therat

If u are the new owner for this NEW HDB. Do you accept this kind of quality? Last time, HDB cheap cheap. Don't have this problem. Now, HDB ex ex. Got this kind of problem. Standard dropping? Low QC or don't have QC? Who is the builder? Who is the developer?

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1168146/1/.html SINGAPORE: Residents who have just moved into the five newly-completed blocks of flats at Havelock Road received a rude shock upon collecting their keys. Since September, they have been putting up with water seepage problems that have stained the walls and floors of their units. HDB said it received 44 complaints and rectification works have already been completed. The only work that's still ongoing is the painting of the external wall which will be completed by mid-December. Residents said they were satisfied with HDB's swift action to rectify the problem but remain concerned should the problem persist. Residents interviewed had mixed views. One said: "I wonder when the contractor did this project, wasn't there any quality control? How could this happen?" While another said: "I don't feel unlucky. As long as they rectify the problem I'm happy." - CNA/ck

I assume your new 4rm is referring getting directly from HDB. Assume your 2nd HDB aka 5rm directly from HDB If yes, levy. If take CPF grant, levy too.

Centre area no space for the show flat. But alot of agent @ the MRT side.. walk -way to the hawker centre

Begoff, is 60% loan If had existing loan.

http://news.insing.com/tabloid/hdb-chief-flats-smaller-but-lives-better/id-22113f00 Housing Development Board (HDB) chief Cheong Koon Hean says that smaller flats do not compromise the quality of living in Singapore. This comes after feedback that flats are becoming smaller over the years and affecting the people's quality of life. Defending the smaller flats, Cheong says that smaller families in recent times have resulted in more living space. Furthermore, she feels that a HDB flat can be a very comfortable living environment if furniture and storage space are optimised. "If people take a bit of effort to do up the interior, it can be an excellent flat," she said. She added, "Our families are (becoming) smaller. In the old days, we had very large families living in flats. Today, the family (size) is two, three or four." As a result of rising land costs and the need to keep flats affordable, the size of HDB flats has shrunk by 5% to 10% over the last two to three decades. For example, a five-room flat in Bukit Batok Central built in 1989 has a floor area of 121sqm, compared to 110sqm for a similar unit built in 2003. With smaller families, an occupant in a 110sqm five-room flat today will have 31sqm of space, while a resident of a 121sqm five-room flat in the '80s had about 25sqm of space. Commenting on the matter, real estate lecturer Assistant Professor Lin Lan Yuan from the National University of Singapore (NUS) says that this way of calculation cannot apply to everyone. He feels that there are also big families out there and smaller flats will affect the quality of life for such families. Asst Prof Lin also believes that the current 5% to 10% reduction in space is still acceptable but further reductions will cause problems. "Some bedrooms are so small now that you have no space to turn around after you put a bed and a wardrobe in the room," he said. He also suggests that HDB could consider flexible designs and allow house owners to make adjustments to the living room and bedroom walls.

Don't create the same topic across the forum. Will remove the rest , left this.

Don't create the same topic across the forum. Will remove the rest , left this.

http://news.insing.com/tabloid/house-owners-new-flats-come-with-many-defects/id-70083f00 House owners: New flats come with many defects A large group of new house owners appear to be receiving defective new flats. The affected house owners are from the newly completed Park Central@AMK DBSS project located at Ang Mo Kio Street 52. One of the house owners, Mr Chen (39, civil servant) received the keys to his flat in Blk 588C on 4 September. He went to check his flat two days later and was surprised to find many problems. "I found that my keys couldn't even fit in the newly installed gate. There were about 20 tiles not properly fixed in the living room and kitchen. There were paint splashes on the floor, and the laminated flooring was also not fixed properly." The tiles in the new flat were apparently set unevenly, and paint from the walls has stained the floors. Unhappy with the state of his new flat, Mr Chen listed all the defects found in his flat and submitted the list to the estate developer on 24 September. He did not receive a reply. Not giving up, Mr Chen submitted another similar request to the developer on 22 October. Finally responding, a contractor was sent to his new house to repair his gate, but ignored the rest of the defects. Mr Chen isn't the only house owner who received a defective flat. Another house owner in the estate, Mr Tan (age 30s) also received a defective flat. Mr Tan called up the developer only to find out that his repairs will have to wait as there are hundreds of people with similar defective flats waiting for repairs. Source: Shin Min Daily News, 7 November 2011. Click here for the Chinese report.

http://news.omy.sg/News/Local%2BNews/Story/OMYStory201111071500-288764.html 有屋主炮轰，位于宏茂桥的设计、兴建和销售计划（简称DBSS）组屋有很多瑕疵，地板铺得不好，滴到满地油漆，更离谱的是，钥匙竟插不进铁门。 一名屋主陈先生（39岁，公务员）表示，在9月4日拿到宏茂桥52街第588C座组屋单位（Park Central@AMK）的单位钥匙，没想到两天后进去检查时，却发现很多问题。 “我想开门时，却发现钥匙根本插不进铁门，客厅和厨房地板砖块，有大约20片没有铺好，油漆喷到地板，层压合成地板（laminated flooring）也铺得不好。” 陈先生指出，在9月24日当天，把所有瑕疵列明，呈交给发展商，却没得到回应，10月22日，他再次上书，要求发展商当天派承包商到他家维修。 陈先生表示，承包商在10月22日前来时，只修理铁门，其他瑕疵至今没改善，导致他必须拖延搬家计划。另一屋主陈先生（30多岁）则表示，他的单位也瑕疵连连。当他致电发展商时，却被告知还有“百多人排在前面要维修”。 完整报道，请翻阅07.11.2011《新明日报》。

Allow. Bedok Reservoir is one of the water sport centre. U want to try flying fox also had. Forest adventure. http://www.forestadventure.com.sg/ More information http://www.nparks.go...&id=6&Itemid=73 During weekend, alot of ppl went there for dragon boating and kayaking practise. It is so much different compare when I 1st visit 10 yrs ago.

1st, start window shopping. See see look look. Take your own time , own schedule. to shop around. best time.. wait until reno almost done. Then buy. This is to prevent when there is a delay on the reno side and the furniture shop say.. they cannot store the item any longer. There is not best time, U get ur key @ Jan , which is quite close to CNY. U might not able to start ur reno early. CNY 2011 fall on 23 , 24 Jan (Mon & Tues)

http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20111105-308892.html Yet another dead body has been found in Bedok Reservoir. RELATED STORIES Fifth body found at Bedok Reservoir S'porean man found floating in Bedok ReservoirAnother drowning at Bedok Reservoir The Straits Times reported today that the police received a call at 9.15am informing them of a body in the reservoir waters. It is believed to be that of a Chinese male. He was pronounced dead at 9.45am by paramedics. The incident has been classified as unnatural death by the police, who are investigating. This makes it the sixth such incident in as many months. Former foreign minister George Yeo said on his Facebook page that it was sad another body had been discovered there. He had been attending a blessing of Bedok Reservoir this morning, which had been organised after the recent spate of deaths. An online news source said the incident happened before members of the Inter-Religious Organisation, community leaders and residents gathered at a nearby floating platform for the blessing ceremony. paullim@sph.com.sg

I'm using Go keyboard. Not sure abt swpye back camera , try liao. front camera, have not Skype.. didn't install. DOn't know how to use. ya. it's good. I also install this 狩狗. So easy to search song. My pin yin also cannot swim. Just that I don't like it when it download MP3 and M4a version for the same song. Ebay, there is someone selling jogging wrist for S2. The camera has alot of feature.. I also still playing. Just got back my phone, sent it for service.. b'coz LCD yellowish. I told them yellowish, at the counter, the girl say.. not just yellowish, also abit green. They change a new LCD and upgrade firmware for me. Now.. HP charging, Then still need to go back and reinstall my backup.

If you had HDB approval to hack the wall. mean it is safe to hack. If you had doubt, best contact HDB.

oh! BTW, HDB don't buy the story if the owner say.. I don't know.. my contractor say can hack

did your contractor get HDB approval for any hacking? Is this inside the DWG that they submit to the HDB for approval? If all the above, NO. Then U need to pray super hard http://askhdb.hdb.gov.sg/Home/Hybrid/Themes/HDB/view-results.asp?mesid=5654673&iscfp=&selectedcategory=&from=ask&folderid=&projectid=7875909&reaskpage=answer%2Easp&recordquestion=&returnurl= Q: Do I need a permit for hacking of walls? [ Living in HDB Flats > HDB Renovation Guidelines > Renovation Works ] A:Yes, you need to apply for a permit from HDB which must be endorsed by a Qualified Person (QP) or Professional Engineer (PE).Please note that you are only allowed to hack/demolish non-load bearing reinforced concrete walls. You may not hack/demolish load bearing walls.

bepgof, u using S2 too? IPhone 4s is heavy then IPhone4. Once I get use to my S2, when I carry other model phone. They're so heavy

base on ex-HDB minister say http://www.asiaone.com/Business/My%2BMoney/Property/Story/A1Story20100427-212663.html Thu, Apr 29, 2010 New HDB flats still affordable THE hot issue of high property prices received another airing in Parliament yesterday, with the Government releasing fresh figures to show new flats are affordable to all first-time buyers. In giving the numbers, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan also addressed the issue of how findings can change when different base years are used to look at the HDB resale price index and household incomes. He was replying to Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Marine Parade GRC) who had asked for housing affordability data based on how the median household income has risen in comparison to the HDB resale price index. Mr Lim also wanted to know if resale prices had risen faster than the growth of median household income in the last decade when different base years are used. The issue of the relative pace of price and income increases first came under scrutiny early this month when Mr Mah released the two sets of figures in a Straits Times interview. They showed that HDB home prices are not beyond reach. This is because the resale price index has risen by an average of 3.2 per cent annually from 1999 to last year, lower than the 3.9 per cent increase in median household income. But opposition Reform Party member Hazel Poa later wrote in a blog post that the results would be different if the base year is changed from 1999, to say 2001 or 2006. Mr Mah did not refer to Ms Poa, but said in his reply to Mr Lim: 'It is possible that prices of resale flats have risen faster than incomes when indexed against different years.' Using more recent years like 2004 to index the growth, he said the an-nual growth in the resale price index exceeded income growth, owing to strong demand and the quick economic recovery (see chart). But he also pointed out that if 1995 was used as the base year, it would yield a different result as resale flat prices rose by 2.8 per cent, lower than income growth of 3.2 per cent. 'Ultimately, what matters is whether at all times, first-time home buyers are able to afford HDB flats,' he said. To that, the answer is 'yes', he said, as the Government has done two things to ensure new flats are not priced out of reach. One, new flats of different sizes and in different locations for different income groups are always available. Two, setting these flat prices so that they are well within the means of buyers in various income ceiling groups. Elaborating on how new flats are affordable, he referred to a formula called the debt service ratio (DSR). It compares the monthly mortgage instalment to the monthly household income. The average DSR for new flats launched in the last six months when property prices surged ranged from 17 per cent to 25 per cent (see table). This applies to new flats in non-mature estates. For those in more central locations and mature estates, the DSR is around 30 per cent. These figures are within the international benchmark for housing affordability, which ranges from 30 per cent to 35 per cent, he said. But Nominated MP Paulin Straughan pointed out that the majority of flat owners seem to be using most of their Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings to pay for their home loans, with those living in three- and four-room flats having to top them up with cash. Will this lead to insufficient retirement savings, she asked. Mr Mah said: 'I have to emphasise that buying an HDB flat is not an expenditure, it is an investment...because when you buy an HDB flat, at the end of the tenure of the flat or towards your retirement, that HDB flat is a very significant store of value.' Citing a Department of Statistics survey, he said on average a Singaporean family has more than $100,000 in asset value in their flat. If that asset is monetised, they need not fear using up their CPF savings to pay for it. 'This is another vindication of our home ownership policy because if we were to use that same amount of money - 25 per cent of income - to rent rather than to buy a place, then at the end of 20 or 30 years, you will not be having this asset which you can use for retirement income,' said Mr Mah. On whether the $8,000 household income ceiling for new flat buyers will be raised, he said the answer is still 'no'. 'We've a finite housing budget... and at the household income ceiling of $8,000 today, we're actually subsidising about 80 per cent of the population,' he said.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1162865/1/.html SINGAPORE: Ikea Singapore has asked customers who bought a particular type of wardrobe with a large mirror door to return it for a replacement mirror door. This is because the wardrobe door is faulty and can detach and break into sharp shards, the company said. It added that the brand of the wardrobe, Pax Aurland, and the supplier number of the affected stocks, #12650, will be at the rear door at the lower edge of the wardrobe. Customers affected can contact the furniture company for a free replacement. Ikea has apologised for the inconvenience. - CNA/fa IKEA recalls a limited number of PAX AURLAND mirror doors (image from IKEA) The brand of the wardrobe and the supplier number of the affected stocks, #12650, are printed at the rear door at the lower edge of the wardrobe (image from IKEA)

broken window glass.. this one i don't know. My resale unit window glass didn't broken..

http://business.asiaone.com/Business/My%2BMoney/Property/Story/A1Story20111025-306943.html Last year, the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) received 25 per cent more complaints against renovation contractors than in the year before. Misrepresentation, a failure to honour agreements and unsatisfactory work were some of the most common grouses. We polled both interior designers and homeowners to suss out the common issues that may arise from a reno, and offer this primer on how you can minimise delays, budget blowouts and headaches. Unfinished business "I found out from the flooring supplier that my contractor was in debt and had closed down his company. I had to pay other contractors to come in to finish the work." - Owner of an HDB maisonette Look for a firm with a good reputation (reno forums will give you some idea) and one that is willing to let you see their projects. If yours is an HDB home, engage an HDB Registered Renovation Contractor. Otherwise, look out for the Case Trust or the Renovation and Decoration Advisory Centre (RADAC) logo. Case Trust is Case's accreditation arm, and RADAC requires its members to be covered by Public Liability Insurance for at least $200,000. Both these agencies can help if disputes arise. Also, do a bankruptcy check on companies and individuals (online via www.isis.gov.sg) to avoid nasty surprises. Managing expectations "Some clients expect a beautiful, magazine-worthy home without being realistic about their budget, the site or practicality." - An interior designer Interior designers speak of customers who expect to replicate photos from publications; or those who want top-dollar looks and materials at rock-bottom prices. Homeowners should not be preoccupied with aesthetics, says one interior designer - they should also think about their present and future requirements if they want the home to serve them well. Be upfront about your budget and don't forget to factor in the cost of appliances, hardware, soft furnishings and lights. Verbal agreements "My contractor said plywood would be used for the carcass of the kitchen cabinets, but he used particle board instead. As it wasn't described in the quotation, I just had to accept it." - Owner of a private apartment Before you sign any contract, make sure the quotation is as specific as possible. Every item should be itemised down to its material and dimensions and, where possible, accompanied by a drawing. Spell out everything from the dates of commencement and completion to the terms of payment and warranties to defect rectification. Download a model agreement at www.case.org.sg/downloads/buffet/model_renovation.pdf. Miscommunication "What surprised me was that despite the numerous meticulous drawings I had made and given them, they still got the false ceilings too short and installed fans in the wrong places!" - Owner of a landed home Regular site visits are a must, even if there are detailed plans. You've heard of the "broken telephone" game? Workers get their directions from the foreman, who gets it from the project manager, who gets it from the interior designer or main contractor. Instructions can get muddled along the way. One homeowner drew up sliding doors in her floor plan and received folding doors instead. Another had to deal with light switches positioned a few centimetres off. Running out of time "As the renovation was behind schedule, we moved in before the kitchen was installed, thinking the only inconvenience would be eating takeaway. We were unprepared for the fine dust that got everywhere." - Owner of a five-room HDB flat Delays in the schedule are a top complaint from both homeowners and renovation firms. Interior designers cite indecisive clients and clients who make changes as the reasons their logistics and planning are often messed up. There are many other reasons for pushing the timeline back: a delay or defects in material shipment or fabrication, rectification of mistakes, poor scheduling, and so on. A good interior designer or contractor will build in a buffer for delays and give you a realistic timeframe. Ask for a compensation clause in the contract in the event of delays. If you have no choice but to move in before completion, be prepared to put up with the inconvenience, noise and constant cleaning-up. Installation of carpentry and solid surface countertops generate a lot of fine dust from sanding and polishing, while other work such as varnishing produces unpleasant fumes. Ask your contractor to clean up at the end of each work day and keep your belongings tightly sealed in boxes. If work is progressing behind schedule, raise the issue early and not at the last minute as the contractor might rush to finish and you'll end up with shoddy workmanship. Substandard work "I was appalled that some kitchen cabinet doors were not completely squared and the cabinet handles were not placed perfectly horizontal. Surely these are basic things." - Owner of a semi-detached house An untrained eye can spot uneven plastering and misaligned doors, but some inferior work can be buried and hard to spot. Undetected, these may cause problems later on, and rectifying them will be difficult. One homeowner noticed that his false ceiling had started to warp after several months and cut it open to inspect. He discovered that the contractor had stinted on the support brackets, which meant that the ceiling board and fan were not sufficiently supported. Other common short cuts include thinned-out paint or lacquer, and a failure to waterproof the walls at the bathroom vanity area. Case recommends that homeowners conduct regular site visits armed with a camera to document unsatisfactory work. Diary any dissatisfactions and ask the contractor/designer to correct them. Whodunits "My brand new door handles went missing." - Owner of a five-room HDB flat With a constant stream of workers and sub-contractors entering and departing the site, things may get misplaced or even stolen. Homeowners have reported losing branded electrical switches, kitchen appliances, lights and sanitaryware. If you have anything delivered to your home, try to time it on the day of installation. If not, lock them up. Call in the specialists "Looking back, we should have hired a kitchen designer instead of a general carpenter who didn't offer suggestions on the look." - Owner of a semi-detached house Entrusting the whole project to a contractor may be convenient, but might also present problems. Eve and Alan Toh engaged a main contractor to carry out their renovation and had leaks in their new roof soon after. While the contractor did try several times to fix the problem, he lacked the expertise and the couple had to call in a waterproofing specialist in the end. Try to source for separate contractors that specialise in different jobs. This may also help to reduce your costs as you won't be paying the mark-ups put in by the main contractor. Warranties "Get defects rectified quickly. Once you've moved in, you might not want to deal with having things redone and let the problems slide." - Owner of a private apartment The terms for resolving defects and the warranty period should have been spelt out in the contract. Upon completion, walk through your home carefully to check that the work is satisfactory. Take the time to lock and unlock windows and doors, test the water pressure and walk around barefoot to feel for uneven tiling or polishing. Document defects with a camera and compile a list so they can be resolved systematically. WHAT REALLY GOES ON Once you've decided on your reno professional, most renovations follow the same process: You will meet with the interior designer or contractor to discuss requirements, preferences and the budget. After collecting this information, the designer will create a design plan and estimate costs. This is open for discussion before any detailed costings can be obtained. In the case of a contractor, he should present you with a detailed quotation and some sketches. Ask to see material samples.When the design concept is finalised and a deposit is paid, the designer will specify materials, finishes and furnishings (furniture, lighting, flooring, wall coverings etc.). You can also expect more perspective drawings, elevation drawings for carpentry, colour palettes and maybe even mood boards for the major rooms. Once approved, the drawings are submitted to the HDB, URA, BCA or, in the case of private apartments, the management corporation for approval.Finally, the designer develops a timeline for the project, coordinates contractor work schedules and makes sure work is finished on time. During construction, you might need to shop for fittings and fixtures, furniture and soft furnishings. Do not feel obliged to shop at places your contractor recommends, as chances are he enjoys a commission there.In the meantime, visit the site at least twice, and more so if you are working with a contractor rather than a designer. Just before handover, a general cleaning - including an acid or chemical wash over tiling work - will be done. Some designers also accessorise the home for that final touch. Top tips for a smooth reno Renovating your home can be extremely stressful as you give up your territory and home conveniences for weeks - even months. Use these tips on organising and planning to keep the project on track and minimise disruption to your work and family life. Create a separate folder for each contractor so there's no need to hunt around for the relevant documents at each discussion.If you're doing painting work, ask for leftover paint for future touch-ups. Remember to label the tin with the room the paint is used in and date. Add a lick of paint to the lid so you can identify the colour without having to prise open the can, which dries out the contents.Electrical trunking should be run before painting or wallpapering so you can blend it in with the wall colour. It should be wide enough to house at least four cables so your brand new decor isn't spoilt by unsightly wires crisscrossing the walls.Factor in more electrical plugs than you think you'd need. With most household appliances requiring electricity or charging, you don't want trailing extension leads should you add a new massage chair or lamp.Time and budget are huge considerations in any upgrading. If you want to save time, use off-the-shelf dimensions for features such as doors and storage systems instead of custom-building them.We spend 60 per cent of our time in the kitchen around the sink, so plan its placement first. As a guide, stand with your arms straight down by your side and turn your hands up at right angles. This is where the bottom of your kitchen sink should be. Add the depth of the sink, and this marks the ideal working height for counters.If you're home during the renovation period, carve out an oasis for yourself. Use a room that will remain relatively untouched by the chaos and put in whatever you need (your laptop, kettle, yoga mat, earplugs etc.) to keep yourself sane during that time. Keep all your renovation files, valuables and chargers in this spot, too.Be prepared and make your renovation choices beforehand. Try to buy everything in advance. If that's not possible, schedule a time each day to make outstanding decisions with your spouse/family to keep within your schedule.Be nice and tell the neighbours. They'll be more accommodating about the extra vehicles in the parking lots and the inevitable noise and dust.Information provided by Georgina Wong, owner of Asian Professional Organisers, an organisation that helps homes and offices maximise their spaces. Find out more at www.asianprofessionalorganisers.com.

Change tenant if you don't like. When get a new tenant, tell them your requirement. Only can wash weekly. So.. prepare to wear your underwear for 7 days.

a) crack lines on walls or wall tiles crack ==> not sure on the wall. But wall titles, buyer take it. b) ceiling can see one hole ==> HDB officer will ask the seller to fix it. U buying resale not new HDB. U can't expect everything brand new or still in very mint condition.

This really is a BIG joke. Something wrong on the ION building planning How many time water pipe leak? waste pipe leak? Now.. even better.. low water supply.. toilet also cannot flush.