Sharing Of Renovation Journey - With Designstreet

[blogNS 0]

To share with all forum friends for my renovation journey with a ID company - DesignStreet.

Read many of your posts, it really helps a lot. Ok, let's start the experience sharing for renovation, good or bad -

Let's start the first one. ID selection.

After decided to renovate my flat, just kitchen and toilets, we started to look for ID. After approached several companies, at IMM and Expo, encountered DesignStreet. The display looks ok and the consultant Mr - Koh showed us the cabinet, the way to seal the holes, that showed his company consider for customers, and their boss won 2010 Successful Entrepreneur Award. Impressed, and seems sincere. We did not look for extra gifts, for we thought that it would reflect in the cost.

Signed after some days. Not asked much for discount, hope it will provide good service instead.

The journey starts, let see how it is going. To share more ...

[chrissyyeo 0]

welcome to RT!

where is ur new place?

[blogNS 0]

GE coming...received a lot of ads.

I am in West Coast GRC.

This journey is actually a retrospect... so I may highlight some extra thinking when I look back:

1. Big company has its advantage, although sometimes the salesman/saleswoman may not show passion, may lack of some flexibility. Of cause it is not always true.

2. If possible, important to find out the past records of the ID, being from friends, forum like this, or web of the company.

3. Details in contract is important, don't let anything uncertain in your contract. Let the ID write down what he said. If he refuses, insist on it. Something like "I will give you xyz free, I will do it for you..." Let him write it down on the contract. No excuse.

4. For something you think that should be included in the package, write it down.

5. Ask for clarification. Keep the contract with you before signing it. Think about the contract if there is anything missing.

Easy to say hard to do :)

[blogNS 0]

Let try to paste an image.

one possible toilet view

works?

Edited April 29, 2011 by blogNS

[blogNS 0]

The Layout

Only kitchen and toilets will be renovated - still stayed in the flat. So a lot troublesome ahead:)

Talked to -, how is the good way to do the renovation. One way is to get the kitchen and the common toilet renovated first, then for the master room toilet. Another way is to complete the master bedroom toilet, followup with the kitchen the the common toilet.

For master bedroom toilet, about one week to 10 days. For kitchen and C.T., estimated 3 weeks to 4 weeks, with possible one week delay. Sounds reasonable. Excited, we decided to complete the master bedroom toilet first due to the time issue.

After 2 weeks waiting the 3D design came.

Edited April 30, 2011 by blogNS

[emobebe 1]

The Layout

Only kitchen and toilets will be renovated - still stayed in the flat. So a lot troublesome ahead:)

Talked to -, how is the good way to do the renovation. One way is to get the kitchen and the common toilet renovated first, then for the master room toilet. Another way is to complete the master bedroom toilet, followup with the kitchen the the common toilet.

For master bedroom toilet, about one week to 10 days. For kitchen and C.T., estimated 3 weeks to 4 weeks, with possible one week delay. Sounds reasonable. Excited, we decided to complete the master bedroom toilet first due to the time issue.

After 2 weeks waiting the 3D design came.

Haha. We have the same floor plan layout. Btw, just wondering where you put your dining table?

Cheers:) Emobebe

[blogNS 0]

Haha. We have the same floor plan layout. Btw, just wondering where you put your dining table?

Cheers:) Emobebe

Great:) Actually I like the layout - very efficient for space utilization.

The dining table to be in kitchen near to the living room, at the digits '2800' in the picture. The toilet picture above was from the consult. Ben.Son. The real one could be quite different?

Edited April 30, 2011 by blogNS

[emobebe 1]

Great:) Actually I like the layout - very efficient for space utilization.

The dining table to be in kitchen near to the living room, at the digits '2800' in the picture. The toilet picture above was from the consult. Ben.Son. The real one could be quite different?

I like the squarish layout but I am having difficulty where to put my dining table. We have our feng shui reading that we can't place our dining table at kitchen which was our weak direction. So, most probably with put it in living room but again because the main door is facing our neighbour's main door directly and quite close I would say (door to door unit), we have to do a partition wall. Not sure whether you can visualise it...so, my living room will be cut into portions...LOL..will look a bit cramp..

[blogNS 0]

Thanks for sharing. Saw in this forum too, one way is to add a glass partition in the kitchen, around the middle line to separate it into wet and dry kitchen. The dry kitchen is taken as dinning area too.

First 3D picture for kitchen.

Revised.

Edited May 1, 2011 by blogNS

[emobebe 1]

Thanks for sharing. Saw in this forum too, one way is to add a glass partition in the kitchen, around the middle line to separate it into wet and dry kitchen. The dry kitchen is taken as dinning area too.

First 3D picture for kitchen.

Revised.

Thanks for your ideas and advise. I have thought that concept too but where to put my top load washing machine. LOL..another issue. Anyway, thanks for your contribution. I have decided to put in living room...thinking to buy those expendable type...cheers:) emobebe

[blogNS 0]

Thanks for your ideas and advise. I have thought that concept too but where to put my top load washing machine. LOL..another issue. Anyway, thanks for your contribution. I have decided to put in living room...thinking to buy those expendable type...cheers:) emobebe

Surely you will enjoy your design:) I have a friend who also had feng shui requirement for the kitchen. A non-transparent glass partition is used in the kitchen. It looks simple and comfortable. Got any pictures of yours?

Anyway back to my renovation, after several round discussion, the design was almost done except the backsplash color was not fixed yet. I urged the ID Ben.son when to start. Since the time run fast.

Busy at the time, I checked with the ID if we should start it now or wait after sometime. Got the promise that the whole reno could be done in 4 weeks, with one or two weeks delay, and the master bedroom toilet can be done within 11 days, we were glad that it finally started.

Busy then to search the tiles, and decide cabinet color, solid surface color, purchase kithcen/toilet items around, lights. Will upload the pictures...

[emobebe 1]

Surely you will enjoy your design:) I have a friend who also had feng shui requirement for the kitchen. A non-transparent glass partition is used in the kitchen. It looks simple and comfortable. Got any pictures of yours?

Anyway back to my renovation, after several round discussion, the design was almost done except the backsplash color was not fixed yet. I urged the ID Ben.son when to start. Since the time run fast.

Busy at the time, I checked with the ID if we should start it now or wait after sometime. Got the promise that the whole reno could be done in 4 weeks, with one or two weeks delay, and the master bedroom toilet can be done within 11 days, we were glad that it finally started.

Busy then to search the tiles, and decide cabinet color, solid surface color, purchase kithcen/toilet items around, lights. Will upload the pictures...

I haven't get my key yet so no pic to upload..LOL..the seller still staying inside the house but I can illustrate a bit a long shape kitchen cabinet and with a dining table put near to wall and then next to it are two washing machines...haha..that is the current situation but I will revamp once I get my key..

Eager to see your laminates photos, tiles colour, etc...wish you a smooth reno journey!

[blogNS 0]

hoped to be a smooth one, but it is not The ID and the company is not responsible. I will show it...

Let me continue. The day to select tiles. I have been to the big shops to view tiles, like SBH, Hafary, etc. Since the DesignStreet/Ben.son Koh is used/linked to get tiles from Harafy, it's ok for us to get tiles there. Here are the pictures of the tiles selected.

Read from this forum about the tiles selection. Some points for sharing how I select tiles:

glossy tile

may be slippery for kitchen, but always seems new. I tried in some shops, if there is no water, it is ok. With water, bare foot will feel slippery, with slippers, it is ok. It may chip if heavy items dropped on it. (ID did tell us it can be slippery. But I thought it carefully and after tried it I felt it was not so slippery, so still decide to use the glossy one. Will see how in the real life usage.) Someone said that it need microfiber cloth for a thorough clean of glossy tile

mat tile

not so slippery, but may look dull after some time. not easy to chip, not clear even chipped. My previous kitchen/toilet tiles are this type. So I'd like to change to different one:)

rough tile

not slippery, not easy to clean. (The ID did not tell us it was so easy to accumulate dust at the time when we selected the tiles. It's the tiler told us later that it was too easy to get dirt/dust accumulated on to it.)

I use the homogeneous tiles as wall tiles for both toilets too.

Common toilet wall and floor tile:

Wall tile - glossy homogeneous tile (mimic-marble texture, glossy),

Floor tile - rough surface homogeneous tile (brown)

Master room toilet wall and floor

Wall - glossy homogeneous tile (near white)

Floor - rough surface homogeneous tile (light yellow/rock color)

Kitchen wall and floor

Wall - wall tile, ceramic tile

Floor - glossy homogeneous tile

wall-floor:

wall (it is actually quite white, but the photo is not so real.)

floor

Good thing is, I used the floor tile (homogeneous tile - harder) for the wall over the rubbish chute.

I had a friend who used the floor tile for it. The tile still looks good - no crack. Another friend used normal wall tile for it, guess what, the wall tiles there started cracking within 5 years. The reason is that the pressure for the wall of rubbish channel is quite strong. It caused the wall easy to crack. With the floor tile which is harder, it will help to delay the crack if there will be. pray pray.

Edited May 5, 2011 by blogNS

[May_dream1 14]

Welcome to RT! Your floor plan is for 4NG? Most ppl have dining in kitchen. That's the best way to put dining table.

Hope you will have a beautiful home soon. Not easy to do Reno while staying there.

[blogNS 0]

Welcome to RT! Your floor plan is for 4NG? Most ppl have dining in kitchen. That's the best way to put dining table.

Hope you will have a beautiful home soon. Not easy to do Reno while staying there.

Thanks for comments. You're right, it's 4ng - old flat TOP in 1978. BTW, went to your link too, seems your renovation is doing well.

Continue for my purchase:

The day after selection of the tiles, the ID brought us to the light shop for lights. Originally we only planned to change the kitchen+toilets' lights. but later decide to change the bedrooms' lights too for the ID was willing to install the lights for us free of charge. He might got some commissions?

Here is the list:

2 - two energy saving lights for two toilets

2 - 32w normal lights for kitchen. Original design got lights under the cabinet. Felt it was not very useful, and it can be very hot, so we decided not to install any light under cabinets.

2 - in living room, one 32w one 40w, in one light.

3 - bedroom lights.

Shopped asked 1000+, bargain to total cost $780, with one free door bell. Is it expensive?

(bought, felt bit expensive.)

Went with ID Ben.son to another bathroom accessory shop. Got a list of items like WC, taps, sink, basin, hood and hob. After bargaining with the shopper owner, he won't give us more discount. Since we could not make a deal, we decide to search by our own.

Then on Balestier Road, near Hafary, found shops Adamas and Sim Siang Choon. Most of the items were bought there.

Items from Adamas:

WCs for two toilet, only then we realized that we need to know the wall-to-drain distance for the WC. However the ID never told us about the info, nor for the offset we may be asked for. Too bad we had to go back to measure the distance before we can decide.

We decided to buy the one-piece WCs, but no stock for the one we like. Luckily the shops got the category, we can select from the style we like. Heard that one-piece WC was easy to clean?

common toilet WC:

master bedroom toilet WC:

Edited May 6, 2011 by blogNS