep saying u getting a ID's service..... I think good contractors are worth 10 times more than a lousy ID!!

Hi gumbokin! We are in the same boat leow! Welcome to hijack lor! Anytime,,, that goes for Mace too and all the forummers, The more the merrier..

Wow! I shud go... for the partition/divider... I mean

OOPS ! i too used Lite n Space! Hope dont see any patches!! Better go n take a look. Luckily only used it wherever I use shades of white... dark colors are all Easy wash...sure got lots of touch ups done after electrical works finished!

Yup right!! I got it some months ago... just happened to be day-off for hb...jus happened to be in Northpoint for breakfast... happened to be JL Friday morning specials... happened to see lot of my neighbour aunties all looking excited... it was just 8.30 am.. so had breakfast and went to just look-look see-see... bought the 2 woks as well as zebra sauce pans with lids .. 2 for 10 purrfect for cooking maggi mee ... n at least 2 types of glasses for serving drinks at 6pcs for $6... wet-wipes, single bedsheet sets all within 50 bucks!! + got the 5% discount as card holder osso cut out coupon from Straits times... 10 $ off for every 50$ hor... Lucky we had just bot the newspaper and had it with us!! Never been able to make it for the fri morn sales b4 or after that day lor!! nowadays they advertise sale n have sales at expo so often that I dont think its really a disount sale! just sales gimmick

I use iron wok with no handle for heavy cooking... and a Meyer non-stick 40 cm deep wok with handles n a lid for any stir fry dishes.... (bot at a steal at 9.90 each at a JL Friday morning sale.. I bot 2 ,,, one reserve as i never saw the original 89.90 selling so cheap in my 10 yrs of shopping for cookware here.. ) Only thing u must make sure is never heat empty non-stick wok... either put some oil or onion or garlic or whatever u r cooking immediately after u switch on the gas.... so prepare everything before u switch on the gas when using non-stick or teflon. Whereas for iron wok u can pre-heat it before u add ur ingredients!!

Hi JS21! where did u buy ur wicker sofa set and if u dont mind how much did u pay for it? Thnaks!

Cns osso emailed me the pics for my approval before fabricating. Certain designs at 8 pfr and others more. A-grade aluminium charged me 350 for the gate as [per my design} and 380 for my yard 3 panel sliding window and 40 for my unit number sign. Donno if expensive ... but I like their service... In fact recommended to me by another Forummer Tristesse.. tristesse if u chance upon this, Vincent did a great job!! I was so impressed with his attitude and his service that I decided to split the works between two companies where the price diff was not much!! All done smoothly .. touch wood.

Mace: u r the limit. LOL