Gorilla and Mushroom Renovation

Like I said in my earlier postings, we all have a mental picture of what a comfortable home is. And many a time, this mental picture has lots of fixtures which we find lacking in our current homes, or maybe, it is a fixture that we hope to have or feel we need in a new home.

Examples would be kitchen islands, built-in beds/platform beds… etc

So, how does one segregate needs from wants? The usual guide would be if-I-can-live-without-it-without-compromising-my-current-comfort, then that is a want, not a need. *grinz*

Here are a few questions that would help.

Do you have the budget to build everything in your renovation quotation?

Can you live without such a fixture? (ie kitchen island, platform balcony, day beds, feature wall for TV console, marble floor, granite walls… etc)

Is it required? (platforms, platforms bed, custom-made built-in beds… etc)

Can a reasonable replacement be bought commercially at a lower cost? (TV console, MBR bed frame… )

Do you need the fixture today? (MIL wardrobe, feature for TV console, window grilles… etc)

Can this feature wait till the next round when we do reno additions in future?


Sometimes, it is the feasibility of the material used that can help to reduce the
costing.

One good example would be using solid teak wood for all carpentry vs using pine wood and laminates to achieve a similar look, OR

Using white marble flooring for your HDB home vs white Homogeneous tiles (c’mon, you only get to live in that place for 99 years at the most, is such an expense necessary?) OR

Plastering your whole house to ensure that every wall is smooth and straight OR

Hacking the brand new wall tiles in your new home so that you can put in some nicer looking tiles…


The list is endless… so save where you can. Remember, not everything is about looks, a cozy home is what you make of it, not what you put on the walls or the floor.

Of course, a renovation need not only be about needs and not wants. Can you imagine spending more than a year’s worth of salary into renovating your home, and not be able to indulge in a want here or there? With prudence, you can afford to spoil yourself or your spouse with one indulgence… say for example, the Groche shower set, or maybe an exquisite chandelier for the living room…etc

When it comes to renovating the home, it is of course the best if one can afford to do everything one desires to make the home the other heaven on earth… (the first one being in the warm embrace of your significant other *winks*), but reality is never like that. It is never feasible to take a hefty loan to do it, as you will just be making life miserable just to achieve that materially comfortable home.

What you are doing when listing down your renovation requirements, is that the both of you can be discussing on the same wavelength on the various needs of the home, and that one or two indulgence that both of you can afford.

Marriage is a long journey, and building the nest is the first step towards that journey… and that first step alone, is full of obstacles that one must brave to embark on this wonderful journey.

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