One thing that i'm always struggling is the how to choose my lightings.
Not the design, silly.. but the light bulb. I know i will want LED lights, but the wattage sometimes confuses me, as in how bright does a watt gives me and such.

So i'm compiling the info here for my reference again:

Wattage measures power whereas Lumens measures light output.
A 7W LED will produce more light than a 7W fluorescent light.

As a very rough estimation,
For fluorescent lights (CFLs): multiply watts by 100 to get an LED lumen(lm) value.
For incandescent bulbs: multiply watts by 10

So in the case of LED bulbs, a 6.3w LED bulb will feel like a 40w incandescent bulb with 400 lm:

   
     80-90 lm                    200 lm                       400 lm                      600 lm                      1000 lm
source: Ikea


Here is an estimate for LED wattage selection:

Watts (Power)	Average Lumens (Brightness)	Use this for
3W	200	Candle Bulbs, Lamp shades. Because its not that bright, often use for close lighting.
5W	300	Downlights. Common colour-changing bulbs.
6W	400	Quite common. Bedrooms, corridors.
7W	460	Accent lighting. Bedrooms slightly more bright.
12W	800	Less common. Very high ceiling downlights. Or where a lot of light is required.

source: HomeDesign

How much Lumens do i really need for a room? 
As a general rule of thumb:

Floor: 20 Lumens/Sqft or 215 lm/sqm
Tables and raised surfaces: 30 Lumens/Sqft or 323 lm /sqm
Desk and Task lighting: 50 Lumens/Sqft or 538 lm/sqm

Area	Lumens/Sq M
Kitchen	300-400
Kitchen (Task)	700-800
Living Room	400-500
Hallway	300
Bedroom	300-400
Bedroom (Task)	700-800
Bathroom	500-600
Bathroom (Task)	700-800
Reading Area	400

If possible, get dimmer switches so that if it's too bright, you can still adjust accordingly

    Dimmable       non-dimmable

Apparently before the start of your renovation, you should start to plan your networking layout already. At least check where your data points and telephone jacks are in the house, check with your contractor/ID if you need to change the location of those points depending on your carpentry, then arrange for the home networking guy to do some magic for you! *Painting of the house needs to be done only after all these are done, so make sure to do your logistics first!

Some really useful links to kickstart:

Pat Notebook
Qanvast: Easy Hacks for Maximising Your Home Fibre Broadband
Hardwarezone: Preparing yout Home Fibre Broadband

You can engage BTO Home Networking for this particular need.
According to the pricing package:
For 4/5 room new flat. We have a package deal specially for it.
Package deal is 3 data points ( 3 rooms ) for $90.
3 Data point
1 Data patch panel point ( Utility Panel )
1 Digital voice loopback ( Free with 3 points done )
5 point will be touch on Patch panel will be included at no extra together the digital home line loopback. once done, you can enjoy your home digital line in the living room instead of having them at the utility panel. Additional points is at $30.

To simplify and paraphrase mainly from PatNotebook:

1. Understand the network design first:

source: MyRepublic

2. Check your utility cupboard on the ONT and RJ45 Data point location


Source: PatNotebook

3. Catch: Every room is cabled up with CAT6 cable but yet they are all terminated with a telephone jack and not a network RJ45. There is one data point in the living room though.

4. Call BTO Home Networking to do the following:

- Replace all telephone points with RJ45 keystones and convert the telephone points to data points. 

Source: PatNotebook

- Open the utlity box and convert it to a mini network patch panel area

Source: PatNotebook

- Do not use the wireless fibre optic router in the utility point. Switch off the wireless function and use it only as a router as the utility cupboard is always closed and far from the bedrooms, ie wifi coverage will be bad. Instead, buy another wireless router and use it as a WIRELESS ACCESS POINT (note, not a router.. but as a WAP). Place that router in the middle bedroom (BR2) and you will get greater coverage.


- how it should look like after all the shenanigans are done:

Source: PatNotebook

When all is said and done, peace is maintained in the airwaves and on with the renovation headaches!

Basically big ticket items that i've shortlisted to buy and maybe still checking on reviews.
Will update this list along the way..
$$$$$ fly fly away......
Pfft...

Kitchenware

Fujioh
Model: SLM900R
Dimensions: 900 X 460 X 120 X 50
Oil Fumes Capture: 85%
Price: $360 (costplus.com.sg)

Fujioh
Model: FSJ890 (preferred)
Dimensions:  890 / 550 / 150
Oil Fumes Capture: 92%
Price: $460 (costplus)

Rinnai built in glass hob
Model: RB-712N (G)

Dimensions: (W)780 (D)465

Cut out size: (W)650-735 (D)350-421
Material: Black tempered glass

Price: $279

Rinnai 3 burner stainless steel inner flame
Model: RB-3Si
Dimension (mm): 870(W) x 510(D)
Cut-out (mm): 725-830 x 435-470 x R110
Price: $559 (costplus)

Rinnai 2 burner glass inner flame
Model: RB-2Gi
Dimension(mm): 780(W) x 466(D) x 66 (H)
Cut-out(mm): 703(W) x 403 (D)
Price: $570 (costplus)

Ikea sink
Model: DOMSJÖ
Dimensions (WxDxH): 83 x 66 x 24.5 cm
Price: $349

Hitachi 33L Superheated Steam Microwave Oven
Model: MRO-AV100E
Dimensions (wxhxd): 501x412x505 (add 100mm to height and 45mm to each side; 591x512x505)
Heating degree: 250°C Max
Price: $999 (harvey norman)



Panasonic 602L ECONAVI Technology 2 Door Refrigerator
Model: NR-BY602XSSG
Dimensions (W x D x H): 775 x 745 x 1846 mm
Price: $1299 (megadiscountstore)

Service yard

Dryers:
Condensor vs Vented tumbler dryers:
Condenser dryers collect moisture from wet clothes in a water reservoir, which you must empty when it is full. Takes longer to dry.
Vented dryers simply expel the moist air from the room through a hose. Need to be placed near a window for the hose. Uses less electricity

Midea Tumble Dryer
Model: MD610W (front load 6kg)
Dimensions (WxDxH): 597 x 555 x 840
Eco friendly: 3.87kWh/cycle (1 tick)
Price: $259 (Parisilk)

Electrolux Dryer
Model: EDV6051 (front load 6kg)
Dimensions: 600 x 845 x 620
Eco Friendly: 3.70kWh / cycle (1 tick)
Price: $499 (courts)

Panasonic Washer
Model: NA-148VG4 (front load 8kg)
Dimensions: 596 x 594 x 845
Eco friendly: 3 ticks (6.2L/KG)
Price: $879 (courts), $780 (costplus)

Living Room

Samsung 55" UHD Smart Curved LED TV
Model: UA55JU6600
Dimensions  (W x H x D): 1241.7 mm x 770.1 mm x 310 mm
UHD Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
Price: $3035 (courts)
Features: Quad core processor, UHD upscaling, ConnectShare Movie (plug usb/hdd and play movies directly)
Refer to this link for all you need to know bout 4k tv

  
Focal True 5.1 soundbar + subwoofer
Model: Dimension
Dimensions (WxDxH): 115.5 x 41 x 11.5cm
Price: $1888 (hear my heart break into pieces loud and clear with this pricing...)

How i envision it to be:

This is going to be a "documentary" of sorts to the start of a new beginning i.e. my first ever home renovation.

And to make matters fabulous, i have a budget too. Therefore this blog is to chronicle what i have to do and what is to come and all the that i need, in one space. I'm anal that way, i like to see visually what i envision and not just keep it in my head since i can't keep my thoughts for long.

Though i have yet to collect my 4 room HDB BTO keys just as yet, but anytime soon in the next 1-2 coming months.

So here it starts, my wonderously challenging layout:

A grandeur internal floor area of 90 sqm...
Challenging because the bomb shelter is right at the entrance and i have no idea how to squeeze my shoe cabinet outside of the shelter.

Going to be hacking the Kitchen and BR3 walls so that i can have a large open space, i just need air to breathe ya know? If i can't have a spacious MBR, i might as well get a huge living area.

Good luck!