Home Improvement: Working on the kitchen now. First up TILES!

A few months ago, I made the decision to move out of my old apartment as I needed a bigger kitchen space which would open up new possibilities for me if I ever decide to venture into the baking business.

Early this year, I turned my thoughts into action, and finally moved into a new house!

When I first stepped foot into the house, I immediately noticed how the tiles were installed in each room.

I wanted to make sure that before I signed any agreement with the landlord, the house is in good condition, especially the tiling. To me, it is an utmost importance that none of the tiles are falling off or are cracking as I know that making renovations would cost quite a sum of money.

From what Ive heard, in a common 22X70 terrace home in the Klang Valley, tiling the kitchen and bathroom area alone can cost up to RM8,000! Just imagine how much more it would cost if you have to change the tiling for the living room area, too!

I have done a little research of my own and would like to share about it with you, since I was just speaking to my landlord the other day.

Most people do not realize that besides floor tiling, roof tiling and wall tiling are equally important as well. You might be surprised but there are people out there who do not know the difference between these tiles.

Wall tiles should never be installed on the floor because they may not be able to withstand the heavy traffic. If it was done so, the tiles would probably crack really quickly. Hence, using the right tiles is very important before you begin a renovation project.

They say that, Price is what you pay. Value is what you get. When it comes to home deco and renovation projects, it is best if you! dont ch oose the tiles based on the lowest cost just to cut cost. In the long term, you might additional renovation to fix up any problems that may have been resulted from the first renovation project, and this would cost even more money! So please, use quality tiles from the very beginning.

I might not be very knowledgeable about tiling, but it is only common sense that this isnt a job for just anyone. Using professionals to do the tiling job is the right way to go to avoid installation problems later on. Incorrect installation by poor workmanship can lead to problems including loose tiles; cracked tile or grout, which is the space between the tile; and uneven tiles. I have heard from a few friends complaining about loose tiles in their home, and they would blame it on the quality of the tiles, when actually, higher chances were because the tiles were installed incorrectly in the first place. Again, more were forked- out more just to fix that!

And of course, it goes without saying that maintenance is key. Whether if its tiles, gadgets, cars, or clothes, everything require proper maintenance if you want them to last long! Tiles need to be cleaned consistently to maintain its original appearance and characteristics or else the soil and dirt may cause the tiles to have a glaze-less surface. For my house, I have bought specific cleaning agents for each area that are tiled, but fortunately for all of us, the cleaning products nowadays are suitable for a wide range of surfaces.

If you would like to learn more about it, no doubt theres plenty of information on the Internet. Frankly, reading all of it would just cost information overload! I know, cos I was around when my ex-boyfriend was renovating his home in Petaling Jaya. We started with expos and fairs, grabbing as many brochures as possible from the participating outlets. Home decoration and home improvement magazines are very helpful, especially if they are published specifically for your own co! untry. Y es, the weather does play a part to the maintenance of tiles, paint and furniture of your home!

Lastly, it was showroom to showroom, checking out the tiles personally and speaking to the experts from established manufacturers and retailers which were more than willing to help.

Right now Im embarking on a new home improvement project, so youll be hearing more about it here! I have finally settled down and now had a little bit of time to improve the kitchen. I added a new fridge recently; and now Im shopping around for a new oven.