The Public Housing Construction Thread!

[huaiwei]

Here are some views of the first generation flats. Queenstown was the first town to be planned comprehensively under the New Town concept (incorporating the existing flats built by the SIT). Some views of Queenstown in the 1960s:







While Queenstown had to incorporate aspects of SIT flats, Toa Payoh New Town was the first town to be built from the ground up completely by the HDB. Toa Payoh means "Big Swamp" in Hokkien. It was once a huge swampy area along the tributaries of the Kallang River, but the land was filled up, and a new town sprouts like mushrooms all over, also from the mid-1960s:



And this is the most cute one...the National Day Parade being held at Toa Payoh Sport Complex in 1975 (check out the old army uniforms)!

[rj2uman]

WOW how odd that you have to access the bathrooms from outside of the house! LOL

You shold post some of the new housing. I hope that there has been improvements!

[InitialD18]

thank you huaiwei
that was very comprehensive ...

[huaiwei]

Originally posted by InitialD18

thank you huaiwei
that was very comprehensive ...

You are most welcome, although I have only talked up to the 1960s! Maybe I will continue on later if anyone is interested (ok i notice rj did express his interest already...)

Anyway, I updated the progress for the first two blocks. Check it out!

[rj2uman]

Yeah more more more!!!

[RafflesCity]

Originally posted by rj2uman

Yeah more more more!!!

More!

[huaiwei]

Originally posted by RafflesCity

More!

Haha..that sounds like a sharp reminder...okok..I will get it done by tomorrow?

[szehoong]

Originally posted by huaiwei

Haha..that sounds like a sharp reminder...okok..I will get it done by tomorrow?

....go on.....I'm reading.......you know how interested I am rite?

[rj2uman]

Huaiwei now that you are done with exams perhaps you can finish up on this.......... perhaps?????

[huaiwei]

Hahaha..okok...here goes with a little more info about the flat sizes. From 4-room size onwards, the flat layouts are no longer standardised, and come in customised versions. Here are some examples:

Floor Plans-4-Room Model "A"
The four room flat is currently the most popular flat size here. Countless modifications exist, of which this is just one representative model:



Floor Plans-5-Room Improved
Five room flats used to come in standardised versions which fit into 25 storey blocks with only 4 units per floor, known as "point blocks" as opposed to "slab blocks" which most other units are arranged into. Refer to the following pictures for examples. Now however, they too come in customised versions.

[huaiwei]

The latest project to go on sale!

Build-To-Order launch
December 2003

This Build-To-Order (BTO) launch, we present you brand new 4-room Premium Apartments at Aspella in Sengkang - ideally located, tastefully designed and exquisitely adorned with quality finishes and fittings. Apply under this BTO and be on your way to owning one of the desirable apartments at Aspella.

Visit our BTO Exhibition and Sales Office at the Habitat Forum*, BizFour 3rd Storey, HDB Hub today! View the 3-D model, perspectives and get more information on how to apply.

*Exhibition now on till 9 January 2004. Opening Hours: Monday to Friday - 8am to 5pm; Sat - 8 am to 1pm; Sun & Public Holiday - Closed

[huaiwei]

3D MODEL VIEW

[huaiwei]

[huaiwei]

General Specifications (Aspella)

Foundation

Steel H-piling/reinforced concrete piling to HDB’s design and specification.

Structure

Reinforced concrete structural framework with reinforced concrete slabs to HDB’s design and specification.

Roof

Reinforced concrete roof slab with precast concrete secondary roofing.

Walls

All external and internal walls are constructed with reinforced concrete/solid blocks/bricks with cement plastering/facing bricks/precast panels/precast lightweight concrete partitions.

Windows

Aluminium frame windows with tinted glass.

Doors

Entrance : decorative timber door and metal gate
Bedrooms : three decorative timber doors (Type D5)
Bath/WC : two laminated timber doors
Household Shelter : metal door
Service Yard : aluminium framed door with glass

Finishes

Ceilings : skim coated or plastered and painted
Bathrooms/WC & Kitchen Walls : glazed wall tiles
Other walls : skim coated or plastered and painted

Floor Finishes

Living/Dining : ceramic tiles with timber skirting
Bedrooms : timber strip flooring with timber skirting
Others : ceramic tiles

Fittings

Quality locksets.
Quality sanitary fittings.
Vanity top wash basin at bath/WC, hot water pipes and tap/shower/bath mixer.

Services

All units have gas service and concealed water supply pipes.
Concealed electrical wiring to lighting and power points (including water heater and air conditioning points) is provided.
A master antenna with CATV outlets.
Telephone points.

Important Notes:

Kitchen sink will not be provided. A central refuse chute is located near the lift lobby in all apartment blocks to serve all units. The Household Shelter is designed for use as civil defence shelter. The walls, ceiling, floor tiles and door of the Household Shelter shall not be hacked, drilled, altered or removed. There is a three-year restriction on the removal of wall and floor tiles in Bath/ WC.

The floor areas are scaled Strata Areas.

[huaiwei]

New flats in old estates a hit with walk-ins

Most are surplus units built under Sers and were not taken up

THE flats are 'leftovers' from previous balloting exercises, but tell that to the 5,000 people who thronged the Housing Board's latest walk-in selection exercise for mature estates. Eager to get their hands on the 1,726 four-room, five-room and executive flats on sale, as many as 3,800 potential buyers went down to the HDB's office in Toa Payoh on Tuesday, the first day of the exercise.

Some even camped overnight, determined to get their hands on flats in mature estates such as Bukit Merah, Queenstown and Bedok. By 5pm yesterday, more than 200 units had been snapped up, with older estates such as Bukit Batok, Queenstown and Ang Mo Kio proving to be a hit.

Priced between $102,000 and $462,000 each, the bulk of the flats are surplus units built under the Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers), in which old flats torn down are replaced with new ones. Many were not taken up in the balloting exercises in 2002 and June last year.

The HDB yesterday described the response so far as 'good'.
Its spokesman said: 'Many flat applicants prefer these flats which are either near their parents' place, or located in areas with good facilities and transport networks and are near the city centre.'

The HDB's latest fourth-quarter flat valuation estimates also point to the trend of a growing preference for new flats in mature estates. Flats in Queenstown and Bukit Merah, for instance, have some of the highest valuations around, matching or even surpassing those of long-time favourites such as those in Bishan and Marine Parade.

Being able to get a flat on the spot is also an added draw, as opposed to having to wait three months or more under a balloting exercise. 'Under balloting, flats on offer...are likely to be oversubscribed due to the popularity of locations,' said the HDB. 'Walk-in selection is more suitable in instances where there are many flats available or where they have remained unselected after being offered to the public applicants.'

For soon-to-be married couple James Lim, 31, and Mok Ai Ling, 27, the appeal of a hassle-free application for a flat in a good location was reason enough for them to opt for the walk-in selection. 'The waiting time is shorter for a mature estate because we can get the keys easily,' said Mr Lim.

[huaiwei]

Big on Woodlands

The boondocks no longer, Woodlands flats are now sought after, especially the larger units - all because they're cheaper

THEY may be located in the boondocks but Housing Board flats in Woodlands are turning out to be some of the most sought after simply because they are much cheaper than those in town.

ERA Realty, one of the largest property agencies here, said it sold 1,852 four-room HDB flats in Woodlands last year, almost double the 945 that it sold in the next most popular area, Tampines. ERA also sold significantly more five-room and executive flats in Woodlands than in any other area in Singapore. That, said ERA, is not surprising given that a five-room unit in Woodlands costs about $280,000, compared to about $380,000 for a similar one in a more central location such as Toa Payoh.

The fact that Woodlands is a self-contained township is a plus point, said Mr C. C. Chia, 37. The automation consultant is looking to upgrade from his current five-room flat in Woodlands to an executive or 'jumbo' flat in the same area. Mr Chia cites the Central Provident Fund building, the library, MRT station and many parks as key attractions.

Mr Chris Koh, director of Dennis Wee Properties, said that the growing popularity of large flats in Woodlands was good news for those in other areas. The logic is simple: As demand for big flats in outlying areas grow, their prices will increase. Eventually, the price differential between flats in the outlying areas and the central region could become so small that buyers will opt for those in town, and therefore raise demand for those.

Indeed, some property watchers are predicting that the prices of residential properties will rise by between 5 and 10 per cent this year. Mr William Wong, chief executive of RealStar Property, said: 'When the employment situation is not good, even those with the money to buy bigger flats hold back. But with the improved situation, people are now willing to stretch their budgets and go for bigger flats.'

[RafflesCity]

Those new towns in Woodlands seem quite pleasant and self contained especially with that new mall in 1998(forgot the name).

What are the newest blocks in the HDB range anyway?

[heirloom]

its causeway point.. i always wonder why suburban shopping centres have to look so hdb-ish.. the colour schemes are almost always wrong... sohpping centres should always be glossy and pretty, and so should apartments.. but shopping centres have more responsibility to be glossy.

[huaiwei]

Originally posted by heirloom

its causeway point.. i always wonder why suburban shopping centres have to look so hdb-ish.. the colour schemes are almost always wrong... sohpping centres should always be glossy and pretty, and so should apartments.. but shopping centres have more responsibility to be glossy.

Have you seen Bukit Panjang Plaza?

[huaiwei]

Originally posted by RafflesCity

What are the newest blocks in the HDB range anyway?

They tend to be scattered in several newer towns, such as Sengkang, Pungol, Sembawang, and parts of Jurong West and Woodlands. However, there are also numerous redeveloped precincts amongst many of the older towns as well, and they tend to be much taller too. The first 40-storey blocks, for eg, will be in Toa Payoh and Queenstown, two of our oldest new towns!