to-do list during these few months,
and make necessary arrangements
for your family while building works
are in progress. The best timing for
non-locals is undoubtedly during
summer holidays, when you might
be able to send your children to their
grandparents for an extended trip. So
pack up your things into storage boxes
and learn to manage your si fu while
soaking up the sun.
Like marriage, combining two
apartments requires lots of patience
and constant communication. Doing
it with the help of the right guys who
can deliver as promised, the results
can be pretty amazing. And this
makes your apartments truly yours.
Construction countdown checklist
6+ months before move-in date
1. Firm up plans with your contractor
and interior designer (if you are using
one).
2. Find a rental property – with
the option to extend the rental if
necessary – that you can live in for the
duration of the building work, and get
settled into this new temporary home.
3. Go shopping in Mongkok with
your si fu. Ask him to show you the
stores he knows best for flooring,
tiles, taps, sinks, toilets, bathtubs,
built-in cabinets, balcony doors,
shower doors, main doors, etc. If your
desired material or product is too
expensive in Mongkok, ask your si fu
to search for similar items in China.
Most contractors in Hong Kong have
connections in Guangzhou.
4. Prepare the necessary paperwork
for your estate management.
5. If you have to leave any furniture
at the building site, make sure it is
adequately covered, and store as
many things away as you can – there
will be more dust than you think.
Store everything as far away from the
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