My 1St Em @Serangoon N

[potatoes 0]

hi potatoes,

im over at park villas rise,just across the road, looking at your photos, i actually went to take a look at my shortlised contractor's then on-going unit doing reno still there, its along the feeder bus stop road right? such coincidence!

can pm you the contractor im using currently too.

Thanks for visiting my blog. U are right! My unit is just along the narrow stretch of road seeing the bus stop..... I l like the unblock view.

Will PM u for your contractor.

[potatoes 0]

Hi,

Something to share.

I came across this quote taken from DesignerGuys website ( I think is by Andrew),

I share the same view as him.

My Definition of Home

A home is a safe, comfortable and carefree place where you and your family can enjoy the best quality of living.

Safe (without any worries), comfortable (relaxed and casual) and carefree (easily managed) is, I believe, the formula for a good quality time.

This week and next week, I will be meeting some contractors recommended by some members in RT..... Hope their quotes falls within my budget.

Edited June 1, 2011 by potatoes

[May_dream1 14]

I hope you will be able to find someone good to do Reno. Not pricing only that will makes the different but whether the contractor can deliver.

You read a few here some having delays and issues. So, hope you will be able to get the right one to do your home.

[csingeu 0]

Hey potatoes!

cleong is your neighbour! you should go visit his place and get some gd ideas...

i think his place is nicely done up...

[cleong 1]

Hi potatoes, PM me if you wish to drop by

[potatoes 0]

Hi potatoes, PM me if you wish to drop by

Thx Cleong. So far I have already met with 2 ID and 2 contractors. 1 contractor quoted abt 49k while the ID quoted 42K. Still waiting 2 other quotes.

Cos of budget constaint, I will probably keep my Reno simple.

[potatoes 0]

I will be getting my keys in about 2 weeks time.

As mentioned before, I met up with 2 IDs companies and 3 contractors to get quotations for my simple renovation.

Here are their quotes (exclude electrical wiring):

ID#1 : $42 151

ID#2 : $42 453

Contractor #1 : $49 660

Contractor #2 : $41 030

Contractor #3 : $44 530

All of the exceeded my budget!

I have still not added cost of electrical rewiring, lightings and bathroom accessories.

On paper, I have shortlisted 2 of them to do my reno becos of their price and more importantly their service.

As I m working on a very tight budget (30-35K), I m going to negogiate with the ID/contractor to lower their quotes this week. Hopefully to finalise everything by early next week, so that reno can start immediately after I get my keys.

[potatoes 0]

Finally, I have decided on the ID / contractor who will do up my place and the cost is close to my budget.

They have agreed to do the following;

1. Do up the whole kitchen including hacking of kitchen wall, retiling, 36ft kitchen cabinets and build a bar counter at kitchen entrance.

2. Do up the 2 toilets and reinstall 3rd toilet at 1st floor.

3. Hack and redo whole staircase.

4. Erect the store under staircase with tic tac door.

5. Erect another store with wall feature & tic tac door in the living area.

6. Redo whole balcony and install curve iron wrought grill.

7. Laminate entire flooring on 2nd level.

8. Simple cornice for living and dining.

9. Redo foyer area.

10. Hacking of existing platforms and wall partitions at void area.

hmmm, I hope everything will go well when I get the keys in about 10 days time.

Edited June 25, 2011 by potatoes

[newnyew 1]

Hope ur reno will be smooth all the way!

(PS: imagine a rolling pineapple )

[potatoes 0]

I have just paid a deposit to engage the ID.

This Thursday, I will be going down to my selected ID and select my floor and wall tiles, type of kitchen cabinet, laminate flooring, type of cornice design, iron wrought design for stairs and balcony grills, PD & Bifold doors etc.....

Will put up more pictures soon once I get my keys next week.

[Kobelala 8]

Hi Potatoes, congrats , 1 more week to collecting keys !

[potatoes 0]

Hi Potatoes, congrats , 1 more week to collecting keys !

Thx Kobelala, I will be getting my keys tmr. Then will put up pics of current state..... Haha this is going to be exciting!

[potatoes 0]

Hooray, Yesterday was completion day! I didnt have time to go to HDB because of work, so got my housing agent to collect keys on my behalf.

I have been reading articles on house opening in several websites and found this one interesting .....

http://www.geomancy.net/upload/HOUSE%20WARMING%20RITUAL(5).DOC

Today, I m going to "roll" in a pineapple, sprinkle salt in different places of the house.... That's all ....Just keep it simple.

Edited July 6, 2011 by potatoes

[potatoes 0]

Some abstract from the website on initial house opening.

Interesting abstract from the website on initial house opening.....

THE PINEAPPLE

Thus, pineapple in Hokkien sounds like " Ong Lye " or "Ong" prosperity.

In general, many Hokkiens were told to roll in a pineapple into the home. Thus rolling in of a pineapple or "Ong" (Prosperity) sounds like rolling in LUCK into the home!

Depending on one's dialect group, there are various other "Jumping in" or "throwing in" process. As mentioned above, all these have to do with the idea of throwing in "luck" into one's home.

Thus, if you were advised to "throw" in a pineapple, *JOKE* you may perhaps, try your luck or make some practises at the bowling alley, first!

Just remember that the idea, here is to "roll" not "fly-in" the pineapple. It would be considered very inauspicious if one throws it too hard; where the pineapple simply rolls to the balcony and flys off the home. Here, one's wealth just fly-out of the window. Hows this for bad luck?

Therefore, if possible, try to roll it into the home gently. It would be great if it rolls to the "centre" area of the home.

SALT

Especially if the house is a second-hand one, often, salt is sprinkled around the home to supposely cleanse away bad qi or old qi. And also sprinkled in the toilet.

 

[potatoes 0]

I m happy to share with u some pictures of the current state of my EM.... needs major revamp!

Kitchen:

Living Hall:

The Entrance:

Edited July 7, 2011 by potatoes