I've been following this renovation section for a half a year or so and have been planning my own home renovation for 3-4 months.
It finally started last week and I'll be sharing the progress here as many have shared.
It is not a major renovation, no structural changes except the backyard extension.

Problem I'm having is the house was not built very nicely, with some of the walls not straight.
Also, with it being a rather old house, the bathrooms were not designed to have a separate shower area.

Anyway, here are some pictures taken.

The mess in the living room after the floor was hacked


and with the messed cleared.


The dining looking out


The kitchen


and tiles off too


The staircase, steps hacked.


And the 1st floor common bath, raw. I really like this, maybe should just keep it this way.

how much u bought this house? your reno includes changing every floor tiles, wiring, kitchen extension? how much is the budget?

my lord, the previous developer have very bad workmanship. i can see a lot works were not done accordingly. Is it from Tallam project. All house to refurbish with furniture and fittings at lease 150k to 200k. good lucks

I bought it pretty cheap at RM630K.
My original renovation budget was around RM120K, but it has since ballooned up to RM150K. Without furnitures yet.

I'm not an expert, can you point out to me the bad workmanship?
You budget estimation is right on though

still got any place for this kind of price
been searching for very long but cant find yet

This post has been edited by noien: Nov 15 2011, 02:11 PM

Mine is priced cheaper because it's facing a road. Bad Feng Shui.
But since I don't believe, the cheaper price is good.
If I'm not mistaken, same row of houses, the price is about RM700K.

Where are you looking for?

Huh? where is your house? old house need 630K?

This post has been edited by tiensong: Nov 15 2011, 02:26 PM

The house seems fairly small yet need to pay RM630k? With that price u can easily get a new house with better workmanship.

Houses in Penang Island are expensive. So no, I can't get a new house at that price, unless it's at some remote places.

Congrats! And good luck with the reno. Mine is just about to complete, but still have a few minor items.

Just make sure when you tell your contractor to tile the floor to make sure the water will not pool in the corners and all sloped nicely into the drain. Then, when they're doing it, tell the actual workers, then when they're done, ask them to show you. I didn't do this last step, and now I have to tear up a few pieces of tiles to re-do as water is pooling in the corners. Have to go buy more tiles some more. *sigh*

prefer bayan lepas or bayan baru area

If you don't mind leasehold house, there's plenty to go around in Bayan Baru. For much lower than 600K.
If you want to consider Sungai Ara, there's a bunch of narrow houses (16x80) selling for about 600K. Problem is that they're narrow, not much parking space, but some of them do come with excellent view.

But honestly, if you are really looking to buy subsale house, get an agent. They can really offer you more options.
I spent a lot of my time pouring over the online ads like Mudah, PenangProperties and such.... but in the end, even from there, I have to go through an agent.

mind to tell me where u get a landed house at such price? PM me....

yes agree, landed house price on penang island are getting nuts......a new landed house will cost close to 1 mil !!!

Hi
You could consider Sungai Ara / Relau area like SP Setia (fairly new) for abt $850k.

Just wondering how much my Sunway Tunas can fetch these days? $700k?

Thanks.
About the sloped flooring in bathroom, I've been reminding my ID and the contractor even before I got the keys to my house.
But seriously, I don't think much of it stays in their head.
As you said, have to catch them and nag again when they are actually doing it.

Sungai Ara.
Like I said to another guy, if you are really looking for a subsale house, agent is the best way. But I really hate dealing witht them.

hi xecton, any updates for your reno?

wow bro, a very destructive reno~ then how is ur marimo?

Ah sorry.... been watching breaking bad non stop.
Got pictures in the camera, but not downloaded.

The extension is up, most of the plaster ceilings are ready.

xecton!! just saw ur thread. good luck on ur renovation!
from condo to landed *applause* hehehe

by the way, do make sure that the workers don't stuff anything down your pipes, and make sure they somehow (i dunno how) cover the holes/pipes. As lots of my acquaintances did their renovation only to find out later "here leaking, there clog" because the pipes are all clogged and backed up. The leakage caused was non-stop. Sekejap here sekejap there, until now some don't even know when they would stop.

An experience contractor will "clog" the holes before doing anything. And only open it up when do tiling installing the floor trap, and WC.

Most important, the Bottom trap, and WC pipe don't interconnect too near it will have lots of problem in future.

Hi Xecton, Im from Pg also.
Plan to renovate my house next year. Care to share your ID/Contractor?
Thks.

contractor - ooi 0125776209
wiring man- seng 0174642360

they just finish my house.their workmanship quite good i would say.price is consider cheap

wow...major reno there...

The marimos are doing fine
I'm looking for some nice glassware to display them in my new house.

Thanks!
Check out the pictures below to see how my contractors did it.

What are the problems? Bad smell?

Logically, my ID shouldn't mind me sharing her contact, as it's free ad, but I'll ask her first before doing so.
Will PM you.

Not really major
Many of the guys here did ever more

The water-proofing being checked.

The bathroom on groundfloor


The wirings

The plaster ceiling, holes for downlight and the round "crevice" (don't know what's the proper term for this) for ceiling fan.


The backyard extension

Sorry, I saw this photo and I have to ask what are the pipe-looking structure on the ceiling? I assume it was originally covered by plaster ceiling?

Coz my new house has weird marks like water stain/spot and upon seeing that photo, I am suspicious...



Mine:

That was the outlet for the upstairs' bathroom. And yes, it was covered. Taken off for the renovation.

Your's could very well be the same.
I don't see water stains very often, but I would guess that it would normally be much bigger stain than what I see in your picture. They look like spots.
I'm no expert, so maybe others can chime in.

any1 know contractor for doing awning?i need 1 for my awning

Hi Xecton,

Actually i bought one of the 'narrow' houses in Sg. Ara recently

I will be posting my portion on house reno soon in lowyat too after i decided my contractor..hehe. basically like yours

Did you get a main contractor or you source everyone yourself? (wiring, cabinets, etc)

I got an ID who managed most of the stuffs for me, so no contact from me.

I hired an ID to manage everything for me. Don't have the time to source and supervise the renovation myself.
I've used her service before and was satisfied with the result. Not perfect, but good.
Anyway, congratulations to you on your new house.



One of my bathrooms

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Added on January 3, 2012, 11:39 amShit happened, someone broke into my under renovation house and stole the wirings, the aircon from previous owner (also tore open the compressor for whatever copper he can get inside), uninstalled drainhole cover, and the contractor's table fan.

Biggest problem is I have to redo the wiring.

It happened on Christmas eve.
Damnit Santa, you are supposed to leave gifts, not steal things!!

This post has been edited by xecton: Jan 3 2012, 11:39 AM