"sailing" To The Northeast@punggol

[jasdy 0]

Hi everyone, after "camping" at renotalk for almost a month, wife and I have decided to stop being passive readers and contribute to this community too! At the same time, this T-blog will serve as a diary/record for the renovation of our first home! Hopefully, readers will find our blog informative and useful!

Some history and background to kickstart this thread:

Early to Mid 2009

As the financial crisis was unfolding, GF and I felt that this represented a good opportunity to buy a flat at a reasonable price, even though we were only planning to get married a few years down the road. (Abit unromantic but no choice due to Spore's housing policies) There were plans to ROM first and then collect rental for a couple of years to fund the future renovation and we thought we were not too greedy as we were hoping for a 10-15% drop in prices. However, as you all know by now, HDB prices barely dropped during this period and we were priced out of the resale market(what's new).

Late 2009

Like most young couples, we started balloting for BTO (and even DBSS) flats. As new flats were so much smaller, we were on the lookout for 5 room flats. Although both of us agreed that proximity to MRT was an important factor, GF was interested in more mature estates too! Nonetheless, after a few unsuccessful balloting attempts, managed to convince her to try for the Punggol Sails project (Nov 2009).

Early 2010 to Oct 2012

During those days when Mr Mah was still the MND minister, it was "normal" for BTOs to be oversubscribed by >6-7x. Therefore, we were quite happy when we received our queue number of 13x. Although there were only about 110 5-room units, I reassured GF that with a drop-out rate of 30-40%, we should still be able to select a decent mid-floor unit (around storey 6?). As we monitored the take-up rate, we were shocked that the drop-out rate turned out to be closer to 20% only for our project. When it came to our turn, we were left with the low-floor units. As we expected housing prices to continue climbing and BTO to remain scarce, we decided to make the best of our options and selected a unit. We consoled ourselves that we were buying a cheaper unit and that it should be fine as both of us have always stayed in low floor units.

The home was then out of our minds as we held our ROM in early 2011 and then our customary in Oct 2012. We had always expected our home to be ready slightly after our wedding and true to our predictions, some of our neigbouring blocks had already received their keys in Nov 2012. We should be getting ours too in late Dec! However, doubt our reno can complete by CNY.

In the next few posts, I will post on the stuff that we had done in Nov in preparation for the upcoming renovation! Stay tuned!

Edited December 7, 2012 by jasdy

[jasdy 0]

Early to Mid Nov

After our wedding and short honeymoon, I became quite "enthu" about our new home! Previously, I was really quite bo chup.

Felt the urge to do something and approached friends and colleagues for advice/contacts and had this colleague who started to "poison" me with Grohe bathroom products! He told me that "it was worthwhile to spend more on quality accessories that would get wet and that getting them during sales meant they were just slightly more expensive than the average kind". I thought what he said was reasonalbe and such a coincidence that they were holding a sale at Tai Seng area from 9-11 Nov! Could not resist the temptation. In the end on 10 Nov, I bought:

1. A kitchen mixer. Damage: $200+. Got the basic one as the salesperson said that most designs with pullouts were already sold out the previous day. Had to make do with this and doubt we were willing to pay any more for a kitchen mixer.

2. Accessories. Damage: $200+. Was not really keen on this set as it was really heavy and I was not driving. (Wife put me down in the area in a cab before going off for work)However, there were only 3 sets left or at least, that was what was conveyed to me. Since we would require at least a towel holder, wife caved in. LOL.

3. Basin Mixer. Damage: $200+. As we were thinking we needed a new basin for the MBR (wanted to build a vanity cabinet), we thought we could indulge ourselves with a new basin mixer. Think it was quite an impulsive buy as after seeing some pictures of neighbours' layout, seems that we could make do with the HDB basin.

Total Damage: almost $700. Personally, I was quite tempted by the showers as all the mixers were having only about 30% discount but for some showers, the discount went up to 70%! Wife managed to convince me that the showers were not so urgent and we could always wait for the next round of Grohe sales after we have moved in and if we were not satisfied with the showers.

Will share some of the photos after I get home tonight or tmr.

Preview for next post: will talk about my opinions of Marquis and Lush Lush as I recced the Tai Seng area after my Grohe purchases!

Edited December 11, 2012 by jasdy

[jasdy 0]

Here are the photos of my buys at the Grohe warehouse sale! Hope it will make my MBR toilet have a more "hotel" feel.

The kitchen mixer

The accessories

Basin Mixer

Edited December 7, 2012 by jasdy

[jasdy 0]

Wife wasn't really sure the theme she wanted initially, but she knew that she wanted a huge dose of wood to make the home warmer and cosier. I was receptive to that and upon further research and reading (esp on Renotalk), realised that I took a special liking to the Scandinavian/Minimalist theme. Thereafter, we managed to plow through useful T-blogs (adidaem, prody, lunaverie, itsybits etc...) and websites/images for reno ideas and furniture. We wanted to stick to a budget of about $55k-60k for both renovation and furnishing but as of now, seems hard. Ooops...

After doing these homework, on 10 Nov, after my outlay at Grohe, I started exploring furniture shops in that region. First up was Marquis. Saw a couple of Merc and BMWs parked at the porch which was a good indication of whether I could afford their stuff. Was really shocked at the prices. Like >$5k for a piece of sofa? Unsurprisingly, with me lugging around plastic bags, no sales person entertained me. Left after a short while.

Went to Lush Lush after that since there were some good reviews on the shop's items. A sentence to describe it? "Affordable replicas with reasonable quality", esp with the 30% discount. (Update: For Dec, there is an additional 5% if using HSBC cards?) There were plenty of chairs there. Wife really liked the Eames shell chairs.

Think Lush Lush is worth a visit if yr budget is $150-300 for a piece of chair (lounge chairs excluded) and $1k-$2k for TV consoles, dining tables and side boards. And from what I had heard, the range is similar to Lorgan's.

Before I end this post, here's the layout of our home!

I feel it isn't the best out there as the rooms are too rectangular and narrow. Once you decide on a position to place the bed, everything would fall into place. As we are not hacking any walls, the wardrobe in the MBR would also have to be L-shaped! (need at least 8-10 ft)

With a limited budget, think the priority would be the living room since we forsee that this would be where we would spend most of our time. We like oak and walnut furniture (but really ex) so guess would have to make do with teak for the other bedrooms. Will have a separate post on our renovation ideas for the different areas!

[jasdy 0]

Went to downtown today to do some furniture shopping. Still looking for a TV console and have been pondering over this Grafunkt Line console for the longest time.

It is available in walnut or oak. Even after discount, still cost slightly more than $3K. Quite a stretch for my budget but both wife and I like it alot. Also spotted another reasonable alternative at Harvey Norman. It's the Marie Claire entertainment unit.

This unit is much more affordable coming in at $1500+ after discount. Any advice/suggestions on what I should choose? If anyone is interested in the above pieces, maybe we can get it together and ask for a better price too.

[crypaz 1]

I bought the line tv consol ...yes it's very x...perhaps you might want to see if there are other items u like from the same shop can ask for better discount...that's what i did.

I like the tv consol very.much but i do wonder if i over spend on it...though i wouldn't say i have seen a lot of different design tv consol, this one catches my attention and i like the fact that it's oak wood and that it doesn't look too plain cause it has the "line" design....

Those other tv consols that i like very much are those that i saw in those furniture shops in Japan...they have similar designs like the line tv consol...and pricing wise is about $1k plus..too bad i dun see them in Singapore....

I guess at the end of the day it's how.much u like the item.... if can't find other tv consol that both u n your wife really like alot and it's of a better pricing....then maybe is to cut budget on others and spend a bit more on the tv consol...

[jasdy 0]

Hi crypaz,

Thanks for yr advice. Saw from yr T-blog that you bought quite a few items from Grafunkt. Doubt our budget allows us to get that many items from them. They told us that they could give a 25% discount if we bought >$9k?

Think you got yr console at ard $2.7k? We tried real hard to bargain for $3k and they also told us that it wasn't possible as they have reduced their pricing recently and that we were getting a good deal.

Agree that most other designs are really quite plain. Moreover, the Grafunkt console ticks all the requirements that we have below:

1. Able to hide all the wires

2. The DVD/PS3/Starhub sets will not have to be out in the open for the remote to work. Minimalist!

3. No glass for the remote to work

4. Feels solid with pretty good finishing

5. Made of oak/walnut and is pretty

So dun feel bad about the purchase! There are actually quite a few consoles out there that are much more ex than the Line but they din catch our attention too. Many friends have also told us that the purpose of the console is just to store yr media stuff so no need to really 'invest' in it, but since we really like it a lot, still v likely to get it. Like u say, got to make some compromises here and there. Last resort is to increase budget!

[jasdy 0]

Went to the Scanteak sale at Isetan yesterday and saw some nice Scandinavian stuff. There was a new launch called the Prologue which is also infused with Japanese minimalism. Nice! Some photos below.

However, our main purpose of dropping there was to get their 1 for 1 offers for the bookshelf. Reckoned that their bookshelves should be much better than Ikea's.

Also grabbed this side table/coffee table/stools too! They were on a good discount.

The Prologue items will continue to be on display at Isetan for some time although the sale for the other items will likely end today.

Edited December 10, 2012 by jasdy

[bleucheeze 1]

How much is the one for one bookshelf? Is it $399 for two after discount?

[jasdy 0]

Hi bleucheeze,

Yes, it's $399 for two. Think it's really a gd deal. You bought it too? As we went to Park Mall later, saw it retailing at $359 for just one.

[bleucheeze 1]

No leh, only know about it after reading your post. I shall try my luck tomorrow, see if the promo still on. Do you happen to know what is the load of the bookshelves?

[Sygnur 0]

Wow!! Good price for the bookshelf...

[jasdy 0]

No leh, only know about it after reading your post. I shall try my luck tomorrow, see if the promo still on. Do you happen to know what is the load of the bookshelves?

Hope they can extend the deal to you if you are interested. Perhaps should have posted it earlier. Anyway, realised that I had forgotten to ask about the load for each bookshelf. But should easily be able to withstand 5kg per shelf.

[adidaem 6]

So dun feel bad about the purchase! There are actually quite a few consoles out there that are much more ex than the Line but they din catch our attention too. Many friends have also told us that the purpose of the console is just to store yr media stuff so no need to really 'invest' in it, but since we really like it a lot, still v likely to get it. Like u say, got to make some compromises here and there. Last resort is to increase budget!

Maybe you can do a mini-MO for Grafunkt items to get $9k in total? Everyone in the MO benefits right? Think just need 2 more homeowners. No harm trying.

If you've read my blog, you'll know that I spent quite a bit on my furnishings. But the solid wood items will last so over time I think still worth it. I will rather spend more $ now on something that I love then to live with possible regret and/or throw away in a few years cos I was never happy with the design from the start. But if you buy then must think that 10 years later you will still love it lar. Else quite sayang.

[jasdy 0]

Hi adidaem,

I am a keen follower of both your T-blog and web blog. Manage to get to know some great deals through them. Like the Landex/Luzerne sales that were not publicised in the papers. We went down to the Landex Building just yesterday and came back with lots of Luzerne products. Really grateful to your sharing and updates!

Reading your blogs also educated/"poisoned" us on better quality furnishing as we knew nothing about retailers like Grafunkt, Air and Pomelo when we first started sourcing for furniture. Have went down to these stores and really liked their furniture, esp the finishing. So agree with you regarding the quality part! Now, we are trying to convince ourselves that they would last for >10 years to justify our purchases!

Yes, looking for a couple of homeowners to do a mini MO/bulk buy at Grafunkt to get a further discount on the TV console. But got to be fast as their 20% discount probably ends at the end of the year. Wife and I also liked this Cross sideboard at Pomelo! And that's going to cost another $3k+. Therefore any savings (however small) will be welcomed!