Common questions on Kitchen Counter Tops

Recently I have been following Forum Lowyat on Home Renovation and Interior Design quite closely. It is one way for me to look out for any potential customers as well as give any useful tips and advice at my own capacity. After more than 30 days observation, I realised that consumers, nowadays, are becoming smarter. They will now get a number of quotation from many suppliers, compare them, and also ask for many opinions and views from members in Forum Lowyat. I'm amazed how Forum Lowyat can be so successful with tons of active members. I doubt any other forum pages can achieve its success.

Anyways, I do realise that many people, like me, aren't fully educated on the materials that can be used for custom made furniture. For instance, what are the types of kitchen counter tops available and its differences. "Which one is more durable? Which one doesn't get scratches easily?" are some of the common questions from the floor. For durability, I would say the concrete top (made from simen, and being tiled) has the best durability. Some people who are more concern, may even ask the supplier, "Where does your marble come from? Who is the manufacturer? What is the brand? How thick is the marble?"

True enough that the quality of marble might differ from different origin, but I guess the brand of the marble may not be as important. Reason being many suppliers nowadays, create branding for their products, and just charge exorbitantly for the brand, when the materials are just the same as those without a brand. They just import the materials, name it differently and charge very differently too. These people employ marketing experts, who are able to name a product creatively and eyes-catching to the potential customers. Though the materials could be the same, the salary paid to these marketing experts are definitely going to be passed down to the poor consumers.

Anyways, to give an overview of the different types of kitchen counter tops available in the market, here is a comparison chart which I think is very useful:

Anyone who would like to custom make their kitchen cabinets in Klang Valley can contact the person-in-charge as listed in my website.

Signing off for now :)

Great Contemporary Kitchen Design

After CNY reunion dinner, I sat down and was trying to Google search for some ideas for home kitchen cabinet design. There are many photos around, and most of the time it is Modern and Contemporary design. I felt the photo attached above is superb! You have the wood grain design, which gives you a traditional ambience, coupled with the modern counter top, accessories and appliances, the whole kitchen design is just amazing! Personally, I also like the 3D rock feature on the island's body. But perhaps I wouldn't have put a plant in the kitchen to save some space. :) It's a good Contemporary design. 

For people like me who had zero knowledge on custom made furniture nor furniture designing, I have to start learning from my bf. From what are the types of wood used in customizing furniture, to what is the difference between granite, marble and solid surface. The next important thing that I should pick it up from my bf is giving a quotation. I felt I might have missed many opportunities as I could not give a rough quotation fast enough. 

Gone are the days where I can just relax and play games on my hp if I'm free. Since I have started to embark on this journey, everyday after working hours in my organization, I'm still working - on the website. I try to check forum lowyat whether anybody is looking for a reliable carpenter in Klang Valley, or there is an unanswered question regarding custom made furniture. Trying to provide some useful furniture tips to potential customers, and hope that they will contact me for business :)

Recently I have gotten a call from a homeowner, who is currently constructing his own bungalow in Bandar Kinrara. He seemed to have gone through my website quite thoroughly. A few questions that he have asked and I think some of you might want to know too:

• LKY Renovation is not an agent (perhaps I am? haha). LKY Renovation has its own manufacturing plant and the custom made furniture are all direct from factory to your house. As such, LKY Renovation does not have a showroom and we believe our past projects are our selling point. :)
• More than 90% of the skilled and professional carpenters are Chinese. I'm not being racial discrimination here, but just want to assure you that we do not simply employ foreign labour to take over the job. This is because we want to give the best workmanship to our customers. 
• We have done many projects, including bungalows, condominium/apartments, property showrooms, hotels, hospitals, shop outlets, etc. 

Since we have done many turnkey projects, we have contacts to many other contractors, such as a general contractor, electrician, plumber, etc., that we have worked with them before and we know they are reliable and provide good service. Therefore, if you need other renovation services such as changing tiles, hacking walls, installing plaster ceilings, etc., we can also assist you in getting our partners to work it out for you.

Signing off for now. Though it should be CNY holiday and already 收工, I will never stop working on the website as this is the time that I can focus. Wishing everyone a very happy new year and a prosperous year ahead!

Change in my life since Dec 7, 2012

After so many years since I last blogged, I'm going to resume blogging. 

What happened on the 7th of Dec, 2012? After being "persuaded" by my family members, I reluctantly attended Fabian Lim's Real Internet Secrets 3-days Workshop. With the idea of able to earn some pocket money at anywhere, anytime, it turned out to be untrue. Even before I attend the workshop, I have been warned by my colleague, who had also attended one year earlier. It will be tough, tough, and tough. Determination is important. Thus, the determination that I have, is getting prepared and ready for the challenges ahead. 

I'm lucky to have my bf already in business. During the workshop, I already can picture in my mind how I can go about it to assist my bf in his business. Right after the workshop, I carried out my plan almost immediately, to get the momentum going. Lucky enough that I get to clear my annual leave and thus, have 2 weeks off at home to concentrate on the website.

During these 2 weeks, I really experienced the ups and downs. After hours and hours spent, my website crashed a few times. Many other knowledge still has to be acquired on my own, they weren't able to teach everything in the 3-days workshop. Invested several hundreds in outsourcing (first time becoming a BOSS :p), most articles I still have to re-write my own :(

When I started working in 2013, I have minimal time in a day that I could work on the website. Some evenings I have to prepare dinner for my family members, some evenings I play badminton. I'm very grateful and lucky that there are several incidents that motivates me to keep going on improving my website. I have got a call for bathroom renovation for a hotel to be built in Jalan Ampang, one of the keywords the website was able to be on the first page on Google search.

Till now, I'm trying to discipline myself to work on the website at least twice in a week. I believe I shall never stop the momentum, or I will fail. I know if I dream it, I can do it. 

Dear friends, do visit my website at www.lkyrenovation.com and give me some comments on how to improve the website. Be it grammar error, english vocab, marketing advises, etc. Feedback is very much welcomed! Just some flavour, my bf is in renovation works business, specializing in custom made furniture in Klang Valley. He also provides some interior designing services though he's not very much focusing on that at the moment. 

Thank you in advance for your assistance!