ULTIMATE SINGAPORE DIY RENO TIPS
I first shared my experience renovating my mum’s newly purchased HDB resale flat in the Facebook Group Budget Reno (Singapore) around July 2021. It was my way of giving back to the group’s community, which had helped me so much.
Unfortunately, a year later, Facebook AI wrongly flagged it as spam & removed it. Thankfully, I had written the post on my PC and kept a copy of it.
That post benefited many group members. Reproducing it on my website in the hope it will benefit my readers, too.
Any prices quoted in the post are likely no longer valid, and some vendors or product models may no longer exist. However, the principles or processes behind how renovation works are done are likely to remain unchanged.
Hope you find it useful.
BACKGROUND
I want to be respectful of your time & warn you this is quite a lengthy post.
This post might be a worthwhile read if you’re planning a reno for the first time, looking for a main contractor, or enjoy reading reno experiences.
If you don’t like reading lengthy posts, have recently completed your reno or would rather not read about personal reno stories, then it would be best to skip this post.
Let’s get started.
Budget Reno was a tremendous resource for me as I researched and planned the renovation of my mum’s newly bought HDB 3-room resale flat (700sqft) in December 2020.
Thanks to the generous sharing by members of the group, I found the main contractor and suppliers with whom to engage and partner.
This sharing covers my reno journey & my experience with the main contractor, Philip Sim of Yong Ping Renovation.
There are six sections.
1. THE BEGINNING
My mum bought a 40+-year-old HDB resale flat (2 bedrooms + 1 toilet + 1 bathroom) in an old & original condition late 2020.
This top floor unit came with pink floor and wall tiles, extremely uneven walls & ceiling (slightly slanted), terrazzo flooring, a tired-looking bedroom wardrobe & an old kitchen cabinet.
I did reno for my place many years ago and had been entirely out of touch with what was happening in the reno scene.
With my mum slated to receive the keys to her flat on 30 Dec 2020, I started the reno journey by attending a Qanvast hangout in early Dec 2020.
At the event, my wife & I got to meet four different IDs, and we shared the following requirements with them:
✅ overlay vinyl flooring in the living & two bedrooms
✅ overlay kitchen floor tiles
✅ hack living & kitchen dividing wall
✅ hack & redo toilet/bathroom
✅ hack & install a new L-shaped kitchen cabinet (glass backsplash, quartz counter-top)
✅ hack & install new casement wardrobe in 1 bedroom
✅ change a new set of windows in living room & 1 bedroom
✅ plastering of wall & ceiling
✅ painting
🎨 white, grey, black, brown colour theme
💰 $30k budget
Fairly straightforward stuff. Nothing fanciful or complicated.
I also planned for the following but did not include them as part of the main reno cost.
☑️ new system two aircon
☑️ new ceiling fans with light
☑️ new electrical wirings/sockets
☑️ new main door/gate with digital locks
The expectation was to start the reno after CNY 2021.
(A) MEETING WITH IDs
Out of the four IDs we met, one gave me a $40k++ quotation on the spot.
The other three did not talk so much about the cost but took down my requirements and said they would get back in one to two weeks with an appointment to discuss further.
Out of these three, two did not get back as promised, while the last one cancelled our appt at the last minute. The sole ID that gave me the $40k++ quote was the only one who followed up with me.
I then decided to check out how this $40k++ quote differed from carpentry companies (found on FB) that did full-scale reno.
(B) MEETING WITH CARPENTRY COMPANIES
I visited three carpentry companies (all in Woodlands) that also do full-scale reno.
I also contacted a 4th carpentry company over WhatsApp.
Out of the four, two of them came down for a site visit on New Year’s Eve, right after my mum picked up the keys for the flat.
Generally speaking, the quotations from these four carpentry companies were between 5% to 15% cheaper than the sole ID quote I received.
These quotations suggested that I couldn’t do what I wanted to with a budget of $30k.
The most expensive component was the hacking and tiling work in the toilet & bathroom which amounted to close to $8k (the cheapest quote).
Plastering work was around $4k (also from the cheapest quote).
Their carpentry cost was reasonable since they all have their roots in carpentry and did not need to outsource.
However, none of the four carpentry companies followed up with me after they provided me with their initial quotations 📵
The lack of follow-up from the IDs and carpentry companies probably reflected the state of things then (COVID-19)—too much work, too few workers.
Or perhaps the value of my mum’s reno project was just too small for them to be seriously interested. No hard feelings.
The 4 Qanvast IDs:
- Interior Times
- The Interior Lab
- Forefront Interior
- U-home Interior Design
The 4 carpentry companies:
- White Artz
- JS Carpentry
- Nanyang Carpentry
- Heng Lai Furniture Carpentry
(C) MEETING WITH CONTRACTOR PHILIP SIM
While researching which carpentry company to approach in December 2020, I found a post by Wong Zi Qin in the group. She shared her wonderful renovation experience with contractor Philip of Yong Ping Renovation.
2 things from the post stood out.
- Philip set high standards for his work
- Philip gave practical advice not driven by profits
Unfortunately, I could not find anything else about Yong Ping Renovation or Philip online other than her post. But I decided to contact him anyway in mid-December 2020.
However, he turned me down immediately as he said he was too busy & did not have time to take on new projects 👎👎
I told him there was no rush, and the reno could start three months later, in March 2021, if that helped. With the revised start date, he said, “OK, keep in touch…” 🤣
The moment we received the keys to the flat, I followed up with him to check if he could come down for a look-see. In early January 2021, Philip visited the flat for a site visit. During that site visit, he came across as someone approachable.
Equally conversant in both English & Mandarin (& I suspect Malay too because he grew up in Malaysia), from the questions Philip asked and the answers he gave me, it seems he is a very hands-on guy who knows how to many aspects of reno work himself 🛠️📐✏️
The others typically said, “let me check“. But not Philip. He gave assured answers on the spot. Not bad.
His quotation arrived one week later 📥
Like a true blue contractor, the quotation did not look as sleek or polished as the others I received. That hardly mattered to me thought.
In a way, it was good that the quotation did not look overly polished. It looked authentic. I looked through the quotation carefully. And had a shock 😲
At $22k, this was way lower than any of the other quotations I received. Seriously?
As a reminder, the quote was purely for reno related work and excluded electrical works, AC installation & replacement of a new main door/gate (with digital locks).
To get to know Philip better (& also answer some questions I had), I visited his Tampines workshop the following Sunday morning. That trip turned out to be an eye-opening session 💡
Philip took the time to show (the work in progress carpentry works) & explained to me the various carpentry, renovation & practical considerations. That chat demonstrated his experience and expertise. One example was our discussion about the backsplash.
I told him I wanted to use a crystal clear glass backsplash instead of the one with the green tint. He warned that the glass backsplash could crack over time with “the wrong usage” if there is an electrical socket nearby.
When pushing the electrical appliance plug into the electrical socket, he said some people (esp older folks) have this habit of giving the plug an extra “knock” or a final hit.
They behaved as if the plug would not go in entirely without this extra hit. Done repeatedly over time, the glass backsplash might crack 💥💥💥
Philip had seen many such cases over the years. His comment immediately rang a bell with my wife & me as we had witnessed this kind of “extra hit” before 🔔🔔
That caused me to rethink my choice to use a glass backsplash. I use a stainless steel backsplash at my place. No complaints about stainless steel as it is easy to maintain. But I wanted to get something with a different look for my mum’s place.
The discussion went well & there was good chemistry. Without hesitation, I decided he would be the one to handle the reno for my mum’s flat.
On a subsequent visit to his workshop, we also discussed kitchen counter-top materials and looked at some full piece laminates that he had ordered for his existing projects. He also suggested ways to keep costs low by tweaking existing things in the flat instead of going for an outright replacement. He doesn’t like wastage.
By default, all his carpentry comes with,
- ABS trimming for door panels
- soft closing mechanism (excel)
- internal colour PVC
We agreed to a tentative start date of March 2021. However, he refused to take any deposit 💲💲💲
And there was no contract to sign 📜❌
Without a deposit, I became worried that he would not have time for me at the last minute 😅
But I respected his decision 🤝
Philip’s standard payment schedule:
- 40% upon commencement of work on-site
- 40% when carpentry installation starts
- 20% upon reno completion
Philip is effectively the boss of a carpentry company that takes on full-scale reno. Like the carpentry companies, I had met earlier.
But there is something about him that probably sets him apart from the others I met, as I would discover later on when the reno started.
Oh… with our original budget “underutilised”, we were able to add in a 2nd 6ft casement wardrobe and do some other additional stuff.
It certainly felt like we were getting more bang for the buck. Not a bad start. I felt optimistic the reno would turn out well 🤞🤞
Will it?
2. MATERIALS SELECTION
With the main contractor settled and reno not due to start until two months later, I set about visiting material suppliers and shopped for furniture & accessories 🛍️🛒
(A) TILE SUPPLIERS
I visited the following tile suppliers:
- Hafary
- Soon Bee Huat
- Lian Seng Hin (recommended by Philip)
Staff at Hafary & Soon Bee Huat left me alone to browse in peace.
When I requested samples at SBH, the staff were ok. They didn’t look enthusiastic or eager to see how they could best help me. I had no issues with that 👌
However, it was a different story at Lian Seng Hin (Balestier).
I was very impressed with the services rendered by the sales lady @ LSH, Hui Shing. She was proactive, friendly and helpful 👍
From a service perspective, Hui Shing was outstanding. She approached me enthusiastically the moment I stepped in to ask if she could help. So I showed her photos of the type of tiles I was interested in & she immediately went about picking out the ones with the closest match.
Subsequently, she also took the initiative to gather and line up all the tiles I shortlisted without being asked. That helped me to visualise the various combinations and how the tiles would look under different lighting 🔦🧱
When I completed the shortlisting, the sample tiles were taped together in different combinations (with markings) so that they would be easier for me to reference later when I needed to make a decision. Wonderful! 🥇
(B) LAMINATE SUPPLIERS
Next, I made a couple of trips to laminate vendors in Sungei Kadut to check out full piece laminates.
EDL has a beautiful showroom that they use to showcase full piece laminates. An EDL consultant was assigned to “take care” of me when I visited (I made an appointment first) 👨🏫
After a quick chat to find out what I was looking for, the consultant showed me all the laminates I had shortlisted and recommended some others for my consideration. When viewing the full piece laminates, the helpful consultant also explained their subtle differences to me.
Over at Evershine and Lam Chuan, it was essentially a DIY session 🔧
The customer experience wasn’t as sleek as what I experienced at EDL. I was left alone to flip through the catalogue (perfectly fine with that).
Lam Chuan also had full piece laminates that you could ask to see.
Over at Evershine, I didn’t ask to see any full piece laminates because I didn’t find anything suitable.
In the end, we decided to go with Lam Chuan’s soft, solid matte anti-fingerprint laminate (we need to top up $$) for the kitchen and one of the marble laminates for the bedroom wardrobes.
P.S. I really really liked EDL’s Brown Bolzano Elm (DWC 3655AT) but didn’t find a use case for it. I remarked to the consultant how beautiful it was. And the consultant smiled and said, “I’m using that for my own home.” 🙂✌️
If you are looking for a mid-tone woodgrain laminate, make sure you check that out before you make your final decision 😉
(C) COUNTERTOP SUPPLIERS
- iQuartz (quartz)
- Aurastone (quartz)
- Polybuilding (Laminam, porcelain slab tile)
We started by visiting both iQuartz & Aurastone to look at their samples. Initially wanted to go with a white quartz counter-top but was concerned about how they may turn yellowish over time 🟨😟
When browsing Budget Reno for ideas, I got to read about a brand called Laminam. I remember having a lively exchange with Ria Rahim about Laminam on one of the posts in Budget Reno.
After visiting Polybuilding, we decided to go with Laminam because we liked the matte black design we saw. In addition, Laminam is resistant to heat & scratches.
Recently, a Budget Reno member did the turmeric test on polished white Laminam samples. These samples failed the stain test.
Laminam’s care guide states that polished Laminam surfaces aren’t as resistant to stains compared to matte Laminam surfaces. Not sure how this matte black Laminam that I chose for my mum will fare with turmeric.
Anyway, the installer told me to use thinner to wipe off stubborn stains. Do take note if you are considering going with Laminam.
(D) DOOR, GATE & LOCK
Previously, I had more or less decided to get something from HDDoor after visiting them when once again, through a post in Budget Reno, I got to know about Zansan.
That was when I found out that besides carrying popular brands like other digital lock sellers, Zansan sells brands exclusive to them, like Bosch & Zeus (Korean) 🔐
Upon further reading, I was particularly interested in Bosch digital locks as they came with the features I sought. And with three years warranty. I’m not sure if there is any other digital lock brand that offers three years warranty in Singapore.
I visited Zansan’s Gambas Crescent sales office (since shifted to Balestier) and was lucky to be attended to by another super helpful & patient staff by the name of Samantha 🥇
To my pleasant surprise, Samantha shared that Zansan sold doors and gates, too – at very competitive prices. After a thorough explanation by Samantha, I went for the Bosch EL600 door lock & Zeus Z3G gate lock.
And with that visit to Zansan, I settled the new door, new gate and new digital locks.
On the day before the locks were due to be installed, Samantha told me they would upgrade my Zeus gate lock to a Hafele GL5600 because they were running a campaign. Complimentary. 👏👏
(E) VINYL FLOORING
I didn’t do any research on vinyl flooring. I just asked Philip what he regularly used for his clients and went along. He uses this European brand called Lamett that I have never heard of 🤨
No issue for me as I saw a Lamett sample I liked that matched the kitchen floor tile.
(F) ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES & CEILING FANS
I’m going slightly off track to talk about Song Cho kitchen appliances. I had never paid much attention to them. Only found out recently that they do FB Live almost every Wednesday afternoon.
During these FB Live sessions, the Song Cho guy (Daniel / 大牛) will do live demos using their various kitchen appliances. In Mandarin. Customers with questions related to their kitchen appliances can call 62811198 to talk to their product person to seek clarification anytime before 7pm. Daily 👍👍👍
The access to a product expert and the Facebook Live sessions is a huge draw, especially since my mom is Chinese-ed. With help just a call away, it would be much easier for her to learn how to use the new appliances I was getting for her.
As a result, from not planning to get any Song Cho kitchen appliances, we changed course and got the air fryer (with the rotating mechanism), rice cooker, pressure cooker & salad maker from them. Now, my mom can call up Song Cho anytime she needs help understanding how to meddle with the settings.
BTW, Song Cho runs ad-hoc special promos for their kitchen appliances on & off during these FB live sessions. I got great deals from these sessions.
(G) AIRCON
First Aircon Engineering (my contact) did the installation of a Daikin System 2 aircon unit.
- Condenser Model : MKS50TVMG ( 5 TICKS ENERGY SAVING )
- Fan coil model : CTKS25TVMG ( 9,000 BTU ) x 2
- Pipe size : 1/4 & 3/8
- Gas type : R410
- Daikin DSP 22 Guage Thickness Copper Coil
- Daikin DSP 1/2 Inch Thickness Insulation (Individual Wrap)
- K-Flex Titan Insulation
- 4C X 40 Singapore Keystone Control Cable (No Joint)
- 3C X 70 Singapore Keystone Power Supply Cable (No Joint)
- 16mm Drainage Pipe
- Daikin DSP Trunking
✔️ 1 Year warranty for spare parts & 5 Years warranty for the compressor (By Daikin)
✔️ 4 Years (materials & workmanship) warranty for piping gas leak & wire broken (By First Aircon)
First Aircon’s pricing isn’t the cheapest. But I have known this company for a while as I have engaged them multiple times for work purposes. Their quality of work (& providing the right advice) is more important to me.
I don’t think they have much online presence as they run their biz primarily by word of mouth. Don’t go for them if you are after the cheapest quote. However, if you want to receive the right advice & proper installation with good materials, you may want to consider them.
(H) ROLLER BLIND
Raymond of envi.sg is my go-to guy for blinds and curtains. I have engaged him multiple times and confidently referred him to many others.
Good quality at unbeatable local (not Taobao) prices 💪
(I) MATTRESS
I read about Tilam King a few years back when looking for a replacement mattress 🛏️
Happy with that purchase and went back to them again. You can read about how they are different on their blog.
#SupportLocal #SupportLocalSG
(J) PAINT
Nothing complicated 🖌️🎨
- Nippon Quick Dry Undercoat
- Nippon Matex for ceiling & wall
- Nippon Vinilex 5170 Wall Sealer
- Nippon Vinilex 5000 Swansdown (grey) for wall & utility room door
- Nippon Bodelac 9000 Swandsdown (grey) for stainless steel pipes & main door frame
Found out about Swansdown grey from Budget Reno again 😘
(K) SANITARY WARE
I bought things like the toilet bowl (Magnum Tornado FTW!), vanity/mirror cabinet & sinks from Heritage Bathroom Gallery (the sales guy who served me no longer works there). This is a shop that is highly recommended by Budget Reno members.
The Rubine water heater was from Lazada, while the rest of the accessories were from Taobao.
(L) FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES
Plenty of things from Taobao, including,
✅ all the lightings
✅ automated laundry rack
✅ kitchen sink, steel rack & cutleries
✅ some toilet & bathroom accessories
✅ all the furniture & various accessories (less mattress)
✅ pull out/pull-down/corner drawers used in the kitchen cabinet
In 2016, I discovered a dining light I purchased for $200+ at Balestier was going for $60 on Taobao 🤯
I have been buying from Taobao since 🖥️🖱️🛶🛩️💰
Are you feeling lost or fearful because you have never shopped on Taobao?
But you would like to learn & try?
A good starting resource is the FB group, Taobao Addicts. Many helpful members in there. Just like Budget Reno.
A couple of months back, a Singaporean Malay member in Taobao Addicts clocked 6.5cbm (cubic metre) worth of goods even though he doesn’t know Chinese 💪💪💪
He chatted directly with the sellers using Google Translate instead of buying through a buying platform like Ezbuy. #salute
Here are three suggestions for Taobao newbies:
a) If you are buying big, bulky items, tell the seller, “运出国外,麻烦加固包装”.
Essentially asking the seller to provide extra protection and make sure items are wrapped properly. Be warned – they could still end up poorly wrapped 😅
But if you buy from responsible & well-rated sellers, they will take the extra effort to wrap appropriately. And maybe provide wooden crating at no additional cost.
b) When chatting with the sellers using the chat feature, remember always to ask, “可以再优惠一些吗?”.
This phrase means whether the price can be more attractive. Especially good to ask this question during periods when there’s no promo or promos have ended.
Sometimes, they will tell you they will give you the same promo price. If you don’t ask, you don’t get it.
c) Since one of the major perks of shopping on Taobao is cost savings, be sure to activate Shopback before you checkout to get yourself some cashback.
However, do note that Shopback doesn’t apply to all products.
I have gotten as high as 10% cashback for some items. The rest are mainly between 1% to 3%.
P.S. I will briefly touch on my Taobao shipping sequence in the next section.
3. COMMENCEMENT OF RENO 🔐
Reno work finally started at the end of March 2021.
During this period, I communicated with Philip mainly via Whatsapp (for non-urgent matters) or spoke at the flat.
He usually replied only in the evenings or sometimes the next day for Whatsapp messages 🕣💬
Reading what some homeowners in this group had to go through, I’m thankful my reno process was smooth, free of stress & largely uneventful 🙏
I thoroughly enjoyed myself! 🥳🎉
These were the more enriching & memorable moments 👇👇
(A) HELLO, I’M YOUR NEIGHBOUR 👋
Talking about maintaining good relationships with new neighbours, I took someone’s suggestion in Budget Reno.
Before reno started, I delivered some pastries & a note to the immediate neighbours beside and one level down to let them know reno was starting soon🍩🗒️
This gesture ensured that I saw smiley & friendly faces when I bumped into them 😃
Philip had also gone to these neighbours separately to inform them of the impending work.
(B) THE RENO TEAM 👱♂️👨👨🦳
An external company (Philip’s contact) did the hacking. Philip’s friend (Ah Li) did the tiling work—someone who is equally passionate about his craft as Philip 🧱
Another friend installed new stainless steel water pipes and bathroom/toilet fixtures & fittings. This friend got lucky 🍀
On the day he worked on the flat, he bought the unit number & struck 4D 💰😁
Woohoo!
A carpenter from Philip’s carpentry workshop assisted him with the installation of the kitchen cabinet & wardrobes. My neighbour, a Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW), did the electrical work with the help of an assistant.
Staff from the various vendors installed the AC units, vinyl flooring (less skirting), kitchen counter-top/backsplash, roller blinds & PD doors.
Other than the above, Philip did the remaining reno work in the flat himself.
(C) CLEANLINESS ISN’T AN OPTION 🗣️
Wong Zi Qin mentioned in her post that Philip is OCD.
True this 👆💯🤣
He absolutely cannot stand messy worksites ✖️😡✖️
Very often, I would see him sweeping the floor and keeping things neat & tidy 🧹
He also washed the corridor daily during the initial stages of the reno when there was a lot of dust & movement 🌊🌊🌊
After washing the corridor at the end of the day, Philip & his crew would walk barefooted to the lift area before wearing their shoes.
#champion 🏆🏆🏆
Talk about keeping disturbances and inconveniences to your new neighbours to the bare minimum. I don’t think one can do more.
As a homeowner, I have no complaints if my main contractor is OCD ✌️😘
What about you? Would you like an OCD contractor? 😉
By the end of the reno, Philip had spoken to every neighbour & provided me with some… *ahem* interesting intel 🤣
(D) FOOD FOR THOUGHT 🥣🤔
💡 Pull-out Baskets
If you plan to have pull-out/pull-down baskets in your kitchen cabinet, these need to be sent to the workshop (before the fabrication of the kitchen cabinet).
The carpenter would then be able to get the correct measurements to achieve a perfect fit for the kitchen cabinet.
After some research & checks with Philip, I bought my sink & my pull-out/pull-down baskets from this brand called Higold (悍高五金官方旗航店) on Taobao.
Subsequently, I decided to add on another pull-out basket for cutleries & went for a different brand called Eacha (意驰旗航店).
So I had one piece of Eacha and five pieces of Higold products.
My verdict 👨⚖️
i. The Higold sink is very nice.
But the problem is it uses a bottle trap of a different size (China variant). Which meant I could not change it to the white plastic PVC type we are accustomed to here in Singapore.
Thankfully, Philip checked and feels Higold’s bottle trap is of good quality & should not spoil anytime soon.
Nevertheless, I went ahead and bought another set of bottle traps and piping from Higold as a spare.
ii. Higold’s pull-out baskets (for drawers) are nice too. But they are designed without a piece of backing to secure the basket.
When you pull the Higold pull-out baskets, they feel a bit loose even though they are secured.
iii. Higold’s pull-down & the corner pull-out baskets are fine too!
iv. There is no “loose” issue with the Eacha pull-out basket as it has a backing to secure the basket.
I assume the rest of Eacha’s baskets are like that, too. If given a 2nd chance, I might choose all my baskets from Eacha instead.
However, Eacha does not sell kitchen sinks. In terms of price point, both brands are probably around the same price.
You may also want to consider Cooktime (酷太旗航店).
💡 Ceiling Fans
I chatted with the fan installer Ah Xiong, who came to install the KDK fans. He had installed many different brands of ceiling fans but not that many KDK fans.
Out of curiosity, I asked him why 🤨
He shared that many sales guys push other brands because of higher commission payout. KDK does not pay as well.
In his opinion, KDK fans aren’t the cheapest. But they are probably the most reliable.
Also, this may be important to you: the light coming out from the side of the KDK’s light case produces a very mild strobe effect.
💡 Direction of Floor Tiles
If you are using longish floor tiles (we used them for the kitchen), you may want to position them so that people will walk across rather than along them. Walking across the tiles (instead of along) will help to minimise slipping accidents.
💡 Vinyl Flooring & skirting
If you are going for vinyl flooring, you may think that the skirting material your ID/contractor is going to use will be the same as the vinyl flooring.
Sounds logical, right?
Wrong.
Some IDs/contractors may opt to go for wood skirting slapped with veneer, which is cheaper than using the actual vinyl for the skirting.
Such wood skirting is also less lasting (will split) when compared to actual vinyl skirting. And when it comes to the skirting installation, the cheaper & easy way is to nail them to the wall.
The more laborious but appealing way is to glue them piece by piece. So make sure to check what skirting & installation method you are getting.
I had zero knowledge until the installation of the vinyl flooring was done 😅
Lemett laid the vinyl flooring while Philip took care of the skirting. I commented to Philip that the flooring and skirting look sibeh swee and well done.
That’s when he told me he had taken various measurements to give to the vinyl guys to cut up the vinyl material into pieces of skirting. The wall was prepped & smoothened by Philip before he pasted the skirting.
💡 Coloured PVC for Carpentry
I saw a post recently where one member asked whether it’s normal to have exposed wood at the drawer’s base (facing the floor).
To me, it sounds logical not to have coloured PVC at the drawer’s base. I mean… who will squat down or lie on the floor to look at the drawer’s base? 🤭
But I can understand why some homeowners would want it for a consistent look and feel. Leave no stone unturned.
After reading that member’s post, I squatted down to look at my completed cabinets out of curiosity. So what lies beneath?
Coloured PVC. I didn’t even ask for it. Not that I’m complaining 🙂
If this matters to you, do talk to your ID/contractor about it. This brings me to my next point…
💡 I Thought. He Thought. Who Confirm?
Other than material selection, there were probably several other things that I didn’t discuss in detail with Philip because I assumed that there was only one way to do it.
But in fact, there may be multiple ways to do it. Take, for example, the LED lighting under the kitchen cabinet. I told Philip I wanted to have LED lighting under the kitchen cabinet.
In my mind, I just assumed it would be one continuous stripe of LED lighting from the extreme left, passing by the cooker hood and then to the extreme right.
But Philip did two stripes for me – on both sides of the cooker hood. There was nothing where the cooker hood was. Hmmm… not bad too… but not what I had in mind.
My wife thought two stripes looked better than one. It didn’t matter to my mum. And so we left it alone. I got lucky as this was the only “I thought, he thought” moment for me. Reading through what some homeowners experienced, there could easily have been a lot more such instances.
Don’t tempt lady luck. Talk through everything with your ID/contractor.
P.S.1. I didn’t ask Philip why he did two instead of one. My guess is if he did one, the cooker hood would have protruded out more.
P.S.2. The electrician was particularly impressed with the housing Philip created in the kitchen cabinet to put the LED driver properly. I knew nothing about the LED driver or the housing. He mentioned most IDs/contractors tend to #anyhow place the LED driver. Some even enclose the LED driver, which is a serious NO NO.
So, if you are running an LED light in your kitchen cabinet, remember to ask how the LED driver will be stored.
💡 Installation Order
Different people may have different views about the installation order. Philip wanted all the lights, ceiling fans, & aircon fan coils installed upon completing the wet works.
After which, the vinyl guys would come in to install the vinyl flooring. I was hesitant because I thought these items would catch dust & may interfere with the painting.
The electrician felt the same way, too. But Philip reasoned that by installing these items first, there would be no fear of heavy things dropping (during their installation) onto the vinyl floor.
If things were to drop during the installation process, these things would be falling onto the old flooring instead of the vinyl floor. Fortunately, or unfortunately, he was proven right ✅
The electrician’s assistant drilling the ceiling light dropped the drill onto the floor from the ladder 😱
Thankfully, the vinyl flooring hadn’t been installed when that happened. As a bonus, I didn’t have to pay extra for cardboard protection with this order..
Not that I didn’t want to buy them. But Philip talked me out of it.
He placed the empty vinyl boxes in areas on the new vinyl flooring that might need extra protection from the painting work. On his own accord, he also kept all the packaging boxes from the pull-down/pull-out baskets/sink/laundry rack and reused them for this purpose.
Can save, save. Can reuse, reuse.
That’s what he always suggests. Would you like to save some money?
💡 Kitchen Sink
I thought I had gotten the correct dimensions for the under-mount kitchen sink. The dimensions looked right when I looked at the measuring tape 📏
But I somehow missed the fact that the kitchen sink I chose had a few cm of “flat surface” near the tap area. This meant the actual open area of the kitchen is narrower than I thought.
When the counter-top was applied, the kitchen sink was only left with a width of 32cm. 32cm is too narrow to place a wok into the sink to wash as most woks start from 30cm without factoring in the handles.
I didn’t even realise this until I invited my mum to have a look at her new kitchen, and she asked me, “why the sink like that?” 🤦♂️
Please do not make this same mistake as me. The kitchen sink at my place is about 45cm. #sian #MumNotHappy
💡 Taobao Shipping Sequence
This section is a snapshot of what I shared recently in Taobao Addicts when someone asked for advice regarding Taobao/reno logistics.
a) Batch One
- all the lightings
- some bathroom/toilet fixtures & fittings
- kitchen sink + pull out/down baskets
- auto laundry rack
Before I purchased the pull out/down baskets, I checked with Philip to see if what I wanted to buy could realistically fit the kitchen layout. I had them delivered to my place instead of my mum’s place before reno started.
Upon completing the wet works, I sent the kitchen sink, pull out/down baskets & hood/hob to the carpentry workshop so that Philip could design the kitchen cabinet around these items’ dimensions.
Based on my observations in my mum’s case, items from batch 1 needed to arrive by the completion of wet works at the latest. Philip told me I had to finalise the design and measurements of the carpentry work once the wet works were completed.
If the ID/contractor you are engaging has many different parties handling different works, then batch one may have to arrive earlier.
b) Batch Two & subsequent batches
As mentioned earlier, I bought all the furniture & a large number of various accessories from Taobao. These started arriving in different batches shortly after the renovation work was completed.
I had to stagger these shipments because I had no manpower to uncrate so many things in one go. I also didn’t want to inconvenience the new neighbours by having so many packages along the corridor.
(E) CHIT CHATS
You can skip this part if you have no interest in knowing more about Philip’s background. During the reno, I always looked forward to chatting with Philip at the flat 💬
Through our conversations, I found out Philip is cross-trained & skilled in various aspects of renovation work. As a youth in Malaysia, he studied how to be an electrician & sold tiles in a tile shop.
After coming to Singapore in the 80s, he continued to sell tiles and did wet works initially. And then, he picked up carpentry skills along the way before finally having the opportunity to own a carpentry workshop 🪵🪚
Philip is now a fellow Singaporean.
Philip is a very hands-on person who likes to tinker with things. He is a craftsman who takes pride in his work and isn’t a sales and marketing guy.
He even helped me to tune a newly purchased bicycle. At one point, he was contemplating opening a LBS. 🔧🚲
I also discovered that both Philip & the electrician (makes macarons & kueh lapis) are excellent cooks 👨🍳👨🍳 Both of them have a deep understanding of cookware & bakeware. I’m gonna miss the chit chat sessions.
4. RENO SEQUENCE 🗒️
For those who plan to go the DIY route, the following reno sequence that Philip adopted for my mum’s flat may be of interest to you. However, please note that I take no responsibility if anything goes wrong with your renovation because you followed this sequence 🙅♂️
Our situation & scope of work could be vastly different.
(a) Electrician to remove all wire casings, sockets and lights (rewiring). He is to leave one working socket that the contractor can tap on.
(b) Contractor to commence hacking work.
(c) Contractor to work on waterproofing the bathroom and toilet.
(d) Contractor to commence tiling of kitchen & bathroom/toilets.
(e) Commence plastering work, if any.
(f) Once C & D (wet works) are completed, the contractor can commence selective painting.
(g) Confirm the design for the kitchen cabinet & bedroom wardrobes. The measurements for the pull-out baskets, hood & hob need to be confirmed.
Carpentry fabrication to start.
(h) After the undercoat for painting is done, the electrician will install cable casings and sockets, run cables & install lights/fans.
You can get Netlink trust (I think faster if done through an ISP) to install the fibre termination point if your unit does not have one.
(i) Aircon company to install piping (can commence once plastering is done) & fan coils.
(j) Install new water piping under electrical cables.
(k) Install toilet bowl, bathroom fittings & bedroom doors.
(l) Install kitchen cabinets.
(m) Once kitchen cabinets are in, contact the counter-top guy to take measurements. Install counter-top whenever ready.
Electrician to install sockets (if any) at backsplash when the backsplash installation is completed.
(n) Install living/bedroom flooring.
(o) Install bedroom wardrobe.
(p) Change the main door and gate.
(q) Touch up.
5. EXPENSES💰
The following is the final bill (July 2021) for the main expenses related to the reno.
(a) RENO (PHILIP’S PORTION): $25k
- Hack dividing wall between living & kitchen + disposal.
- Hack kitchen wall tiles, stove, sink, kitchen cabinet, bedroom wardrobe, bathroom & toilet tiles (wall & floor).
- Overlay kitchen floor tiles.
- Supply & lay wall & floor tiles in bathroom & toilet, do waterproofing.
- Supply & install new stainless steel piping & installation of sanitary ware in bathroom & toilet.
- Supply & install top hung kitchen cabinet with LED light ~2.4m long.
- Supply & install base kitchen cabinet (L-shaped) ~ 4.2m long.
- Box up gas & stainless steel piping.
- Hack existing skirting & plaster over.
- Supply & install vinyl flooring + vinyl skirting in living, both bedrooms & utility room.
- Supply & install 2 x 6ft casement wardrobe in bedrooms.
- Supply & replace existing window panels with frosted glass panels.
- Supply plastering work (wall & ceiling).
- Supply painting work with sealer undercoat.
- Supply & install 2 sets of simple PD doors.
- Supply & install 2 x bedroom door frame & hollow support with plastering work.
- Supply & install 2 x bedroom door & lockset.
- Remove & install a new stainless steel rubbish chute.
- Install laundry auto rack, kitchen & bathroom accessories.
(b) ELECTRICAL WORKS (FULL REWIRING): $3k
- 9 x light & fan point
- 13 x double socket
- 3 x network point
- 1 x 2-way control for light
- Supply & install water heater point, cooker hood point, laundry rack point, 20A DP isolator for induction hob, 15A SSO for aircon, LED for kitchen cabinet.
- Supply & install Legrand Galion faceplates for the whole unit.
- Supply & install a new CB box.
(c) AIRCON: $2.7k
- 1st visit for measurement
- 2nd visit to install piping
- 3rd visit to install fan coils
- 4th visit to pass me the remote upon reno completion & test AC
6. FINAL WORDS & CONTACTS ☎️
One day, Philip was painting the utility room while I was in the living room waiting for the digital lock installer to show up. Suddenly, it started raining heavily ⛈️
And then Philip ran out of the flat 🏃♂️
When he returned, I asked him what happened.
While painting the utility room, he noticed that the neighbouring unit had clothes hanging outside 👕👚
So when the rain came suddenly, he ran to inform my mum’s new neighbour to keep his clothes. #KampongSpirit
That’s the helpful person Philip is – someone with excellent skills, knowledge and a character to match. It is my good fortune that I found Philip in Budget Reno & managed to engage him to be my main contractor.
The three months’ wait for him was worth it 👍🤝🙏
Would I recommend him to someone looking for a contractor? Of course! 💯
But perhaps not for everyone. The following is what I think 👇
Philip could be a good match for you if the following points describe you & your situation:
📐 you are not in a rush to get started or complete the reno
📐 you are not looking for someone to propose fanciful themes (proposing & executing are two different matters)
📐 you know exactly what you want & need a contractor to execute
📐 you are looking for a dependable, responsible & skilled contractor (that does not charge exorbitant rates)
📐 you do not need quick responses to messages; i.e., ok to receive replies the next day (please call for urgent matters)
📐 you are not looking to do full reno for a landed property (he doesn’t have enough manpower – at least at the point of this post)
📐 you do not need any 3D rendering
If the above describes your situation or you aptly, then I think the chances of you having a v.happy reno with Philip will be very high 🥳
Having said all the above, I’m sure there are plenty of equally capable (or even better) contractors (& IDs) in Singapore💪
You only need to find the one that is right for your home & you. One easy way is by posting in Budget Reno asking for a recommendation.
I’m sure you’ll receive many good recommendations from other members. Read & choose wisely.
But if you make an effort to search deeper using the search feature, you may uncover hidden gems… 💎😉
I would not have discovered Philip if I did not click the search button.
Btw… this contractor that I engaged doesn’t owe me any favour. I’m not his 恩公 (benefactor) So, even if you quote my name when you contact Philip, he will not give you any special price or discount. 😆😅
I’m sure you get what I’m trying to say 😉
One last thing. When everything was settled, I took up Sompo’s home insurance.
They are one of the rare ones that offer “new for old cover” (no depreciation of your contents) & have the “all risks” option.
Good luck & I wish you all the best with your reno! ㊗️☘️
‼️ NOTE ‼️
👉 In case you are even wondering, this is not a sponsored post. Philip is already super busy with ZERO online presence. Likewise, any shop or company mentioned in this post.
👉 In fact, Philip will most likely disappoint you by telling you he doesn’t have the bandwidth. I know he is now midway through a condo reno & about to start on a HDB & another condo reno soon. Be prepared for #rejection.
👉 If you are not in a rush, be nice and show you sincerely would like to enlist his help. I think it would help.
👉 Just because I enjoyed an excellent experience with Philip does not necessarily mean it will turn out the same way for you.
Please do your due diligence & assessment 🕵
(a) Main Contractor
Philip Sim of Yong Ping Renovation Construction
Licence No: HB-02-2162D
☎️ 9668-6504
(b) Licensed Electrical Worker
Michael Teo of Zone 2 Electrical Engineering
Licence No: 7081822
☎️ 9128-1973
(c) Curtains / Blinds
Raymond Tan of envi.sg (previously known as 99 Interior)
☎️ 9006-0080
(d) Aircon
Victoria of First Aircon Engineering
☎️ 9647-5559
(e) Digital locks + door & gate
Samantha of Zansan Digital Lock
☎️ 8666 5588
(f) Fan Installer
The Shopee seller (Sense & Bedeck) who sold me the KDK ceiling fans engaged the company Ah Xiong works for to carry out the installation.
Ah Xiong is well versed in the installation & repair of many different brands of ceiling fans. But he is only available on Sundays for freelance assignments.
☎️ 9437 8779
(g) Polybuilding
Maisie is the sales lady that I liaised with at Polybuilding—experienced & helpful.
☎️ 9022 1342
I hope this post was worth your time 🙏
2024 UPDATE
Philip is now providing backend support for his son, Nathaniel, who runs an ID firm. The name of the ID firm is Forma Interior Design.
WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE TODAY?
Are you wondering what to do in today’s market?
Perhaps you already have a clear mind of what you want to do?
In my blog, I often share stories of the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned in my work as a real estate agent in Singapore.
Regardless of your situation, you can use me as a sounding board. I’ll provide perspective and clarity from my experience.