After spending time browsing through this forum, I'm impressed by some of the work you guys put in. This reno work of mine was done 3 years ago, please pardon me for sharing my late little reno journey here.

Me and my wife purchased this unit for its convenience as my office is only 5 mins away while she travel using monorail which is 5 mins walk from our place. After purchasing then only we noticed the unit was infested with termites...damn! As we were inexperienced, we did not spot this problem when viewing the unit. Gonna learn with every steps we take, new lesson for newbie...sigh. Due to infestation we had to stripped entire house down (Previous owner had a lot of wood work done), these includes door frames, doors, tiles...almost everything except existing bedrooms windows.

We came out with the design ourselves, no ID firm was appointed. Took quite a bit of effort and research to plan everything out. Below are our work.


Ground zero, everything have to start from scratch... money money


Requested contractor to raise the dining area. Window demolished too.


Kitchen area with tiles layed.


washing area.


Master room pix.


Thanks for termites, have to remove and put in new door frames.


Timber flooring up, since both wall in kitchen had been hacked, a timber support beam is needed for my partition door, later you will see what i'm talking about.


Rest of the pix on next update.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Jan 12 2016, 01:16 PM

Looks like lots of work done, bravo!

I've seen a lot of houses affected by termites, this is the 1st time I read about condo getting termites, is yours a lower floor unit?

May I know the area where your condo is located at, don't need to name it though if you want privacy

nice...how did u ensure the termites wont return?

Continue....gonna fast forward a little bit.


Windows up.


Took us awhile to find this type of window.


Glass panel for kitchen.


Frosted glass divider between kitchen and washing area. Previous owner extended their kitchen all the way to washing area, we were quite surprise when we can't find a washing area, wonder where they do their washing.


Kitchen cabinet up.


Folding doors up.


Partition door fully close.


Common washroom bowl and basin installed.


My mini bar top.

Rest of it coming next, will put everything up.

U like folding a lot geh? lolz

Bro, my place is near Maharajalela monorail, I'm sure by this you already know where this place it, old condo lah. Due to termites, no choice but to reno, the place was nicely done up, we thought as can save some money but sadly this happened.

yeah why so many folding,

Can't fully guarantee on that but I got my contractor to do some preventive measures before he tiles up. Keeping my finger cross.

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Added on March 21, 2012, 1:34 pmMy place only around 1100 sq ft, space constraint so have to come up with this.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Mar 21 2012, 01:34 PM

with the reno like this...i belip it cost you almost half of the price you pay for the condo...

sliding is safer for kids in future, they wont snap their finger tho.

very nice renovation!

i was about to say that....folding seems not suitable for kids...and the glass...reminds me on my relatives...the glass wall nearly cut her daughter neck off.... better becarefull

continue...



Wardrobe for 2nd bedroom.


My bar stool.


Living room.


View from living to dining area.


Outdoor concept dining table.



Final product.

We were both happy with the reno. At least after all the money spent, we got a little cosy home. Thank you all for viewing.

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Added on March 21, 2012, 1:58 pmErmm...I understand your point, we don't have kids so far. 3 years later another unit coming, will take that into consideration. Thanks

This post has been edited by Xccess: Jul 28 2013, 02:32 AM

Bless you. Hope your termite friend won't come back....i saw a lot of wood work yo

Some pix I might have missed out.



Common washroom pix 1


Common washroom pix 2


passage way from bedrooms.


Kitchen


Master washroom.

Guess that's about it. Thanks for viewing and I look forward to learn more from this forum. I'm sure many of you here are expert in reno works, thanks for sharing too.

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Added on March 21, 2012, 2:09 pmThanks Hianz, have to keep my eyes wide open around any corners but I'm sure we have exterminate every one for now. So far there's no more reports of termite in any unit here...touchwood.

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Added on March 21, 2012, 2:11 pmThanks soviet and thanks to the termites too.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Jul 28 2013, 02:41 AM

Pretty huge transformation! I love ur superb big folding window, it looks unique, how much does it bomb u?

Still have the invoice with me, information is right below as stated;

* Dimension : 156" x 78"
* Material : Aluminum. Expocy with woodgrain
* Price - RM7800.00.

The window is pretty hardy as compared to those regular window frame.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Mar 21 2012, 03:38 PM

how much total renovation + furniture + electric appliance?

What is your TV size? 40 or 46?
and the TV height from the floor?

Reno set me back at about 120K, furniture + electric appliance + bathroom fittings about 40 to 50K. First reno experience, threw all focus and money. Need plenty of time to recover.

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Added on March 21, 2012, 3:46 pmTV size is 40", height from floor is 34".

This post has been edited by Xccess: Oct 23 2013, 11:31 AM

wah rich man.

I owe this to my contractor, he let me pay bit by bit during entire process and never rush me when I have some delay on payment. Maybe he took a big chunk off me as well that's why no hurry..lolx. Frankly I was pretty anxious to get things done and I did not compare quote from other source, this guy was recommended by a close friend so I trusted him.

I'm thrown in a situation whereby I have to redo everything or else I don't have to spend this much. What's done can't be undone, enjoy the end result of all hard work.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Mar 6 2015, 03:08 PM

I also will bought the 40" LCD TV and i have try to cut the board according to TV size.
And the height from floor is 31"...but many ppl say is very high....maybe due to my low TV cabinet 20"?
ppl notice there is a big gap between TV cabinet and TV....but i feel 31" is a bit high too..prefer around 28".

Saw the picture and was impressed !!!
Thanks for sharing

very nice transformation!! congrats on nice comfortable house...

what switches did u buy? looks like schneider?

Maybe you like to try sitting on your sofa to judge the height, your 40" LCD with frame or without? My 3 years old LCD have a frame with a width of about 3 and half inches, do take that into consideration. Hope you understand my point.

Nice setup by the way.

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Added on March 21, 2012, 4:51 pmIt's from clipsal "Zencelo", you can get more info from this link http://www.fullflatswitch.com/
Do note mine was already 3 years old, I'm sure there's new model out which is much nicer. Thanks for your compliment.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Mar 6 2015, 03:08 PM

Frame is small, should be less than 1". But no the big impact.
The problem is on power socket on the wall...i can install the wall mount bracket on top of power socket or below only.

Nicely done and planned! Your 120k is well spent as your house looks fantastic!

I'm no expert as I paid a uncle to install this for me, my power socket is just right above my TV cabinet as you can see from the photos. Yours seems to be sitting in the area where the bracket should be. Are you going to install this yourself? Before drilling, make sure you know where those cables were layed before making any attempt. I'm sure someone here can give you better advice.

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Added on March 21, 2012, 5:03 pmThanks Vetkin, much appreciated.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Mar 21 2012, 05:03 PM

agree..nicely done up!
Your raised floor is solid timber floor?
Which aluminum frame supplier u used?

Thanks. They first raise it using cement then place solid timber on top of it. The aluminum is for my folding windows, my contractor source this on his own, no idea which company he bought it from. Sorry not able to help you on that.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Mar 21 2012, 05:58 PM

lovely Reno!! Well done!

Yeah awesome reno work done, looks like a hotel suite not like home!! When you're bored of it sure can find a rich guy willing to take it off you for even more $$!!

Wow ! Nice reno work u have done there !

Thanks northface and beandk. This inspiration design came by when I was tipsy..lol, usually I drink in order to get some ideas for problem solving and this came along.

The design looks great! What's the size of your living room and how many downlights did you installed?

Thanks, my living room is 14 ft x 13 ft , dining area 11 ft x 13 ft. I have 6 downlights in living room where 2 of it is warm white while 4 is white light, per downlight there's 2 x PLC light. So far the brightness for white light is still alright but if you prefer well-lit room then you need 6 x down light with white tube.

Good stuff you have and very home feel.

One of the best renovation featured in lowyat.net. Thanks for sharing your wonderful condo

Thanks weikee and ggee_7. I have to admit I joined this forum a little late, there's so much sharing and info when I browse through it, with this info it can give birth to new ideas for just about anyone. This is a good place to share and learn at the same time, keep up the good work guys and girls.

HI can you share the price you spend on your renovation.
Like resort!! Love it!! Btw your 2nd room wardobe is what I have in mind.
May I know how much also. Share your contractor contact too la if its good.. hehehhe

hello...u had a warmly house....
BTW...i would like to ask ...how much u paid for the folding door ? how big is it???
can u give me the folding door contractor contact....?
currently i finding on this...

great transformation!! love it. its rm120k well spent

Hi,

Lovely house you have there. Money well spent and great renovation ideas. Thanks for sharing.

very very well done indeed.
for rm120k, think yourself and the contractor did an excellent job.
am especially impressed by the final product since translating drawings/designs to final product is quite a task indeed.
love how each and every item was selected and position resulting to your excellent final product.
thanks for sharing.

Appreciate your compliment. Cons for having wardrobe with louvre is the strips will collect dust, cleaning can be a bit of work. If this is a must with the concept you want then just have to put in a fair bit of hardwork. IMHO for easy fix just get those regular sliding glass panel wardrobe. As mentioned earlier the reno cost me 120K not including furnishing. I don't think is it appropriate to share the contact of my contractor here, I will send you a pm. Please make sure you make comparison quote with other contractor, get the best out of it. Don't have to mentioned anything as I'm only his customer, not going to get a comm out of it

Do share your reno progress if you can, look forward to view dream home.

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Added on March 22, 2012, 12:12 pmThanks Kochin, Redrose and des1662 for your kind compliment. I'm sure there are plenty of owner here with great reno results and concept, some perhaps not sharing due to privacy matter, I can respect that. I have seen quite a few that produce great results and really impressed by their work.

Hoping to gain some new ideas for my coming new unit, in the mean time share and learn along the way. Thank you to all who have spared your time giving comments and advice. Cheers

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Added on March 22, 2012, 12:15 pmHi Auwen, the folding doors cost me about 10K, I'm sure you can get better quote but never the less I will send pm you the contact. Just do a check like a walk-in customer with your design, don't have to refer anything. The folding doors is about 10ft width and 9ft in height.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Mar 22 2012, 12:15 PM

How much does the wood paneling beside the bar counter cost?

well done if everything is coming out from own ideas ... got ID quality

xtremly nice hse... resort feel! comfy feel....

RM120k. WOW~ but worth it, really nice =)

From the quote I saw on invoice stated RM3800.00, of course when reno is completed I remember I did told him how come 4 x timber divider cost so much, he did give some discount base on total amount so I can't make up the actual value. Anyone did this before, have any idea what is the market rate?

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Added on March 23, 2012, 11:45 amThanks for your compliment Jootat, I'm sure if everyone can come up with their own ideas and better concept too, just need to brain storm a little bit. Having some ID magazine during the planning did gave plenty of ideas too.

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Added on March 23, 2012, 11:49 amThanks Jay Mari, adelechin and kelifu for viewing. Just sharing my concept, glad you people like it.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Mar 23 2012, 01:24 PM

May I know where you get those plants? artificial plant?

Hi Tiensong, got those plants from Ikea, if you need more then I suggest you locate a plant nursery near you, cheaper too. Pot have to source on your own, mine from Ikea. Some of my plants already half dead in the pix, now I no longer have those potted plants. For indoor plants please do some research too, for me I just don't have the luck with them.

for indoor, is it better to decorate with artificial plant or real plant?

Some artificial plants these days looks really good, some times can't even differentiate from the real ones unless you examine closely. Ultimately it is up to you, real plants you need to take care and maintain, from time to time have to put fertilizer. If you are a plant person then just go for it.

For me the effect from lighting, plants, painting, deco items will take the ambience level a step higher, of course try not to over do it.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Mar 23 2012, 02:44 PM

Congrats Xccess.. your house looks awesome. I'm sure it took a lotsa guts to do what you did (& moolah too.. ).
Did you use an ID or design yourself?

Came out with the concept myself, my wife told me she always wanted a "wooden hut", this is the closes I can come out with. Did check out some ID firm but very expensive so ended up doing simple sketch, guide my contractor along the way. During that period I'm renting a unit just a level above my current home, making monitoring much easier. Thanks for viewing uturn

This post has been edited by Xccess: Mar 24 2012, 12:48 PM

how much did the solid timber floor cost you? it looks damn awesome

Very nice make over... and you plan it all by yourself... Salute!

Timber flooring cost about 8K, have to be careful because they scratch easily. Have to add protection pad below the leg of my chairs and table. The problem with wood is after some time they will shrink a little thus causing gaps inbetween to widen or in worse case crack. So far mine still alright, the gaps can be seen but not too obvious.

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Added on March 24, 2012, 12:57 pmYour compliment make my day. Thanks!

This post has been edited by Xccess: Jul 27 2013, 10:27 PM

Yup, I think about that price also. Wanted to do it last time but after being told that the price about rm800-1000 per piece , didn't want to do anymore. Freaking expensive

Yeah, totally agreed with you. Why a simple wooden beam structure can cost so much, I'm sure they made tonnes of money.

really impressed
i like ur outdoor concept dining room
the living room looks spacious

Hey thanks xueli. Have to enhance space for small unit

cool outdoor dining area.. thumbs up

the end result is impressive and clean, love the way design the house... the dining area... nice

Thanks for viewing Kusha, Mckevin and Jay mari.

Nice nice nice...hehehe

Hi, Followed a link to your thread from another thread on hacking and reno costs

Nice reno, the final result looks really luxurious and pleasing to the eyes.

Adding the step between living & dinning areas not really my preference (trip hazard) nor the glass and frosted glass paneling at kitchen area (cant imagine trying to keep those looking clean), but everyone has differemt tastes and preferences and i can respect you had your own reasons for doing those two things.

Love your bar stools, were they custom made or bought? Where from & how much?

Would be really keen to know the process you went through (if any) gettting the relevant approvals if any from condo mgmnt and dbkl etc especially relating to changing the external window, i was told by my mgmnt office that hell will freeze over before i would get mgmnt & dbkl approval to change an external window, to double glazing type for noise reduction and slightly for thermal insulation reasons.

Mine is a feature window on duplex condo about 15ft wide x 25 ft tall, and i would be replacing with identical colour and size, excelt double glazed and also the bottom 8 ft i would change from sliding door to bifold style similar to your partition door. I thought it would be easily approved but i was shocked when they told me IMPOSSIBLE ! ! !

Btw since its now a few years since you completed your reno it would be a nice time to give an update on any of the things (if any) that seemed like a great idea at the time but You would have have done differently given the hind sight of living in your creation for a few years already.


Cheers

Hi, thanks for your kind compliment. It is true that having glass panel require more effort for maintenance. For the bar stool we bought it from a shop at Mid Valley, the shop have since moved. Per stool I think cost us about rm 850.00, solid teak wood and damn heavy. This type of stool can be found at Teakia, we bought our dinning table there.

ours is a old condo thus less restriction from the management, they didn't bother us when we changed our windows as long the design is close to the existing ones, my neighbors had their windows changed too. For your case it is better to consult proper channel before creating any unnecessary conflict.

Pretty satisfied with the outcome so far, if there's areas to improve...hmm, it would be the louvre design wardrobe doors, dust magnet and not easy to clean, adding a ceiling fan in my living area and bigger fridge . There is one issue that really irritates me, it is the moldy black stuff that is growing inside the silicon beside the shower screen..

This post has been edited by Xccess: Aug 25 2013, 05:42 PM

What kind of ventilation are you using for your bathroom? Mold and mildew thrive in humid places. I read somewhere that you need to leave a ventilation fan on for at least half an hour (depending on the size of your bathroom) to circulate the humid air out. Our bathrooms are so small and our exhaust fans are linked to the bathroom light switch. I suggested to my dad to separate the two so we can leave the exhaust fan to do its job properly. Maybe next reno.

There was also a suggestion that glass shower doors have to be wiped down after every shower to prevent the "moldy black stuff" from forming on the silicon. like anyone has that kind of time or patience.

I had KDK exhaust installed in both my washrooms, both have individual switches, it helps with ventilation but for shower screen, a complete wipe down is necessary as water gets accumulated around the corners. Sadly we just don't have the habit/patience to do it.

Will have to look into Anti-mould silicon or use shower curtain instead.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Aug 25 2013, 09:44 PM

What's really sad is we install glass shower screens to avoid the "shower curtain look" and end up with the same mould/mildew problem.

Not sure will anti-mould silicon works or else will waste my time stripping those infected areas. Maybe I should call my previous contractor to ask if he have a better solution.

You could try DIY for the moment.

I found an Australian forum thread for killing mould using oil of cloves and vinegar and other alternatives like dehumidifier, etc here.

More on Using Oil of Cloves to Clean (cloves are pretty easy to find in herb sections in supermarkets).

This one uses bleach. A bit harsher on health safety but as long as you take precautions, no harm trying.

Also, here is an Anti-Mould Speed Seal I found that had better reviews than another anti-mould silicon of the same brand. They also carry a Rapid Mould Killer spray but I can't find it on their Malaysian site (or I might've missed it. It's 3.13am lol ).

best of luck with that mould, eh?

This post has been edited by OneMoreDay: Aug 26 2013, 03:21 AM

Hope you have sufficient sleep and not down with Monday blues Thanks for all the info provided, I'm sure bleach can effectively get rid of the problem but to implement it like once every few days is a challenge

Is your shower screen using anti-mould silicon or you have a better solution?

Haha. Nope. Not feeling the Monday Blues, oddly enough. We don't have a shower screen. Pre-reno stage right now. Waaaaay pre-reno. Tiny box bathrooms with those old school mosaic tiled floors and butt ugly exposed plumbing. But mildew and mold is ever present since there aren't any windows to help the exhaust fans ventilate the humid air faster. And we do love our long, hot showers!

Bleach seems to be my mother's go-to choice. But it's so harsh and we don't have a respirator mask here so we have to inhale when using it. And yeah, life doesn't really give any free time to commit to maintain a mould-free bathroom. Although, my dream bathroom is in its planning stages right now. I'm learning all I can from the forums, web and magazines. A bit more sunlight, a larger enclosed shower space, an ottoman and rug, wood privacy partition for toilet, etc. We'll see.

Do let us know what you decide to do.

I'm sure with all the research you did, you reno will come out beautifully. Not sure when I'll get the silicon thingy done, will definitely post result if I do. Good day ahead.

Absolutely stunning results, especially the open dining area!! More than fit to be featured in any of the ID mags. The windows are what one would typically see in Western homes, but not here. In Malaysia, you would need grills because of the fear that your neighbor would sneak in through the balcony. Brave move to not have grills but again, it's more than worth it and the results speaks for itself.

Love at first sight.

Thanks Bro for speaking so highly of a 4 yr old design...hahaha. I'll look forward to see your contribution and sharing. Cheers

This is a fantastic transformation. Such an eye candy.

Thanks for your kind compliment Bro.

I am very impressed with the reno! Money well spent!

Hey thanks. Already sent you what you need in your message box. Cheers

This post has been edited by Xccess: Oct 26 2013, 04:52 PM

really nice!
120k for all? seem damn worth le.. how big is the condo?

Thanks Bro, you think it's worth it hur? Not a easy task especially the funding but manage to pull through. Condo size is 1060 sq ft, without the kitchen wall, it certainly made it very spacious.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Oct 27 2013, 04:23 PM

mine is slightly smaller than 1200sq ft but your transformation was superb, mine a bit on the simplistic side ... didn't wanna spend so much as moving after 3 yrs ... anyway i like your lighting a lot ...

Thanks for your kind comment. Indeed if you are moving after 3 years, don't need to spend too much money on Reno, even if you have to do it, make it as simple as possible.

Hey but from the scale of your work done, it is consider major renovation. Revamp the place, Stay 3 years then sell it at a higher price ya.

This post has been edited by Xccess: Oct 29 2013, 04:43 PM

hi bro, i think the money was well spent too. if i were u i couldn't care less about the outside world and just stay at home watching tv or play xbox

nway i like the wardrobes and folding doors and cabinets hehe can i get your contractor's contact?

Thanks for your compliment. Will drop you PM.

WOW! Very nice house you have there!

Thanks Bro.