I have read through most of this thread and would like to thank Zheilwane aka Zean (how do you pronounce this?) for unselfishly providing us all with such helpful information.

I confess to be a total noob at home improvement matters and have learned much from the questions and experiences shared here.

Having recently received the keys to our first house (in Ipoh, lot size 20 x 70), my wife and I are planning to do some minor improvement work with our limited budget to make our home a functional a comfortable living space. Attached is an amateurish floor plan I attempted to draw using a the free (non premium version) of MagicPlan app available on Play Store.

In a nutshell, we do not plan to break/build any walls and, at the moment, the following list is an approximate idea of what we intend to do:

1. Grilles + Awning for Laundry Room
2. Wiring + Additional Lighting and Power Points.
3. Plumbing (adding outdoor faucet and washer outlet)
3. Kitchen Cabinet (bottom only with simple open top racks)
4. Kitchen Appliances (Hood+Hob+Oven) --> the reason I am posting here.

After browsing through Builders Hardware FB and Xammax.my, I went to visited two Fotile dealers in Ipoh and was given the following preliminary quotes:

Dealer 1:
Recommended Rubine strongly, saying the price is much lower than Fotile, and suitable for small families who do less cooking (my wife and I both hit 30 this year and do not plan to have children in the medium term).
Package: Rubine Sapphire hood (1000m3/hr) + Rubine Prado hob + Rubine IA6 oven = RM3188
Not much effort was made to push Fotile, and the response we got was that Fotile would cost at least another RM1000. The dealer was friendly and seemed well versed with various questions though she denied being the owner of the business. She also introduced us to another promotion Cabana sink + faucet + dish rack for RM599.
Installation of all appliances is free of charge, but we will have to find a contractor to drill a 6" hole for exhaust ducting outlet. Before we left, she reminded us that prices will increase next month (don't know if this is just tactical or real).

Dealer 2:
This dealer also does interior design and kitchen cabinet. Owner (or senior staff) sat at the counter and basically ignored us (maybe she assumed us to be another pair of young punks). However, the young girl who attended to us was generally able to answer our queries and gave us a cost estimate (both for appliances as well as KC).
Package: As advertised in the Fotile March-May 2014 catalog. Fotile EH10BQ hood + Fotile GFG86201 hob = RM2700, which about RM500 less than the catalog price. As for oven, it is a PWP deal - Fotile KES6003A = RM1998 with no further discount. So total price for Hood + Hob + Oven would come to RM4698.
I showed her my floor plan (U shape kitchen) and she made a quick calculation for KC (bottom only, solid wood, granite top) = Approx RM8k . If we opt for chipboard+melamine coating, it will be approx RM6k.
Dealer 2 also provides free installation.

If you have visited Builders Hardware FB or Xammax, there seems to be a world of difference in price and products available. My wife and I are now discussing whether to get these from Ipoh (free installation + after sales service but at a higher price) or to order online with better price/product options but without installation.

How difficult/dangerous is it to leave installation to another person? Should I get these items from Ipoh dealers or KL via online purchase? Appreciate your kind advice on any related matters, too. Thank you.

Hi all,

Looking a cooker hob urgently, heavy asian cooking. And not really interested with tmpered glass. Any brand recommend? Instead of fotile, i dont see any reviews fron other product..

Now im eye-ing on pacifica and lebensstil stainless steel cooker hob for safety and child purposes, any idea friends? Help!

just bought my kitchen hob and hood from 18 Electrical Shop in pj two weeks ago. they charged me rm3140 after much negotiation (and had to pay cash) . next day i went to another shop just to ask for price and they gave me rm2700! the same model! without negotiating!! i was pissed so i went back to 18 Electrical shop and asked them nicely why is theirs so expensive so the fella who sold it to me (alvin) said that if im able to produce a receipt at rm2700, they will refund me the difference -.- so i said ok fine i asked my sister (who is moving house also) to buy the exact same model. took her receipt and gave it to alvin, and he said he will ask his superior first (Pls note that he already agreed to refund me the difference initially when i questioned him).

then i got a call from him supposed superior, shouting at me and scolding me saying that if i buy sth expensive from pasar malam will i be able to get a refund???and didnt give me a chance to speak at all!!! omg i was shocked!! how can anyone be so rude wtf

even though i do not believe that this 'superior' is indeed alvin's superior, i think this shop is a total hoax!! never going to buy from this shop already.

GONNA BAN TOTALLY 18 ELECTRICAL SHOP. NOT ONLY FOR ITS PRICE, BUT THE RUDE AND ROWDY SALESPEOPLE THERE. WITH SUCH MANNERS, DO NOT EXPECT AFTER-SALES SERVICE FROM THEM!

As mentioned by kokmengng, we do open n let our customers to check their products especially Kitchen sinks, Mirrors and ceramic items. We already open up for you to check that it is OK, so now it is dented, most probably it is damaged by your contractor during installation, this happens very often and contractors usually come to purchase a new one from my shop. Since u say, u kept it safely n only unbox now together with your contactor, that means the sink was damaged during storage or when u deliver to the contractor.

I m not refusing to take responsibility but the fact that the sink was in good condition when you collected it and we did open for you to check. I hope customers who have purchased from us could share their reviews here

i would to go but i m in penang. i did contact u before this if u could sent sorento item to penang but that time the delivery is not possible
so u would recommend rubine instead of fotile and electrolux?

and does rubine boxline2 uses 6inch or 7 inch ?