Demolition

This is how the back of the house looks now. Have removed the roof and stripped down the internal and external etc.

Pool poured

The cement was poured into the pool today and now we have to wait for it to set and then will think about whether to tile or to wait till steel is erected and construction at back of house is finished.

According to the Canada Bay online DA tracking tool, it looks like all is complete for senior officer to sign off. Need to call to understand next step & timing. Locked away construction certificate (CC) guy.

Pool begins

The pool was pegged out on Friday and dug out on Monday. Tuesday saw the formwork complete but then the rain started again!

Steel

Met engineer this week. Structural steel framing coming together. Next step is meeting steel detailer to walk him through and get him to produce workshop drawings for fabricator. Sounds like such a long winded process but the way it is designed, the steel bones should go up in 4-5 days. From then, brickie, structural carpenter, roofer, windows and then lock up. Hoping lock up will be early May.

Steel framing plan came back from engineer. Will need to put another column at back of house. If not the beam is way to deep 360mm. Will not get that sexy exposed steel look trying to achieve. Ok, means need to rethink glazing. Bifolds that stack into column, sliders etc. Sort of leaning towards sliders for practicality with kids and user friendly. Only double sliders.

Baths and water

This week we have been discussing plans for the two upstairs bathrooms. We want to have a double spa bath in the ensuite and a big a bath as possible for the kids bathroom too. Going with the Duravit brand and a bath with a wenge coloured panel for us. However got told there is minimum 12 week lead times for some items as must be ordered from Italy! There goes our project deadline sliding along again. Jury still out on tile colours.

Also discussed carpets for upstairs and whether or not to carpet the staircase or leave wooden. I think carpet.

Still waiting for stormwater drawings to submit to council.

Trying to get to window contractor this week to discuss and negotiate. Even though most windows need be site measured hoping he can order framing material, powdercoat etc so when ready he can hit it.

More rain

Big push between now and Easter to get design sorted, materials ordered and steel erected. Weathered has put us further back this week. Forecast is for rain all week. The back yard is like a bad day in Beirut. Dirt has washed down driveway and onto street. Waiting for it to stop so it can be shoveled out.
Demo bloke came out last nite. Will lock him in for end of month. Need more talks with the architect. Need details drawn and more dimensions for window and steel guy.

retaining wall

Finally the rain to dryed out and the concrete was poured to create the base for the retaining wall. We chose bricks by taking a photo of some we like in the nearby Breakfast Point development and sending it to the Bricklayer. He told us that they were the most expensive bricks on the market. So we requested something cheaper that looked similar but he has convinced us to stay with them. So the order is in.

Unfortunately a part of the neighbours fence has fallen down because of the earthworks and the rain so we will have to erect a temporary fix.

Heavy Rain

As luck would have it, although the garden has been levelled and the trenches dug for the retaining wall, it has rained non stop ever since so we have to wait to pour concrete and reassess later this week. Further delay therefore to digging the pool.

Council has approved one of the two alternatives we put forward after their initial rejection, so now we are having the drawings altered and hoping to resubmit this Friday.

Stage Two

Today excavation of the back yard began in preparation for the pool. They had to dig out the front driveway and knock down the wall so they could drive the truck up. Mark brought sandbags home from work to build a temp. retaining wall

They also removed all of the flowers down the side of the garden even though I expressly asked them not to.

At the end of the day, the garden looked like a bomb site with slabs of concrete mounded high. Well at least the ball has started rolling.

Plumbing dramas but kitchen finally finished

Today we had two tradespeople at the house to 'finish off' some jobs. First, the plumber came to fit the sink to the newly delivered vanity unit. However....we found that the mixer set had a bolt missing so he couldn't do it. We called the manufacturer (Dorf) who said it was a known issue and they would sent a fitter out with the part to fit it. So our plumber fixed the pipework ready for the bowl and taps sometime next week (?). He also came with the extensions to fit the bath taps and to replace the shower taps to match. I have to say I'm not happy though as he used these 'metal spacers' behind the shower taps and the bath spout which look disgusting. Also the shower is now dripping so we still need to get him back!

Next the handyman came and fitted handles to three doors, shelf and towel rail in the bathroom and a blind in the kitchen. So the latter is now complete, as a few weeks ago we had the dishwasher panel fitted and the missing handles on cupboards, as well as the vanity attached to the bathroom wall.

bathroom and shutters

Well we are getting closer to finishing the bathroom. Last week the shower screen was installed. We think we made a mistake going for the frameless. The glass is really thick and we made it too big. It's a narrow entrance now into the bathroom and we still don't have the vanity in. Probably have to walk in sideways when it is!

We also had the bathroom plantation shutters installed today and what with the ceiling being painted over the weekend, and the heated towel rack also installed last week, we are almost there.

Shutters were also installed in the two front bedrooms and look lovely although we are keeping Ela's Pooh bear curtains on top!




The painting was also finished in the hallway and kitchen, so there are just a couple of handles that need to be fixed on cupboards, plus a front panel for the dishwasher needed in there. The cooker now has the rangehood connected so we have ventilation whilst cooking. And today the faulty heating unit from Fujitsu was finally replaced so Ela has heat in her play room.

I think I can finally count the remaining jobs to be done, on one hand! They are:
*front door handle
*handle on the linen closet
*two bedroom light fittings needed
*globes for the pendant lamp in the hallway
*smoke alarm hard wired in
*taps fitted in bathroom
*vanity installed (that will need tiling and plumbing)
*lock and handle fitted on bathroom door

OK well maybe two hands, but still, mostly minor jobs so the end is in sight. Lucky that as the baby is due in 9 weeks! May just make it.

taps n heaters

Not much point counting weeks anymore as there isn't too much happening!
However today we had two tradespeople turn up - the engineer from Fujitsu who came to check out why we can't get one of the heating units to work, and the plumber who came to fit the taps on the bath and replace the shower taps, to match.

However.....the technician found that the unit was faulty and needs to order new parts, or a replacement unit. ANd the plumber found that the extension pieces that he had brought/been given (needed because the original taps wouldn't fit due to the depth of the tiling) would not fit the new taps we had ordered. So back to the order book for this job too.

Here are the three tap sets we have gone through to date and the actual (temporary) brass ones in use now! Rollover the pics for comments.

Week 8

Well Monday got off to a good start - the electrician came and fitted lights in the kitchen and dining room. One downlight in the hallway and a light pendant in the hallway (but no globes?). Also power to the kitchen and a light/heater/fan in the bathroom.
So that night I took my first shower in a month - with heat and light, but no shower screen. Unfortunately it was somewhat of an anticlimax as the power is not all that strong. Still, better than a bath in the dark with no ceiling!
And I still can't figure out why the light fitting isn't in the centre of the ceiling??
Then on Thursday the airconditioning guys came with two invertors (split system). They fitted the internal units but then left because the weather was too bad to do the outside units! There was a torrential downpour so couldn't really blame them. They came back today to finish the job so we now have warmth in the purple room and Ela's play room - although I haven't quite gotten that unit working yet!

Tiler makes an appearance

Lo and behold the tiler turned up today and did the splashback in the kitchen. More importantly though, he sealed the bath and the four corners of the bathroom with silicone - which means, although there is still no shower screen, we can now take a shower. Praise be - 4 weeks of baths....oh no, three weeks of baths (and one week of nothing!) is enough.

So what's next/left?

The electrician still has some major work to do. Power in the kitchen, rangehood, heated towel rack plus lights/heater in the bathroom. Lights in four of the rooms and the hallway, plus finish off wiring in the TV.

Painter can now finish off all of the odd jobs such as ceiling in kitchen and bathroom, kitchen walls, bathroom window and hallway around bathroom/linen cupboard.

Showerscreen, new taps and vanity installed.

Heating system installed.

Shutters installed.

So we are finally beginning to get there.

A major achievement

Well I have lost count of what week it is since we started, but today at long last we got a ceiling on the bathroom!

However, there was a problem - isn't there always.... We found that the tiler hadn't gone all the way to the top, all the way around. So we were going to have a small gap between wall and ceiling - hence would need to put an architrave in (when we had planned to have it square set) or, the contractor could come back another day with extensions to lower the ceiling.

No choice really - couldn't bear another night in the cold - its amazing how much cold air gets in through one room without a ceiling.
The carpenter also returned and finished off the door and shelving in the linen closet, but still no handle or lock on the bathroom door!
Electrician didn't turn up....again. Maybe tomorrow. So still no light, power or heat in there.

Week 7

Well absolutely zilch to report this week. No one showed up at all. Well that's not strictly true, the three remaining kitchen cupboard doors turned up...without handles though!
And the architect came for a visit to do some internal measurements and just get a feel for the place. We had surveyors draw up plans of the house/block which the architect can now use to design the 2nd stage of construction. Hard to get enthusiastic about it though as it will mean living in more sh**. If we can't get a bathroom and kitchen 'finished', what hopes do we have for a 2nd storey with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large extension with a kitchen??
It's starting to get really cold in the bathroom (actually in the whole house) as there is still no ceiling there. We are going to get a split system put in the living room and Ela's play room.
Oh one other thing - the vanity basin was delivered, so now we can get the vanity itself built. But then it has to be tiled and plumbed in, so I don't hold out for having a sink for at least another month!
They also measured up for the shower screen - so providing the silicone gets done soon, we may be able to start showering again!

Week 6 end

On Friday the electrician and plumber came and we now have a cooker and electricity to half of the kitchen. Still need to use the kettle, toaster etc in the laundry, but at least the fridge and microwave are plugged in the kitchen.

We also had a carpenter come to finish off the hallway around the bathroom and linen closet. However he ran out of materials and needs to come back to finish the job - how familiar those words are. Here's a before pic - who knows when the 'after' one will be taken.

The boxes are building up in the back yard - need to do a run to the dump with them.

Week 6

Little surprise that nothing happened on Monday this week. Or Tuesday. Wednesday the same....

The 80/20 rule is kicking in - 20% of the work left to be done - it'll take 80% of the time to do it. We need the electrician in first to fit the cooker before the plumber can come back and gas it in. And the list goes on....

Need the tiler to come and silicone all the edges of the bath and the corners of the walls so we can at least have a shower - although there is no screen yet. Or a ceiling - luckily it's not too cold yet.

Week 5

Monday – yet again, nobody shows up. What is it with subbies – don’t they work on Mondays???

Tuesday – The tiler rocked up at 10.30 and at 3pm said, ‘gotta go, be back tomorrow to finish the floor’. So no toilet/shower then for at least another 2 days!

Electrician came with all of the fittings….but three out of four oysters were broken/smashed. And his ‘mate’ didn’t show up cos he was crook so he could only fit the down-lights. The TV, aerial and the drop fittings are a two man job – maybe tomorrow?!

The guy came to measure for the plantation shutters, but because the bathroom window ledge wasn’t finished, he wouldn’t do it.

Wednesday
The tiler finished the bathroom – looks great.


Thursday
The plumber came and set the toilet and fitted the taps to the shower and bath. However the taps won’t fit on the bath wall because he hadn’t allowed enough length when roughing in. He said he needed to get extensions for them…but we have since found out that they don’t do an extension for that particular tap set. So we need to choose new taps and reorder.

He fitted temporary taps and spout which meant we had running water in the bath – at last – but there is no silicone on the edges so poor Ela had to have a very ‘quiet’ bath (no splashing). Can’t use the toilet till Saturday.
The plumber also fixed the toilet brush holder (but smashed it as he did so) and fixed on the toilet roll holder way too low – but if we replace it, there will be a hole in the wall!

Friday
Busy day at the ranch.
Electricians fitted the new TV and some of the lights.
The kitchen was delivered and the fitter finished off the bottom half of the cupboards and benchtops. However – more dramas, the pantry was too wide and the ‘space’ for the cooker too small, so they needed to resize carcasses and doors will have to go back and be recut.
The blinds man returned and took the measurements ( 5-6 weeks wait) and best of all the phone and internet was connected.


Saturday
The plumber fitted the kitchen sink and dishwasher but needs to return for the cooker. That uggly looking thing to the right of the sink is the dishwasher - it was supposed to come with a stainless panel for the front, but the plumber forget to order that! So we'll get a panel made to match the kitchen cupboards.

The kitchen was finished off – although lacking a few doors. He also fitted the bathroom shaving cabinet.
The amount of sawdust and rubbish – mostly packaging is unbelievable. We had the skip removed but I think we still need another one.

So what next?
Still need to paint the kitchen and ceiling, and tile a splashback. Need power to the kitchen and lights fitted both there and in the dining room.

Bathroom needs a ceiling, lights, a sink/vanity and taps for the bath – not to mention a shower screen and door! And the walls (corners) need sealing as does the bath.

Also need lights for the hallway and the bedrooms (thank goodness for lamps!)

Week 4

A disastrous start to the week – no one turned up at all on Monday, and when Mark finally got hold of the tiler on Tuesday he said the earliest he could come would be Friday! So definitely no bathroom this week.


On Tuesday, the carpets and vinyl were laid – the former is very soft and the latter very green!

Wed and Thur were write offs because we got the floor sanded and polished (hallway kitchen and dining), and so this meant no one could walk anywhere.


So when we moved in our stuff on Friday, the tiler began work on the bathroom, and the electrician didn’t turn up.

They did a no-show on Saturday too, but the gyprocker came to set the walls in the kitchen and linen closet.

So here were are in our new home. No kitchen, bathroom or lights, but we have lamps, a microwave, toaster and kettle and some really good friends in the next street who have cooked for us and given us use of their bathroom.

Ela’s room looks lovely with her winnie the pooh curtains and wall decs, although she’s more impressed with the purple room!









Next weeks plan:
Monday/Tuesday Tiler finishes bathroom
Monday – Electrician fits light fittings in all rooms and connects TV aerial.
Wednesday – plumber installs taps & toilet
Thursday – Kitchen is installed.
Friday plumber installs kitchen appliances (sink, dishwasher, cooker).
At some point we need to have a ceiling put in the bathroom too!