Toa Payoh Blk 79 Kakis

[dino 0]

Let me take some of your qns...since I have actually gone through some of the process already:

1. Haulage for 5 room is $800, could be lesser for 4-room

2. Cement Screed is FOC, BUT you must declare that you are not laying tiles on the cement screed areas. HDB will only provide the service if you are doing parquest/laminate flooring.

3. Motar base cement screed will be done by your contractor and should be included in your quote. I assume this is the same as the kitchen cabinet base, refrigerator base and the washing machine base.

4. I think no contractor will be willing to eat the additional $500. They will most probably consult with you again later even if it is not mentioned in the contract. Like I mentioned earlier, not many of them may know of this requirement, but I have already gone through and can already confirm that it is a necessity. You may want to bring this matter up with your contractor in the first instance, rather than to wait for eventuality to happen....

Toa Payoh Courts selling at around $550 I think. Additional $50 for the brackets and installation. Total should be about $600...Cheers!

guys,

heard from frens tat dryer will slightly shrink some clothing... well i hope it may be useful for info

btw do u know of any washing machine (7 kg, front load) tat electric n water consumption is low w simple operating function as my O mum will be using it...er Any good suggestion???O mi gosh, i've jus enquire on overlay of bathroom tiles!! it cost ard $1000 or slightly more for jus 1 bathroom, can u jus imagine!! it's really shocking ..........did anyone get any quote for the a/m

thank u gadgetman pls see my reply in blue

hi ms white,

care to share which ID u had selected???? I m still looking for one... how much did they quote u for overlay bathroom wall n flr tiles?

[dino 0]

Hi I'm new frm 79D and had been reading this forum since Aug. Handled up the loan application on 4Sept and had not heard anything since.

gadgetman

if you are concern about Fengshui, install the stove below the cloth rack. Remove the cloth rack and place it above the windows. That the best place. I had been thinkng about it for a long time. Then you will not need a dryer.

CraB & ms_white

if there are young punks hanging around the blks which make residents feel uneasy, call the police. The station is just at the corner. Or make them patrol the area every 1-2hrs.

Alister & gagetman

still have room for the dryer? I think the electricity bill will go up as well.

Alister

Yes, I agree with you. The architect does not stay in HDB flat and does not drive. Maybe they have driver.

Nowadays the HDB's design is in such a way that all your hanging cloth are not expose. But they didn't think that how our cloth will get dry.

The passage to the bedrooms is a waste of space which can use/design somewhere for a balcony.

The carpark is dark and ceiling is low. The parking lots only suitable for a Getz model type of car.

Keep in mind that whatever is inside or outside your house, you had already paid. So before you remove/replace anything during renovation, just think that it's new and it's your money.

xinni,

I m thinking of placing the sink in such a way tat the side will be facing the window but the front part will be facing inwards, ie towards the interior of my kitdhen. Any word of advice???

[ms_white 0]

hi ms white,

care to share which ID u had selected???? I m still looking for one... how much did they quote u for overlay bathroom wall n flr tiles?

hi dino, i've engaged Substance, which i think a few forumers here have engaged too.

overlaying of 2 x bathrm flr is $800+. for the walls, i've some clarifications to make with him tonight cos it's almost 3 times the cost of the flr..and i've done some comparisons with other ppl's quote as well..but they're not frm Substance.

xinni,

I m thinking of placing the sink in such a way tat the side will be facing the window but the front part will be facing inwards, ie towards the interior of my kitdhen. Any word of advice???

i've the same intention, dino. which means the clothes rack will be abv our head. unless u do a U-design then the clothes rack area will fit your washing machine etc. it'll be easier to visualise the entire space after your ID has done the 3-D layout for u to see. i even wanted a mini island so that the sink can face the window..but space constraint.. i think most imptly, like what gadgetman has mentioned on feng shui, is to have a pillar facing our back while cooking.

[xinni 0]

xinni,

I m thinking of placing the sink in such a way tat the side will be facing the window but the front part will be facing inwards, ie towards the interior of my kitdhen. Any word of advice???

Hi dino,

Not sure the dimension of your kitchen but mine is 2.5 x 5.0m so it's long and narrow.

Spent quite some time thinking abt it and drawing it. My kitchen cabinet will be L-shape, the stove will be below the existing cloth rack and the sink will be right angle to the stove. Cloth rack will be above the windows. The fridge and washing machine will be together before the cabinet - to get away frm the oily stove.

Have not heard anything wrong sink facing window. But to wat i know the stove cannot face the sink or just next to it. My sink will be facing the windows.

Haven't figure out where to put the dining table. It cannot face the main door.

Found a tempered glass sofa table which can adjust the height to become a dining table abt S$500.

[gadgetman 0]

hi dino, i've engaged Substance, which i think a few forumers here have engaged too.

Hey, I am with Substance too!

[ms_white 0]

Hey, I am with Substance too!

really ah!! shucks..then i really MUST ask abt the hacking of walls! are u using PUB Gas or installing your own heater then?

[dino 0]

Hi dino,

Not sure the dimension of your kitchen but mine is 2.5 x 5.0m so it's long and narrow.

Spent quite some time thinking abt it and drawing it. My kitchen cabinet will be L-shape, the stove will be below the existing cloth rack and the sink will be right angle to the stove. Cloth rack will be above the windows. The fridge and washing machine will be together before the cabinet - to get away frm the oily stove.

Have not heard anything wrong sink facing window. But to wat i know the stove cannot face the sink or just next to it. My sink will be facing the windows.

Haven't figure out where to put the dining table. It cannot face the main door.

Found a tempered glass sofa table which can adjust the height to become a dining table abt S$500.

xinni,

any reason y the dining table shd not face the main door?? coz i m planning to place mine jus next to the kitchen entrance n facing e main door leh.. Coz base on my flr plan i think tat's the only ideal place for eating w/o obstruction. Base on wat u say, i think yours is similar to mine having a long kitchen... heh maybe we can share more on reno tips....le

[gadgetman 0]

thank u gadgetman pls see my reply in blue

Hi Ms White,

Haulage $900 for 4-room ????? I am very sure mine is $800. This is not part of the renovation contract and must be paid seperately to a thrid party. So I am quite sure your ID is not buttering you up on this...

Unfortunately, you will not be able to enjoy the free HDB cement screed since yours will be all floor tiles. You will actually have to sign a declaration at the HDB branch office to say that you will not be laying tiles on the cement screed area for 3 years. And from what I know the HDB officers are always coming up to the units to inspect!

Since you and I have the same ID, I am sure he can tell you a lot more now about the implications of hacking the wall tonight. I hope you can benefit from my experience and will have more luck than me....!

Cheers!

[dino 0]

Hey, I am with Substance too!

Edited October 12, 2007 by dino

[josephine 0]

You are sure right about HDB forcing us to save money. I just got a dissapointing piece of news from my ID today...After weeks of waiting to apply with HDB to hack off the bedroom wall, we are now faced with a fresh new obstacle. First, HDB says that they do not object in principle to the hacking but must engage a PE...then after spending $500 on the PE, they now say that yes, can hack, but must hack the WHOLE wall. This will certainly include the door frames and must hack the wall all the way to the edges! You can work out how much this is going to add to my renovation cost - not counting that my aircon pipings are already done and these will have to be destroyed again! It is very dissapointing, but in the end, we have decided to shelf the whole idea of hacking the wall and just by a ready-made wardrobe. People be warned! I am already the guinea pig, not many IDs or contractor may know about this. if you are intending to hack the wall, please check carefully with your ID and HDB first!

WOW serious? Can they just hack a portion? Can you help ask? Cos im in the progress of getting a PE le and don wanna to spend the 'Yuan Wang' $$! urs is 4 or 5 room? u mean cannot hack the wall from MBR to BR3 ar? must hack the WHOLE thing? Ai yoooooooo!!!!!

[gadgetman 0]

really ah!! !! shucks..then i really MUST ask abt the hacking of walls! are u using PUB Gas or installing your own heater then?

First, about your toilet tiles. Please insist to go with your ID to the tiles showroom at Balestier to see the full selection before you decide. I have done my overlay too and it looks quite promising. There will be fanciful tiles there that may cost a lot more (about $23 a piece!), but these will only be used sparingly to complement the cheaper ordinary tiles. It may be worth to invest that extra bit of money to really make an impact in your toilet

About the heater, we have opted for individual electrical heaters at both toilets. Why? Because HDB had brainlessly designed all the water pipes leading to the kitchen wall for the gas heater! Can you imaging an ugly and huge gas heater sticking out of your congested kitchen wall? All your tastefully done kitchen cabinets will be a huge wasted effort! Think carefully again!!

[gadgetman 0]

WOW serious? Can they just hack a portion? Can you help ask? Cos im in the progress of getting a PE le and don wanna to spend the 'Yuan Wang' $$! urs is 4 or 5 room? u mean cannot hack the wall from MBR to BR3 ar? must hack the WHOLE thing? Ai yoooooooo!!!!!

I have just verified with the HDB officer yesterday and he had sent me the structural diagram. To clarify further, you do not have the hack the whole wall as in the whole L shape, but it must be from edge to edge and the whole thing from top to bottom (not just a hole in the middle). Stability and safety is quoted as reasons. The HDB TO (who happend to be a very nice and friendly man, very nice to deal with him), explained that the BR walls are actually all structural walls with iron rods in them. There is this lintol thingy (still dunnon exactly what it is) above the door frames that must be removed with the hacking, it follows that if this is removed, the doorframe below will also have to go. The problem is also with the adjoining doorframe of the MBR, if you remove the doorframe of BR2 the doorframe of the MBR will be affected as well. I must say that one of the things I really like about the new flat is the nice and sturdy metal doorframe. I simply cannot accept that all these must be destroyed for nothing once we hack the wall - I mean what a waste!

I have not applied to hack the wall all the way to BR3, but I am quite sure that the doorframe for BR3 will also have to go if you touch this wall too!!

[xinni 0]

xinni,

any reason y the dining table shd not face the main door?? coz i m planning to place mine jus next to the kitchen entrance n facing e main door leh.. Coz base on my flr plan i think tat's the only ideal place for eating w/o obstruction. Base on wat u say, i think yours is similar to mine having a long kitchen... heh maybe we can share more on reno tips....le !!

Dino,

I read it from the FS website eg. http://www.geomancy.net/ etc... You can also check FS ideas from this forum as well. It says "It should not be near to the main door", so not sure whether "facing" or "nearby" the main door is good or not. But for me, it will try not to. The windows directly to the main door will be covered with a picture.

FYI. My renovation is very minimum.

Kitchen cabinet w granite top

3 x bedrm laminate (supreme) & 1 x living rm 600x600 homogenous

2 x tempered glass shower screen w kerb

1 x cabinet w granite top & sink & full mirror in mbr toilet

No plan for built-in wardrobe/cabinet in bdrm yet because my bed has to go in first then see how.

My idea is to have a resort style. So it will be mostly wood. Other than tat, I see most is already done.

But will need to buy some lightning & toilet accessories.

As for the kitchen sink, mine will be the double hole type. I had thought of your ideas but it will leave a small space to walk.

Pls do not copy, or else one day I might walk into the wrong house - just joking.

[ms_white 0]

First, about your toilet tiles. Please insist to go with your ID to the tiles showroom at Balestier to see the full selection before you decide. I have done my overlay too and it looks quite promising. There will be fanciful tiles there that may cost a lot more (about $23 a piece!), but these will only be used sparingly to complement the cheaper ordinary tiles. It may be worth to invest that extra bit of money to really make an impact in your toilet

About the heater, we have opted for individual electrical heaters at both toilets. Why? Because HDB had brainlessly designed all the water pipes leading to the kitchen wall for the gas heater! Can you imaging an ugly and huge gas heater sticking out of your congested kitchen wall? All your tastefully done kitchen cabinets will be a huge wasted effort! Think carefully again!!

gadgetman..u make me wanna cry out loud!!!

ok..my 3 bedrooms will be laminated..so i'll enjoy those free frm HDB right? so the rest of my hse will be overlayed with tiles..therefore it's not really a choice to pay or not UNLESS i don't touch my toilet etc.. but toilet is my priority........ *sigh*

next, haulage depends on how major the reno work is going to be to determine on the pricing is it? since it's pymt to a 3rd party, will there be any possible refund if there's excess? *sigh*

hacking, we only intend to hack partial of my mbr's wall as an access way to the 2nd bedrm, which will be the study rm, then build a glass door...cannot hack partial ah? mine is blk D though..layout same as yours? *sigh*

yup, we'll be going balestier tonight..it's also where i'm staying..hahaha!

the part on the gas heater, u mean that metal thing that's sticking out of the kitchen wall? if it is, oh... if it's not, then i dun understand. LOL! apart frm ugly looking, is it actually better to use PUB Gas? as mentioned in my earlier post, some ppl say it's like a "subscription fee" to pay even if u dun use much. yet some say it's cheaper, convenient and safer.

[xinni 0]

gadgetman..u make me wanna cry out loud!!!

ok..my 3 bedrooms will be laminated..so i'll enjoy those free frm HDB right? so the rest of my hse will be overlayed with tiles..therefore it's not really a choice to pay or not UNLESS i don't touch my toilet etc.. but toilet is my priority........ *sigh*

next, haulage depends on how major the reno work is going to be to determine on the pricing is it? since it's pymt to a 3rd party, will there be any possible refund if there's excess? *sigh*

hacking, we only intend to hack partial of my mbr's wall as an access way to the 2nd bedrm, which will be the study rm, then build a glass door...cannot hack partial ah? mine is blk D though..layout same as yours? *sigh*

yup, we'll be going balestier tonight..it's also where i'm staying..hahaha!

the part on the gas heater, u mean that metal thing that's sticking out of the kitchen wall? if it is, oh... if it's not, then i dun understand. LOL! apart frm ugly looking, is it actually better to use PUB Gas? as mentioned in my earlier post, some ppl say it's like a "subscription fee" to pay even if u dun use much. yet some say it's cheaper, convenient and safer.

em .... ms-white & gadgetman

I think regarding the heater you have 3 choices (if i m not wrong ):

1) gas heater type - install in the kitchen

2) electric heater type - install in the kitchen

3) instant type - install in the toilet

I heard tat the gas type is free and the bill is cheaper. But got noise and smell, just like when you are cooking.