Sunday 22 January 2012

Week 9 - Summary

Monday 16/1 - Sunday 22/1

Our SS was back on deck this week, and it was good to get a grip on where we were at.  Plenty of activity on-site, and our house is starting to take shape -- we love it!!

The roof tiles kicked off on Monday, and they look fantastic... great colour and flat as a pancake! We also noticed that there is sarking up there to protect the roof cavity from moisture damage, as there is no air flow with flat roof tiles.  The water leak also got fixed on Tuesday after a chat with our SS to make sure he got all the information we sent our BC over the Christmas Break (Water leak, door handle placement preference and that we still don't crossover protection).

We got our Independent Inspection done on Wednesday morning, and the general consensus was that the framers had done a really good quality job, and there were no issues with the slab!  The items that needed attending to were minor and to our surprise were all rectified on Friday, along with finalising a few other things such as the portico cover and more framework to the alfresco ceiling.

The biggest issue in play at the moment is the brick delay.  We're at the stage where only minor activities can be completed until the brickwork starts.  Our SS spoke with his manager about the impact of the delay, and they are fine to stop the build until the bricks turn up, and if a 'reverse build' was to occur it would be our decision, not PD's.  We're not interested in going down that path, but the internal things that are safe to do with a roof on and wrapped external walls, we will do - ductwork, electrical, vacuum.  Hopefully Austral have the bricks available by 6 Feb as advised to minimise any delays.

By the end of the week, we had a 95% completed roof (some capping and pointing to go), solar panel fitted, smart wiring roughed in, and all framing faults rectified.

One gripe - we are left wondering why tradies can't put their food scraps in the bin... it's just a bit gross, and it's not that hard!

Monday 16/1:

Roof tiles started

Sarking

Day 1 Roof Tiles on North side

Tuesday 17/1:

Roof tiles mostly completed, and the plumber has fixed the punctured pipe in the kitchen.

Roof tiles now complete on South side 



Wednesday 18/1:

Slab /Frame inspection with NHI.

Thursday 19/1:

Phone catch up with SS to organise site walkthrough in a couple of weeks, and decide on approach due to brick delays.  We'll wait for our brick and do what is safe internally.

Friday 20/1:

Got the Building Variation document from our BC, and to upgrade to the Elements Magnesium (cat 9) is a further $2,785 (in addition to the $4,237 already paid to get cat 6).  I confirmed that this figure includes the free upgrade from cat 6 - 7, that there is no variation fee and that we are not being charged the upgrade cost for rendered areas.

The solar panel has been fitted (very happy with the location and 'squareness' to the section of roof, the smart wiring has been roughed-in, and the framers came back to do the portico and also rectify the items from the inspection, along with a few other things our SS says he found.

Awesome roof tiles, and solar panel

Cabling through the Alfresco

Family Room smart wiring. Notice the graffiti scratched into the wrap?

Smart Wiring hub in garage

Plan for next week:

Finish roof tiles (capping and pointing)
More electrical rough in
Ducted heating and cooling
Ducted Vacuum

Monday 16 January 2012

Week 8 - Summary

Monday 9/1 - Sunday 15/1

It's been a little while since we've had much progress, and we're starting to get keen for something to happen!  Sadly, this wasn't really the week for that, even though the roof tilers were booked in for Friday 13/1.  The sisalation wrap is done, the roof tiles delivered, and the safety barriers fitted ready for the tilers, hopefully on Monday now.

We had more water leak problems too.  It seems like tradies from other builds come to our block to use water (which doesn't bother us), but because of the hole in the kitchen plumbing, when they turn on the mains we get flooded!  So I've cable tied the mains tap shut until the leak is fixed.

Also spoke with Austral, and the Magnesium brick has been delayed until 6/2 from 10/1. And that is no guarantee either.

Thursday 12/1:

Wrap, roof tiles and safety barriers.





Roof Tile - Monier Cambridge in Soho Night
Plan for next week:

Roof tiles fitted
Independent Inspection (booked for 18/1)
More brick discussions
Internal plumbing fixed / finished?

Sunday 8 January 2012

Week 7 - Summary

Monday 2/1 - Sunday 8/1

Nothing this week, as expected, however we did have a little issue with water.  We popped by on Thursday evening to see if anything had happened and found pools of water throughout the house! I turned off the mains water, while Leanne looked for the source of the leak which she found to be a small hole in the black internal plumbing pipe which runs from the kitchen bench to the kitchen island. The hole was near the top of the cable, just under the capping.

We have no idea how it happened, but there are a fair few nails 'floating' around on site, so not sure if it was some rat bag kids...?

Anyway, took a couple of pics and sent them through to PD to get the pipe replaced.

Went back on Friday and it's pretty much all dried out.  Cleaned out some of the wet saw dust which had accumulated around the framework so it can all dry out properly.

Aside from that, our blog clicked over 10,000 page views!! Thank you to all who read our blog... hope you enjoy it!!

Thursday 5/1:






Plan for next week:

First independent inspection (slab / frame) with New Home Inspections
Roof tilers to start on Thursday
Contact Austral on Friday to see if the Elements Magnesium brick is back in supply (should be available from 10 Jan)

Monday 2 January 2012

Week 6 - Summary

Monday 26/12 - Sunday 1/1

Didn't really expect anything to happen this week, however on Thursday, the internal plumbing was completed, and the electricity Smart Meter was installed as well.

The Main bits

Breather vent

Smart Meter

Plan for next week:

Not sure - not expecting anything really. Could they start the electrical rough-in, before the roof goes on the following week?

Sunday 1 January 2012

My Fantastic Husband

It was my birthday the other day, and Rups surprised me with the most fantastic gift for our new house. It is the light for our dining room that I have been dreaming of. I am so lucky !

I just can't wait to see it up.

Skygarden by Marcel Wanders (900mm)