Honestly if u want to avoid unwanted costs and overhead (eg: marked up pricing, management fees etc), you can skip IDs and come out with your own design, then once you have the rendering you can look for your own contractors. The materials and fittings eg: paint, lighting and switches you can bulk purchase yourself to save up even more

The software (Coohom or 酷家乐) takes some time to learn and will cost a bit of money for high res renders or premium models, but its still much cheaper than engaging an ID. Yes takes time to learn and you need to spare some time also for researching and managing your contractors (essentially you are your own project manager) but if you really want to save money then that's the trade off...

This post has been edited by ZeneticX: Aug 21 2022, 02:40 PM

Hard to make it at RM10k for kitchen cabinet set

depend on size, mine was 9.7k, 8ft base and full height + wall hung unit (include fridge partition), and a 6.5ft island with cabinet on bottom, both with quartz stone table top, both plywood laminate.

if use melamine minus 2.1k, but really not recommand in kitchen, if insist to go melamine better put a aluminium foil on the sink area, melamine kena water will grow fungus ..... very fast.

Did it last year december.

This post has been edited by claudetan: Aug 27 2022, 09:59 AM

Possible if ikea metod and not too long.
If grand lengths like 15ft for sure cannot lah.

Full spec drawers everywhere on the bottom including ikea sink, cost me ~7k for ikea metod, 8 feet length bottom.



This. KDK fan also 300 for basic one, or 430-515 for Vtouch Jr/Sensa 4 each.
Cannot put the cheap regulator 60in because room too smol. And the 40" baby fan also not cheap.]

For a whole unit 800sf everything scrimp and DIY install [where possible] also ended up spending 38k including appliances. 50k seems doable for a livable space.

This post has been edited by ceo684: Aug 27 2022, 02:05 PM

Excluding E&E appliances, cap yourself budget 5% SPA (incl 1 king, 1 queen matress). I just did it for a 987ftsq 2+1 room service apartment

Did not engage any ID firm. Largest chunk goes to builtin carpentary (engage/ deal direct) use melamin boards, full height wardrobe & top hung/low kitchens cabinets to maximise storage space.

This post has been edited by jojolicia: Aug 30 2022, 09:48 AM

I was thinking the same to render using 酷家乐 and come out with the 3D design, then pass over to a master contractor to reno and manage (instead of ID / separate contractors), any advise?

the hardest part is getting the 3D render correct (this takes time to familiarise yourself with the software, I myself started learning and designing from beginning of the year whereby my house is only ready by around year end), then next is to find your own contractor. Always show them the design first and make sure they are able to do what you want, after that would be to negotiate prices etc

if you want less hassle, best to have a master contractor cover as much as possible eg: electrical, painting, ceiling, carpentary. So you only need to deal with one party instead of multiple parties. but this may come at a higher cost

if you want to maximise savings, then you can have seperate contractors for each element. But take note this will take more time including survey and planning, also it might be a pain later during renovation stage as different contractor have to overlap and work with each other (unless u do it stage by stage which again consumes more time), so you really have to manage carefully yourself. The savings might not be significant as well in the end so its probably not worth the hassle....

This post has been edited by ZeneticX: Aug 31 2022, 03:22 PM