Hello goondu lor & tougei,
Sorry but I dun have any photos to show..My advice to you is to get hold of all the laminates brochures from the various brands (kronotex, voringher, supreme, power dekor, excel, pergo, wiparquet) and take your time to choose one that suits your budget, needs and taste. You can also ask them down to your place for a quotation! No obligations and do not feel intimidated or pressured to sign anything! Always tell them you need TIME to think it through! Remember that!
That is what I did; I met up with the entire different laminate brands representative. Each came over (at separate timings of course!) to give a quotation for my home and you will find that the floor coverage measurement do vary from company to company! Also, do not forget to ask about wastage and hacking costs too!
Initially I had engaged an ID firm to do my flooring with a brand I wanted but found that the costs were way above my budget. So what I did was I subcontracted the job myself. I found my own hackers to hack my skirting floor, patch & clear the debris. I dealt directly with the laminate company to do the flooring and cut my doors. In all, the total price was within my budget and 30% cheaper than the ID. The laminate company infact gave me a lower quote than the ID since I dealt with them directly. For example:
ZEN ID FIRM = $4.5 p/sq ft OPA laminate
OPA COMPANY = $3.0 p/sq ft OPA laminate
IMHO, if you have the budget to pay and decide on either homo or laminate, go ahead and do it. Always remember that a fraction of your money goes into "doing" your floor, as this needs to be done before anything else especially for homo.
HOWEVER, if you have not bought a standard flat, are more inclined to laminates and DO NOT have a large budget, I suggest you put up with HDB's ceramic floor temporarily.
I did my laminate floor only 3yrs later after living with HDB's. I concentrated and spent more on the quality and construction of my rooms, kitchen, cupboards, cabinets, appliances, furniture, furnishings, lightings etc....
Why so? Simply because..
1. I do not want to be debt ridden further.
2. I believe in acquiring sturdy and quality (not necessarily branded) household items, to ensure durability and longer lifespan for use.
I understand your anxiety in getting a new home and the excitement to complete everything and everything in your home! However, unless you have a big fat pay each month then it should not be a problem. Nevertheless, like most of us who do not have plentiful cash to spare, after spending so much on the wedding, honeymoon, etc... It is best to be prudent and spend within your limits. ALWAYS take your time to complete your house and enjoy the process along the way. No point getting everything completed but be miserable at the end of each month paying bills and more bills.
I had no problem doing my laminate flooring later even with all the fixtures. And after having lived with ceramic for 3yrs, you can really witness the transformation unfold before your eyes! It really made a HUGE difference to the ambience and outlook of my home. Any regrets doing my flooring later? NONE WHATSOEVER!!! The short "financial break" not only allowed me to pay my renovation loan but also enabled me to save for my flooring at the same time, without having to compromise my lifestyle too drastically.
Just my two cents, hope it was helpful in some way or another...