Nothing New

Well it seems that since last Thursday, the Christmas break started. Nothing new has been done.

I spoke to our CSA today, who said lock up won't occur till the New Year (even though the lock up carpenter was nearly complete 2 weeks ago - 'what the?')

We are also still waiting for the revised quotes from our 3rd party Electrician.

As I don't expect any further news or progress until 2010...

Merry Christmas and a
Happy (80's) New Year to all.

Lots of updates...now rendering!

I have been extremely busy this past week, so haven't had time for updating. This now means, there is lots to share. YAY!

• Roof Tiles Complete

From Inside

From outside (West View)

• 
  
  Eaves Complete
  
  
  
• 
  
  Timber Look Infill on Roof Complete
  
  
  

• 
  
  3 phase power connected
  
  
  

The big box is ours

• 
  
  Rendering Begun
  
  
  

 Look closely as side wall

Closer view of side wall

From Back

I spoke to the renderers today (yes, they were busy at it in 40 degree weather). They said they are almost complete on the upper level, which means the painters then have to come in. That will be followed by the scaffolding getting removed and the lower level being rendered.

An update on the electrical front... after further errors being found, I had a meeting with Henley, followed by a meeting with the electrician. To cut a long story short, we now have a 3rd party coming on board who will take over just over half the work. This has been supported by our first electrician, so now Henley have come to the party and agreed to contract work out to the 3rd party. In the end, (although we are now waiting for revised quotes), everyone ends up happy, AND we end up with a much superior system. Now who can complain about that!

Roof Tiles Sent Up

East Facing

West Facing

Max and Molly visit their new house!

During the week the gutters and fascias were installed and the tiles for the roof were delivered.

Monument Gutters and Fascias

Boral Ebony Roof Tiles

Max and Molly joined D and I for our Friday drink at the house, and they got to see their new room (the Laundry). They also said hello to their new neighbour who introduced himself with some bigger woofs than they can produce. They were excited.

'The Carlton Dry Stand'...lol

We now have about 45 empty pallets, with a house that is extremely close to being completely bricked. So what is left?

• the top third of half of the western facing wall
• above the windows of what will be our gym at the front of the house
• the top third of the front pillars.

The tradies were ever so kind to have accidently left the interior ladder open (saving me the nervousness of climbing the really big outer one on the scaffolding). What a beautiful sunset. The framing for the baths/spa are in now too. One tradie thought that we might like to know that Mike loves Tim hehe...

We had a drink to celebrate this viewing and typical of D, and brothers D and M, they decided to each (at exactly the same time) drop their empties into the yet to be finished front pillars. None of the bottles smashed, so now our future balcony has been nicknamed 'The Carlton Dry Stand'

Rain on Friday and Saturday has created a swimming pool in our Family Room. Anyone care for a swim?

Two Thirds of Bricking Complete

The scaffolding has moved up yet again. We counted 30 empty pallets on the block, and it seems as though they will still need more bricks for the last 1/3rd. I'm a bit fearful of going up on that scaffolding (height), but D. of course mentioned he would love to go up and have a look. Wonder what the end of week will bring, given such great progress up 'till now.

Front View

Empty Pallets

Side View (non garage side)

Back View

Scaffolding

The next level of bricking started through the week, with all the scaffolding put up on Tuesday 17/11.

Front View

View from Scaffolding over Garage

Rear View

Grand Entry - Framework

The framework for the Grand Entry was installed today.

It's beginning to look Grand :-)

(No more bricking done today though)

Solar Panels

Went Solar shopping this morning. So many different systems to choose from. We think we will probably go with the following 33x60w Kaneka Solar Panels and SMA SB-1700 Inverter, through the Solar Shop. Although the panels take up a lot of space, they are very highly energy efficient and should in theory reduce our electricity bills to $0. We will connect it back to the grid, providing us with .44c credit per k/w extra produced. We will put them on the West facing roof as there is plenty of space there, and also will hardly be seen (not that that is an issue).

A single panel

View of a full system

The Inverter (converts DC to AC)

More Bricks

Nat, these ones are for you. You said you keep looking to see when the pics are updated. So here they are!

Front Balcony Pillars

Pillars without Scaffolding

Front View

Windows and door frame delivered for Grand Entry

Gas Pipes installed

Garage (from back)

Rear View

It seems like we are about 1/3 of the way through bricking, which is great given our current heat wave of temperatures between 37 and 40 degrees all week.

Doors, Windows, Bricks PICS

Dining Room Sliding Door

Rear View

Second Floor

Bricking

Windows, Doors and Bricks

On Thursday we arrived at our house to find the windows and glass sliding doors had been installed. It gives the house such a different feel about it. Brother D just had to do his customary blowfish on one of the doors to christen the place. The house is nowhere near completion and he has already created my first cleaning job! We were lucky that day, because the contractors left the ladder open and unlocked, so we were able to go to the second floor and have a sticky beak (and take lots of photos). D and friend R pretended to play pool in what we will be our games room.

On Friday, we arrived for our (what is now a 3 week tradition) end of week drink to find the bricking had started and on one side wall was almost to the second floor.

What an exciting couple of days. I will post pics as soon as I'm able.

Not sure what this coming week will bring given the weather is forecast between 36 and 38 degrees everyday. Hopefully they will work at least until lunch time so we can see some progress.

Moving on Up!

Now it really looks like we are building a mansion!

Front right hand side

Left Front Side (showing entry)

Back View

They should finish all the carpentry work early next week :-)

We already have bricks delivered too!

DownTime

No work has happened on site for the past two days as the carpenters have been working on a site down south. At least someone else will be happy with the progress they are seeing. On a positive note, I met a neighbour who is building diagonally across the road - Sue. She seems really nice, which is a good thing as she will be a neighbour for many years to come. We have now met - Sue (who has a husband and a 20 month old child), Betty and Peter (an older couple), Raelene and Don (an older couple), and a name yet to be known neighbour, who D scared off with his 'toilet' antics.

The Second Story is on its way!

YAY! YAY! YAY!

Framework Begun

What a busy week it has been since the slab was laid. I'll try to be as brief as possible, but cover the main points.

• The day after the slab was laid, I noticed Max and Molly's paw prints had been swiped over. Disappointment Plus. We now need to think of a new place to imprint.
• The timber for the framework was delivered on the 16th of Oct.
• On the 17th, we put down a deposit for our carpet and floorboards at Carpet Choice. What a great deal we got too.

This style

In this colour
• On the 18th, we had a slab party.

• D. met our back neighbour when going for a toilet stop in the back corner of our block. A friend (W.) decided to kick a footy at D. as a joke and the footy went over the fence. Friendly neighbour went to give it to D. but D. had to explain his predicament of his 'hands being full'. We never found out anything more about this neighbour as I think both parties walked away a little embarrassed, but with grins on their faces.
• The slab party began at 1pm and finished at 7:30pm after a couple slabs (of beer) were polished off and a couple people a little under the weather. By gee what beautiful weather we had for it though.
• On Monday 19th of Oct the framework began. How quickly things seem to moving now. Yay for all this nice weather  !!!!

Front view

Back view

The guy in the picture was cementing where the setdown from the kitchen to the garage was too short and where the framework needed to be placed.

• On the 20th, we received our 1st invoice for the base stage completion. It's the most exciting bill we have ever received.
• As of today,

Magpies keeping a check on things

Floor of second storey

Side view looking towards entry