.::. Carpentry Update .::.

We went down yesterday to get an update on our carpentry status since they were unable to meet initial July dateline and have not been replying our emails/sms/calls. We needed to know what was the completion status, scheduled date, reason for delay etc. 3 weeks ago, they told us it'll be ready in 2-3 weeks, and now, they are telling us another 3 weeks more. With the negative reviews on forums and delays, we really needed some answers. We can't just sit down here and wait and pray that carpentry would arrive some day right?

Let's just say that it was really a horrible experience and no customer would want to go through this.

- The carpenter assigned to our job says that it will take 20 more days. And if he is sick for one day, it will take 21 days. If anything happens to him, well, it will take god-knows-how-much-longer. These are things that they cannot control. We were told that the 'best carpenter' was assigned to us, and they were already rushing our job. Only kitchen was completed after 3 weeks. If not happy, get someone else to do. What did we expect them to do? Kowtow to us? Basically, if the carpenter changes his mind and say he needs another 30 days, there's nothing much we can do.

- We were seemingly at fault for chasing them to meet the deadline they initially committed. We were told that we were too calculative and making a big fuss, and that it is not a matter of life and death, so what if it takes a few more weeks? Although we were not in a rush to move in, a deadline committed was a deadline committed!! 5 weeks for carpentry is ample time, and they weren't even apologetic about not meeting the deadline.

- I told them that we were busy, and do not have time to keep chasing them to get work done. I was told that I'm not the only one busy, they are also busy, no time to reply emails/sms although it was been weeks since simple questions like what is the expected completion date was asked.

- They got all defensive and aggressive when we mentioned that they had very bad reviews with lots of delays on forums, and that we were very concerned.

- We agreed that they should work on vanity for toilets first, so kitchen and vanity could be delivered and installed for my plumber to come.

And there were all that drama and tears, pulling in all irrelevant things into the picture. Playing dirty when they can't give any satisfactory explanation nor solution.

Lesson learnt: You can never try to reason with unreasonable people. Whoever is older and cries first win.

We have no way of ascertaining that our kitchen is indeed done. No way of getting them to meet deadline 20 days later. Chasing doesn't help, and with that kind of attitude, there's just nothing much we can do.

Just when we thought we agreed on the sequence of works, they called to say that our shoe cabinet laminate is out of stock. They were supposed to work on our toilet vanities first! And 2 of the few laminates we chose were OOS.

Words can't describe how I feel about this whole saga.  I feel broken, and I know the husband must feel so much worst. 


I will have faith, that the bad can never triumph over the good. That there is karma and what goes around will come around. I'm still struggling to understand how some people could be this horrible. They must be really insecure and unhappy people. Perhaps that was what he meant that he has been having it worst and I wouldn't understand.  Maybe he has been trying to protect me.  But at least now, with everything out in the open, I truly feel him.  I'm angry, not only because of this horrible people, but how much they keep hurting him so deep and I can't do anything for him.


I'm thankful for the great husband and all the wonderful people I have around me.  Chin up and carry on, there's a long and tough road ahead.

Guard your peace and your heart. Nothing matters when you stand secured in your love.

 It was always me who comforted her, yet today it was her who gave me a much needed push. Thank you!


Fighting!

.::. 一哭二闹三上吊 .::.

Another lesson learnt today.

It's impossible to reason with unreasonable people.

And it amazes me how some people can be so deluded, so unreasonable.  You talk to them about A, they pull out B, C D, E, F.  The most unreasonable people always win, once they start crying, screaming and saying the most ridiculous things.

I have no idea how carpentry delay could end up with talk about god and heaven, about childhood hardship and hatred.  Having two 50-year-olds screaming and crying right in-front of you was too much drama and too much to bear.

Unreasonable people always wins, because people with reason would always step back and give in to them.  But they win at the expense of the relationships with the people around them.

I guess there are just some people who will live their whole life not finding happiness.

I don't hate people like that.  In fact, I don't spend any part of my life hating people.  Life's too short for that.

I pity them.  I truly do.

At the end of the day, the big guy would make judgement wouldn't he?  I suppose everything happens for a reason, and everyone will reap what they sow.

.::. Week 8 Concluded .::.

It's already Week 8, and I'm losing count of the weeks we've been doing renovation.  This seemingly endless journey, for our carpentry delivery date is unknown.  It's driving me to despair.

Despite chasing, chasing, chasing and chasing, we simply couldn't get a scheduled date for carpentry delivery.  They've missed the end-July dateline agreed in the beginning of July.  It has been easily 10 weeks since we have informed them of our schedule to have carpentry measurements end of June.  5 whole weeks since we've requested them to take measurements, 3 whole weeks since measurements were taken.

Chasing them to get the carpenter down was already a chore.  And now, despite chasing and chasing again, we can't even get any confirmation if carpentry can be delivered by National Day.  We have clearly communicated that we wanted our renovation to be completed before 15th August, when the 7th month starts since 3 months ago!

Seriously?  I'm fuming mad.  We really should not have given in to THE MIL, knowing that delays were almost certain.  I'm really worried too, after reading all the bad reviews, horrible workmanship and delays of their customers.  After she insisted and hounded us to let the relative do the carpentry, promising to follow up and assuring us that a good job will be done, these still happened.  And what can we do except to continue waiting, chasing and hoping that somehow, they can get our carpentry delivered in good condition.

It's beyond my ability to be positive and hopeful now really.

Thank you for screwing up my renovations.  Thank you for your horrible service and attitude.  Thank you for not responding.  Thank you for not even bothering to try to explain or commit a delivery date.  Thank you for making everyone so frustrated.  Thank you for wasting our time and effort.  Thank you for spoiling my almost perfect renovation experience.

Most of all, thank you for making me learn my lesson.  No more again. I'm learning how not to hate, trying to let go and still be thankful for all I have.

Even thinking of it makes me sick.  My room is becoming a warehouse with boxes and bags of things waiting to be moved to our new place.  The furniture and electronics which were supposed to be delivered soon, keep getting postponed.  People keep calling me up to confirm the delivery, but I simply can't give them a date because I have no clue when my carpenter would come!  Everything is put on hold.

I need to remember this, remember my lesson, lest I commit the same mistake again.



This was Day 52.  I finally bought a fan and 2 stools for the home.  It was my little nook for the afternoon while I supervised the air-con installation.



It was a really sunny day.  The view from MBR air-con ledge window.



Living room air-con installed and brick wall touched up.



Guest/Baby room.



Study room.



MBR air-con.

Our contractor K came down that day too, the tiler came to do touch-ups.  I really enjoy working with my contractor.  I'm really thankful that he has done everything so beautifully for us, and it has been so easy communicating with him, not having to chase him at all.  I actually tried my luck to get him add a few ledges in the toilet to put toiletries.  He usually grumbles and complains, but with some persuading, he usually does it for us.  =)



2 ledges for the MBR toilet.



1 ledge for common toilet.

These are only half-done.  They will add sand/cement to about an inch, finishing will be cement.  The tile is cut, before drilling a slit in the wall to slot the tile in for support.  The cement will seal it to the wall.  He kept telling me that it usually cost $300 per ledge.

I guess every cloud has a silver lining and Kevin is ours on this renovation journey.  =)

And for carpentry, they are telling us it's another 2-3 more weeks.  *sigh.  They told us 2-3 weeks 3 weeks ago.  I'm most worried that they are going to tell us another 3 more weeks 3 weeks later.  Or deliver something with bad workmanship or wrong dimensions, and we will have to spend many more weeks chasing them for rectification.

It's driving me crazy.

.::. Week 6 Concluded .::.

Progress is slowing down as there's not much left to do now.  Chemical cleaning was done, my toilet doors and service yard window is up.  Carpenter also finally came for measurements after a nasty email was sent out, threatening to change carpenter.

It's really amazing how they can simply refuse to reply and give any timeline nor explanation.  Till now, we still have no confirmation that delivery at the end of the month can be met.  And the most ridiculous thing is, they are telling me my contractor is 'lazy' when he has finished most works in 4-5 weeks and they are the one who has dragged my carpentry for 2 week with no response nor follow-up.  We're waiting for carpentry to be up before getting K to install lights since some switches and lights had to be concealed into carpentry.

I'm so sick of all these, and wish with all my heart that this could end soon.  It has caused so much unhappiness, frustrations and wasted so much of my precious time.  And it's problematic since prices have not been quoted or finalized.  I've no clue how everything is going to work out, since reviews are bad and we have had no confirmation or schedule of works/installations.  *sigh.

On a happier note, I'm loving how the place has turned out!



View of the living/dining/kitchen.  I love how spacious and bright the area is, since it's where the guests will mingle.



MBR toilet door changed as the original door was too huge, it hits the sink and vanity.  Elbows will also hit the door if it's not closed.  Chose this door as we felt that it enhances the look, instead of PD or bi-fold doors.



The common toilet 2-panel sliding doors.  I love them!



View of the huge common toilet and the other entrance to service yard.  We're getting a louvre bi-fold door as it looks nicer than normal bi-fold doors.  We needed something that opens outwards since we're having a full-length vanity.



And here's our corridor of white walls.  =)

Let's just hope that everything will work out fine and they'll deliver at the end of the month as requested.

.::. Fatigue and Frustrations .::.

I'm tired.

Have been having headaches and giddy spells these days.  =(

We're having issues with carpentry (as expected).  The uncle and MIL visited our place and took measurements last Monday.  I gave them all the designs which I've drawn to scale on graph paper, it's pretty straightforward.  We met up to discuss and choose laminates on Saturday, and only some drawings were done, my 3D kitchen does not resemble my kitchen at all.

Schedule is to finish carpentry by the end of this month (4 weeks for carpentry).  They were supposed to send us the finalized designs (in whatever formats) and get the carpenter in for measurements 'early this week'.

It's already Thursday, late in the week.

We have not received any drawings.  Husband sent an email out on Tuesday.  No reply.  MIL went to chase yesterday, and they promised drawings to be done today.  It's already midnight and I don't receive anything.

The week is ending and I don't see any drawings, no news about when the carpenter is coming and everything has to be done through MIL.  Another week is wasted, nothing done.  Why is is so difficult to get some simple drawings done when I've basically provided drawn-to-scale drawings?

It's a pain to work like this.  At this rate we are not going to get carpentry done by the end of the month.   4 weeks for carpentry is ample time, but at the rate they are dragging things, I've no clue how long this is going to take.  2 weeks have passed. Husband chases MIL and uncle, gets empty promises, and nothing get delivered.

Seriously?

It makes me f*cking pissed off.

It was her who insisted that we use the relative for the whole renovation, and after making a ruckus, we finally conceded to use him for the carpentry.  All the talk about how naive we were, how the contractors out there are out to earn my money but don't do a good job, how using 'your own people' is better, give her face etc...In the end, my contractor finished the majority of his works in 4 weeks, smoothly and without issues while my carpentry is still not moving after 2 weeks.

All I can say is, no more second time.  I can't take this shit, it's driving me nuts.

DO NOT USE YOUR RELATIVES FOR RENOVATION!  

I should have heeded all the advices others gave.  But we still gave in to appease the MIL.

I'm thankful that we insisted NOT to use the relative for all our works.  It makes our contractor seem like god - we didn't have to chase him at all, he arranged everything and updated us almost everyday.  Responsive, good attitude and all.  It made the whole renovation process so enjoyable and fuss-free.  You pay, decide and he delivers - isn't that how things are supposed to be?

.::. Photowall .::.

We are having a photo wall behind the sofa in the living room and the husband is tasked with designing the wall.  He has resorted to using photoshop.

This is the first draft he sent me.



I laughed!  I guess I've seen so many photo walls that I did not expect to see a heart-shaped one.  Isn't it a tad cheesy?

Some inspirations:

Source: design-milk.com via Jan on Pinterest

Source: tatertotsandjello.com via Jan on Pinterest

Source: homeanddecor.com.sg via Jan on Pinterest

Source: laurawinslowphotography.com via Jan on Pinterest

Source: robesondesign.com via Jan on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Jan on Pinterest

Source: modnest.ca via Jan on Pinterest

Source: hemnet.se via Jan on Pinterest

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Jan on Pinterest

Source: natalme.com via Jan on Pinterest

Source: alittleofthis---alittleofthat.blogspot.com via Jan on Pinterest

Source: lilyrose.hubpages.com via Jan on Pinterest

Really really thankful that my dream is materializing right in front of me.  Thank you.

.::. Loving Work? .::.

Today, I visited my place after work and hosted an almost stranger who requested to view our place.  I'm pretty open in that sense, I wouldn't mind sharing my place with people, and getting to know different people.  I would like to invite people to my home.  It's like the many Swedish and friends who welcomed me into their homes with open arms while I was alone in a foreign land.  It was so heartwarming, and makes the world a better place when people are so open and friendly.  If all of them closed their doors and seen me as a strange Asian, I suppose my experience in Sweden wouldn't have been as great as it has been.

There was the usual talk, showing him around and discussing how we intend to do up our place.  He just returned to Singapore after spending a few years abroad.  He's in the financial sector and I shared that I was sort of in finance too.  Then, he asked me a question out of the blue.

He asked me if I liked my job.

I was taken aback and dumbfounded for a moment.  Little did I expect this from a near stranger who I met for the first time.  I blinked twice and didn't know exactly what to say for a moment.

Then, I said no.  Quietly.  Guiltily.

This is a question which haunts me all the time.  This is the question which I have been asking myself for a long time.  I knew the answer, and have never stopped searching for what I liked doing.  Keep searching, Steve Jobs said.  I never stopped, yet I don't feel like I'm nearer to the answer.

It's the first time someone actually asked me this.  The first time I actually said it out loud and conceded that I do not like my job very much.

It's apparent that he's jaded and also searching.  Well, it pays the bills I said.  It isn't that bad, since I'm in an industry that was fun and glamourous.  There were perks like having great food and drinking nice champagne often.  But when it comes to the job itself, I guess I'll have to admit that I don't like it that much.  It isn't a difficult job, isn't that challenging but it can be frustrating and very operational at times.

I don't hate my job, it's alright.  But there's a huge difference between being passionate about what you do and finding your job bearable isn't it?  And it is after being in the workforce for some time that I finally admit that you can't excel in something you are not passionate in.  It's one thing being good at what you do, and another excelling in what you do.  

It comes back to the question, what do I like to do?

It's complicated, because you might not be good in what you like to do and what you like to do may not pay the bills.  Someone once told me in a matter of fact - then be good at what you like to do.  It sounded so simple, coming from someone who is actually good at what she likes to do.  Yet she chose to leave what she liked to do for a better paid job.  She told me that it wasn't worth it and she might well go back to what she likes to do soon.

It's those people who get to do what they like to do whom I deeply admire.  Anyone can give you any advice and tell you how difficult and realistic this world is.  Yet how many could actually go against all forces and pursue what they like?

No, I haven't found the answer.  And yes, I'll keep searching.  

Maybe one day, I can get to admire myself and my courage.

Thank you for making an impact today stranger.

.::. Week 5 concluded .::.

Not that much was done this week since most of the works are completed. The glass/shower screen is installed, paint work is almost done and all debris cleared for chemical cleaning next week.

View from entrance.

Living/Dining area.

View from common toilet entrance/service yard.

Common toilet.

The MBR which we painted grey.  Because I like to sleep in absolute darkness and prefer dark bedrooms.  A huge contrast to the bright and white living and dining area.

Air-con trunking and beams.  The space is where my wardrobe will be.

The tiny MBR toilet.

The corridor.

View from sofa area.

Our L-box and recess wall which will become a feature wall.

We have chosen doors for the toilets. A 2 panel door for MBR toilet as the space is absolutely too tiny, a sliding door and louvre bi-fold door for the common toilet. These should be installed next week. Windows should also come soon.

The relative has also came to do a site visit and some measurements. We have decided on our laminates and carpentry design for all. Hopefully we can get them installed by the end of the month, but we are still waiting for finalized design (hopefully they didn't get anything wrong) and for the carpenter to do the actual measurements early next week. I was a little disappointed because they didn't have cement-screed like laminates which I wanted for the bathrooms. *sigh. Let's just hope that carpentry can be delivered by the end of the month, otherwise our renovation will drag for more than 8 weeks.

I need the house to be ready soon, because my room is becoming a store room!

We've got quite abit of stuff from the Robinsons sale including things like chinese wok, bedsheets, towels, quilt etc.. 

.::. Week 4 concluded .::.

We are coming to the end of our renovation journey as most works are done.  We are left with painting, shower screens and doors, carpentry, lights and plumbing.  Lights and plumbing can only come in after carpentry comes in, so I suppose things will come to a standstill for some time.  The husband will be meeting the relative to discuss carpentry works and take some measurements.  The actual carpenter will only come in to measure afterwards.  I don't understand why can't both be at the same time!  I'm really hoping that things will go smoothly and not take the whole month! *cross fingers* I really do not have high hopes since quotation wasn't even done properly after 5 weeks previously.  *big sigh!*

On a happier note, I'm really pleased with how everything has turned out!  It does look like how I envisioned it to be.  =)  A colleague's husband thought that I was an interior designer when she showed him the pictures.  *beams* Haha!



It's a super hot day when I walked to our place today.



Worksite.



View from entrance.  It does look so much more spacious and brighter after 4 walls of the kitchen were hacked.



Kitchen.



Living room.  A feature wall will be built at the recess.



View from the other end of the living room.



MBR toilet with toilet curb up for shower screen.



Common toilet with curb up.



I really love the mosaic curbs though the husband doesn't really fancy it and thinks that using the grey tiles like the floor would look better.  But...I really think the curb has helped bring the whole toilet together.



View from common toilet to service yard.



View from service yard to entrance.



The side where my sink/hob/fridge will be.  It's a squeeze!



My cement screed wall..!



My lovely brick walls.



View of living/dining from entrance.

I can't really express how much I'm loving the new place although it's not even done up yet.  I feel...at home..like it's a space that really belongs to me.  I've spent months envisioning it's creation and poured in my everything to do so much research and planning of all the details.

It's really a lifetime's dream come true for me.  I always dreamed of having my own place and doing it up all by myself.  What makes it even better is that I'm doing it with my best friend and partner in life.  Thank you.  =)