Design Challenges

Enable-and-Disable Right-Click in the Start Menu

2012-01-20T02:11:00.002+08:00

Sometime ago I found I was unable to access the context menu in the Windows Start Menu. Somehow, somewhere, someone... had disabled the right-click in my W7 Start Menu! The problem only surfaced in the Start Menu. I had no problem accessing the context menu in other areas such as the Desktop, Directories, Folders, Sub-folders, etc. Perplexed and bewildered, I surfed the web for answers. None of the suggested "solutions" worked. Several frustrating weeks later - when I nearly gave up hope of ever finding the solution, an idea struck: Since the context menu is part of the file system, perhaps the answer is connected to the file system browser i.e. Windows Explorer?

And it does! So here is the solution to enable right-click in your W7 Start menu:

1. Right-click the Windows Start Button located at the bottom left corner of your screen.

2. Click to open Properties

3. Click the Start Menu tab

4. Click the "Customize..." button to customize the Start Menu

5. Check the box "Enable context menus and dragging & dropping"

Done! You should now be able to access the context menu in the Windows Start Menu.

Urban Garden

2011-12-20T08:51:00.000+08:00

This Urban Garden Series introduces flowering plant and garden to apartment living. An apartment, after renovation, is just an apartment. You need to transform

it into a living, vibrant space. Add a splash of greenery into the home! Introduce indoor plants to spice up the space! A home devoid of indoor greenery is without soul, bereft of life. That truth will dawn on you as you introduce plants and see how lively the living room gets transformed. Then you'd utter "Ah-ha, so vibrant and refreshing! Plants indeed add another dimension to our living space!" Trees - gasp, yes even trees! - can stake a place in the home too. You will be amazed, as I was, when you see how beautiful and transforming a few indoor plants make to the apartment!

Introduction to Vertical Gardan and Urban Garden
I have always been enchanted by greenery inside homes. Some years ago I saw for the first time a green vertical wall at the newly opened Siam Paragon in Bangkok and was wow'ed by what I saw. Following that visit, I investigated the concept of green vertical walls and urban gardening for indoor space.

Here's some sources:
Wow - simple D-I-Y

How to Build A Green Wall

If you need further push, let me entice you with the lovely photo below extracted from Wilson's Blog. Isn't he creative? Head to his site for the full post - he has other imaginative ideas with photos!

"The last idea to help plant-lovers create more space in an office or home is to grow one’s plants.

What you need is a ladder and you can hang a series of containers onto its rungs using metal container holders widely available from local nurseries. It is recommended to secure the upper end of the ladder onto the wall."

Isn't that lovely? Imagine what how it will light up your living space!

Source/Credit: Gardening with Wilson

"Locate plants that need more light in the middle so that sunshine that streams through the window can directly hit them. Those that need less light can be situated higher or lower along the length of the ladder. As you can imagine, by hanging potted plants on a ladder, you are actually constructing a vertical garden!"
Unquote

When the mover moved my boxes to the flat, I made sure they didn't forget my house plants! *grin*

Block Unwanted Ads and Intrusions

2011-12-20T08:23:00.002+08:00

Source: Blocking Unwanted Ads on Your Site

ADS, pop-ups and malware are so pervasive and rampant. They are intrusive and annoying, and interfere with your web surfing.

To remove these intrusions, the link above provides the full info on how to block unwanted ads and other pests from intruding on your web site. Here's a summary of what-to-do:

Download the HOSTS File provided at the link. The file contains addresses of link ads mapped to your local host 127.0.0.1. When Windows checks the Hosts file before it queries the DNS servers, it sees the 127.0.0.1 address and thinks the ad link is local, bypassing it and going onto the next mapping on the list. Open the hosts file to check out the ad links.

Next, go to your Windows folder and look for the existing hosts file at C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC.

Open the downloaded Hosts file in your usual text editor and copy the contents.

Then open your existing hosts file and 'paste' the contents from the downloaded Hosts file, taking care not to disrupt or delete your existing mappings. Save the new Hosts file (overwriting the existing hosts file - make a backup copy first!) and exit. Vist a website and check that unwanted ads are blocked.

Important Note: Youtube vids are stopped from playing on your web site due to the 'no-cookie' tag. Simply remove the tag from the vid link and the vid should play.

Example: This vid below will not play:

QUOTE

UNQUOTE

Simply change "www.youtube-nocookie.com" to "www.youtube.com" in the embed code, and the amended script should play:

***

You can also use a HOSTS file to block ads, banners, 3rd party Cookies, 3rd party page counters, web bugs, and even most hijackers. This is accomplished by blocking the connection(s) that supplies these unwanted links.

Explanation - the following entry 127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net blocks all files supplied by that DoubleClick Server to the web page you are viewing. This also prevents the server from tracking your movements. Why? ... because in certain cases "Ad Servers" like Doubleclick (and many others) will try silently to open a separate connection on the webpage you are viewing, record your movements then yes ... follow you to additional sites you may visit.

In many cases using a well designed HOSTS file can speed the loading of web pages by not having to wait for these ads, annoying banners, hit counters, etc. to load. This also helps to protect your Privacy and Security by blocking sites that may track your viewing habits, also known as "click-thru tracking" or Data Miners. Although using a HOSTS file is not a cure-all against all the dangers on the web, it does provide an effective "Layer of Protection".

Pricelessware has named the MVPS HOSTS file as "the best of the best in Freeware" for the 2nd time!

To view the HOSTS file in plain text form open with Notepad or Ultraedit Editor. If your existing Hosts File already contains code to prevent certain program updates or checks, you would need to "cut-and-paste" from the downloaded HOSTS file in order not to disrupt the existing status quo of the existing hosts file.

There is no need to turn on, adjust or change any settings. Windows automatically looks for the existence of a HOSTS file and if found, checks the HOSTS file first for entries to the web page you just requested. The 127.0.0.1 is considered the location of your computer, so when the entry (example) "ad.doubleclick.net" is requested your computer thinks 127.0.0.1 is the location of the file. When this file is not located it skips onto the next file and thus the ad server is blocked from loading the banner, Cookie, or some unscrupulous ActiveX, or javascript file.

In case you're wondering... this all happens in microseconds, which is much faster than trying to fetch a file half-way around the world. Another great feature of the HOSTS file is that it is a two-way file, meaning if some malware does get into your system (usually bundled with other products) the culprit can not get out (call home) as long as the necessary entries exist. This is why it's important to keep your HOSTS file up-to-date.

Basic IT Knowhow

2011-12-20T03:57:00.000+08:00

The PC today has taken everyone hostage in the home. Kids, adults, even grandpas & grannies, have embraced the new toy and discovered an exciting world out there! A world without boundaries or borders, where everyone and everything is virtually accessible, brought into the living room by a mere click on the mouse. Everyone is now glued to the Box: it is the new TV and Entertainment Center, Music Box, Work-place and School, all rolled into one! The PC is transforming lives, and we're all impacted. Gosh, where would we be and what would we do without the PC today?

And that is the reason to blog on IT Matters in a blog that focuses on home renovation. Because it is central to our lives, and impacts our life If you follow my Blog you must be an inveterate PC user - like me! Which means you encounter common PC problems now and then. Problems such as what to do when your PC "hangs". Or couldn't boot, possibly to a computer virus. And over the years I learnt a few things, tricks, and tips and would like to pass these on.

.. to be continued

Help, My PC Crashed!

Protect Yourself on the Net

Useful Free Programs Everyone Should Have

Block Unwanted Ads and Intrusions

Enabling right-click in W7 Start Menu

Missing Edit Pencil Wrench in Blog Posts

2011-12-09T11:26:00.001+08:00

NA Baby Planted Aquarium

Planted Aquarium

Beautiful Planted Aquarium

ASE International Aquascaping Contest 2011

Automatic Water Change

Fujioh FX-900: Update

2011-12-09T01:20:00.001+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to choose: Cooker Hood
2 Fujioh FX-900: Butting the Head
3 Review: Fujioh Hood FX-900
4 Fujioh FX-900: Update

A reader was undecided if he should buy Rinnai or Fujioh cooker hood and asked for advice. That question spurred me to complete my post "How to Choose: Cooker Hood" - a write-up I'm embarrassed to say had been left on the back-burner for quite a while!

"I'm sorry - I'm unable to advise on Rinnai hoods because I didn't look closely at them. Their hoods didn't have any standout feature like the Fujioh FX-900. In fact nearly 4 yrs on

I am still impressed with the Fujioh FX-900 and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good and competent cooker hood."

As previously stated on the blog I chose FX-900 over the competition for the following reasons:

1. Easy maintenance due to its metal filter and tray to catch oil condensates and drips.

A metallic oil filter is easier to keep clean and replace than a cotton-carbon filter. Once a week I use a soapy sponge to wipe the underside of the Fujioh hood. Every 3 months I would disassemble and clean the inside of the hood. No other hood could be easier or simpler to clean!

2. Ability to absorb oily fumes.

Many hoods claim high suction power but don't extract/absorb oily fumes well. I know that because my previous German hood boasted "high" suction power due to a powerful motor. But as far as oil absorption was concerned it didn't absorb oily fumes well. Reason? It was simply not made for our Asian-style cooking. Asians stir-fry a lot on the stove. We don't use the oven to cook as much as our European counterpart. Sure, Europeans do use the stove to pan-fry steaks and fish. But they do so with a light touch.

For instance, when they pan fry steak it is normally done briefly to seal in the meat juices and produce the maillard effect. They use cooking oil judiciously and their cooking method don't produce much oily fumes. Consequently good

design and aesthetics, not oil absorption, figure strongly in their choice of cooker hood. Good engineeering takes a back seat to good design, unlike in Japan where good engineering has produced the highly efficient Fujioh FX-900 hood.

My enthusiasm and positive review for the hood has sparked buying interest from readers. And benefitted the outlet where I bought the Fujioh from. A-hem!!.. they should pay me a monthly retainer for the endorsement and advertisement! But it does not matter, if I have helped you buy a product that is well designed, perform as stated, and stand the test of time. For such is the Fujioh FX900. And I was fortunate to have stumbled upon it in my search for a good cooker hood!

To sum up, if you enjoy cooking and spend much time in the kitchen, I would suggest you consider the FX-900. Looks aside, it performs admirably. I have had no problems with it so far. Though it is pricier than most competing brands,

longer term, if it helps save you time and effort in cleaning and maintaining your hood and kitchen, it is money well-spent, isn't it?

My family enjoys home cooking. As much as possible we always prefer nutritious home-cooked meals over those served at food courts and restaurants. And the the Fujioh, paired successfully with the Rinnai inner-flame hob, has definitely added to my thrill and pleasure in preparing home-cooked meals for my family!

Related Posts
1 How to choose: Cooker Hood
2 Fujioh FX-900: Butting the Head
3 Review: Fujioh Hood FX-900
4 Fujioh FX-900: Update

Where are the Labels? Archive?

2011-12-03T18:13:00.001+08:00

Today marks an important Day - I succeeded in implementing a new INDEX Tab for easy blog navigation! Now you will find it easier to locate information on my blog.

You'll notice Labels and Archive are no longer around. They've served their purpose well when the Blog first started and the number of posts was small and manageable. But as the number of posts grew over time, older posts became buried and misplaced. Locating them was quite a challenge.

The new INDEX Tab solves these issues. Now when you click on the INDEX Tab, a page will open up listing all post titles. Try it now. You'll agree the new INDEX tab makes it easier to navigate and locate information. *grin*

Plumbing Rates

2011-11-24T09:48:00.001+08:00

Related Posts
1. Workmanship: Plumbing

Several readers have asked what the 'normal' charges would be for plumbing jobs. Many related being fleeced by unscrupulous plumbers. As previously blogged, some (crafty) plumbers didn't even turn up for appointments in an 'attempt' to push up rates! I know because it happened to me.

Well, plumbing rates may change overtime, but here's a table to give you an idea of the ball-park repair costs for plumbing jobs locally:

Local Plumbing Services - Plumber Contractor Condos, Landed Properties, Offices, HDBs, Shops and Buildings

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES	UNIT RATE
1. Clear toilet bowl choke	$60 - $250
2. Clear floor trap choke	$40 - $150
3. Replace kitchen sink/basin tap (normal type)	$60
4. Supply & replacement of bottle trap for kitchen sink	$40
5. Replace Cistern/Basin/Sink flexible hose	$20 - $40
6. Labor & material to repair exposed copper pipe leak	$80
7. Rectify water discharge into toilet bowl by replacing new siphon.	$80 - $120
WATER LEAKAGE DETECTION
8. Labor & Equipment to detect water leakage of concealed pipes in condominiums.	$120 - $200
9. Similar as above in landed property including underground pipes.	$250 - $350
10.Similar to commercial properties including underground pipes.	$500 and above
Additional charge for transport	$15

Warranty 60 days for workmanship

Charges Fee of $30
Inclusive of Transportation and Checking / Troubleshooting of Plumbing System
Charges Fee will be waived upon confirmation of repair job done.
Warranty 60 days for part(s) replacement

Related Posts
1. Workmanship: Plumbing

Review: Panasonic Water Heater

2011-11-22T03:40:00.000+08:00

Reviews Series
1: Blanco Sink - 3 stars
2: Rinnai Gas Heater - Not Rated
3: Fujioh hood FX-900 - 5 stars
4: Rinnai Tumble Dryer RDT-600CG - 5 stars
5: Rinnai Oven RBO-7MSO - 3 stars
6: Bellari Liquid Dispenser - 1 star
7: Rinnai 2-Burner Hob RB-2CG - 5 stars
8: TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl- 5 stars
9: Asuka Acrylic Worktop - 2 stars
10: Premier laminated floor tiles - 4 stars
11. KRIS Dish Rack - 4 stars
12. Panasonic Water Heater - 4 stars

A word about the Review
Our Review is different from other reviews that you read on the Net: we're not armchair reviewers. We bought and installed the product for our own use.

No one sponsored us to endorse the product.

And we gave our verdict after at least one year's usage. Obviously, we'd tell you sooner if a product didn't work or performed poorly soon after purchase.

We invite you - if you have bought, installed and used the product to tell us your user experience, particularly after using the product for at least a year. Whether positive or negative, please give us your feedback. Oh, don't forget to provide your Renotalk user ID and photos of your kitchen so we could verify you're a bona-fide user of the product.

Panasonic Water Heater Model DH-3DL2S S$150

Panasonic Water Heater Model DH-3DL2S
Verdict: 4 out of 5 stars
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PRELIMINARY REVIEW
The water heater works and performs as it is expected to. Just like a simple screw driver, we doesn't get too excited each time we use it, right? The tool simply works and we expect it to work without fail each time we use it. So it is with this Panasonic water heater model. Day in, day out it works

beautifully the way it is supposed to. Neither me nor my family members take any notice of it, and for me that is the hallmark of a good water heater: works so well it fades silently into the background, not making its presence felt, but vanishing in one's conscious mind. Just like the ubiquitous screwdriver!

In that case why not 5 stars? Well, the model I purchased came with a sticker on the panel. Which I proceeded to remove after the heater was installed. After some tugging and digging with the fingers the sticker came loose and I was able to scrap it off with my fingers. But some ugly sticky residue subbornly remained on the panel, marring the handsome heater.

Soap or detergent was unable to remove the ugly residue. I tried other cleaners. No luck. What can possibly clean up the ugly smear? I frowned and frowned as I racked my brain.. aahh, the paint thinner "just might do the trick!" Do the trick it did: it also removed the Panasonic brand name on the panel, and every other lettering that was silk-screened with some cheapo non-permanent ink on the heater panel. Aarrgghh... minus 1 star as penalty, maybe minus 2 as penalty?

I relented in the end. After all, the Panasonic water heater Model DH-3DL2S is supposed to be a plain-jane water heater only, doing its job merrily day-in, day-out, without making a statement. Unlike a Designer item. Just be cautious when you clean the casing - don't use any cleaner containing alcohol, turpentine, benzine, etc.

Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

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Mold Remover

2011-11-12T02:06:00.000+08:00

Preamble
After you complete your home renovation, mold soon appear in your beautiful kitchen and bathroom walls on tile grouts and tap joints. Areas that are exposed to dampness and inadequate ventilation.

No matter what you do, molds stubbornly resist removal. They re-appear again and again, some are difficult to clean, such as on grouts between floor/wall tiles.

But why should you be wary about molds or fungi in the home? Well, it has been reported some people have died from certain molds. So wise up - google and read about the health dangers posed by molds.

Prevent and exterminate existing molds to protect your family's health. This post shows you how to do that.

The active ingredient
In recent times mold removers have become available in supermarts. They are effective but costly for a small bottle. They range in price from $14 for a German brand (IIRC, a retail outlet at Novena Shopping Mall on same level as Fairprice Supermart, go check it out! *grin*) to $4+ for a bottle of Ma-Ma Mold Remover. Well, if you fancy shelling out $4 or more, that's your call. As for me, I don't mind F-O-C? Free, no kidding?

Yes, if you use household bleach, you already have a mold and fungus remover in your kitchen! Read the fine print on the bottle

The active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite. Yes, that's the same active ingredient in your household bleach. You could simply use your household bleach to clear away ugly molds and fungi !!

Make Your Own
Simply mix 50% Chlorox : 50% Water and pour it into a spray bottle. And spray, spray, spray. Especially on the mold that creeps up onto the white or transparent grout between your bathroom sink joints, toilet bowl base, or bathroom wall tiles. Mold also grows prolifically on taps and faucets in sinks and tubs. Just spray liberally on the mold and fungus, leave overnight,

and they will disappear by next morning. If the mold is particularly resistant, use full-strength Chlorox. Chlorox contains 5.25% Sodium Hypcochlorite, the active ingredient that kills mold and fungus.

And yes - I use the Chlorox spray bottle to spray and kill ants too. Ants are ubiquitous, and have voracious appetite. Before long they will re-appear, and you'll need to respray again, especially at their entry and exit holes in tile grouts in kitchen/bathroom wall, etc.

Kitchen Tips: Spice Storage

2011-11-11T04:35:00.000+08:00

Credit: How to store spices

SPICES
Fresh spices make your cooking taste better, no doubt about that. Spices bought

from the retail outlets come in plastic packs. They may be fresh, dried whole spice, spice seed, grounded into powdery form or as spice paste. Before you use the spice, check for molds in spice packs - a sign that moisture has seeped in and spoilt the spice.

The basic principles to store spices are:

1. Keep in airtight containers
2. Keep them away from heat source and direct sunlight
3. Best - refrigerate them in airtight containers

Reycle Bottles
Glass bottles are extremely useful - recycle them for spice storage containers when they are empty! To recycle the bottles I steep them in a pot of hot water, sometimes for as long as it takes to

remove the labels and sticky gum. Some labels come unstuck within a few minutes. But for those sticky, gummy labels that refuse to budge - brands such as Marmit Patak, Frezfruit, Lee Kum Kee, etc you may have to resort to a steel-wire brush. Brush, brush, brush away. Works for me.

After the bottles are clean and dry, I label the bottles and store the spice bottles in the fridge. Or the freezer. These spices would be mainly in powdery form or those favored by, therefore susceptible, to insect attacks such as turmuric powder, szechuan pepper, dried red chilli pepper, dried prawns, Korean anchovy powder, cardamon and candlenut, and spices like fennel powder, saffron strand, pure valillin extract from the bean, etc.

Spices I store at room temperature would be coriander seeds, cinnamojn stick, cloves, star anise, peppercorns, etc.

Hiding the Pipe-Making it Accessible-Meets HDB Guidelines

2011-11-10T23:27:00.001+08:00

Related Posts
1 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes - Kitchen
2 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes - Bathroom/Toilet
3 Workmanship: Hiding Pipe: Accessible - HDB Guidelines
4 Workmanship: Plumbing

Preamble
This post is in response to a reader James who asked how to pipe ugly pipes, making it accessible and not contravening HDB guidelines.

Thank you, James, for your question.

TWO BASIC PIPE CATEGORY

As you can see from my blog photos, bascially there are 2 categories of pipes. The big, flat, ugly pipes, usually

BATHROOM: Ugly Pipes

KITCHEN: Ugly Pipes

of cast iron or PVC - run from the ceiling to the floor in the toilet, bathroom and kitchen. The ugly vertical pipes connect to the flat / apartment above and below your HDB flat unit.

The other category are the 1-inch stainless steel pipes that bring and discharge water to your flat unit. If your 1-inch water pipes are of copper, I suggest you change it to stainless steel.

BATHROOM: Hiding Bathroom Pipes

Large hardboard panels conceal the ugly pipes.
BATHROOM: Metal Framework - Top

BATHROOM: Metal Framework - Bottom

BATHROOM: Hardboard Panel for Partition

BATHROOM: Partition wall ready for tiling

BATHROOM: Completed Partition Wall after Tiling

KITCHEN: Hardboard Panel Top

KITCHEN: Hardboard Panel Bottom

KITCHEN: Completed Partition Frame

KITCHEN: Completed Door Panels - hiding ugly pipes

ACCESSIBLE OR PERMANENTLY FIXED PANELS?
Now, how do you decide whether the panels should be easily open and accessible with a 'door'? Or the hardboard fixed permanently?

Well, the big kitchen pipes sometimes blocked - some neighbors were careless or indifferent - resulting in flooding your beautiful kitchen! Therefore you must make provision for this potential flooding problem by hiding your big pipes behind open and accessible hardboard panels. That will meet HDB guidelines.

Kitchen: Flooded!

Kitchen: Debris entered kitchen from flat units above

Kitchen: water subsided after 5 hours

One-inch Stainless Steel Pipe
As for the 1-inc stainless steel pipes, you don't have to hide them all of them, depending on the pipe layout.

Pipes that are unlikely to be blocked e.g. the inlet pipe carrying water from the utility board - can be concealed permanently behind fixed panels or hidden unobtrusively behind secondary walls. Use your creativity and imagination. Such as routing the pipes to run inside the toilet and bathroom instead of the kitchen.

Before Running 1-inch Stainless Steel Pipe
Water Pipe to Rinnai Clothes Dryer
Water Pipe to Rinnai Clothes Dryer

Review: Kris Dish Drainer Rack

2011-09-02T01:11:00.000+08:00

And we gave our verdict after at least one year's usage. Obviously, we'd tell you sooner if a product didn't work or performed poorly soon after purchase.

We invite you - if you have bought, installed and used the product to tell us your user experience, particularly after using the product for at least a year. Whether positive or negative, please give us your feedback. Oh, don't forget to provide your Renotalk user ID and photos of your kitchen so we could verify you're a bona-fide user of the product.

Kris Dish Drainer Rack

Verdict: 4 out of 5 stars

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1 Dish Drainer Cabinet
2 Kris Dish Drainer Rack

A reader's comment alerted me to put up this review - thank goodness! I remembered I went to several outlets before I could locate the dish drainer I was looking for - one that would not rust, is well-designed and looks good, and most importantly - one that would not be shaky but firm enough to hold a rackful of plates and bowls. After several weeks of Net research and visiting kitchen showrooms, I finally settled on the Kris dish drainer rack, available at the Hoe Kee outlet at Plaza Singapore.

Kris 2-Tier Dish Drainer Rack

But wasn't a dish drainer rack included in the kitchen quotation?
Yes, it was. But a preview of that dish rack in the ID's showroom made me decide to trash it: the rack was too small for my needs, build quality was poor - it shook easily, thus would probably be unable to take the

weight of a full load of plates and bowls. Moreover, I noticed tiny rust spots on the steel structure, and suspected the item was produced from an inferior grade of steel. So I forfeited the item as no deduction was made to the ID's kitchen quote. To me it was wiser to splurge on a quality rack after expending so much time, money and sweat on the kitchen design, is it not? The prospect of having to replace a rusty, poor-performing disk rack, after installing and using it for some weeks, certainly did not appeal to me!

How did you know the Kris rack would be rust-free?
Sorry, let me clarify. Stainless steel products are certainly not 100% rust-free, only rust-resistant. The higher the nickel content in the steel, the better resistant it is to rust. Before my net research, I certainly didn't know stainless steel items could rust. After I found out there were different grades of steel, I knew what to look for. See the Addendum below.

The Kris rack was the only one of two brands I found to state its products are 100% resistant against rust. The Kris dish rack was made from 18/8 stainless steel. The other brand was the more expensive Wel-Mi brand located in the Song Cho outlet near Hoe Kee.

So, what's your verdict on the Kris rack?
Well, after 3 years of usage the Kris rack is still rust-free and performs admirably. It is sturdy and doesn't rattle when I placed full load of plates, bowls, cutlery on the rack. The detachable tiers, permitting height adjustments to accommodate large plates, also factored in my choice of the Kris rack. The only issue I had were the steel trays that came with the rack. The trays are placed below each tier to catch water dripping from newly washed plates. They showed rust stains within weeks of usage! Apparently they were fabricated from a poor grade of steel, maybe normal steel grade? I decided to remove the trays because my rack is located above the sink, allowing newly washed plates to drip directly over the kitchen sink.

Overall, I'm pleased and happy with the product. However, as the steel trays were not rust-resistant, I therefore award the Kris dish rack 4 out of 5 stars.

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Stainless Steel FAQ
Addendum
Source: www.ssina.com/faq/index.html

1. What makes stainless steel stainless?

Answer: Stainless steel must contain at least 10.5 % chromium. It is this element that reacts with the oxygen in the air to form a complex chrome-oxide surface layer that is invisible but strong enough to prevent further oxygen from "staining" (rusting) the surface. Higher levels of chromium and the addition of other alloying elements such as nickel and molybdenum enhance this surface layer and improve the corrosion resistance of the stainless material. See the "Stainless Steel Primer" for more information.

2. What is the difference between 18/8 and 18/10 stainless steel?

Answer: The first number is the amount of chromium that is contained in the stainless, i.e., 18 is 18% chromium. The second number is the amount of nickel, i.e., 8 stands for 8% nickel. So 18/8 means that this

stainless steel contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel. 18/10 is 18% chromium and 10% nickel. The higher the numbers the more corrosion resistant the material. 18/0 is a misleading designation. Both 18/8 and 18/10 contain nickel and are part of the grade family "300 series" stainless. 18/0 means that there is 18% chromium but zero nickel. When there is no nickel the stainless grade family is the "400 series". 400 series are not as corrosion resistant as the 300 series and are magnetic, where the 300 series are non-magnetic.

3. Can stainless steel rust? Why? (I thought stainless did not rust!)

Answer: Stainless does not "rust" as you think of regular steel rusting with a red oxide on the surface that flakes off. If you see red rust it is probably due to some iron particles that have contaminated the surface of the stainless steel and it is these iron particles that are rusting. Look at the source of the rusting and see if you can remove it from the surface. If the iron is embedded in the surface, you can try a solution of 10% nitric and 2% hydrofluoric acid at room temperature or slightly heated. Wash area well with lots and lots of water after use. Commercially available "pickling paste" can also be used. See "The Care and Cleaning of Stainless Steel" for more information.

4. What is the difference between 304 and 316 stainless steel?

Answer: 304 contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel. 316 contains 16% chromium, 10% nickel and 2% molybdenum. The "moly" is added to help resist corrosion to chlorides (like sea water and de-icing salts) See "Stainless Steel for Coastal and Salt Corrosion Applications" for more information.

* * *

Another good information resource: http://www.finishing.com/292/94.shtml

Hi,

Can someone tell me the differences between 18/8 and 18/10 stainless steel flatware? Which is more durable? What are the differences in composition? Do the differences between the two make one more desireable than the other?

Thank you,

Tim Barber
Greenville, North Carolina

+++
Hello Tim!

Let me start by noting that the 18/8 refers to a stainless steel with nominally 18% chromium, 8% nickel as the alloying elements in combination with iron. Hence the 18/10 refers to a stainless with 10% nickel, nominal, rather than 8. if you're more familiar with the AISI designations, we're talking about 302 vs. 304. More durable? That's a tweedledee / tweedledum arguement, as it's not the composition that determines strength, it's the amount of cold work. If you take a look at the specifications for those two materials, or any of their close cousins, you'll see that ALL of the annealed alloys have the same mechanical properties, as do all of the quarter-hard compositions, and all of the half-hard: and the amount of cold work is whatever the flatware maker chooses to buy from the steel mill. Harder may last longer, and resist deformation, but may also be more difficult to stamp out. Or easier- depends on the manufacturing process.

As it is the chromium content that controls the corrosion resistance, well, there's not much difference between 18 and 18...

My opinion, bearing in mind that my kids tell me I have NO sense of what's cool, is that as long as they are not magnetic it makes no difference whether you have 18/8 or 18/10 (less susceptible to becoming ferromagnetic with cold work) flatware.

Lee Gearhart
metallurgist
East Aurora, New York

* * *
Reviews Series
1: Blanco Sink - 3 stars
2: Rinnai Gas Heater - Not Rated
3: Fujioh hood FX-900 - 5 stars
4: Rinnai Tumble Dryer RDT-600CG - 5 stars
5: Rinnai Oven RBO-7MSO - 3 stars
6: Bellari Liquid Dispenser - 1 star
7: Rinnai 2-Burner Hob RB-2CG - 5 stars
8: TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl- 5 stars
9: Asuka Acrylic Worktop - 2 stars
10: Premier laminated floor tiles

Review: Premier Laminated Floor Tile

2011-04-05T16:43:00.012+08:00

We invite you - if you have bought, installed and used the product to tell us your user experience, particularly after using the product for at least a year. Whether positive or negative, please give us your feedback. Oh, don't forget to provide your Renotalk user ID and photos of your kitchen so we could verify you're a bonafide user of the product.

Premier Laminated Floor Tiles
Verdict: 4 out of 5 stars

I find it amusing that we should be so concerned with flooring tile "brands". I mean, whether I installed the most expensive flooring brand or normal brand, I won't notice the difference since I can't tell them apart, isn't it? The only difference is whether the tiles meet users' expectation and are durable. When I was renovating my home no user had reported their long-term usage experience with their laminated floor tiles. Therefore I didn't know if more expensive brands like Pergo, Kronotec, etc would be preferable over normal brands like Supreme or Premier, etc. Thus, to get an idea of quality and reliability issues, I went to the mfr's site and read up on their history, production standards and quality to get some idea. I also read up wherever possible users' posts on forums, to look out for red flags on issues that may be raised. Thus when I chose Premier at least I knew what I was buying and paying for.

So far, three years after installation and usage, I have not encountered any problem with my Premier laminated flooring. In fact, it has been problem-free so far. The only maintenance I did was to squeeze a mop as "dry" as I could and use that to clean the floor. If any liquid was accidentally spilled when I was busy doing something, I would clean up 5-10 min later after completing what I had been occupied with. In other words, no need to be kang-cheong (i.e. "excited")

about spillage damaging the flooring. As long as you clean up within a reasonable time I think the flooring should be unaffected. I say that based on logic, bcoz if a product is damaged so easily the mfr'er would start getting complaints and would quickly go out of business. They know most people don't clean up that fast (or forget to do immediately), so unless they don't care about their quality or reputation they will make products to meet minimum quality standards to satisfy users' expectation.

Maybe I will have a different opinion of my Premier tiles after 5, 10 yrs of usage? I don't know. However, I tend to think that if a product can last 3+ yrs with no problem, then it should be good for 10 yrs. Therefore, I will go for normal brands, esp those with no bad users' experience. And so far I am not aware of any bad user experience with either Supreme or Premier. Or have I missed out on something? I think if you exercise normal care your laminated flooring should withstand normal wear-and-tear.

That said, I want to point out I have been wrong before. Example: I previously thought all acrylic worktops were the same but found out otherwise! My acrylic worktop was a case in point. There is one major difference though. My acrylic worktop was produced by a local factory on-an-adhoc basis i.e. the factory produced the acrylic worktop based on the ID/Contractor "made-to-measure" order to fit my home worktop. It was not mass-produced, and perhaps didn't meet minimum specified standards. Or the chemical mix (raw mtrl cost rise and fall) might have been varied for my order to achieve higher profit margin? In my case I think my acrylic worktop was sub-standard. Maybe had an inferior chemical mix.

By contrast, laminated floor tiles are produced in large quantities for the mass market (due to the nature of the production equipment). Any negative mkt feedback will therefore have

far greater impact on sales and profit. Obviously much more than factories producing a product made-to-order for a single customer. Therefore laminated tile factories cannot be slipshod with quality standards and stricter quality controls are applied.

So, if you want to save money, I believe Premier is as good as more expensive brands. At least it has been for us for the past 3+ yrs.
Previous Posts
1 Workmanship: Laminated Tiles
2 Laminated floor tiles

Review Series
1: Blanco Sink - 3 stars
2: Rinnai Gas Heater - Not Rated
3: Fujioh hood FX-900 - 5 stars
4: Rinnai Tumble Dryer RDT-600CG - 5 stars
5: Rinnai Oven RBO-7MSO - 3 stars
6: Bellari Liquid Dispenser - 1 star
7: Rinnai 2-Burner Hob RB-2CG - 5 stars
8: TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl- 5 stars
9: Asuka Acrylic Worktop - 2 stars
10: Premier laminated floor tiles

Workmanship: Kitchen Works

2011-04-04T12:25:00.014+08:00

Related Posts - Kitchen Works
1 Kitchen: Cooking & Food Storage Zone
2 Kitchen: Microwave Oven Cabinet
3 Kitchen: The Sink Unit
4 Kitchen: Food Preparation & Cleaning Zone
5 Kitchen: Worktop & Kitchen Sink
6 Kitchen: Kitchen Splashback

The Cooking Zone basically refers to the area set aside for the burner hob, cooker hood, oven and microwave. The Food Storage Zone comprises the shelves above the counter-top while the deep drawers are placed below.

Installing the Hob Base Cabinet

Base Cabinet with six drawers

Placement of Oven Unit & Hob Base Cabinet Unit

Oven Unit & Base Drawer Unit

Oven in place

Glueing Laminate to Oven Unit

Attaching runners to drawer base

Placing Cooker Hood Unit

Cooker Hood Unit Hoisted

Laying the Cabinet Pelmet after glue application

Stapling Pelmet with compressed air gun

Unpacking cooker hood before installation

Cooker Hood Unit

Fixing front to Drawer

Related Posts: Workmanship: Kitchen Works
1 Kitchen: Cooking & Food Storage Zone
2 Kitchen: Microwave Oven Cabinet
3 Kitchen: The Sink Unit
4 Kitchen: Food Preparation & Cleaning Zone
5 Kitchen: Worktop & Kitchen Sink
6 Kitchen: Kitchen Splashback

Workmanship Series
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

How to Choose your Wedding Photographer

2011-03-29T09:00:00.001+08:00

Most photographers ("pg") charge a fee for their photoshoot, and the digital photos are delivered on a CD or DVD. You may get a small 4R plastic album with 200-300 4R photo prints depending on the fee charged by the pg.

Pg charging $500 usually are free-lancing i.e. they may hv full-time jobs and do photography at week-ends. Some are b/w jobs. Given the low fee, they only offer the basic digital photos on CDs, without any prints. Shoot fees varies from $500 to $1,200 for free-lance photographers.

Then there are those full-time photographers i.e. they do photography full-time, giving up professional careers in IT, engineering, etc bcoz they love photography. These normally charge $1,500 upwards entry-level ; more seasoned full-time photographers charge $3k-5k (mid-range) and above $5k for the higher end. Their shoot fees come with free 4R albums with 200-300 prints and also on CDs/DVDs. They also provide other services such as arranging studio mug shots, pre-wedding day and post-wedding shoots for add'l fee, ranging from $500 upwards. Wedding albums are extra, ranging from $500-$800 up for a basic 15-page album, depending on your choice of albums (leather cover, silk cover, embossed badging, etc).

OK - next, how does one choose his AD (='Actual Day') photographer? You pay good $$$, so how can you be sure you get good photography? You know, photos that speak to you, warm your heart and soul, stir up sweet memories, and make you glow with pride each time you look at yr wedding photos several years on? tongue.gif

Test the Photographer
Easy, in 3 easy steps!!

First, ask the guy to take photos of you and yr WTB right there when you first meet up with him. That's what we do - we ask our prospects to check us out first, before they commit. What to check? Well, are the photos clear and sharp? Do they "speak" to you? In other words, do you like what they have shot of you and yr WTB? That's the first step - some photographers have the ability to shoot photos that clients like immediately. Whereas others take photos of you that are run-of-the-mill. Yes the photos may be sharp and clear, but they don't "speak" to you. "Something" is missing, you don't feel the spark, the impact. It's more visceral, a visual impact. Of course, if the guy produces photos that are blur, too bright, washed out - you don't have to consider further. Simply thank him and walk off!

Second - and this separates the boys from the men - most free-lancers do not possess the skills yet to pass this hurdle. And that is to take photos in situations where the sitter is in the dressing room, or in the bridal car, etc. and the sun is shining brightly. That is, situations where the light is harsh and contrasty. Ask yr photographer to shoot your wife-to-be against the window light in the room, or shoot so that the print includes part or all of the room window. The result you get is usually an image that is brightly or correctly flash-exposed for the sitter, but the window looks washed out. Many customers don't know, so they accept such photos as a given. If you accept such contrasty, brightly lit shots for your wedding album, fine. But if you want quality photos that will give you pride and joy, look elsewhere. That is not to say all contrasty shots are bad. Some pg do use light creatively e.g. silhouette of subject against sun for the glare and creative impact. Particularly for mood or grunt-type shots, to play on e.g. cigarette smoke or joss-stick smoke, etc against the light. But few are able to pull off such shots successfully.

Reason for poor bright and contrasty flash-lit shots is because most photographers simply shoot using the "auto" mode. Which is fine for normal contrast situations. But in rooms with window light light - usual in bridal makeup / dressing room - the window will look washed out. Why? Well, Bcoz it takes manual camera exposure and good understanding of light to produce photos that look natural - as if they were shot without flash. Nothing looks washed-out. The shots have impact and perfect balance. I'll show photo examples on my blog when I hv time to do that.

You know, not all photographers, free-lance or professional have acquired that skill level, yet. It's not difficult but it takes years of training, knowledge and experience to produce that kind of photos.

Third - once yr intended photographer has passed yr shoot-test, ask him to show what he does with the digital photos on-screen. Test how well he edits the image i.e. his digital imaging skills. Quality prints these days depend on excellent digital developing/retouching skills. Many still don't cut it. It is not easy for many photographers to master Photoshop, the main software used in photo-editing and retouching. See the "before" and "after" effect done on yr photo, and you'll be able to gauge his level of editing skills. Some excused themselves by saying they do minimum "photoshopping" - implying that theirs is more "natural", and photoshop is only for poor shooters. That's not true. You only have to go on the Net to see many professional photographers today can't do without photoshop skills e.g. Yervant. Others are Cliff Mautner or JD Gardner, both my favs!

BTW - pl don't assume free-lancers aren't skillful or talented bcoz they charge low. Some will surprise you with their knowledge and skill level. You only have to go to flicker to see so many wonderful excellent photos, most by amateurs! Likewise don't dismiss local free-lancers. They have both the photo-shooting skills and the computer skills. And to top it all, they charge a low fee. At the other end on-line portfolios of full-time photographers show some don't possess the skills yet to shoot and edit good photos. I believe our pg's will improve if you as the customer are more discerning and knowledgeable in choosing yr AD pg's - hence this post to share my thoughts. Finally, our local professional photographers are able to compete with the best-in-the-world, and they have been showcased by the industry and the media. Get to know them, take pride in their work, support them. You'll not go wrong if you choose them for yr wedding. After all, money can be earned, but not memories. Especially wedding memories that make you all teary and nostalgic many years on. Unless they were poorly shot and are best hidden away! laugh.gif

So now you know. Test the photographer to ensure you get what you pay for!

Cheers!

Workmanship: Dispute Resolution

2011-03-26T22:31:00.010+08:00

Workmanship Series
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

Disputes are bound to happen in any home renovation. Mine was no different. Though I was hard-nosed and demanding when it came to workmanship issues, I was also tolerant and non-confrontational. Amiable, in fact. I ~~dislike~~ abhor arguments and always avoid disputes as far as possible. To me arguments or disputes are non-productive. A waste of time and energy. In my case I was fortunate my ID was of the same ilk. We resolved major workmanship issues by focusing on possible solutions, not on who's right or wrong. We often discussed with a give-and-take attitude. That is, I always gave, he often took! *grin* Though there were occasions when I was unyielding. And he reciprocated by giving way to me. So we got along fine.

The Preliminaries
A major aspect of Dispute Resolution is therefore to choose your ID wisely. If you have a temperamental ID, you are headed for trouble even before renovation starts. If your ID is even-tempered and patient, disputes are less likely to happen. In my case, I assiduously avoided IDs who were impatient, short-tempered, and non-communicative. Those were struck off early from the short-list. But how did I know they were temperamental? Well, I gave each a personality test. That is, bombard the ID with questions. Bug, not merely ask, the ID for the quotation. Be loud. Be rude. Have an attitude. And observe how he responds. If you follow my example, you'll quickly know which ID is patient, even-tempered, can get along with.

You would also want to test the ID on his knowledge, contacts, and how he resolves problems with workers. That would give you an idea of his competence. Sure, no ID is perfect - but it helps to know where you stand with regard to the ID's personality, knowledge, competence, problem-solving ability. And how he treats and relates to his workers.

Finally, after going through the preliminaries, including site visits, you are now left with the final 2. One of whom you will select for your home renovation. The other would be a reserve in case the one you select pulls out at-the-last-minute. That happened to me, related in another post.

You will now want to discuss with the ID a method to resolve disputes. Just in case problems arise during renovation.

Disputes & Resolution Mechanism
Disputes and disagreements in the course of your home renovation may be easier to resolve if you and the ID first sit down together and agree on - for want of a better term - a dispute resolution mechanism.

First, you and the ID should agree on a standard of workmanship for your home renovation. You must be clear and explicit on the standard acceptable to you. To be clear and explicit, use photos of flats whose workmanship standard you and the ID can accept.

Second, tell the ID if there's a mistake in the work carried out, and you're unhappy with the work done, you have the right to withhold payment. And you will make payment only when the mistake has been rectified to your satisfaction. Agree with the ID mistakes are something that can be i) seen &/or ii) felt. Example: tiles of a different color from what you've ordered. Or worktop cracked and scratched badly by the workers. Or granite floor tiles that are not properly laid so that you could feel rough edges as you walk on the completed granite floor - a problem easily rectified with re-polishing after the floor tiles have been laid.

Tell the ID you're also penalized indirectly for any mistake made by the workers, because the home renovation will be delayed by the rectification work that has to be carried out.

But what if the ID or the workers are unable to correct the problem identified? Well, get the ID to agree when that happens you have the right to appoint another contractor to carry out the job. And to deduct the amount required from the renovation contract.

Finally, to underpin the resolution mechanism, payment for the renovation work should proceed in accordance with work completed, not upon delivery of materials to your home. Or based on a payment schedule that does not correlate with the actual work completed. That means you should not accept a quotation with progress payment based on the ID's schedule.

Summary
1 Show the standard expected - agree on what is good workmanship through photo examples
2 If poor standard, right to withhold payment
3 If still not good nor rectified, right to deduct from ID contract amount to pay another contractor
4 Be a reasonable guy - not asking for the sky, not hard to please, but fair, with a give-and-take attitude
5 Pay according to work done, not to ID's proposed contract

Workmanship Series
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

Workmanship: Hiding the Pipes - Bathroom

2011-03-22T17:29:00.062+08:00

Related Posts
1 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes - Kitchen
2 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes - Bathroom/Toilet
3 Workmanship: Hiding Pipe-Accessible-HDB Guidelines

Preamble
It was a week before the LNY. My ID's regular window fabricator and installer - a local factory - had already stopped taking orders. Gosh, the ID had overlooked LNY and failed to place an early order with the window contractor! Owing to this oversight, work on the bathroom partition wall had to be postponed. The proposed partition would bisect the bathroom window, and it was necessary to replace the old window before work could start on the proposed partition wall.

Old bathroom window had to be replaced first!

The ID's weak project management and failure to plan ahead delayed window replacement and pushed back all dependent jobs by 2 months.

The window fabrication factory already had a huge order backlog. Which was compounded by the public holidays: the factory workers, mostly Malaysians, took their annual leave to coincide with Lunar New Year for a longer holiday period!

Taking Measurements
A second problem arose when the ID took measurements. The measurements indicated he would do a single large window replacement in the bathroom. "No way!" I uttered in disbelief. "Wouldn't it look strange for the bathroom window to show only 3 aluminum edges with the partition wall butting right on it?" I pointed out. He stared at me blankly, clueless and lost for an answer. Finally I said, "Look, do it this way.. split the single bathroom window into two windows and frame both. That way there is a framed window edge against the partition wall. That would give the bathroom window four aluminum edges with the partition wall butting against it. Just like a normal window."

My solution is depicted below:
Inside View: Bathroom window split into two to align with proposed partition wall

Outside view: Bathroom window split into Two

Luckily I caught the 'one-for-one window replacement' error before the ID gave the measurements to the window factory!

Making the Partition Frame
The ID's sub-con came in the morning - Tue 18-Mar-08 - to put up the partition for the bathroom.
Window correctly framed against Partition

Imagine how window would look with no aluminum edge against Partition!

Cutting the partition frame

Electric wiring carefully arranged to hide behind partition frame

Left side of frame completed

Temporary measure for water supply while awaiting final plumbing

Taking measurement

Re-taking measurements to ensure structural integrity and alignment

Sigh.. pipes criss-crossing everywhere!

Metal frame cut to accommodate air-con drip pipe

Metal framework completed

Frame ready to install Partition Hardboard

Rain-shower arm installed

Work will continue after plumbing completion...

Plumbing work in progress.. shower tap fitted!

Partition wall ready for tiling

After tiling of Partition Wall

Bathroom Window properly framed against Partition Wall

Completed Bathroom with Partition Wall after Tiling

Ready for your Rain Shower?

Final Thoughts
This bathroom renovation was a huge challenge for me. I was fully stretched in terms of time, energy and patience by the sheer amount of work and coordination required. How was that? Well, I had to deal with several major issues.

First, my ID screwed up with his late orders for window fabrication and installation by his regular window contractor. That delayed work for 2 full months. Second, plumbing works on the kitchen sink, wash basin, and toilet bowl were delayed several times when the regular plumber failed to show up.

When he did show up, it was already 6 pm or late in the evening. To top it all, he fouled up (pardon the pun) the toilet bowl installation, detailed in another post. And when he also did a bad job with the rain shower alignment, I decided he had to go. The ID was unprepared for that eventuality, however. He didn't have a contingent plan and had difficulty sourcing another plumber. That created more delays. Which in turn led to delays in bathroom tiling and installation of the partition wall.

Not that the delays made renovating the bathroom any easier or more relaxed. On the contrary, the problems compounded what was already a complex task, as close coordination was required of several inter-dependent works:

replacing the old bathroom window,
electrical wiring for the water heater and ceiling light,
plumbing to the water heater, wash basin, washing machine, kitchen sink, toilet,
installing the partition wall,
tiling the bathroom wall,
installing the water heater and rain shower,
accessorizing the bathroom with towel rail, glass rack shelving, etc
not forgetting the air-con drainage pipe that had to be laid out well before installation of the partition wall could begin.

And all the above had to be worked on in the small confines of the bathroom!

Not surprisingly, I had to be present at the job site most of the time to shore up the ID's lack of focus. I was there to ensure work was coordinated as several works were going on at the same time. Fortunately I had out-sourced

air-con supply and installation independently of the ID. I also dealt directly with the electrician, after getting the contact from the ID. And you know what? As you could see in the photos, these two works were the only ones completed in the bathroom, well ahead of the window replacement, partition, tiling or plumbing!

Lesson: If you expect good workmanship from the ID and his workers, you must be ready to step in when circumstances demanded of you. You can't let things be or the errors will compound and lead to disputes.

Related Posts
1 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes - Kitchen
2 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes - Bathroom/Toilet
3 Workmanship: Hiding Pipe-Accessible-HDB Guidelines

Workmanship Series
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

ID-User Experience

2011-03-15T23:09:00.092+08:00

Useful blogs
1 Extreme Makeover@Pandan Gardens
2 Reno Journey to Our 1st House

Unfortunate ID-user experiences
3 Anyone Uses Ciseern ID Firm Before?
4 Artrend Design, Anyone Engages Them Before?
5 Will You Accept This Kind Of Workmanship?
6 My 10 Shortlisted IDs, Comments Please

Others
7 My 1st Major Reno! Will I Survive This?
8 A Journal of the Renovation Experience
9 Recommendation For Renovation Id / Contractor?
10 Sewage Smell From Toilet
11 My posts saved forumer $$$! See posts #24,#28,#35,#36,#37.

Note: Renotalk requires you to log-on to display photos.

Renovating your home is a very time-consuming, energy-ripping endeavor. Especially if you're passionate about your home and dream of creating a beautiful abode for your spouse and kids. Thus many readers seek our advice on choosing an ID/Contractor for their home renovation. Well, one common approach is to go by recommendation from friends and relatives or read forums such as Renotalk. But, as many have found out, retaining highly recommended IDs for your project does not guarantee a nicely renovated home! The process is more complex than that, as discussed in several related posts on Design Challenges & Solution.

We would urge you, if you have not begun your renovation or retained an ID/Contractor, to read about user experiences with IDs first in order to gain an idea of the problems encountered. And also to learn from mistakes made by others, such as yours truly, in their home renovation. This post seeks to provide a spectrum of user-ID experiences which may benefit you before you embark on your home renovation. After all, there are good IDs, and bad ones!

How to Research on the Net
I love and hate the Internet. "Er, how's that?" you asked. Well, I do a lot of research on the Net. The Net provides me tons of info, all accessible with a click of the mouse. But oh, so little time to read! And that's where the problem lay: I hate it when I have to wade through tons of useless info (read: junk) in my due diligence research.

But when I finally get the info I looked for - that's when I love the Net! You get immediate, useful info you can't and won't get anywhere else! Take for instance users' experiences - accessible on many sites - with a product you're keen to buy. Or what's new in technology, trends or gear. Books are often outdated on such topics by the time they are published and available.

So now I don't buy blind, like I used to before the Net was born. But you have to exercise prudence and read carefully. Not all posts or articles are genuine or sincere. Some are outright lies intended to mislead you to buy a competitive brand. But if you read through enough number of posts, you'll be able to form an opinion of the product you want to buy. If not, you simply continue your search or put off your purchase for a while.

Likewise, I have a love-hate relationship with forums. I love it when I come across intelligent, genuine posters with their helpful, sincere posts. They provide a service to others that money can't buy. But I hate it when I come across posters with their inane and gossipy posts. Posts that served to stroke their egos and nothing else. Or posters who treat the forum like their own 'kampong'. Using the forum to chit-chat. Not that I have anything against that, but it simply wasted lotta of time and bandwidth to wade through those chatty, gossipy posts. *Sigh*

However, I reserve my harshest comment for posters who are ignorant yet sensitive - forumers innocently giving wrong advice and not realizing they are a stumbling block to those seeking help or

advice. You don't want to intervene - bcoz you'll inflame their sensitive egos and start a flame war. It saddened me to see them misleading others with their misguided advice. And I was hapless about that.. until it occurred to me I could do something to help those seeking advice.

So - to cut to the chase - this post and blog is my answer to all those gossipy, time-wasting threads and posts on forums that frustrate one's research for relevant info and sound advice. I provide herein blogs and forum posts that are useful and relevant to your search for a good ID/Contractor. They also serve to highlight several points made in my blog posts about home renovation, how to choose an ID/Contractor, and mistakes made. Read those article if you wish to find out more.

Just a note: the articles / posts below posted on Renotalk forum are by no means exhaustive. Shout if you've come across posts or articles on the Net that'd be useful to others, ok?

Useful blogs
1 Extreme Makeover@Pandan Gardens
2 Reno Journey to Our 1st House

Unfortunate ID-user experiences
3 Anyone Uses Ciseern ID Firm Before?
4 Artrend Design, Anyone Engages Them Before?
5 Will You Accept This Kind Of Workmanship?
6 My 10 Shortlisted IDs, Comments Please

Others
7 My 1st Major Reno! Will I Survive This?
8 A Journal of the Renovation Experience
9 Recommendation For Renovation Id / Contractor?
10 Sewage Smell From Toilet
11 My posts saved forumer $$$! See posts #24,#28,#35,#36,#37.

Note: Renotalk requires you to log-on to display photos.

Art Pieces for Your Home

2011-03-15T15:23:00.015+08:00

About This Series
I started this series to share my Photography with you. I love shooting people *grin* since I was a kid..

Using Photography to Enhance your Home Interior

After weeks of never-ending research... reading, planning, sketching. Rushing here, there, and everywhere! Shopping for lights, appliances and stuff. Often wondering if you've chosen the right ID. Even dreaming about colors and swatches in your sleep!

Then.. after all the sweat, tears, anxieties... relief! You finally held the key! The moment you've been waiting for. You turned the lock and opened the door. For a moment you stood there: bound and speechless... your dream has become Reality: what was once a dusty, musty place is now Beautiful, Warm, Cozy.

A place you affectionately called Home.

Congratulation! You have completed your Home Renovation!

Next Step: Personalize your home. We present our home decor ideas here. Click on the description or caption link for more info.

Featured Works

Showcase Your Beautiful Portraits

Your Wedding Photo

To be continued..

Workmanship: Laminated Floor

2011-03-14T22:50:00.013+08:00

the wrong colored tiles laid, but contrary to our instruction the workers laid the laminated strips to align with the room breadth instead of the length. The ID instructed the workers to re-do the laminated floor tiles after LNY using a lighter shade of brown. And to lay the laminated tiles in accordance to our wishes. And so it was.

Before and After - blue is the Guest BR, green is the MBR

Preparing to Do the Side Strip

Doing the Side Strip

Cleaning & Finishing up

However, the replaced floor tiles still looked too dark for our liking.

Nevertheless, this time we decided to accept it (~sigh~) because the laminated tiles were laid very nicely. It would be wasteful to re-do the floor tiles again. In any event, most of the floor space would be taken up by the bedroom furniture and furnishings, minimizing the impact a darker tone would have on the occupants.

So, never choose a tile based on someone's else reference or hearsay. Or your own recollection of something you might have seen previously. In our case the mistake

was made because we had asked the ID to use the floor tile that was used for the showroom in Summit's office. The ID called his office staff who then gave the supplier an incorrect color code for the tiles.

Summit's showroom had been completed some time ago. We suspect possibly no one in the office knew what the original color code for the showroom's laminated tile was. Or maybe that particular floor tile had been phased out and a newer range launched with different color codes? No one seemed to know. The ID insisted the replaced tiles looked the same as the tiles used in his showroom, although it certainly looked much darker to my eyes. I was not one to argue for the sake of argument, as the tiling had been completed.

So I let the matter rest.

LESSON: Always choose a sample material with its color code written down as a reference after you have seen and selected the specific color sample with your own eyes. and ask the office to confirm with the supplier that the same color is still available!

WORKMANSHIP
Next, how does one judge the workmanship, aside from physical appearances of the laminated flooring?

Well, step on the floor, and you will instinctively "feel" the difference i.e. if you have walked on parquet flooring previously. Whereas parquet floors give you a solid feeling underfoot, laminated floors lack that solid feel underneath, giving a "floating" sensation instead that some may not like.

This is because laminated tiles "float" on a thin sheet of plastic foam material as an underlay, and the individual pieces of laminated tiles are "locked" together using a glue-less click system, akin to a tongue-and-groove method. Now, if the underlying floor surface is uneven or not perfectly level, the "floating" sensation is heightened.

In fact, prior to engaging my ID I was given a show-around and in some flats' bedroom I could sense the floor slightly "sinking" under my bodyweight as I stepped on the floor. This was due to the trapped air beneath the laminated tiles in areas where the floor was not perfectly even or level.

Hence it is absolutely essential that the floor be perfectly level before laying the laminated tiles.

In my case we were lucky, because the previous owner had used ceramic tiles for the bedroom, and laying over such a floor with laminated floor tiles produced less of the "floating or sinking" sensation.

FOOTNOTE: I was surprised to see the word "PERGO" printed on the T-shirts of the guys doing the installation of my laminated floor tiles. Not only on one but on both of them, like they were wearing a uniform of sorts!

Since PERGO is a trademark and a reputable brand, I do not think anyone could simply wear T-shirts emblazoned with the PERGO brand name. Consumers maybe, but definitely not tradesmen such as laminated tile installers!

So, why would PERGO people install a non-PERGO product such as Premier laminated floor tiles? Is Premier somehow related to Pergo? Perhaps Premier is a sub-brand made by the producer of PERGO in order to price compete against China-based producers of laminated floor tiles?

Mystery Deepens
I was unable to find any info on the web concerning the Premier laminated floor tiles, although Premier laminated tiles are quite popular in the Singapore market.

PERGO Floors exhibited at Eastpoint Mall

Just yesterday (12-Mar-08) I was at the Simei MRT station at Eastpoint Mall. Someone was exhibiting PERGO floors at $7.90 psf (premium range) and $6.80 psf (standard range) for PERGO tiles produced in Sweden, both ranges come with lifetime warranty and another range priced at $4.50 psf, with 15 years warranty period, claimed by the saleslady to be produced by PERGO in Malaysia.

If true, could this lower-price range be sold under the PREMIER brand name in Singapore?

Some producers may not wish to be associated with a low-priced product range so as not to dilute the brand equity of its high end product.

It is possible the ID's supplier also handles PERGO laminated floor tiles, so it should not be surprising that the installers wore T-shirts with PERGO printed on them.

But the PERGO promotion at Simei introduced the possibility of a low-price range of

laminated floor tiles claimed to be produced by PERGO in Malaysia, something I did not hear of previously. Could this low-price range be marketed under the PREMIER (and similar) brand name in Singapore? As floor tiles are produced by factories on a large scale to make economic sense, it is quite possible the same factory-produced tiles are marketed under different brand-names, and priced differently, to absorb the production.

I believe there may be more to it than meets the eye here.

ADDENDUM: March 2011
Recently I was asked if there's a difference whether tiles are laid in a room breadth-wise or length-wise? Yes, most definitely! Tiles laid aligned lengthwise i.e. the length of the laminated strips laid in the same direction as the length of the room floor, appear more "correct" to our senses. Maybe it has something to do with one's perception that a woman with a "slim and long" figure is more elegant than one who is "short and stubby"? Think men's suit or women's gown - I have never seen a guy wearing a suit with horizontal strips. It's always vertical strips, top to bottom.

Unless, of course, he's a prisoner!

Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer

2011-03-14T22:13:00.007+08:00

their flat, probably because of the hot property market in recent years. He said many now preferred to use town gas instead of LPG for convenience and safety.

Safer than LPG? Yes, he said town gas is lighter than air and so leaks are less likely to cause an explosion because of diffusion, provided the kitchen windows are not shut and there is free circulation of air. LPG is heavier than air and leaks are more dangerous as the gas will collect faster and not dissipate as much into the air.

Gas pipe running below worktop

Most of the gas explosions reported in recent years involved LPG cylinders. Either the regulator had not been changed or the wrong tank was used. In a case 1-2 years ago when an old lady died from a gas explosion, the gas delivery guy was summoned by the CID and questioned at length. Luckily he was cleared because the surviving member of the family acknowledged his wife was at fault. She had insisted on buying a particular tank that was not meant for home use against the advice of the gas delivery man.

Checking bracket height for dryer

Owing to a spate of incidents involving gas explosions, the authorities have tightened regulations. Now all gas delivery man are tested before they could get a

license to deliver and install gas tanks. And it has become mandatory to change gas regulators every 5 years.

Golly, I was surprised because at my old place I had used the same Esso regulator for the past 20 years -- without any incident! Maybe I was lucky, but we always made it a point to turn off the gas knob on the regulator each night before we went to bed.

Gas Meter Installation

Ng fixed the gas meter today (Fri, May 2)

Ng came this morning (Fri, 2-May-08) to install the gas meter outside the flat, as well as to adjust the gas pipe near the Maytag washer. The gas pipe had to be cut and adjusted so that it would not get in the way of the door panel to be installed later. The door panels serve to box up and hide the ugly vertical pipes running from the ceiling to the floor.

Quality-certified gas hose

Some years ago a guy in his twenties died from gas inhalation when he was asleep. The gas had leaked from the kitchen and filled the bedroom. The windows were all shut in the flat as the air-conditioning was turned on. The father who slept in another bedroom was unaffected. Investigations revealed that during installation of the kitchen cabinets, a worker had accidentally punctured the gas pipe (hidden inside the wall) when he drilled the wall to hang a cabinet.

LESSON: Whether your gas pipe is concealed or not, always do a check when the kitchen cabinets are installed by the workers. Owners alway think the worker should know. Don't make this assumption. I have seen so many mistakes (detailed elsewhere on the blog) made by the plumber, the carpenter, the electrician, etc in the course of my flat renovation that I now regularly check the work -- before and after the workers had finished what they were doing.

And don't assume you are safe from leaks when the gas pipe has been installed and everything works properly. Once a while check your gas appliances for any leak --

drill your nose is a good detector for this.

Also, if your immediate neighbor is renovating the kitchen, check that the worker on the other side of the wall separating your two kitchens does not accidentally through the wall to inadvertently puncture your gas pipe! Don't be surprised -- although rare, that incident actually happened.

Workmanship Series
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

Workmanship: Electrical Work

2011-03-14T22:12:00.039+08:00

several electricians and agencies from the ST Classified Ads. Two weeks lapsed quickly. But I was unable to settle on one. Finally I turned to my ID for his contact. Sure enough, he had one 'ready-to-go'. With correspondingly high prices to match - higher than the market's. I persuaded myself to go along with my ID. He - together with his teams - had produced a high quality of work so far. And that was reason enough to pay a premium for Koh, his regular electrician. However, I soon realized I had a problem:

Koh couldn't speak English - *sigh* - he spoke mostly Hokkien. Not only that, my wiring sketch, showing all the electrical points I had planned with annotations and explanations, was also totally ignored! I found that out a few days later when there were several mistakes because he did not follow the plan. Oh, not only Koh couldn't speak English, he couldn't read as well! *sigh-sigh*

Well, not one to ask the guy to absorb costs due to mistakes made - not if I could help it - I reviewed my sketch, decided to make-do with the mistakes and amended my wiring plan accordingly.

The following photos showed the completed wiring done. The kitchen wiring had to be carried out in two stages, the last stage being only after the cabinets, glass backsplash, burner hob, cooker hood, water heater, gas dryer, etc had been put up.

Completed wire runs awaiting installation of kitchen cabinets:

Bedroom ceiling wiring completed

Power socket completed in bedroom

Bedroom 2 wiring with power socket, ceiling light switch

Switches for dining, study and living room area spaces: ceiling lights, ceiling fan, wall lights

Another perspective

Switch in MBR for fan-cum-lights

The electrician Koh came on Wed 23rd April with two assistants to do the wiring for the kitchen cabinets. Several weeks earlier he had already completed the electrical wiring for the apartment, so this was to be a 1-2 hours' work only.

Electrical connection for Oven, Hood, Microwave, Power Sockets

Completed Electrical Connections:
We could not fix the switches at our preferred locations outside the bathroom or toilet walls, because the space outside the toilet would be taken up by the wash basin and mirror, while the space outside the bathroom was occupied by the dish drainer and sink.

Hence the switches for the water heater and toilet / bathroom lights were sited under the roller shelf unit.

Microwave Oven Cabinet with Roller Door

The workmanship and finish of the Malaysian carpenters on the kitchen cabinets was surprisingly good, on par with designer kitchens displayed at posh showrooms in

town. An example is the microwave cabinet. Care and technical competence were displayed in the cabinetry work for the microwave oven. The Malaysians, probably on the ID's directions, had applied the same laminate to the cabinet interior as the exterior, to blend in with the overall design and look when the cabinet roller door is open.

Interior blends in aesthetically with the exterior:

Where the Malaysians fell short of was in the area of foresight and meticulous attention to detail. In other words, the workmanship was excellent but not perfect.

For instance, after Koh had fixed the electrical switch for the microwave oven, I decided to place the oven into the cabinet to try the switch.

And we got stuck: we could slide in the microwave oven but could not plug in the microwave oven. The electrical plug was in the way. The carpenters had not made sufficient allowance for the oven's plug!

Koh gave me a clueless look. I thought long and hard - and came up with a solution: I asked Koh to re-install the single socket rotated 90 degrees, so that the plug would not get in the way of the oven. We were then able to slide the oven into the cabinet -- fortunately!

Tight allowance between socket and oven:

Possibly the ID or the carpenters had forgotten the roller door would take up space inside the cabinet. The height of the cabinet should have been raised by 1-inch to provide clearance for the socket+plug combination.

The oversight happened because mine was a non-standard requirement: I had asked the ID to fix a roller door on the microwave oven compartment. That way we could use

the compartment for storage if we need additional storage space in our kitchen in future. We would then place the microwave oven on the worktop instead.

The roller door could remain open for easy access to the microwave oven, and closed if the compartment is used as a storage space.

Now, isn't that a neat dual function idea?

Workmanship Series
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes

2011-03-14T22:10:00.069+08:00

Related Posts
1 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes - Kitchen
2 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes - Bathroom/Toilet
3 Workmanship: Hiding Pipe-Accessible-HDB Guidelines
4 Workmanship: Plumbing

Preamble
HDB flats built in the 70's and early 80's focused only on the basics. Aesthetics if any were very much an afterthought. The kitchen in my flat showed that design approach: water, sewage and air pipes were all

over the place. All placed without a thought as to how they would affect the bathroom or kitchen layout.

Take for instance the service pipes. Which seemed all over the place. The bathroom has 6 pipes, 3 on the left side, another 3 huge ones on the right. While the kitchen has ~2 huge pipes. With another one in the toilet, I counted a total of nine. Yikes - 9!! I was astonished there were that many.

Kitchen: Ugly Pipes

"No problem," the ID remarked, ".. just cover up those pipes". As access has to be maintained to the pipes, he suggested making floor-to-ceiling doors to hide them. I felt the ID's idea was an overkill. "The placement of the fridge at the corner will hide the pipes," I countered.

"No problem, just cover up those pipes.."

Later I accepted his idea when I (erroneously) detected an occasional stench coming from the floor trap that was connected to the main discharge pipe. Boxing up the corner with floor-to-ceiling doors would mitigate the stench, I thought, before a more permanent solution was reached with the authorities on the stench issue. Let the Cover Up begin!

Hiding Ugly Kitchen Pipes
Taking measurements

How many carpenter uses a spirit level these days?
The right tool ensures quality workmanship

Mark of a professional: Ensuring verticals with spirit level

"Mind the dust.."

Expertly handling the electric jig saw

Ensuring tight tolerances

Result? Close & perfect Fit!

No shoddy work here!

Neat!

Completed Frame, Ready for Laminating

2 Laminate the Frame
Marking out a Thin Laminate Strip

The master at work

Laying the thin Laminate Strip

Close attention to detail

Specialist tool to cut the laminate cleanly

He does the crucial laminating process himself!

3 Fixing the Panel Doors
Ensuring electrical wiring aren't inadvertently covered up

Left Panel Door Fixed

Truly impressive job so far!

Fixing the Right Panel Door

Right Panel Door Fixed

Finishing touches with silicon gun

Completed Frame with Panel Door Opened

Pipes now fully covered up!

Viola! Completed Door Panels - no more ugly pipes

The GE Profile Fridge will front the Panel Doors

Mr Sia the lead carpenter told me he entered the trade at the age of 13. Now 31 years old, he had made

it all: tables, chairs, beds, wardrobes, kitchen cabinets. Even houses constructed from timber and wood planks upto two storeys high!

The guy was extremely hardworking, skipping lunch to continue the work. He was meticulous and took obvious pride in his craft, working a total of 4 (!!) hours to complete the frame and door. I was also impressed with his personality: never once did he raise his voice at the 17-yr old apprentice who was his understudy.

Both guys were Malaysians from Johor. In some perverse way I felt fortunate the Malaysian state had not prospered to the same extent as Singapore. Otherwise we would be paying much higher prices for excellent skills and talent from across the Causeway.

Related Posts
1 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes - Kitchen
2 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes - Bathroom/Toilet
3 Workmanship: Hiding Pipe-Accessible-HDB Guidelines
4 Workmanship-Plumbing

Workmanship Series
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

Workmanship: Doors & Architrave

2011-03-14T22:05:00.091+08:00

Musings aside, we felt a tinge of sadness because we had to leave behind several doors, furniture, wardrobe, and cabinets that were still in good condition as our HDB flat could not accommodate all the beloved paraphernalia from the old apartment.*sigh*

Well, judge for yourself whether the workmanship was up to scratch:

Closeup view to show accurate mitre-joint of architrave

Another perspective

Closeup view of architrave, door frame, and door

Note how the architrave and frame seamlessly meld into a single solid piece?

Architraves
If you've never thought of fixing architraves to your doors, well you don't know what you're missing! Architraves are the wood moldings that frame a door, window or other rectangular opening. In other words, you use an architrave to dress up a door or window, without which the door would look plain. Just look at the "undressed" door vs the door with the architrave added:

Bathroom Door before fixing the architrave

Same door after architrave installation - what a difference!

Bedroom door before architrave

Bedroom room door with architrave

Plain door frame at bathroom and toilet

Door Fixing & Installation
I once tried to re-attach the doors of our beloved 2-door wide rosewood wardrobe. That item was bought from Cheng Meng as part of our bedroom suite. My dear wife had wanted to rearrange the furniture in the MBR (uh-oh, don't they do that all the time?). And I had to remove the 2 heavy wardrobe doors to lighten the load for the shift. In the process of re-attaching the doors, one of the bronze hinges broke.

Being a D-I-Y kinda guy, I bought a replacement set. Screwing on the hinge was simple enough. I found, however, getting the heavy mirrored door to align and shut correctly in perfect alignment with the other door was another proposition altogether. No matter what I did, I could never get the doors aligned! I was not one to give up easily however. But after several days of unmitigated frustration I finally realized getting the doors aligned was beyond me and I had to admit defeat!

Meet Mr Ding Men Hoo, a master carpenter

Door installation is thus not simply a matter of correct measurement, cutting the door to size, and screwing on the hinges to install the door at the job site. It is a complex job requiring a good eye, fine judgement, and skills honed by years of experience.

Meticulous attention to detail

I rue the day when skills such as door installation and fitting are no longer with us because the younger generation don't fancy picking up such skills: they prefer to work in an office environment instead.

I saw how the old master first fitted the door, then took it off, did some swift planeing here and there, all a matter of judgement, then re-fitting the door back again. He did that 2-3 times. Until he was satisfied with the fit and closure of the door. I was indeed fortunate and thankful these skilled craftsmen were still around to fix and install my doors.

Toilet door before architrave installation

Toilet door after fixing architrave

Bathroom door with architrave

Workmanship: Plumbing

2011-03-14T19:45:00.006+08:00

After all, though the kitchen cabinets and worktops had been completed weeks ago, my kitchen had lain idle. What good is a kitchen without the sink?
The plumbers seemed well-briefed on the jobs required.

Kitchen sink is Dead unless plumbed!

"OK, bring it nearer.."

"Got it! Now..tighten the nut please!

Hooray! Waited a long time to see this: sink plumbing completed!

Despite that, I decided to butt in now and then to ensure they do their job properly. I had seen enough of the previous plumber (see my earlier posts) mucking up my rain shower piping and toilet bowl installation to let the plumbers carry on as usual. Fortunately these guys did not resent my intrusions. They took the cue and sought my placement instructions when they had to install a particular accessory or fitting.

Installing the Wash Basin

The apartment came with a single bathroom and a separate toilet, both of which were too tiny for a wash basin inside. Designed in the stark 70's style -- basic, ugly

but functional, hacking the wall separating the two to create a larger bathroom-cum-toilet was impossible. The sewage and water pipes were were in the way, the largest gap between the pipes was a mere 15-inches, too narrow to facilitate movement from the shower area to the toilet.

It was also not possible to re-orient or move the squat toilet bowl needed to give a single bathroom-cum-toilet enclosure, due to the sewage pipe on the floor connecting to the ceiling of the apartment unit below. Any changes to the sewage pipe would affect the flat below.

With no space inside either the bathroom or the toilet for a wash basin, the only viable location was on the wall outside between the bathroom and toilet. To mitigate the very visible and open location of the wash basin, we decided on a designer basin hung on the wall, complemented by a full-height wall mirror and glass shelving.

We chose a basin tap that is squarish in design to fit in with the rectangular basin.

Installing the Basin Tap and Waste Fitting

The wall anchor bolts and sink bracket support

Drilling the bracket support

Fixing the wall anchor bolt

Lifting the sink onto the supports

Tightening the nut on the wall anchor bolt beneath the sink

Deca Wash Basin Model L87S S$350 and Basin Tap E321 S$80

Deca Wash Basin - sitting majestically!

Mistakes Made
The DECA Wash Basin Model L87S does not have the usual stainless steel pop-up waste trap. Instead, the sink has a sloping base that is slightly angled to allow water to flow out to an outlet hole hidden at the back of the basin.

Obviously the angled base in the basin meant the plumber had to be extra mindful to ensure the sink was installed perpendicular to the wall. He was probably not familiar with the basin design. He failed to use a spirit level to check if the sink was installed strictly perpendicular to the wall and simply did the installation as per normal. As a result, the wash basin was fixed slightly angled downwards, in effect canceling the slope of the sink.

When I turned on the basin tap, I found the sink did not discharge the water completely, but left a small puddle behind.

Further, the basin came with 2 hidden fittings holes precut on each side of the main tap hole. A slight but sharp knock on the precut porcelain would have opened up the hole to allow a soap dispenser to be fixed. The plumber however did not open up the fitting hole. He said he was afraid he might damage the sink if he did not knock out the pre-cut porcelain correctly.

As a result I was left with a Bellari soap dispenser that was not fixed on the Deca basin.

LESSON LEARNT:
It was easy to overlook that this wash basin has a slope base and should be installed using a spirit level to check the basin is fixed strictly perpendicular to the wall. Make sure your plumber is aware of that if you choose to buy such a basin.

After looking at the photos of the installation, I realized the downward angle of the basin could be corrected, simply by inserting small pieces of rubber disc at the bottom edge below each anchor screw, so that the basin is slightly angled upwards to correct and level the basin horizontally. The adjustment will maintain the base slope at the correct angle and allow water to be quickly and completed discharged from the wash basin.

The ID noted the suggestion and will ask the plumber to make the adjustment. Without the correct tools it would be impossible to do the adjustment myself.

Second, always get the sanitary ware dealer to deliver the purchased sink item with the fitting hole for additional fittings opened. That way the dealer is responsible

if the basin or sink is damaged in the process of opening the fitting hole. Otherwise your plumber will refuse to open the precut fitting hole fearing he would have to bear the cost if he damages the sink.

Panasonic Instant Electric Heater

Fixing shower heater

Panasonic Water Heater Model DH-3DL2S S$150

KRIS A125 Two-way Shower Tap for Bathroom, S$21

Bathroom Accessories
SS Rack with 32cm Clear Tempered Glass Shelving Model 840144 S$54

Roddex Model 7310 Tissue Roll Holder, S$24

Clothes Hook Model V3, S$18

Roddex Soap Tray S$28 and Bidet Spray S$35

Union Tap Valve Model SS2154, S$8.50 for Maytag Washer

Workmanship Series
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

Kitchen: Splash-back

2011-03-14T19:30:00.016+08:00

Workmanship: Kitchen Works
1 Kitchen: Cooking & Food Storage Zone
2 Kitchen: Microwave Oven Cabinet
3 Kitchen: The Sink Unit
4 Kitchen: Food Preparation & Cleaning Zone
5 Kitchen: Worktop & Kitchen Sink
6 Kitchen: Splashback

Taking Measurements
On 25-April-08 two guys from L&K Aluminum & Glass Works PL came to take measurements for the glass splashback. The glass panel would be spray-painted black and cover the entire back wall of the kitchen cabinet in the photo below.

White tiled wall above burner hob will be covered with glass panel

They brought a special laser beam instrument to aid them in the measurements, probably as a visual aid to assess the exact vertical and horizontal axes for the glass panel.

Laser Beam Instrument

Accurate measurement is the key to good panel fitting

All important parameters are measured twice

Measuring cooker hood height

Ensuring correct measurement for the power socket cut-out

One Month Later - Installation
Today - Thu, 22-May-08 - the L&K guys came to install the glass splash back! Why did it take L&K almost a month after the initial measurement for the installation? Well, they made mistakes.

The guys came within one week after they first took measurements on 25-Apr, bearing 3 glass pieces for the back panel. That took me by surprise.

I had previously asked the ID to remind L&K that the glass splash back should be in one single panel. Any visible seam on the glass splash back would not be a pretty sight. So what were the guys doing with 3 cut glass pieces when they were supposed to bring only one?

Hooray! Now they brought one single glass panel!

I called the ID. The ID assured me the factory had made a mistake. He spoke to the guys, that was followed by some hurried phone calls between the guys and the factory. Finally, the guys acknowledged the mistake, apologized, and promptly took the panels back.

Two weeks later, an L & K guy came in the late afternoon. Asked why, he said the factory had misplaced the earlier measurements! He needed to retake those measurements for the glass splashback. Sigh..another delay!

Tempered Glass

All those mistakes surely cost money. Would the additional costs be charged to us? We don't have the answer, yet. The final bill for the kitchen cabinets has not been tallied. The ID assured us he would tote up all the bills and add 10% for his fee.

Trust is not something we gave easily. It has to be earned. Once lost, trust is seldom regained.

As the ID had shown integrity in his dealings with us so far, we decided to trust him and await the final bill.

Silicone applied to tiled wall

"Oh, don't miss that corner - more silicon please!"

Tempered Glass
When we saw silicon applied to the entire back wall, we asked the guys what would happen if we need to replace the glass. They said they could break and remove the glass panel without affecting the tiled back wall. They assured us the glass panel would not shatter or break from the radiant heat of the burner as they used tempered glass for the panel.

Certified Stamp of Quality for Tempered Glass

Most difficult step - The Final Lift, then Push-to-Fit!

Phew! Perspiration poured in buckets during the Final Lift & Push-to-Fit!

Finishing with silicone sealant around glass edges

A Job Well-Done!

Small gap is necessary for panel installation

We viewed the completed splashback with mixed feelings.

First, the "less-than-perfect" fit of the glass panel where it meets the wall cabinet is a limitation inherent with the installation process. The glass guys had told us before they went ahead to measure and cut the glass that there would be a small line gap where the glass panel meets the top kitchen cabinets to facilitate installation. The gap space is intentional and serves to avoid scratching the base of the white cabinet as the panel is carefully and slowly "pushed" onto the back wall during the actual installation process. It was an inherent aspect of the job, and won't look too obvious or bad either. A similar 2mm allowance was made for the vertical side of the panel. We accepted the explanation.

Second, we thought the original white tiled wall looked pretty good. Maybe we should have gone for a white colored back splash instead? But then, we decided the black splash back looks quite chic and classy. So there - you decide!

Finally, would cleaning up oily residue on the back wall after cooking be easier henceforth? Perhaps it would be, we mused.

But was the extra cost worth it?

Workmanship: Kitchen Works
1 Kitchen: Cooking & Food Storage Zone
2 Kitchen: Microwave Oven Cabinet
3 Kitchen: The Sink Unit
4 Kitchen: Food Preparation & Cleaning Zone
5 Kitchen: Worktop & Kitchen Sink
6 Kitchen: Splashback

Related Posts
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

Workmanship: Worktop & Kitchen Sink

2011-03-14T19:23:00.017+08:00

Related Posts
1 Kitchen: Cooking & Food Storage Zone
2 Kitchen: Microwave Oven Cabinet
3 Kitchen: The Sink Unit
4 Kitchen: Food Preparation & Cleaning Zone
5 Kitchen: Worktop & Kitchen Sink
6 Kitchen: Splashback

The guys from Asuka delivered two completed acrylic worktop pieces on Thursday 24-Apr-08, one for the hob area, the other for the sink area. Only the hob worktop piece was installed. As this worktop will have its own glass backsplash to be fitted later on, the hob worktop piece was made without a backsplash.

Hob worktop without backsplash

The other piece also had no backsplash. So it had to go back to the workshop to add the 5-cm (2-inches) backsplash. The sink worktop will use the white wall tiles (instead of glass panel) as a backdrop, to add contrast to the opposite side of the galley kitchen. Hence the acrylic top needed a backsplash.

Sink worktop piece with cut-out

Spill-proof edging design

Working the surface

Worktop had to return to workshop because backsplash was missing

Sealing worktop edges, now with 2-inch backsplash

Sealing the rim with silicone

Under-mounted sink before finishing touches

Completed worktop with under-mounted sink

NOTE that the acrylic worktop piece is simply laid onto the plywood base. No glue was used as the acrylic piece was made-to-fit the plywood base. The worker used silicone to seal the edges and the sink rim.

That means if we have to replace the sink or worktop in future, it would be a relatively easy and simple job. Just use a knife to slice through the silicone seam and lift up the acrylic worktop piece. The sink can similarly be lifted up and replaced once the silicone seam has been sliced through.

TEST: I tried to shake and move the acrylic worktop. It did not budge and the feel was solid. The supervisor smiled and assured me I had no worries because the acrylic worktop was (1) heavy and (2) the fitting was exact, owing to the templating production process.

These two factors result in a stable, solid worktop, despite no glue being applied to install the worktop.

Related Posts: Kitchen Works
1 Kitchen: Cooking & Food Storage Zone
2 Kitchen: Microwave Oven Cabinet
3 Kitchen: The Sink Unit
4 Kitchen: Food Preparation & Cleaning Zone
5 Kitchen: Worktop & Kitchen Sink
6 Kitchen: Splashback

Workmanship: Walls & Floor

2011-03-14T19:15:00.013+08:00

and having seen for myself the quality of work done, I still harbored some apprehension. Perhaps the workers assigned to my home reno may be a different group? One with not much experience?

My fears were groundless.

For once the tilers started work, it was immediately apparent these people, under Mr Yeau the team leader, took pride in their work. They used sharp knives to cut the tiles. And made effort and time to measure and ensure lines were straight and level, before they commenced tiling. They told me the team allowed only experienced workers to do the tiling. And pointed out a young man who had joined the team recently and was still learning on-the-job. His duties were to help carry the tiles, soak them in water, clean the floor, and other menial jobs. But not do the tiling nor the measurement!

You can imagine my respect for these people shot up several notches. I would be none the wiser had they simply asked the trainee to do the tiling. Of course the outcome would not be what I've seen, maybe even shoddy - as readers have complained on forums.

During the preparatory stage they pointed out my flat had several inherent defects: walls not straight, some

slanted, wall corner edges not true so that plastering had to be carried out first. And uneven floor level.

These tilers were really professional - I saluted them. See their excellent workmanship in these photos!

Beautifully tiled wall, with straight vertical edging, clean lines, thin grouting:

Clean and not jagged abutment of the tile with the wood frame:

Even the tile behind the pipe was beautifully placed:

Cleanly cut hole for unhindered water flow in toilet floor. Also, notice the red thin plastic strip sticking out near the bottom between the tiles? That's how meticulous the tiler was to ensure thin, even grouting!

Very clean and neat tiling on the kitchen wall. See the thin strip of tile carefully and cleanly cut to fit nicely with the door frame?

Excellent joint-work where the living room granite floor meets the kitchen homogeneous tiles. The granite was rounded to remove sharp edges:

Even the cement slab for the kitchen cabinet was neatly tiled:

Graceful touch to granite flooring with additional piece to outside floor:

Living room granite floor before acid wash:

To Be Continued..

Workmanship Series
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

Health Matters

2011-03-11T07:50:00.066+08:00

This series started when I shared a video on cancer prevention on local forums. Some forumers - who recalled I was the poster and pm'ed me - forgot which of my posts gave that link when they wanted their friends to view the video. Instead of replying to each pm, I thought it will save time if I put the link in this post. So that's how this series was inspired - to focus on health and food matters. Issues which are close to my heart, and I'm sure, to many of you!

The series on health and food matters will start soon, with articles featuring health & food talks, great recipes, kitchen gear, and my sous-vide approach to cooking. Which got me excited all over again as I love to carry out experiments in cooking! More on that in due course.

Also, if you can, grab hold of Modernist Cuisine by Nathan Myhrvold. He's a techkie entrepreneur, a former Microsoft technical guru who retired a billionaire. If you cannot get it now, at least you know what Modernist Cuisine is all about - it is that earth-shattering!

Watch the video below - for your health's sake. And ask your loved ones and friends to watch it too!

Health Matters!
1 Can We Eat To Starve Cancer? by Dr William Li on TED
2 Sleep is Far More Important than You Think! by Tony Schwartz in HBR

Money Matters A Lot!
1 Making Money is Easier than Doing Business! by Jason Fried
2 Profitable Stock Investing by GreenCoal

Food Matters too!
1 Teach Kids to Eat Properly by Jaime Oliver on TED
2 Secret to Incredible Food

More Coming soon..

Good Workmanship

2011-03-09T21:43:00.230+08:00

read the ID-User Experience post on my Renovation Guide,
read relevant articles on the How To's series on the Renovation Guide,
read the Mistakes Made series on the Renovation Guide,
follow local forums - such as Renotalk, etc - on user experiences with their IDs,
short-list a few IDs to obtain quotations from each ID,
accompany each ID to see projects-in-progress,
narrow your final choice to 1 or 2 IDs.

Now, before you sign and accept the ID's quotation proposal, you want him to understand and see what you mean by quality workmanship. Once both of you have a common understanding and agreement on the standard of workmanship you expect, you will find it easier to resolve and settle disputes on workmanship that may arise after work has started on your home renovation.

So, sit down at your PC, call up my articles on Workmanship in the above list, and view the photos on workmanship with your ID. Let him see what you mean by good

workmanship through these photos. If he is not confident his workers can produce the quality workmanship displayed on the photos, drop him.

However, if he is confident his team is able to, then you discuss the next issue: What to Do if Disputes Arise on Workmanship?

You'd want to wait until you both agreed on the Dispute Resolution Mechanism before you go ahead to sign and accept the ID's quotation proposal.

To Be Continued..

Workmanship Series
1 Good Workmanship
2 Workmanship: Dispute Resolution
3 Workmanship: Walls & Floor
4 Workmanship: Laminated Floor
5 Workmanship: Electrical Work
6 Workmanship: Air-Conditioner
7 Workmanship: Doors & Architrave
8 Workmanship: Gas Piping & Gas Dryer
9 Workmanship: Kitchen Works
10 Workmanship: Hide Ugly Pipes
11 Workmanship: Windows
12 Workmanship: Plumbing

Review: TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl

2011-03-08T23:45:00.004+08:00

Note: This is an older post that is being revamped and rewritten to better serve readers, as some of you asked where to locate my old post on the TOTO Omni. Well, the link is here and pending revamp, is herein reproduced intact.

Meanwhile, my verdict after using the TOTO product in the past 3 years since installation is:

TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl

Verdict: 5 out of 5 starts - Highly Recommended!

Reasons are as in this post. My good impression has not changed. Plus I will add add'l positive observations.

TOTO Omni Model CW867JT 1/254-V1(W) S$706.20 from Fullsun Marketing

Aside from a review of the TOTO flushing mechanism, we would also talk a bit on our choice of toilet bowl.

Flush mechanism

According to the literature, TOTO flush mechanism combines a special pump to create a powerful water jet, extra-large trap size of 2-1/8" vs 1-3/4" for others, larger 3" flapper valve size vs 2" valves commonly used in others, and a specially contoured bowl to give a "cyclonic" effect to the water flush, all to produce an efficient flushing system using only 6 liters of water.

Our experience using the TOTO Omni seems to bear that out. A light touch on the top valve releases the water, the sediment was flushed quickly and completely from the bowl in 6 seconds.

Not only was flushing good and effective, the toilet bowl fills up within 15 seconds! That was probably due to the fact only 6 liters of water was used in the flush.

We did not dismantle the flush mechanism to see if we could adjust the water volume in the tank, although that seemed feasible.

Maybe if we need to in future we would attempt that. But for now we could not find any issues with the flush system.

Simple, compact and uncluttered flush mechanism

All-plastic construction, no rust! Water level before the flush..

Clears and empties in one flush: water level after the flush

Why TOTO Omni ?

In one word - Design.

We love the clean, simple one-piece design.

Design is important if your toilet is bare, basic, utilitarian -- as ours is.

Our HDB flat came with only one toilet. The toilet was barely big enough - comfortable for one person, yes - but not big enough to accommodate a hand basin. The toilet was a separate enclosure from the bathroom, and it had a squat toilet. We therefore decided we needed a nice-looking toilet bowl to break the monotony and spruce up the stark, utilitarian image. Even if that meant breaking our budget. After all, we only had one single toilet for the whole apartment !

Of course, the toilet bowl not only had to look good, it must also perform flawlessly.

Not more than one flush. That was our benchmark. Some toilet bowls require two flushes to clear the bowl completely. One flush, and you could still see some sediment left behind... haven't you experienced that?

But before you install, how could you know if the toilet bowl needs one or two flushes? The showroom doesn't provide that kind of info. Ask the sales staff, and they will tell you what you want to hear. Not a reliable way to get info, isn't it? And no dealer will guarantee its toilet bowl clears in one single flush.

Faced with the dilemma, we googled for information on the net. We found all the big boys e.g. American Standard, TOTO, Kohler, etc have their own patented flushing systems. We were also able to see their latest designs on the net.

We finally decided to go with TOTO. Their sanitary ware designs were simply elegant and graceful.

And we decided TOTO could not become the market leader in Japan (and possibly the world) unless its products were excellent and did what the company claimed. Therefore its flush system had to be more than acceptable. Our assurance was in the reputation of the brand.

We were also impressed TOTO was always trying to advance the state-of-the-art in toilet technology. For instance, we were surprised TOTO was already into washlets in Japan in the 1980s, when only now washlets are being introduced to the world. We know not of any other sanitary ware manufacturer that produces or markets washlets at this time.

TOTO's NEOREST range of washlets seems to be the rage now. Ever seen a toilet bowl opening its lid to welcome you as you enter the toilet? Or wash your bum with warm water after you have finished your business? Even clears and sanitizes the bathroom of bad odor after you? It even automatically flushes and closes the seat as you walk away!

See more happy bums here.

TOTO Washlet
That was one reason we chose the Omni toilet bowl. We just need to provide an electric power socket near the bowl for the washlet. In future, if we want to we could simply replace the Omni soft-closing toilet seat with any of the TOTO washlet models we fancy, plug in the washlet, and we're done! It's that simple !

Future-proof indeed!

Review Series
1: Blanco Sink - 3 stars
2: Rinnai Gas Heater - Not Rated
3: Fujioh hood FX-900 - 5 stars
4: Rinnai Tumble Dryer RDT-600CG - 5 stars
5: Rinnai Oven RBO-7MSO - 3 stars
6: Bellari Liquid Dispenser - 1 star
7: Rinnai 2-Burner Hob RB-2CG - 5 stars
8: TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl- 5 stars
9: Asuka Acrylic Worktop - 2 stars
10: Premier laminated floor tiles

Update: ID Topic Revisited

2011-03-07T02:04:00.009+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to Choose ID
2 Protect Yourself Against Unscrupulous Contractors
3 Engaging an ID
4 Our Renovation Cost & ID
5 ID Contact
6 ID Update
7 Renovation headaches
8 ID Topic Revisited

Following came from a forum post on Renotalk and my response. Thought it would be useful to share it with other readers.

Note: I have edited poster's portions (shown striked-out) for clarity and also amplified my response where needed.

+++

QUOTE (GrandReno @ Mar 6 2011, 10:59 PM) *
Thanks BlueFly for the writeup on choosing an ID.

Definitely, choosing an ID is more than reading other home owners' recommendations. I agree. But my point is, it's very

difficult to know you've gotten a good one. No one can guarantee that. I've been to several IDs whom I feel are good. But when I read the reviews on Renotalk, I realized they were complaints against them.

You can ask many questions to sift out good IDs from bad ones. But the end result could be different from what you initially expected. Which is why many owners felt cheated. That's the scary part for me.

In short, you don't know who you can trust. You think you have a good ID. He or she makes many promises to you. Makes you feel good. You sign up. Then after that, problems happen. Which is what the poster of this thread is experiencing. And if you read other threads, there are many similar accounts too.

Even the ~~reviews~~ recommendations by forumers - I'm not sure how many are real, how many bogus impersonated ones.

+++

Hi GrandReno,

Nice user ID!!

Actually my point was: it is not solely the ID who is responsible for quality or good workmanship, as explained in my blog article. Asking forumers to recommend their IDs and following the advice is not doing due diligence nor the proper way to choose an ID. Other considerations in your final selection of ID need to be taken into account if you desire quality workmanship and outcome.

Good workmanship is produced by the team of subcons used by the ID. This was apparent when my ID ((i.e. short- listed but before I had accepted his quotation, sneaky huh? tongue.gif ) showed me some projects he handled - both reno-in-progress and completed ones. As you know, most IDs handle several projects concurrently, using different subcon teams for each project. Therefore, I insisted the ID use the same subcon team that had impressed me when I viewed one of the ID's reno-in-progress.

Second, lack of supervision. IDs like any one else, is not a superman. I saw my ID was burnt out handling too many

projects. So knowing mine may suffer from inadequate supervision, I often took time out to check on the work-in-progress myself (my ID usually was not around!). If I saw something was not right, I stopped work and called the ID immediately. He wld get it from me if he hung up or didn't respond within xxx min!!! He usually called back if he was too busy and after we talked, he would then speak on the phone to the subcon head and tell him what was wrong or what I wanted done or changed. That took care of matters. 80-90% of issues were resolved that way, on-the-spot. Lesson is: you've got to preempt, do the checks yourself, don't wait for mistakes to happen, and don't depend entirely on the ID. If you expect good workmanship to happen, dream on. It ain't gonna work.

My ID was a nice guy (although lazy), I liked him, and I cut him some slack. He also saw I was reasonable, he reciprocated with freebies. So we got along fine. My verdict and opinion of him is on my blog, if you wish to know.

Renosian: Thanks for yr pm. To read my article, click on the link below my user ID, ie. my signature below. The article name is underlined and hyperlinked for easy access. Simply click on the one you're interested in and it will bring you to the article, ok? Let me know if you need help further.

Cheers

Bluefly aka Greencoal

Review: Blanco Sink

2011-03-06T22:55:00.022+08:00

Review Series
1: Blanco Sink - 3 stars
2: Rinnai Gas Heater - Not Rated
3: Fujioh hood FX-900 - 5 stars
4: Rinnai Tumble Dryer RDT-600CG - 5 stars
5: Rinnai Oven RBO-7MSO - 3 stars
6: Bellari Liquid Dispenser - 1 star
7: Rinnai 2-Burner Hob RB-2CG - 5 stars
8: TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl- 5 stars
9: Asuka Acrylic Worktop - 2 stars
10: Premier laminated floor tiles

Related Posts
1 Review: Blanco sink
2 Installing the Sink: Plumbing - Sinks

A word about the Review
Our Review is different from other reviews that you read on the Net: we're not armchair reviewers. We bought and installed the product for our own use. No one sponsored us to endorse the product. And we only gave our verdict after at least one year's usage. Obviously, we'd tell you sooner if a product didn't work or performed poorly soon after purchase.

We invite you - if you have bought, installed and used the product to tell us your user experience, particularly after using the product for at least a year.

Whether positive or negative, please give us your feedback. Oh, don't forget to provide your local forum (Renotalk.com, myHomeTown.com.sg, Sengkang.com or Punggol.org) user ID and photos of your kitchen so we could verify you're a bonafide user of the product.

Blanco Sink

We bought the Blanco sink from Hoe Kee

We installed the sink in our kitchen in 2008.

The completed sink sits beneath the dish drainer cabinet

What an elegant-looking sink!

Ready for plumbing..

Finally - the sink is ready for use!

In the first few months, we loved everything about the sink: its design, its shape, ts color, its obvious construction quality. After all, it's made of Silgranite, a type of granite material! We smiled with contentment as we quietly admired the completed sink unit.

Now, three years later - after using the sink daily, we decided to give our Blanco sink 3 stars: maintaining the sink, keeping it clean and tidy daily, was simply too tiresome!

Verdict: 3 out of 5 stars

Two issues about the Blanco sink stood out:

One - A "cloudy" haze along the 4 sink sides made its appearance every few days after we cleaned the sink. Flushing water on the sides didin't make the "haze"

disappear. And applying the usual cleaners e.g. CIF, VIM, etc only made matters worse. We found the best solution was to scrub the vertical sides with a stiff plastic or bristle brush - vigorously. And we had to scrub ever so often, until it became a chore. Oww..we didn't have to scrub our previous sink to keep it nice and clean, we groused as we scrubbed and scrubbed.

Two - Worse, after washing soiled plates and crockery, the debris remained spread all over the sink bottom. Flushing and sprinkling the water to "coax" the debris to the sink outlet took some minutes. Time that was better spent doing other chores, we thought to ourselves.

We think you'll come to the same conclusion and verdict as us after you've had used the sink for some time.

One final advice
If you plan to replace your sink at some time in future, you should not under-mount it as we did. In our case, if we replace the sink we'd have to call in the worktop guy to 1) unseat the worktop, 2) dismount the sink, 3) put in the new sink, then 4) seal the worktop again. Had we mounted the sink atop the counter top, we could replace the sink ourselves as the plumbing part is easy. Actually.. heck - we still love under-mounting our sink! In spite of the hassle when we replace it in future.

Maybe it's time to search for another sink? We'll look for sinks with a sloping bottom, preferably a stainless steel or porcelain one. A sink with water that flows automatically to the sink outlet as plates are being washed. Like my mom's kitchen sink: waste debris always flowed to the sink outlet so ubiquitously we thought that's the way all sinks behaved!! Until the Blanco Sink opened our eyes. Now we know better.

Hit the Shout Box if you've got one to recommend!

Related Posts
1 Review: Blanco sink
2 Plumbing - Sinks

Review Series
1: Blanco Sink - 3 stars
2: Rinnai Gas Heater - Not Rated
3: Fujioh hood FX-900 - 5 stars
4: Rinnai Tumble Dryer RDT-600CG - 5 stars
5: Rinnai Oven RBO-7MSO - 3 stars
6: Bellari Liquid Dispenser - 1 star
7: Rinnai 2-Burner Hob RB-2CG - 5 stars
8: TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl- 5 stars
9: Asuka Acrylic Worktop - 2 stars
10: Premier laminated floor tiles

For Your Further Reference

2011-03-06T20:02:00.008+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Kitchen Worktop
2 My Acrylic Worktop
3 Verdict: My Asuka Acrylic Worktop
4 DIY: Worktop Protector
5 Further Reference
6 Silestone FAQ
7 Maintenance: Granite Worktop

Interesting Read
There is no lack of information on worktops on the Net. You need however to wade through a lot of junk articles before you come across some useful info.

Below are two examples of forum comments posted by industry experts on the materials of worktops that I find useful and relevant. Hit the source link for the full reference.

Source: www.chowhound.com

2. MakingSense May 16, 2007 10:12PM

Interesting thread about choices of countertops. We sell all three types, granite, quartz and solid surface (corian type).

Granite always wins the beauty contest, till one of the polyester colors gets noticed. About half of the visitors at a home and garden show will think it is granite. Good granite can be a good countertop, if you do your homework on the

types available and are careful who you get to fabricate it. Heat however will occasionally crack a granite top, the local big box stores have placards warning of this, and it has been our experience as well, so we warn customers not to put hot pots on their top. Usually the crack occurs as the top cools. Some have posted on the heat sink abilities of stone, which causes it to expand locally while the rest of the top isn't moving. This sets up stresses that will cause a crack on occasion, especially in highly fissured materials.

Some mentioned the resined products, which have acrylic resins, the same as in solid surface, spread on one or both sides. Usually this is done to bring an unsuitable stone to market, because of cheapness or beauty of that particular vein. One thing to watch out for is an unscrupulous fabricator staining the edge of the resined tops in an attempt to get it to match the rest of the stone. It does wear off with time.

Make sure your granite is rodded both front and back of all cutouts. This isn't to prevent cracking, it won't, it is to hold the pieces together so the installer can patch it.

One in five tops gets broken prior to installation, one of the reasons why no one will warranty granite tops.

Make sure they use sink clips, not just epoxy for the sink mounting. The cross members are even better, but the clips are still installed by the best shops.

Staining, so many stones, so many degrees of tolerance by customers and so many standards of neatness by homeowners and cooks. We recommend that customers save the beautiful granite top for when the kids leave home. Too many pizza boxes get left out with kids in the house, peanut butter, anything with an oil base will mark the tops if it is not quickly wiped up. Most reputable stone sites will tell you this on their care and maintenance pages.

Two of the most notorious warnings about granite are radon and bacteria. Some say the radon is over rated, and it is just about what you would get from watching tv for eight hours, or sitting at a computer screen for the same, but the Chinese govt has classified granite into three grades, A, B, and C. The A grade have a small enough amount to put inside homes, the B's have more radioactivity and can be used in public buildings in moderation. The C grades are bad enough that they must be used only on exteriors of buildings. The Chines govt bans the export of A grade, if I remember correctly, so check the source of your granite carefully. There is a study online on Springer link if anyone is interested.

The bacteria, well that depends on who you ask. The stone industry latched onto a study done a couple of years ago by a stainless steel group that had stone ranked second in cleanability. Once you read the fine print, it actually a study of kill rates of bacteria on surfaces. Stainless and stone had higher kill rates, or worded another way, they had higher numbers of bacteria on them after being inoculated with bacteria, and when sanitized they rinsed off more dead bacteria than other surfaces.

The MIA, a stone group, redid the study in such a way that granite "won" the test, and have been publishing this everywhere. The first study, however left out not only solid surface (corian) but quartz surfaces, the market leaders in tops, and chose other materials that have less than eight percent market share combined. The second study also left out the market leaders of countertops. One should ask why they were left out. Also, do the math after you read the study, it would take 176 gallons of water to rinse off your countertops if you used their method, also they recommend you NOT use their sanitizing method on stone countertops.

Quartz is also not intended for hot pots, our warranty and template sheets all state this clearly, as does the manufacture manuals and warranty sheets. It will also scratch, which are near impossible to remove with out spending a half a day of

extremely high priced labor . That said it performs better with kids in the home than granite. It can be damaged by UV, which is not considered a warranty defect, it is expected to change color somewhat as it ages, but watch for putting things like toasters or cannister sets long term, it will leave light or dark spots depending on color. Also listed on the manufacturer sheets is oil, inks, permant markers and high pH cleaners or things like scotchbite or Comet. It is composed of about 35% solid surface with stone chips embeded.

Solid surface is what I put in my kitchen. we work six days a week in the high end kitchen business with little free time for maintenance. Sinks five or six years ago could crack if exposed to ice and boiling water at the same time, but they fixed that about four years ago and now warranty it not to occur. They can be repaired in place or replaced easily. Same with scratches. In six years of selling tops, we have polished out six scratches in solid surface tops, all but one were prior to the homeowner moving into the home. Granite and quartz, well we do not offer scratch removal as it is impractical at best, solid surface scratch removal is free since it takes so little time.

One of the best things about solid surface is it's ability to stay sanitary. It and quartz are approved by the National Sanitation Foundation for food prep, one reason why you won't see too many granite tops in a fast food store. All materials in solid surface are FDA approved, don't believe that quartz or engineered stone can claim that since quartz chips are not FDA approved.

I belong to a group of countertop fabricators that fab and sell all types of materials. We are in the middle of a study on bacteria and materials that focuses on what is left after cleaning, since in our minds that is the important thing. True bacteria and stainless will allow more bacteria to grow, but that is a negative not a positive. So far, the tests have shown that granite ranks poorly if the sealer is worn, but even with new sealer it retains and allows far more growth of bacteria than solid surface. Even after sanitizing, the results show that solid surface was NSF approved for a reason.

Here is a link that supports this, done by microbiology experts. Note the difference between granite and polypropylene when measured with different strains of bacteria, but the important one was raw chicken juice which the granite soaked up three times more than any other surface. The MUSC variety was cultured from chicken breast meat, and is far less dangerous than the EMB cultured from juice.

https://repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt/b...

Good luck on your choice of tops, if cared for and maintained, you will enjoy any of them. Be sure and seal granite often and sanitize even more often.

Carpentershop May 08

====

jean larosa May 08, 2007 06:31PM

1. re: jean larosa

Jean, sorry for the late reply, but get your sealer from the place that you bought your granite from. You don't want to mix the water based sealers and the solvent based sealers. If in doubt, use acetone to strip the old sealer before you reseal.

The big box stores are all about margin on what they sell, not what is best. Your stone fabricator will have a vested interest in selling you a good sealer.

That said, there is one that has been a favorite with many shops. It is called Miracle 511 sealer / enhancer. Another called STT SB is showing quite a following, but it is new. I like the 511 personally, but the new one might do just as well.

Do your research on your type of granite, go to a good stone site first and ask if they recommend sealer on it. Thing you have to watch for is the double talk that many are good at. Some stone guys think that telling people that granite needs sealing is bad for business, others are more interested in making sure they get no callbacks on stains, so they will recommend the sealant.

You can also overseal which is the cause of many customer complaints on granite, people will write that every time they use their stone tops, they leave a new mark.

What the real problem turns out is that they have put a coating on a harder surface, the softer of the two will get marked up easily.

Darned if you do and darned if you don't, which is why we recomend solid surface for many families. As long as you understand that granite will stain and look at it as a character mark, distressing so to speak (the rest of the world looks at it this way), can live with less than perfection on the surface, you will enjoy your granite top.

One interesting thing happened on our latest round of testing. The sealed products bred bacteria by a huge factor over unsealed granite. So much so that we are repeating the test to look for errors. Another result that was not going to be appreciated was a microban infused quartz product that performed poorly, very poorly although it grew mostly general coliform bacteria, it grew a lot of them. It will be re tested as well. So much can go wrong when you are dealing with microbiology testing, it pays to retest and be conservative.

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Kitchen Worktop
2 My Acrylic Worktop
3 Verdict: My Asuka Acrylic Worktop
4 DIY: Worktop Protector
5 Further Reference
6 Silestone FAQ
7 Maintenance: Granite Worktop

How to Choose: Kitchen Worktop

2011-03-06T19:53:00.009+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Kitchen Worktop
2 My Acrylic Worktop
3 Verdict: My Asuka Acrylic Worktop
4 DIY: Worktop Protector
5 Further Reference
6 Silestone FAQ
7 Maintenance: Granite Worktop

Note: This is an update of an older article.

In deciding what kind of worktop I should get for my kitchen, I used the following criteria, in no particular order of importance:

- Resists heat, stains, scratches
- Easy to maintain
- Durable
- Beautiful
- Affordable

A note about "affordable". I am using that term in the subjective sense here -- "affordable" does not equate to "cheap" or "expensive" per se.

Our acrylic worktop is affordable, durable, pretty, easy to maintain

To me, a worktop that costs $4,000 and lasts a lifetime is cheaper than another that costs $1,000 and lasts say, 5 years, all other things being equal.

If the worktop is easy to maintain, looks good, and lasts a long time -- that worktop is affordable to me. I am pretty laid-back and hate to expend time, effort and money to replace a functional worktop when it is serving its purpose well day-in, day-out. So in that sense the $4,000 worktop is affordable to me, the $1,000 worktop is not. Not because of price, but because of my value system.

Thus someone who values the latest trend or latest innovation in worktops will find the $1,000 worktop "more" affordable because he will probably replace his worktop within 5 years. Sure, he too can afford to buy the $4,000 worktop -- but price is not the issue here. The term "value for money" encapsulates the idea.

Granite, Silestone, Slate & Other Stones
Initially I was drawn to granite: it is beautiful, hard-wearing, and long-lasting. Or so I thought.

Not so, said users who have had used granite worktops. Reason? Granite is not a homogeneous stone, there are fissures and areas of high stress in the rock. Some users reported their granite tops developed cracks after about 5-8 years of usage. Therefore hot pots and pans should not be placed directly onto the granite worktop, but on trivets or other protection placed atop the granite surface.

Also, contrary to what I thought -- granite is porous! Simple test: pour water on a granite floor, wait a few minutes and then wipe off the excess water. You will see the granite tile become much darker than another adjoining tile that is dry. That is because water was absorbed by the granite tile when you poured water onto it.

Owing to its porosity, the granite dealer advised me not to use any chemical to clean the granite floor, just plain clean water will do.

Likewise, granite worktops may absorb stains depending on how porous that particular area is. Depending on luck, you may get a top which is impervious and that is fine. In any event, granite used in worktops should be sealed and maintained regularly, with re-sealing once every 5-6 months to maintain the worktop in pristine condition.

Silestone offers the least maintenance, but not everybody like the colors or patterns available, although the premium range looks real beautiful to me. Locally

the range is limited, however. Silestone is very pricey, more expensive than granite for the premium range. Those who don't like it said it looks similar to terrazoo stone while others reported the joints split after some years.

I shall not go into slate, sandstone or other natural stones that are also used for worktops.

Acrylics
Corian, like other acrylic-based worktops, has its share of maintenance issues too. They stain badly. If you don't believe, rub tumeric powder or yellow ginger onto the surface, then try to clean off the stain after 5-10 minutes. Also, some users experienced rings on the top after placing hot pots and pans directly on the surface.

Hence, acrylics' maintenance is no more arduous than natural stones', probably less as no regular re-sealing is required. As for heat and stains, the care needed to maintain the worktop in pristine condition is the same as natural stones. Acrylics however is softer than natural stones and scratches more easily. That same hardness attribute makes it easier to remove scratches too.

When we first installed our Corian worktop 20 years ago we didn't know better, and believed everything the product literature said. Such as "heat-resistant" which we took to mean we could carelessly place hot objects on the worktop. Or "stain-resistant", which meant we didn't have to wipe off curry-paste spills immediately.

One other point: acrylic worktop like Corian may "yellow" with time, particularly if your worktop is a lighter color such as cream or white. My old worktop was a light sand color: it showed its age after 9-10 years. Darker patches also developed with time near the microwave oven, probably as a result of placing hot containers there after taking them out of the microwave.

Acrylic worktop made-to-order and custom-fitted to cabinet base

Sinks moulded from one piece Corian or acrylic top? That used to be the rage a

decade ago. Few now go for that, as the sink encounters stains and is difficult to maintain its original clean look, especially after one has poured hot coffee followed by ice cubes into the sink. That comment came from users who have had sinks moulded in Corian or other acrylic polymers in a one-piece worktop.

Others
Solid glass worktop seems to be a recent innovation, similar to Silestone. However, worktop glass needs to be custom-ordered and the kitchen skilfully designed to bring out glass' appeal (read: lighting techniques). Locally, I believe glass worktops are not available yet because special installation skills are required.

Some use cement worktops successfully, some use tiles, Formica, even stainless steel. Others use solid wood worktops such as those from Ikea which are beautiful but seem to have been surpassed in popularity by acrylics and natural stone.

Summing Up
Now, after looking at several different materials for the kitchen workshop and their attributes -- such as solid glass, solid wood, granite, marble, acrylics, silestone, cement, tiles, etc -- I finally decided on a simple acrylic worktop for my new kitchen.

Acrylic worktop is easily lifted up without damage to underlying cabinet base

Why so? Well, let me share my findings, which are by no means exhaustive. They may also not be applicable in your case, because of differing values, as mentioned earlier. So no offense intended!

Resistance to stain, heat, scratches - No single worktop material meets all three requirements satisfactorily e.g. acrylics are affected to some degree by heat, stain, and scratches -- despite what the promotional blurbs say.

Even Silestone, which requires least maintenance, needs careful placement of hot pots and pans to avoid thermal stress. The following was extracted from a leading US producer of Silestone under its Care and Maintenance section:

QUOTE:

CAUTION

The following will harm Silestone Quartz: Drano®, Liquid Plumr®, oven cleaners and floor strippers. Do NOT use these or any other harsh chemicals on your Silestone surface.

CAUTION

Do NOT use crock pots or electric skillets while in direct contact with your Silestone surfaces. Always place them on a trivet or cutting board to protect your countertop. (Review your electric appliance manual as a reference.) Silestone is a stone product. As with any natural stone, certain exposure to heat may cause cracks due to thermal shock.

UNQUOTE

Durability, beauty, easy to maintain -- All worktops, no matter what material they are made of, are beautiful and durable, provided care is taken in maintaining them.

That means:

- don't place hot pots and pans directly on the worktop surface
- wipe up stains and liquids on the worktop surface immediately
- clean, dry, and polish the worktop surface at the end of the day
- if sealing is mandated, apply sealer regularly as recommended by the dealer

Given the above, my conclusion is an acrylic-based worktop. It requires no more (in fact, less) maintenance and care than worktops of natural stones or other materials, yet is as beautiful and durable as the others.

And since I cannot find any unique benefit in using Corian over other acrylic worktops, I simply went for a custom-made acrylic worktop produced by Asuka, a local factory.

Judge for yourself whether the worktop looks more or less beautiful than Corian
To us the acrylic worktop looks the same as any other acrylic-based worktop such as Corian. Value for money indeed !

ADDENDUM
13-May-08 : After reaching home from shopping at Sheng Siong, we placed the plastic

grocery bags onto the acrylic worktop, prior to putting away the groceries for storage. After storing the groceries, we cleared the plastic bags and found to our surprise that the worktop was stained with the blue dye from one of the printed grocery bags that had lain directly on the worktop.

We tried using soap, and when that failed to remove the stain, we used Lemon Pledge that was recommended by the worktop guys previously. The blue stain came off a bit but did not disappear entirely. Finally we tried thinner, and viola! the stain was removed.

So keep a bottle of thinner that may be purchased from any hardware shop in the kitchen.

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Kitchen Worktop
2 My Acrylic Worktop
3 Verdict: My Asuka Acrylic Worktop
4 DIY: Worktop Protector
5 Further Reference
6 Silestone FAQ
7 Maintenance: Granite Worktop

Showcase: Kitchen Taps

2011-03-06T17:08:00.005+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Kitchen Taps
2 Showcase: Kitchen Taps

Note: This is an older article rewritten to provide latest updates.

Faucets and fittings shown here were shot at the showrooms of Poh Joo (Jln Besar), Bellari (Jln Besar), Fullsun (Jln Besar), Indulge (Balestier), Sim Siang Choon (Changi) and Hoe Kee (Plaza Singapore).

Other fittings

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Kitchen Taps
2 Showcase: Kitchen Taps

How to Choose: Kitchen Taps

2011-03-06T17:05:00.007+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Kitchen Taps
2 Showcase: Kitchen Taps

Note: This is an older article rewritten to provide latest updates.

A reader wanted to know where we sourced our tap fittings, and whether if we had any to show on the blog. Sorry we had overlooked that. We feature them in this and the next post.

However, some comments might be in order first.

The taps and fittings shown here were those that caught our eyes, not because we approved of them, but because they looked pleasing or were unusual.

We were looking for taps and fittings that were reasonably priced, functional and looked good -- in that order. Even if the tap was made in China, but looked nice, functioned well, and priced reasonably, that was good enough for us.

So by and large the fittings shown here were priced in the mainstream range i.e. $100-$300.

Why no designer faucets?
But why no faucets and fittings from Grohe, Hansgrohe, or Hans?

Well, we had learnt our lesson.

Our old apartment had Grohe and Hans faucets exclusively. They were well-crafted, beautifully designed, and pricey.

A red-and-white Grohe kitchen faucet with a retractable hose and tap set us back S$700.

That was in 1986, when anything over $300 was considered pricey. Though perhaps not today.

And what was our experience like with the Grohe faucet?
Well, when we first turned on the faucet, the water flow was barely enough to wash the cups and plates. We thought that was normal, and attributed the slow water flow

to a water filter under the sink.

However, some years later the faucet became clogged and water stopped flowing from the tap altogether. We then replaced it with a stainless steel tap bought from a hardware store.

And were we shocked -- after the replacement, water flowed through that $35 tap fitting swiftly! We were surprised. We had thought the water filter had impeded the water flow through the Grohe tap. Apparently that was not so.

Excellent stainless steel faucet

We believed the Grohe faucet was made with a narrower bore for European markets. There most people lived on landed properties and water pressure was not an issue, unlike in Singapore where the majority lived in high-rise flats. Here water pressure was always a concern on higher floors, and faucets with narrower bores would impede water flow.

Today the situation is different. Imported taps and fittings (and sanitary ware)
require PUB approval before dealers are permitted to sell them. It is likely Grohe and other European products for the Singapore market now suit local conditions.

But why tempt fate? Better safe than sorry, we decided to go for mainstream taps and fittings for our new kitchen and bathroom.

Our experience with the cheap but effective $35 tap was an eye-opener. We liked it so much we took that tap with us. It is now fitted to the new Blanco sink. And it still worked beautifully. Water rushed out when we turned on the tap.

Strong water flow from faucet

Thus you will not see any Grohe or Hangrohe tap fittings here. In any case, we had visited the Hansgrohe boutique at Mohd Sultan Rd and wanted to take photos of some designer taps for the blog. Our request to shoot was politely turned down.

We realized later, however, it was no loss actually. Some of the products seen at

outlets at Jln Besar, Balestier and elsewhere looked uncannily like the Grohe or Hansgrohe products, although they were being retailed at mainstream prices! We wondered whether these were knock-offs or made under license?

How to choose taps and fittings
Do you choose the tap to fit the sink, or choose the sink to fit the tap? Well, we usually chose the sink first, then chose the tap to fit the sink. The sink is a larger piece and has greater visual impact, and is probably noticed before the tap fitting, isn't it?

When choosing taps, consider the color, shape and design of the sink.

Our old designer taps were in white enamel. Nice, but we now think stainless steel fittings are more practical.

Stainless steel taps and fittings never lose their brand-new look. Simply wash the fitting with soap and water, then wipe dry with a clean rag. And the tap looks as good as new! Even years later.

And be aware of the difference between mixer taps, meant for hot and cold water, and taps that supply cold water only.

As for tap washers, because taps are subjected to frequent and heavy usage, we went for taps that use normal leather washers, instead of the more expensive ceramic ones. Our old designer taps used ceramic discs in a cartrdige. Although they never failed us, we were told we would need to place an order if the discs wore out and the ceramic cartridge had to be replaced.

Finally, you could get taps and fittings for bathtubs, basins, and showers in a coordinated range that follows a common design theme. Some designers recommend that for a unified and consistent look throughout the kitchen, bathroom and toilet.

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Kitchen Taps
2 Showcase: Kitchen Taps

Air Conditioner Cooling Algorithm

2011-03-06T16:21:00.003+08:00

Related Posts
1 Choosing an Air Conditioner
2 Energy Saving Tips for Air Conditioners
3 Installation & Placement of Air-con Units
4 Air Conditioner Cooling Algorithm

Addendum: Choosing an Air Conditioner
"Cooling" Programmable Modes
This is an important but under-researched topic for buyers / users. No one seemed to talk about this issue on the Net.

Now, we all know each air con unit comes with programmable modes that determine how the fan coil cools the air. What is less known is that each brand (including

perhaps models under the same brand) has its own algorithm to cool the room, and the comfort level you get depends on how the cooling is implemented by the algo. I found this out only after I had slept in a flat cooled by a Mitsubishi Starmex vs another cooled by a Daikin system. Both systems were new, comparatively at about the same age in terms of advances in aircon technology and development. The Daikin 4+1 system came with the new property we bought; TOP was given around end-2007. We were able to experience the Daikin-cooled flat before leasing out, after we installed lighting, curtains, etc in early 2008. We installed the Starmex 3+1 inverter system in our hdb flat.

We were surprised at how much more comfortable sleep was in the Starmex-cooled BR compared to the Daikin one (hit the Shout Box if you want more specifics).

I suggest you try out different aircon brands where possible. Spend a night with your relatives, neighbors or friends to try out their aircon systems, if they had installed a system different from the one you intend to install. That way you could

find out which system suits you better. Your experience may differ from mine, as our bodies adapt and react differently to the same aircon system, although I don't think so.

Actually we wanted to buy Daikin because it had served us well in our previous apartment. In the 20 years we lived there, only one of the fan coils required a major repair - a circuit board became faulty and had to be replaced. However, we found Daikin didn't have a 3+1 system that meets the power limitations of our hdb flat. After researching several brands we settled on a Starmex 3+1 system.

Lucky for us!

A: Product Review Series & Rating

2011-03-06T11:38:00.029+08:00

Review Series
Review: Blanco Sink - 3 stars
Review: Rinnai Gas Heater - Not Rated
Review: Fujioh hood FX-900 - 5 stars
Review: Rinnai Tumble Dryer RDT-600CG - 5 stars
Review: Rinnai Oven RBO-7MSO - 3 stars
Review: Bellari Liquid Dispenser - 1 star
Review: Rinnai 2-Burner Hob RB-2CG - 5 stars
Review: TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl- 5 stars
Review: Asuka Acrylic Worktop - 2 stars
Review: Premier laminated floor tiles
Review: Kris Dish Drainer Rack - 4 stars
Review: Panasonic Electric Shower Heater - 4 stars
Review: KDK Ceiling Fan - 4 stars
Review: KDK Ventilation Fan - 5 stars
Review: Amasco Ceiling Fan - 3 stars

Writeup will follow as soon as time permits on:
Review: Toilet Roll Holder - 2 stars
Review: Soap Holder - 4 stars
Review: Rain Shower Head & Arm - 4 stars
Review: Washer Tap Fitting - 4 stars
Review: Bidet Hand Spray - 4 stars
Review: 2-Tier Bathroom Glass Rack - 3 stars
Review: Dish Drainer Rack - 4 stars
Review: Sharp MW Oven - 4 stars
Review: Philips Bagless VC - 4 stars
Review: DECA Wash Basin - 2 stars
~~Review: Kris Dish Drainer Rack - 4 stars~~
~~Review: KDK Ceiling Fan - 4 stars~~
~~Review: KDK Ventilation Fan - 5 stars~~
~~Review: Amasco Ceiling Fan - 3 stars~~
~~Review: Panasonic Electric Shower Heater - 4 stars~~

More Coming soon..

What Do My Star Ratings Mean?
I will expand more later or fine-tune or change my evaluation method for better clarity or consistency, but for now here's roughly my subjective guide:

5 Stars: Highly Recommended, All the factors in 4-Stars awarded Excellent, I can recommend to Buy without hesitation.

4 Stars: Recommended, Good or VG Performance, Good or VG Quality, Good or VG Function, Good or VG in All Counts, Can Buy with Confidence.

3 Stars: Functional for me, but lacking in some aspects or features, Can buy but I won't recommend or with-hold my recommendation for further evaluation as there may be better models out there.

2 Stars: Barely Functional, Not Recommended at All!

1 Star: Non-functional, Money Wasted, Awarded 1 Star only bcoz I liked its design or some other aspect, But I Wouldn't Buy the Product Again!

0 Star: Total Disaster! I Wanna Money Back!

Important Notice: My reviews and verdict are strictly confined to specific models of a particular brand that I bought and used. Readers should kindly note that other models within the same brand may be better or worse in terms of function, reliability or performance than the model reviewed.

Article Index: How To

2011-03-05T09:25:00.016+08:00

How to Choose: ID / Contractor
How to Choose: Cooker Hood
How to Choose: Air Conditioner
How to Choose: Kitchen Taps
How to Choose: Kitchen Worktops
How to Renovate Your Home
How to Plan Your Kitchen
How to Light Up your Living Space
How to Create a Clutter-free PC Desktop
How to Ensure Proper Installation of Toilet Bowl

Coming soon!
How to Choose: Windows
How to Invest in Properties
How to Invest in Listed Stocks

How to Create Clutter-free PC Desktop

2011-03-04T13:12:00.000+08:00

Preamble
I am surprised my post titled "Clutter-free PC Desktop" still attracts a fair amount of interest from readers.

Problem is, you need to click a link that takes you to another blog - Nikon Workshop - as my article was posted there. Yes, you guessed it: I am the author of Nikon Workshop too. Some of you are photo fanatics like I am. That's why I may bring some posts on that blog to this blog to make it more convenient for you to access. That will be a future project. Well, for now I will bring only this post, revamped a bit, to show you how to create a clutter-free desktop.

Oh-oh..but what has a Clutter-free PC Desktop gotta do with this blog? Well, since we spend a prodigious amount of time on the office-and-home PC, seeing our PC Desktop clutter-free may inspire and remind us to keep our home(s) clutter-free too! The real deal is I wanted to put up a post on how to keep the home clutter-free.

But that takes time, a lot of time. Aside from ideas I have, I need to research the Net for relevant useful info and advice. Especially as searches serve up countless junk pages that require me to sift and wade through before I could get info relevant to my subject.

Hopefully, a post on my clutter-free desktop may serve up Google ads that make it easier to locate more info. Some links provide useful articles, other links provide ads that have relevant info, as explained in-depth in my blog post.

+++

Here's the tutorial on the Clutter-Free PC Desktop.

The Desktop is usually cluttered with a lot of icons. The objective of this

exercise is to move all those icons onto a toolbar (called the desktop toolbar) that you place either at the top or side of your screen display. You then select and set a high-resolution image as the monitor screen background.

Thus there is a toolbar called 'desktop toolbar' that displays the icons, and there is a Desktop that refers to your monitor display. Confusing, isn't it - who else always does that, but MS Windows ?! *grin*

So you have the Desktop or screen display and the Desktop Toolbar aka the desktop widget that is initially hidden in the Toolbar menu, until you bring it up and display at the side or top of the display screen. Got that?

Step 1 - Clear the Desktop of all icons.
Right-click anywhere on the your PC monitor screen, then click on Arrange Icons By and uncheck Show Desktop Icons on the drop-down menu. Once you uncheck Show Desktop Icons all the icons will disappear on the screen display aka Desktop. See the picture below:

Clutter-free Desktop

Clear desktop of icons

Note the above screen capture had the Show Desktop Icons checked, which meant the icons were displayed on the desktop. I cheated, and cropped the icons out of the screen capture ! But you get the idea, right?

Step 2 - Desktop Toolbar
Once you have cleared the desktop, the next step is to unhide or display the desktop toolbar.

Go to the toolbar at the bottom of the screen, right-click on an empty space near the time display, select Toolbars on the pop-up menu, and check Desktop on the drop-down menu. That will unhide the desktop toolbar or widget. When you complete that step, a desktop widget will appear on the horizontal toolbar next to the time display area.

Select Toolbars-->Check Desktop

Desktop Widget

You then drag that desktop widget and place it either at the side or top of the display screen, like so:

Desktop toolbar placed at the side of the screen display

Finally, open (simply double-click on the file) any high-resolution image you like, right-click on the image that is opened, and click on Set as Desktop Background.

Another Desktop Photo
If you like, you may wish to download a high-resolution 1280x1024 px image of the pretty Thai actress below as your desktop image. Simply right-click on the image and click "Set as (Desktop) Background..". The photo was shot by my dear wife at a marriage function in Thailand and copyright-owned by her. I didn't watermark our Copyright on the photo as it is meant to be for your private use - on your PC desktop. Nevertheless, please respect the Copyright and do not flog the image around on the Net, ok?

How to Choose: Windows

2011-03-04T12:39:00.001+08:00

shatter-proof
felt-lined
tinted
weather-sealed
design : lourvre, sliding, casement

How to Choose: Oven

2011-03-04T11:39:00.004+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Oven
2 Verdict: Rinnai oven RBO-7MSO

Coming soon...

In Brief: Our Criteria

1 Traditional Range Cooker or Built-in? Range has both oven & stovetop, dual energy, latest tech

2 Gas or Electric? If gas - LPG or Towngas?

3 Design Considerations for Built-in :

- Standalone vs Built-in
- Placement, why below stovetop, why not?
- Visible or covered up with matching cabinetry door?
- Controls

4 Ease of Maintenance: self cleaning vs catalytic vs continuous

5 Features

- 4 layer glass door
- slide out shelving
- rotiserie?
- programmable vs simple timer

6 Budget

7 User reviews

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Oven
2 Verdict: Rinnai oven RBO-7MSO

Review: Rinnai Oven RBO-7MSO

2011-03-03T15:30:00.005+08:00

Rinnai oven RBO-7MSO

Verdict: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Another frequent query was our take on the Rinnai oven. Well, so far I have mixed feelings about it. It performs as what an average oven is supposed to do. But I am not happy, yet. The Rinnai oven has failed to match my previous Bauknet oven, a premium German brand. As mentioned elsewhere on my blog, everything I cooked in my Bauknet oven turned out perfectly - because the oven's heating elements were top-notch and consistent. Maybe the Europeans are better at making ovens than the Japs? FWIW, Rinnai's oven was made by an Italian factory. Well, so much for the "European" heritage.

Rinnai Oven RB-MSO below the Microwave Oven

My family's Bauknet oven was able to roast chicken that came out juicy, succulent, perfectly roasted. Time after time, consistently. And we had it for 15 yrs! Not so with the Rinnai oven: it produces inconsistent roasts, sometimes ok, sometimes off. I suspect it may be due to the heating elements, or insulation, or something else. Or perhaps we have not "broken" it in just yet? Of course, external factors may also be a reason for the inconsistent result, such as using chicken of different

weight or size, etc. But we think that is unlikely as we have done trials and still the outcome was not consistent. For the time being we are inclined to give it 3 out of 5 stars. Hope that will satisfy those who pm'ed me.

Hopefully, as we continue to use the oven and give it more time to break-in, it may improve. So far, the only feature we're unhappy with the oven is the quality of our roasts. In all other aspects it performed as expected.

Related Posts
1 How to Choose: Oven
2 Verdict: Rinnai oven RBO-7MSO

Review Series
1: Blanco Sink - 3 stars
2: Rinnai Gas Heater - Not Rated
3: Fujioh hood FX-900 - 5 stars
4: Rinnai Tumble Dryer RDT-600CG - 5 stars
5: Rinnai Oven RBO-7MSO - 3 stars
6: Bellari Liquid Dispenser - 1 star
7: Rinnai 2-Burner Hob RB-2CG - 5 stars
8: TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl- 5 stars
9: Asuka Acrylic Worktop - 2 stars
10: Premier laminated floor tiles

Review: Rinnai Gas Heater

2011-03-03T13:37:00.008+08:00

A word about the Review
Our Review is different from other reviews that you read on the Net: we're not armchair reviewers. We bought and installed the product for our own use. No one sponsored us to endorse the product. And we only gave our verdict after at least one year's usage. Obviously, we'd tell you sooner if a product didn't work or performed poorly soon after purchase.

We invite you - if you have bought, installed and used the product to tell us what your user experience, particularly after usage for at least a year. Whether positive or negative, please give us your feedback. Oh, don't forget to provide your Renotalk user ID and photos of your kitchen so we could verify you're a bonafide user of the product.

***

We bought the Rinnai gas water heater REU-W1610WF-RS at the Citygas showroom for $703 after a 10% discount. Installation fee of $120 was chargeable. The unit

is sold with a remote control and had a capacity of 16 liters per min. A Citygas technical officer came to inspect the premises and approved the proposed installation of the unit.

However, we decided to cancel the purchase a week later. Lucky for us the unit had to be shipped from Japan, where it was produced. Had it been shipped we probably won't get a full refund, if at all!

Our Verdict: Not rated - purchase was cancelled for a full refund

Reason for the cancellation?
We felt the piping arrangement (too many pipes!) was not a pretty sight in the kitchen, particularly at the appliance itself. Moreover, we had to cut a 2-inch hole in the window glass or brick wall to vent the gas heater externally -- again not a pretty sight! In the end we felt an electric instant water heater was more convenient and less daunting decor-wise.

We were lucky we canceled the purchase. After the Rinnai dryer had been installed, we found the space on the wall beside the dryer insufficient to install the proposed gas heater. See our kitchen photos depicted elsewhere on the blog for yourself - there was no space to install the gas heater!

How to Choose: Cooker Hood

2011-03-03T11:28:00.014+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to choose: Cooker Hood
2 Fujioh FX-900: Butting the Head
3 Review: Fujioh Hood FX-900
4 Fujioh FX-900: Update

Our Criteria
To begin, here's our criteria for choosing a cooker hood:

1 Cooking Style and Cuisine
If you do a lot of pan-frying on your burner hob, and your cooking style fogs up with oily fumes and residues, look for a hood that is highly rated for oil absorption. Don't be swayed by good looks or design over engineering specs. At the end-of-the-day, if the hood you buy leaves oily residues on the stove top and cabinet walls, what good is the design if the hood does not perform?

2 Suction vs Absorption
Many hoods claim high suction power. And back up the claim with impressive specs of the fan motor unit. However, it is not motor suction power that determines how effective a cooker hood removes oily fumes. But another metric designed to

measure oil absorption efficiency. The metric measures the oil the filter absorbs during normal cooking, and was explained at the Fujioh website in 2008. The site since then has been updated to focus more imagery rather than explaining the technical and engineering specs, a serious serious flaw in my view. For what it's worth, here's the link if you wish to visit the site.

Here's a video comparing Fujioh's oil absorption vs a competitor

If you look closely you will observe the "other hood" fails to suck in much fumes compared to the Fujioh FSR-3000, ~~though it would appear the pot under the FSR-3000 produces less vapor for the test than the other pot~~. Initially I thought the test might be biased in favor of the Fujioh but a later video segment showing a larger close view of the vapor and hood changed my mind. The FSR-3000 does suck in more vapor than the competiting product.

Video providing interesting information on Fujioh's hood

3 Paper vs Metal Filter
Look for a hood that uses a metal filter instead of a paper/carbon filter for oil absorption. That will save you money from having to buy and replace the oil-soaked paper filter every few months.

4 Ease of Maintenance
This is self-evident. Choose hoods that are easy to clean and require minimum maintenance. Sometimes it is not evident a hood requires a judicious amount of maintenance. My previous German hood, for instance, was easy to clean externally. But opening the casing to replace the internal paper-carbon filter was really troublesome. So ask sales personnel about these issues, read the product brochures. And check out the product on the manufacturer's web site for information and technical specs that the sales staff may have omitted to tell you.

5 Cost vs Performance
This is self-evident. Most cooker hoods are priced within a narrow range of $250-400 to attract buyers. Therefore you don't want to splurge on a hood that is out-of-sync with the market as far as price is concerned. If you go for more expensive designer hoods you are only getting diminishing returns. Such hoods tout its designer appeal to justgy its premium pricing, and don't have any bearing on the hood performance.

6 Standard dimension
Most brands offer cooker hoods with standard dimensions. Some however offer special (designer) models with non-standard dimensions. If such models break down in future and is no longer in production you would have a problem finding another

hood that can fit in exactly into the space vacated by your dead hood. That was my unfortunate experience with the German Bauknet hood, a story already blogged and posted. Lesson? Look for a cooker hood that has standard dimensions. You will then be able to buy and fit in a new hood if you have to get a different brand of hood in future.

7 User Experience
I have bought products that don't function as advertised or malfunction within 3 months of purchase. See my reviews, Bellari Soap Dispenser and Roddex Toilet Roll Holder. The two items were bought 'blind' as I couldn't locate any reviews from users who have bought the items. But those weren't the only ones! Recently I was at a Novena Square retail outlet that sells many useful and unique items for the household. Items like cotton water filter for basin taps, small muslin bags for spices, useful if you prepare Bak Kut Teh or some curries, tooth-picks, disposble plastic glvoes, etc. Supermarts and large dept stores don't normally retail these items. They have a low retail value (read: low gross margin), and don't justify valuable shelf-space. I bought a cutie knife sharpener for $2. Back home, I immediately put it to the test. "Scriiip, scraaaap, scriiip.." it scrowled as I deftly slide and grind the knife across the gears in the sharpener. *Sigh.. to no avail.* No amount of sweat could induce the blade to brighten up. It remained as dull as ever. Alamak, waste of money, greater waste of energy! I immediately bin'ned the sharpener.

Therefore reading up on user experiences is vital. Think - if the hood turns out to be a dud, can you get a refund? An ethical retailer ( = quite extinct species these days ) may offer to exchange it for a different hood. Even then, can the new hood fit? What if the dimensions are different? You would then have a headache trying to solve the problem.

All these can be avoided had you first read-up before you buy or have friends who could share their user-experience with the product.

Summary
Products don't seem to last these days. Computer hard disks, TVs, kitchen appliances, etc give up the ghost within 3 short years or less. About 3 years ago, for instance, I built 2 new PCs - one for self, another for third brother - and

recently had to replace the SDRAMs and graphic display cards. That didn't occur with PCs I built in the early 2000s. And not long ago the motor died on my premium-brand kitchen blender machine. On a side-note, that just as well, for I hate to use it. It was unnecessarily laborious to clean and took up a fair bit of counter space. I have now bought a new Bosch hand blender. And pleased as punch with it! Should have bought an immersion or hand blender long ago, read why here.

Yes, durability is a dirty word in many businessmen's dictionary today. Don't be shocked if the word is no longer in their vocab. Which makes it so important you know how to research, sift through the web trash, and read up how to choose products so that you will end up buying a gem, not an imitation.

Like my Maytag washer or GE Profile refrigerator. Both were bought in 1988 and are still serving me well today! Wow, what a gem they have both turned out to be!

Related Posts
1 How to choose: Cooker Hood
2 Fujioh FX-900: Butting the Head
3 Review: Fujioh Hood FX-900
4 Fujioh FX-900: Update

Review: Fujioh Hood FX-900

2011-03-03T10:47:00.022+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to choose: Cooker Hood
2 Fujioh FX-900: Butting the Head
3 Review: Fujioh Hood FX-900
4 Fujioh FX-900: Update

A word about the Review
Our Review is different from other reviews that you read on the Net: we're not armchair reviewers. We bought and installed the product for our own use. No one sponsored us to endorse the product. And we only gave our verdict after at least one year's usage. Obviously, we'd tell you sooner if a product didn't work or performed poorly soon after purchase.

We invite you - if you have bought, installed and used the product to tell us your user experience, particularly after using the product for at least a year. Whether positive or negative, please give us your feedback. Oh, don't forget to provide your Renotalk user ID and photos of your kitchen so we could verify you're a bonafide user of the product.

Here's an interesting video that explains the technology behind Fujioh's cooker hoods:

OK, so what's been our experience with the FX-900 so far?

Well, it's been 3 years since we installed and started using the Fujioh FX-900 in our kitchen. So far we've had absolutely no issues with the Fujioh FX-900 hood. The hood has performed and worked marvelously and has more than met our expectations, period.

Our Verdict: 5 out of 5 stars - Highly Recommended

Rated against our internal criteria, we gave:

5 stars for oil and smell absorption - the hood came with 3 power settings. We normally set it to '2'.

That was enough to rid the kitchen of oily vapors and smell. In hindsight we should have tried setting '1' to see how it performed. But you know, once a product functioned well, we just used it and forget everything else! Maybe readers who have tested using setting '1' can give us feedback?

5 stars for filter cost - no need to buy or replace any filter! FX900 has done away with messy paper and carbon filters. We found oil and smell removal was excellent. The oil tray collected the condensed oil vapor effectively.

5 stars for easy maintenance - each month we cleaned and washed the oil container and the hood surface. Once a quarter we took apart the hood as instructed in the operating manual to clean the innards thoroughly.

Notice beneath hood

Useful diagram instruction beneath hood

Cleaning Oil Container

Cleaning Aluminum Oil Filter

Removing Rectifier Panel

Sirocco Fan inside Hood

Oh, in case you're unsure how to clean the innards yourself, please call Fujioh directly. They have a local website. I recall reading on their site when I was doing due diligence and sourcing in 2008 that they will send a guy to your place to clean the hood thoroughly. They charge a service fee. Check their site to see if they still provide the service.

Fujioh FX-900: Butting the Head

2011-03-01T14:14:00.291+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to choose: Cooker Hood
2 Fujioh FX-900: Butting the Head
3 Review: Fujioh Hood FX-900
4 Fujioh FX-900: Update

I completed my renovation in 2008. So I was surprised that even now, 3 years later, I still get pm's from Renotalk forumers seeking advice or contact info, or product info, etc. For instance, my posts on the Rinnai hob model RB-2CG and Fujioh hood FX900 attracted many queries.

Fujioh FX-900: Butting the Head

A common query was - how to solve the "worktop-to-hood" issue of the Fujioh FX900 hood? Now, in order to save forumers the trouble of pm'ing me, and for me in replying, I thought it would be helpful to put up my post on the issue.

"Worktop-to-Hood" Problem
As background, my previous cooker hood was an expensive German make: Bauknet. But as mentioned in an earlier post, it fared poorly in keeping my kitchen oil-free. So when we moved house, we searched for a hood that would effectively remove oily vapors and "objectional" smell (e.g. from herbal brews or frying sambal belachan)

that may intrude as we often entertained guests at home. After some research, I found that the Fujioh hood FX900 was the only cooker hood with a high 82% oil-absorption rate, independently tested by SISIR. Other brands looked prettier, or advertised a suction rate higher than 82%. But Fujioh pointed out that buyers should be concerned not with suction power, but with oil absorption. That was how SISIR tested and rated the Fujioh FX900 - on oil absorption, not suction power. Oh-oh, so that's why my Bauknet hood sucked (pardon the pun) badly, I mused. I was sold! I placed an order for the FX900 from Hoe Kee.

Alas, by then renovation work had already started. When the hood was delivered, I found it was as wide as my counter top and had to be mounted at 80cm above the stove top. Problem was, kitchens were made to standard measurements despite the ID's insistence mine was custom-made. Sure, custom made to fit kitchen length, that was all! All the drawers, doors, cabinets, including the worktop, were produced to standard sizes. That created problems for me with the FX900. I didn't know my ID had assumed standard measurements when he made his renovation proposal. Well, that's another trick-of-the-trade used by IDs and contractors to fatten their profit. Another lesson learnt.

Fujioh FX900 has a depth of 59cm

After it was installed, the Fujioh FX-900 was as deep (i.e. wide) as our counter top. In fact, it protruded a bit more than I had expected. Because of that, I inadvertently butted my head against the hood when I bent closer to pore over a simmering wok or pan on the stove.

Short persons won't butt against the hood. But anyone 167cm or taller will knock his head against the hood if he bends a bit for a closer view of the stove. Well, why not mount the hood higher than 80cm? If I did that, I would end up with a hood that would not be as effective to absorb the oil vapors the way it was designed to.

So how to solve the head butting issue? Well, you could insist your ID / carpenter undertake 1 of 2 possible avenues:

Let's suppose the person doing the cooking in yr family is 177cm in height. We want the kitchen custom-made to suit her height as well as her cooking style. Or if both hubby and wife spend equal amount of time at the stove, I would use the taller height - so he could also avoid knocking his head if he bends closer to the stove. What if the cook is the maid, someone had asked. Well, I will not suggest you make the kitchen to suit her tongue.gif simply bcoz you're not sure how long the maid will serve your family, right?

1 - Make the worktop deeper i.e. instead of the standard 24-inches from the worktop front-to-the-wall, use a longer depth of 28-inches. That 28-inch depth suits me perfectly and I can avoid knocking the hood. In your case it may not be 28-inches but longer or shorter, depending on the family cook's height. Check with yr ID or carpenter on the correct depth to use. Once you have a deeper worktop you can position the stove farther away from the wall but still within the suction power or range of the Fujioh hood. That way the cook will avoid butting the Fujioh hood bcoz the deeper worktop makes him farther away from the hood.

2 - Alternatively, make the worktop higher than the standard 34-inch (equivalent to 86.4 cm) height from the floor, making allowance for the cement platform and acrylic worktop thickness in calculating the correct base cabinet height. How much higher? Well, using the 177 cm height of the cook in our post, the worktop has to be (177cm : cook's height) minus (80cm : stove-to-hood height) i.e. 177-80 = 97 cm, which is an add'l 97-86.4 = 10.6cm (approx 4.2 inches).

Look out for sputtering hot oil
With a higher worktop, the wok or frying pan is near the face. So watch out for sputtering hot oil when you cook. Actually, that isn't an issue for experienced cooks. My brother's maid, for instance, is quite short. She told me she simply moved farther away, cooking at arm's length, and adjusted her position to adapt to any stove she cooked on.

My mom too. When we moved to Toa Payoh in 1973, kitchen cabinets were already in vogue. But not built-in's like burner hob or oven. Like the neighbors, my dad bought a nice 2-burner gas stove. The stove is portable, and could be placed anywhere on the counter top. With the base studs, height of the stove and cast-iron trivets, the wok became raised about 7-inches from the counter top! Yet mom remained happy cooking in her spanking new kitchen. She said her old GE stand-alone cooking range - 3 electric coils with a hot plate atop a warming cabinet, followed by the electric oven, then the base warming cabinet - had stood much higher.

In any case, it always pays to be careful. Tell your cook to watch out for sputtering oil anyway. unsure.gif

Before You Accept Quotation
Kudos to you if you are reading this post for the first time, doing some due diligence to avoid potential mistakes, before you embark on your renovation.

So, whether or not you bought the FX900, check first whether the issue discussed herein apply to you. Discuss the issue with the ID before you accept

his quotation. Most IDs will "chop" you if you bring up this issue after you have accepted his quotation, citing "changes" to his costs. In my case, I became aware of the issue only after I took delivery of the Fujioh hood. By then my renovation work had already begun. *sigh*

Related Posts
1 How to choose: Cooker Hood
2 Fujioh FX-900: Butting the Head
3 Review: Fujioh Hood FX-900
4 Fujioh FX-900: Update

Review Series
1: Blanco Sink - 3 stars
2: Rinnai Gas Heater - Not Rated
3: Fujioh hood FX-900 - 5 stars
4: Rinnai Tumble Dryer RDT-600CG - 5 stars
5: Rinnai Oven RBO-7MSO - 3 stars
6: Bellari Liquid Dispenser - 1 star
7: Rinnai 2-Burner Hob RB-2CG - 5 stars
8: TOTO Omni Toilet Bowl- 5 stars
9: Asuka Acrylic Worktop - 2 stars
10: Premier laminated floor tiles

Money & Life Matters!

2011-02-24T12:48:00.009+08:00

The Health series started when I shared a video on cancer prevention on local forums. Some forumers - who recalled I was the poster and pm'ed me - forgot which posts gave that link when they wanted their friends to view the video. Instead of replying to each pm, I thought it will save time if I put the link in this post. So that's how the series was inspired - to focus on health and food matters. Issues which are close to my heart, and I'm sure, to many of you!

The Food series feature health & food talks, great recipes, kitchen gear, and the sous-vide approach to cooking. Which got me excited all over again as I love to carry out experiments in cooking! More on that in due course.

Soon thereafter, I thought, "Why stop at health & food? There are other important issues that matter to working couples on a daily basis too." So Money Matters i.e. managing and investing your savings, and IT Matters - PC for the newbie - are planned.

Also, if you can, grab hold of Modernist Cuisine by Nathan Myhrvold. He's a techkie entrepreneur, a former Microsoft technical guru who retired a billionaire. If you cannot get it now, at least you know what Modernist Cuisine is all about - it is that earth-shattering!

Watch the video "Can we eat to starve Cancer?" for your health's sake. That was the link that inspired me to start this series that impact us in our daily life. Why is it important to view the cancer vid? Because new research has found that by age 50, one in every two women will have developed cancer cells in their breast, and by age 70, all guys will have cancer cells in their thyroid! And the cancer trend keeps on rising! Unless you start early to recognize the cancer risks and take precautionary steps, you may end up with cancer. Please ask your loved ones and friends to watch it too!

Health Matters!
1 Can We Eat To Starve Cancer? by Dr William Li on TED
2 Sleep is Far More Important than You Think! by Tony Schwartz in HBR
3 Are there Prophecies and Miracles Today? by GreenCoal

Money Matters A Lot!
1 Making Money is Easier than Doing Business! by Jason Fried
2 Profitable Stock Trading by GreenCoal

Food Matters too!
1 Teach Kids to Eat Properly by Jaime Oliver on TED
2 Secret to Incredible Food

IT Matters!
1 Help! My PC got Problems! Coming soon!

NOTE: The IT Matters! Series is now placed on a separate page. Please refer to the Basic IT Knowhow series.

More Coming soon..

Beautiful Home: 12

2011-02-13T00:48:00.033+08:00

It is always a challenge for architects or interior designers to design a beautiful interior or home that is compelling and appeals to the senses. Because good design is not articulated but seen and felt. Wham! The design hits you and you are lost for words! You know when you see it. It's so visceral !

That's the motivation behind this series. Photos of beautiful interiors and homes inspired me when I renovated my home. And helped my ID to have a better idea and picture of what I wanted. Hope you find the photo inspiring and useful too.

Interior Decor Ideas (2010) HD
The photo came from real estate agents marketing the property. You'll be surprised how affordable some of these are compared to properties here! Oh, and if you are the copyright owner of the photo and want me to take it down, please email me.

Toilet Blockage

2011-02-06T11:56:00.038+08:00

A reader wrote me recently, requesting advice on his vexing problem. As his problem is often encountered by readers, I have decided to post my response - in the hope it will provide some ideas to readers who may face similar circumstances.

[QUOTE]

7-Jan-2011

Greencoal,

Thank you for your reply. I would like to resolve the problem. Cost is not the problem. What I am afraid is getting conned by plumber who may not do a good job.

Fortunately, I live alone and I don't do my business in the master room toilet except for bathing and peeing.

Rdgs
H
[UNQUOTE]

==

dear H:

Yes, I know what you mean.. and I know you hv tried already to get a plumber who like all plumbers tried to protect his ar.. even before going to the customer's flat to take a look.. Sigh.

You've got to persist, until you get a plumber who is reasonable and upright.. that means you've got to listen to how he explains himself... sometimes I'm surprised, they've got time to argue or talk on the phone with prospective customers but no time to be punctual, arriving late usually for appts.. makes me think they actually got free time but pretend to be very busy. And purposely arrive late for appts as a tactic to justify higher charges to their customer when it is time to pay..

You've got to understd negotiation tactics, once u uderstd more u won't feel too intimidated or worried and will know beforehand how to talk and negotiate with them on the phone, before you decide to get his service.

All the best to you, pl let us know how your situation turns out, ok?

Take care,

Greencoal

==
[QUOTE]

Dear Greencoal,

I read about your bad experience with the toilet bowl installation.

I am faced with the same problem after about a year of installing a new toilet bowl. The smell is unbearable and water as well as waste leaked from the back of the toilet bowl when I flush the toilet. I have lived with it for about 2 years already and I dare not do my business in the toilet except peeing. I use a hose to flush the back of the toilet and now and then, some small 'worms' flow out. The smell comes from dunno where even if the toilet is not used.

Please advise what I should do as a plumber quoted me $30 just to see what can be done and I am afraid I have to pay him for "nothing can be done" or pay extra for changing the toilet bowl which might cause leak to my neighbour in the lower floor.

Cheers.
H

[/QUOTE]

Dear H,

I can really connect with you on this problem you're facing. But your situation is more serious than mine because you've lived with it for 2 long years.

I am not a plumber, so I will not pretend I know what causes the blockage. But I will try to suggest what I will do if I were in your situation.

First, I will ask the neighbors - the floor above and the floor below - whether their toilet is functioning properly. This is to rule out any blockage in the external large pipe that runs and connects to all the flats vertically in yr stack.

I think external pipe blockage is highly unlikely given the diameter of the large external pipe and the more than 1-yr blockage period you have gone through. If the ext pipe is blocked, yr neighbors' plumbers would have visited yr home to check but since no one called you can assume the ext pipe is not blocked. But ask anyway since there is no harm asking, plus if you haven't already, you can make new friends out of them!

Next, I could try to clear the blockage myself, using chemicals and / or flushing pumps produced for that purpose. Ask for the products at Fairprice supermarket or any hardware store. Problem is, you may incur costs without solving the blockage problem because sometimes they work and in some situations they don't. If the products work, cool! The cost will then be less than the plumber's charges.

The smell and worms are due to the blockage, so these problems will disappear once your blockage is solved. But make sure the plumber agrees and accepts he has to reinstall without charge if the smell remains after his repair work. Most plumbers give a 3-month warranty period. You just make sure it includes foul smell.

Finally, assuming you decide to call a plumber, and I don't see how you can avoid that, get a few quotes first. Try HDB, CDC, NTUC http://www.income.com.sg/homeservices/index.asp

and other sources listed on the internet.

It is always a problem getting good competent plumbers. Some are dishonest. Some are not qualified. And most turn up late for the appointment. Check with your friends or the forums for recommendations. Be careful because some forumers' recommendations are false, especially if you don't know them.

Most plumbers do not charge for transport. They will say they will "come see and check first" - then quote you their repair cost which obviously includes transport costs.

You can avoid the uncertainty by telling them - "My toilet bowl cannot flush away the waste. I simply want you to clear the waste, why do you need to check first to see where is the blockage? Because anywhere or anyhow it is blocked I still need the blockage cleared."

"Don't worry. If after your check you find the blockage is external you can give me a letter to give to CDC or HDB to support my complaint to them. In that case I will agree to pay you for yr time."

You may have to call many plumbers to find one whom you think you can trust. Listen to their explanation, what they say and how they say it. Often you can tell whether the guy is likely to be reliable from the way he talks and how he explains his work or service. If you are not satisfied with his explanation simply call another plumber.

Now, re-installation of the toilet bowl will not cause any flooding to the flat below because your toilet bowl is simply sitting on the toilet floor. Unlike toilets installed a decade, today toilets are installed and sit on the floor sealed with silicone or white cement that can be scraped away. Cement is not used, no floor hacking is involved, so the waterproofing membrane is not affected. Mine was first installed in March 2008. However, the toilet bowl was poorly installed, and the toilet had a foul smell after installation. I had to wait several weeks before the ID finally succeeded to get another plumber to re-install the toilet bowl. And there was no hacking of the toilet floor.

So now you know - if the plumber tells you that to re-install the toilet bowl requires floor hacking, he may not be honest. Listen to how he explains the issue. If you find his explanation limp, don't trust such a guy, simply call another plumber.

If you know your existing toilet bowl was indeed installed using a sand and cement mix, which I was told is rarely done now, you may have to get a new replacement, as removal of it may damage the bowl base that it cannot be re-installed. But the floor will still be intact as the floor is not hacked, unless your plumber is careless.

As I said, I am not a plumber, so I could be wrong. Whatever info I pass on here is based on my actual experience, and what the second plumber told me.

Also, the plumber will say the toilet bowl may be damaged during removal and un-installation as a tactical move to justify his intended charge. Just tell him the toilet bowl is sitting on the floor with a sealant, and can be easily removed. Sure, there may be some chipping or slight cracks around the base but that should not affect the functioning of the bowl. He will tell you anything to impress you so he can later justify his target charges. You need to wise up to the tactics these guys employ in your negotiation with them.

Know however plumbers seem to be in shortage all the time and you may have to call many before you find a plumber you think you can depend on, and within your expected budget. If you ask me, I don't think you should agree to pay higher than $80-100 for the repair/clearance work. Don't be surprised, however. Some unscrupulous plumbers will quote $600, some $300 - it is ridiculous but I got that just last year when my bathroom was blocked. That will be the subject of another post.

Well, I hope your problem will be resolved soon and I look forward to that,

Take care,

Greencoal

p.s. Again I was asked by readers who've had problem with their toilet if I can start a list or registry of competent plumbers who provide services for a reasonable charge. I know it is tough getting good plumbers. If any reader has any plumber to recommend pl shout, ok?

As for the plumbers' listing, that has to wait because of my backlog of work. Hope for understanding from everyone!

Renovation Headaches

2011-01-31T02:20:00.001+08:00

Related Posts
1 How to Choose ID
2 Protect Yourself Against Unscrupulous Contractors
3 Engaging an ID
4 Our Renovation Cost & ID
5 ID Contact
6 ID Update
7 Renovation headaches
8 ID Topic Revisited

UPDATE: Jan 2011

Hi bluefly,

thank u for ur honest comment =) i have seen ur blog and have actually
submitted a thread on my enquiry on my quote... but we have already signed the contract so hopefully things will turn out fine...am still worried coz the decision we made now is going to haunt us should we make a mistake =((

cheers
iseearainbbow

dear iseearainbow,

Yes, I know what you mean. In the renovation industry there are 'black

sheep' IDs / contractors who don't care about the finer reno details or the customer's interests once the contract has been signed. They know that when problems happen, they can get away with it by passing the buck back to the customer ("do again - you bear the cost, ok?" ) or suppliers (see my post(s) on my laminated floor problem, bathroom water outlet issue, etc).

Moreover, even if the fault clearly lies with the contractor, many of us won't know what to do or where and whom to turn to for help. The customer is always at the losing end and at the mercy of the contractor bcoz any delay means he cannot move into the flat as scheduled. Sigh.

So we keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best, isn't it?

Yes, I get many emails from readers, desperately asking for advice and suggestion as to what they should do for their particular situation. Too bad I could not help much, much as I wanted to.

I was not the one who had recommended the ID or contractor. And if I find the fault lies with the contractor, he

could say I was biased and favored the customer bcoz I was a not in the construction line. (Or something like that, based on a real case when I tried to help a friend).

Someone also suggested I start a registry of reliable IDs, contractors, installers, and suppliers who had done good work, based on readers' feedback and recommendation.

The problem is, how do you know the feedback is genuine and true, and not some falsehoods written by contractors / renovators colluding with their customers to provide false feedback to attract more customers?

As you know, I cannot and won't permit this blog to be used to endorse shoddy workmanship or shady contractors.

Well, if you or anyone has other suggestions and ideas, please shout, ok?

cheers

bluefly aka greencoal

Related Posts
1 How to Choose ID
2 Protect Yourself Against Unscrupulous Contractors
3 Engaging an ID
4 Our Renovation Cost & ID
5 ID Contact
6 ID Update
7 Renovation headaches
8 ID Topic Revisited

About Renovation Quotes

2010-12-12T14:23:00.005+08:00

Latest UPDATE: 5-Dec-11
You may wish to compare with this price quote from a reader.

QUOTE:

hi bluefly

need ur help for ur comments in the quote given to me for flooring for 3 bedrooms n living..

A) living room works
1) supply labour dismantle n dispose existing floor tile $900
2) supply n lay new floor tiles 600mm homo tiles $2600

B) 3 bedrooms
1) supply labour hack n dispose tiles skirting, include repair good for damage wall $100
2) supply n lay over existing with new clip on laminated 3 bedrooms $1960

C) Others
1) HDB permit $200
2) supply labour clean whole house flooring n wall tiles with chemical acids n general cleaning for window, window grill, kitchen cabinets n wardrode FOC

total $5760, after discount $5500

hi iseearainbow,

to be fair to you, i need to stress that i am unable to comment on the quote you got for yr reno.

that is bcoz it has been some 3 yrs (or 4 if you count the time before i started reno on my flat) since i was in the reno mkt as a consumer. therefore i am not up-to-date on the current mkt costs and pricing, etc.

you will get better info and advice if you seek opinions on renotalk from other forummers who are currently involved in renovating their own flat. they can thus provide you with a better assessment of yr reno quote and other costs.

sure, you made me feel happy to seek my opinion on yr quote. i can simply give my comment to inflate my ego, but that would be wrong as you'd be misled.

what i can say is, you should get a few quotes from different contractors so you get an idea of the present mkt pricing, and choose the best quote in terms of quality of materials, see the workmanship of the contractor in his other projects, and generally how the contractor relates to you. I have previously written this advice on my blog (click on the label 'contractor' on the right column for a list of my posts on this topic) and it is important you learn negotiation tactics and what could go wrong to prepare yourself for the work ahead.

so, do yrself a favor and ask other forummers who are currently doing renovation for their experience and quote, ok?

thank you,

bluefly aka greencoal

Laminated Floor Tile

2010-12-07T21:00:00.027+08:00

Related Posts
1 Workmanship: Laminated Tiles
2 Laminated floor tiles

Sometimes I get queries on the Renotalk forum relating to renovation that would probably interest our blog readers. This query came from a reader with the nick 'iseearainbow'.

QUOTE:

Hi :

Can you share your knowledge and experience with Premier laminated floor? A renovation company i approached only carries this brand. I did google but can't find much info =((

Is this brand durable and gd quality? Hope to hear from u soon =)

Thanks

UNQUOTE

Hello iseearainbow:

You must be a romantic person, judging by your nick !

Well, the Premier brand is well-established locally and is quite popular as a floor lamination with flat owners. I chose it bcoz it was cheaper than other brands and the quality was good. But the most important factor - aside from its durability and quality - is whether the installer does a good job for you.

In my case I was lucky the 2 guys who came to install the flooring were experienced and skilful in measuring and laying the tiles. I decided to lay the tiles over the old ceramic flooring which had no signs of warping or any alignment problem, and after the installers had checked out the two rooms.

One thing to note - be careful in your choice of tile color in the showroom. I chose the tile color from the samples in the showroom. But when the tiles were subsequently laid out and installed in my bedrooms, the shade looked much darker than what I thought was the color I had originally selected! Maybe a single piece of showroom tile looks different from an entire floor? Unfortunately I forgot to note the color reference number. So to make sure the ID or installer (or you) don't make any mistake you should write down the color reference number of the color tile you select in the showroom.

I don't have any problem with the durability or quality - it is almost 3 years since the bedroom floor tiles were installed, and the floor tiles still look the same, no warping or any tile piece getting loose. You need to do your part, however in your maintenance of the flooring: no spilling of liquids onto the floor tile, any spillage should be cleaned up immediately, and clean with a mop that is squeezed almost dry so that the tiles dry quickly.

Oh, you also need to ensure the installer lay sound-proofing material (something like plastic foam sheet) under the laminated tiles, otherwise when you walk on the floor there may be a "hollow" sound due to some "air pockets" due to the unevenness in the original floor surface.

All the best!

GreenCoal aka Bluefly

UPDATE [11-Dec-10]:

QUOTE:

Hi bluefly,
thanks for the reply :)
saw ur comments at ur blog...
See u ard in renotalk soon.. And will update u on my flooring outcome:)
have u heard abt hatari brand btw?

[/QUOTE]

Hello iseearainbow,

sorry, i have not heard about hatari brand - probably a new one in the market? if i were you, i would go for established brands like pergo, premier, etc bcoz nowadays many new products are launched, some may be good but many are inferior products trying to cash in on the market demand as the property mkt is currently hot.

yr flat is a big investment and will be a source of pride for many years. so you shld consider carefully your choices. it is worth spending a bit more for peace of mind, knowing that what you spend is going to give you and yr family many years of enjoyment. Yes, price is a factor for me but even then i make sure the products and materials i selected were proven and established in the market, and that no one else has had bad experience with the product or the supplier, installer.

still, i've made bad choices in my renovation, and these are highlighted on my blog. usually the mistakes happened bcoz i overlooked practicality and was blinded either by beautiful design (e.g. Bellari soap dispenser) or smooth sales talk !! so, don't be taken in like i was, ok?

hope you'll show photos of yr renovation in due course.

take care,

bluefly aka greencoal

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Beautiful Home 9

2010-08-13T00:49:00.006+08:00

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It is always a challenge for architects or interior designers to design a beautiful interior or home that is compelling and appeals to the senses. Because good design is not articulated but seen and felt. Wham! The design hits you and you are lost for words! You know when you see it. It's so visceral !

That's the motivation behind this series. Photos of beautiful interiors and homes inspired me when I renovated my home. And helped my ID to have a better idea and picture of what I wanted. Hope you find the photo inspiring and useful too.

Lighting Design Guide
The photo came from real estate agents marketing the property. You'll be surprised how affordable some of these are compared to properties here! Oh, and if you are the copyright owner of the photo and want me to take it down, please email me.