House before reno starts:

Bare naked after hacking off the existing tiles and cabinets:

Draft layout concept for my island kitchen setup cum dining cum customized 'balcony access area':

Orientation - to the right is the kitchen windows, to the left is towards the living room.

* the sink and cooker layout will be swooped. Some minor adjustments needed to ensure ample walking and working space.

Bad news:

My hacking of common room walls and toilet walls are still pending HDB approval. Oredi 1 week plus but yet to receive the green light. Nw my living room floor tiling is delayed due to this. Sigh... Oredi called and emailed them to expedite the evaluation process.

Edited November 25, 201213 yr by Rover

mine also waited for about 1 week to obtain the wall hacking approval.. Good luck!

Draft layout concept for my island kitchen setup cum dining cum customized 'balcony access area':

Orientation - to the right is the kitchen windows, to the left is towards the living room.

* the sink and cooker layout will be swooped. Some minor adjustments needed to ensure ample walking and working space.

Bad news:

My hacking of common room walls and toilet walls are still pending HDB approval. Oredi 1 week plus but yet to receive the green light. Nw my living room floor tiling is delayed due to this. Sigh... Oredi called and emailed them to expedite the evaluation process.

Very similar layout to my flat, kitchen island too! It's nice to have a place to sit around and chat even while cooking! All the best for your Reno!

Rover, throughout your 3 room househunt, where are the locations that offer 3 rooms that don't have (or which areas confirm have?) the ceiling beams either in the living room or kitchen? Any idea if those are hackable? Congratulations on your new house!

Edited November 25, 201213 yr by epiphone

So looking forward to seeing pictures of your reno journey.. not to mention the end product. Enjoy the journey!

Haha... Nw some works are halt due to the hacking permit yet to be approved. Called up HDB and the officer says the submitted plan markings not clear. I was like WTF?! Plan was submitted on 14 Nov and nw then they say not clear?!?! *faint*

Hmmm mine was approved within a week.

So does HDB want from you now?

I reckoned that the HDB officer was sitting on my application. Where got submitted on 14 Nov, till nw then say markings not clear? Some more can say he'll mark out clearer for me instead of sending back the plans to my contractor for re-submission. Kns...

So nw he say he re-submitted the plan to HQ for me oredi, and I shld be getting a reply within the next few days. Lol. Next few days will be 2 WEEKS oredi lor...

Also, he was telling me that my proposed hacking of the two toilets wall is rare and not sure whether HQ will approve anot. Tink he himself first time see such reno of combined toilet. So many ppl doing it nowadays, dun tell me all illegal 'mod' meh? Haha...

Edited November 26, 201213 yr by Rover

hmm...hacking of toilet walls in your type of flat seems quite common, I think he must have sat on the application for quite a while.

Hacking permit finally approved! Nw can go into full swing

Edited November 27, 201213 yr by Rover

Draft 3D. Will revise abit here and there.

Hacking of walls done:-

Widening of living room:

Widening of MBR:

Combining of toilets:

Windows: