Resale Revival

We will be moving into the flat tomorrow! Yes! Finally! After all the alterations (and there're still some tiny little bits that need to be done), my movers will move my existing furnitures into the new flat from the warehouse. :)

Study room is painted with special stroke of baby breath blue - because it will be a doraemon-theme room. :) Other rooms are painted using warm colours. I think overall, I like the colours of the whole flat... pretty bright, and yet its quite warming. :P

Updated: 9 October 2008 -> Some of the curtains were up! Those day-n-light curtains are all up. For the bedrooms, the roman blinds required more work, so they will be up in about a week time or so. I love the curtains...giving the whole flat a soft feeling. :)

Here're the most updated set of photographs!

It's getting more and more ready... air-conditioning system was installed, all the toilets' doors were there (one of the toilet's door comes with a full-length mirror), the kitchen cabinet is almost done (left the solid top...), the tv-console is also almost done... and I have asked Jackson to do up some additional carpentry for my bedroom and my mum's room... basically to do up some cabinets to fill up the useless "holes" under the windows. The wrought iron gate was also installed!



What's left are:

- Kitchen's cabinet solid top

- A door between the master bedroom to service balcony (walk-way to my new toilet... this is a last minute add-up I've asked Jackson to do, in additional to the carpentry mentioned above)

- Other miscellaneous stuff such as my taps, my mum's toilet's bars for elderly people to have better grips...



Think I can move in soon... hopefully soon. :)



See the photos below!

Carpentry works started! I'm only doing my wardrobe, kitchen cabinet and tv-console/shoerack. So, it should be completed quite fast - I hope.

Yihan (my nephew) came to my flat with his parents (my sister and brother-in-law) to see the progress of the renovation. Yihan loves the fact that he can run around my flat (from kitchen, via toilet, via service balcony to my master bedroom, then to the living room and back to the kichen again). We played hide-and-seek for a while...and he couldn't find me at all. He's so cute. When he's looking for me at the kitchen, I am hiding in my master bedroom. When I hear his voice/footstep sound that he's approaching the living room, I will be walking quietly to the service balcony. So, in this manner, we actually run round and round, until he give up seeking for me...because he couldn't find me.

In the end, he said "Ah Gu!" (Hokkien, which means uncle). "I cannot find you. I give up! Your flat is so big!"... I burst into laughter...afterall, how big can a 4-room HDB flat in Singapore be?

Here's the photos!

Finally, I've the lights up! :) They have also fixed up the ceiling fan for my living room, the glass panel for my kitchen's wall, my toilet's shower screen... Anyway, I've found some defects in some parts of the renovation - so will get the contractor to do the corrective measures. Jackson called me this morning to tell me they will start the carpentry work this coming Friday. So I think by tomorrow, they will fix up my mum's toilet's PVC door, my toilet's Pd-door and sliding door (with mirror)...

With the lights, I think the wall colours I've chosen is not so bad as I first thought. Anyway, here are the updated pictures. :)

L-Boxes are up, but they have yet to drill holes for the down lights yet. They have completed the 90% of the painting works. Water closets and toilets' basins are up too. Here's the complete picture! :)

Renovation is delayed due to the earlier wait for HDB to approve my hacking/building of walls. Anyway, that means I've to spend some more money to move my furnitures to a storage space before moving to the new flat. This is because I need to move by 14 September, this Sunday. The new owner for the current flat I'm staying will start their renovation next week. No choice, they need to get the flat ready for Hari Raya too.

Anyway, here's the consolidated photos I've taken on the progress of the renovation. :) It's getting more and more towards it objective. :P

Karen is still in Vietnam. I met up with Jackson in the morning to go and purchase sanitary wares (for the toilets) as well as things for the kitchen. We also went to buy the lightings.

To summarize, total damage of the day is $6600. Here's the breakdown:

I've spent $2900 in the sanitary wares shop.
I've spent $1750 in the lighting shop.
I've spent $1950 for the air-conditioning system - Sanyo Non-Inverter System-3 with 3 ticks in Energy Savings.

Total $6600. I didn't know it will end up this figure. Pure coincident. Anyway, Chinese love the number 6 because we have common Chinese phrase such as 六六大顺 which means very successful, etc. It was a very last minute decision (something I always do, and something Karen's always not comfortable with) to buy a storage water heater instead of instant heaters as agreed earlier. Reason: The rainshower head. Jackson told me regardless of which floor you stay, the normal HDB water pressure is not able to fully utilize the rainshower head. He added that even if the pressure is good enough, my instant water heaters will not produce hot water fast enough for that. So, in conclusion, if I'm very lucky, I will get cold "rain water" if I go for rainshower head and instant water heater. So? Storage water heater lor.

Some of the things I bought from sanitary wares shop were:

• Baron Water Closets (WC) better known as toilet bowls. Each is $310.
• Baron Basin for my mum's toilet
• A nice amber gloss glass basin for my toilet
• Toilet accessories (Mirrors, towel racks, toilet roll holders)
• Hand-rails for my mum's toilet (she has weak legs...these will help her)
• Joven 25L storage water heater
• Rain shower head for my toilet (love it!)
• Basin for my kitchen (with a nice soap dispenser... cool. I've chosen a matt finish instead of gloss)

Take a look at what I've bought! (I've managed to find some of their pictures in the internet) :)

I have bought square-shaped downlights for my L-boxes. Altogther 40 of such. Each $30. Total $1200. I also choose some simple lights for my kitchen, toilets and store room.

I've chose my paints also for the rooms. Here're my choices.
Take a look at an artist's impression how my kitchen will look :) My kitchen cabinet should be like the below, except that I've decided not to suspend the cabinet. Reason is since my maid do cooking daily, a suspended cabinet will be more prone to wear-and-tear than a cabinet that sit on top of a concrete base.

So, here's the updates from the renovation works. Basically, some of the tiles are up (for the toilets especially). Walls are hacked (service balcony to master bedroom, mum's toilet's door). The flat is in a total mess - but that's the essence of renovating. Mess out, renovate and see a nicely end artifact (the renovated flat). That should be pure satisfaction.

By the way, in order to build the wall between the service balcony and the kitchen, I've to sign an agreement with HDB to acknowledge that I will reinstate this back (which means I will need to hack a opening) before I sell the flat. Reason they argue was that each rooms (kitchen, living room, bedrooms) must have a direct window. By placing a wall between service balcony and kitchen, the kitchen is deprive of a direct window.

Anyway, this particular HDB officer called me to tell me this building of wall (that separated service balcony and kitchen) will not be approved due to that. I try to explain my points on why I need it there, etc. Then he asked me "So how?". Gosh! I hate people (who are supposed to advise me) ask me this kind of question. I sarcastically said "Ha? So how? What do you suggest?". He responded, "If you go with the default HDB layout, there won't be any problem.". 废话 (literally "rubbish"!). I answered "But the contractor already hacked some of the walls that have been approved by HDB!". "Oh! They cannot do this. We haven't approve anything..." he added. "So, that means my mum's bedroom have toilet. A master bedroom in a flat don't have. Don't you think it's weird?" I queried. "Haha. Actually, if you need to go toilet from master bedroom, you can walk out from the door, via the living room, and go to the kitchen's toilet." he answered. I seriously don't know these HDB officers, whether they have bring their brains to work when they can say these kind of answers. The best part is he added "how often do you wake up at night to go toilet right?". I am really turn off.

Anyway, after my elder sister wrote a complain email to HDB, the matter is solved and that I need to sign this agreement with HDB. Fine. I don't think I should argue with them. They are simply people who follow the books, and lack flexibility.

Nevertheless, look at the progress here below! :)

The story goes where John Lok, the Fengshui adviser, came over to have a look at my flat, and advises that it will be good if I can put a pot of plant (of about 5 feet?) inside my flat (at the entrance of the door, on the left-hand side if you view the flat from outside). Anyway, the idea is about 左青龙右白虎philosophy.


So, in conclusion, I begin to source for planter that suits my flat. Not easy. Criteria no.1: it cannot be too old-fashioned. Criteria no.2: Big enough for a 5 feet tall plants? Criteria no.3: Plants must, ideally, have many leaves but small leaves.


I've looked around, and we managed to find a brand called Lechuza planter-series. Very nicely designer pots... really like it. And it comes in some nice colours. Here's one of it that I'm very interested in getting. Anyway, the price is about S$180 quoted from a nursery here. I don't think this price already included the plants, but anyway, it's consider cheap, because I thought it will cost about $400-$500...


We found it at Island Landscape & Nursery today... I think we look a little bit stupid because it was drizzling but you see two people walking around some nurseries as though it is very sunny,etc. Anyway, happy to see the planter! :)

I often do not see a need to see a fengshui consultant. Afterall, they are (in my humble opinion) alittle bit too expensive to engage, and usually, we will end up paying more for buying stuffs they said MUST BUY in order to rectify a bad fengshui.

However, this time round I was determined to get one to see my new flat. Reason is that my elder sister (who learned some of these stuffs from her master) told me to erect a wall, which I deemed is unnecessary. So, in order to convince her that the wall in unncessary, I got in a fengshui consultant. Anyway, I think to myself, no harm done. He can help me to convince my sister that walls are unnecessary, and he can at the sametime help me to understand my flat's fengshui.

So I got in John Lok (http://www.fengshui0011.com/). I think he give me an impression that he's not a pushy fengshui consultant. I mean, I have heard alot of people telling me fengshui consultants often used scare tactics to ask u to buy stuffs from them - which are usually costly. I would say I am quite pleased with John Lok's analysis. One of the most important statements that he said was "There's no need to always build walls, etc. to change the flow of Qi (air?). One of the disadvantages of doing this is it will be hard for you to sell your flat.". I totally agree. Another statement that he tell me which convince me he's much better than my sister (haha) is that "in Fengshui, one should do the layout of the flat (incl. of those stuff he recommend) in such ways that it is not obvious to anyone.". I would rather see a flat that is very clean, and allow more freely flow of surrounding air. I think I will live happier in such flat, than a flat full of walls, full of ornaments. :P

Seriously speaking, previously, when I think of hobs/hoods, I will think of brands like Ariston, Ellane, Funai, etc. I have never heard of Fujioh, until I read up in some forums. So, this Fujioh is supposed to be from Japan, and are meant to be designed to be use for Asian kitchen. Reasons given in forums are that brands such as Ariston are meant for non-Asian's kitchens, which don't do too much frying or oily stuff, etc. I don't know how true this is, but since alot of people have good comments on Fujioh, I think it will be a safe choice.

So, I've got Fujioh FG792 gas hob, which has the following specifications:

• Toughened Glass Hob inner flame burner
• Battery operates ignition gas burner
• Two wok burners
• All burners with variable valve system control
• Heavy duty cast iron pan and wok supports with enamel coating
• Combustion rate: 5.0kw
• Outer Dim: 750mm x 450mm x 60mm
• Cut-out size: W670mm x D350mm

I was told inner flame is much better for asian cooking - true? Don't know. But this hob looks simple and elegant. :)And I've got the companion FX900 hood. It has the following specifications:

• Ventilating
• Dimension: (W) 900mm x (H) 157mm x (D) 580mm
• Weight: 16 kg Stainless Steel body Noise Level: <>
• Rated Efficiency Level: Up to 88%
• Oil Absorption Rate of up to 83%

Altogether, they cost me $700. It's supposed to be $788 (as stated in Fujioh's official promotion). But this shop I went to was able to give me a good price, so I just grab it!

Meet-up with reno guy (his name is Jackson) in the morning to select tiles. We went to Soon Bee Huat's showroom at Toh Guan Road East. You can see their website here www.sbh.com.sg. Anyway, we went to the 2nd-level to have a look at their showrooms, before we decided what tiles are required. Karen and myself agreed animously that the dark grey floor tiles is very suitable for the kitchen. Then, we selected a nice wavely-surfaced white tiles for the kitchen walls. For the living room, it's a light beach colour with high-gloss. Toilets' tiles took us a longer time than expected. Because tiles we liked have limited stocks. So, no choice. I've selected some "backups" - i.e. in case my choice no.1 is low in stocks, the tiles company will deliver my choice no.2 to the reno site. Oh, not to forget, we have selected some mosaic tiles just for decorating the new master bedroom's toilet.

Really, I am looking forward how all these tiles will match up! :)

Sigh. I'm pretty surprise that the previous owners of the flat have left me with a flat full of rubbish. From can of coke, to cooking utensils/oil in the kitchen, to tampons in the toilets, to lingeries in their wardrobe. So many rubbish. My elder sister said "Let's clear them ourselves" earlier - but I've decided it will waste too much of our time.

So, money solve all problems (most of the time). I've paid a little sum to get 3 bangadesh workers to help me clear away the rubbish. They are really professionals - and I am serious! (This is not a sarcastic remark in any sense!). They can really clear the flat very fast (within 2 hours) and make the flat looks soooooo clean. Anyway, take a look at the photos here to see what I mean:

Being a Chinese, we have to believe in some traditional customs. Afterall, it's better to believe than not to - and it should do no harm anyway. So, I have to choose a good day to "start work" - meaning a good date, according to Chinese lunar calendar, to start renovating your flat. Anyway, it's just for ceremonial purposes, and my reno contractor won't be there.

So, I reach the flat at 6pm (before sunset obviously). My sister has bought the "stuff" necessary for this ceremony. Things such as paper money, which will be offered to "house god" (屋神) and other 好兄弟 (which literally means "Good Brothers" - a term Chinese use to describe spirits/ghosts). And some other stuffs, such as a hammer - for "hacking" (ceremonial only pleaseeee) the walls, joss sticks (for praying), etc.

My sister has scribbled down notes on what to do for this ceremony - she had the information from her master (whom she learned fengshui with). So, we went through the ceremony - and I hereby declared the flat is officially under renovation! :)

Went to HDB Toa Payoh Hub for the completion of the resale transaction - which means I can get my keys today. Took a half-day leave from office to attend the afternoon appointment. Since the appointment was 3.15pm, it was still early for me when I left the office. So, don't waste time - proceed to Funan IT Mall to have a look at anything new for Wii. :) [oops, off topic a little bit, I actually bought another 2 wii remotes and nutchuks to add on to the 2 sets I already have.]

Anyway, the whole resale transaction was slightly delayed because the sellers forgot to bring a document (from their law firm) required for the transaction. So, while waiting for the sellers to get the document, I had a casual talk with my elder sister. Okie, I admit - it was during this talk that my elder sister somehow convinced me to get some loan for renovation. Afterall, she said, if I pay the renovation completely with my cash, I will be left with a pathetic bank account balance statement. So, she continued, take some loan, pay some cash and keep the rest of my cash for emergency use.

We finally got the keys from our acting law firm's paralegal at 4.30pm. Elder sister called the contractor (from the renovation company I've selected..) to tell him about my intention of getting a loan. We're supposed to meet him anyway tonight, to finalize on the renovation details, etc.

According to HDB, inspection of flat is necessary prior to one week from the resale transaction completion date. So, we called the contractor to come along with us for the inspection, so that we can further discussed the renovation.

Contractor saw the living room floor tiles, and said "there are already many black marks, which are permanent, on some of these tiles." Then he saw the wooden raised platform at the living room, and suspect that there are no floor tiles below this platform. So, I asked him to include hacking the current floor tiles and replace them with new ones for the revise quotation. "So, do you want homogeneous tiles or ceremic tiles? I would recommend homogeneous lar, but it's slightly more expensive than ceremic tiles." Don't play-play, 叔叔有练过的! (singlish, literally means "don't underestimate me..."), luckily I've read up renotalk forum.

"Homogeneous!" was my answer. Basically, a homogeneuous tile hold its properties throughout the entire section of the tile. A ceramic tile, on the other hand, only has a coloured pattern coating on the surface. If you break a homogeneous tile, the color on the surface is the same as the color inside. If you break a ceramic tile, you will see red brick colour inside, regardless of what colour your tiles are. So, in conclusion, it is better to use homogeneous tiles so that when it cracked accidentally, it will not be too noticeable.

Next, he said, the aluminium windows & its frames can remain, since its still in a good condition. I was told by the seller they just changed it recently.

Then he pointed that "Hey, Eng Sing, you see. They have old tv points (which are not capable to connecting to Singapore's CableTV).."! Oh no! I need it (the cabletv point) for every room. Then he said "If I suggest, why not you save your money from building custom wardrobe, and make use of the savings to re-wire the whole house?" Re-wiring - since the flat is already 9-10 year-old...ok, re-wire!

Then my elder sister jumped in and said "Di di" (as she so affectionately called me), you really need to build a wall here to block people from seeing your room directly through the common corridor's windows. -.- Ok, I've asked the contractor to quote that too.

Anyway, I'll modify the quotation accordingly once I get the new one. :)

We managed to gather 3 quotations from 3 "reputable" renovation companies. "Reputable" because they are all listed in Hbay. I still don't know if it's ethical to put these companies' names here in the blog. So, for now, I won't.

Anyway, the quotes are (ordered from highest to lowest): $40381.80 [A], $30295.00 [B] and $29950.00 [C]. Please note: prices exclude electrical works and other fittings such as basins, water closets (better known as toilet bowls), lightings accessories, etc.

We were actually looking forward for B to provide us the quotation (since he's the first to approach us early in June). And, we have seen some works done by B before, and is very please with their design and workmanship. However, B came back quite late for the quote - what's more, it's after I called and reminded the contact person some time in July. B's carpentry is cheaper compared to C and A but their hacking cost is quite expensive. So, for the delay in quote - which I classify as insincerity, I decided to give B a miss.

Between A and C, I actually like A better. Reason is because they have dedicated IDs (Interior Designers btw) to come up with ideas for you, and the one who attended us is really very patient and detailed. However, you can see the figures, don't you? The fact that A is a big company in Singapore means that part of the $40K is actually meant for Goods & Services Tax (GST is 7% in Singapore). That's about $2.6K of the $40K. For $2.6K, I can easily get a customise TV console. So, A is out. We were left with C, and I decided not to look further. Since C has helped my sister to renovate her flat - and she was quite please with their services, I think it will do no harm to let them renovate mine as well.

This is the floor plan of a simple 4 room flat:
Yes. Main bedroom will host me! But, I will change the main bedroom's toilet to become a toilet for bedroom #3, which will host my mum and my maid.