Property Project B: codename SB2 Part IV

Reno work is at 95% completion. Pending solid surface installation for dry kitchen, and MBR2 wardrobe, and some touch up for shoe cabinet. Target solid surface to be installed within this week while wardrobe installation for MBR2 has to be deferred due to MBR2 bathroom leaking. It has been about 1++ mths, the developer contractor still hasn't been able to fix it once and for all. I have to push and press them almost every other day. Tips; a must do test to detect bathroom leaking i.e ponding test for at least 24hrs. You can use papers wrapped in a plastic (see pic) and later take it off, or simply use old newspaper which you can later push down the floor trap.

As for the solid surface, the guy promised to complete the installation last week, but hampeh.. Till todate, am a bit unsatisfied with my dry modular kitchen cabinets. Of all my houses, this is the one that I'm not very happy with. Limited choices of material patterns, surprisingly kedekut material (smaller boxes, in terms of depth and design). Will be extra careful the next time if I ever choose modular again.

Some pics[pics]

DIY project to install curtain railings. Quite a tough job esp for the curve railing. It's of different type of railing and roller, and to bend the railing requires some expertise. Lucky me, my hubby is a handy man and he has all the required gadgets to make it happen. [pics]

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Konvensyen Dari Kosong Sampai Jutawan (DKSJ) IV @ SACC - Part II

Speakers; Dato' Azman Ching (biz man & motivational speaker), Dato' Haji Abdul Rahman (Rahman Brothers), Dato' Husamudin Yaakob (Karangkraf), Irfan Khairi (Jutawan Internet), Helmi Gimmick (entertainer).
Key take-away:
i) be confident in yourself (Azman Ching)
ii) jaga hubungan dgn Allah, dan hubungan sesama manusia. Redha ibu bapa juga adalah redha Allah (Azman Ching, Hj Abd Rahman, Helmi)
iii) build biz around yr passions and do not give up (Husamuddin, Hj Abd Rahman)
iv) start small, jangan buat loan untuk terus buat biz besar2an (Husamuddin)
v) communication; with Allah, parents, family members, friends, etc.. diff type of comm., perceptions (Helmi)
vi) Iqra' - sangat penting untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan. Pupuk minat baca dr kecil (Husamuddin)
vii) Internet marketing - list down yr interests and turn into biz, marketing & promo are very important, create backlinks, keyword (IK)
viii) networking - very important in biz (all). Lotsa opportunities to build networking with other participants.

Overall, the convention was great especially for those who have not or seldom attend motivation talk. I guess, that's what a convention is. It's more on paper presentation or experience sharing Actually, I expected the convention to be technical, but didn't really turn out as such except for IK's session and some part of Helmi's session. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the networking session.

Follow-up sessions:
a) 3-day personal coaching with IK, AC, HAR in Dec. Cost RM699
b) 6-day biz trip to China with AC, HAR, Helmi. Cost +/- RM5000

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Konvensyen Dari Kosong Sampai Jutawan (DKSJ) IV @ SACC

This convention was supposed to be held in July but was postponed due to Bersih Rally. Hv to bear the losses of airplane ticket and bus ticket. Luckily, the hotel booking can be canceled and refunded. I contemplated whether or not to ask for fee refund or proceed. Finally, I decided to go.

Friday, Oct 21, I took a bus from Butterworth to Shah Alam (actually B'worth-Klang-Shah Alam) due to timing issue. Took a ferry fr Penang to B'worth... wow! almost 10 years I didn't cross by ferry, still the same experience. 20mins to get to B'worth. Reached B'worth 20mins before bus departure, quite kelam-kabut to buy a ticket, then only 10mins to look for food. Adoi! perut dah berkeroncong yg amat sgt. Apa nak buat, dah tak cukup masa, so just grabbed a bun and a bottle of mineral water. Got onto the bus baru teringat kat kek batik that I made that morning (resipi kat bawah), alhamdulillah at least some sweet stuff for energy booster.

I felt the journey to Shah Alam was so long and boring. Worse still, I couldn't sleep. On and off my phone rang. Calls from my contractors, potential tenants, and people asked about my ads on tanah balok untuk disewa.. The bus stopped at Sg Perak for 30mins. Thought I had time for a quick lunch after solat jamak, unfortunately not enuf time. Terpaksa tahan lapar lagi. The driver asked me for the 2nd time whether I'm going to S.A or Klang.

It was already 6hrs 20mins in the bus. It was raining quite heavily, and terrible jam (complete halt for 10mins) coming out from Guthrie Expressway (just another reason I don't wanna live in KL anymore). I had no clue how far more to S.A bus station as the bus should be heading to Klang first... 10 mins later, we reached the bus station. Everyone got down the bus in a heavy downpour, left me alone in the bus. Before the bus driver got off the bus, he told me " duduklah dulu while smiling at me..". 5mins, 10mins, 15mins, the bus still didn't proceed to the next destination. The engine was on, anyway. I called up my hubby, so that the driver and the co-driver will not disturb me. Then, I read al-Quran from my phone. Suddenly, the co-driver approached me and asked "ada orang tunggu ke?. I didn't feel comfortable and a bit cuak, but did reply him " nak pergi Shah Alam, ada orang tunggu". He asked me again. Again, I answered the same. Pastu, dia kata ini lah Shah Alam. WHAT??? Ya, inilah stesen bas Shah Alam. Ya Allah, malunya muka.. (dalam hati, patutlah semua orang dah turun, pastu depa yang turun tu dok tengok2 je kat I yg dlm bas ni). Driver tu cakap lagi, tadi kita tak pegi Klang sebab 2 orang je yang nak pi sana, and dia orang dah tukar naik bas satu lagi yg pi Klang.. antara dengar dengan tidak je apa yg dia cakap tu sbb malu nyer pasal. Cepat2 cakap, sorry ya, thanks sbb bagitau sbb ni 1st time saya naik bas ke Shah Alam. Cepat2 ambik barang and turun bas. Masa turun bas tu, Tuhan je yang tau, nak tergelak pun ada, malu pun ada. Terus lari cari teksi, malu kalau driver tu cam muka.. sah mcm udang kn bakar kalau boleh nampak, nasib baik malam. Saje terpikir, camtu je ke stesen bas ekspress Shah Alam, hmmm...

Sampai Hotel Quality almost pukul 8.30pm.. check-in, solat, dinner, and good nite!

Resipi Kek Batik Biskut Marie

Bahan-bahan:
350gm - 400gm biskut marie
250gm butter
4 biji telur
3/4 cawan susu pekat
1/4 cawan gula
1/4 cawan serbuk koko
1/4 cawan air
1 tsp esen vanilla
1 tsp nescafe or 1 tbsp 'kicap kueh' (sebenarnya dah lama tak guna kicap kueh tu, so tak ingat)

Cara:
1. Pecah 4 biskut marie. Caranya, letak atas telapak tangan dan tekan kat tengah. Biarkan sebentar.
2. Panaskan kuali. Masukkan semua bahan kecuali biskut marie. Masak hingga sebati dan agak pekat
3. Masukkan biskut marie dan padamkan api. Kacau rata
4. Masukkan ke dalam loyang dan tekan supaya kemas, padat dan rata
5. Biarkan sejuk. Then, masukkan ke dalam fridge sebelum dipotong

Ni hasilnya:

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Trip from Penang to KL to Temerloh

I had an emergency last Tue which I had to traveled back to my hometown in Temerloh, Pahang. Fireflyz ticket costed me RM349 fr PEN-SZB, so I decided to take a bus. So, made a trip to KL by Plusliner express bus for RM36 via an online booking at http://www.ticket4u.com.my/plusliner/. I seldom take a bus, but this double-decker Plusliner is so comfy all the way, will travel w Plusliner again.

It was a 4.5 hrs journey from Sg Nibong bus station to Old KTM station, KL. This is where my adventure started. The bus stopped by the roadside in front of bus waiting lounge by the Heritage Station Hotel. My immediate destination is Pasar Seni (Central Market) LRT, and the final destination in KL is Hentian bas Jalan Pekeliling. Sharing my experience... get into ETS (dunno stands for what), just go thru it, and it comes to the KTM Komuter station. If you Google where the Plusliner stop, just look for the 'The Heritage Station Hotel, KL'. Turn left and take the pedestrian bridge to Hentian Bas Klang signboard on the other side. Then, walk towards the escalator (abt 200m away) to the next pedestrian bridge. You will see Pasar Seni LRT on yr right. Get down from the 2nd bridge and cross the road towards the LRT. You will see Post Office somewhere on yr left. Take the staircase (or escalator?) to the LRT station. It's just about 600m and 12mins from the bus stop. Buy a ticket to Masjid Jamek (for interchange), that costs me RM1 (hint: arah Gombak). From Masjid Jamek, get out to the next station across the road (to Sentul Timur). It costs RM1.20 from Masjid Jamek to Titiwangsa (arah Chan Siow Lin?). Get down and follow the signboard to Hentian Bas Pekeliling. All in all, it took me about 50mins from KL Komuter/Plusliner bus stop to Hentian Bas Pekeliling. Not bad, after all I get to exercise!!

Alhamdulillah, I managed to catch the next bus to Temerloh which departed 5 mins later. It was Metro bus and again, alhamdulillah it's comfy and smooth journey. Hmm.. I suppose the last time I took a bus from KL to Temerloh was about 15 years ago. Whooow.

I reached Temerloh toll plaza at 2.30pm and reached home safely at 2.45pm. Alhamdulillah.

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Property Project B: codename SB2 Part III

8 days since last updated. I was away and didn't get a chance to update. Latest status:
- 2 aircons with gas leak, 1 at the compressor pipe and the other one is concealed piping indoor. Symptoms; aircon is not cold and there's oil at the leaking area. After long deliberation between developer's contractor and my aircon contractor, they agreed to share the fixing cost. Logically speaking, it's the original piping problem. However, the developer's contractor goes by the agreement, once hacked, they're not responsible for it altho' it seems to be their problem. Lesson learned; do not proceed with t/shooting if you suspect any leakage. Inform the developer site office immediately. Otherwise, we hv to bear the consequences and cost. Btw, I am satisfied with my aircon contractor work, neat and clean. The key guy, Ah Teo will advise about the condition prior to installation.

- water leaking at MBR2, 2nd floor.. haiyaa, so frustrating to find out that they haven't fixed yet since my last site visit 4 days ago. Developer's subcon promised by end of this week. Let's see how it goes..

 





- D'Format cabinet specialist delivered dry kitchen cab, and mb1, br1, br2 wardrobes. Started the installation today, and will likely take 3 days to complete.
- Main contractor; LBL Construction & Renovation has almost completed their work. The work is neat and the price is reasonable.
- By end of next week, Yitwood carpenter will come to install wet kitchen cab, mbr2 wardrobe and shoe cab.
- Started to move some stuff in and clean the house.

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Poslaju rate.. that surprises me!

Yikes! I sent 2 parcels of clothing materials via Poslaju to Kelantan today and guess what. It costs me RM66.25, so unbelievable. I shud hv asked the P.O guy before deciding on either Poslaju or other cheaper option (if any). Argghhh!! too late. Maybe, will consider send via express bus, next time. Hv not tried, tapi pernah nampak bas bawak keropok lekor!

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Property Project B: codename SB2 Part II

Electrical shop delivered aircons, fridge & washing mc yesterday. For the installation, I got the service from TNK Aircon service from Air Hitam. Quite happy with their service. They came last week to check and ensure wiring are all ok which they even straightened the piping. Today, they finished installing 5 aircons while the last one wud hv to wait for the wardrobe to be ready as it's gonna b cabinet-mounted. Anyway, bad news as there's a leaking @ dining suspected coming from the original piping. Hv scheduled an inspection w the developer office and Ah Teoh tmw morning. I hope it's just a minor fix.

 

Cornice done and wet kitchen sliding door is fixed, too. Hahaha.. it's like an office, pulak. Well, it is, isn't it?

   

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Apam Karamel @ Gula Hangus

Ni last minute nyer decision last Friday, buat apam gula hangus utk dibawa ke rumah my auntie. Just drop by masa otw to KL for the 2-day Patrick Chan & Ewen Chia IBL2 seminar. Actually, dah bberapa kali buat apam ni, I really like it, my neighbor, Bes (she's from Macedonia, hubby from Australia) like it too. Sangat2 gebu, not that sweet and just nice.. resipi as usual, taken from Che Mat Gebu (CMG). Normally, CMG suka alter skit resipi asal but I hv no doubt with his judgement and taste. It has never failed me so far. Tima kacih sesangat kat CMG for all the recipes kat blog nyer..tiffinbiru which are always well presented with the the nice themes and pinggan mangkok. Actually, I used to ask mamazieza about him, camana lah agaknya orangnya CMG ni.. gebu ker orangnya? Ok, jom jamu mata ngan rupa apam gula hangus ni. Anyway, just a simple pic w/o deco mcm CMG tu.. You shud try the recipe..

BAHAN-BAHANNYA :-)
2 biji telur
1 cawan gula pasir
3/4 cawan air
1/2 cawan minyak masak
2 camca besar margarine or butter
2 camca besar susu pekat manis
1 camca teh soda bicarbonate
1 1/2 cawan tepung gandum
1/2 camca teh esen vanilla
a pinch of salt

CARA MEMBUATNYA :-)
1. Masak gula pasir hingga menjadi karamel. Berhati2 tuang air, kacau rata dan masak hingga semua sebati. Sejukkan.
2. Dalam food processor satukan susu pekat manis, telur, marjerin (@mentega) dan minyak, putar hingga sebati. (I guna blender je).
3. Masukkan karamel tadi bersama2 soda bicarbonate dan esen vanilla, putar rata.
4. Tambah tepung dan putar lagi hingga sebati, jika adunan kelihatan terlalu air, boleh tambah sedikit lagi tepung gandum anggaran 1/2 camca besar. (if you flw exactly the recipe guna measuring cup and spoon, 3/4 cups of water is just nice. Bila dah masuk tepung I normally kacau sebati je, tak perlu terlebih blend/mix.
5. Masukkan dalam acuan apam yang telah disapu dengan minyak, 3/4 penuh. Kukus 15 minit atau hingga masak (see above, I guna papercup letak dalam acuan cupcake/muffin tin yg satu2 tu)

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Property Project B: codename SB2

Well, this project keeps me really bz. My hubby and I hv bn working on it for the past 2 months from the design to actualization. For the past few months, my hands are extremely tied with my online store biz selling girls dresses, cookies for raya, project A (an office), and this project B (a house). Yupp, it's very hectic but I enjoy doing it. Needless to say, I need to care about my son, Aliff too.

Phase 1: Budget, costing, design, contractor selections.

• It's not gonna be a super duper hse reno this time. Been there, done that. Well, it may sound corky, but I thank Allah for all the rezeki. So, this time is about space. Living in Penang island.. huh, you can imagine for people like us, can't afford a bungalow but alhamdulillah, this house will just provide us the right space that we need for our passions, hobbies, and biz. 
• Time for design. As usual, we came out with our own detailed drawings using 3D Home Architect sw. Visited MegaHome, HomeDec, Perfect Living, Penfurnex, etc.. which was held one after another in consecutive months. (I love Penang for that matter :-) ). That's where we get to compare and choose IDs, kitchen specialists, furnishing and fittings with good bargains. What we did was to show them our designs and ask for quotes. Hmm.. not really a smooth sailing process as we revised our designs couples of times due to I couldn't make up my mind bw open and closed concept kitchen, urghhh!!!!! Finally, I decided with closed concept, more comfortable with it. Ahhaa.. 2 contractors/specialists for my kitchen (wet/dry) as well as wardrobes. Why? simply becoz the other contractor can't fulfill my requirements. 
• Tracking the expenses that go to the house is an on-going process. I'm tasked to track it. Luckily not to fork out fr my own pocket, thanks dear!

Phase 2: Renovation and furnishing

• OC (now they call a diff name, can't remember) was obtained in end July. We got the key on 10th Aug. Wow! Quite impressed with the nice handover folder with the key holders and complete manuals, do's & don'ts etc..
• Time for defect checking. Overall, we're satisfied w the neat finishing. Initial inspection discovered most problems come from the hair line cracks at some areas. Others like water seepage (due to rain) at window, and minor problems of loose taps. At the time of 1st inspection, cudn't test the water supply as the electrical water pump wasn't turned on. Defects list #1 submitted together w reno deposit. Must take note that no structural change allowed due to strata title (a landed house with strata title). Soon after water pump turned on, we discovered few problems and the major one is the water mark on the wall near MBR2, at L3 staircase. As of today, the rectification work is still going on.
• Went thru with the contractors the detailed SOW. Target completion latest by 21st Oct. Whoever comes across my blog and interested in the contractor details, feel free to tinkle me The photos are meant for yr reference. I can share my experience and recommend accordingly..
• Started about 3 weeks ago, right after raya. Thus, bz with the follow-ups, material selections, fitting and furnishing.. I made a point to visit the contractor almost every other day. Alhamdulillah, it's progressing well, so far. Anyway, like mentioned, it's just a simple reno.. 
• Completed so far; brick walls, glass shower screen installation and fan installation
• This wk target: back yard flooring, delivery of aircons, fridge, washing machine (the shop dun want to deliver twice :-( ). Install air-con, lightings, wet kitchen concrete and tile frame. Cleanup on weekends.
• Next week ending Oct 14 ; wet kitchen and wardrobe for MB2, shoe cabinet, curtains. Cleanup and touch up on weekends. Start moving small items by car.
• The final week ending Oct 21; dry kitchen, MB1, RM1 and RM2. Delivery of beds, sofa, dining table. Cleanup and touch up on weekends by my hubby (I'll be away in KL for 3 days for a course). Continue moving items by car

 

 

Phase 3: Move in!!! (will update later..)

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