Alternatively, you can wait until the 3 princesses to grow up and THEN force their boyfriends to do the housework IN ADDITION to changing the lights

Yup, that's a good 'glass half full' way of looking at it.

Anyway according to JT's daily updates, the pipes have been cleared (at a cost, of course) so that's the first hiccup settled.

Hahahaha... No need to force lah. Is a good test to see if their bf 有心 and know how to 自动 or not. Lol. Anyway, now I look at it as training my gals to be self sufficient. I told them now they must know how to do basic house chores. Don't next time they go Uni hostel, expect me to send maid to clean for them, I'll spank all their bottoms.

Thankfully your drainage all settled liaoz. 1 issue less to worry about. I find the most worrying part of Reno is all the hidden costs & unforeseen hiccups. I went thru quite a few myself and end up over budget by $10k. Sob sob. Now hv to work harder to earn back those $$$.

Hahahaha... No need to force lah. Is a good test to see if their bf 有心 and know how to 自动 or not. Lol. Anyway, now I look at it as training my gals to be self sufficient. I told them now they must know how to do basic house chores. Don't next time they go Uni hostel, expect me to send maid to clean for them, I'll spank all their bottoms.

Thankfully your drainage all settled liaoz. 1 issue less to worry about. I find the most worrying part of Reno is all the hidden costs & unforeseen hiccups. I went thru quite a few myself and end up over budget by $10k. Sob sob. Now hv to work harder to earn back those $$$.

hahahaha you're right

best to start them off at a young age - wonderful training! (plus the more independent they are, the less we'll need to do or worry about teehee)

i absolutely agree with you...

these hiccups are uncalled for and are items that we cannot possibly budget for =(

"Throwing money down the drain" - well said! But at least this has been settled smoothly and quickly.

"Throwing money down the drain" - well said! But at least this has been settled smoothly and quickly.

Cheers makan!

btw totally loving the photos of you conducting training and cuddling the dog

hahahaha you're right

best to start them off at a young age - wonderful training! (plus the more independent they are, the less we'll need to do or worry about teehee)

i absolutely agree with you...

these hiccups are uncalled for and are items that we cannot possibly budget for =(

I think all home renos have to factor in unforeseen expenses. Just to share, we didn't plan to change our windows for the house now...but well...due to water seepage...bye bye 3K plus. LOL....beams appeared in strange places...that needed to be leveled out or else they would be unsightly...again..pay...LOL...these things happen. Think just try and put aside at least 10% of reno cost aside...as a buffer for unforeseen expenses.

I think all home renos have to factor in unforeseen expenses. Just to share, we didn't plan to change our windows for the house now...but well...due to water seepage...bye bye 3K plus. LOL....beams appeared in strange places...that needed to be leveled out or else they would be unsightly...again..pay...LOL...these things happen. Think just try and put aside at least 10% of reno cost aside...as a buffer for unforeseen expenses.

That's good advice, vanessa

we'll have to factor in these unfortunate hiccups because i'm pretty sure this may be the first hiccup, but it's not going to be the last

ya be mentally prepared! lol

That's good advice, vanessa

we'll have to factor in these unfortunate hiccups because i'm pretty sure this may be the first hiccup, but it's not going to be the last

JT's Daily Update (30th Sept '13)

More work on the windows today. And the window grills are finally up!

So we have officially gone from these windows and grills:

(sorry, I don't have an individual shot of the windows and grills. This is a photo of the dining area and you can take a quick peek at the old windows & grills to the right of the photo)

To the new ones!

A better look at the new windows and grills:

JT's Daily Update (30th Sept '13)

More work on the windows today. And the window grills are finally up!

So we have officially gone from these windows and grills:

(sorry, I don't have an individual shot of the windows and grills. This is a photo of the dining area and you can take a quick peek at the old windows & grills to the right of the photo)

To the new ones!

A better look at the new windows and grills:

nice...isn't it amzing how different windows (and grilles) can make a place look?

Everytime I click this thread, I keep thinking Tom Cruise will drop from the ceiling whilst suspended from a rope to steal furniture

(Nice windows and grills!)

nice...isn't it amzing how different windows (and grilles) can make a place look?

I absolutely agree with you, vanessa! There are so many different stages.... The tiles should be in place *hopefully* by early next week and that'll make the place look totally different too! You're now at the finishing stretch and the most exciting stage - the installation of the carpentry!

Everytime I click this thread, I keep thinking Tom Cruise will drop from the ceiling whilst suspended from a rope to steal furniture

(Nice windows and grills!)

HAHAHAHAHA

He better not... Our new WCs, hood, hob, oven and some minor misc items have been delivered just today. We can't afford to buy more stuff to replace the ones that he steals.

Oh wait... I'm pretty sure he can afford his own (nicer) furniture and not covet ours.

How fun - yet another (minor) hiccup.

Just received a call from JT.

The OpenNet cable installation guys are at my place right now to lay the required cables, optical fibre (coupled with surface trunking) and to set up the Termination Point.

When the FSM conducted the house audit at my place previously, he was very firm that the Wifi Router has to be set up at a particular corner on the 2nd floor in our Reading Room. Because of that, the OpenNet guys will now have to extend cables up to the 2nd floor and according to them, the 'free' installation arranged by Starhub only applies to the first 15 metres or something like that. Since the router will be on the 2nd floor, they'll now need to extend the cables upstairs and will probably do the Termination Point there as well - all at a separate charge, to be charged on per 5 metre blocks. So now he's going to keep one eye on the OpenNet trunking and the other eye on the tilers.

How fun - more unexpected costs!

Update: JT IS THE MAN! Basically he's discussed with the OpenNet guys and has managed to settle this for us! We're going to go down to the unit to check on the progress tonight and we're going to treat him to dinner for the help! *huge beam*

How fun - yet another (minor) hiccup.

Just received a call from JT.

The OpenNet cable installation guys are at my place right now to lay the required cables, optical fibre (coupled with surface trunking) and to set up the Termination Point.

When the FSM conducted the house audit at my place previously, he was very firm that the Wifi Router has to be set up at a particular corner on the 2nd floor in our Reading Room. Because of that, the OpenNet guys will now have to extend cables up to the 2nd floor and according to them, the 'free' installation arranged by Starhub only applies to the first 15 metres or something like that. Since the router will be on the 2nd floor, they'll now need to extend the cables upstairs and will probably do the Termination Point there as well - all at a separate charge, to be charged on per 5 metre blocks. So now he's going to keep one eye on the OpenNet trunking and the other eye on the tilers.

How fun - more unexpected costs!

Update: JT IS THE MAN! Basically he's discussed with the OpenNet guys and has managed to settle this for us! We're going to go down to the unit to check on the progress tonight and we're going to treat him to dinner for the help! *huge beam*

Lucky you! We dealt with this ourselves..we relocated it to the tv console downstairs...had to pay for 3m of wiring

Lucky you! We dealt with this ourselves..we relocated it to the tv console downstairs...had to pay for 3m of wiring

3m of wiring... works out to be around $33 extra right?

i would rather use that money to get some kitchen stuff from the TB shop that you used.

On a sidenote - i'm LOVING the Jamie Oliver chopping board! Absolutely droolworthy.

Am going to add more items to my 2nd order this weekend. *evil grin*