WR Construction site progress as at 26/03/12

OVR Construction site progress as at 26/03/12

5 home improvement tips

If you're planning on selling, or are currently selling, your house and want to get top dollars for it, here are 5 home improvement tips that will bring you the most return on your investment.

1. Replace the cabinet doors and drawer faces on all the cabinets. The Kitchen is one of the most popular rooms in your home. Old, worn or outdated cabinets can be a real deal-breaker. Replace them and your kitchen will instantly look 100% better. If you're handy, you can order your own replacement cabinet doors and drawer fronts from Lowe's or The Home Depot and install them yourself.

2. Replace the kitchen sink and tap, upgrading to a larger and newer style. Anyone who spends a lot of time cooking knows the value of a larger sink with a modern, multi-functional faucet. This is best left to the professionals but still can be done for under a grand.

3. Update the master bathroom. Nothing turns off buyers more than a master bath that is outdated. A new pedestal sink, modern low-flush toilet and a new linoleum floor will greatly enhance the master bath's appeal to any potential new homeowner. In some cases you can even install the linoleum floor directly over the old, saving time and labor charges. Re-grouting the tile and replacing any chipped tiles is an easy way to enhance the appeal also.

4. A new, prefabricated tub and shower surround can do wonders. If the shower and tub are older and looking a bit abused these one-piece units can do the trick. They may require professional installation but can still be cheaper than paying to re-tile walls and refinish a worn tub.

5. Hire an expert to check the plumbing and electrical systems. One of the worst things that can happen when you are showing your home is that something isn't working. Worse yet, that there are non-functional outlets, leaky taps, or an AC unit that doesn't work. Hiring a professional plumber and electrician to do a thorough and check these systems thoroughly will cost much less than a grand but may uncover problems that will kill the sale of your home. Better yet, once problems are found get them fixed and get a detailed receipt showing what was done. If a buyer asks, you look like the hero for taking such good care of 'their' new home.

Although it'll cost you a bit of money upfront to fix up and prepare your house for sale, in the long run it will pay you off financially and will likely sell quicker.

Based on the article by Chistianne Child.

All abuzz over second bridge

WITH the hum and buzz of Free Industrial Zone factories on one side and sights of the Penang Channel on the other, driving on the southern end of the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway on Penang Island has always been scenic. But over the last year, more interesting things have been happening. Near the very end of the expressway in Batu Maung, concrete piers have been emerging in the sea, marking the foundation work for the Second Penang Bridge. The 292nd and last pier was cast just last Saturday, paving the way for the 24km superstructure to follow suit. With the completion date for the bridge now expected to be two months ahead of the September 2013 target, excitement is growing on the ground.

Hard at work: Men on the job at the Batu Maung interchange of the Second Penang Bridge

 

General worker Mohd Tarmizi Yazid, 38, said journeys to and from the mainland would be much easier, especially for lorries and cargo freights. “Things will be so much faster with a bridge on this side (of the island). “Lorries and cargo vehicles have limited hours to use the first bridge and it has become very congested,” said Tarmizi. The father of three, whose family has lived in Permatang Damar Laut, Bayan Lepas, for generations, said the price of land was also rising in the south of the island. “With the bridge, more public facilities are sure to follow and I’ve heard that the price of our land is going up,” said Tarmizi.

Commuters from the mainland are also counting the days until the new link opens. Penang Seagate Industries (M) Sdn Bhd manufacturing senior engineer Tan Soo Min said the second bridge could not open soon enough for her. “If the second bridge wasn’t being built, I would sell my house in Simpang Ampat and buy a small apartment on the island. “I’m so tired of the traffic jams on the current bridge,” said Tan, 31. She said that currently, the 33km journey from her house to Penang Seagate via the first bridge takes her 50 minutes in the mornings, while return journeys after work take about one-and-a-half hours. She said even though her journey to work using the second link would be slightly lon- ger than if she used the first bridge, she would take the new bridge as long as the trip was faster. Tan’s co-worker P. Maran, 47, said the second bridge would provide an alternative for commuters.

Progressing smoothly: Work on the Second Penang Bridge superstructure and cabled-stayed deck is two months ahead of the September 2012 target

 

“I’m excited as there are now two options for people. “I’ve had many experiences with the first bridge with events putting traffic at a standstill. “For example, when there was a bomb scare there a few years ago, I had to leave my car overnight in Bayview Hotel Georgetown and take a taxi to the ferry to get home,” said Maran, a production manager who has commuted from Bukit Minyak on the mainland to the island for 18 years. He said he hoped a good access road would be built to the second link to ensure there were no jams leading up to the new bridge. Aside from those eager to make use of the Second Penang Bridge, commuters who are nearer the first bridge are also all smiles.Driver Nasir Udin’s hope is that with the new link, the traffic on the old bridge will be considerably smoother. “I hope there will be less congestion on the first bridge. “Now it takes me about 40 minutes by mo-torcycle to reach Batu Maung from Permatang Tok Jaya,” said Nasir, 44.

Fisheries Development Authority Board (LKIM) assistant accountant Manjawati Sam-suddin, 36, said she would use the second link if she heard of any accidents happening on the first bridge. “Once an accident happens, no matter how minor, semua habis (things are finished). You can be stuck on the bridge for an hour,” she said. Manjawati, who makes the 112km-round trip journey to Penang island from Sungai Petani every day, added that she hoped the second link, like the first bridge, would offer a reduced toll of RM5.60 (from RM7) for frequent travellers.

By ANDREA FILMER
andrea@thestar.com.my 

Photos by ZHAFARAN NASIB

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Car toll for Penang Bridge 2 set at RM7

GEORGE TOWN: Car toll for the Second Penang Bridge has been set at RM7, said Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Dr Ismail Mohamed Taib. “Tolls will match those of the first Penang Bridge. We want it to be lower, but if we are lower, the first bridge management will complain and sue for compensation. “The first Penang Bridge was supposed to increase (the car toll) to over RM9, so we were ready to follow them.

Ahead of time: The 292nd and final pier of the Second Penang Bridge was cast yesterday, marking the end of foundation works. The Bridge, which is scheduled for completion in September 2013, may be finished two months ahead of schedule. Car toll has been set at RM7. — LIM BENG TATT / The Star

“However, now they have confirmed that they are staying at RM7, so we will also charge the same,” he said after witnessing Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah cast the second bridge's 292nd and final pier marking the end of foundation works. Asked how long the RM7 toll would remain, he said at least until 2038. It was first announced in June 2010 that car toll for the first Penang bridge would be hiked from RM7 to RM9.40 in 2013.

A record: Upon completion, the Second Penang Bridge will be 24km long — 10.5km longer than the first bridge — which will make it the longest bridge in South-East Asia.

In November last year, it was reported that the concession period for the Penang bridge had been extended to Dec 31, 2038 in exchange for a freeze on toll hikes. On the progress of the Second Penang Bridge, Dr Ismail said works were 73% completed with some 3.5% ahead of schedule. If all proceeded well, he added, the bridge could be completed two months ahead of the September 2013 target. Upon completion, the Second Penang Bridge will be 24km long 10.5km longer than the first bridge which will make it the longest bridge in South-East Asia.

By ANDREA FILMER
andrea@thestar.com.my

WR Construction Status as at 06/03/12

OVR Construction status as at 06/03/12

Condos and Penthouses and Other Ideas

Many people find the idea of high rise living to be very attractive and therefore will be hunting down condos in which to live. Some might even want to make them into a studio, particularly if they happen to be artists of some sort. Nowadays there is definitely something quite attractive about the idea of living in a city, even for families as there normally will be plenty of different amenities nearby which people are able to take advantage of.

For the most part, one of the more popular types is going to be penthouses as they tend to be on the very top of the block itself. As a result it is possible to get a very good view from here, and sometimes people will feel that they are paying quite a lot for the view that they have. When renting out one of these, individuals need to be financially responsible and be sure that they are making a good choice when it comes to this.

There are a lot of different options if one is intending on renting a place. If in a family with two incomes it is usually possible to split it down the middle to a point where the rent, for both parties, becomes quite cheap and therefore there is not too much hassle involved. Friends might decide to get together and live together and this can often help in becoming incredibly cost effective as well.

People have many different living choices available to them these days. Of course some might not want to go for renting but it all comes down to individual preferences. There are those who prefer to own the homes in which they live as they feel it will give them some kind of sense of security. Of course this means that one will have to consider buying condos and if they are situated in a central area they may not be cheap.

Whilst owning one's own home is usually going to be a very interesting idea, many more people will like to use it as a way of getting extra income. This means that when the tenants pay the rent to their land lord, the land lords themselves are naturally going to be getting the extra money. If planning on doing this, then everything has to be organized in the proper manner. Whilst renting can seem like an insecure thing, many people might decide that it is for the best. Business people living in an area only for a couple of months might usually decide to rent.

The style of condos and penthouses that people choose is also something that needs to reflect their owners, or indeed the people who live in them. Therefore one can usually find different companies where interior designers can be hired for a very reasonable rate and can come up with some interesting concepts.

Based on the article by Adrianna J Norton.