Fixing Continues

Joe (builder) was hoping to have fixing complete before Christmas after getting a good head-start, but a couple of minor hiccups delayed us beyond recovery.  Still, we have floors down, most of the skirting and architraves done, tiling completed upstairs and almost done in our ensuite, and the front and back decks almost completed.  We also have started on the retaining walls which should be completed in the new year.

Decks just got their first coats of clear protection today, and they look a treat.  With most of the retaining wall done the entertainment area out back is really starting to take shape.  Can't wait to see the finished product!

Main thing we are waiting on now to finish the fixing stage is the cabinetry.  Cabinetmaker (Sussex Designer Kitchens) is expecting to install last week of Jan, so hopefully by mid Feb we will have kitchen, laundry and vanities installed, which will allow Joe to finish skirting, tilling, etc.

Have attached a few photos of current state to keep you interested!

Alfresco and retaining wall

Alfresco

Upstairs bathroom from doorway

We Have Stairs!

When I left for work at 9am this morning, there was a van parked at the house, and a single tradie working.

I came home from work today at about 1pm, and the house was locked up. I peeked through the front, and this is what I saw...

Yes! 

Stairs!

(Thank you to the excellent craftsmanship of Melbourne Stairs.)

Rooms taking shape

With the plaster on the walls we can finally get a feel for the size and layout of the rooms.  Downstairs is almost complete, and upstairs should be done this week.  It's amazing what the addition of Cornice does to the plastering.

Hallway view from front door (stairway on right)

Family Room

View into Kitchen / Dining

Clerestory in Kitchen / Dining

On Friday we will have our stairs installed!  The kids are really excited as they will finally be able to go upstairs and see their bedrooms, bathroom and playroom.

Everything going well we will then get timber floors dropped off next week.  Joe is also hoping to get tilling underway soon, and then install the vanities and laundry cabinets before Christmas.  Have hit a bit of a snag as the skirting we want will take around a month to arrive, but there is plenty of work for Joe's guys to do in the meantime.

Outside is not progressing quite so quickly.  Still waiting for renderer to come back and finish mouldings and final coat of paint.  Also hoping that the retaining wall and concrete for outside paving goes in this/next week, so that Joe can install deck of Alfresco before Christmas.  Thankfully this does not impact on works inside.

Fingers crossed everything goes to plan!

Lock-Up and Beyond

Reached lock-up a couple of weeks ago, and everything seems to be taking off.  Outside we are still waiting on the last bit of rendering to be completed and painted, so that we can install the fence and retaining walls.  Not as much of a rush now as we can work on the inside if the weather doesn't suit.

Inside everything seems to be flying along.  Plumber and Electrician have been through and roughed out piping and electrical wiring.  Hydronic heating pipes have also been installed, and just this week insulation was installed in the walls.  Plasterers were here this weekend installing battens on the ceiling, and insulation will then be installed on the ceiling.

Next week we are expecting plastering to start, more insulation to be installed, and a visit from Melbourne Stairs to measure up for our stairs.  Also hoping to install solar panels on the roof while we have rafters exposed making wiring easier.

Because of all the activity we are getting busy picking tiles, a vanity unit, cornice, finalising colours for the kitchen, etc, etc, etc!!

Lock-up here we Come!

Getting close to lock-up now, with hopefully only a few weeks to go.  Everything is overlapping at the moment.....
   - All facia on now, but couldn't do all until posts for verandah and alfresco in
   - Tiles on parts of roof, but can't go on all until rendering done
   - Render had to wait until bricks done
   - Bricks had to wait until facia and part of tiles done, etc

Has made life fun for Joe trying to juggle it all amongst our very wet winter weather.  Paula and I have been able to sit back and appreciate it all while he does the stressing!

Hopefully on my next post we'll have a dry house!

Frame Complete

Framing finally complete, and approved by Inspector.  Wet weather and lots of fiddly finishing touches delayed us by a few weeks, but we're finally done.  Inspector went over the frame with a fine tooth comb due to the unusual upper storey construction, and was very complimentary.  Well done to Joe and the chippies!

Front of House

View along footpath

View from Side Street

 With the windows going in it's finally starting to look like a house.  Hoping to see facia and guttering installed by the end of next week, which with the windows will finally give the house some colour.  Personally I am hanging out for the tiles to be in place, so the floor stops acting as an indoor swimming pool!

Second Floor Falling into Place

Second floor started going up a week ago, but had to wait for structural steel before they could start the roof trusses.  Due to the attic style everything needs to be built in place, and we need some steel to ensure it can hold the tile roof.  This picture taken from the side makes the house look huge!  Looking up into Ellie's bedroom.

House from the back, looking over the alfresco area.

House from front.  Won't be too imposing from this angle, which is what heritage are after.  Should just look like one high gable from the front, even though it is 2 storey, as the attic style reduces the height of the house considerably.  

Weather delayed completion of frame by around a week, but carpenter is hoping to have it finished by end of this week.  Will then install facia and guttering before tiles.  Can't wait until they are on and our floors stop looking like swimming pools!

Frame Going Up!

Pre-fabricated frame turned up on Tuesday, and then sat there waiting for the builder.

Friday morning I left as the builder arrived.  When I got home I found this!

Back of House - Open Plan kitchen, Dining & Family

Front of House - Bedroom and Entry

 Joe tells me it will take another 2-3 weeks to finish the framework.  Still need to install the first floor which is all built in place due to our attic style upstairs.

Sub-Floor in Place

Busy couple of weeks.  Timber for the sub-floor arrived last Monday, and was in place by the end of the day.  Plumber then came in and ran pipes under the sub-floor over the next few days.

Tuesday this week insulation was installed in the floor.  This is required for houses not sitting on a concrete slab to allow us to meet the 6-star standard.

On Wednesday they placed the particleboard sub-floor.  They then measured for the ground floor frame, which is being built off site and will hopefully be here in a week.

Introducing our Builder

Given we have been at it for over a month, thought I should introduce our builder, Joe.  Joe is the owner of Expo Homes and lives in our area.  He seems to spend a large amount of time out at the block reviewing the next steps with his contractors, or pouring over our drawings looking for issues before they arise.    Must say that I am glad that it is him having to put up with the stress of the process.  Happy to just sit back, watch, and enjoy the ride!

Above ground at last!

After a couple of weeks waiting for the Bricklayer to finish his last job, they were out on site this week.  Typically arriving at 6am they worked feverishly to get the garage wall, boundary wall and piers in place before rain later in the week.  Made it just in time!  Hopefully the sub floor will go in next week.

We know we asked for a large garage, but didn't comprehend quite how large until we walked through it today!  Only a single garage given the width of the block, but still around 4m wide and 7.5m long.

Paula's first comment when she saw the brickwork.  Oh my God!  Did we really plan for it to be so big?  It fills the entire block!

Concrete pump in action

Ground Level at Last!

Concreters were in first thing this morning placing mesh in the footing channels.  Were finished by around 11:00am and then sat there for another hour waiting for the inspector.  Once approved we then waited another 2hrs for the concrete pump to arrive.










Concrete pouring began around 2:30pm with Concrete trucks blocking the roadway. Thank goodness we had a traffic management plan and traffic controllers at each end of the street!

Pretty soon we had half the neighbours sitting with Ellie and Will watching the concrete being pumped from one end of the block to the other.

2.5hrs and around 6 x 5m3 trucks later the footings were complete.  Just need to let them cure over the long weekend and we can start on the brick perimeter and footings.

Underground

The first works on our new house were not very visible from above. Our builder discovered early on that the sewer connection point was just under our pantry on the south wall, and so some serious plumbing was the first job.

A temporary toilet, fencing and power pole in place, it was time for foundations. On Monday drilling began, and it didn't take long to hit rock. Auger teeth were broken, expletives were uttered, and the engineer was consulted.

Yes, that's a hole.

In the end, the foundations were redesigned to keep everyone satisfied (builder, engineer, driller, council inspector), and the concrete piers were poured on the same day.

Concrete pump

Today, the builder was out, overseeing the digging of channels between the piers. I took the 6 year old for a look, and his comment was "It looks like a maze!" We're expecting more concrete pumping tomorrow, and Angus can't contain his excitement - he's working from home, and gets to watch.

The story so far...

January 2010 - Settlement on vacant land

February 2010 - Started drafting plans

May 2010 - Heritage approval, after complete redesign of

August 2010 - Submitted plans to council

November 2010 - Received planning permit

January 2011 - Waiting for building approval

March 2011 - Still waiting for building approval

June 2011 - Getting sick of waiting

August 2011 - Received building approval

November 2011 - Final drawings, engineering plans completed

December 2011 - Sent plans to 7 builders for quotes, replies from 4

December 20th, 2011 - signed contract with Expo Homes.

January 2012 - Loan approval, builder applied for building permit

March 2012 - Received building permit, work commenced.