Things To Consider Before Renovating Your Apartment

Things To Consider Before Renovating Your Apartment

With so many apartments blooming in Malaysia in the recent years such as apartments in Penang, many people have also jump onto the bandwagon of purchasing an apartment for themselves, either for own stay or for investment purpose. After purchasing an apartment, it is time for renovation. As renovation does not come cheap, it is essential to stay practical when it comes to renovation in terms of the design and furniture. This article will guide you through the things you need to consider before renovating your apartment.

1. Renovation cost

As all houses come in different sizes and shapes, naturally the costs of renovation will be different. It is greatly depending on the amount of work done to the house, such as carpentry, plastering, painting, electrical wiring, wet work and so on. The estimated renovation costs for different kind of properties are as below:

a.  Condominium:            RM40,000 to RM150,000

b.  Terrace:                       RM60,000 to RM250,000

c.   Semi detached:         RM100,000 to RM300,000

d.   Bungalow:                 RM150,000 to RM600,000

2.   Flooring

Flooring plays an important role when it comes to the comfort of a home and it will take up a large part of your renovation budget. You will need to take the labour needed into consideration as well as they will be the ones to layer your tiles for your house. Most importantly, the type of flooring in terms of the material is what sets the costs of flooring so high. The price for different types of flooring are:

a.  Parquet:          RM10 to RM30 per square feet

b.  Vinyl:              RM 4.50 to RM12 per square feet

c.  Carpet:            RM5 to RM15 per square feet

d.  Tiles:               RM9 to RM60 per square feet

The type of flooring you use will also affect the overall look for your house, so choose accordingly to the theme of your house.

3.   Plumbing

Another important must have in every house. You will need a proper sanitary fitting to help you fuel water to most parts of the house, such as the bathrooms, kitchen, laundry yards and outdoor spaces.

a.  Water heater:             RM250

b.  Sink and tap:              RM300

c.  Toilet bowl:                 RM400

Do note that the above is just an estimation cost. The prices may vary depending on the brands that you prefer.

4.   Electrical Work

Electrical work is an important work as well as it is needed to help in operating most electrical appliances in your home. Hence, the importance of wiring. This will include the cable points, lighting and power. Prices for electrical work varies as well, depending on which electrician you engage with. The prices for different electrical work are:

a.  Power point:                RM70 to RM90

b.  Lighting point:             RM40 to RM90

c.  Telephone point:          RM100 to RM120

d.  Two way switch:         RM180

Do note that installation of wires might require the hacking of wall in your house. Plastering and concealment will be done after that and the prices will be added on top of the electrical work done. Therefore, it is essential to double check with your electrician if the plastering and concealment work are included in the package.

5. Feature wall

The featured walls in your house play an important role in setting the mood and theme of your space. In order to achieve a set theme, you will need a feature wall. It could be exposed bricks, artistic glass tiles or even as simple as painting. Here is a list of pricing for different wall features:

a. Painting                                    RM40 per square feet

b. Plywood laminate:                  RM80 per square feet

c. Decorative Stone Veneers:     RM10 to RM30 per square feet

6. Carpentry work

Carpentry work is one of the renovations that you should not skip. The prices for carpentry work will depend on the type of material you want for your kitchen countertops to study tables to wardrobes and so on. Again, the prices differ according to the design difficulty.

a. TV console:                   RM150 to RM300 per foot run

b. Study table:                  RM200 to RM300 per foot run

c. Shoe cabinet:               RM300 to RM500 per foot run

d. Wardrobe:                    RM350 to RM600 per foot run

e.  Kitchen cabinet:          RM100 to RM300 per foot run

f.  Kitchen countertop:    RM 150 to RM400 depending on material (solid, granite, quartz or wood)

7. False ceiling

False ceiling is good in creating dimension, especially those with high ceilings. Different kinds of ceilings come with different prices as well.

a.  Plaster ceiling:             RM2 to RM5 per square feet

b.  Light trough:                RM7 to RM30 per foot run

8.  Wall hacking

Last but not least, wall hacking. It could be hacking a wall to combine two rooms into one or it could be because you want to build a partition. The estimated cost for hacking will be approximately RM20 per square feet.

In conclusion, renovation costs do not come cheap based on the above points. You could also engage with interior designers to have them give you some ideas on what you can do to your house. If not, you could always visit Pinterest for some DIY ideas as well. Do your research beforehand and only do renovations that you think is essential. Plan your budget carefully as you do not want to go overboard with what you can afford. 

p/s: Good effort