Reno@Clementi - Painting works

We have started the painting works and should be able to complete within the next few days. Coming weekend, the rubber tiles are coming in and the whole place will look much different as compared to now!

Reno@Punggol II - Electrical works in the home

Electrical works is almost completed here. The electrician has pulled some wires in the kitchen, master bedroom and bathroom. Going to arrange for citygas and the aircon men to come in next before we start painting!

Reno@Punggol Waterway - Partition works and Aircon done!

The last post the ceiling was dangling with many electrical wires. This time round, most of the wires are fully concealed in the light holders. The living room ceiling and walls looks much neater now.

We had a bit of a hiccup with the citygas people because they came down and didn't want to pull the pipes for the dryer, or install the gas heater and so they didn't pull the gas stove piping to the kitchen.  Reason being that the bracket for the gas dryer to be mounted, that wall had a blue tape sticker which indicated that there was a water pipe behind. And where the gas heater was suppose to be mounted, it was near to the PVC pipe. But seriously, the yard is so small and congested with so many pipes. And the yard is the only place to mount a gas heater for the stove, for the washer and if possible the gas dryer.

So our owner had to arrange again for them to come down to install the gas heater which leads to the gas stove. If not, how are the young couple suppose to cook??

Reno@Punggol II - Laminate selection

Reno@53LB - Pre Reno Photos

Reno@H3 Maisonette - 3 days later

3 days has past and we are here to take a look at the carpentry progress... most of the big items in the master bedroom like the wardrobe has been installed together with the sliding door panels. The chest of drawers by the side of the window is nearly completed too with the accessory drawers fitted in.

One side of the wardrobe doubles up as a tv space for the master bedroom

Walk in wardrobe. Wardrobe space flank on both sides.

Reno@Clementi - Electrical works in the Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most complex area in the home because that's where you find all the electrical appliances, which power points to be mounted at low heights or above counter, double pole switches for built in appliances, light switches for ceiling and tasklight.  Not forgetting water points for kitchen sink, washing machine, water filter or even a water point for fridges too. Sometimes if home owners have a dish washer, yeap then we also have to factor a water point that connects to the dish washer.

Besides the electrical and lighting points, there's also the gas piping considerations on how to run. Which is why some times the timing that we take to discuss the kitchen setting out on site can take up to more than 1 hour.

it's complicated.

Reno@Clementi - Air con works completed

Aircon works, windows and vinyl flooring by home owners.

Outsourcing subtrades

We have quite a few projects where home owners prefer to source out their own suppliers or sub trades. Something which we are quite opened to. However we do not recommend home owners to source all the subtrades by themselves because then there's actually no "boss" for them to listen to except the home owners. This is quite apparent when things go wrong or when there's no one to finish up the mess or tail end portions of the reno.

Not wanting to pin point any sub contractors but there have been many cases where the subtrades do not listen to the main contractor or even the ID and just do the way they want to do. And there are instances where sub contractors make a mess of the flooring or freshly painted walls or even scratch the parquet. Who is to rectify these defects? Then there are cases where walls are "punctured" and went through some electrical wirings. Again this made both the subcon and electrician very angry at each other.

These can be avoided if all the subtrades are under the main contractor. Should any of the trades makes a defect, the main con is liable for the defect and he can bill it back to his own subcon for the mess that he has created.

That being said, what are the subtrades which we are open for home owners to source on their own?

Windows, rubber tiles, Carpentry and aircon.

Although personally i feel air con is a bit of a grey area, and I usually recommend to go with the main contractor where possible so that the electrical, plumbing and air con can run simultaneously together.