please pm me your contractor contact, thanks!

Hi there princessgalaria, congrats on ur new home

Can u PM me your contractor number and his company name? Just got keys to my apartment, 865sq ft and need a contractor to do basically like what u doing now:

1.  plaster ceiling
2.  wiring
3.  dry & wet kitchen
4.  a little plumbing job
5.  etc..

Plus, my budget more less like what u paid also 

TQ

it might looks cool for now , but wat if there are visitors ? ur frends and families gonna sit on floor ?

quite weird for ppl juz to buy 2pcs     

thanks for sharing dear!!

this is gonna be really useful for me have an estimate for my condo!!

what is your model for Hood and Hob?

Yup, I admire his passion to his job. He told me that he will try his best to look for my existing wiring instead of simply hacking my walls all over, unless necessary to adding points. So I stayed and see how he did these. He use a hammer and knock softly and he roughly know where the hubs are located. When he found the hubs (I don't know that you call them), he will hack and you will see this round thing and there's wiring inside.

So for my aircond that day, instead of hacking all the way up, using this way... he found this hub close enough to the place I wanted to place my aircond and he pulled the wiring out from there without even hacking my wall but just the hub. I don't know how to explain this, maybe I can take a photo next round.

Some picture on the L Box, they have yet to paint the plaster ceiling that's why there's like patches all around
http://s21.postimg.org/gx7a7c0cn/IMG_20140723_224641.jpg 
http://s21.postimg.org/snl7opt53/IMG_20140723_225237.jpg 

Downlights without turning on the T5 in the L box
http://s21.postimg.org/famnzudon/IMG_20140723_224743.jpg 
http://s27.postimg.org/4wkjvfsub/IMG_20140723_224827.jpg 

We have requested the wiring man to make 4 switches, which means I can opt to turn on
1. Right of the downlights
2. Left of the downlights
3. L box left & right side
4. L box front & back side
Dining hall
http://s21.postimg.org/yv172me9z/IMG_20140723_225331.jpg 

Room 2 & 3 
http://s21.postimg.org/r9tktetvr/IMG_20140723_225138.jpg 

http://s21.postimg.org/644dck8g7/IMG_20140723_225154.jpg 
I'm so glad that I didn't listen to the previous contractor who told me to install 4 downlights in 1 small room and my dining, then 10 downlights for my living room which is like wayyyyy too much. 

I think after I intro my contractor to many ppl, he started to be so busy that he hardly accommodate to my request on defects anymore when I complaint that when he hack my wall which affected the floor tiles and there's chip off at the edges ...  He just laid back the tiles and didn't follow up on anything   
I'm just hoping that he would finish up the rest of the work in time.

so overall how would you rate your contractor now?

Updates after we have cleared the place slowly and put on some furniture
Coffee table and tv cabinet from Ikea, bought during sales few months back



Temporary curtain that I got from Taobao which is meant to block the sunlight
Costed me with shipping about RM30, I will be laying another layer of white curtains on the 1st layer
Haven't got time to cut and shorten the curtain rods

your floor using granite? I do not know why people like using parquet solid wood because it's quite hot.

Score of 5 I give him 4.5/5 at least he followed up and fix everything for me without me incurring any cost just the time which I'm ok with that and I got some rebate in return.

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

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

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.

[attachmentid=4045673]

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's like the hidden gem among all the contractors. 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. He's in his early thirties but hv been in this business since a teenager. If there's any job that you're not satisfied, he won't just leave it and he will try his best to accommodate. Sometimes he's quiet busy, so he might not reply like immediately. 

PM me if you want his contact. He's the main con for everything listed as below.
His head workers are all chinese.

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

Furniture and fittings
- Got some of the stuffs 2nd hand from relatives (Provided if you don't mind), lots of ppl tend to buy things that they don't need and use, this is the good time to help them clear their storeroom
- Plan to DIY bed frame and dining table and some deco around the house using pallets
Sofa Covers and Carpets #93

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

thanks for the prompt reply. ur thread has been really inspiring to me...      

Your grill main door looked very thin and dull. Don't you afraid robbers will break to your house?

Sister, where did you buy the thin mattress? Look very good.how much does it cost?

princessgalaria, am really glad you choose to share your experience. I gone through 17 pages in 1 go.

Could you please share with me ur reno contractor. Thx.

UR welcome
Firstly, to access this condo you need access pass to enter the parking, then you need access card to go into the lift lobby, then you need access card to access your own floor. Not fully implemented yet bcos JMB have not taken over. We are part of the committee and we're gonna make sure that security in this condo will be fully taken care off by proper vendors once the developer hands over. Rules said house owners need to come down to bring their guests.

Secondly, the outside grill standards are set by the developer to have a proper outlook to all the grills facing outside. Except for the balcony one which we can choose.

Thirdly, my unit is a high floor corner unit. Unless spiderman comes then I hv nothing to say..

I think this is the standard powder coated grill installed by landed houses as well based on the specs given by three kim and the photos on their fb. Unless don't mind paying for iron rods or stainless steel? In all what you paid is what you get

See their whole album, the grill thickness are all almost the same
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Three-Kim-Me...219963244769158
Done

Then no need grill also ok if you think it's ok. 1.2 mm is quite thin and 2k rm is expensive for me for dull and thin material

then you go get thicker ones lor. just because other ppl get what is enough for them doesnt mean it has to suit you
you can put double solid metal door also, nobody cares....

Then no need grill also ok if you think it's ok. 1.2 mm is quite thin and 2k rm is expensive for me for dull and thin material

then you go get thicker ones lor. just because other ppl get what is enough for them doesnt mean it has to suit you
you can put double solid metal door also, nobody cares....

Thanks for Sharing, Princess. Your new home is very lovely =)

The information is very helpful for my upcoming condo soon.

Hope you can PM me your contractor contact number. Really appreciate it =D