20 Renovation Regrets | Don't Make These Mistakes! | HDB BTO 4-Room Home Reno Singapore
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- Опубліковано 3 чер 2024
- Having lived in our home for 10 months, we're back to share our TOP 20 RENO REGRETS. It may be too late for us, but hopefully, these tips will be useful for those who are planning for an upcoming home renovation.
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PROMO CODES SPECIALLY FOR OUR VIEWERS
Woosa (for mattresses, adjustable bed base, accessories, etc.)
Use our new promo code { SUAKUS5 } for 5% off STOREWIDE at Woosa's Official Store: woosasleep.co/sg/
It is STACKABLE with Woosa's other 10% off promo code { COMBO }, so enjoy a total of 10%+5% off if you get a mattress and adjustable bed base!
Code expires 30 Jun 2024, so hurry!
Riche Stone Care Pte Ltd (for marble gum, epoxy grout, etc.)
Quote { TSK5OFF } for 5% off !*
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ABOUT HOMETRUST
www.hometrust.sg/?iref=the-su...
Hometrust is a Singapore's trusted community review site which offers advice and feedback from hundreds of reviews for homeowners in hiring design firms. Hometrust promotes discovery and sharing of information in their ever-growing body of knowledge. With a growing community of users offering authentic reviews, Hometrust is the authority when it comes to trusted information in the renovation industry.
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SKIP TO THE GOOD PART?
0:00 - Introduction
0:45 - Hometrust
1:15 - Our 5 Regret Categories
1:40 - Regret 20: Not Having More Waterfall Edges
2:20 - Regret 19: Not Discussing Where Tiles Begin
3:40 - Regret 18: Not Discussing How Tiles Meet
5:04 - Regret 17: Taking the HDB Optional Components
6:26 - Regret 16: Not Renovating An Entire Room
7:46 - Regret 15: Unflushed Flooring Transitions
8:52 - Regret 14: Not Hacking Original Kitchen Floor Tiles
9:47 - Regret 13: Wasted S$5k On The HDB Optional Components
11:25 - Regret 12: Visible Sockets In Cove Ceilings
12:33 - Regret 11: Sharp Innards Of Cove Ceilings
13:13 - Regret 10: Not Getting A Woosa Adjustable Bed
14:09 - Regret 9: Not Confirming Bathroom Vanity Height
14:50 - Regret 8: Getting Schneider Electric AvatarOn Sockets
15:40 - Regret 7: Not Minding The Aircon Flap
16:33 - Regret 6: Not Seeing This Carpentry Deadspace
17:25 - Regret 5: Not Knowing About Recessed U-Channels
18:11 - Regret 4: Epoxy Grouting Edges & Wet Areas
19:19 - Regret 3: Insufficient Sloping in Bathrooms
20:13 - Regret 2: Getting The KDK Airy Ceiling Fan
22:41 - Top Most Regret...?
#home #renovation #hdb
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DISCLAIMER
The information provided by The Sua Kus ("TSK") is provided in good faith and for general informational purposes only. Any expression of opinion (which may be subject to change over time) is personal to TSK. TSK makes no representations, warranties, guaranties, and assumes no liability to the accuracy, validity, reliability, or completeness of any information shared. These are not intended to be, and do not constitute professional interior design, contractor or renovation advice. Specific renovation issues, concerns and conditions always require the advice of appropriate professionals.
Copyright © 2023 The Sua Kus. All content thereof on @thesuakus UA-cam Channel is the property of TSK. You may not copy, reproduce, modify, create derivative works, or in any other way exploit any part of the material without the prior written permission of TSK. - Навчання та стиль
** Updates **
Hi fellow sua kus, thanks for watching! We'll be revising this pinned comment for more updates:
1. Our Woosa promo code has changed. Use our new promo code { SUAKUS5 } for 5% off STOREWIDE at Woosa's Official Store: woosasleep.co/sg/
It is STACKABLE with Woosa's other 10% off promo code { COMBO }, so enjoy a total of 10%+5% off if you get a mattress and adjustable bed base!
Code expires 30 Jun 2024, so hurry!
2. Universal sockets (15:23) - Universal socket outlets cannot be registered with a valid Safety Mark in Singapore and consumers are warned against installation and use of universal socket outlets in homes. Read more at: www.consumerproductsafety.gov.sg/safety-tips-on-universal-socket-outlets/
3. Part 2 is now out! Find out what is our #1 reno regret here: ua-cam.com/video/FW1Lp-KTWi0/v-deo.html
Great content as always! Looking forward to explore the reno ideas on your study room!
Been following your channel for months, thank you for sharing! I really hope that your Top #1 Reno Regret is your ID, and not another problem caused by them :( Really pei fu and amazed by your ability to remain positive throughout your reno process. I hear also feel so frustrated already, what more you are a paying customer and this is your house. It's not that IDs don't have issues, of course all IDs have their downsides. But your ID's working attitude seems terrible. I remember the videos about your bathroom ledge and floor trap, how you guys had to figure it out *by yourselves* and even source by yourselves. And how for your hood, your ID just say don't know or smth, and you guys had to figure it out by yourselves AGAIN. Yes there isn't a perfect ID but just leaving such big problems to you guys to figure it out alone is...too much. Really really admire your positivity in the videos while explaining those problems to us as though it isn't ridiculous that you guys had to do the work of an ID and yet still pay an ID! Jiayou!!
Hello there! 🤧 From the bottom of our heart, we want to thank you so much for taking the time to write to us~ It's the sweetest comment we ever read (and this comes at the end of a tough day) 🥲 It means alot to us... Maybe DM us on IG and we'd be delighted to host/meet you and your partner for coffee someday!! 🙆♂️🙆♀️
Thank you so much for this! I’m so glad I stumbled upon this video before starting our renovation. Literally a lifesaver 😭
🥹 Glad to have helped!! All the best for reno and feel free to DM us on IG if you have questions along the way, always happy to share!
You guys were so cool over so much problems. Thanks for sharing!
You know,problems can b corrected with money…maybe that’s their mentality….
Thank you so much for this! I’m so glad I stumbled upon this video before starting our renovation. Literally a lifesaver
You are most welcome! 🤩 All the best for the reno and enjoy the process ~
For the cove light sharp screw tips, you can cut those drill hole plugs for screw and cap them. Or suitable sized wire nut.
Thank you! Sounds like a good idea - we'll do just that :D
WOW WELL PUT! Choosing the right IDs is truly truly IMPT
Yesss indeed! Thanks for watching aha it means alot coming from y'all 🙆♂️🙆♀️❤️
So @overkillsingapore, will you help TSK makeover their study room? 😜 I'm sure it be a reno collab many followers will look forward to!
I do think it be a good mini project as well, a small but challenging task! lol
not true to be honest once the projects gets more little things will start to get neglected e.g toilet tiles how its placed . its hard to find a designer that treats every home like his or her own. Thats why i started venturing into how to help myself and i stumbled across TSK.
You should check with the countertop installer if they are able to return to bevel the joining sharp edges. It is a common alternative to having waterfall edges 1:43
Hello! Ooh, are you referring to the countertop skirting?
Very analytical in the aftermaths. More exposures in street skills and will reduce these issues.
Great effort in sharing all these insights! Wonderful video!
🥰 Thank you so much for your kind words. Glad you found it useful!! 🙏
just 3 minutes in and it's great content, thanks!
Hi, for eproxy grout, you have to cut deeper into the grout for a better adhesion OR be applied during the initial tiling process.
Hello!😄 Aha the peeling all start from the edges and spread, because once dried up, the epoxy is all connected...no matter how deep it will be dislodged. So our recommendation is not to do epoxy for the edges and for bathroom floors. The rest generally are stable!
@@thesuakus the interesting thing about this finding is that many people would want to consider doing epoxy grout in their toilets especially because of epoxy's apparently superior durability, water repellent nature, and resistances to showing holes between tiles vs traditional cement grout. So finding out that they are actually unable to adhere on the floor and in certain sections of the wall (i.e. corners) is pretty troubling. I'm glad we didn't do epoxy in the end then, since with cement grout, I can just take a bit of the powder, fill in any gaps, and apply water to fix minor defects myself - not likely something one can easily do with epoxy.
For us tiling was the other way round... had quite bad lippage issues cos my tiler didn't even use levelling clips. His excuse was that it would cause the tiles to be hollow (lol). My toilet wall tiles also have a noticeable shadow due to lippage. I think one thing I would enforce in future is to force my tiler to use tile levelling clips. In the end I regretted not going to vinyl for the whole house (I did vinyl only for bedrooms) as it is easier to achieve levelling. When I accidentally damaged some vinyls, the supplier could easily hammer out the affected vinyl and replace it within 5 mins.
But I think for the bathroom flooring, because you are laying over the original HDB floor tiles, it may be difficult to achieve the gradient I guess... the ponding could potentially have been there from the start. And also I realise if you have a toilet bowl that is fully flushed to the wall, water may not have space to flow through.
Heya!! Oh man.. why would the levelling chips cause the tiles to be hollow? 🤔 As for vinyl...some of our study room vinyl pieces are starting to "pop" whenever we step on them. The textured ones are also very hard to maintain cos of the dirt trapping in the grooves of the design etc.
I think the sloping in the bathroom can be modified based on the thickness of cement adhesive they apply.. guess they could have tapered it more, so that the water will flow away from the toilet bowl instead of going behind it 😅
Thank you so much for sharing the problems this way, so that we will look out and not repeat the same mistake.
You are most welcome! 🥰
Thank you for sharing. Solid and honest content.
Thank you for making our day!! 🥲🥰
if you're looking to redo your smart features with tuya compatibility, aim for zigbee devices as they are way more responsive than wifi devices! this is a good video idea, thanks for inspiring me!
Hello!! Glad to have inspired you 😀 Yess aha we run ZigBee wherever possible. When Matter is more globalised and adopted, we will likely relook at all our devices!!
Thank you for sharing. your information will be very useful to all of us who want to renovating our house.
Thank you for your support!! 🙆♀️🙆♂️❤️
Thank you so much for sharing. I’m currently planning my renovation and looking around for ceiling fans. My mum said to go for kdk since they have been using their wall fans for years. I’m glad to watch your review and looks like it’s off my list now.
Hello!! Yesss when we shared on IG a few months back, a few homeowners shared the same problem with their KDK Airy.. remote issues / weird sounds... so it's likely a product issue 😔 Maybe their older time-tested models are better!
@@thesuakus I was tempted by the same fan because of KDKs good reputation! Lucky I tried it at the store and didn't just buy online. Got so pissed off when trying it because of how slow the remote control was and I think the app was like 1+ star at that time. Phew.
@ysm2010A phew indeed!! The remote does have some lag time and it's not as responsive as the old school ceiling fans which we'd gladly go back to instead
Don’t buy ceiling fan. Buy wall fans.
Same issue at the store. But at home mine quite ok. Aside from the blade issues during installation which they replaced. Now no more issues. Fingers crossed.
I feel that the main issue for most who don't have the time to oversee the entire reno process or don't have the know-hows for reno works, would think that the ID company being the experienced one would share with us on the options available and perhaps some different ideas out there for owners to choose. These are the hidden stuff that we won't know as we just compare costs on the surface. All those "nicer alternatives" would most definitely incur higher costs and IDs perhaps don't share them due to the budget given to them.
Somewhat agree. 😁 The "alternate options" may apply for certain beyond-BAU items like the recessed u-channel, but for the standard scope of work like tiling etc, it's a matter of workmanship from the vendor and lack of steer or oversight from the ID. Our ID only came down to our home about 3 times from start to end. 😅
We have witnessed friends' IDs who were super hands-on and meticulous about the tiniest of details when it comes to tile placement or as shown in the episode, sourcing for metallic tile trimmings without being told etc.
I find it strange that owners do not have the times to oversees the entire reno process when it’s the biggest purchase/ investment of their lives, make time n check regularly on the work n hv mistakes resolved immediately. It’s your house n u want everything to b done to your specifications so make time.
@david888a not everyone can take time off from work. Some people may not be in town..no relatives or alternate place to stay (unless have the money to spend additionally in hotel) etc. We opted to stay in JB for a week or so at the beginning.
@david888a anyway workmanship aside, it is the alternative options that reno newbies do not know of unless the ID or contractor ask or talk about them during the discussion process.
Bottom line is still the money. If we have that budget and can't stretch the dollars, they rather keep quiet and earn more.
Seems to me the ID is inexperienced and/or not meticulous, the tiler used is also problematic. Usually they should and will remind home owners of the height difference…
Easiest way to rectify the situation now is to overlay the living room and bedroom (that has vinyl flooring) with tiles. Tho the bombshelter door might have to be trimmed to make way for the thickness of the overlayed tiles and the dining area settee has to be uninstalled so that tiles can be overlayed before reinstalling it back.
As for aircon flap getting in the way, it’s actually a small issue compared to shifting it further upwards towards the ceiling because the space at the top is required for circulation and for when u need to open up the aircon for cleaning and maintenance.
I believe something can be done to conceal the protruding plugs in the false ceiling. If you want to relocate where the LED light starts… just ask the electrician to extend the wiring to the other side of the false ceiling!
Do check your quotation for the length of the common bathroom vanity and table top. 76cm is considered 2.5ft and 3ft is 90cm. If it’s not specified in words in your quotation and you’re charged 3ft pricing…. 😅
Honestly for the grouts, just go for normal colored grouts..
Generally the tiles, grouts and silicon finishings are not good.
Recessed U-channel in your case, likely you’ll still see the u channel on the wall even if it’s recessed cause the thickness of the wall tiles are lesser than that of the u channel. Nevertheless, you will find it alot neater.
Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to write to us! Largely agree with everything you said! Although it's unlikely we can do anything to the living room now that the carpentry are all in place... 🥹 Good points raised about the aircon, after reading what you said, it does make us feel better. As for the carpentry quotations, I believe it goes by per-foot-run (length) so the height wasn't a factor in the costing
@@thesuakus oh! Just realised you were referring to the bathroom vanity height and not the length haha :)
Anyways, it does feel abit uncomfortable to overlay tiles without taking off all existing carpentry. Even tho it can be done, it always leaves the question of what about the tiles underneath the carpentry 😂
Great sharing, buyers should also consider if they might upgrade in the future. If likely, then personally, I would not spend so much on renovation. Cos what appease you might not appease the future prospect buyers. The most important factor is location and not the renovation.
Heya! Thank you~ Yes we agree! The amount spent on reno should be budgeted based on likelihood of staying in the home for long. .which also relies on various factors such as family planning, proximity to aging parents, etc
Thank you for your sharing! Your video is so helpful.
Thank you for your support! 🥰
Thanks for the informative video! it is really helpful😊
Hello there :') Glad to hear that it was useful for you!!
So happy to see the notification that u all upload this video !
Hehe the pleasure is ours!!! Everything we do is for all of you 🙆♀️🙆♂️
Thanks so much for this vid! May I know where did you guys get the customised mosquito net at your toilet? Thanks in advance! 😄
I believe on the "reset" of tiles at the shower area, that's currently done because of the drainage. They can't lay a full tile when it needs to slope to the drain...
Hello! It is doable aha the full tile will be sliced geometrically into 4 so that they all slope towards the floor trap :)
The thing is owner dont like the lines in the toilet trap. No tiler in the right mind will start with a full tile one the corner. Unless the toilet use perfect number of complete tiles. Which is unlikely. Also , if u change floor tiles arrangement, wall tiles also must change. Ever see floor tiles and walla tiles that star with a complete size tile at the edge? 😂
Hmm.. disagree completely with this comment. We didn't mention about not "liking the lines in the toilet trap" 🤔 We said the wall and floor tiles do not line up, which is the professional norm. Also, contrary to what you said, it is actually standard practice for tiling to start with full tiles at any one of the four corners. We are simply stating that instead of selecting the corner which would be hidden by the vanity, they should start from the other corner instead.
For tiling, I watched somewhere to tile the floor followed by the walls to prevent any gaps. Was yours done this way?
Great video. Appreciate your information. God bless
Thank you Anthony! Comments like this keep us goin' in sharing more tips with fellow homeowners 🙆♀️🙆♂️
Made the same mistake because we paid for ocs thinking 'cpf money also cannot take out spend' 😂 but thankfully I will be keeping the bedroom doors and floors as well as the toilet bowl. Only spending on redoing the kitchen living and walk way tiles
I am happy I opted out of ocs cos it happens that the HDB flooring was ugly. Too bad couldn't opt out of the toilet bowl. Mine came with the stupid tap on top and I had to pay to remove it.
@@thesoloist4641 I know about how ugly the tap you are talking about is but it worked out for me cos it's the 'sink' for my kids hahaha
Ahah yes only when we were making this video did we realise that the toilet bowls come with all flats in our project regardless or not the Package for Doors and Sanitary Fittings were taken!
Thanks for the tips. Regret to say you have engaged a bad interior designer and contractors, the reno works are quite bad. They looked like inexperienced vendors given those " defects" you guys have highlighted in the video. Normally good interior designer and vendors would not make those mistakes😅
🤧
actually 1 more thing i think you guys missed out, there is no ABS trimming in your carpentry, without this, it makes the whole carpentry looks cheap
Hello!! Ahah you are super observant and spot on! This point is actually slated for our subsequent episode about another 10-20 things that we made peace with but thought to highlight 😊
Hi guys, thanks for sharing all your experience working with ID and the builders. I'm curious just what is the Interioe Design scope of work? It seems like the ID is not doing their job as most of the issues highlited should be address by an ID before renovation. There should be construction detail drawings with all the mne and built in with joint finish detailing.
For aircon did u use 1/2 inch insulation? And did u use swg 22 or 21?
I installed KDK fan as well. I can turn on the fan with google without much hassle like what you shared in the video.
What I did was just install the smart switch then settled. I can turn on and off fan using the smart switch.
But of course the fan speed and light color got to be manually controlled unfortunately.
Hello! Yes, we use smart switches too but it would simply turn on the fan and the fan light based on their last saved state which means you'd be unable to turn off the fan light if it was on
Saw your video earlier,why is the drainage hole having some gaps inbetween the base,why cant the carpenter attach the base to the ground,have you check the height from the base to the worktop?
Hey SUA KUS, just curious as I'm considering epoxy grouting. Did you guys do it over the original grout?
Hello! Normal grout must be done first. Then, they will use a tool to remove the surface grout before injecting the epoxy grout!
Thanks for sharing & those info. Around how much did you spend in total includjng furniture?
Hello! We are doing a full accounting and will break it all down in an upcoming episode so stay tuned!😀
Thank you for the video.. haha! may i know here did you get your shetland sheepdog? they are super adorable!
Hi thanks for sharing your regrets, v useful for new home owners yet to start renovation. Just a question as i'm considering SE, but avataron C, which has the normal switches not the long flush type, any experience with these?
Hello there! You are most welcome 😀 AvatarOn C is easier to remove the 2-pin plugs!
Hi, thanks for the tips. May I know where did u get for the mosquito netting? 😊
Heya! It is our pleasure 😀 We've asked but the vendor does not want to be mentioned due to insufficient bandwidth~
Smart issues aside, what do u tink of this 48" ceiling for 4-room living room? Good coverage?
Hello! Our living room is small so it can get quite cold on the sofa with the fan on~ 😀
Hi
Could you share if our understanding is correct.
1. Did you remove the vinyl floor finishes of the bedrooms and have them tiled first before the Riche Stone team come in to do the marble gum and the epoxy grout?
2. If you did the marble gum before removing the bedroom vinyl floor finish and tiling works, do that mean the Riche Stone come down 2 times? 1st time to do the marble gum, 2nd time is after the tilers have finished the work?
Hello!
Master Bedroom and Common Room
- Remove vinyl flooring
- Fresh tiles and skirting
- Epoxy grout (not marble gum) before moving in / bed delivery
Living and Dining Room
- Kept existing HDB tiles
- Marble gum at the very beginning before renovation start
We shared more about the differences between Marble Gum and Epoxy Grout in our Bedroom Episode 😀
I'm curious to know what's your budget like and how long did it took for you to renovate
My regret is getting my ID to do optic fibre. Additional 50sgd compared to Singtel was agreed for the coordination, but in the end the director charged us $380 for one wire connection and openly lying and say he didnt mentioned any cost to the optic fibre. Another regret will be the black and white, all IDs dont have black and white on smallest details and in fact, these details tend to cost us thousands. Don't need to care about whether things going to done right or wrong, just do voice recording and inform ID accordingly.
Hello there, sorry to hear and thanks for sharing!🙏 Yes, agree! It's important to have everything documented and itemised as much as possible
Hi thanks for sharing! So many things to learn before deciding on how and what to renovate! Noticed that you said some of your friends IDs are more careful or meticulous, do you mind sharing some of those good IDs?
Hi there! You are most welcome 😀 Yes, happy to share a few. You can DM us on IG or Lemon8
Thanks for your informative videos, they are great! I would like to seek your thoughts/advice. If I were to hack away the service yard walls, can the damage on the floor be easily rectified by similar floor tiles or it’s better to hack away the entire kitchen floor tile and replace it? Such a waste of the original tiles but the damage seems quite bad..
Hello there! Happy to hear that they were informative! :) If hack away service yard walls, your ID can make good the affected floor tiles by sourcing the same existing floor tiles. We have a neighbour that did that but the floor tiles have a different colour hue as it's a different batch from 5 years ago during the prefab. Anyway, we would recommend you to level the floor tiles since you are going for a seamless transition so the slope down into the service yard would be quite strange. But if you are going to level, might as well do an overlay or a full hack 😅
@@thesuakusthank you for your insights!
Hi Suakus.. I love your videos and has been watching your videos over and over. Question here,my ID says 60 by 60 is not recommended because takes to long to dry off if it’s wet.. is this true?
Hello there! 🥰 thank you for your support!! We don't think the ponding is caused by 60 x 60 tiles but rather, sloping. In this video, you can see our example in the common bath where we had to squeegee a puddle. Those are cut tiles. So we think the size of the tiles have little impact on ponding actually!
Hi, just to check if u turn on the first unit of the 9k btu panasonic aircon to quiet mode and 25 deg during the initial start after 3mins do u hear any rumbling or boiling sound that last for a short while?
Hi there! Nope we don't hear any of that. You also have a Panasonic X?
Yes done by gaincity if u turn on quiet mode during the start the 1st unit on will have the boiling sound if u dont turn on other units together.@thesuakus
@@thesuakusand the rattling sound from the case.
TSK, btw, am surprised that your epoxy grout is peeling off coz it’s supposed to be more suitable for wet area than normal grout
Hello! Yes, the peeling starts from the edges, which then spread to the floor. The middle floor tiles are all alright for now! The bathroom walls are all good. So we suggest to avoid doing the edges and corners 😁
as a new flat owner, these are so useful ! thank you for sharing your knowledge :). Can you also share where did you get your custom retractable mosquite net, and the cost of it? Thanks!
Hello there! You are most welcome 😀 For the mosquito net, we've asked but the vendor does not want to be mentioned due to insufficient bandwidth~ for reference, the one shown in the video (master bath window) is $275!
If your height for the worktop is different from each end to the other,that's mean the cabinet levelling is incorrect.
Thank you for sharing🎉❤
Thank you for watching! ❤️🙆♀️🙆♂️
Hey TSK! Thanks for sharing this, appreciate the detailed regrets. Mind sharing the cost and contact of your retractable mosquito screen?
Hello! You are most welcome 😊 We've asked but the vendor does not want to be mentioned due to insufficient bandwidth~
we made a mistake for opting for more nicer light grout for our living room and dining room area, it looks clean and all but after a year, it peels off, i should had listen to my ID to opt for a robust cement base grout..
Hello! Yes, got to find a balance between aesthetics and practicality. Was it epoxy grouting? ( Since you mentioned that it peeled out )
@thesuakus yes, and we regret it LOL, tough luck, i guess... by the way, you guys have beautiful house 😊
Ah, usually IDs have X number of years of warranty so can ask them help cover the defects. Or even change the epoxy back to coloured cement grout?
Aww thank you 🥰
I have also regretted taking the OCS option package....even after seeing my commercial client doing the vinyl flooring himself to save money, just because it is paid off via CPF. Hence now, what should I do if I have decided not to keep pets?
a waterfall edge isn't a curved edge though. it's usually a 90 degree edge but the main point is it continues the pattern of the countertop down to the floor.
Hi! Thanks for sharing~ think there are two uses of the word waterfall edge. For stonetop, it would be the 90 degree fall. For laminate (our example in the Master), it would the the curve which resembles water flowing 😀
@@thesuakusoh interesting! I wonder why IDs use the same word, it's very confusing leh 😂
I just got my 2 room 99 years flexi bto with ocs too (minus wardrobe and kitchen cabinet). But I only realised months before that after reading up on vinyl reading of the voc it gives out. Is it very expensive and hard to tear them out? Did yours help you to remove the adhesives as these are the ones that give out toxic voc into the air if they were toxic in the first place! Thanks in advance! :)
Hello!! Vinyl is super easy to remove~ they just peel out like puzzle pieces 😀 then the fresh tiles are laid over the base. We don't have the breakdown for hacking works but it should be a couple hundred bucks to remove vinyl flooring for two rooms. If anyone's ID has a breakdown, feel free to share it below 😁
@@thesuakus wow thanks for the quick reply! Appreciate it :)
@14:32 I believe the chinese word is 包完 900mm, could refers to 包碗(basin) including basin 🤔
This makes so much sense! 😅 Thank you!
Please update us on which ceiling fan you will be getting.
Aha for our SmartThings x Google Home setup, likely it will be one that is Tuya-based. But any viewers with recommendations please feel free to leave them down below 👇 😍
Thanks you ! 🙏🙏🙏
Hi thanks for your video coz I have also renovated a year ago. My bathroom normal cement grouting at the corner has totally come off to my dismay. I have gotten a a quote from Grout Protech for a re -grout job and they will either be epoxy grouting or Epoxy-Hybrid (Acrylic) Grouting that will be used. Based on the on-site assessment they asssured me that even if I hard scrubbed in these grouting it will not come off, but after seeing your video now I am not so sure about epoxy grouting at all. The quote is costly too. Are you able to tell me if yours was just a grout over the original grout it it was epoxy used for all the tile grouting of your new home ? Thanks in advance and look forward to hear from you guys.
Hello there! From our understanding, most epoxy grouting is done after the normal cement grout. Meaning to say, normal cement grout is still advised to be used first for stability and then the epoxy grout vendor (a separate vendor in our case) will scrape out the topmost layer and cram epoxy to bite into it. So far all our walls and dry areas have no issues. It's only the corners that start and spread the peeling.
Thank you so much for your reply! I also IG you just lol kindly ignore that message as you have relied here already! Thanks again and have a good day ahead
Nice vid . Thanks for your videos i chose your video to follow (before this one, it was a great help). And i have no regrets . i just finish the reno haha . checked the hinges in your kitchen cupboard ? my started to rust . For fans i use Franco- hugger series no issues as i feel KDK too fat /tall. also why not just use a smart switch to control the fan ?
Hello!! Glad to be of help! 😊🙏 Congrats on reno completion~ oh no, why so fast rust? Do you stay near the sea? Ours are Blum and so far so good! Aha smart switch cannot split the ceiling fan and the ceiling fan light. It will turn off/on based on the last use state so if we want to turn on the fan for the doggos when we are not home during the day, the light might be on as well, which is a waste of electricity:/
Ahah yes Tuya fans might be best for us now. Aha smart home may actually helps to reduce electricity use because of sensors etc. The largest contributor would be the aircon use and dryer use 🤧 our blinds are Dooya (Tuya and SmartThings compatible)
@@thesuakus to be honest i didnt go all out smart curtain or smart blind it s too ex vs normal ones so i just did my living room and the rest normal ones . We used switch bot too didnt use those smart motor and rail type its too expensive.
Hi The Sua Kus. For Regret 7: Not Minding the Aircon Flap. I am considering similar Panasonic aircons with NanoEX features as my daughter has eczema and allergic to dust mites. May I ask if you’d still recommend this aircon or just stick with the usual Mitsubishi Electric/Daikin?
Hi there! Yes! Primarily because of the nanoeX tech features for allergen, bacteria and viral control. You can read up more here: www.panasonic.com/sg/nanoe/home.html
Thank you for your quick reply. Will there be humidity issue as there will be more H2O in the air? @@thesuakus
Nope if you are on aircon cooling mode, the aircon serves as a dehumidifier in a way. You can turn on the nanoeX mode without cooling but we seldom do that :)
hi will you mind sharing things to take note for during reno for a dog friendly home, eg tiles to choose etc? Planning to get a dog in e future, n 1st time having a dog haha
Hi! Aha you read our mind! We'll share more in a separate video next time but here are some quick pointers:
1. Tiles are more slippery for dogs but vinyl is tougher to maintain due to seepage and dirt accumulation
2. Dog-friendly sofa - ours is from Cellini and it is a European material called AquaClean.
3. Think about where you want them to pee at home (if allowed) - typically this could be in the common bath
4. A stretch of hallway (as long as possible) for them to run and have zoomies
5. No sharp edges for carpentry, round and curve as much as possible just like how you'd do for babies.
6. Cables and wires - Think about how you can hide them or get them out of reach
7. Feeding area - water fountain and feedbowl placement
8. Bathing area - would you sacrifice some bathroom space for an elevated dog shower area so that it would be easier for you to bath them at a height
9. Storage for their leashes, collars, accessories (near the door?), kibbles (big bag and where you'd store it) and frozen food (bigger fridge?)
10. Heavy shedder? Curtains fabrics types that do not attract dust and fur, or colours that are less visible
thanks for sharing!
You are most welcome! 😇🤩
Could you share your samsung smartthings setup in a video? Thank u!
Hello!! Yess we are working on it! Our smart home series will be coming soon! But in the meanwhile, you can see snippets of it in action across our episodes, in particular the Bedroom and Living Room Episodes!
Hi , could you share where to get that where to get that retractable mosquito screen ? Thank you .
Heya! We've asked but the vendor does not want to be mentioned due to insufficient bandwidth~
Sub-ed. Thank you guys for this well put-up video, i watched in horror but i learnt some things thanks to you guys :)
Glad it was helpful! :) Thanks for your support!
Recessed U channel won't allow you to change the glass panel should there be a need to - unless you're willing to also hack the tiles that the U channel is embedded in.
Hello, don't see why not...? If say the shower screen shatters, it's a matter of just removing the remnants and resilicon and place the new shower screen in 🤔
My ID called these embedded shower screen. Another lingo I supposed.
Hi I'm considering marble gum for my entire homogeneous tiles. Question is can it still be done with our cabinets/wardrobes already up? Also do u face problem with water mark everytime u mop the floor? Will really appreciate yr reply. Tqsm.😊
Hello! Yes, while it is recommended to be done at an empty house state, u still can do it when carpentry is up, just that those areas near the carpentry will be done by hand. You can reach out to Mr Siah (contact details in our video description) for on-site assessment.
No watermarks :) We use Dreame robo so their wet mop cleaning is very precise
@thesuakus may I ask if u wet yr mop pad first before using it to vacuum? I was wondering if that might be the reason why some say there's obvious water mark after mopping.
Nope the Dreame L10 that we use is completely automated so it handles the sweeping and mopping on its own! We don't have to do anything aha the floor will be very clean after its run!
Hello TSK! Quick one.. how’s your flush mount sink? We r undergoing reno and my wife is sold with your idea of getting a flush Mount sink .. want to also ask did your ID share with u any disadvantages? Coz our ID said that in the future we might run into ‘sealant issue’ and may need to replace the sealant in a few years time .. TIA
Hello there! Aha thanks for remembering our sharings~ yes still loving the flush mount sink. One of our best Reno decisions. No matter top, bottom or flush, there will be silicon for sure and it will bound to wear and tear over time. But for flush mount, the silicon is a tiny 1mm border and it is super easy to wipe dry immediately 😃
Hello! Is there any chance that the suakus have shared their ID company? Also, for #18 , there's mention of your friends ID, just wanted to check if willing to share the ID company too? :) thanks!!
Quite painful to see these regrets but i would say all these are not fully your fault. For ID he/she should advice you the Do's & Don't to you based on the design or your requirement. Still a good video for sharing.
15:10 how did you let them get away with the exposed wall innards at the back. The socket isn't flushed and covering the broken wall. :(
Wow you have a keen eye! That is actually in the bomb shelter and came like that with the flat, which means we should have gotten HDB BSC to fix it. We didn't realise also until we were editing the video 😆
ohhh in the bomb shelter! ok la not TOO bad then, since u wont stare at it very often. Awaiting the next video. wonder whats #1 haha @@thesuakus
Nice vid
Thank you for your support! 🙆♂️🙆♀️
any recommend to reduce ceiling fans shadow?
Hi! This graphic might be useful : cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0790/5329/files/Ceiling_Fan_Stobe_Light_Shadow_Effect_480x480.jpg?v=1614649697
Which ID did you use that gave you so many issues? Would like to avoid it :)
im in doubts of you saying about epoxy grouting. is it really true about it that is not suitable to be in the bathroom?
Well, we are sharing our experience with evidence as seen in the video! 😅 All is OK except for bathroom floors and all edges/corners
Where's the mosquito net from please?😊
Hi is kitchen mortar base need? I cannot decide.
Hi! Yes we recommend mortar base as kitchen has risk of water damage. But remember to allocate space for a hookup robo (see our video for reno regret #1) 😃
Actually UK socket is considered much safer than universal socket.
Get a grout sealer, waterproof with penetration.
Hi, your dogs are lovely. May I know where you bought them from please?😊
Hello! Yes they are 🥰 Thank you~ You can DM us on IG @misonorishelties to find out more! 😀
Ok thanks 😊
You guys got a bad ID and should have asked for re-tile of toilet since ponding was a mistake by the previous junior tiler.
🤧 too many issues so we only solved the most important ones as our rental was ending and we had to move in asap
Regrets becos the iD is using subcons .. iD normally change their sub con and quality of course will be different ..
Use only id with their own workers only ..
easy to check cos hdb got a new ruling to wear company shirt when working in your site ..
So don’t be lazy and visit their factories and see the tools they have which tells u a story
your ID cui sia lol and appreciate taking the time to share
You are welcome! He's a nice guy but had too many projects on-hand so not able to come down to help QC or jiaga the contractors 🤕
This is one nice chinese house yall have done up...
Thank you!! 🤩 but it is race-agnostic! 😅
HELLO! Where do you get your custom mosquito nets?!
Heya! We've asked but the vendor does not want to be mentioned due to insufficient bandwidth~
Noooooooooooooooo
@@thesuakus nooooooooooo just me plzzzzzz 😂😂
Normally when will hdb call u for key collection in advance? 2 months early?
Hello!! A SMS will be sent to you about 2-3 weeks before the assigned key collection date 😊
@@thesuakus normally based on the pcd date?
Hi TSK, thank you for sharing this.
Im sure most of us who have engaged a reno contractor before can agree the works here are considered poor worksmanship/finishing.
Can you help list their company's name so that i can strike this out? TIA
Hello! You are most welcome. Out of respect for our ID and the other IDs at the firm, it's unlikely we will disclose the firm publicly. But you can DM us in private on IG @thesuakus. 😀 To be fair, the same issues definitely exist and will arise regardless of ID firm and ID. It just so happens that there are not many openly shared and documented reno journeys like ours. Our intention is to share tips and better questions to ask in preparation for our viewers' reno~
what id did u engage? and how much was the cost of the id?
Hello! We will cover our reno cost breakdown in an upcoming episode, so stay tuned! 😊 As for the ID firm, you can DM us on IG @thesuakus
Good to let the public know so we can avoid 😆
May i check on your heights, for the purpose of approximating the sink height. Thank you!
Hello! We are 170/175 😀 Best to re-enact with a measuring tape at home!
Is embedding electrical cables not allowed?
For new BTOs, the flat already comes with embedded electrical cables 😀
Very obvious and bad installations for not using the u channels. Use a more quality socket will do. They should level the tiles. As for washing basin can request them to change to your desireable level, best of luck!
Thank you for your comments! 🙆♂️🙆♀️❤️
care to share the ID? mine was bad too.... know no nuts as she was also quite new and vain. should have get the experienced and dedicated ID from another source.
BTO package can use CPF or cash ?
Hi! CPF - it would be added up into your total!
Is it necessary to use an ID in Singapore.? Why not manage the project yourself considering it’s your idea n plan in transforming your home to the way you like it.? To me, the most important areas r the bathrooms n kitchens n flooring,the rest r secondary….For the bathroom,don’t be afraid to give it a bit more slope front n back, a good tiler will make it look good, always ask the tiler to match the line of the floor tile in the shower to the wall,that’s provided you use the same size tile n to place cut tiles to the inside corners,so it’s not too obvious. Good warm lightings
Kitchen, quarts countertops n full backsplash,not the 4 inch backsplash ,gives it a clean look n easy to clean too. Make sure installer use epoxy grout to make the joint invisible. Cabinetry, up to your imaginations, lots of ideas out there, mainly needs lots of storage, soft close..etc etc if possible,hood vents outside, I would ask carpenter to build a box from the ceiling to the outside wall n hv it vented outside n buy one with a good CFM…JMO
Hello! Thanks for always taking your time to share your thoughts and insights! 😊 For first time homeowners, unless they have lots of time on their hands and willing to arrange all the vendor scheduling on their own, the mainstream approach is to go through the "ID firm" route. Whether or not the "ID" really cares about design/aesthetics, or, in reality just a project manager, really boils down to their talent and the expectations that the homeowners have when they interview and select their ID. At the end of the day, costs also have to be factored in.. there are amazing, passionate IDs we've spoken to but they quoted double the cost for the same scope of work.
In our future home, since we're familiar with the reno process and learnt alot through this journey, it's possible we will go through the Contractor route.
Singapore public housing, especially BTOs, have quite alot of restrictions (ie no ducting outside, no hacking of bathroom floors) and since it is prefab like Lego bricks, there is a fine balance to be struck between creativity and practicality, especially since the first home is unlikely to be the "forever-home". So we decided to preserve as much as possible the original rooms for ease of resale in future (or if family circumstances change) and most importantly, work within budget and means 😜
It's not necessary PROVIDED you are an expert in all the fields. You would think these people know how to do their job. That would be a big mistake to assume that. I can tell you, most of these people have ZERO motivation and just want to finish it up asap without care. So unless you know how to do those jobs, you won't be able to know whether they did a good job. Most of these workers have ZERO professionalism. Maybe if you pay a lot more money...
@@aspiringmodernistchefyup! So many contractors or workers out there doing very subpar or even bad jobs… perhaps too many jobs to do but too little incentive to give proper training to their workers. Sometimes i find that i know more from my research online than certain workers…
It boils down to how knowledgable you are in regards to renovation and how much time you have on hand. Got time to manage and oversee projects but cannot manage the schedule well due to lack of knowledge or cannot differentiate between a good and bad job… will lead to alot of stress during the whole renovation process. Miscomm can occur between you and the contractors, the contractor and the worker, you and your partner etc. At least if something goes wrong with the renovation… you can blame the ID for it instead of finding fault w your partner or the other way round 😂
I think the basis for hiring contractor is knowledge, time, patience and excellent communication..! Without either one of it, don’t attempt…
Actually, taking the OCS might save a little money these days. When I got my place about 5 years back, HDB stopped providing cement screed on request (we were the first batch of BTO where they flat out refused to do so; the BTO batch before us were the last to be able to request for it).
Coupled with the requirements for pre-packed cement that costs more, this ended up costing us an additional $2.6k+ (pre-pandemic supplier rate) just to do the cement top-up (about 40 to 50mm).
Depending on the package offered (during my time, the toilets furnishing, doors, and flooring were separate) for the OCS and the cost of renovation, it could actually be cheaper to take the OCS and have the vinyl flooring torn up just to have a pre-filled and level floor instead of paying an ID/ contractor to top-up the cement.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to pen this! What you said makes sense for the flooring option. 😀 But for those who are still in the midst of BTO balloting or waiting for flat selection, it'll be difficult to know or do the math 5-6 years ahead of time...
@@thesuakus True that. I'd say don't take the toilet fittings and doors from HDB though - just take the flooring purely because the cost of the cement top-up is quite hefty from contractors or ID due to the cement pre-mix costing quite a lot.
Another thing to consider for new buyers is that the OCS isn't actually optional for 2-room flats. Those will come with the toilet fittings, flooring, and doors as part of the base unit purchase.
It’s actually optional for 99 years 2 room flats
The optional components can cancel anot? Like forfeit the Mooney but ask hdb don’t install ? 😂
Ahah we tried asking HDB last time they say cannot ahah all the "Lego" blocks would have been prepared 😆
How much did you guys spend for reno in total?
Hello! We're doing the accounting and will cover this in a future episode 😀