A Place Of Our Own.

[MingzhuAng 0]

Passage way to rooms.

The other 2 room has the same design, as it is an empty room.

The common room that is combined with the MBR.

MBR that the previous owner convert to study room and walk in wardrobe

the walk in wardrobe

Forgot to take pictures of the toilet.

[MingzhuAng 0]

Just some updates, photo not well taken as i'm using my mobile.

3 days after hacking, the debris are cleared, compared to when we visited on the first day. All is super messy and the hacking happened very fast where all the floor and wall tiles are down, except 2 bedrooms. We visited on Sunday, some of the materials arrived.

And my hb commented about the mop, its like a flag during war when one party won the war.

Edited September 7, 2011 by MingzhuAng

[MingzhuAng 0]

The partition of the walk in wardrobe is not being hacked yet. Today went, its gone, and it feels much bigger then before.

Finally, the wall tiles are up in the kitchen. So happy. Too bad i can't take photo of the common toilet, as i can't access the common bath since there were cement on the floor which is yet to dry.

MBR toilet, left side will be the shower area, which had different colored tile. No proper pic as the angles are hard to achieve using my mobile.

[MingzhuAng 0]

This side will be where the mirrors will be at.

And this side, as mentioned the shower area.

Lastly, the service balcony. How i wish i do not have to install any window to the bottom window, but can't. As i do not want the rain to wet the floor and my washing machine.

Edited September 7, 2011 by MingzhuAng

[MingzhuAng 0]

Tomorrow, we will be buying our kitchen sink, as we need the measurement for our sink concrete support. So, most probably we will be buying our hob and hood as well. The other sunday, I was looking at a kitchen sink from Elkay's brand, but i'm having doubt now. Seriously, i'm quite an indecisive person, i'm so scared that after i bought the items, i might regret it. Reason that i choose Elkay because it has the suitable accessories for this sink. E.g a chopping board, wire basket etc.. let's see what i will choose tomorrow again. Actually, we went sim siang choon and seen something similar, and it comes with accessories, but at our latest visit we don't see the display set anymore.

The good news is... Rain shower, shower hand set, mixer, storage heater, chrome or stainless steel basin bottom trap, basin tap all can get from hb's hardware shop. haha.. big savings i mean to him... Anyway reno fee all paid by him.. i'll do all the plannings, with his bo chap attitude i have hard time planning, as he don't give me very good suggestion or comments...

For storage heater, we will order together with his father, as their house needs to change the storage heater too. Have to wait for his father to make the phone call. Think his father quite kan chiong, just now asked us need to order the storage heater already. Hb told me the stock will come in 2 days after making order, so we thought should have enough time then. If we order now their shop will not have sufficient storage to put them. Hb officially confirmed the brand, its......... Ariston.. Hope its good..

For the hand shower set, rainshower, basin taps they are not very branded la, showy brand lo.. I saw the catalog and shortlisted some of the items i'm interested in. Should be not bad ba..

Edited September 9, 2011 by MingzhuAng

[MingzhuAng 0]

And we finally bought our elkay brand of kitchen sink. And we bought a few items at the same time too.

Ellane hob and hood. Wasn't sure of the brand etc, and took a leap of faith and bought Ellane's hob and hood based on my feel at that time. Actually, we went twice and my heart is always telling me to buy that hob. Hope its good. Initially, was planning to get izola, which is not popular in SG. My parents bought it 11 years ago, and they are made in England. The izola now is made in china if i'm not wrong. Might be a mistake that they are referring that the brand is made in England.

We also bought a sink for our common bath, but i forgot to take a pic. And we almost bought the pull out sink tap, and suddenly i remembered that hb showed me the catalog of faucet that they are carrying. And i remembered the brand pozzi, luckily i remembered. It will save us quite a bit, as he can get it at supplier price. keke..

Edited September 9, 2011 by MingzhuAng

[MingzhuAng 0]

And today we went to our new house to look at the progress. I was so excited on seeing that our storeroom is up... So happy..

There the tiler building up my storeroom.

MBR bath floor is done.

Common bath.

More areas covered with kitchen wall tiles. I love the way it reflects with the lights.

[angelbutterfly 0]

Hey, yr Reno progress looks great! Yr hubby is juz like mine n wanted certain things his own way so I also gave in lor..Aiya, let them pay more! Lol!

[MingzhuAng 0]

Hey, yr Reno progress looks great! Yr hubby is juz like mine n wanted certain things his own way so I also gave in lor..Aiya, let them pay more! Lol!

Hi angelbutterfly, thanks! Yup, let them pay. When the bills come, they will pop their eyes like a ping pong ball.. Maybe like this -> haha.. anyway, i have warned my hb, if he insist, anything for me lo..

[MingzhuAng 0]

No reno update today, as i'm going to bathe my dearest huggy furkid. And i'm really lazy to to get out of the house today, so i got my hb to buy coffee and afternoon snacks for the workers today. Initially, hb is against the idea, as he felt not necessary. For me, i felt we have to do it for a number of reason:

1. check progress

2. treat them nicer, they will do my house properly especially tiling portion

3. they can reconfirm what i wanted to do before proceeding and more time efficient

4. anything that is done wrongly, it is in time to rectify rather then everything is done, rectification may be too late. Or it may cause underlying problems.

For buying snacks for the workers, i learned from my dad, when my dad's house which we stayed for 11 years is under going renovation, my dad did that everyday for the workers. And the result did reflect back, the workmanship is good and at handover we have nothing to rectify. Imo, this look some sort like bribing them. haha.. Just don't care, so long everything goes smoothly. Actually, same thing applies in workforce. You see, when my superior needs us to work OT, he will fork out his own pocket money to buy us meals. So, we will do it willingly and complete it on time and in better quality. And my dearest hb never learn such things, as he is not working for other people, he works for his dad only. So i guess in this area he has no experience. I always believe in listening to elder's advises with their experience, no harm trying. As the saying goes, 不听老人言，吃亏在眼前。 Well, they may not be right every time, as the time goes different working method and attitude, but no harm trying, if doesn't work i will not do it again. And buying them snacks everyday is not that costly. Imo, renovation and construction is a line that still sticks pretty much on traditional working attitude and method. So based on my dad's experience in construction, buying some goodies for the workers still works. And i also always believe, if you treat others well, other people will treat you well too. 将心比心。

So far, every time we buy them snacks they are happy and they always reconfirm things with me too. I'm happy with their work, they are happy to have snacks too. Its a win win situation. At times, i have no time to buy snacks, i will get hb to do it since he works for his dad, his time is quite flexible, but i prefer to go personally. As hb do not know my design plan and he will always call to ask.

Sorry for the above ranting, was a little angry with my hb for not understanding the reason of buying snacks for the worker even i have explained to him. Nonetheless, he still does it as the other day he sms me not to do it everyday, just do it every other day, and i ignored his sms. And i guess he got a bit frantic that i got angry and rushed down to our new house, as he knows i will be there.

Side track a bit, just few pic of my precious furrykid, i feel like hugging him whenever i'm out. He is a joy to my parents, as he is quite mischievous and he has some cute reaction to new things. Like my dad bought few small fishes for the tank which we placed on the floor, and when my furkid saw. He licked the tank at the spot where the small fishes are at, and scratched the tank where the small fishes were. And it brought lots of laughter to us. And my mum say, maybe those fishes looks like the small fishes which i bought for him as treats.

My mum also commented to my dad that he will miss my furkid when hb and i moved to our new place. As my dad is my furkid's best friend, he always played with him. When my dad wakes up in the middle of the night to watch tv, my furkid will sit with him.

We named him BB, as he is always curious, and whatever we do, he wants to take part, or else he will be sitting beside us and look at what we are doing. So we always call him busybody, in short bb.

BB's 1st birthday

My bro bought him a tie

when he is lazy to jump up the bed, he is waiting for me to carry him up

the sleepy bb

Edited September 10, 2011 by MingzhuAng

[PublicLife 0]

And i'm really lazy to to get out of the house today, so i got my hb to buy coffee and afternoon snacks for the workers today. Initially, hb is against the idea, as he felt not necessary. For me, i felt we have to do it for a number of reason:

1. check progress

2. treat them nicer, they will do my house properly especially tiling portion

3. they can reconfirm what i wanted to do before proceeding and more time efficient

4. anything that is done wrongly, it is in time to rectify rather then everything is done, rectification may be too late. Or it may cause underlying problems.

For buying snacks for the workers, i learned from my dad, when my dad's house which we stayed for 11 years is under going renovation, my dad did that everyday for the workers. And the result did reflect back, the workmanship is good and at handover we have nothing to rectify. Imo, this look some sort like bribing them. haha.. Just don't care, so long everything goes smoothly. Actually, same thing applies in workforce. You see, when my superior needs us to work OT, he will fork out his own pocket money to buy us meals. So, we will do it willingly and complete it on time and in better quality. And my dearest hb never learn such things, as he is not working for other people, he works for his dad only. So i guess in this area he has no experience. I always believe in listening to elder's advises with their experience, no harm trying. As the saying goes, 不听老人言，吃亏在眼前。 Well, they may not be right every time, as the time goes different working method and attitude, but no harm trying, if doesn't work i will not do it again. And buying them snacks everyday is not that costly. Imo, renovation and construction is a line that still sticks pretty much on traditional working attitude and method. So based on my dad's experience in construction, buying some goodies for the workers still works. And i also always believe, if you treat others well, other people will treat you well too. 将心比心。

Very true! The poor workers don't earn much after all (I'm sure their bosses get the lion's share of the profits) and they work long, hard hours for a living. And, I'm fairly certain that most people don't show them any kindness or consideration, so it really makes a difference when someone does.

[MingzhuAng 0]

Sunday went to visit the progress, since saturday i was busy with my furkid.

The door frame is up for my store room. And the floor tiles within is also done up.

My refrigerator base.

My concrete sink support, it will be in black. Since i will have my black galaxy kitchen worktop. Went up today, the black tile for the concrete support is up, but i was in a hurry, so i left without any pics. Will ask my hb to take photo tomorrow when he goes over, since his parents house is just 1 street away from our's.

Anyway, today the tilers were tiling my kitchen floor. And i suddenly realized that the cabinet base is not inline with the kitchen sink, due to the protruding beam at the sink area. Didn't know why i didn't realized it on sunday. Luckily, i was in time to tell the tiler. And he is super kind and say its alright many times, as i feel a little apologetic to tell him after he laid the floor tile. Plus the tile at that area is already cut to fit. Nonetheless, he has good attitude and smile at me and check with me many times on the measurement, and how i want it to be done, since that area would make our bottom cabinet very deep.

My dad said, maybe because we always bought them lunch snacks. So far every time i go, he will always confirm things with me, so quite thankful for the responsible tilers. And i'm pretty satisfied with their workmanship. Keeping my finger cross that this will go on till all my flooring are done. Especially, my marble floor tile, that one is super important.

And the washer base, was wrong also when i went on sunday. I wanted a rectangular one then a square one just to fit my washer. And it was rectified today. Perhaps i was too overwhelm with my anger on the washer base on sunday, that i forgotten about my cabinet base.

And a relieve that the rest are in order for today, i'm eager to see all the flooring is done, but i think it will take another 1 or 2 weeks for living and rooms flooring. And the HDB has not approve our application on opening another kitchen entrance. My neck is getting longer.......

[angelbutterfly 0]

Yr hubby n mine must shake hands n be good frens! I love to buy food for the workers n he felt unnecessary too! I ignored n did so myself lor...It's true that they will communicate n verify things on the spot again. Hence, I am also quite pleased with their work...Tiling took quite major time n hardwork n I believed that the workers do deserve it!

I am also crazy over dogs! Yr BB is so handsome! So white n furry to hug hug! I got no time to bath my chihuahua today...He is 8yrs old already. I adopted him when he was 5...Dogs r so cute n wonderful companion...

[MingzhuAng 0]

Yr hubby n mine must shake hands n be good frens! I love to buy food for the workers n he felt unnecessary too! I ignored n did so myself lor...It's true that they will communicate n verify things on the spot again. Hence, I am also quite pleased with their work...Tiling took quite major time n hardwork n I believed that the workers do deserve it!

I am also crazy over dogs! Yr BB is so handsome! So white n furry to hug hug! I got no time to bath my chihuahua today...He is 8yrs old already. I adopted him when he was 5...Dogs r so cute n wonderful companion...

haha.. seriously yes, they should be best friend if they know each other.

I love dogs a lot too.. BB is my second dog, both bb and my first dog are adopted. Just that after my first dog passed away i took 2 years to accept another dog. And bb came just in time when i'm ready for another dog through my friend. I just mentioned it to my friend at then and soon after, my friend told me there is a japanese spitz for adoption from her husband's friend's friend. They are a bunch who always helps abandoned dog to look for a home.

We adopted BB at his 8th month. Happy to know someone who adopted their dog too, as i would encourage people to adopt dog then buying them. Agree that dog is a wonderful companions, ever since bb came, there is so much joy in our family, my parents are often being entertained by him, since he can be a little mischievous and playful when he is bored. And he will find people to play with him too.

[MingzhuAng 0]

I think for the next few days, should not have much updates on the renovation, as we are pending for HDB approval on hacking of internal wall. Not sure if the floor tiling of rooms and living can start, as it may affect the marble tiles. Also, i have decided to remove the partition wall in one of the room and built a hollow block. I was contemplating if i should do it, and after the kitchen floor tiling is almost done, i had decided to do it. Since, i saw that a lot of the false ceiling internal structure is in wood block, so i thought this partition wall internal structure should be in wood form as well. And i would strongly prefer a more solid wall also. After much struggle, i decided to do it as it will be wet work, and after reno, it will be hard if i want to do it.

The door is removed for demolition of partition wall in one of the room.

The store room, the other day the pic was not well taken.

Kitchen flooring 80% done.

Refrigerator base with tiles.

Concrete support base with black tile.