Lights - Brightens my day

Started my research online for recommended shops to go for and those to avoid. Ended up with quite an extensive list, but in the end, we've visited less than 5 shops. Decided that we did not had the time and energy to go touring ard SG, and probably the petrol would have cost us more than the savings and discounts.

Bought most of my lights from No.1 Lighting in Geylang - price n service won us over. The uncle was not out to extort, and even advise us against certain lights which we absolutely loved but was way out of budget.



Top: Wardrobe Room
Bottom: MBR



Top: Study/Guest Room
Bottom: Kitchen


L: 2 of these (with silver holder) for toilets
R: 2x13W Square downlights (x12) for living room


With 2 more cheap lights ($3.90 ea, bulbs were expensive thou) from Ikea for store and service balcony. Ikea is quite a gd alternative for cheaper lights. Designs are pretty decent and value for money as well. Downside: can only use Ikea housebrand light bulbs, which is quite pricer as compared to their lights.

No fanciful drop-downs for dining or anywhere in the home. We've yet to decide where the dining table goes n besides, maintenance is probably gonna kill my neck.

All in all, we spent $600+ (after bulk discount, n best of all NO GST!) in No.1 Lighting.

No.1 Lighting
673 Geylang Road
Singapore (389600)
Tel: 67496636 (May be open on Sundays, call to double check)


IKEA Tampines Singapore
60 Tampines North Drive 2
Singapore 528764
Tel: 6786 6868
Fax: 6786 6888 (IKEA Tampines)


Having mentioned so much, it makes a fairer post to list out all the shops that i did consider or had +ve reviews online too.

A Lighting Enterprise
463 Geylang Road
Tel: 67451826

Crown Lighting House
600 Geylang (Near Lor 34)

Extreme Lighting
371 Balestier Road S(329788)
Tel: 6358 3113
Fax: 6358 3003

Chan Huat
391 Balestier Rd
Tel: 62551033

Chelsea Lighting
Blk 353 Jurong East St 31
#01-117 Singapore 600353

Pan Tech Light Trading Enterprise
Blk 353 Jurong East St 31
#01-107 Singapore 600353
Tel: 65608601

Hylite Deco
Blk 353 Jurong East St 31
#01-109 Singapore 600353
Tel: 65603212

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*Edited: My switches/powerpoint sockets were thrown in FOC by my contractor and I wasn't too fussy abt getting designer switches. As long as it's the 'big big' switches, I'm prefectly fine with any brand he provides. "Beggars cannot be choosers." :P

But nonetheless, this shop seems to be one of the more popular shops in forums for Clipsal and Legrand switches that I may take a 2nd look if not for the FOC switches.

Choo Chiang Marketing Pte Ltd
http://www.ccm.sg/index.html


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Having shifted into our new pad for almost 2wks, there are a few things i would have reconsider or insisted in my next home building.

1) Double tube PLLs lights, 2x36W for each time i turn on them on. That's quite a thirst on electricity.

2) Wire fewer downlights to individual switches.

3) Single tube vs double tube downlights - latter drinks a lot more, but not necessarily brighter by a lot? Since there isn't any single tube downlights in my entire house, i do not have the necessary findings to validate this stand.

4) Table lamps and floor lamps would be my next buy. Bring a little coziness, esp in the bedrooms, instead of the normal PLL white lights on ceiling. Budget didn't allow us to have false ceiling/downlights in the bedrooms, so we sourced for alternatives for mood-setting ambience. A little more savings in electrical bills too as now we have an option to get energy-saving bulbs that goes as low as 5W!

5) would still insist on downlights (for asethetic reasons) and at the same time, lesser cleaning as compared to pendant lighting or chandelier.

Money Senses

Buying a house is never easy.

Having bought a house in 2 days of search and forking out huge amts of cash for COV, agent fees, reno/furnishing.. etc (the list goes on n nvr ends), i could have be asking myself was it worth it afterall. Why not a new flat right from the start?


We did try, but...

- lady luck wasn't shining on us for the HDB balloting exercises: the no. gets bigger each time.

- We were not willing to wait 2-3 yrs for a Build-To-Order exercise. Locations of such exercises are usually way too far from our preferred place to stay as well.

- DBSS. Another waiting game. With a higher price tag (of cos nicer deco/layout), n in my opinion not worth slogging 30yrs for another condo-alike HDB. Or simply, not within my comfortable means.

- Location, location, location. It has to be in the East. No more no less. That's where we both grew up n where our roots were. :)


I did my calculations (not a very meticulous one, there were still glitches in planning occasionally, thou nothing destructive) and decided the price tag we can afford. Things that played a major part in my planning were:

1) Cash - Simple reason. Cash for COV, cash for agent fees (usually 1% of selling price), cash for renovations (that determine how extensive a reno shd go and how much COV i'm willing to fork out).

2) HLE - Housing loan eligibility. How much HDB is willing to loan us. I noticed that HDB's extremely generous, given us an in-principle approval loan amt that we wouldn't dare take. Would cost us handssss and legsss to finance that monthly installment.

3) CPF savings - Enough to cover downpayment after Housing Grant? Do i need to fork out cash for monthly installment thereafter, or would my monthly contribution be sufficient to finance the installment?

4) Other financial contingency plans.


With the common consensuses that we are looking forward to upgrading our house in future, we would rather be prudent, get a reasonably nice house with budget renovation n fittings. Afterall, what matters most is just being comfortable with loves one in your place call home, not showroom. :)

Dollars and Cents

Setting up a new home nvr comes cheap. While we tried our ways and means to cut cost and go tight on budget, there were still moments of temptation. Thankfully, we managed to work everything out within our tight budget.

Renovation - $20900
Aircon (ME Sys3 Non-invertor) - $2236
Electrical Appliances - $2852
Furniture - $5522.50
Bathroom Fittings - $1716
Kitchen Fittings - $629
Windows (Privacy Film & Curtains) - $1500
Lighting - $666.50
Laundry System - $670
Misc - $968.65

Total costing (as of 21/04/2009) - $37660.65

Before and After

The renovation started on 26th Feb 09. After 38days and with partial touch up remaining, we surprised ourselves by placing the before and after pictures together. It is only then we realised we did a lot of work and for the $21k spent, was well worthy.

Before...


After...

Living room w new half wall for TV console.



Inner hall with all downlights on.

Before...


After...

Open concept kitchen sealed up, with new door.

Before...


After...

MBR with TV console

Before...


After...



Other side of Lollipo rm, with wardrobe (done up by another closet specialist)

Before....


After...

Study/Guest room

Before...

After...

Kitchen door & feature wall


Before...

After...

White kitchen cabinets

Before...

After...

MBR toilet


Before...

After...

Common toilet

Some other misc stuff..


Shoe cabinet


FOC store room shelving


Laundry system

My Quotation

The winning factor for my contractor was both the price and his flexibility. I had my fair share of speaking to IDs/contractors and probably (i'm trying to find excuses for them) they r working for their companies, they cannot be as flexible as Ah Soon when negotiating for the best deal. Each time i add/remove an item from the list, they will have to re-quote and get back to me again, which sometimes take as long as wks!

For the fact that Ah Soon is so busy, he would rather be upfront of all the prices and quotations, as well as FOCs - one very gd point abt him. However, his 'package' also came with a lot of 'aeroplane flying' (otherwise known as no-show) during our appts. Well, its was kinda a give and take situation we had to bear with at the initial stage.

Having thrown in many many misc items, my quotation came up to $21k+, with a briefly translated English quotation (he doesn't understand English and got someone to help him with it), it summed up to be the following:

Toilet & Kitchen
Hacking for 2 toilet wall and floor tiles
Hacking for kitchen wall and floor tiles
Removal of kitchen cabinet
Supply & lay 2 toilet wall and floor tiles (<$3psf)
Supply & install 2 fixed glass screen (without door) at MBR toilet
Install 2 WC and 2 basins Install toilet accessories at 2 toilets - FOC
Supply & install 2 PD doors for 2 toilets
Supply & install 1 waterproof chair at MBR toilet
Supply & lay kitchen wall and floor tiles (<$3psf)
Construct 2inch base for kitchen cabinet and washing machine
Supply & install 11ft kitchen cabinet (top & bottom) - Extended to 14ft @ no additional charges Supply & install 11ft Bellus solid surface top - Extended to 14ft @ no additional cost
Supply & install stainless stain backing at kitchen cabinet (hob area) - FOC
To seal up kitchen half wall
Supply & install 1 top-track sliding door at kitchen entrance
Supply & install stainless stain water piping for toilets & kitchen (inclusive of 2 hot water piping shower point)
Alter kitchen window grills - FOC
Supply & change window panes at 2 toilets - FOC

Living Room & Bedroom, Misc
Supply & install false ceiling for living room area (w 10-12 lighting points)
Supply & install half wall at living room area with 5ft TV console - Extended to 6ft @ no additional cost
Supply & install wrought iron window grills at living rm and bedroom 3
Supply & install wrought iron main gate
Supply & install 5ft TV cabinet at MBR (half height)
Flushing of beam in MBR with half wall gyspum board - FOC
Supply & install 4ft shoe cabinet at living room (included an extra cushion seat FOC)
Supply & change location of DB box location and box up of wall area
Wash & polish marble floor for whole unit
Plastering for whole unit (inclusive of ceiling)
Painting of whole units, doors and pipes (unlimited no. of colors, ceiling limited to white only)
Supply and install 8 ft cabinet w sliding doors under windows in Bedroom 2 - FOC
Shifting of existing power points - FOC
Change all existing power point and switches cover - FOC
Design wooden strip at main door - FOC
Supply & install additional 5 double power points - FOC
Supply & install 3 SCV points - FOC
Supply & install 2 telephone points - FOC
Supply & change main door lock and all room doors lock - FOC
Supply & change door viewer at main door - FOC
Supply & change door latch (x2) at main door - FOC
Supply & cover vent area above 2 bedroom doors - FOC


My house is currently in the midst of rectification for some minor upsets here and there. With no hiccups, i would expect my renovation to be within $21k even after the variation order.