Storage space in apartments / Storage costs

[ecureilx]

The real estate people here will tell you that the maids prefer not to have aircon. Take that with a grain of salt!

And agents will say "maids don't like off day, maid's want to work 24X7 .. "

no wonder the govt had to enforce compulsory off days

[nakatago]

In advertisements the '+1' is the maids room.

So, say the ad says '3bdrm + 1' or 'Apartment 3 + 1', it is three bedroom apt with an additional room which is about the size of a bed! That is the maids room. It is usually off the kitchen. It is usual that the help gets the run of the kitchen, yard (as the small balcony is called) and the maids room. There should also be a bathroom (Usually with a small, often cold, shower and toilet).

In older houses or apartments, where the maids rooms are bigger, I have seen them used as part of the bedroom count. And to be honest, some of these rooms ARE larger than normal bedrooms in new apartments!

Not necessarily.

For HDBs, the +1 is the common areas. A second +1 usually indicates what passes could be a maid's room.

[Hannieroo]

Our lady does not use her air con. In fact, she sleeps in socks. But I do believe she likes being able to breathe.

Everyone shelves out their maid's rooms. Ikea does cheap and cheerful wooden shelving near the patio furniture.

[Waffer Theen Meent]

I've got a couple of quotes for storage, which may be of use to others. I tried to get like-for-like quotes for approximately the same volume of storage, but as you can see, it didn't quite work out! In any case, Big Orange is cheaper.

http://www.store-friendly.com.sg
7ft x 4ft x 8ft = 2.1m x 1.2m x 2.4m = 6.3m3 = 188 SGD / month
9.4ft x 4ft x 8ft = 2.9m x 1.2m x 2.4m = 8.5m3 = 248 SGD / month

http://www.bigorange.com.sg/
3m x 1.5m x 3m = 13.5m3 = 203 SGD / month
2.5m x 2m x 3m = 15m3 = 218 SGD / month

[Hannieroo]

Is the Big Orange one air con?

[Waffer Theen Meent]

It doesn't say anywhere that it is.
They provide different climate-controlled storage for wine, so perhaps not.

[Hannieroo]

The store friendly ones are as standard.

[PNGMK]

Thanks for the info guys!

So regarding the maid's room: do most apartments come with these as well then? Is it included in the room count that you see on adverts?

No - you'd be wise to clarify. However a lot of newer aptarments have a 'household shelter' (a bomb shelter) which can be used as a maids room but is not included in the room count typically (or in your case used as storage). Typically 10m3 at most (2m x 3m x 1.8m).

The bomb shelter ? the one with virtually zero ventilation, and unless the person is ok with a portable Aircon, and the attendant noise, (the type that ducts vent out... ) it is not liveable ..

just my 2 cents ..

You think SC care? Hardly... although I do recall in the FDW training something about the household shelters not being suitable for maid accom. Our maid actually has a specfic maids rooms with ventilation (windows) where she can see outside / get air in. It's just enough room for Ikea's smallest adult bed.

[Hannieroo]

I think the course says to put a fan in. Because that will help a whole lot.

[PNGMK]

I think the course says to put a fan in. Because that will help a whole lot.

My maid has a fan. What she doesn't have I realized the other day is enough hooks and a mirror.

[Waffer Theen Meent]

Now to complete the comparison, I have a quote through from a storage place in France.

And to my surprise, they came out at the SAME PRICE per m3 as Big Orange in Singapore - roughly 15 SGD per m3 of non-air conditioned storage space.

Here's the info:

http://www.extrastockage.com
2.7 m3 = 19.90 EUR / month = 34 SGD / month
5.4 m3 = 49.00 EUR / month = 84 SGD / month
8.1 m3 = 73.55 EUR / month = 126 SGD / month

[AnheuserBusch]

Check out BOXEM (www.boxem.sg). I store 3 boxes of stuff with them for $39 a month... literally 3 times cheaper than the next best option.

They started out as a storage company for university students but they'll help you out too.

Oh and they provide free boxes and do free door to door transportation so you don't even have to take your stuff to the warehouse.

[lucassmith]

Recently saw this storage site tailored for military personnels in sg, considering its mandatory conscription.
http://www.spaceship.com.sg/kaki

*edit
Sorry, came across this site through social media. Perhaps more applicable would be http://www.spaceship.com.sg without the suffix. Thought that I would add the kaki suffix because of its interesting twist/concept

[sundaymorningstaple]

That's a pretty sucky site/company. No personal access of any kind. Sounds like a open warehouse with everything palletized. Afraid I'd not give it a second look. Friends of yours? I only ask as you just joined today and made 6 posts, three of which are recommending some business, one of them is soliciting for PM contact for further information. We really frown on that kind of member. You are really skating on thin ice......

moderator

[JR8]

Recently saw this storage site tailored for military personnels in sg, considering its mandatory conscription.

Really useful on an expat site eh?