Demolition & Construction of a Home in Petaling Jaya Part 1/9 (PRE DEMOLITION)

This is a 9 part series of a new chapter of Demolition & Construction of a Home in Petaling Jaya . This is where it begins. There is no more MBPJ to deal with in order to start work, but here is where I will show you the legal way of doing things step by step and documenting well and thoroughly what needs to be done before Demolition - Construction - Post Construction for the CCC or Certificate of Completion and Compliance.

I will document things in a timeline, for its far easier than updating for every small thing. Something lowyatters and the junk thats on online threads and forums are available in bits and pieces that will confuse you. If not, nothing is available because a lot of lowyatters have done things illegally being the kids that they are. 

 If you have come here because you are looking for a Contractor, dont bother wasting your time. If you have come here looking for a Draftsman, Architect, Engineer dont waste your time by asking me for help. The only things that I have shared as information are my Soil Investigator, Surveyor, and Building Surveyor as the job has been done. So till the job of the Architect, Draftsman and Contractor are done, I wont be sharing any information because I cannot judge their work till 2020 when the building is complete with a Certificate of Completion & Compliance - CCC. No lowyatt kids bullshit here with "u wan kontraktor call 016 XXX XXXX, tell him XXXXXX reco 4 u" or my ever so favorite "pm me on de side" shit over here

If you are looking for an Architect, Draftsman, Engineer or Contractor, kindly use your own effort and judgement. I have only shared my experience nominating them and the process of obtaining them. So dont be a childish lowyatter little shit and get your arse moving and search for one that makes YOU personally feel comfortable. Let that be your experience. Alright ? Are we clear ? Are we good to go ? and have you read all that I have said ? Do I come off as a snob or as someone who follows the line ? Alright.

Let us begin.

PRE DEMOLITION

This is going to cover a few things

a) Signboard and Signages
b) Removal of Roof Tiles and Trusses
c) Hoarding Fence
d) Detachment of the property from Neighbours
e) Water and Electricity 

This is going to show a timeline of how things are done correctly


SIGNBOARD & SIGNAGES

21st August

MBPJ has mentioned that my Building Plans or Pelan Bangunan for Demolition & Construction has been approved. I immediately inform my contractor and we set a date when to start work. We set a date, its going to be the 2nd of September 2019. 

23rd August

This is the day that my Signboard maker gets notified that all is good to go, one final tweak on the signboard from Majlis Perbandaran Petaling Jaya needs to be changed to MAJLIS BANDARAYA PETALING JAYA. Even the template given by MBPJ still has MPPJ's old name. Funny, never mind.

Says Majlis Perbandaran Petaling Jaya, if you get this template, kindly change it to Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya

I also receive my other signage from my Draftsman picked up this morning, this will need to be put in front of the hoarding gate / fence

Picked up fresh from the oven from the Draftsman this morning

I am told that I will need to paste the following below as well on my hoarding gate

Yes, the approval letter. So whenever town council comes by, they will be able to see how legit we are with our 2-3 days can approve lowyatt advise for signages are. We are playing a legit game here

Are we done with signages yet ? No. 

Theres still one more. Remember our good old friend in 2018 for Kebenaran Merancang ?

From the Kebenaran Merancang days

Leave this there too, unless its tattered and torn and totally destroyed by the elements or cheap lowyatt standard materials. Mine has stood the test of time.

So are there any more signages that you will need ? Turns out,....

YES ! 

That concludes the Signages

If you are having heavy machinery like lowyatts favorite "Tong Ro Ro" and heavy vehicles such as lorries, trucks, Concrete trucks especially, you will need an AWAS sign that is placed on the road. Yes, no lowyatt shit here. Just real genuine advise. Just ask your contractor to get this for you. They will already have it, unless he is a lowyatt contractor who doesnt have one because he does things illegally ? Hm,.......

Lowyatt kids favorite ever for construction knowledge. "Mus pay sum monies 2 de majlis 4 tong roro" Yes, you do children, however make sure you have your AWAS sign ready whenever you are bringing in heavy vehicles into neighborhoods. Ok ?

At night my wife and I gave each other a good old big hug. Followed by a bottle of wine, 2 beers, and some deliciously slow home cooked roasted chicken, baby Brussel spouts and a side of caesars salad with croutons. Well, as they say - Winner Winner Chicken Dinner. Or for lowyatters - Winner Winner Wagyu and Cristal.

24th August

Its Mums Birthday. Today Im at work. About 2 : 30 I send a message to my neighbor and say when is my intended date to start work on the 2nd of September. My my, thats just another 9 days more from now. 

*** Kindly message your neighbour or neighbours to let them know on your date of construction you have selected. Unless you are a lowyatt I dont give a fuck to tell me neighbours  because I will never even raise a pinky to wave at them kind of person, then its fine. Good to keep this Malaysian spirit up ***

I then message my contractor and email him our Earthworks Plans. That shows what the hoarding height will be and a few other details. If you are doing major renovation works, you will need a hoarding fence to contain debris and other dirt as well. You might need to make a drain cover at your entrance of your gate just in case you dont have one. Why ? To wash away any dirt of course. We are lucky we have one naturally. 

26th August

I got my lorry driver to come by. I get 4 tables, 14 chairs, some other miscellaneous things taken back to my factory. I remove some other stuff from inside the house such as coffee, water, and a few other things. I leave 2 small plastic chairs from my Mum that are toddler size. I used them the first time to sit down and watch the grass cutter cut grass over 2 years ago when I didnt even have a single chair. The house is now an empty shell. Its all cleared. Ready for Demolition. Any remaining cupboards, fans etc will all be demolished as well. The junk is tossed outside for MBPJ to collect.

In the evening around 6, the contractor calls saying that the workers tried to look at the property today. Looks like everyone wants to catch up on time soon to be lost as 3 consecutive Mondays in a row will see holidays, to top it off this Saturday too will be a holiday. I ask the contractor about the keys, how shall I pass it and he says he will get it from me. It then dawned on me, Wow, handing over the keys to a Contractor. I say ill hand it over tomorrow. The contractor says he will try and get the hoarding fence put up hopefully before the week ends. Thats really awesome if it happens cause then we might have a chance to knock things down as early as next week. Even the signboard is not up yet. I have to scram to print the Permit Kerja Kerja Sementara / Temporary Work Permit tomorrow too. Some images will soon follow.

27th August

I leave my keys with the contractor. Now, as of today, its been 1 year and exactly 9 months since meeting MBPJ for the first time and NOW, FINALLY, I am able to hand over my keys to someone else to start work. My stars are finally in line. Thank you Jupiter !

Holding the keys for the last time. These two have been a part of my thick and thin since October 2016. Imagine that, 2 years and 10 months

This is the last shot of the property after leaving the Keys on the rubbish bin.

A bitter sweet moment walking away, much trials and tribulations, however walking away, its not in my hands anymore. Good bye, shitty old house, you taught me a lot about patience

Once I had walked away, I immediately message my signboard maker, he says he will put the signboard up this Friday. Im not sure whats going to happen first, either the Hoarding Fence or the Signboard, but something is going to happen this week by Friday.

REMOVAL OF ROOF TILES AND TRUSSES

28 August

I head over to the house and let my contractor know that I have flung inside my MBPJ approval stickers and MBPJ Canvas signboard. The time is around 9 : 45 am. 

I see theres a pot over turned. Somone had gone in yesterday. I tried opening the front gate and it was locked. So someone has been inside yesterday. I decide to head to the stationery shop and get myself a Black Book and a good pen. 

I managed to fling quiete accurately over the gate my plans that landed right next to the blue chairs. Clearly those years of hand eye coordination with drumming and basketball in my teens have paid off. A pot has been over turned. The previous tenants had no skill or consideration in how the pots were placed. Its going to take a Backhoe Tractor to dig this up next week

I would recommend you getting an A5 size PVC note book with a pen designated for writing notes so you have a progress you can chart. This pen should never leave your notebook. Keep it in your car. I would recommend that everytime you do a site visit, take 3 - 5 pictures for your reference. You will need this for submitting things back to MBPJ at each stage later to get your CCC. Again, such information from anywhere online especially from the lowyatter and lowyattee kids. 

I started recording things since the 27th of August 2019. It has a record of things now inside. Its an actual record, after all your contractor will not be there to check on things. His job is to find jobs

I come back by around 10 : 15 AM and along comes a macha, within 5 minutes he has spat in my garden within not even 20 words shared with each other. Not the finest of dudes, but this guy doesnt know who I am yet. Maybe driving in my little red Polo courtesy car from VW doesnt look very Mercedes CLS statesman like for him. You have to understand how people think sometimes. He will soon find out who I am. 

The Spitting Annay has arrived

I take his details, and vehicle number etc and write it down in my black book. See how immediate the black book has become ? He says the hoarding is going to be done today with some other workers. Lets see how things are like this evening. Will be taking off work a little early at 5 : 30 today to see if anything is being done. Wonder if there are any battery operated cctv cameras that I can install. At least Ill be able to see things at work.

I leave work a little early at 6 PM ish, I head over to the house and find this at around 6 : 50 PM

Wow, what a Surprise. Something has started ! Wonderful !

Work has already started. I see a hoarding canvas at the rear and the roof is being dismantled for wood to be reused for hoarding. I head back for the day but take notes down in my Black book again.

29th August

I head over in the morning and reach at 9 AM only to find more work being done. This is a little hoarding thats going on for the side of the house and the windows have been removed at the rear of the property.

Meet the Demolition Team, Starring Spitting Annay, and 2 of his side kicks.

When I walked in, work was being done to get the Hoarding fixed at the side. They used what Spitting Annay calls "Kochai" which is your roof trusses, to be recycled as Hoarding Pillars

Shitty bedroom has its Windows removed. Windows and Steel likely will go to the hands of Mr. Kochai who will sell them for scrap. Thats fine.

Windows are removed in Bedroom 2. The 1st Bedroom above and this Second Bedroom will one day be a part of our kitchen and Verandah, man this light feels so good already. 

Kitchen has Windows removed too. This used to be a pretty dark place in the day time. Tinted windows and on top of that, a Pergola at the rear. This made everything dark on the inside. This light was a breath of freshness. Can imagine now how much brighter our place will be when its done. This area will one day be our Guest Bedroom.

Master Bedroom has a hole in the plaster ceiling to dump roof tiles from above. Can you imagine, this room too was not that bright. Seeing light from above felt really good and a light feeling was felt. This will one day be perhaps a bit of out Verandah and Hall.

Kochai King aka Spitting Annay today is in yellow boots, has a blue shirt and hat on

I realised Spitting Annay whose real name is actually Mr. Gopal, called me today 

"Boss", 

which means my contractor has already told him who I am. He asks for my TNB Meter keys because its locked. I hand them over to him. He's actually not a bad guy, these are real workers, not your lowyatt kind of speak gently like you were speaking to the King of Cheras or the King of the Qing Dynasty or something. 

I stick around for about another 45 minutes to see what they are doing. 

The Pergola at the back is gone, So much more light than it being dingy and dark. I will have more space for light to enter than this small space in the months to come. So much shadow all around still but for the little light that is able to come in through the kitchen and Bedrooms, feels so damn good.

The "Kochai" or the Roof Trusses being used as Hoarding Pillars. In the rear is our illegal neighbours shitty hoarding fence put up. Possibly not to allow their Geese, yes they have Geese, bloody inhumane neighbours

Shitty Haleconia plants and pots left behind by the previous neighbour. As you can see, our shitty illegal neighbout is going to have their illegally built wall with windows shut. If they complain of light, will tell them to complain to MBPJ. Screw them.

I decide to head back to my parents for a short while, have a little breakfast and head back at 11AM one more time to take a look and see how far the Demolition Team has done

The Hoarding Canvas has now reached the entire side of the property. Mr. Spitting Annay / Mr. Kochai / Mr. Gopal is busy ripping off more of the roof

Kasi buang Mr. Gopal ! Kochai ! Kochai ! Buang Annay ! Buang ! Rip that shit !

I head to work 10 minutes later. I decided having random checks is also kind of good. Makes things unpredictable when I show up. I decide to make a visit this evening again just like yesterday. For tomorrow, the Signboard too will be going up.

3PM and the Wifey comes and takes a look, she reports and says 2 guys are still on the roof but 2 people are also at the back. Good, must be a scrap metal dude or back up helping.

30th August

Wifey and I arrive at 8 : 50 AM on sight. We see works being carried out. More removal of windows and more removal of roof tiles. Work is going smooth.

Spitting Annay asks if we can work tomorrow, or Sunday or Monday. I tell him he cant work tomorrow cause its a Mandatory Holiday, Sunday is an off day AND a holiday, but ask your boss if Monday you can work. He tries pushing his luck by trying to make me feel like work needs to get done and tell him " Kalau esok you kerja saya cuti, orang lain kasi tiew sama saya. Besok you punya kerja masih ada, saya punya kerja sudah mati orang complain. Signboard pun sudah tulis tak boleh kerja cuti umum" 

Spitting Annay now knows he cant push around. Told him to ask his boss if he allows on Monday. After all, its not a Mandatory holiday on Monday. You only have 5 Mandatory holidays in Malaysia that you have to take off on.

Just to make sure, I call my contractor and clarify that if tomorrow any work is allowed and he says No. So my contractor and I are playing ball well. Just that Spitting Annay needs to go find someone else to jack off on. He has to work faster now.

See how this book comes in handy. So much will be written. Do you get advise like this from the lowyatt Gods ?

12PM, I head back by myself to check once again since I was just in SS3 this morning. The Hoarding Canvas has been put up. As it turns out, the Steel Hoarding Fence will be done later once the Demolition has taken place as the Canvas will be just for trashing purposes only. Saving the Hoarding Fence for later for better longer use.

During this time another sibuk neighbour walked right in as he wanted a particular pot with a stand. Damn sibuk neighbours. I attend to him shortly as say he may take it on Monday or Tuesday whenever we are working, no problem. Not bad, this old guy remembers from about 1.5 years now for a pot.

He says he will get his car and load it in and all, Im like take it however you want, but Im not going to get involved.

Front has been covered.

Half of the front of the roof has its tiles removed by now. Spitting Annay is working fast. By the end of the day, only "Kochai" will be left Im sure. Kochai King aka Spitting Annay loves his Kochai. All he wants is the wood to be stored away I guess ready for support one day for the first floor when concrete gets poured ? Who knows. 

Yes Ladies and Gents, at 12PM, this is what it looks like after 3 days of work. Pretty alright as they are clearing the house for a clean demolition and will soon be hacking off our neighbours joined beams, soon to be detached and then, all ready for demolition. Lets see how this evening looks like

SIGNBOARD & SIGNAGES

1 PM, the signboard arrives. It was supposed to be 18ft tall as the first 7 feet were for the Hoarding Fence. However after some deliberation, it doesnt make sense. I left this judgement to the Signboard maker. If you require damn good service and one that is nearby, try Bumi Jaya Advertising Sdn. Bhd. 

I find them professional and Mr. Sugu is pretty good, works very hard and late. Unlike chai latte hipster cafe owners who operate at 11AM till 7pm, Mr. Sugu will start messaging in the morning before 8AM and will still message at night. What an awesome businessman. We compared 4 other signboard makers and while others quoted with canvas material and with wood, we got steel instead for the same price and even slightly better. Highly recommend these guys. 

Anyway, being almost 20ft in height didnt fucking make sense at the end of the day. Why ? What if a gush of wind come September, October or Novemeber during Monsoon Season comes and blows this thing away ? That would be really shitty. Screw it, we chopped it down a little to 12ft in height in total. Even as it is, the daysvery breezy, what happens when real Monsoon comes ?

And here it is, Standing Tall and Mighty

By the time evening comes, I realise that even the Hoarding Fence has now been put at the front. Too late to take a picture so I wait till day time the next day.

HOARDING FENCE

31st August

Its Medeka, there is no work today but the Demolition guys came over to do a little management on the site. They say they will be clearing a little and arranging things. No noisy lowyatt style using a jack hammer and breaking things. So this was alright with me. Light noise is acceptable.

The Hoarding Fence is put up

1st September

Another smashing day, start the day at 11 am having a drink. End at about 7 30. Head to the house by 8. Go home, have more drinks till 10. Man what a day. My breathing is affected and feel guttered.

2nd September


Wifey says at 2pm the entire roof is gone. She did a drive by before heading for her stuff for the day. She sends a picture too.

Decided to take a slow day, viewed the house at 5pm before heading to work for a short while. No heavy work once again, just light removal. No jack hammer etc. No heavy machinery at all. Its still a holiday today.

Spitting Annay is removing the last bits of stuff. Roof tiles completely gone. I am able to see the neighbours wall on the top left of the image

No more gutters. The shitty old pot that the neighbour kepo chi came in to ask for is lying behind the ladder. I hope he has better luck with it. Hope he paints it white and puts a money plant in it or something. This old guy has been eyeing this thing for a while now.

September 3rd

On these days, nothing much is done but to hack away the building away from the neighbours beams.

Here are images of Mr. Kochai at work. Its a pretty slow process. Unlike Cheras Bungalow Lowyatt style houses, they can be torn down immediately. However in our case, we are hacking slowly and manually.

DETACHMENT FROM NEIGHBOURS

September 4th

4th September, Mr. Kochai is whacking the concrete roof slab. Took a while to bring down. Beams still linked to the neighbour

7pm September 4th. Work starts and you can see what Mr. Kochai was doing the whole day breaking with a sledge hammer the concrete slab

Neighbour requests that the zinc sheet be properly closed. If you have any open wall with your neighbour, kindly close this well as dust and debris will fly into your neighbours property. 

September 5th

September 5th. Mr. Gopal finally sees technology in his hands. He has a Hand Grinder and a Jack Hammer. He uses the best of these tools and starts breaking away.

And that is how its done

ELECTRICITY & WATER

ELECTRICITY  : Electric wires were pulled out of the Circuit Breaker and pretty much that was it.

WATER : Nothing done, as water is still needed to be used for dust and other debris.

I didnt get to take more images on September 5th as I arrived back too late at night to see what was done. However the  next day when I arrived, the property was already demolished and I will show in the next post how things look like.

Thats it folks, you we are now ready for Demolition.

Days taken for Pre Demolition : 9 days including weekends and holidays.