I have purchased one subsale single storey unit for my parents during MCO period Around May 2020.. I have settled the SNP and got my keys at the end of July. In between of May to July, i have engaged with few renovation contractors identified the one suit within my budget and plan..

Basically the unit was more than 20 years old with some good condition such as floor tiles.. but layout, toilet, kitchen, even some of walls are not in good condition.. Somehow i have thought to restructure the layout and expand the living hall area and redo toilet area for hygience purpose.

There are some photos for old looks about the house..

1. External Parking Area - Cement flooring


2. Internal - Living Hall


3. Master bedroom


4. Second bedroom - bad wall as some sort of wallpaper/foam sticker paste on wall


5. Third room - very small and unable to use it properly.


6. Dining area - very small and next to third room..


7. Toilet - very bad condition, at least to me.


8. Old kitchen



Basically these are the condition of house and owner repaint some wall to refurbish and make it looks nicer to sell in ads.. I've decided to go with this unit as close to my existing home.. so easier for me to visit parent. within 1.2km..

Here are the items that i must did in my renovation within my low budget:
1. Wiring (AC, lighting, fan, plugs points.. )
2. Toilet (existing is old and facing kitchen area)
3. Kitchen
4. Layout change for dining area + third room
5. Skim cost of bedroom wall
6. Parking area + external road area where did grow some grass over there.. (+auto gate)

To be continue...

This post has been edited by ChuanHong: Oct 12 2020, 11:58 PM

- Renovation Early Progress -

After identified with renovation contractor and brief the items i would like to do within my budget as above..

1. Renovation progress have been started in month Aug. Demolished walls, remove unnecessary wallpapers/to check wall condition and do skim coat..







2. Rebuilt a wall between original living hall & dining area, built slightly backward to align with second bedroom, in addition it could extend third bedroom area... Dining area will be combined together with living hall..


3. Demolish old tiles on walls for all area at the back.. Removed toilet stuffs & kitchen area..



4. Break all old ceiling and going to replace with new plaster ceiling..



To be continue...

Next task: get all wiring works & drill extra plug points for every area.. Living hall, dining area, extra spare for god altar, bedroom, kitchen, toilet, car porch, back door for lighting point..







After those plug point been planned out, AC point for living hall + 3 rooms..




Lastly, started wet work.. This is most time consuming parts as contractor are really slow in this part.. Major parts focus on toilet & kitchen.. However, i also did for car porch, change every single door for room. I am not use normal kitchen cabinet while i build kitchen cabinet by using tiles.. it should be last longer and resist to water..





To be continue..

After that, plaster ceiling is up, all wirings works are done and they've started to install lighting, fan, plug points..








all these been done in end of Sept.. in the meantime, they are doing wetwork for toilet, kitchen, car porch slowly.. Somehow i am rushing them to speed up their process so that i could see something are up..

This post has been edited by ChuanHong: Oct 13 2020, 04:08 PM

Car porch - hacked and put tiles as flooring.. external area just cement to prevent raw grass.. work been completed with proper leveling and water draining line..




Toilet - waiting for some time and it is completed all base works, now up with white tile 2x1 and black 4x2 tiles as combination.. Lastly is the toilet door..




Kitchen wet work and cabinet are installed up now.. Pending on drawer and door.. bottom all are tiles including my top.. attached kitchen top view.. it will be complete by this week.. a bit out of my expectation where the windows there, hardly to install my curtain ady.. I also installed a sliding door to diffentiate & close the area between living hall & kitchen area.. so AC, cooking smell or whatever will not flow to living hall.. Somehow sliding door, didnt install with frosted glass.. contractor will help to paste a frosted protector in future..




This post has been edited by ChuanHong: Oct 14 2020, 11:53 AM

sorry.. forget that portrait photo will become in that way..

yea.. guess lesser transaction and lawyer able to get stamp everything in short time.. end of May signed SNP and end of July could get the keys ady.. expected all stuffs to be end by this week.. Probably left some touch up required..

BM Alma..

Will rotate all photos from portrait to landscape in coming days..

one.. but of course he is sub con the task to electrical, AC different ppl, all doors different vendors lo..

new thick aluminium.. cause there are some parts i could open up and see.. existing wood still there.. just dont want break major structure there..

original budget should be around 40k or below.. including wet works, plaster ceiling, wall, demolish, car porch tiles & cement works, kitchen, AC, wiring works, doors and etc.. somehow in the end got add some items 1 by 1.. probably the total payment around there as well but maybe exceed 5% to 10% to 42k~44k.. not really sure yet.. so far havent complete entire renovation.. but target to be done by this week.. will further update..

lighting, fan, AC, electrical appliance will be another cost which paid by myself..

This post has been edited by ChuanHong: Oct 14 2020, 11:45 AM

i will recommend him btw.. overall i am satisfied with workmanship especially wet work.. however, definitely there are some touch up works required or some minor places didnt paint well like that.. but not major concern.. so far doing all these touch up area..

Only concern if you need house renovation complete in fast progress, probably might not meet your expectation.. but part of it are reasonable as keep raining.. estimate additional 1 month for unexpected situation.. if you are good, i can share contact to you.. not meant for advertisement but just did my sharing here.. Original discussion will be handover by end of Sept.. somehow a bit delay..


hahaha.. ventilation will have exhaust fan to be installed in few location. However, i do installed AC in every area except kitchen... only exhaust fan and wall fan.. . somehow i forget to buy and i let electrical team buy for me.. they will installed it today or tomorrow.. they came 3 times in total.. first time did wiring layout and drill wall + pull wiring works.. 2nd come to install plug points, fan and whatever.. last time will be my kitchen area plug points + cabinet LED + exhaust fan..

Yeah indeed it is.. after change the lighting, all looks brighter.. somehow due to budget concern.. i didnt do fancy L-Box or square box lighting.. for my parent stay, they no need those as well.. so i cut budget there and move for autogate there.. original no motor for auto gate.. i just need lay new wiring + 1 motor over there lo.. also did tiles work on car porch for better looking..

This post has been edited by ChuanHong: Oct 14 2020, 11:47 AM

Today work in progress:

1. Exhaust fan installation + kitchen plug points + back lane lighting + kitchen cabinet LED - Completed


2. Frosted on sliding door - Completed this is to avoid ppl can see through the back area especially my toilet door facing to living hall area.. after frosted the sliding door panel, it could help in feng shui things and more privacy feel..


3. Kitchen aluminium cabinets door installation - WIP

4. Toilet stuffs, cabinet, sink, tap, heater are pending as they are switching from water tank to direct water from pipe.. as water flor from tank is small.. - No idea what happen and how many require for this. Let's see by end of today..

5. Touch up paint is not complete yet.. should be the last step after all items above..

pmed you..

you should contact him personally for any requests.. see whether he can fit your expectation and budget..

Due to little spare parts issue, the doors are fully complete by today. But tomorrow supplier will come and install for remaining.. this is the view by this evening..


It's simple kitchen cabinet but look good for me.. definitely sufficient for my mum to use it.. she don't want hood cause she don't know how to maintain and use it. So I have exhaust fan plug + backdoor with extra small openable area can have air ventilation on the left..

I have 6 plugs here. On right hand side I have another 2 plugs.. total 8 plugs points. Another point for fridge.. another 1 for wall fan.. total 10 plugs at the back of the house..

This post has been edited by ChuanHong: Oct 14 2020, 10:28 PM

Today status for my house renovation

1. Kitchen cabinets are all done. Aluminum door with soft close.. all are up..


Another view original is toilet door but I have enclosed with wall and combine 2 individual toilet into 1 to make it spacious a bit.. refer my photos below. At the same time, future my mum can place some extra table or cabinets at that side. I have reserve plug point over there (covered by old green door)

2. Back door replaced with new black one

3. Another angle view from kitchen to sliding door


4. Toilet area should completed 95%.. left some touch up and install some accessories and it will done..



All paint touch-up have been done but still left a few edge area might need their help to do 1 more round.. so far I am happy with the output for a old subsale house renovation..

This post has been edited by ChuanHong: Oct 15 2020, 08:33 PM

ok.. i have finalize the total cost & price with contractor.. total is nearly 45k.. i will try to list all items in details when i am free as recently moving house for my parents..

Thank you.. yes i will. these few days doing house moving and cleaning. .so it took me up the entire day.. will post again with final view..

oh yeah, keep promote to relatives and how these reno works and show off kitchen places.. its small house but still good to stay for my parents..

Here are some final photos where my parents have moved in since Saturday.. all furniture are new except my mum 30 years old sewing machine and existing home desk.. I didn't spend on built in cabinet or furniture as it is not that cost effective to me. So all are getting from furniture shop. Tv cabinet get from ikea nearly 800..

Renovation cost: 45k
1. Demolish old tiles
2. Kitchen cabinet top and bottom aluminum case, 15ft + 10ft
3. Toilet demolish and rebuild with full wall tiles + new toilet bowl, aluminum 6in1 cabinets
4. Entire house wiring works + new plug.. (28plugs points in total), 4 fans, 4 AC, 1 Heater.. 3 exhaust fans.. 24 light points, autogate motor + wiring.
5. Plaster ceiling
6. Bedroom door + steel/aluminum frame; toilet door and frame; back door
7. Sliding door to close kitchen area and living hall
8. 1 skim coat for bedroom; painting for entire house
9. Floor tiles on car porch area + cement work on external door
10. AC installation + piping works

Major cost on kitchen and toilet.. 20k over there.. the rest are 25k in total.

Personally spending on furniture + electrical appliances
1. Midea Non inverter ac - 3x 1hp AC 2300 1x1.5hp 1000
2. All lighting's - around 600 with 2 years warranty. All LED
3. Fan - 3 elmark ceiling fans (about 480), kdk wall fan 230, nsb mimi fan 350
4. Furniture - dining table set, 3 seaters sofa, wardrobe 8x6 ft x2, 3.5k
5. Fridge + washing machine (sharp) 2200
6. Curtain for entire house maybe 250 (from shopee and install myself)

Close to 60k for spending.. + down payment and some legal fee of house.. ok I'm broke now..

Next planning, my condo renovation in next 2 months..



This post has been edited by ChuanHong: Oct 26 2020, 11:10 PM


Attached thumbnail(s)

thank you.. everything are necessary items so i am focus on these items first.. in future will have some photos to be hang and some deco/accessories things to colour up living hall area.. but for now, that it is.. very tired to handle all these as i am normal employee, need to work on weekdays and i got only spare time in weekend..

so far very love to my own layout plan like moving dining area to integrated with living area.. + sliding door.. not really spacious but good enough for my parents.. that's my affordability right now..

it is interesting journey from finding contractor, plan your layout as well as all the process.. but once things completed, really made differences and good to stay again..

nope.. it is actually tiles.. entire kitchen bottom are built by wet works+ tiles for long lasting.. then install aluminium door and drawers.. this house is purchase for my mum usage.. she like cooking all the times.. quartz stone not suitable for her usage.. i did have experienced quartz stone colour fade after some time..