1. Fan Shaped Floorplans From ...

2. Pointy Shaped Floorplans From...

Bukit Batok Blk 383-395 and Farrer Park Blk 11-15 

Pasir Ris Blk 712 to 717

Read the rest here... Bizarre HDB Floorplans which will leave you Flabbergasted

Image fromTodayonline

There were 17 cases of fallen windows recorded in the first five months of 2015 - 10 fewer than the 27 cases recorded during the same time last year, said the Building and Construction Authority on Friday (Jun 5 2015).

In most instances of fallen casement windows, it was found that aluminium rivets used to secure the friction stays were not replaced with stainless steel rivets. These aluminium rivets were found to be corroded, the press release said. As for sliding windows, most did not have safety stoppers and angle strips to secure the window panels and the windows were not able to slide smoothly along the tracks, it added. Under the Building Control (Retrofitting of Casement Window) Order 2004, homeowners are required to change the aluminium rivets of casement windows with stainless steel ones. This applies to windows in all residential units except those in landed properties and the ground floor of buildings.

 There were a total of 43 recorded cases of fallen windows from both Housing and Development Board (HDB) and private residences in the first eleven months of this year, according to a joint report released by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and HDB. Out of these, 23 involved casement windows, 18 for sliding windows while the remaining two fall under other types of windows. In a press release today (Dec 12 2014), BCA CEO Dr John Keung said that the cases “pose a safety risk to the public and (can) potentially be fatal”.

The developer of a troubled "premium" housing project has said financial compensation for residents is possible only if there is "strong justification".
But EL Development (ELD) continues to maintain that Trivelis - a Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) project in Clementi - was built "according to specifications and approved plans".
Meanwhile, it is considering extending the one-year warranty on all furnishings and fittings and offering free safety films for glass shower panels as part of a "goodwill package" for residents.
Trivelis - an 888-unit project - was advertised as containing "choice fittings" and "quality floor finishes".
But when owners began collecting their keys in January, some discovered problems such as rusty dish racks, poor quality laminate flooring and glass shower panels that shatter easily.
An ELD spokesman told The Straits Times it is looking to help affected owners and working with the Trivelis residents' committee.

"We will look into the residents' requests and issues and offer what we can, within reasonable boundaries," he said. "Right now, we have not concluded the discussions so there's no concrete plan on what we will offer in terms of the goodwill package. As for defects, we want to assure residents we will rectify them."
He added that the company's response would be on a case- by-case basis and "not a one-size-fits-all treatment".
However, the response did not wash with all residents.
Public relations manager Eliza Soh, 31, said: "We are not here to haggle for freebies. What we want are long-term solutions to the bigger problems that are going to affect our lifestyle.
"To the developer, Trivelis is just another product but to residents Trivelis is our home."
Mr Stephen Yip, a 34-year-old civil servant, bought a three-room flat and has faced problems such as rainwater seeping into his unit and a faulty tap and window latch.
He said it is fair for the developer to extend the warranty of the furnishings and fittings, adding: "I didn't do any renovation in my kitchen and the items don't seem to be of high quality so I'm not sure how long they can last."
Project manager Andy Tan, 33, said: "It really depends on what are the things they are offering. I still prefer cash over freebies."
ELD said it has already cleared drains after rainwater collected in corridors and it will continue to monitor the situation.
It is understood that the authorities do not regulate interior renovation or quality of the furnishings.
According to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), after construction, the authorities will perform checks on things such as fire safety, sanitation and drainage and accessibility features. A BCA spokesman said "matters such as defects and workmanship quality" are between the developer and buyer.
While the Housing Board oversees DBSS projects, the projects are designed, built and sold by private developers who are responsible for any defects. The DBSS scheme was suspended in 2011 after a public outcry over high indicative price tags for units at Centrale 8 in Tampines.
Earlier that year, ELD had beaten 10 other bidders for the Trivelis site, offering $224 million or $271 per square foot per plot ratio.

Trivelis is the first public housing project taken on by ELD, a "boutique" developer with 20 staff members. Its other projects include condominiums such as Rosewood Suites in Woodlands and Stevens Suites near Bukit Timah.
A spokesman for the Trivelis residents' committee said: "We certainly hope for the developer to consider offering a goodwill package soon. The details of the package are for ELD to consider... We hope that the offer made to residents will be acceptable."
More than 200 residents on Thursday met their MP Sim Ann, who called a goodwill package a "move in the right direction". ELD did not attend the meeting.

Three weeks after moving into their new flat in Punggol last month, technician Jumani Samat and his wife Mazuwina Mohamad noticed cracks on the walls of their living room and bedrooms.
They called the building services centre of their Build-To-Order (BTO) project, Waterway Banks, and workers came to their flat twice to plaster over the cracks. But more cracks started appearing after that.
"We are worried about safety," said Mr Jumani, 35, who lives in the four-room flat with his wife and two children.
The Straits Times counted at least 15 hairline cracks on the walls and ceilings of all the unit's rooms when it visited yesterday. Some were about 2m long.
"It's very unsettling because it keeps recurring. You patch up in one place, and another crack pops up next to it," said Mr Jumani's wife Mazuwina, 34, who is a housewife. Other residents in the development said they have spotted cracks on their walls too.

The Housing Board, in response to media queries, said less than one-fifth of the 850 households that collected their keys since last November have reported wall cracks.
An HDB spokesman said these cracks are "non-structural hairline cracks", which may be caused by the shrinkage and expansion of building materials, or movement, such as renovation vibrations.
She added that the cracks do not affect the structural integrity of the block.
According to an industry standard for quality assessment, HDB flats scored above the national average last year. This, however, is cold comfort for residents like housewife Wong Lai Kuan, 40, who moved in in March and found one crack in her living room and another in her daughter's bedroom. "It's a new flat - why should it crack in the first place?"
Building services centres are set up at newly completed public housing projects for home owners to report defects. They have a one-year period after collecting their keys to have defects rectified by the building contractor.
"It's tedious to keep having to plaster and repaint the walls," said security officer Mohamad Rizan Mazlan, 39, who found at least eight cracks in his flat since collecting his keys in February.

PUBLISHED ON MAY 12, 2015 6:23 PM

BY JOANNA SEOW & JALELAH ABU BAKER

Extracted from Straits Times 

SINGAPORE- Just a week before a young family was due to move into their new home in Punggol, they were shocked to hear from the Housing Board on Monday that there had been flooding in their unit.

When they arrived, they found it was not just water that covered the floor of the flat, but faeces as well.

Cement had choked the common sewage pipe shared by their seventh floor unit and those above it in Block 313C Sumang Link, causing a backflow into their home.

The owner, who gave her name as Ms Fadilah, 31, said she and her husband are "upset, stressed and angry".

"The dream house we have long waited to move into, which was complete with new furniture, was damaged just like that," she said. The renovations had been completed just a few months ago.

Photographs circulating online show faeces and murky water covering the floor of a toilet, hallway and living room.

It had even seeped into the children's bedroom and out of the front door. This was how a neighbour noticed something was amiss and called HDB last Friday, said another neighbour, Ms Fadhilah, 29.

A Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council spokesman said it was alerted by HDB on Monday morning. Town council and HDB staff went to the flat to help the family to clean up.

Confirming it was renovation debris that had caused the choke, he said: "We will be working with the HDB to find the culprit."

Ms Fadilah told evening daily Shin Min that when her husband turned up at their flat in Sumang Link, he was confronted with what she described as a "giant toilet bowl".

"My husband was so shocked that he just stood at the doorway crying. He couldn't believe what he was seeing," she said.

The family had spent some $50,000 on renovations alone, and intends to redo the whole house, including all the flooring which had stains between the tiles. A stench still lingered.

...............

joseow@sph.com.sg

- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/couples-sewage-disaster-new-punggol-bto-flat-explodes-on#sthash.cFRbEwGZ.dpuf

This is by far the most popular question I always kenna received. Well, WHAT would my answer be? They would be:
1. Plan for backup
2. Plan for extension
3. Lifestyle does matter

My kitchen light bulb burnt out a few weeks ago. However, I was in no hurry to replace them. The same applies for my bathroom lights, I always took a while to shop around for the replacement bulbs. Yup, I never ever had to grope in the dark; except when there are power trips or power failure at my block lar. You might wonder how is that even possible since the kitchen and bathroom are the most important and heavily utilized areas in any home.


What is your main and secondary source of light?

Well, I have not one but two source of lights installed for these places; one main and another secondary. However, a few of my friends and relatives thought that I was being too excessive and kiasu. But hey, at least I do not have to worry when the light bulb gave up on me right? 

Lifestyle does Matter
Mr Diva was in charge of acquiring the water heater during our renovation back then. To cut the long story short, he ditched the ubiquitous instant heater and went for a storage heater instead. He did all his homework and picked one with a reputable brand that came with the best technical specifications, largest storage tank and was even proud of the fact that his choice came with a 5 year warranty.

On hindsight, this is very typical of guys isn't it? They always hunt for the biggest, meanest looking machine they could get their hands on. 

Well obviously Mr Diva had somehow assumed that "bigger is always better". Well, there is nothing wrong in adopting such a this rule; it makes perfect sense that a large storage heater means larger amount of heated water is available for the entire family and in fact, his selection would have been excellent....except for one fatal flaw.

It takes a LONG FREAKING time for the water to be ready!

Having a large capacity storage heater means that it takes a longer time for the water to be heated up prior usage.  A larger capacity means an even longer time! So imagine the extent of damage he has innocently inflicted upon the family.

Impact to our lifestyle is immerse; we always have to plan ahead and factor in the time needed for the water to be ready before getting ready for work, outings... you name it!

In short, having a storage heater is at odds with our hectic lifestyle as we do not have the luxury of setting aside additional time to prepare for work; the instant water heater would have been a better fit.


Dear can you turn on the heater for me? I want to snooze a while longer!

Once your renovation starts, it is hard to justify to HDB that the defect is not caused by your renovation professionals! Furthermore, it will take a loooong time for HDB to entertain you. Why? In order to cater to Singaporean's calls for cheaper housing; HDB has been building non stop for the past with few years in order to get a tidal supply of HDB flats ready for owner occupation by 2016-2017. Fast construction is not good; it generally means sloppy jobs, poor inferior quality (due to escalating building costs and yet the pressure to keep things cheap) and MORE defects.

What Tools to Bring

What and Where to Check

Please lar, don't be lazy and get them replaced!

And....please keep an eye on the parquet! Unfortunately for the DBSS residents from City View and The Peak, the developer seemed to use inappropriate material for the parquet flooring and results in the parquet turning dark with "moisture-like" stains...

Let's Talk about Ceilings - False Ceilings

• Access their competence by the way they answer your questions;
• Let them know that that you are not someone who depends entirely on their judgement, and that you do expect a certain quality of work. They probably be more careful when they realise that you will scrutinise their quality of work closely.

• False Ceilings (very common and popular with home owners right now);
• Skim Coats;
• Moulded Plaster Decorative Fittings (used to be very popular in the past).
• False Ceilings

• Plenum space (Area between main ceiling and false ceiling) is used to veil wiring, ductwork and piping;
• Provides thermal insulation;
• Allows for hidden lighting;
• Soundproofing the room.

1. horizontal timber joist under pitched roofs
2. to the underside of sloping rafter beams or purlins
3. above rafters or purlins, so that these could be seen from below"

1. T and L section metallic modular grid systems supported from structure above
2. the flanges of I-section metallic structure members in proprietary combined roof and ceiling framing systems"

• All timber elements (i.e. rafters, battens etc) should be pressure treated with wood preservative;
• All metal fixings used should be corrosion-resistant;
• Ceiling panels made of gypsum plaster should not have cracks, holes or dents.

• For directly fixed ceilings, all fixings should be secured by scrim, a fabric material, to gypsum plaster ceilings panels;
• Plaster ceiling panels should be temporarily nailed in position first. Grout is then used to attach them to the timber battens. Joints between plaster ceiling panels should also be grouted;
• All temporary nailings and supports should be removed after grout has set and hardened;
• All joints and nail holes should be covered up and flushed;
• Surface of the plaster ceiling panels should be left to dry for at least a day before any painting to it is carried out;
• For suspended ceilings, all ceiling panels should either be dropped in, clipped in or on, screwed or bonded in place. Check that each panel is adequately secured and not loosely positioned.

• Gypsum Board: Lightweight, flexible and fire resistant,most commonly material as they are tough and cheap.
• Metal Ceiling Panels: Ideal for concealing ducts and wiring due to ease of installation and maintainance.
• Fiber Mineral Reinforced Materials such as Tiles and Fibreboard: High insulation against sound and fire. Fiber increases the hardness and the toughness of the material and water repellents and preservatives can be added to increase the lifespan.
• POP (Plaster Of Paris): First applied to a wood base or fiberboard and then perched from the false ceiling. Lightweight and results in a smooth and uniform finish.
• Plywood sheets: Stripes of ply wood are nailed or glued together. Popular in cold countries because of their visual appeal.

Home Renovation Checklist

   (For HDB home owners) Have the HDB Technical Officers to rectified the list of defects prior the start of renovation? 

2) Research

Have you talked to your friends, neighbors etc about their home renovation experience?    Have you dispelled the popular renovation myths?    Have you found answers to the common renovation questions?    Have you found out the 7 common renovation mistakes and how to avoid them?    Have you found out the renovation guidelines for HDB / DBSS or private residential properties?

Have you sourced for renovation design ideas in magazines, catalogs, or open houses?

Have you checked with banks on the renovation loan prerequisites, conditions and prevailing interest rates? 3) Renovation Budget    Have you decided on the renovation budget?    Have you decided on the type of mortgage loan? 4) Renovation Scope

Have you decided on the future inhabitants of your renovated home (i.e. any pets, grandparents etc)?    Have you talked to the future inhabitants on their needs and requirements?    Have you considered and determined on the type of lifestyle that you are leading?    Have you scoped out the extent of the renovation? 5) Contractor or Interior Designers selection    Have you interviewed and shortlisted the list of contractors or interior designers? 6) Renovation Package selection    Have you scrutinized the renovation quotes carefully for any hidden costs?    Have you decided on a renovation package?    Have you ensured that all verbal clarifications and additional requirements (if any) have been written down  before you sign the contract? 7) Renovation Plan    Have you drafted the renovation plan?    Have you and the contractor or interior designer agreed upon the renovation duration and the worked out the contingency actions to take when there are delays?    Have you gathered the detailed scope of the renovation?    Have you estimated all the costs involved, the budget to be set aside and contingency actions to take when there are cost overruns?    Have you and the contractor or interior designer agreed upon the acceptable quality of renovation and how these standards are going to be determined?    Have you and the contractor or interior designer discussed on the risks that will impact the renovation  project and how to handle these risks by developing the contingency plans?    Have you and the contractor or interior designer agreed on how communication is to be done and the frequency of communication? 8) Review and Monitor    Have you constantly monitor and review the renovation works to ensure that things are going according to the plan?    Have you constantly ensure that the renovation is still on time? 9) Handover / Post Renovation Review    Have you ensured that all obligations and works are delivered by the contractor or interior designer as stipulated in the contract?    Have you done a post renovation walk-through, especially on the quality of the renovation prior the handover and final payment?    Have you checked that the contractor or the interior designer has properly cleaned up and evacuated the place after the handover?    Have you changed the lock to your property after the handover? Hope you have found the checklist useful and do share this post to people who might need it too! :)