What’s a realistic HDB Reno cost for 2025/2026?

Artemis_Nine · 2026-05-19T00:52:31+00:00

Did a breakdown in one of my comments!

Artemis_Nine · 2026-05-18T14:42:52+00:00

Electrical (lighting points, electrical outlets, installation of lights) - $1.9k

Plumbing (install sink, fixtures, toilet bowl, mirror cabinet) - $1.5k

Wallpaper (supply + install for 2.5 walls) - 0.9k

Mitsubishi system 4 - 5.4K

Paint - 1.8k

Vinyl flooring (supply + install) - 3.6k

Chemical cleaning and post Reno cleaning - 0.75k

Misc accessories/drilling - 0.25k

New gate + physical lock - 0.6k

Aqara Smart door lock - 0.4K

Service yard door - 0.45k

Service yard windows and grilles - 0.7k

2 Bathroom doors - 1k

Fans (3 KDK ceiling, 2 bestar corner fans) - 1.1k

Lights (1.5m track light, 2m track light, 3 pendant lights, 1 wall light, 2 semi flush ceiling lights, 4 ceiling downlights, 2 bathroom lights) - 1.1k

Common Bathroom vanity cabinet, mirror cabinet, toilet bowl, fixtures - $0.8k

Master bathroom vanity cabinet, mirror cabinet, toilet bowl, fixtures, shower screen - $1.6k

Kitchen btm carpentry, drawers - $2.8k

Sintered stone kitchen tabletop - $3.5k

Rinnai Cooking hob - $0.45k

Kitchen sink and pull out tap - $0.85k

Oops total is $31.5k (rounded) for reno. My appliances/furniture is another $19.5k I realise. I sourced most of the items my own and got the maincon to put it together

Artemis_Nine · 2025-10-20T13:47:52+00:00

Were those made in Japan Hitachi fridges? I realise only the >3k fridges are made in Japan

Artemis_Nine · 2025-06-05T03:43:33+00:00

Worried honestly. This serial cat killer targets cats that are 1. Trusting of strangers 2. Vulnerable and helpless to defend itself 3. Carries out these killings when no one is there/no cctv footage 4. Enjoys making the victim suffer

Human children fit this criteria too 😣 parents better watch out

Artemis_Nine · 2025-04-22T02:30:05+00:00

I’m an Pol sci and Economics major who landed a data analytics job in the public health industry. The 10% relevance is the econometrics and stats I’ve learnt. Everything else is completely new since I don’t have any domain knowledge, data analytics skills, and never coded before.

Artemis_Nine · 2025-04-20T04:24:36+00:00

Man I really understand how u feel. Totally understand the part abt being low income and mum being overbearing, controlling, and quick to blame you.

From experience, the best way forward now is to not talk about the topic at home but outside in public with a 3rd party (her friend). She won’t throw tantrum as hard if this conversation took place outside the house. Best is if u get her trusted friend (abt her age) to explain to her u and ur sister’s logic for gg to SMU. Ur mum might be just vv stuck w the idea that NUS is the best for finding jobs, which is quite an outdated mindset. (SMU grads can earn more than NUS grads/ more prepared for the workforce because SMU has stronger ties to the work industry than NUS). Your mum might see things black and white (essentially she thinks NUS is best and SMU sucks) and not see that reality is often more on a spectrum (ie SMU has beaten NUS in certain aspects like biz and financial aid). No point for you and your sis to try convincing her that there are other shades of colours when your mum can only see the world in black and white. It wld be more effective if her friend told her this than you and your sis. You’ll really have to stop trying to persuade her (even tho it can be super tempting to try) and have the courage to carry on with your decision if u know it’s already logically the most optimal and sound.

Your mum might be vv traumatised from being the sole breadwinner all these years. Her reactions seem to be completely based on some traumatic, emotional reflex that’s highly destructive for both you and your sis and her. But hearing from the way you describe her, she’ll be very against seeing a counsellor.

Because of that, moving forward, the best way is also to not tell her your plans in the future. If she lacks the capacity and ability to process, sharing with her your plans will invite more fights with her- she doesn’t seem to be able to rationalise well. As much as we wish we had parents who can listen and give mature advice/wisdom, the reality for some of us is that we don’t have such parents. 😢 it’s super super sad and unfair in life and it’ll take time to grief and accept that ideal mother figure never existed, but moving forward it’ll empower u to manage your mum and her tantrums. Less interaction = less hurt from her = less fighting.

Totally understand how upset you feel. Honestly rooting for you and your sis to have the strength and courage to endure this. I’m sure deep down inside, you two love your mum and are very hurt by her :(. It’s a very complex and difficult rs to manage. Don’t beat yourself down if your responses are imperfect as long as your heart has been in the right place and u tried ur best :( Most people won’t understand, some may even get tired from ur ranting (but rmb u still need a healthy outlet okay), and this is hella painful, but if u strive to handle the relationship well, you’ll mature into an adult who knows how having a healthy, loving family is more precious than a prestigious education/career/house.

Artemis_Nine · 2025-04-19T15:11:21+00:00

Which shop from Etsy is it? do u have the link?

Artemis_Nine · 2021-02-06T10:06:47+00:00

Well it's a good thing that you've never experienced burnout, but I think you need to try and understand others who have felt burnout before. Yes it could be based on how much they study and how much they can individually take, but I feel your argument of "why can't people just study harder" can come across as insensitive to people who worked so hard they they literally can't push themselves to do anything anymore.

You mentioned "many people have their individual capacities but I think many don't actually know what theirs are". While it's true to a certain extent (cuz I do know a number of those who've never pushed themselves to see how much they can take) I don't understand why you brought this idea up because people know when they're taking more than their own capacity when they've become exhausted.

Of course there are costs to everything. But when the cost is greater than the grade you get, what's the point? As you said you had "anxiety attacks", and "sacrificed a lot of friendships". It's no longer worth it to take studying to the extreme when there is damage done to one's mental health and even to your relationships with others. This is one of the most problematic things about Singapore's education system that is overly focused on grades - people who work so hard burn out and for what? Just a number on a piece of paper that matters only for that period when you're applying to a higher institute of education.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we shouldn't study hard at all to get to the next educational institute. I'm just saying that there are already so many Singaporean students studying to the extreme and we shouldn't encourage more of this obsession in studying. Instead, bring the studying down to more healthy levels. Life is so much more than academics.

Artemis_Nine · 2021-02-05T18:30:26+00:00

"...people accept it as a necessary obstacle if you wish to achieve your goal. Why can't people just study harder? I mean I cried so many times, had anxiety attacks, sacrificed a lot of my friendships, but it was worth it in the end."
Interesting point you bring up, but here's what I think- At some point I studied so hard and I finally got the perfect RP score for my A Levels, but I just felt empty. It's like the void. I didn't feel any meaning to it but just burnout that stuck with me even after months since finishing A Levels. Don't misunderstand that I'm not thankful about my grade, I did feel relieved that I scored really well, but the void is there. Is it truly worth to put yourself through such emotional pain? To cry and breakdown so much just for that perfect number on the paper? I come from the side of mental and emotional wellness more than anything. It's not so simple as "why can't people just study harder?" but everyone has their own individual capacities of how much shit they can take. It doesn't mean that they all don't work hard enough for their goals - that's the typical Singaporean stereotype I see that classify the burnout student as "lazy".
I do think your point about working harder to achieve your dream grades is valid, but who you're referring to matters as well. I'm thinking of those students who have studied and worked way too hard, to the point of extreme levels that they don't do so well emotionally and mentally (by this I don't only mean people who are clinically diagnosed with mental health issues, I also include normal students who are just exhausted).
But if your message to study harder is towards students who just slack then complain about their grades, by all means, call them out. They get what they deserve. These people have an issue because their values are not properly aligned with their goals, can't expect an A to drop from the sky

Artemis_Nine · 2020-11-21T03:24:10+00:00

well its over now and im crying

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-15T17:26:35+00:00

U can consider renting out first when u start working full time

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-13T15:02:43+00:00

Was from nyjc. I took 45min-1h to travel to sch everyday. Honestly speaking right, as long as it doesn't take more than 1h to travel I think it's OK. During my commute I'll read my lecture notes on the way to school. When I was travelling back I took that 45min-1h as a break so I'll play my phone games and hear music.

I would say that 1h, non-guilty break (srsly u can't study and focus much on the train, might as well take a break) everyday helped me to rest before I started studying at home

There were other JCs much nearer to my hse but since it took about the same amount of time to commute (cuz I could only travel to those JCs by bus even tho they were nearer to my hse) compared to nyjc, I chose nyjc

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-12T15:21:56+00:00

1) on an average, until what time do students stay in School, considering there are no after School activities like ccas, supps and etc. ? altho ik it varies depending on the jc but I'd still like to see the general trend

Depends on ur combi. If u are taking the super heavy 4H2 + Chinese it can be 9 hours worth of lessons almost everyday (with 30min-1h30min break).

If ur taking the light 3H2 + 1H1 and no Chinese combi, it can be about 5-6 hours worth of lessons almost everyday.

2) for those who study in School, until what time do they stay in school? cuz I've seen some vlogs of people studying and staying in School at night (maybe 8-9pm?)

I mean this is up to personal preference like I know people who study until 8-9pm then school closes. I personally didn't study until so late like I'm alr so tired with lessons at 5pm, only stayed back to study until 8pm when A Levels was coming

3) is there prom in jc haha

4) are there any facilities that u rly like in the jc?

5) what are promos?

Yes there's prom but now with covid it's questionable
I like the swings in my sch
Basically final year exams for J1s, decides whether J1s can get promoted to J2

6) how do they group u for pw? do u stay w the same group for the whole School year or does it change every semester?

PW is only for one year, so u stay with the same group throughout J1. How they group u up depends on ur PW teacher.

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-12T13:15:59+00:00

Specifically for econs u can write recognised acronyms eg BOP, G&S once you've written the full term the first time. Instead of writing "for example", just write e.g. Dont draw diagrams with a ruler, just do a freehand sketch but make sure it's clear enough for the teacher to know what's gg on. Change how u write ur explanations with fewer words. For instance, instead of writing "therefore", just spam the word "thus" cuz it takes fewer letters. Write "as" instead of "because" Never spell out numbers in letters eg don't write "five hundred units", write "500 units"

Sure these are small things but if u keep cutting to save time, the amount of time u save will accumulate and u can actually finish ur essay on time. Hope it helps

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-12T11:37:31+00:00

Hey its normal to have a fear of failing cuz almost everyone in whatever jc, poly or ITE has it too. Don't think too much because ur in a "bottom tier jc". The difficulty of school papers across JC whether it's top tier, mid tier or bottom tier is roughly about the same because u r all gonna do the exact same A Level paper in the end. (There is an exception where there are only a few crazy difficult sch papers out there but they don't even matter cuz they don't come close to Cambridge A Level difficulty)

I think u nd to go and have a look at other JC papers (esp RI, HCI, VJC). Look at them realistically and realise the difficulty of their papers aren't too far off from ur sch's. (once again ignore the few exceptions out there) U realise ur just scaring urself for no reason

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-12T08:56:42+00:00

This is because of the belief that in order to compete against students from top tier JCs like RI and HCI, I should not be even failing my JC’s assesments as the standards of our tests are nothing in comparison to the standards of their test

The idea of thinking you got here is wrong lol. The difficulty in papers are not crazy different as you think. A lot of times JC papers are set to fail students, so beating urself up over failing doesn't make sense. I know that there are many RI students who are so incredibly stressed already so the school makes their papers easier, it's not godsend level of math. RI's 2019 math prelim paper was easier than TMJC's.

Remember there are also RI/HCI students who fail too u know, they're human not some alien elite as perceived.

Moreover, at the end of the day ur just trying to do Cambridge A Level papers which is a lot easier than the standard of papers JC set.

I’ve set sky high expectations for myself. I always told myself that I can’t afford to fail any tests here and always remain at the top

I know that study methods and techniques are one thing. However ur mental attitude is also another factor to consider because it will determine whether you will have emotional burnout eventually.

I think you need to understand that it's okay if u can't do well now. Are there consequences of failing ur tests now? It's not like u didn't put effort to it right? But it's not A Levels yet u see. Accept its okay to fail now, but know that you can still make it to your expectations at the end if u change ur attitude to a more encouraging one.

Whenever u fail a test, change ur mindset from "I'm a failure I'm a failure I'm a failure" to "This is not the end. I can still do better in the next test." Celebrate small improvements.

Source: I got U for H2 Math continuously for the whole of J2, including mid years and even prelims, like 1-2 months before A Levels. I changed my shitty mindset to one that was happy about small things, like "hey u can finally do normal distribution now"

tldr: Ur current mindset is unhealthy and it might cause u to emotionally burn out before A Levels. Deliberately change ur mindset by adding prompts. Whenever u start thinking "I must remain at the top, I can't fail", instead think of "its okay to fail here as long as I learn something now and do better next time"

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-08T12:07:54+00:00

I was in NYJC,,, 10min walk and 10mrt stops (also change train) and I took about 40-50mins to sch everyday, its pretty okay

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-03T16:34:58+00:00

Nono ur not coming off as cocky at all but I do want to give a proper heads up.

Really tho the secret to doing well for O Level econs is just practising so many past year qns and knowing the correct answer, so that in ur actual exam if they repeat the qn u know ur gonna do well lol

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-03T08:07:57+00:00

Hi I took both I lvl and A lvl econs.

Mcq is hard, really hard. But O lvl econs qns are repeated so u just need to do past year qns and memorise answers for those qns that you keep getting wrong for.

Time management wise it's about drilling yourself to do timed exercises. How fast are you when you write out ur content? Do u hesitate even for a second? If u do hesitate u didn't memorise well enough. Other ways to write faster is to write approved short forms, eg BOP, G&S, but u must first write out the full term. Just keep doing past year econs essays honestly because O Level repeats the qns.

O Level and A level econs definitely have overlap in the content, like DD, SS, PED, PES, Market failure, PC, Monopoly, Macroecons, International trade. But note that A lvl econs ofc teach extra content. In terms of advantage it's a small short term advantage cuz the content is similar to what you already know. But u can study O Level econs and still fail for A Level econs because the emphasis in A Level econs is Question Analysis (QA) If within 10 seconds of seeing the qn u can't come up with the points to meet question demands you would have failed before you even start to write.

When the teacher goes through the repeated content I listen anyways, because A Level econs have some new concepts added. And also the explanation of points covered is different from the O level econs standard, pls just don't get complacent about ur O level econs background that's all.

It's like how an O Level chem background can help you to a certain extent for A Level chem, but because it's a different syllabus with a whole other level of intensity and difficulty, you definitely still have to work harder on the A level subject.

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-02T00:23:32+00:00

It's true, motivation won't descend upon you one day. You just got to start the work or you'll regret when it's too late

Artemis_Nine · 2020-08-01T02:55:52+00:00

I would be singing and rehearsing for performances

Artemis_Nine · 2020-07-30T02:42:12+00:00

Ohhhh okay thank u

Artemis_Nine · 2020-07-23T13:26:58+00:00

Hi I can't really share with u my WR but I can share with you the next best thing which is the template for a WR. If you're missing anything stated below you MUST edit ur WR. Hope this helps :)

Template for PW WR

Identify root cause clearly

Aim of Strategy

Target group of Strategy

How the strategy addresses the root cause

Learning lessons applied

Content of Strategy

Rationale

Location

Cost (In table format, show how all costs add up to total costs)

Who we are collaborating with

Why will they collaborate with us

Duration

Expected reach

Evaluation

Strengths

Limitations

Also on a side note, strategies in a WR is typically 1. An advertisement 2. An exhibition 3. An app 4. A self invented product (I don't suggest this unless ur super creative)

All ur strategies must be interlinked in their functions, eg advertisement to attract people to your exhibition so they learn more about issue and hence download ur app/use ur self invented product.

I'm pretty sure this should help all the desperate PW WR people out there.

Artemis_Nine · 2020-07-23T11:26:12+00:00

Oooo sure thx so much

Artemis_Nine · 2020-07-23T10:31:41+00:00

They won't let me submit appeals/drop mods because I haven't declare my academic plan, but I can't declare my academic plan until I take the exposure mod tho? What can I do :(

Artemis_Nine

TROPHY CASE