Firstly please ignore my stupid nickname. I simply saw some ciplak brandname when I was much younger and use that name and now I can't change I'm not where near a princess btw

NOTE:

Comes to my attention lately that I'm doing this and sharing based on a free will basis and I'm not committed into replying redundant questions because I've been getting quite a fair bit of them which keep on asking me to email them the quotation and pricing. Please go through the first page thoroughly before coming to me and ask for breakdown on quotations. Everything you need is just right down here, if you really need something, please scroll down and find them. Unless they're not there and I'm more than happy to reply you eg the contractor's contact.

Times are tough these days for middle income earners. We took years to save enough just to buy a house of our own, and mostly are only able to afford a middle class condo. Spent most of our savings on the deposit for the house, lawyer fees etc and nothing much left for renovation. Maybe some prefer to buy a sub-sale house with everything done including fittings and fixtures, but some prefer to buy a new bare unit instead of repairing old stuffs which might cost as much as well.

You don't feel like having another loan on hand, whereby you already have housing loan and renovation loan interest rates are so much more higher. Running on a tight budget, you try to save as much as you can before you get your house keys.

I guess depends on situation, both or yourself must be committed to savings. Make yourself or your partner agreed to a saving plan the moment you guys signed the S&P and paid off the deposit. Each month, make a substantial saving and by the end of the process, about 3-6 months down the road, you should have enough to cover all the basic and necessary stuffs. After that, just fill the house as and when you have more buffer. The other suggestion is to go on 0% installment on things washing machine, fridge. Courts, Harvey Norman, Seng Heng, SenQ have tied up with many credit card partners.

Sharing my super budget renovation journey, hope you guys don't mind compare to all the rest who shared which was much more extensive and on a higher budget.

Here's the layout of the condo, pretty small, but I guess these day, more than a 1000sf is considered a decent size.



Renovation Progress #25 click here for more photos
Progress #45 click here for more photos
Tiling issue - rectified by contractor#185



Renovation is completed finally, took about 2 weeks plus minus the weekends. I have no regrets in hiring my contractor. He might look young but he's responsible in his job and for that kind of price paid, I have really nothing to complaint at all.

Sorry guys, looks like my contractor here got too many job being introduced from this post and he sort of like not respond even to myself asking for some small jobs. So I guess I shall stop giving out his contacts.


Renovation Costing

Prices are just rough estimation

The very minor renovation works that's done for the unit.
1. Plaster ceiling for the whole unit, due to weird beams everywhere - RM3500++ (no painting)
2. Installing of downlights and L box for living room - RM15 (For down for each lights opening)
3. Hacking off the wall between kitchen and living room - RM800 (Wall about 10ft tall)
4. Replacing the tiles after the hacking of the wall - RM400++ (Sendiri supply the tiles)
4. Wiring works - additional 6 plug points for living hall, rooms, kitchen, plug points from DB for water heater and aircond (Developer only did for master bedroom waterheater, and aircond points only for living and master bedroom)
Points from DB for water heater & aircond - RM480
Other points listed as above - RM490
5. Changing of toilet door to bi-fold due to space limitation - RM450 (This is not the normal plastic type, with white frame and glass material)
6. Changing direction of the door from dry to wet kitchen - RM60
7. Re direction of the water piping in the kitchen and piping for sink and washing machine - RM380
8. Building of concrete top for wet kitchen - RM300 (with tiles from contractor supply)
9. Installation of the sliding window in the wet kitchen - RM370
10. Installation of fans etc - RM30
11. Additional light points added - RM400 (each RM50)

Reasonable pricing?

Plaster ceiling
Plaster ceiling #13
Downlights #118
L Box & Downlights #131


DIY Pallet Furnitures Refer to post #9 below


Kitchen Cabinets -
Kitchen Cabinets Post #2
- Homemark Kitchen
Most reasonable price that I've found so far with the requirements that I've requested.
I-Shape Top 7ft, Melamine box up for Hood 3ft, 10ft bottom
Quartz top with 4G Glass
Mosaic 10ft covering the middle between the top and bottom cabinets

Painting of walls and featured wall
Painting #5
- Self, plan to sendiri kau tim plus some heng dai's help

Lighting & Fan
Lighting and Fan Post #3
- Bought most of my stuffs from Houses Lighting in Puchong
Things there are relatively cheaper but of course the after sales support won't be as good.

Grill
Grill #4
- Chose Three Kim Metal due to the good reviews in Lowyat
I made downpayment of 30%
They called and arranged appointment after 2-3 days for measurement
Appointment was arranged after a week and the contractor was really friendly and kind. He came early as I told him to be punctual because I'm rushing over during my lunch hour.
Installation of grill was arrange after 2-3 weeks as they need time for fabrication and they're appointments are fully booked. Good business

DIYFurniture and fittings
Pallet Bedframe #392
Study Worktop #411
Modular Sofa#432

Small loose items for the house
Bathroom Accessories #92

Electrical Appliances
Electrical Appliances#157

Acrylic
Acrylic#13

Some before and after renovation photos

Hall area


Dining Area


Room 2 (The before photo I took from property site, apparently that's Block A they didn't have laminated flooring and my block B comes with that)


Room 3 - This will be the master bedroom, but the toilet is outside just next door. I guess that would do. (The before photo I took from property site, apparently that's Block A they didn't have laminated flooring and my block B comes with that)


Common Bathroom (Before this the door is just the normal one and change to bifold)


WetKitchen


Will try to share as much as possible. Perhaps item by item, including the prices and details and where to get them.
Hope that this thread will be useful for those who's running on a real tight budget like us

This post has been edited by princessgalaria: Mar 16 2015, 03:48 PM

Perhaps I can start with the part where I spent the most in the house
which is the kitchen cabinets.

Find worth to spend more here, as this is gonna last me for a long long time.

Here's a rough drawings on my kitchen cabinets layout, there's supposed to be a pull up sand blasted glass beside the dish rack



Here's the almost there product by Homemark before the quartz top
4G glass with quartz top

Haven't install my hood yet due to some issues, my bracket and hose didn't fit
Looks like I have to install the hood on my own now... T.T



Chose the colour as black Quartz top and both top and bottom cabinets as white.

Final product





The cost for the whole kitchen breakdown is about
Initial Price Quartz top - RM180pfr x 10ft = RM1800.00
Promotion price Quarts top - RM145 pfr x 10ft = RM1450
Top and bottom cabinets 4G Glass plus accessories:-
Pull out basket for sause
Aluminium skirting at RM15pfr
Box up melamine for hood
All the soft close hinges
Three tier pull out drawer
Sand blasted plus gas spring pull up
Top mounted sink and opening of hob
Installation of hood
RM4900.00

In total about RM6350.00 for the above

Bought my single bowl granite sink from this shop in Jalan Ipoh, very nice attentive and friendly seller

RM480

Dish rack, terbeli salah supposed to be 900mm and not 600mm
Got from Urbanez, hoping that they will let me make an exchange

RM66 / RM92

My whole kitchen costed me around RM6350 + RM480 + RM99 + RM150 + RM400 = RM7479

Will update a photo when my kitchen is complete.

Here's all the links and contacts:
Kitchen Cabinets - Homemark Kitchen Cabinets
www.facebook.com/homemarkkitchencabinet
012-2594680

Granite Sink
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=3222364
Andy 03-4043 3999

Dish Rack
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2254294/all
Urbanez 03.6140.8255

This post has been edited by princessgalaria: Sep 30 2014, 12:43 PM

Lighting and Fan

Sharing my own experience with Houses Lighting Puchong.
They operate systematically but operates like a pasar.

1. Enter the shop with tons of ppl squeezing here and there
2. Choose the lighting and fan or any other appliances you want. Make sure you know what you want already.
3. Ask for sales person around you, tell them what you want in quantity and he will write down everything in a piece of paper
4. Wait 5minutes and your stuffs will come down via conveyer belt and the staffs will be testing your lights one by one and you will stand there and inspect
5. When you're done with checking and the count of the items, a number will be give to you
6. Head to the cashier counter and wait for them to call your number
7. Pay for your goods (Fans are cheaper by few bucks if you pay by cash, lights are the same for cash and credit card)
8. Head out and pass your receipt to someone out there. He will do a final count against your receipt and there will be ppl helping you to move things to your car

I forgot to take a picture of the prices of the fans, pinjam from one of the blog. The price already went up by RM5-7 according to this list.



Pinjam some pictures to show you guys how extensive is this place with all kind of lighting.




Here's the downlights that I've purchase. My own opinion in LED, I'm not a fan of LED at all. Reason being, there's drivers attached to each of these LED, many of my friends bought and they regretted bcos the drivers spoil and need to find replacement. So I'd rather go for the normal downlights, with energy saving bulbs. In comparison, they said LED can save you lots of electricity and long run don't need to change bulb etc. But you think in long run, the LED might burn also right? I'd rather change the energy saving bulbs.

Cost calculation:
LED RM25-50 per piece
Normal RM5-15 per casing, light bulbs either x 1 or x 2 (RM6 each) - boleh modify on your own



Cham liao, renovation contractor gave me a stunt look when I terbought extra 9 downlights for the house. He said one room only need about 2 of these downlights, and I wanted to put 4 which will be way too bright.


If you see the above, there's 2 bulbs to this downlight. Cost saving and I don't need such brightness in some of the places in my condo, ie living room bcos there's light boxes and T5. Pretty easy, dismantle the downlight and modify to 1 bulb only.


Ikea lamp, planning to use this for entrance and belcony
http://www.ikea.com/my/en/catalog/products/00055691/
RM9.90 only without bulb la



KDK 5 blade fans for living and dining room. This was sponsored by my family. They paid RM300+ for this, whereas houses lighting only selling at RM285.


Panasonic 48" three blade fan with modulator

Here's the rough breakdown of my lighting cost:
Downlights:
RM11 for each casing (these are the better ones, white frame and sand blasted glass) refer to the above
GE energy saving bulbs RM6 each
Philips T5 long ones RM21, short ones RM18
Panasonic 48" fan with modulator RM131 (cash)
Florescent lights RM12-16 with casing

I spent about RM1000 for my whole condo's lightings
and about RM1000 for 5 fans

Houses Lightings Enterprise
Address: No. 33-35, Jalan BPU 6, Bandar Puchong Utama, Puchong, 47100, Puchong, Selangor, 47100
Phone:03-5882 3790

This post has been edited by princessgalaria: Jul 21 2014, 03:34 PM

Grill

I have done up some research and find that many recommended Three Kim Metal Works in lowyat
Having to look at their works on facebook, workmanship really looks good
Three Kim

One drawback is that you might hv to constantly follow-up with them. They have gotten really busy these days and only reply to your email after 2-3days.

There's some ID reno at my condo as well, but I don't quite like their work. Price difference for both is about RM400-500, Three Kim offered powder coating and also to seal up the angle.

I was having a big headache as the developer built the condo entrance like that...



Many of them choose to make the wall and move the grill to front. But that's gonna cost me about RM1k and my neighbour already did up his grill, which means if he don't agree to pay half half, I need to fork out everything including moving his grill out or his grill will be knocking on the wall. In the end we just choose not to build the wall, because we don't really need to space in front. Rather spend that 1k on my inner fittings.

For grill, I'm only doing the front and sliding. Due to high floor and corner unit, unless spiderman comes by kinda impossible to climb all the way up.

Total cost:


Photos of the grill finished work

Front balcony sliding grill



Main grill


I picked this lock instead of the fancy one with S shape, prefer something more practical instead but hv to pay extra RM20+


Contact for Three Kim Metal Works:
Mild Steel & Wrought Iron Grille,Gate,Fencing,Railing,All Kind Of Metal Works Manufacturer

No.18,Jalan SC 5/D,Pusat Perindustrian Sungai Chua,43000
Kajang,Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Tel / Fax : +603 - 8734 3978

e-mail : threekim_metalworks@yahoo.com.my

This post has been edited by princessgalaria: Jul 31 2014, 10:52 AM

Painting of the walls

Plan to paint everything in White and only have 2 feature wall which is my living room and master bedroom

Living room


Because most of the furniture that I've bought and given is in dark colour and my tiles are close to beige, brown. Would like to achieve something like this maybe even lighter shades, have to use a lighter paint or the house will look extremely dark.




Here's a finished product of the living hall.
After 4 days of hectic painting, we manage to cover the entrance, living hall, dining room and room 1. Left with 2 more room and wet kitchen to go.

Both of us and help from my cousin occasionally, we painted the plaster ceiling and walls on our own. Not a princess for sure! My hands are filled with blister now. But the finished product is worth while.




Colour that I'm using is
Jotun : Majestic white (sheen) and
Jotun : Interior majestic true beauty Orkid (matt)



Master Bedroom

Using Jotun Pacific dye

Looks like light blue here, but in fact the colour is much darker


Something soothing would be good in the bedroom.


Jotun Paint - Interior Majestic True Beauty Gloss White #000 - For whole house
Jotun Paint - Interior Majestic True Beauty Matt - For Featured wall


Suggestion: If you find that your walls around is not even, don't use gloss paint. When you turn on your lights at night, all you see is wave everywhere. Very common problem among developers in Malaysia. Aihs.. what to do.

Door painting
Nippon for wood and steel
Flint Black, matt - I don't quite like this colour due to the green tint and for matt you get the lines after finishing


Quotation from Mr.Paint, their price is pretty reasonable:
Good service from Mr.Pang at Kota Damansara's outlet
http://www.mrpaintshop.com.my/

Kota Damansara Branch (Same row as UOB Bank, next to PERODUA showroom)
No. 32, Jalan PJU 5/8,
Dataran Sunway,
Kota Damansara,
47810 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.

Tel. : 03-6151 6292
Fax. : 03-6151 0292

Mr. Pang : 019-358 9635

Jotun Majestic (True Beauty Matt/Sheen) White
5L $90

Jotun Majestic (True Beauty) Matt
Color code: Romantic 1304
2L $29/L

Jotun Majestic (True Beauty) Matt
Color code: Pacific Dye 5039
2L $29/L

Jotun Interior Woodshield
Colour code: Carbon Grey 9147
2L $33/L

Maxilite Plus Interior - White Colour
for Plaster Ceiling
7L $32

Bought this from ACE Hardware due to hari raya and that's the only shop buka ...
Nippon Matex - 7L RM43

This post has been edited by princessgalaria: Aug 20 2014, 10:35 AM

Am looking forward for your information sharing as I am planning for my own renovation for the subsale condo me and my wife in the process of buying. Feels like reading my own story from your OP, so many thanks in advance.

Hopefully all work out the best for you.

I am planning to get myself a 800+sq condo soon. As that unit will probably will just be a basic unit this thread will really help me. Thanks for your hard work bro.

Wow my house is due to be ready in 8-10 months and I'm in the same situation as you. I find all your findings very helpful ! Looking forward to your future updates !

Furnitures - DIY Style

We have gotten some pallets from our relative who happened to work in a company that ship stuffs in.

What are pallets? There are many many kinds


They're normally treated wood that goes under rain and sun. Best thing is that you can do wonders with them.
Here's some of the things that we planned to do.

There's a few ways to determine if your pallet is save to use.
More information from here: Pallets
Pallets safe to use or not

Next, the pallets is not meant to be just use as raw.
Here a guide Pallets Guide
Things to know about your pallets

This is the actual work, completed without paint job done:
Refer here on details, where to purchase the Ikea legs as support below
Pallets bedframe#363 and #377
Completed#392








These would definitely save you lots of money. If you're afraid of dust, just add some wheels that you can find from normal hardwareshops or just use another piece of pallet to make the bed higher.

Costing:
Pallets - FOC
Ikea Sultan metal legs - RM30 for four pieces x 3 = RM90
Metal rods and bolts - RM10 per set x 10 = RM100
Small wood planks RM3 x 14 = RM42
Mattress Dreamnite Royale Queen with delivery = RM890
Paint Jotun woodshield RM42 + Ikea Benhandla RM19.90 x 2 = RM82
Total cost = RM1,204 (including queen size mattress)

Actual work of DIY Modular Sofa
This will be a modular sets of pallet which will be in "U" shape and also to be move around into a bed or whichever desired. There's a set of 4 of these similar pallets.



Costing:
Pallets - FOC
Sofa upholstery foam - RM100 each (from Sect 17) Sofa upholstery foam - RM100 each (from Sect 17 the ramp up to the market, opposite petrol station on the right) - Extremely bad attitude and I think this price is pretty costly, just out of convenience. Took 2 weeks just to customise such an easy foam. Doesn't return call at all and was very rude to customers. Avoid going there if possible.
Sofa covers - Taobao RM35 each
Back cushion - Ikea RM29.90
Cushion covers - RM18 each

Dining table
Topped with a piece of customised glass and the job is done







This post has been edited by princessgalaria: Mar 6 2015, 11:13 AM

parking later read

The condo I'm aiming is a subsale new unit lol

DIY Projects



Got these wood from a supplier in Klang

RM20 per peice for cargo planks and small ones from RM3 onwards

Bought the cabinets from Ikea and also the leg stand as the base support

http://www.ikea.com/my/en/catalog/products/40167795/

Work in progress

There will be piece of glasses being added on top, there's a gap between the cabinet and plank bcos we will be placing speakers there



Finished product
Initially bought the chairs for dining but they just look perfect with these. Planning to buy more as they're good chairs at such price and to save space these chairs can be stacked
Posting Worktop #411



Total costing:
Ikea storage from Ikea RM150 x 2 =RM300
Ikea kaki = RM10
Cargo planks RM20 x 3 = RM60
Two Nordmyra chairs from Ikea RM115 x 2 = RM230
Tempered glass FOC

Total RM600

Acrylic

Needed a customised acrylic as per the photo
Didn't really have time to do any research so I just asked Homemark if they know any and happened that their next door does signage etc and I just gave them measurement





Price RM45 for 6mm thickness

Width 495mm x 375mm

Forgot to take photo after self installation, was a total perfect fit.

This post has been edited by princessgalaria: Oct 23 2014, 06:02 PM

I am Connie Ng, Why are you stealing all my pictures from Propwall?







nah, just kidding.....
congrats on your new home and happy renovating

btw your "super budget" reno is expected to be around how much, if you dont me asking?
wah you hack here hack there, plaster ceiling all, quartz top, granite sink......summore consider "super budget"?
because hor, if your's is "super budget", then mine will be consider "ultra budget" liaw.....
wah lau eh, pull out basket summore.....

I dont even have all these

This post has been edited by idoblu: Jul 7 2014, 06:13 PM

lalala, Connie Ng, I helping you do free promo wo.
Hahaha, I tukar xiaomi then all the photos I took for my condo I didn't backup

The renovation I listed in post #1 including grill is about RM10-11k plus minus. Consider quite minimum reno liao lo.
Hack wall RM800 nia, plaster ceiling is the one that cost the most.

My granite sink RM480 nia after 70% discount .. "refer to my kitchen post"
Pull out basket FOC one. Quartz top also cheap cheap 180pfr. Some quoted me melamine, same thing for about 6k.

Hahahaha, budget in other things. Banyak ambik second hand punya. Electrical stuffs. Including hob and hood

no i mean total budget, not the individual items

If say from reno, to kitchen cabinets including hob and hood, lightings and fan.
Budget 20k.

congratulations on having a new home, may god bless you with a smooth renovation journey..

cheers mate,
izwan

www.klarchid.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/klarchid

Thanks for sharing.
I'm gathering idea on renovation and I've little budget.
I'll check on this post time to time for your idea.

Thanks and nice renovation btw!

Thank you.


You're most welcome, hope my sharing can help you guys.
20K for reno and kc might sound a lot but in fact, but if you refer to the work is really minor compare to the rest and everything is really costly these days. Also, trying to minimise the cost through DIY. What more when GST kicks in ...

My condo also will completed by ths year end,
ur info is very useful for me!!!

How about plaster ceiling?

Can share their contact also?