A Couple's Decision to DIY their Home Renovation (part 3.1)

Following up from Previous Posts: A Couple's Decision to DIY their Home Renovation (part 1), (part 2)

Chapter 3 – Let’s Rock & Roll

From brainstorming of design, listing out the wanted list to sourcing of contractors/ID, this stage probably give you the first headache due to limited funds! But still working within your means is still Number 1 A simple sentence but yet hard to achieve While we insist in keeping our WANTS within our Budget, the only way out for us is to be the Main Contractor ourselves and engage the Respective sub-Contractors for our home renovation. And that it, It’s Where Renovation Beings!

Our price to pay = No 3D design + A lot of Time Commitment + Project Management

So if you have enough budget$$$? Go for ID!

 

Some Tips when choosing/budgeting for your reno

1. Do a site visit @ the potential ID/Contractor current project This allows you to see the real workmanship. “See the real thing feel the difference”
2. Site visit at your premises is a must! Never ever engage an ID or contractor based on your floor plan. Get them to visit your house and see their proposed design or solution before confirming.
3. You will never get your budgeted figures! i. When people ask what your budget for reno? Think carefully before answering. ii.Don’t forget whatever amount you have on-hand needs to cater for air-con, toilet accessories, lightings and furniture. iii. Keep some buffer when speaking to vendors, quotation is always outside expectation.
4. Avoid hidden cost and keep asking questions! Just remember you are not professional; just ask anything you need to know. E.g. Carpentry drawer system is using what system? Choose cheaper tiles = lower final cost?
5. Nothing is a bit more in pricing If anyone tell you a bit more, remember to get the full quotation. A bit more per unit may end up A lot more as a whole.

So Let’s Rock And Roll on our Renovation

We started from this:

To this:

As you can see the tiles and condition of the house is habitable, but since it is our first house

We Want a Project MakeOver!

Getting ready: Installing a temporary water for contractors & marking of the hacking area

And the next day……

Hack off everything!

After 3 days of hackings and clearing of debris, we have our industrial kitchen

And our industrial living room Did you spot that Soon Bee Huat has delivered the tiles to us??

It’s Jigsaw Puzzle time

Tips: But before tiles can be laid, two important events must happen first:

1. Our hacked wall must be made good (e.g. smoothen) as you can see my tiler is working on it 2. Carpenter must come with his carpentry drawing dimension. This is to ensure the tiler is aware and agreed on the cabinet & sink support location and the position of the fridge.

Serious discussion is on-going

So you can see there are many sketches on the paper following the discussion, so isn’t it Critical?

Note: Please make sure you have your home appliances dimension ready (e.g. fridge, oven size, cooker hoob) for a better space planning!

Another Tips for you: To ensure that the tiler uses the right tiles at the right area, you can: i. Stick a tile note on your wall for your tiler reference as shown ii. Snap your tiles with text as shown and share with your tiler. iii. Write on the sample tiles given by Soon Bee Huat {Check out our video}

TO CONTINUE VIEWING OF INSTALLATION, CLICK HERE!!

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Written by MYPS. Do email to us at support@renonation.sg if you wish to know more details on our renovation.