Agreed with your comment bro... Anyhow I just give some example nia.... Nice of sharing info you have here...

cheers

Agree, especially something that need lots of work. Like piping, electrical and flooring. For me i don't save on piping and electrical. My electrical re-wiring already cost me around 12k (excluding switch and socket) and is only single phase. My friend ask me why so expensive, his house 3 phase is near also same amount. Then i show him the number of MCB i got, 2 DB box, and only few looping of socket, he keep quiet

My current house, i remove the parque, ask my contractor to flat the surface. Will decide what to use after i have come near end of the renovation, and see what budget i have to use.

Lizzie, Niro still got warehouse sale? i like the cement type tiles they offer.

I did my 3ph with 2 Hager DB box, 1 for FF and 1 for GF as advised my EE brother. My rewiring plus 3 ph only 15k or thereabout. Though there is some savings but it is not worth it, becuz my contractor uses Indian nationals to do the work who do not do a proper job and need a lot of time to check and correct defects. In the end, the completion of the house is delayed. So, need to balance quality and price, always.

I discovered that, if we go to the tiles shop in say, and order in large quanitites, u can get a good discounts. Buimaco in tmn megah can offer some good prices too.

Anyway, my reno finished ady, now only left with some build-ins and cabinets for my dry kitchen, all the optional extras for a more comfy living. Hope to complete by christmas.

what is MCB n DB box?

i too like the cement type tiles and the wood type too.

This post has been edited by orientaliew: Jun 23 2011, 12:05 PM

MCB, is like olden day fuse. Now run without fuse, only trip according to the load made printed on the MCB

DB box, aka Distribution Box, to put the MCB, ELCB, RCCB, and timer. Is a square box. Can be Metal, Plastic.

MCB got lots of brand, usually the reliable are ABB, Hager, MK. Got some really made in Germany but dam expensive now.

Just google lah bro.

Wiki " MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker)--A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit. "

It is those black color thingy inside your DB. A lot are made in Malaysia , sirim approved, are just as good. Only the ELCB buy better imported one safer.

Many with Sirim approved five problem too. You know how sirim approve things?

Money, money .......money.

malas to ask MTIB lah, just share with us your view, regardless of taste.

I'm also in the market for hardwood flooring. Maha Asia quoting RM16 per sq ft for Merbau 18mm (depth) x 90mm (width) inc install (cengal batten) and 3 layers. Lizziewong, who did you speak to? Mr Woon is the boss?

RM 16 include installation? pre-finish?

I think Mr Woon is the boss.... My deal is more or less the same I think...

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Added on July 15, 2011, 4:30 pmMy floor space is about 970 sf, plus a flight of stairs of 13 steps, altogether cost m RM17k. The planks are unpolished, but afte laying, breathing, will be polished. The comes the buffing then varnish... RM16 or RM17 is all in cost, incl of skirting.

Planks is RM 15psf and skirting is RM5 pfr.

Skirting is pre-finished.

This post has been edited by lizziewong: Jul 15 2011, 04:32 PM

Thank you for the information, I also found another small shop doing flooring @ Kuchai Lama, will check out later when my house almost ready.

BTW, the stair step, do you use one single pieces, or same as the floor? Single pieces very nice.

To save cost, I use the 90 mm planks. The workeers pick out the 4ft lengths and lay it across the steps. Quite nice too.... Oh, my 17k comes with nosing for the steps, but no timber for the riser.

y limit urself to merbau only? there are variety of malaysian timber which is suitable for flooring apart from merbau
we have balau, bintagor, kempas, keranji, red balau, and dark red meranti as well ma


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What are the prices like for the other types? Maha Asia only have merbau.

For the other varieties, price is one factor. But more important u shld go to the timber board website to familiarise yourself with the quality of the timber. One important criteria is resistance to termites. Merbau is not top tier like Teak, but for the price, it is considered quite hard for termites. The other wood grains are nice, but termite resistance must be good too.

I did my window hood using balau wood, which is considered ok for external. But I notice other contractor also use meranti which someone tells me is softer wood.

A timber supplier whom I asked to quote timber stairs, told me balau is not so suitable because it tends to warp over time.

This post has been edited by lizziewong: Jul 16 2011, 11:09 AM

termite resistant is not jus bout the wood... people got the misconception d.. for termite, normally flooring company will treat the wood 1st de.. so relatively speaking if u go to a reputable flooring company most of their wood is treated d.. wont be susceptible to termite unless u expose it to prolong moist environment..

merbau is on par with teak in term of strength and durability ...
balau not suitable for ur stair becos it have high shrinkage value...but tat 1 can be solve if u tell ur installer wat environment u are installing it at.. for normal indoor u need to tell ur installer , will u install aircon environment? or jus open air.. if air con environment.. will it be 24 hour .. the installer must monitor ur room moisture content and humidity and acclimatised the wood before install.. normally for indoor the moisture content is around 15-17% if in aircon environment (8-12%).

for more information on wat type of wood and its suitability u can go to http://woodwizard.my/index.asp . it have most of the Malaysian species available in Malaysia

Thanks all of you for the info. I am thinking of installing hardwood flooring for my new house also. I just wonder if there's any 5-6 inch width, maybe 6-9 feet length Merbau, Teak or Walnut available in Malaysian market? I prefer long wide strips of wood, more pleasing to the eyes. Anyone know the cost of those wood? I just want to compare the cost to marble flooring. Want to check if it fits my budget.

How about those lock on timber strips like those sold in Floor Depot? Are they more durable? They mentioned to me that their solid timber are abrasive and scratch resistance because their timber are pre-laminated with coating in the factory, not at the site of installation. what do u guys think?