Renovating a house is not easy at all whether you’re in a tight budget or money-not-an-issue.
You may like a design/theme and another dweller may have their idea of design. Design don’t always go with practicality… seriously this is a fact.
Then selecting fittings such as taps and faucets, fans and lightings is also an adventure.. the quest for the cheapest, nicest and best items would take you places around town where you won’t normally go. Its an advantage however to be a loss adjuster where we are always on the go around town and the transportation expenses covered.
Having a wall outlet, I can only go for wall mounted taps for the kitchen.. and I realised that wall mounted taps are not so popular where choices are limited and some better brands don’t even have wall mounted taps. Geez.
Good imported brands such as Teka, Roca, Haustern to name a few, are freaking expensive.
Mid-range local brand like Sorento seems viable but there are no choices for the design we’re looking for. Other unheard-before brands in that price range is a risk that may be worth taking.
Have yet to work on the lightings yet. For fans, I’m set on KDK but it’s kinda hard to find retailers carrying the brand with more model choices.
I also found that there’s this “reverse” ceiling fan.. It’s designed to channel the wind to the ceiling instead of downward to the floor so that the room will feel the air movement around and not directly to the person.
It sure is an adventure……… adventure adventure, teddy bear adventure (sorry I’m to carried away by Hi5 : Happy House episode that Bubu watches every single day).
The day for the first holiday trip finally came after 16 months since Bubu arrived. Bubu loves the swimming pool.
Avillion, Port Dickson was the destination.
When mummy gave him the keys, he immediately crawled to the door and tried to open the door by touching the keys to the door handle.
Watching Bubu with his newly learned tricks often amaze me coz I never thought he’d understand by just watching adults doing things.
He is starting to absorb things like sponge.
As he had started to walk about these days… the ankle is now visible.. I bought him a pair of shoes. He is wear a 18-24 months size. After putting it on for him for the first time he tried to resist and pulled the shoes. We just let him be and continued with the window shopping.
Without noticing, we realised later on that he has been tinkering on how to take off the shoes. He suddenly held his left shoe and turned to look at me from the stroller. I was like WTF.
I then put the shoe back on his feet and watched him. He knows his stuff and reached for the Velcro strap and pulled it. Then came the shoe.
Human mind is a wonder.
Finally renovation is underway. Hopefully it could be over soon and I hope to move in to the new house before year end.
Having limited time even on weekend, with Bubu around, it is hard to go around to scout shop for home fittings. Well, that’s the price you gotta pay if your not dealing with a single contractor who would manage and run the show for you.
We decided to use Ah Choong Kitchen coz he’s reliable and friendly. He is MIL’s friend by the way. He is doing the works himself and with the help of his sidekick. Well, at least no foreign worker is doing the kitchen and the extensive piping/plumbing work. They will be doing the tiling work of the car porch and backyard. Having seen the tiling work at SIL’s place I’m satisfied with Ah Choong Kitchen workmanship.
The downside is that they don’t provide a quotation and everything is based on trust.
Maybe I’ve been requesting too many quotations from claimants (building damage claim) in the course of my work. Even for a simple job by people like Ah Choong Kitchen we would need a quotation or invoice with breakdown of items for reporting purposes. These claimants would tell us that their contractor is English-illiterate or totally illiterate or doesn’t have a computer and does not issue any quotation. Everything is based on agreed scope of work and price. By hook or by crook we will coerce the claimant to submit quotation even by just writing on a piece of paper. Now I know how these claimants feel when they were asked for a quotation when their contractor couldn’t produce it.
Frankly, it is actually an “opportunity” for the claimant but that is a story for another day.
With a limited budget, we have to forego fancy custom ID which everybody wants for their new home. I’ll save that for next time. At the moment, the priority is to get the house to inhabitable condition so that we can move and settle in the new township. More space for Bubu to stretch his muscle. There’s whole lot of inevitable big purchases need to be made i.e. electrical appliances, fittings and furniture.
Feel so blessed to be able to make some money to afford these for Bubu. The biggest credit has to go to my wife for contributing a large chunk of moolah due to my other financial commitment. Bubu and Bubu Daddy are so blessed. Hopefully the other financial burden could be reduced..
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