The business end

Haven't posted for a while, as I didn't feel like there was much happening. However looking at where we are today we really are getting to the pointy end of the project and the following are all finished:

*All gyprock walls have been completed including dividing wall up the staircase and fireplace with shelving surrounds;
*the bathrooms have been waterproofed ready for tiling.
*Bathroom furniture has been delivered;
*Internal painting has started;
*external painting of side wall and back beams complete (although we are not happy with the colour at the back - it's decidedly different to what we expected);
*bubble-gum to all joints and gaps around windows etc has been completed (although they forgot to do one place along the roof beam and we got water in the bedroom last weekend after heavy rain).
*Roof capping finished (although roofer needs to return and replace 2 missing tiles);
*garage concrete slab has been laid but the dimensions are larger than planned so the roller shutter garage door has to be refabricated to fit;
*front garden flattened ready for landscaping

Today the electricians were back to finish all internal wiring. The new powerpole in the garden is all wired up and a new electrical panel installed on the opposite side of the house.

The rain last weekend has filled the pool and waterlogged the garden area, underneath the house and the side courtyard. So tomorrow we have hired a pump to clean up.

Hiccups and fixups

Somehow, we had overlooked the need for pipework for the sinks under the kitchen window. Had to pull flooring up to get pipework in. Small hiccup.

Another fix up pictured here is in the front kids bedroom. Brace has been removed so we can construct a built-in bookcase. Glass yet to be replaced with alucobond externally but framing complete internally ready to receive gyprock.

inside and out

This is the internal courtyard area - the holes in the bricks are for a water feature. Downpipes and cladding of open gable of 'old' roof is now complete. Still need to do soft linings and eaves. The whole areaalso needs waterproofing and the rain-water tank needs to be installed and concreted over. This window looks into hallway and 'open-sided' family-room.

Another area that is now ready for waterproofing is our ensuite. Pictured here the louvered windows and main window with walls ready for tiling.

bits and bobs

This is a bit of a silly photo really as it just looks like a load of jumbled up wires....which is exactly what it is. But just to report that the power, light, AV, data, phone, and security rough-in to all rooms is almost complete.

And this too - the AC fan coil indoor unit. Installed in ceiling space of walk in robe in our room to service upstairs rooms. I hope it's not too noisy?

This is the view from the doorway of one of the kids bedrooms. It looks tiny from this angle...hope we can fit a bed in there. The bulkhead is rather large but covers the aircon and other pipes.


And finally the ceilings over the kitchen and dining room are in now. Can't do ceiling in back 3rd ofopen plan room until we build fireplace etc. Setting and sanding of all walls will hopefully begin next week.

ensuite and fireplace

no, we won't be having a log fire in the bathroom (although it would be nice). First shot is the rough-in of the cistern in our ensuite. It will be hidden in the joinery that will house the basin, but right now does look a little odd. The bath will go along the back wall.

Next picture is an idea we really like for the setting around the fireplace in the living room.

Internal walls

Walls upstairs sheeted. Hopefully start bathroom wall linings today and ceilings by end of week. Need to do big cleanup on weekend.

This is the corner of the kitchen where the walk-in pantry is. In that corner we are thinking of putting the fish tank and making a photo gallery...or something similar.

The next steps for the pool are: coping tiles, mosaic tiles, pool plant, lining, fence. The glass fence needs to go down first however so that the tiling canmarry in with that, so we actually need to lock in a tiler, and buy the extra tiles for the back area before we can move ahead with the pool. Still hoping that there will be water in it before summer begins.

The courtyard rainwater tank also needs to be completed.

Looking in

not much to say except...wow....and...'how much glass?'

Still a long way to go but feeling like home already.

a lot of glass

This is the view out from the back kids bedroom. The glaziers have mistakenly put glass to floor level rather than Alucabond panelling in. Although it looks lovely, I don't think it's practical (or safe) from a childrens bedroom perspective. Not to mention the nightmare (and cost) of curtains.

Living room wall

Electrical rough in complete. Have opted for C-Bus (a microprocessor-based control and management system for the whole house) rather than the more conventional light switches etc.

Plasma will go to right side of wall. Thinking whether finances can stretch to a fireplace now, or whether to at least put all provisions in place for fireplace to be put in later. We can install to left side of wall.

The window to the left of the picture is the door leading onto the internal courtyard.

pool and internal walls

Need to think about next steps for pool; finalise coping tiles, mosaic tiles, pool plant, lining, fence (etc)

Gyprocker to start ceilings tomorrow and it is estimated to take 10 days to complete.

This is the upstairs hallway wall looking form the kids bedrooms.

kitchen

Joinery contractors are stopping in for a final site measure tommorow then locking into workshop. Aiming for 1st wk September to install. Timing should work well with other trades, finishes (etc). The only finish that hasn't been finalised is the bench tops. We are going with a caesar stone but want to see a bigger sample of Latte, Cashmere and Ginger in order to finalise. He will have these available by end of week. This will not hold things up as he can start with carcass etc.

Summarising finishes, we have woody grain looking veneer for overhead cupboard, white poly below bench drawers, benchtops as mentioned above. Mentioned routing in draining board and bin drawer. Decided to keep wine rack as is and making cross pieces / rack etc a feature with the same veneer as overhead cupboards. We have plenty of room in cupboards for spirits so no need for a separate spirits cabinet.

Behind the red wallon the right is the walk in pantry. To the left of kitchen are the windows overlooking the pool.

looking out

some of the windows are now in - that's been delayed due to MORE rain. The ceiling and wall frames are continuing ready for gyprock, air conditioning ductwork rough in and electrical wiring.

Ist pic is from our bedroom looking through the walk in 'robe, through the ensuite, through the stairwell and out over the top of the single story at the front of the house.

This one is the view from the open plan back room to the garden. At this angle, it looks like we will step out of the back door and straight into the pool. The remaining garden also looks miniscule. Let's hope the camera isplaying tricks on us!

Progress

These latest photos show how far we have come. The back view looks a whole lot cleaner as the concreting has been finished to level the back yard and marry in with the pool. Window frames are all in and glass is being fitted next week.




Roof tiles have been changed on front of house (to match slate grey tin roof at back). Garage is complete and all brickwork finished. So once we render and paint the facade there will be some evidence of uniformity.


Next job to start is airconditioning and electric rough in. We also need to square away the kitchen design and colours. At this stage we will have top cupboards in a dark wood-like polyeurathane and bottom cupboards in white poly. The splashback will be white glass and the benchtop in a chocolate stone.

Have purchased new bedroom furniture for Ela's room. The Georgie Range from Treehouse.

more rain

it seems like it hasn't stopped raining for the whole month of June. However M has begged and pleaded with the guys to keep going and his persistance has paid off.Retaining walls have now been backfilled with A-grade soil ready for planting -good job too as the place is so barren. Gone are all the beautiful flowerbeds and roses :( Backyard has also been levelled ready for the BBQ area.

Was very glad to see a portaloo in the front garden - yes honestly - it now means no more muddy boots tramping through our 'new' bathroom!

Bricks

Rather a large amount of bricks have been delivered to the house this week.

And even though it has been raining on and off all week,the guys got to work at once. They were at head height after 2 days and have all but finished the two main walls (sides).

The courtyard is also poured and bricked (above), complete with fish pond (apparently!)

Windows upstairs were measured today and air conditioning guy came to inspect. Slight problem with space in ceiling of ground floor so we will probably have to duct the airout via the floor rather than high level. Apparently this is no big deal especially considering the kitchen and the large expanses of glass.

flooring and roofing

It appears the timber floor guys have talked us out of getting the chestnut we had originally decided upon. And so we are opting for spotted gum instead. Apparently going with a non native Aussie wood would cause problems and require a lot of adjusting time where timber has to lie in the house and get used to the humidity.

This picture shows insulation which means roof is on the backpart of the house now.

Washout

Everyone was there and rearing to go on Monday morning this week but the the weather had other ideas. So all we could do is sit back and wait.

However, the gyprocker was able to get the stud walls underway and the window guy came and measured up for the downstairs windows. He gave us some advice about having a serving hatch through the kitchen window to the back. The advice was 'don't do it'. Because there is no planned (at this stage) roof structure for the back patio, the window will be open to the elements and there would undoubtedly be leakage. Fair enough. So three weeks today he'll be ready to install. But will the walls be built? If the rain keeps up, then no! He'll be back next week, or when we have some flooring to measure upstairs.

On Thursday the rain finally cleared so a last minute decision was made to dig extra footings, so that brickie can work all the way around the house. The driveway is also compacted with gravel to allow deliveries and work etc. Next week we'll be getting 20,000 bricks!

We also have both floors laid now (basic boards, not finished ones). which means the structure finally looks like a house! The top picture is the second storey, covered in plastic.

Hoping to get the roof on over this weekend but the weatehr forecast doesn't look good. More rain apparently.

Steel done

Summary of steel:
14 tonne in total
26 x columns
46 x beams
6 x rafters
139 x floor joists
52 x roof purlins

Roofer measured yesterday and should have wire, insulation, gutter (etc) including roof cladding and some high level wall cladding complete by Wed next week. The plumber has started today, laying pipework and drains etc. Brickie to start Monday and Wall linings on Tuesday next week.

Connecting Pieces

Well the photos speak for themselves. We finally have a framework tostart building walls and floors. Tomorrow they have to come back and drill a few more holes as some of the detailing wasn't quite right and some pices arestill missing (top level of stairs). Other than that, looking good.

Steel Arrives

Finally the steel is ready top be errected. After some initial hiccups with the crane driver not happy about lifting over power cables, the steel started to be dropped off (all 14 tonne of it) and work begun on assembling the beams. There was also some problem with the depth of the trenches but this was overcome with a few choice words.

We had to utilise the neighbours garden as storage for some of the members as there just isn't the room in our backyard to put it all. What with the pool, the actual green garden space is rather small. Good - less mowing to do ;)

Next step is to lay pipe work ready for flooring to go down and to put on the steel part of the roof.