PROJECT 915: Wiring-Part 2

Wiring relocation and installation is completed right after the air-con concealing/insulating ended. Basically it’s just wires all over the place, at the ‘desired’ placement that is. Once the plaster ceiling is up, lighting installation will start. The owners are busy sourcing for down-lights and pendant units now. Will update on their venture for 'perfect' economical illumination in the days to come. By the way ... Help! who knows where to get good cheap lightings in KL/PJ besides IKEA?

Total wiring/re-wiring/re-location costs for labor and materials = RM1950 (not including lighting units and switches)

PROJECT 915: Air-Con-Part 2

The air-con concealing, insulation of copper pipes to compressor units and all necessary piping modification is finally done. Looks pretty ugly from the pictures I would say, but who’s going to notice them once the plaster ceiling is up? Don't really know how and why it's the way it is installed in this method. Frankly, as long as it works, that’s all that matters right? At the price the contractor is charging, I guess its reasonable effort. Anyone knows of reliable contractor with better cost?

Total labor and material cost (not including the 4 air-con units) = RM350x4 = RM1700

EXHIBITIONS: Miff, Mafex & EFE

There are a few exhibitions currently going on in KL in relation to Home Furnishing and Furnitures. This includes office, home, outdoor and accessories. Well, these exhibitions are actually for trade purposes but they do open for public on the last day. So for those really interested in knowing the furniture market within our south east asia region, china, hong kong and taiwan, you might want to drop by. MIFF is pretty good in terms of showcasing international designs but the entrances fees is RM40p/person. RM20p/person on the last day. As for MAFEX, is free admission but the design showcases are only so so. Some designs are pretty distasteful if compared to IKEA. But I particularly like the Myanmar pavilion where you can catch sight of exotic handcrafted furnitures. As for EFE, it’s pretty good local stuff spanning a rather big place. Admissions free too. Note that all these exhibitions are trade shows and they are not like IKEA or your everyday home furnishing mall. They don’t sell furniture on the spot but some do sell their exhibits as sample buys on the last day. All in all, it’s good experience for those who just love to see furnitures.

PROJECT 915: Air-Con-Part 1

Today, we have two teams of people cramp into Project915. The wiring people and the air-con squad. Seems that the air-con contractors will need to do some drilling and clobbering too. Most developers already cater for all the necessary piping outlets for air-con installations. The problem is that those outlets and vents might not be the best or may perhaps contain design faults, so I was told. In our case, some owners have occurrences of pipe eruption when using those outlets provided by our developer. Seems that water can’t flow out properly. Worse still, those outlets are again in odd locations. So the safest assurance is to let the air-con people suggest and re-route the piping themselves. Thus, more mess to the apartment. Frankly, it’s as if they’re all having a competition in knocking down walls. You can actually see jubilant expression on this workers faces, literally. Well, all these are necessary before the installation of plaster ceiling walls. And owners will probably need to double check on all modifications before the plaster boards are up next week because amendments or revisions might be impossible after that. So by common sense, this few stages are actually critical and vital to this whole renovation development. Will update the progress in days to come.

Concept 936: Introduction & Pics

This will soon to be my newly rented apartment. About 936sqft in size hence this project will be codenamed Concept 936. It’s a typical 2+1 room loft and 2 small bathroom with one of them being an en suite. Situated at the same location as Project 915 but with a different floor plan layout. Unfurnished but with the essential lightings installed. Unfortunately, no ceiling fan mounted as the ceiling is too low. I’m still wondering why they have such low ceiling! Are all Malaysian residents dumpy and underdeveloped? Furthermore, surely not everyone can afford air-con right? Hmmm…table fan… Anyhow, this will be the second design showcase for the days to come. The aim is to find cost-effective and feasible decoration or minor renovation for this budget rented place. In short, eccentric prettifying approach that is easy on the pocket for single working individual like me tangerine. So wish me luck!

PROJECT 915: Wiring-Part 1

This is what you’ll have to expect when you have wiring jobs. Messy cluttered chaos in a jumble muddle. The contractors are knocking down walls basically to re-route plug and wire points. So just be prepared to have your walls hammered down. Well …not the whole wall of course. But trust me, the place is in a big mess. This issue arises when you need your power points to be at custom positions. Like I pointed out earlier, most apartments have power-points at weird corners. So, if you really need to relocate them, Whar-lah! Notice the wiring works for the ceiling are nicely tracked with pvc tubings. That at least looks more professional. But who’s going to see them when the plaster ceilings are up?

PROJECT 915: Wiring Planning

The first thing to start in any renovation work would be the wiring works as I was told. But why do re-wirings when most apartments already supply all necessary electrical points for lightings, heaters, fan, air-con and AV items? Perhaps most architects are either slow or silly to have the points at the most unconventional places. Anyhow, it’s a trend to have plaster ceilings these days to cater for halogens or fluorescent down-lights. In this case then some re-wiring or lengthening of wires will be needed to outfit additional lighting required by the home owners at different corners of the ceiling perhaps. Thus, planning will be expected between the wiring contractor and the proprietor. Most owners will already have a rough idea on how their lighting would be. At the end of the day, it’s the pricing issue that matters. More work (eg. requires knocking or trailing of walls) will command a higher budget, more direct work will command a more reasonable price. I’ve heard of people spending 5 digits alone for wiring purposes, changing to 3-phase type or something but that I would not know. As for this case, budget of less than RM2K is allocated for all necessary wiring works which includes cable for extra lightings and extension of 1 phone line from the master to the study room. The actual lights and lamps are not included in that pricing. Shall touch on that maybe later on. Does anyone know of good wiring contractors and lighting specialist shops in KL and PJ area?

PROJECT 915: Guideline Blues

Renovation for strata titled properties can really be a hassle. Firstly, before commencement of all redecoration and reconstruction work, permission will need to be issued by the condominium management office. Basically, this is just a way they get to control the safety, orderliness and constancy of the surroundings. Surely we would not want owners to simply knock down any structural walls that could compromise the safety of all residents. Which is why they would require the submitting of renovation plans to them too. But what I really do not like is that (in this case), the management requires a RMxxxx amount as deposit for renovation commencement and refundable upon ‘satisfactory’ completion of works and ‘compliance’ of all conditions mentioned in their ‘Renovation, Delivery & Removal Guidelines’. That’s basically the do’s and don’ts of how and where to instigate decoration overhaul. Ordinary people like us are already short of cash for any renovation and these people necessitate a large amount on us for them to Photostat guidelines for us? Even the design, specification and color of our metal front grille would require their ‘compliance’! These people are nuts! It’s it just us or this is a norm for all condominium projects? Are all condominium management a pain in the a**? Do comment and let me know.

PROJECT 915: Introduction & Pics

This new apartment belongs to a friend of mine. A mainstream working class couple. The place is about 915sqft in size located in a pretty new neighborhood development. It’s a typical condominium with standard facilities though the quality and workmanship of the materials and construction are questionable. The apartment is less than RM170K so don’t expect Mt. Kiara or Damansara Heights kind of excellence. My friend and I are certainly not millionaires. But this is what this blog is partly about, economical renovation for ordinary people like me tangerine. Anyhow, renovation will begin this Monday with lead time of 1 month and hopefully let see how I can learn a bit or a little from their progress and predicament, and hopefully some budget planning wisdom.

Finances allocated is around RM20K-RM30K inclusive of wirings, built-ins & kitchen, furnitures, air-con & electrical and with any luck, a 43” plasma tv (just kidding). So here are some pictures for references and do note that the place is rather untidy at the moment, but who cares? It’s renovation period. Will keep an update on the progress, costing and suggestions in the coming days. Please feel free to leave a comment or two or even share your experiences. Tangy Cheers.

STORAGE: Plastic Container

I’ve always been using paper boxes for my prior relocations. I realized that they don’t last and definitely won’t protect your belongings especially the fragile ones. Removalist hates the flimsy ones too. My best beg now will surely be plastic containers. I think they are good for those breakable items and heavy objects. Example – cutleries, books, magazines or other bits and pieces. I used them to store my old books and magazines as well, they last for years.

Bought these at local hypermarkets last week. The one with orange lid is L48xW31xH30cm at RM9.90 from TESCO. The other one with size L62xW42xH23cm at RM12.90 from CARREFOUR. Pretty reasonably priced but only during sale periods and promotions. For those who still love colorful paper boxes, IKEA LingoCirkel box w/ lid (p227) at RM12.90/2pcs for size L32xW24xH15cm. Anyone knows of cheaper or better alternatives for storage and shifting purposes?

New Blog on the Block

I’ll be shifting again in two weeks. Frankly, I hate to move. Renting a small apartment this time. So small I think it’s probably just nice for one. ME. So happened that some of my friends are moving to their new place too, and so coincidently to the same location, but different block though. They are doing some fairly major renovating and hopefully I could get some insight from their endeavor before renovating my own place middle of this year. It’s always good to learn from others mistake. Oppps ;-)

So I guess this blog will deal with my relocating plans, good renovation insights hopefully and God forbid me … a queer eye for decorating high. I’ll catch a glimpse of you’ll in the coming days so that’s it for now. Hmmm ... Suddenly I feel like Martha Stewart. *LoL*