long time no post....

Well we are about up to I think the week 9/10 mark, but it has been a very long time since i've written on here. Life got in the way :P

We have had a few ups and downs. I think the best way to describe things is by adding photos and writing a caption for each. That way it should all be order.

The brick pillar in the alfresco has started!

Not enough pallets of bricks were originally ordered, so they started in the inside stuff whilst the bricking was still happening. Plastering and cornicing done before the bricks were finished!

We have a significant issue with our bricks. As they were ordered in two lots, we thought that two batches had come, and that our fear of difference coloured bricks came to reality. PD advised that it was a mortar issue, not a brick issue. Its all around the house, but the front is pretty bad even from this distance, see the right hand side of the pic, the bricks look different at the top and bottom

the lovely cornice

Here is a much more obvious picture of the dodgy mortar. Hoping the staining option fixes it, otherwise unsure of what we will do...

ok so this was an attempt to fix an issue.... the posts were put in but they mucked them up and bolts weren't straight and there was an extra bolt sticking up they couldnt use, or remove. We also thought they were skewed. So the answer is the put these on them so you cant see the stirups. Once the driveway goes down it will look better. But is not great.

yay doors have arrived :)

ensuite cupboards were installed. Basin aren't in yet, as ours were discontinues so we had to chose them all over again, which meant a trip to Hopetoun as we couldnt decide just based on the picutre. Funnily enough though, we had to sign a variation for the basins and apparently the cupboards couldnt be ordered until we had signed and sent back to PD. But that same afternoon the cupboards were installed!

OUR LOVELY KITCHEN!!! in LOVE! the overheads are slightly different shades which is annoying, but the site supervisor advised he could see it as well and would look into fixing it. Stone bench tops to come late down the track

linen press in the laundry. We got a second one installed (one closest to window) as an extra. its 1/2 broom 1/2 linen

laundry bench

these were the new choices we made for the basins. This one will be in the ensuite, with this tap as well

this one will be in the main bathroom, with the tap from the above picture.

All in all things are progressing ok. We have had some very frustrating moments with PD with regarding to fixing their mistakes, but overall its ok I guess.

The painting commenced today, and it looks great! tiling should hopefuly start next week.

Our issue is that we still haven't paid the lock up stage as we are still awaiting a resolution to the brick issues, so PD have threatened to stop the inside work. We advised that was ok from our end. They weren't very impressed but the inside work has continued.

Hoping its still a Feb settlement, but will wait and see :)

week 8

well it seems i've been a bit slack over the past week weeks.
SOOO much has happened with our house, its almost at lock up!

Phil is our site supervisor and he is just brilliant! he even put up more noggins for us today in a number of places, for the toilet roll holders, towel rails, TV (mounted) and a giant mirror we have. So all will be very sturdy now :)

The brickies have had to stop as they ran our of bricks, but more were delivered today, so that shouldn't be too much longer now.

THe sparkies were there today and have roughed everything in, and next we will put all the cat 6 cable in. Plaster starts next week, and they reckon the kitchen will be done by mid Nov, with all painting done before Christmas. SO everything is looking on track.

Pillar for the alfresco

The garage was the first to be bricked, as they didnt need to worry about the sisilation

back of house, with laundry door, and 4th bedroom window

Extra noggins were put in today, rather handy

bath frame has been installed, as has shower base

woohoo!!! our lovely shower base in the ensuite, 900x1200mm with a shower dumper too! It will be such a decadent shower

week 6

woohoo the frame is almost finished!

I went to meet our site supervisior today, Phil. He is just lovely and is even letting us put in cabling prior to lock up :) He did tell me that one guys put 9km, yes 9000m, of cable into his 33sq single story house earlier this year! sheesh. We wont be putting that much in, but as we speak (or as i write) Nath is currently adding up how much we need, as we need to get onto it ASAP.

So the frame will finish shortly, the guttering etc goes up tomorrow and the roof start on Monday and should be finished on Tuesday. Bricks booked for 18th, so next week as well and by end of Oct we should be at lock up.

Had also noticed a few faults when looking through so far, not major and should be easy enough to fix. The sliding doors, dont actually meet up and close in the living room, nor the the other sliding door in the rumpus lock easily. There is also a scratch in the rice paper windows on the front door. But they should be easy to fix.

I've also started the curtain hunt today. Victory were not very accomodating, nor were spotlight, so hopefully a local place, Fenech, comes back with a decent quote. They were just lovely in both range and staff.

our lovely and big bedroom window. It's slight skewif, but the supervisor used a spirit level on it today and it was perfect. Once the bricks are around you wont be able to notice it

The sliding doors from the living area to the alfresco. The dont close properly, so this will need to be fixed, obviously

YAY! almost a full frame! the windows have black tape on them to prevent any damage, they are actualy a nice creamy colour, called 'White Birch'

week 5

Well its the end of week 5 and things are going along well. Photos will come shortly.

The frame is nearly complete, should be done by Tuesday of this week. They have had to put extra temporary bracing up due to the high winds we have had this week.

We also noticed that the window we had requested (and thus paid for for) in the theatre room was only the size of the standard window, we wanted a double size. This has also now be rectified. The thing i'm finding is that PD are VERY good at follow up. Sure some things are annoying whilst they are happening, but in the end it works out well.

We also got an email from PD asking when the payment for the slab stage invoice would be paid, Silly duffers haven't even sent us the invoice, and we replied stating that, give us the invoice and we will pay it.

So this week the frame gets finished, and then the following Monday the roof tile will start. We are also meeting the site supervisor at some stage this week. Should be good, he's been lovely so far.

We have also started checking out some garden and window furnishing ideas. I cant wait to set up house :)

anyhoo, i'll post pics later this week.

week 4- frame

WOW! It's really coming together now.

The frame was delayed by a few days, but now its cracking a pace. I stopped by with some drinks and snack for the chippies today and had a chat to the main guy. Apparently they have others jobs to get to so need to finish our, so he said he usually works alone, but he had a son and mate helping him today. In one day they got about ha;f the frame (not including roof) up. I thought it was a good effort, given they had to build it onsite. They also made a saw bench out of scrap lengths, i thought it was rather amsuing!

We are hoping to do the data cabling/conduit at the rough in stage, so hopefully they let us! Has anyone had any experience in this? eg has the building coordinator let you?

We have also noticed that we think the meter box is the wrong colour, it looks like paper bark, not cream, so we will have to get this one changed. It seems to have happened to a few people, reading the blogs online. 

here are some progress pics from this week so far.

This is at the front door, looking into the house.

looking out the of the window in the main bedroom. Currently there is a lot of building stuff, but i cant wait to get a lovely garde with a weeping cherry in front of this window

view of master bedroom from bedroom door

my dad checking out the rumpus room

Bumble is already making herself at home in the dining room

It was really CUTE, Baxter was sitting at the 'front door' and barking a kid who came to say hello

Boy's delight, planes do loop the loops above our house :)

Our massive laundry! with the extra linen/broom closet on the right hand side. we have about 2m from the back of our house ot the fence, so enough room to put a path to the washing line :)

This is the main living and dining area. Also the bit in the bottom right hand corner in the pantry

our huge walk in wardrobe!

ensuite

front of the house

week 3- slab

So the slab went in today. The concrete pump was huge and i could see it from a block away!

large concrete pump. There were about 5 guys working this morning. and by 11:15 most of the slab was finished

very long pump

Week 3

Ah the foundations for the slab started and finished today! The slab was meant to go down on Tuesday (yesterday) but due to the rain its now going down tomorrow. Which means the frame wont start til Monday.

We wanted to make extra sure the space between the garage wall and the side fence was 2.6m (the size of a standard car park) so we could get a fence through. And now its looking like there will be enough space.

Its really starting to come together, we can now see where everything fits on the block and how it will work. I've started compiling some garden ideas, well i've done it many times, and will prob do a plan many more tiems for the garden prior to moving in. Better Homes and Gardens has been a good inspiration :)

Mum said that she and dad drove by today too and the termite guy was there doing something. Good to see.

hmm are left over waffle pods like a left over screw after putting together something from ikea?

Such a mess already! There is even an unopened can of tuna!

Read to pour the slab tomorrow

A more detailed view. The pipes to the left of centre are the kitchen.

Week 2-

So things so far have been completed when PD have said they would be. Although we are only into week 2 its a good start.

Last week the site was scraped and this week the plumbing etc has been done as well as the meter box. And a skip bin was delivered and a fence was errected.

Initally it looked liked we wouldnt have much of our 1012m block left once the house was on it, but when looking at the alfresco area it was clear that the site scrape was for more than the actual house area.

The drainage was put in just in time yesterday, as it rained a lot last night and today, so hopefully it helped out a bit.

The good thing I've noticed about the piles of soil to be removed is that there isnt much clay! Unlike our last place. So gardening etc will be a lot easier. 

I've had a few calls from PD to update as to what's next etc, so far they are keeping us up to date quite well. Hopefully it continues that way :)

our meter box. I think they always look odd just standing there all on their lonesome

Nath standing in our dining room

Me in the dining room

Plumbing has been done, the fence is up and the skip bin is ready to go

YAY! site scrape happened today!!!! the day they said it would. So far so good :P

Here's some pics:

This is the back of the block, here you can see the alfresco. Also you can see how close the house will be to the back fence, its only 2m away. Originally it was going to only be 1.2m, however we requested it be extended.

pic of the full site scrape

here you can see how much they had to remove. This is our side access and the edge of the garage

looking from the back of the block to the front. This will be our 'nice' side of the block :)