A bit more progress

We went to visit the house yesterday and more work had been done (yay)!

The rainwater tank has been delivered (I can just squeeze past it down the side of the house if I need to).

There were two downpipes that weren't connected to the underground plumbing that have now been connected.

The termite protection lines have been put in (not sure if they stay exposed or are to be covered up??).

Also the bath has been delivered, it's currently sitting in the dining area :-)

Site Visit and meeting with SS

Today we had a site visit and got to meet our SS. It was only a quick visit and nothing happening on site today but it was good to go through the inside and ask a few questions. Most of my concerns the SS knew about and had answers for straight away which was great. At the very end of the visit he said "you haven't asked the big question...when can you move in", we simply said we wanted a good job and didn't want it rushed and didn't know if it was too soon to ask yet. We will get stung by the Christmas shut down and holidays but will hopefully be in late-Feb. Our contract (including the Christmas extension) goes to end-March so I will just still base it on that.

Now for activity over the last few days... quite a bit actually. Garage doors have been installed, caesarstone bench and sink to the kitchen installed and tiling to all the wet areas completed. The SS actually admitted the tilers had caught him off guard as he thought they would still be there but they finished early!

now for some pics....

The garage doors
Pergola still to go above the left hand door

The front door and stairwell painted

The ensuite tiling
Vanity and tiling (mirror still to be put in)

The feature wall in the shower

Where toilet will be and window - tossing up between getting an obscure film added to the glass or shutters

Main Bathroom
I wish I had continuted the coloured tiling from the bath up that wall now - oh well definitely too late now!

Feature tile strip in the shower

and last but not least...
Laundry

No action at all this past week

After such great activity the last fortnight we have come to a staggering hault with no action at all on site this week. It's a bit disappointing but I guess so close to Christmas it's a matter of lining up tradies and who is available I guess.

On the good news front we have a walk through booked in for this coming Tuesday. We will get to meet our new SS (who has been nice and helpful on the phone to this point) and get to properly view all the progress as well as ask lots of questions regarding things we are not sure of.

Laundry and Bathroom Cabinetry too

Along with the kitchen, then laundry and bathroom cabinets have also been installed. From what I can see all okay only the ensuite cabinets are missing the kickboard still.

The laundry is the same colour as the kitchen and then the bathrooms are different.

The Laundry

The Ensuite

Kitchen Cabinetry In

The Kitchen cabinetry has now been installed and I couldn't be happier, I love it. Am impressed with our pantry space too.

We are having caesarstone benches so they will now be ordered for install.

Most of the painting has been done too!

The Kitchen Cabinetry

Inside the kitchen pantry

Fixing stage complete - I don't think so!

Today I got an email with our fixing stage complete progress invoice. Okay so they have had the painters in the past 3 days (including today) but there is no kitchen, no bathroom, no laundry cupboards and no shelving in the wardrobes. I get the progress stage can also be or 85% complete but I think this is less than 85%!

I will call tomorrow and question it! At least it's not due for payment for 14 days so some time to still sort this out!

Painting First coat

I drove past today to see if the kitchen cabinets had been delivered for installation, they hadn't but what I instead found was our first coat of paint has gone on (well the undercoat), it was sprayed on, a rough job but assuming that's because it is the undercoat. It was unexpected (was told this was next week after the kitchen) but a great surprise and happy with the start of the look of the colour too albeit neutral.

slowly progressing

Now that we are locked out not lots to tell or show. I did call this SS this thursday just to touch base and see how things are going. He said that the carpenter would be there until Monday and then the kitchen would be going in (woot woot). He's been working hard intalling all the architraves, doors and skirting boards.

Also the issues I have spoke to the new SS about only a week or so ago have all been corrected which is great! The missing roof tiles have been installed (thanks to the carpenter, luckily we had 4-5 spares upstairs). I also mentioned that I am pretty sure that not all the gutter and valley guards have gone in (so the SS will now check that out). The plumber has been and pumped out the water from the electrical and plumbing conduit in the kitchen (from when we had no roof) and the external vent for the powder room has been installed (not sure if the ducting was put in too).

Can't wait til the end of next week to see the kitchen! I will try and get to site in the latter part of the week so I can have a look around upstairs too. If not early the following week.

Carpet Selection

Today we had to do our carpet selection. Our carpet is included in our contract and we had to go to Choices at Carringbah. After an hour and half drive we got there.

We got served right away and the man was very helpful, he got our file and showed us our selections (also we could choose outside the range for extra if we wanted to). We decided to go with something from within our selection (yay) and upgrade the underlay to the best they had. Luckily it was within the budget.

Carpet: Windsor Wool - Aspinall (Colour: Truffle)
Underlay: Dunlop Comfort Choice Ultra

Locked Out

Today I got a call from our new SS. He seems like a really nice guy. I took the oppourtunity to let him know about the few issues I had already raised with our old SS to make sure he was aware of them. He asked a few questions and explained a few things. He then let me know that the carpenter had been there today installing architraves and some of the doors and should be back there again tomorrow. I went by on the way home but alas too late...we are now officially locked out. I don't mind though as it means things can progress further internally. Our SS also said he'd give us a call when they are doing the painting so we can come through and have a look (WOOHOO) can't wait!!!

I also noticed today that the downpipes and flashing were all painted (oh and the addtional downpipe is needed but did get moved so not over our exterior light now).

News like that makes me nervous

Today I heard that Cosmopolitan Homes went into Volulntary liquidation on Friday. That is two large building companies in a month!

While I'm not building with Cosmopolitan or Westminster it does make me nervous in general about the building industry - what it means for people buildng these homes, what it means for other builders, and what it means for the general economy.

Hopefully my building company is doing okay and will continue along until we get in our home which is still a while off.

To those who are/were building with Westminster & Cosmopolitan homes, my thoughts are with you and I hope that all is sorted out through your insurance and is not too delayed to finish your build (and the the quality that you were expecting).

A busy week

I am SO happy with so much progress this week, the house is starting to take shape more and more every day.

The activities taken place so far are:
1) plastering to gyprock
2) cornices installed
3) downpipes installed
4) stairs installed

all looks so good, only issue i can tell from this lot is that 1 extra down pipe has been installed & right where our electrical work has been down for a light in the backyard too! They will either have to remove it and replace the guttering or it will have to stay and they will have to connect it to the underground pipes properly. My SS is away at the moment so I will point it out on his return.

Now some picks of my lovely stairs...

More pics - the new walls

The garage

The kitchen/living

The enterance and study

Pictures, pictures, pictures - from the outside

The facade

>

What a week for... Work, rest and play!

Hubby and I are now back from a long overdue holiday. A relaxing week in Queensland, catching up with friends, walks along the beach, golf, too much indulgent eating and just chilling out in the apartment! I definitely can't complain.

First stop back this morning and we had to swing by the house to see the progress and wow we were blown away, so much has happened... The rest of the external pillars have been moroka bagged and painted. The internals all insulated AND gyprock done! We are stoked, not sure what is next!

Need to follow up with the SS regarding some missing tiles and flashing but overall very happy with the progress this week.

The missing tile..

Close up of the garage and entrance

Some more pics to come shortly.

A new SS

We got a call from our SS this Monday to return my call from last Thursday but also to inform me that they are shifting workloads and we are getting a new SS. He told me the new guys name and that he would be in touch when they hand over the files. I thanked him for all his help and I don't mind the change so long as it doesn't hold up work. Hopefully it will be a fast and smooth transition and we can meet up to discuss things soon.

Ground floor eaves completed

Work is happening again only one day after I spoke to SS :-)

The ground floor eaves are now all installed, unfortunately I will have to call SS again as there is a whole row of roof tiles missing, I thought that was what they were waiting for but he may not be aware of it so better call back as if it rains and goes through it may wreck the new eaves.

Nasty thieves

I called my SS yesterday for a progress update. All went well with the frame inspection and good to proceed. Unfortunately no work has been able to progress on site due to thieves, that is the buggers stole some stuff from site! They are now waiting on another delivery to re-commence work.

I also raised a few questions I had on some flashing tha I think is missing and also the gutter and valley guard. I'm waiting to hear back on that.

On A good note, SS said ground floor eaves, insulation and hopefully gyprock should all be done during next week so will be looking forward to that weekend to check it out.

Roof almost complete

There hasn't been a great deal of movement at the site this week. I rang the SS on Tuesday and he chased up the roof tilers who said that they would be back on Wednesday. Our SS also told me that the frame inspection was being done by the private certifier on Wednesday so once that was completed, providing everything was okay they could order the insulation and commence interior works.

On wednesday sure enough the roof tilers were back, the have completed most of it execpt for a few sections (I assume that will have to be fixed before the eaves can be done). Also some of the gutter guards have gone in. Will have to double check later that they all go in and for the first floor too (as that was an explensive but compulsory addition).

Will contact SS this week and get an update and hopefully work will commence again with the internal work this week.

Some more pics...

What the... No work today

Friday the ground floor roof was preped with the sarking etc and tiles put up ready to go so I was very excited for action when the weather was so great today but nothing. I drove past and no work was done. They must have wanted a long weekend! Hmmm not happy, I can only hope that they will be there tomorrow now.

More progress

Well only two days into the week and there has been more progress that can be seen...

The air-con guy has been and installed the duct work. The bagging has been put on the first floor pillars and the painter has been and painted the first floor eaves and pillars.

Also the scaffolding is starting to come down. Now I can get a real look at the house.

I have to confess I'm not really liking the colour combination. That is I don't think the painted pillars go too well with the bricks (I chose all the colours before having to change the bricks & thought that they would still work). Oh well too late now... I will have to learn to like it.


Anyway here are some pics!

Can't help but window shop

Hey I'm a girl and the weather hasn't been great over the long weekend so decided to go shopping. I was sensible and didn't buy anything just yet (still too far away from moving date) but I did decide on a lounge suite.

I have been eyeing it off for a while and keep coming back to it so have finally decided it is the one. They have a great deal on at the monment so here is hoping they replicate that afer christmas!

We still have to decide on a colour but I do like the white.

We also saw some decking squares that we might use on the alfresco area until we can get it properly decked. Just have to work out if it will be economical or not.

First floor external nearing completion

I have been busy the past couple of weeks so haven't updated for a while. The past week has been an aweful weather wise but luckily not so aweful that work had to stop on site so there is plenty to provide update on.

The brickwork has all been cleaned. We are really happy with the look & can't wait for the scaffolding to come down to get a real uninterrupted view.

The first floor guttering and roof is on.

The eaves and weatherboard at the rear of the property have been installed. Hopefully if the weather is okay this coming week they can be painted. Once all the first floor work is completed, the scaffolding can come down and the ground floor can be completed (scaffolding is currently going through sections of ground floor roof).

There has also been internal work done:

The plumber has been and fitted all the water and gas lines

The carpenter came in and checked/straightened the framwork and secured the brickwork to the frame.

The electrician also came and completed the rough-in for all the electrical work too. We had contacted him earlier in the week to get a quote for a few extra items to be done now. The quote was reasonable so we went ahead with the work. We go some external light points (fitout for later installation), two additional TV points, and a couple of extra powerpoints (one external). We could have gone a bit nuts and got a lot more but decided to try and keep it simple (and also not blow the budget). These extras we would have definitely done later anyhow so smart to do the job now while easier to do.

Now for some pics:

Bricking finished... Next step gutters

I called the SS o Friday for an update and was pleased to be told that the bricking was to be completed that day! Monday they will be cleaning the bricks and then they will start on the gutters later that week.

I cant wait til the gutters are done and the roof goes on!