And as the stuff below gets less and less, this gets more and more.
And that's the main progress for the day folks. Where there was none before, now we have a floor. Now get out of here and do something more fun than watch concrete dry. Scram.
Today they started bright and early mixing up the concrete for what will become the master bath floor/living hall extension ceiling. Mixing, shovelling, and hoisting the stuff up manually, bucket by bucket.
And as the stuff below gets less and less, this gets more and more.
And that's the main progress for the day folks. Where there was none before, now we have a floor. Now get out of here and do something more fun than watch concrete dry. Scram.
And as the stuff below gets less and less, this gets more and more.
And that's the main progress for the day folks. Where there was none before, now we have a floor. Now get out of here and do something more fun than watch concrete dry. Scram.
Dropped in the house today for a discussion with our contractor, and just to observe the men at work.
Today's big job for them is getting the rebar in place before pouring the concrete for the first floor bathroom tomorrow. The wall/floor for the extension is drilled, and the rebar inserted into the holes. The rebars are then interlinked and tied with wires.
The old master bath has also been totalled. It's all wide open space now.
Before and after:
Discovered another problem... the place where I wanted to relocate the master bedroom door to is obstructed by a pillar in the wall. One wouldn't usually expect to find a pillar in the middle of a wall, usually they're in the corners.
But on further inspection, that pillar is the continuation of the main pillar from the ground floor up. Problem highlighted in red. Nuts, I shud have realised that earlier.
The window on the staircase landing where the new master bath is to be build was also demolished.
Today's big job for them is getting the rebar in place before pouring the concrete for the first floor bathroom tomorrow. The wall/floor for the extension is drilled, and the rebar inserted into the holes. The rebars are then interlinked and tied with wires.
The old master bath has also been totalled. It's all wide open space now.
Before and after:
Discovered another problem... the place where I wanted to relocate the master bedroom door to is obstructed by a pillar in the wall. One wouldn't usually expect to find a pillar in the middle of a wall, usually they're in the corners.
But on further inspection, that pillar is the continuation of the main pillar from the ground floor up. Problem highlighted in red. Nuts, I shud have realised that earlier.
The window on the staircase landing where the new master bath is to be build was also demolished.
I rolled by the house today and was glad to see 3 men hard at work, with some real progress being made.
Scaffolding was up and the formwork for the concrete slab which was to form the bathroom floor/living hall ceiling was being constructed.
View from the inside looking out
View from upstairs
Also, they've cleared much of the rubble that was on the floor inside.
But what I actually came to the house to do was to measure the hashing for the downstairs toilet bowl. For the uninitiated, you need to measure from the wall to the centre of the shitpipe. Toilet bowl also got specs, yo.
Scaffolding was up and the formwork for the concrete slab which was to form the bathroom floor/living hall ceiling was being constructed.
View from the inside looking out
View from upstairs
Also, they've cleared much of the rubble that was on the floor inside.
But what I actually came to the house to do was to measure the hashing for the downstairs toilet bowl. For the uninitiated, you need to measure from the wall to the centre of the shitpipe. Toilet bowl also got specs, yo.
We finally, FINALLY got our MPSJ approval at 5pm yesterday. *Sigh of relief*
Anyway, our contractor already decided to go ahead with or without approval if not there's no way the deadline could be met. Good job our approval came that same day as well.
So, went to the house for a site inspection and there's been progress. I like progress.
This is the best sign: It means work is starting proper.
Supplies: Cement and rebar. Glad to see our contractor supplying fairly good quality cement.
Inside, things have been moving. First signs, the old kitchen sink has been demolished. Before and after:
Upstairs, the master bathroom has been partially demolished. Before and after:
This is good news. It means no unsightly concrete column to cause problems, and more open space :)
Anyway, our contractor already decided to go ahead with or without approval if not there's no way the deadline could be met. Good job our approval came that same day as well.
So, went to the house for a site inspection and there's been progress. I like progress.
This is the best sign: It means work is starting proper.
Supplies: Cement and rebar. Glad to see our contractor supplying fairly good quality cement.
Inside, things have been moving. First signs, the old kitchen sink has been demolished. Before and after:
Upstairs, the master bathroom has been partially demolished. Before and after:
This is good news. It means no unsightly concrete column to cause problems, and more open space :)
So I hauled ass down to our crib last night after a long day's work to get our neighbours' signatures as required. I had to stand outside each of their gates yelling for about 5 minutes before they'd even come out because everyone thinks you're a salesman. I hate salesmen.
Even when they do come out the door, they just come halfway down their driveways until I politely say "Hi, I'm your next door neighbour" and ask for a minute of their time. At least one of them was friendly and invited me in.
So I finally got their endorsement and hauled ass over to our architect's place this morning to pass them the signed documents. She said she'd go over to MPSJ today to submit, and hopefully everything will be done by this week. Tomorrow is by this week. After which it will be next week. BAH.
So, we shall see how that goes. I've been getting a lot of google hits for people searching for MPSJ related stuff, so something useful for you all... here's the MPSJ letter that you need your neighbours to sign, if you're renovating like us. Download and print. And yell at their gates.
The latest news from the architects is that we've got to do the dreaded neighbour's consent letters. Both neighbours left and right have to sign off that they're OK for you to proceed with your reno plans before you can start anything. This is full of bull.
I went over to MPSJ yesterday morning to dish out some harassment over my pending renovation approval. After getting bounced from floor to floor and counter to counter, I finally arrived at the right place to check. For readers who want to know, it's the OSC counter at the back entrance where the carpark is. So the lady went into the back room and I could see her checking everywhere high and low but couldn't seem to find my file. Which made me think: so this is why this darn exercise is taking so long. Finally she brought out the log book and told me the architect had taken back the file on the 3rd of this month.
I got in to office and called the architect who told me that she had just gotten back from MPSJ and tried to get it signed off, but the officer in charge wasn't in today and that she'd go back tomorrow (today) and get that done. I just hope it really gets done and that we get approved today.
So hang on to your seats, folks. The suspense is killing me. Updates as soon as I know.
I got in to office and called the architect who told me that she had just gotten back from MPSJ and tried to get it signed off, but the officer in charge wasn't in today and that she'd go back tomorrow (today) and get that done. I just hope it really gets done and that we get approved today.
So hang on to your seats, folks. The suspense is killing me. Updates as soon as I know.
Back in my single days, I used to T.K.S.S about buying a container to live in instead of a house, and parking next to a starbucks to freeload their WiFi.
When I got bored of every location I'd just rent a truck to move me on to my next parking spot. Of course, these days its more likely to be an Old Town rather than Starbucks. BTW, Old Town toast rocks.
Surfing around ID/Archtecture sites on the net I came across this trick-ass crib. THIS is not exactly what I had in mind when I say living in a container. In fact, I don't even think my significant other would have a problem with this container crib:
Cordell House, ladies and gentlemen by Numen Development
For more pix of Cordell House, click here and here
I'll have my container crib yet. One day. Now all I need to haul my crib around is one of these:
When I got bored of every location I'd just rent a truck to move me on to my next parking spot. Of course, these days its more likely to be an Old Town rather than Starbucks. BTW, Old Town toast rocks.
Surfing around ID/Archtecture sites on the net I came across this trick-ass crib. THIS is not exactly what I had in mind when I say living in a container. In fact, I don't even think my significant other would have a problem with this container crib:
Cordell House, ladies and gentlemen by Numen Development
For more pix of Cordell House, click here and here
I'll have my container crib yet. One day. Now all I need to haul my crib around is one of these:
I've been dishing out harassment to the architects until they've stopped picking up my calls. But this MPSJ submission thing is taking way too long. When I managed to get in touch with them today, I was told that the technical amendments were minor, and that my application would be approved next Tuesday, the 15th. I'm like... @#$%.
If it was minor, why should it take a whole extra week to get it approved? Get the bleedin' thing approved like now. Anyway, I shall get the file number and harass MPSJ myself, if that's what it takes to get this thing done.
If it was minor, why should it take a whole extra week to get it approved? Get the bleedin' thing approved like now. Anyway, I shall get the file number and harass MPSJ myself, if that's what it takes to get this thing done.
It's now been 9 working days since our plans were submitted to MPSJ and today I got news from the architects that MPSJ requires some technical amendments to be made. I'm like What The?! I thought the last they told me was that the drawings were approved and they were waiting for some sort of document from Alam Flora to provide the dumpster?
This is highly frustrating.
This is highly frustrating.
There was a jazz band playing at the CIMB Perfect Livin Exhibition last weekend. Captured this on video. Hehehe
So I'm going to withdraw my EPF (Employees Provident Fund - FYI foreign readers) Account 2 to pay my dues for the purchase of our house. There is a veritable mountain of documents that they need to process it. Went to Jalan Gasing EPF office on Friday to get this done, but it was a wasted trip.
1. Sale and Purchase Agreement
(Don't forget to photostat the cover, not just the contents.)
EPF Counter Makcik: Mano cover? Turun bawah ke kafeteria pergi potostat.
2. Bank Loan Agreement
(In full as well, but this is a bloomin' thick document to photostat)
3. Photostat IC
4. Suratan Hak Milik atas nama penjual;
DAN
Surat Kebenaran Pindahmilik dari Pejabat Tanah (jika ada sekatan pindahmilik daripada pihak berkuasa);
ATAU
Suratan Hakmilik atas nama ahli;
ATAU
Borang Pindahmilik (Borang KTN 14A) atas nama ahli yang telah disempurnakan oleh Pejabat Tanah.
This mouthful of words is basically the title deed. Must be certified true copy by the lawyers. WHY DIDN'T THEY MENTION THIS ON THE BLOOMIN' WEBSITE? Would have saved me a trip to the EPF office last week just to find that out.
EPF Counter Makcik: Oh, ni kena bagi loyar sign nih... jangan lupa depan belakang pun kena potostat ye
5. Bank Statement or Bank Passbook
This is another pain. My bank branch is in KLCC. Why oh why do I need to go all the way there just to get hold of one piece of paper, with the bank stamp. Why can't they issue the darn thing at the nearest branch???
1. Sale and Purchase Agreement
(Don't forget to photostat the cover, not just the contents.)
EPF Counter Makcik: Mano cover? Turun bawah ke kafeteria pergi potostat.
2. Bank Loan Agreement
(In full as well, but this is a bloomin' thick document to photostat)
3. Photostat IC
4. Suratan Hak Milik atas nama penjual;
DAN
Surat Kebenaran Pindahmilik dari Pejabat Tanah (jika ada sekatan pindahmilik daripada pihak berkuasa);
ATAU
Suratan Hakmilik atas nama ahli;
ATAU
Borang Pindahmilik (Borang KTN 14A) atas nama ahli yang telah disempurnakan oleh Pejabat Tanah.
This mouthful of words is basically the title deed. Must be certified true copy by the lawyers. WHY DIDN'T THEY MENTION THIS ON THE BLOOMIN' WEBSITE? Would have saved me a trip to the EPF office last week just to find that out.
EPF Counter Makcik: Oh, ni kena bagi loyar sign nih... jangan lupa depan belakang pun kena potostat ye
5. Bank Statement or Bank Passbook
This is another pain. My bank branch is in KLCC. Why oh why do I need to go all the way there just to get hold of one piece of paper, with the bank stamp. Why can't they issue the darn thing at the nearest branch???
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