House issues

katbh · Post by **katbh** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 9:24 am

Occasionally you find a good workman. But he is usually very old. Very much from the old school. Most contractors just send their workers who have no training and are really just labourers. They will look at the job make one or two phone calls. Start on the job, in the wrong place, using the wrong tools and materials and fix the thing that did not need fixing...You are left with a mess and still need to find a contractor to fix the original problem. Meanwhile, the plaster will fall off the wall around the area that the worker 'fixed'. Even if it was the toilet!

Post by **x9200** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 9:57 am

Examples of what is ok as per local workman's standards:
- water tap tilted by 45 deg
- filling between the bathroom tiles and the bathroom tiles of different color than the original one (after replacing some broken)
- a new mirror glued over a broken one in the bathroom
- door frame full in glue after a small splintered part was "fixed".
- sanded parquet full of wooden chips permanently mixed with a coat.
- after the said sanding, a different parquet finish (color, glossiness) from the rest of the parquet flooring in the house
- toilet flushers in the whole unit that can not flush much more than few sheets of facial tissues (brand new condo)
etc etc etc

Mi Amigo · Post by **Mi Amigo** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:28 am

The Spanish have a great word for this kind of thing: chapuza.* And whilst you see it everywhere, I've never come across so many chapuzeros since moving here.

* http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/chapuza

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 2:07 pm

x9200 wrote: - toilet flushers in the whole unit that can not flush much more than few sheets of facial tissues (brand new condo)

Experiencing this one too. I'm pretty sure the WC cistern is of intentionally restricted capacity. It just means you end up having to flush it twice most times. Genius.

Same way the impressive looking Grohe 'power shower' yields less water than a bog-standard one elsewhere.

Add to that, no bath-tubs.

And a condo with 5 swimming pools, none deeper than navel-hight!

p.s. But we all know about the politics of water in SG.

Post by **nakatago** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 3:09 pm

JR8 wrote:
x9200 wrote: - toilet flushers in the whole unit that can not flush much more than few sheets of facial tissues (brand new condo)
Experiencing this one too. I'm pretty sure the WC cistern is of intentionally restricted capacity. It just means you end up having to flush it twice most times. Genius.

Same way the impressive looking Grohe 'power shower' yields less water than a bog-standard one elsewhere.

Add to that, no bath-tubs.

And a condo with 5 swimming pools, none deeper than navel-hight!

p.s. But we all know about the politics of water in SG.

Like those tap flow limiters? Takes forever to wash a cup.

Hannieroo · Post by **Hannieroo** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 4:23 pm

We have a bath. I'm sealing it today because they appear to have grouted it in. The tile out of the shower that we asked them to repair when we viewed has been fixed in using sealant. Mmhm.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 7:48 pm

nakatago wrote: Like those tap flow limiters? Takes forever to wash a cup.

I can't say that's one I've experienced. Our tap pressure seems fine, it's just the showers that are lame.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 7:52 pm

Hannieroo wrote:We have a bath. I'm sealing it today because they appear to have grouted it in. The tile out of the shower that we asked them to repair when we viewed has been fixed in using sealant. Mmhm.

Haha... grout in the bath, and sealant in wall tiles? Jeez contractors who do this should be shot.

p.s. Good luck with the bath sealant. Top-tip: Fill the bath with water before/during while you do it, otherwise next time you have a bath, the combined weight of you/the water, will likely drop the bath a few mm and break the newly repaired seal...

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 8:26 pm

- The government (CNB/MAS) having an article on the front page of the newspaper, that 'Section 419 fraud' is, er, fraud.

-- 'It [CNB] advised members of the public to be wary of messages from unknown people...'
Really, is this the job of government, are the people SO completely stupid?

- A guy standing next to petrol tanker on a garage forecourt using a mobile phone (it used to be banned to use a mobile in a garage at all).

- That 'hub' word again: 'Changi Motorsports Hub'.

- A young girl holds a door open for me (youngsters seem to be very courteous).

- Adverts, that combine a free prize draw.

- Children swimming in spectacles.

- Bilingual newspapers (reminds me of Japanese Tv)

- Full service petrol station. You don't get this in Europe. The petrol-uncles are elderly and *very* short.

- Old men pool-side in Speedos. Yeuuuueeeh....

- 4-5 old men, with 5-8 children in rings and so on (none swimming) randomly dotted around the lap-pool and moving around, making it challenging to swim laps.

- Can't pay at the pump in SG? Hence the queues backed up the road?

- A motorcyclist wearing his rain jacket back-to-front (this is very SGn!

)

- A shopping trolley and a safe (locked!) at the condo recycling area!

- Thinking my swimmers were dry, before I put my khakis on top and went to the shops: Only to find after getting home that they obviously weren't, and I must have looked like I wet myself, front and back!

Post by **nakatago** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 8:28 pm

JR8 wrote:
nakatago wrote: Like those tap flow limiters? Takes forever to wash a cup.
I can't say that's one I've experienced. Our tap pressure seems fine, it's just the showers that are lame.

Most residences haven't bothered. I guess the new ones will. Something to do with the NEA.

Our office pantry had this installed. So every time someone washes his mug/cup/water bottle, whoever's next in line gets bored.

Hannieroo · Post by **Hannieroo** » Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:50 pm

x9200 wrote:
Hannieroo wrote:We really do prefer, when practical, to do the work ourselves than be stuck in with workmen.
This is a very wrong approach that is very right in Singapore. Unfortunately. I have yet to see any local workman's job that is done up to some basic, acceptable standards.

The loo was poorly applied sealant. A little of it was loose and that was causing the perma slight flush you fix with the jiggle and a bigger bit had come loose and that was keeping it open causing the constant full flushing. No doubt anyone the ll would have sent would have replaced the whole thing.

The bath was fine, top tip lick your finger and use that to smooth. I shall reseal the shower on Monday.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sun, 16 Jun 2013 1:59 pm

Hannieroo wrote: The loo was poorly applied sealant. A little of it was loose and that was causing the perma slight flush you fix with the jiggle and a bigger bit had come loose and that was keeping it open causing the constant full flushing. No doubt anyone the ll would have sent would have replaced the whole thing.

The bath was fine, top tip lick your finger and use that to smooth. I shall reseal the shower on Monday.

I can't visualise where sealant would be on a loo...but...

Yes this is one thing I dislike with these 'fancy' push-button toilets, the internal mechanism is complicated (vs old-style handle), and much more prone to failing. All it needs is a bit of debris (like limescale) to get into the mechanism and it can lead to the 'permanent slow flushing'. Having to jab the flush buttons to stop this slow-flushing is a classic limescale issue.

Deffo agree with your tip re: a wet finger to smooth out sealant! Damp rag in one hand to wipe off any excess from your finger, pot of water in front of you to wet your finger (you can lick it but it tastes disgusting (acetic acid)

).

Post by **PNGMK** » Mon, 17 Jun 2013 9:15 pm

katbh wrote:Occasionally you find a good workman. But he is usually very old. Very much from the old school. Most contractors just send their workers who have no training and are really just labourers. They will look at the job make one or two phone calls. Start on the job, in the wrong place, using the wrong tools and materials and fix the thing that did not need fixing...You are left with a mess and still need to find a contractor to fix the original problem. Meanwhile, the plaster will fall off the wall around the area that the worker 'fixed'. Even if it was the toilet!

The older guys were apprentices to British tradies or served in the Air base or Navy base or were trained under a long defunct 'engineers and artisans' program. The best motorcycle mechanic / customiser I've even met came through that program - it was a 4 or 5 year apprenticeship program and they served time overseas as well.

the lynx · Post by **the lynx** » Tue, 18 Jun 2013 9:08 am

JR8 wrote:- The government (CNB/MAS) having an article on the front page of the newspaper, that 'Section 419 fraud' is, er, fraud.

-- 'It [CNB] advised members of the public to be wary of messages from unknown people...'
Really, is this the job of government, are the people SO completely stupid?

- A guy standing next to petrol tanker on a garage forecourt using a mobile phone (it used to be banned to use a mobile in a garage at all).

- That 'hub' word again: 'Changi Motorsports Hub'.

- A young girl holds a door open for me (youngsters seem to be very courteous).

- Adverts, that combine a free prize draw.

- Children swimming in spectacles.

- Bilingual newspapers (reminds me of Japanese Tv)

- Full service petrol station. You don't get this in Europe. The petrol-uncles are elderly and *very* short.

- Old men pool-side in Speedos. Yeuuuueeeh....

- 4-5 old men, with 5-8 children in rings and so on (none swimming) randomly dotted around the lap-pool and moving around, making it challenging to swim laps.

- Can't pay at the pump in SG? Hence the queues backed up the road?

- A motorcyclist wearing his rain jacket back-to-front (this is very SGn! )

- A shopping trolley and a safe (locked!) at the condo recycling area!

- Thinking my swimmers were dry, before I put my khakis on top and went to the shops: Only to find after getting home that they obviously weren't, and I must have looked like I wet myself, front and back!

Isn't this supposed to be in your Cultural Shock thread?

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:02 pm

Dunno
Where are we
Who are you
I used to have a pet Preying Mantis

... Feeding it was drama

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