Jump to content
Find Professionals    Deals    Get Quotations   Portfolios
Sign in to follow this  
mrbytez

Sand Castle In The Air (Part I)

Recommended Posts

And the unveiling of the Kraus faucet!

What you see is what you get.

16401369731_001f0ac8b2_z.jpg

This is the Satin Nickel option.

16377144456_8b070bbd26_z.jpg

Hey, I flew more than 18 hours to join my fellow Kraus sink buddy. Feeling jet lagged anybody?

16217210167_7e91a25696_z.jpg

The spout & nozzle. Can be pulled out to reach those corners if needed.

16403128075_1326f6af65_z.jpg

Edited by mrbytez
 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join 46,923 satisfied homeowners who used renotalk quotation service to find interior designers. Get an estimated quotation

Loving the cement screed tiles! :wub: Wouldn't mind using them all over haha. But still don't know how the self levelling compound will look like...

15788174763_a3a69bd60e_z.jpg

Bringing up the kitchen. Didn't make sense to open it up and then there's a drop in the kitchen flooring level.

16408216355_307cccb473_z.jpg

Reinforcing the staircase sidewall. Had wanted to hack them all away, but no budget to redo railing for now. So this is it.

16408216075_e80deebe20_z.jpg

16222295717_afa5af4695_z.jpg

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

During installation of the LG Artcool Sys 3 Aircon, something bad happened, due to my own inexperience as well partly. The Gain City installers said it was better and recommended to install the trunking as close as possible to the wall and ceiling beams. However, there were existing electrical wiring and trunking at the beams. The original aircon trunking layout is like a maze running long and far... So decided to go for the shortest possible. The installers then mentioned I didn't have to stay and supervise because it will be really dusty and be like a battlefield. So I went back home for a short rest. After which, I received a call from the head installer that they are running the aircon piping and trunking, but there are existing electrical wiring and trunking in the way, so they request to cut them away, and that it is easy to run the electrical wirings later, so I agreed because I couldn't imagine the situation in my mind also. When they called to inform that the installation was complete, I headed back and based on my visual inspection, the workmanship looked good.

The headache came 2 days later when my uncle who is also an electrician, came to look at my place as he intended to help me with the electrical wirings. He was very pissed and angry at how the aircon piping and trunking were laid when he saw the place. >.< He pointed out that the electrical wirings were snipped and trunking removed. The nightmare was that, because the mains DB Box is located on the lower floor in the storeroom, electrical wirings were laid and brought up to the upper floor via a hole drilled at the corner of the MBR. The aircon installers snipped the electrical wires right at the point where the wires popped out from the hole. AND the mains were still switched on, meaning electricity is still live and running, if anyone were to touch the wires, 100% electrocuted. :jawdrop: Furthermore, it was only then that I realised the previous owners had concealed the electrical wirings from MBR to the toilets and other bedrooms in the wall. The installers also snipped away at the wires at those points, which then rendered the lighting and heater switches at the corridor upstairs useless. The existing wires were concealed and then cement was poured or applied into the holes, so existing wires can't be pulled out or replaced :jawdrop: .

16083442670_33dd1d0c96_c.jpg

I would be super upset with this. 1) unfortunately, this happens often if you do not have a main contractor or ID supervising everything, and different contractors just want to do their works their own way; and 2) even with ID or main contractor, it is always good to be around most of the time. It is always during that few times you decide not to be around that things will go wrong somehow. It has happened to me many times too.

Edited by Ks Toh
 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I would be super upset with this. 1) unfortunately, this happens often if you do not have a main contractor or ID supervising everything, and different contractors just want to do their works their own way; and 2) even with ID or main contractor, it is always good to be around most of the time. It is always during that few times you decide not to be around that things will go wrong somehow. It has happened to me many times too.

Yeah, was rather pissed because I got chided by my uncle for not being more alert and preventing this from happening. :curse:

Still waiting for a solution from the electrician.

Btw, I love your super detailed T-Blog. Haha, it's one of the many T-blogs that I spent the longest time on. Gonna run Cat 6 lan cables up to the rooms, hope to be able to maximise the 1Gbps fibre broadband.

I see that you use ceiling lights to light up your walls. Do you think it'll be suitable for my walls at the stairs? Or will one get blinded while climbing up and down the stairs? :rofl:

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for visiting my blog. Hope you find the contents useful.

From what I know, even if you have 1Gbps, you are not going to get anywhere near that kind of speed 99% of the time because the speed of the connection is as fast as the weakest link. Most of the time, the website server cannot even give you 100Mbps. I am happy with my low end 100Mbps fibre.

I wouldn't recommend ceiling lights for stairs. Yes, they can be blinding. In my case, I had no choice. In any event, I installed them quite high on the wall, so they do not shine directly into your eyes.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for visiting my blog. Hope you find the contents useful.

From what I know, even if you have 1Gbps, you are not going to get anywhere near that kind of speed 99% of the time because the speed of the connection is as fast as the weakest link. Most of the time, the website server cannot even give you 100Mbps. I am happy with my low end 100Mbps fibre.

I wouldn't recommend ceiling lights for stairs. Yes, they can be blinding. In my case, I had no choice. In any event, I installed them quite high on the wall, so they do not shine directly into your eyes.

Haha, typical Singaporean. The higher the figure, the more self-shiok we feel. Lolz..

Yeah, not easy to find nice and bright stairway lights...

Hi.. does the lighting shop sell led strip?

Can't remember but I don't think so, they feature more of LED Downlights, panel lights and those T5 light tubes etc.. I'll be dropping by tomorrow morning to pick up my additional orders. See if I can remember to help check out for you.

Not yet done with lighting purchase, but already more than $700 on the bill. Oh my lights. :deal::jawdrop:

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi.. does the lighting shop sell led strip?

I didn't manage to see in the shop, but based on their Oct ad, they have @ $5/m. 1m = 60 led.

For led strip, I think there's also a fellow bro here that seems to have a cheap and good lobang.

http://www.renotalk.com/forum/topic/64472-where-did-you-buy-your-led-downlights-from/page-8#entry887116

Bro "sforshor".

I didn't get any led strips for my place yet, currently no requirement as such, lol.

Edited by mrbytez
 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wooo... so smooth walls.. the kitchen walls have been plastered up. And I hereby certify that the kitchen walls are the smoothest and straightest of all in the whole house. Wonder if I should put a certificate of achievement on the kitchen wall to award them. Lol.. Looks quite cool actually. Now those pipes stand out like a ____ in a ______.

15819803233_c2fef8d719_z.jpg

The random blue cramped toilet. Next time will want to change the door frame to black and that blue toilet... :argue: The toilet and the kitchen arguing. lol, cannot get along.

16439869015_15dfa65513_z.jpg

What do you guys think of the stairs? No budget to change the hand rails for now. lol.. glass panels $5k odd, new metal railings $3k odd.

16439869375_40e15fa906_z.jpg

Ready for tiling today.

15819804693_b8de0a46f3_z.jpg

Meanwhile, an update on the post bro DeadEnd mentioned about the HT-Hickory tiles from SBH. Thanks to him, he highlighted that his reno somewhere mid last year used the same series of tiles for his flooring but found out that the batch contained quite a number of cracked tiles and warped tiles. Upon laying the tiles, the warp was pretty obvious. Thanks to his experience, I am able to check the tiles in advance before laying the tiles and then noticing it too late. I checked the batch of tiles that I received and noticed that the packaging has this "RECTIFIED" all over it. Probably referring that the manufacturer has rectified the tile warp issue. Got the tiler to check the tiles for me earlier, he mentioned that the tiles were pretty good already. Only perhaps a handful or less were warped. He commented that tiles of such long format are very prone to such issue. The tiles that I have are considered very good liao. Upon researching on google, apparently the tiler was right. So they have a method of laying the tiles so that if there's any warp, it will not be that visible or "jialat" and ugly. Instead of the standard 50/50 layout, a 33/33/33 and or random layout is recommended. Will try to post up more on this later. Meanwhile, thanks and kudos again to bro DeadEnd.

Oh ya, one more thing is.. I'm pondering over whether to plaster the ceiling beams in the same colour as well for those outside of the kitchen.. Because the bottom base of the stairs I'll probably get them to do the same. Won't be painting over.

16439869205_621ceb3397_z.jpg

Edited by mrbytez
 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wooo... so smooth walls.. the kitchen walls have been plastered up. And I hereby certify that the kitchen walls are the smoothest and straightest of all in the whole house. Wonder if I should put a certificate of achievement on the kitchen wall to award them. Lol.. Looks quite cool actually. Now those pipes stand out like a ____ in a ______.

15819803233_c2fef8d719_z.jpg

The random blue cramped toilet. Next time will want to change the door frame to black and that blue toilet... :argue: The toilet and the kitchen arguing. lol, cannot get along.

16439869015_15dfa65513_z.jpg

What do you guys think of the stairs? No budget to change the hand rails for now. lol.. glass panels $5k odd, new metal railings $3k odd.

16439869375_40e15fa906_z.jpg

Ready for tiling today.

15819804693_b8de0a46f3_z.jpg

Meanwhile, an update on the post bro DeadEnd mentioned about the HT-Hickory tiles from SBH. Thanks to him, he highlighted that his reno somewhere mid last year used the same series of tiles for his flooring but found out that the batch contained quite a number of cracked tiles and warped tiles. Upon laying the tiles, the warp was pretty obvious. Thanks to his experience, I am able to check the tiles in advance before laying the tiles and then noticing it too late. I checked the batch of tiles that I received and noticed that the packaging has this "RECTIFIED" all over it. Probably referring that the manufacturer has rectified the tile warp issue. Got the tiler to check the tiles for me earlier, he mentioned that the tiles were pretty good already. Only perhaps a handful or less were warped. He commented that tiles of such long format are very prone to such issue. The tiles that I have are considered very good liao. Upon researching on google, apparently the tiler was right. So they have a method of laying the tiles so that if there's any warp, it will not be that visible or "jialat" and ugly. Instead of the standard 50/50 layout, a 33/33/33 and or random layout is recommended. Will try to post up more on this later. Meanwhile, thanks and kudos again to bro DeadEnd.

Oh ya, one more thing is.. I'm pondering over whether to plaster the ceiling beams in the same colour as well for those outside of the kitchen.. Because the bottom base of the stairs I'll probably get them to do the same. Won't be painting over.

16439869205_621ceb3397_z.jpg

Hi, as you mention is the kitchen wall done by easy plaster to get the cement screed feeling as picture above?

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, as you mention is the kitchen wall done by easy plaster to get the cement screed feeling as picture above?

Yup, according to the worker who did my walls. He told me that's ez plaster or something. very smooth touch to it.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Some other interesting designs that I saw..

16160560980_f871a6883c_z.jpg

Was toying with the idea of topping up for these. Looks so nice... But might not match or fit in..

16347917715_13e63bd959_z.jpg

And the famous bricks..

15725494294_07d8248177_z.jpg

No wonder people always have a hard time choosing laminates...

16347918655_cfe9e0a6ca_z.jpg

16160329508_1b61a7d4b2_z.jpg

Hi, may I know where is this picture of laminates from...? Which shop? :)

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Cement screeding in progress for flooring. Contractor H told me that they will continue with the cement screed first, and then I look at the end result. If I really do not like it, and insist on using self levelling compound, then they will do it for me. At least I know how the natural cement screed effect will look like.

The view from the main doorway.

16278531289_eef47d5fc1_z.jpg

Tilers at work with the cement. Look at those muscles! :jammin:

16277342920_6117827a63_z.jpg

A sneak preview of the living hall flooring. What do you guys think?

16463834392_8ee70e36cc_z.jpg

Edited by mrbytez
 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×