Originalbread's Humble Abode

[originalbread 0]

More mistakes, from wrong door model, wrong grill gate, trackless sliding door became one with track. then when I thought what else could go wrong... wrong laminates put up for the kitchen cabinet

After its changed to the right laminates. Doesn't it look much better?

I think I've put in a ridiculous amount of time choosing laminates and drawing n redrawing the structure for the kitchen storage. Until I thot my eyesight deteriorated. But I think the effect is quite good.

The altar that I also spent a lot of time thinking of the design n laminate. My bro kept telling me altar should buy from altar shop, rather than get someone who do kitchen cabinet to do, otherwise it will look like kitchen cabinet. But I didn't like what I see from the shops at Rochor, then the one I like at a shop specialising in elms wood is too ex. So no choice, got to crack my head to get the carpenter to do one.

This is the easiest to decide. I like the laminates with the black handles.

Actually, I think the carpentry work is the only part that I'm really satisfied with (except for the initial hiccup because of the blur main con).

[Suyun 0]

originalbread

who is your blur contractor? Just curious.....

[Rhin 0]

Hi Originalbread,

Your kitchen looks nice, I like the laminates too. Clean, modern and sleek.

The altar is quite neat-looking too, compact and functional.

Even though your renovation journey so far has been fraught with problems, i think the finished product at the end should be worth the headaches.

[chezph 0]

Serious issue here.

ok, you can't see any problem with the photo, but when I walk around my bedrooms' floor, I can feel the unevenness almost every step. and its like the type that feels sharp to the feet.

the grouting is also uneven, some areas you could see the grout properly filled up between the gaps, some areas you just see the gap and not the grout. then for those areas filled with grout, some are light grey in color while others very dark grey, though they could be side by side. contractor said its moisture and common issue for using cement as grout or even color grout but this is ridiculous. I've never hear anything like this before.

As for the unevenness, he said its the tiles issues and can ask the tile companies down to explain to me. Since all these were over the phone, I'll just see what the contractor got to say when we go down to my house tomorrow.

and for the corners of my skirting, they are really ugly, you can see a grey exposed area whenever there is a corner. Is this the norm?

pic before painting.

anyone experienced issues with tiling before? I thot laying the tiles evenly, and doing the grout grout properly are very basic expectations. I'm not even complaining that they did not arrange the running tone tiles properly to ensure the color and lines flow properly.

Not good workmanship. And unevenness in tiles - yes, true but very minimal .. Not until everywhere is uneven.. Hence it's their prob. Skirting is not right too.... Haiz

[chezph 0]

Thanks Princess. The greyish edge in the pic is actually the cross section of the tile, eg. when u cut a tile, u will get to see this grey portion which is the thickness of a tile. But not sure why these homogeneous tiles look so ugly when sliced across. Thot homogeneous tiles should look homogeneous .

Indeed v headache, he insists that what he is doing is the standard practice n he did so many houses no one got issue.

For the wood tone tiles, initially I want to pick the long strips type but he say may warp, so I listen to the advice n didn't pick that. Then when I pick these 30x60, he did say this will not have the same issue.

Juz b4 laying the tiles, he called to say can't lay staggered else will have warping, so I also listen to the advice n lay them in one line. But then even so, the unevenness v bad.

Then v jialat leh.. U heed his advice, not long tiles and not staggered, still badly done ..I saw someone did long thin tiles and staggered, quite even.. My house too.. Make sure u don't take his nonsense explanation !

[chezph 0]

More mistakes, from wrong door model, wrong grill gate, trackless sliding door became one with track. then when I thought what else could go wrong... wrong laminates put up for the kitchen cabinet

After its changed to the right laminates. Doesn't it look much better?

I think I've put in a ridiculous amount of time choosing laminates and drawing n redrawing the structure for the kitchen storage. Until I thot my eyesight deteriorated. But I think the effect is quite good.

The altar that I also spent a lot of time thinking of the design n laminate. My bro kept telling me altar should buy from altar shop, rather than get someone who do kitchen cabinet to do, otherwise it will look like kitchen cabinet. But I didn't like what I see from the shops at Rochor, then the one I like at a shop specialising in elms wood is too ex. So no choice, got to crack my head to get the carpenter to do one.

This is the easiest to decide. I like the laminates with the black handles.

Actually, I think the carpentry work is the only part that I'm really satisfied with (except for the initial hiccup because of the blur main con).

Nice kitchen!

[originalbread 0]

Thanks Rhin. Actually I'm very undecisive and kept changing my mind for things, so some stuff may look a bit mismatched. but that one is my fault. Hopefully the end product doesn't look strange. I was also trying to go for a mid century post modern and eclectic look. But very hard to find the right materials so some stuff end up to be just things I thought should look nice.

Hi Originalbread,

Your kitchen looks nice, I like the laminates too. Clean, modern and sleek.

The altar is quite neat-looking too, compact and functional.

Even though your renovation journey so far has been fraught with problems, i think the finished product at the end should be worth the headaches.

[originalbread 0]

Nice kitchen!

Thanks Chezph. That's probably the only nice corner.

Aiyo, guess what, the powerpoint is supposed to be 2 doubles but the contractor made another mistake and did 1 double only.

[originalbread 0]

Then v jialat leh.. U heed his advice, not long tiles and not staggered, still badly done ..I saw someone did long thin tiles and staggered, quite even.. My house too.. Make sure u don't take his nonsense explanation !

He gave very detailed "justifications" on why its the tiles' nature and need to balance all four corners of the tiles, and compensate for other connecting tiles. I told him other people's house don't have this issue and I will not accept or even pay him the next instalment until he resolve it. So he changing around 10 tiles in the bedrooms and 2 - 3 in the living room (living room less jialat). He also redo the ugly skirtings and doing another acid wash to make the grout color more even. First time I hear acid wash will cause grout color to be uneven. That's rather silly, shouldn't acid wash be avoided if it causes grout issue? He was the one who say must acid wash.

Unless I can show him someone house that uses very similar tiles as me, and is very even, else probably hard to argue. So far, I've only been to a fren who newly renovate and has very even flooring. But that's becos his house use glossy tiles and edges probably less 90degree cut. Then I went to another kind forumer's house, but her tiles were lay staggered and warping is expected in such laying method. Also trying to get a fren's tiler to come down to my house to take a look, probably after the contractor did the rectification and I still feel its not satisfactory. Sigh, I've run out of ideas... this guy is really ultimate

[momiji 0]

hi originalbread, hope everything will turn out well for your home!

[originalbread 0]

hi originalbread, hope everything will turn out well for your home!

Thanks Momiji. How did your tiles selection go? Managed to find the ones you like?

[kenjo 0]

Really hope things will turn out rite for u! All the best!

He gave very detailed "justifications" on why its the tiles' nature and need to balance all four corners of the tiles, and compensate for other connecting tiles. I told him other people's house don't have this issue and I will not accept or even pay him the next instalment until he resolve it. So he changing around 10 tiles in the bedrooms and 2 - 3 in the living room (living room less jialat). He also redo the ugly skirtings and doing another acid wash to make the grout color more even. First time I hear acid wash will cause grout color to be uneven. That's rather silly, shouldn't acid wash be avoided if it causes grout issue? He was the one who say must acid wash.

Unless I can show him someone house that uses very similar tiles as me, and is very even, else probably hard to argue. So far, I've only been to a fren who newly renovate and has very even flooring. But that's becos his house use glossy tiles and edges probably less 90degree cut. Then I went to another kind forumer's house, but her tiles were lay staggered and warping is expected in such laying method. Also trying to get a fren's tiler to come down to my house to take a look, probably after the contractor did the rectification and I still feel its not satisfactory. Sigh, I've run out of ideas... this guy is really ultimate

[originalbread 0]

Really hope things will turn out rite for u! All the best!

Thanks Kenjo

[momiji 0]

Thanks Momiji. How did your tiles selection go? Managed to find the ones you like?

hi originalbread, yes, I found the tiles in Hup Kiong.

[originalbread 0]

hi originalbread, yes, I found the tiles in Hup Kiong.

hope to see your photos soon.