After five years of waiting, after we grew from three to five of us, we finally moved in!
Sito and I took leave the whole of last week to pack and unpack and move. We - or rather, I - overestimated the time required for packing and underestimated that for unpacking.
Kai and Yang happened to be at home coz Kai had a bruised toe and I brought him to the doctor (he was totally fine) so Yang refused to go to school *.* It was quite fun having them around - sometimes, when they were happy and not cranky!
They helped to pack their toys!
Found the magazine with our newly renovated first home in an advert - so different from now!
Found our wedding shoes :) His were peeling, mine had shattered heels. Dumped!
Took a tea break on Monday afternoon at OCK :)
We managed to pack almost everything by Tuesday morning, went out for lunch and did some household shopping at IMM - Daiso of course!!!!! Then we went to BP to drop the stuff and pick the kids up.
Yu enjoyed digging into boxes, especially where he found his toys
Our old living room with some 30 cardboard boxes and five suitcases and other random boxes
I went with Mum and the kids to BP on Wednesday morning to clear space for boxes and prepare for the moving-in ceremony. Sito arrived before 10 am with lots of stuff! We bought more stuff at the NTUC downstairs, including tang yuan and two bowls.
Yu had some last fun with a box before he went to school
And with the tang yuan, we've "moved in"!
Our fridge finally arrived and I spent some time cleaning it out while Sito went back to wait for the movers, who happened to be able to make it earlier, which was great for us! They very chop chop shifted everything over in an hour!
Boxes now in our new living room
We managed to unpack half the boxes before we had to fetch the kids. No mean feat!
Returned to this though - so bare :(
Thursday was a very siong day. We dropped Yu off and went to BP. Three of us, including N, unpacked and wiped down everything to get the house ready.
When Friday morning arrived, I told the older kids to remember their first home and we left... So sad to be leaving our first matrimonial home, where our kids spent their first years.. But we were just too busy last week to feel sad about it! Which is even sadder...
Our last family shot at our old place...
Echoes can be heard in the empty house...
Only the wall decals remain now
I left Kai's drawing on the wall
The floor beneath our old bed is of a different colour and feel!
And the kitchen I painstakingly curated
Friday evening, Sito and I picked Yu up in HV and left for BPP
Yu had dinner while Sito went to fetch his brothers. As Yu was quite dirty with food, we decided to give him a shower. The water took a long while to heat up. When it was hot, the mains tripped! I turned it back up and carried on. But it happened again and the mains refused to be turned back up! I got N to give Yu a wipe-down and be done while I called the guard house - maintenance office was closed by then. Two guards came up to check and found the washing machine point to be at fault. So weird. We turned that point in the DB box off and managed to keep the mains up.
The next morning, I called the maintenance office and they sent the main contractor up. Couldn't resolve. Arranged for their electrician to come over on Tuesday morning. Due to potential complications with regard to two sockets drawn from the washing machine points, I called our ID and he sent his electricians too.
I took leave on Tuesday. Three hours in, they told me it was done. But as we started to try out things, the mains tripped. The electrician suggested pulling an external wire to the washing machine and I agreed. The problem was resolved after that but they didn't put back my two sockets so my ID's electricians came back the next day to fix it.
The whole thing was super weird. I had used the washing machine before we moved in. I had tested the water heater before we moved in. I had tested the two sockets before we moved it. Everything was fine until we moved in! And how did the heater affect the washing machine?! The problem lies with the wire leading to the washing machine. Either it was spoilt at developer's side or my renovation did something to it. And seems like the problem flared up only when we moved in. Glad that the main contractor did it out of good will. Coz our renovation would have voided any warranty.
But my neighbours were upset about it! I posted this on our Facebook group to see if anyone else had the problem. And someone complained to the developer that they should have hacked our walls! I ended up having to assure the electrician then his boss then the developer...
Anyway, we're moved in :)
Now the process...
19 Oct 2017
After more than four years, we got our keys to our new home!
Mum came with Sito and me to look at the place. We took some measurements for appliances and tossed some ideas about. Then we walked around the common area - think the kids will be happy with the pool :) Not too sure about the playground though...
20 Oct 2017
Can't remember if it was the previous night or this morning. I suddenly had a feeling of apprehension about moving. Coz it's further from work? Coz it's still new and strange? I'll miss Holland Village too.
22 Oct 2017
Whole clan went to the new house to look see! Kai said his room was small *.* Some time later, he also asked why N's room was so small. I asked him if he would switch with her :p
Had the fengshui master over as well and took notes like crazy. Then we became $1,000 poorer...
28 Oct 2017
We went back in between YQ's tea ceremony and wedding lunch to take picture of the toilet bowls - lots of neighbours talking about them so must check!
Later, we showed these photos to our ID, who said that the lobang behind was due to the trap used. Too technical! Later in the shop we bought our bidet, the lady also said the same technical thing. Alright, but I don't like it - what if water stays there and we breed mozzies? What if - with three boys - poop flies there?!
Also pasted lots of bright pink post-it notes on defects and sent in the list.
3 Nov 2017
Met the contractor S to go through the defects. Confirmed that our toilet bowls are fine! I asked about sealing it, and he advised me to seal with silicon to facilitate any future works.
That night, we met our ID to discuss renovation too. Went back to the one who did our current place. And Mum's place. And Jo's place - she recommended him to us.
8 Nov 2017
Nope, did nothing on this day but updated this to-be-published post, and realised that I had not taken a single decent photo of our new place!! I shall correct that...
17 Nov 2017
Turned on water and electricity today!
I brought a picnic mat and worked there while waiting!
18 Nov 2017
We were at the child care centre open house when the contractor S called. So we went over that evening! Most were done. The balcony wall remained rough and after some clarifications, we understood that the smooth wall on the floor below was a mistake *.* We closed an eye on the floor tile straddling inside and outside the main door. It's not too visible and the work involved was too much. The contractor was already very nice to replace a tile in the master bathroom coz he saw that it was cracked.
But found that the ceiling light in Kai's room was blocking the cabinet. So might as well ask him to change the round plug for the washer to normal plug. But I only managed to submit the defects a week later coz my fax couldn't get through early. In fact, it didn't get through but I got their email address when I called :p
27 Nov 2017
It was a Monday but we went down at night to check things out before meeting ID again on Friday. Came home with an aircon remote control coz ours all spoilt :p
The original colour is white!!
1 Dec 2017
Met ID to discuss design.
6 Dec 2017
Went to meet ID at our new place and hand over the keys. Managed to arrange an inspection with S too. ID pointed out some minor defects so I told S who got his men to rectify on the spot.
But I found that the wash basin was too small! That's an A5 book.
By January, we decided to hack the mirror cabinets and vanity cabinets in the two bathrooms coz they were super non-user friendly - the basin was too small and you can't bend over enough coz the mirror cabinet was in the way, which means wet floors all the time!
22 Dec 2017
Final meeting with ID after Yu was down to go through electrical and lighting plans, as well as the laminate finish. Had to order Macs for our dinner as we were warned that this could take four hours!
ID sent us the 3D images the next day along with the edited plans - so nice!!!
Living room
Our room
28 Dec 2017
On leave to buy furniture so went to Hillion to do some final measurements.
Found it all protected!
Kitchen area
Common bathroom
Our bedroom
Also found the top of the mirror cabinets in both bathrooms looking like crap
We wanted to seal it up but as mentioned above, we changed to hacking it off :p
That afternoon, I sprained my ankle :( Never mind, still had to buy and bought our sofa and mattresses! Even customised a mattress for N coz her room is too short for a full-length mattress. Luckily she isn't too tall :p
8 Jan 2018
Day of the traffic accident. Went to have a look as I heard some works had been done. Most of the electrical work was done. But the living room balcony light was left on, argh!
A single 36W is bright enough
Couldn't turn off the balcony light coz of this
The crappy basin looked so filmy!
26 Jan 2018
Was very sick. Changed child care leave for centre closure to MC. But I had to go settle the tap at the washer - ID said nothing came out! Turned out there was some wrong connections. The developer contractor was very nice and helpful, and fixed it on the spot. I also happened to chance upon my own paid work - they were sanding the parquet floor and then rolling some yucky brown thing over.
31 Jan 2018
Very pissed with the gas installation today. The guy wanted to test the gas so I let him. But the loose fixtures had not been fixed yet so there was nothing to turn the hob on. He somehow managed to turn it on. Tested so done right? No! He let it burn high coz "must keep it on in order to test the gas heater". What?? So he went to turn on the heater at the remote control, and as I watched, the fire from the hob was affecting the cabinet above!! I shouted for the guy who came back in from the bathroom to turn off the hob. Too late, some glue melted a little :(
And the water still wasn't hot. Why? Coz the main switch at the heater was not on! So he reached over the wall to the aircon ledge to turn it on, by stepping on the wall with his dirty and wet socks! Water was still cold. I just asked him to go; I could test slowly on my own.
He left black and wet marks on the floor so I went around wiping with kitchen towels coz that was all I had! And when I was wiping, I found the dirty wall. I was so angry coz our ID only just painted and cleaned the whole place! Luckily, he helped us paint over nicely again.
3 Feb 2018
I realised a bit late that I forgot the curtains *.* So arranged for the measurements to be done today.
Also arranged for installation of loose items, i.e. toilet seats, hobs, shower heads etc. And the bidet for ourselves that we bought separately.
All well done!
And best, the guy installing the loose items taught me how to use the heater. It was totally different from what the gas installation guy said, and it worked! I was so angry all over again and wrote in to complain. City Gas called me back to understand the case, and that was it.
6 Feb 2018
Arranged two deliveries and one installation today! The TV and washer-dryer came first. Then the TV installation. I waited for the fridge until I couldn't wait. But while I was reaching the child care centre, the delivery man called! I told him I told his colleague by 5.30 pm. I waited until 5.40 pm and had to go. He told me he could deliver again but there would be a $80 charge. I told him I wasn't paying as the text message from them wrote clearly 2 pm to 5.30 pm for me.
Seriously, are they trying to be irritating with their delivery hours of 11 am to 3 pm or 4 pm to 8 pm?? Do I take morning or afternoon leave for the first slot? And for those who haven't moved in, with kids, like us, how to do the second slot?! And their delivery men don't need to eat at proper meal times?
Anyway, arranged for 14 March when we will be unpacking there and can wait 11 am to 3 pm. Ridiculous.
10 Feb 2018
Taken at HV MRT platform on the way to Chinatown
There's a windmill above the top left corner of the photo. I remember I passed by the windmill one day some years back and wondered how long more I would be there for. Well, that windmill is long gone and I'm still here!
17 Feb 2018
Second day of LNY and we decided to move lots of bags over!
Mr Strong
Apart from the brown bag, all the other big bags were used for more moving trips like this...
We had hotpot downstairs!
And bought a drink at the Esso station on our way back!
I was telling Sito where I had the accident when the car in front of us did the same thing - cut across two white lines to go to PIE! Why?!!!
21 Feb 2018
Shopping day at IMM! Went to only two shops in three hours - Daiso was one of course, and got some bedsheet sets. I was so dead after that..
23 Feb 2018
Went to Ikea to buy yet more things and brought them straight to the new house. We were there until quite late coz fixing things etc. Then, a fire alarm went off. We didn't think much of it until it was time to go - the lifts didn't work :( So we walked 18 floors to the carpark *.*
And this night, the car in front of us looked drunk. Very suay.
26 Feb 2018
Dashed to Ikea to change some towels - took the wrong size - and bought more stuff to carry to the new house all m=by myself. I Ms Strong :p
Curtains went up! So pretty, especially the Tiffany blue in Yu's room :)
Took the chance to do some laundry too. The washer-dryer took damn long!!
28 Feb 2018
The bed frames arrived but only for the kids. Some issue with the queen bed coz we wanted to change the high headboard to a low one.
3 and 7 Mar 2018
Our electrician came over to check out the light in Yang's room, which flickered when other lights were turned on or off. Couldn't find out why but one light got busted. So he had to come back another day to fix it.
5 Mar 2018
The mattresses arrived! Don't know why but all these deliveries are always late!
10 Mar 2018
Our bed frame arrived! The high headboard came along with it else we would have no bed! Have to wait for the low one to arrive end of the month.
And I put on some bedsheets - it's time.
And we were ready to for moving week!
