Wednesday, 5 April 2017

It's taken another 18 months, but we have finally fixed up the left side of the driveway with plants, white stones and a stronger wall.  We have added plants in the front garden as well and I think we are almost done!  New Ring.com doorbell added with security, which allows us to answer the doorbell from anywhere in the world on any device.


Thursday, 25 September 2014

Day 326 - 25/9/14


What a month.  After handover, I have moved in to start programming lights and AV, but the rest of the family not until we have fences, which are going in today and tomorrow.

Over the last month, we have had irrigation put in (controlled by iPad), turf laid and now fences starting today!!  We have had the front deck built, and my brother in law built the back deck for us, with our help.


About to start front deck



Front Deck taking shape




Finished, waiting for stain.



Ahh....



Solar installed.



Back deck taking shape.



Almost there



Irrigation starting



Lots of irrigation



Topsoil waiting for turf.






Grass... how I love thee!




Fence getting put in.



Thursday, 14 August 2014

Day 284 - 14/8/14


We had handover today!!!!

Not all things are done, but they now have 2 weeks to get those things done.

They gave us a lovely basket of goods, and we are so glad to finally be able to unpack some boxes.  It will be a few weeks till we are in, as we have irrigation, turf and fencing.

Thursday, 7 August 2014

Day 277 - 7/8/14


Safe to say, we are 6 odd weeks overdue for handover.  

It has just been so many small things, like the builder forgetting we had a hand shower and diverter in the main bathroom.  That was a big job to take out a wall to put it in.  After it was all done, we found out the hand shower and main shower were backwards in the ensuite and main bathroom  (ie When you turn the shower on, the hand shower would spray first, rather than the main shower) so off came the same wall again, plus the ensuite wall.  

Of course this means a plumber, then a plasterer, then painters, then skirting guy etc.

We had some pipes in the front yard not connected, and lots of small painting jobs that just never seemed to get done.  Places like the garage, above the garage door.  With the door open (like it is on the building site) you couldnt see, but the painters never remembered to close the door and check.  *grin*

Lots of dings around the place from trades, doors that wouldnt shut properly, doors that needed planning on the bottom edges etc.

Still doing electrical work as well.  This has been a mammoth task, not made easier by the fact the plasterers when they sheeted, screwed or taped up many of the cables to trusses and beams, so that it was a huge task finding the cables, and then getting them undone.

This then meant lots of 'extra' light holes around the place that then, you guessed it, needed a plasterer and then a painter to fix.

We got solar put on this week, and there are so many more panels than I expected.  The whole roof seems to be covered for the biggest unit we could buy.  Two units joined together actually.  Sure hope it helps with the power bill!

Will put some pics up soon.  We are onsite around the clock currently just doing lots of small jobs ourselves to get it over the line, and to keep picking up small issues (such as a drainpipe today being found in the back yard, covered over and hadnt had a grate fitted etc.

Wednesday, 2 July 2014

Day 241 - 2/7/14


Surely we are getting close  :)

It seems the wrong doors for my office are our fault, as on our plans one of the offices is called 'Office' and the other called 'Study' but when we have spoken to the builder, we have called my office 'Office' and the other room 'Workroom'.

So, back on us to see if Corinthian will take the doors back.

Carpet got completed yesterday which is great, and we have handles etc in the kitchen which is exciting!









Monday, 30 June 2014

Day 239 - 30/6/14


A few more pics to update you where we are at.

Kitchen handles etc went in tonight, Bigpond Cable internet is now working in the house, and we have power in 1 room  :)

We got out walk in robe completed by JustWardrobes.  We love it!!!

Here is our current list of things to be done before handover.

Concrete/Render
  • Render to concrete slag around entry way etc
  • Render to area in washing line

Outdoor
  • Dryer Duct to be cut through concrete above rear roller door and in laundry
  • General painting like second story northern side etc
  • Garage door PIN code entry to be installed
  • Correct washing Line installed
  • Paint rendered areas

Inside
  • Plaster under stairs and whole room painted
  • Skirtings etc around alfresco glass door
  • Shelving in Walk in linen 
  • Shelving in Laundry
  • General patching holes/paint like in front office, doors, behind toilets, air con vent front top bedroom
  • General painting like laundry etc

Kitchen/Stone
  • Painting/finishing in cavity under kitchen bench
  • Hole cut in corner for power point on kitchen bench *to work out how we do that*

Windows/Doors
  • The window in the dining needs replacing
  • Missing door handles
  • Doors replaced in Office/study *to work out how we do that*
  • Cupboard doors for server room hit when opening/closing
  • Windows replaced in Master room (awning), Ensuite (translucent), Bathroom lower (clear)
  • Flyscreens main glass sliders
  • Flyscreens too small in front office, upstairs front hallway
  • Install flyscreens upstairs (including stair window)

Plumbing/Tiles
  • Plumbing/bath/taps/toilets
  • Shower rose in main bathroom (JOVIAN HAND SHOWER)






Monday, 23 June 2014

Day 232 - 23/6/14 - Handover?


Well, today is officially handover day.  Cough.

Carpet has started upstairs, but work is slow.

Wood floors are almost complete downstairs, and electrical is going, again, slowly.

Things to do this week to try and get handover soon is:

  • Planter Box
  • Electrical
  • Carpet
  • Plumbing
  • Painting
  • Stairs

Major issues we have come across, is the downstairs outside is all painted the wrong colour.  We are deciding if we like it, or whether we will make them repaint it all.

They didnt cut out the dryer duct in the concrete wall, the washing line is the wrong one we paid for and they havent put in a hand held shower rose in the main bathroom.  That could be huge.

Still waiting for windows etc, but check out our 'Problems' page for updates.










Friday, 23 May 2014

Day 201 - 23/5/14


A lot has happened in the last 19 days, and yet it feels like not much at all, as it happened so quick.

We now have all the stone benchtops installed everywhere.  There were issues however... The laundry was cut wrong, the kitchen stove bench was cut wrong, the island bench had a chip in it and the kitchen sink stone was cut wrong.  The taps in the ensuite didnt match up with the sinks in the stone, and the cabinets in the downstairs powder room didnt fit the sink's waste pipe.

Phew.

To everyone's credit, all has now been fixed!

A couple of other issues like the two office doors and some others being sent with the hinges on the wrong side, so they are getting new ones of those.

They also rendered the back of the garage without pulling through the dryer ducting.  Oops.

We have garage doors.  All the skirting and architraves are done in the house.  The tiling has all been done everywhere, with just some grout to go.

But, only 4 weeks left until handover... skeptical, but they say its all still possible.

Painters start on Monday, and we may have a locked house come the end of the week!  Exciting!



Finally a garage door!



And one at the back.



No stove cutout just yet.



There it is!



Island bench in kitchen



Bath all tiled



Main bathroom



Main bathroom



Upstairs powder room



Ensuite



Ensuite



Spare Bedroom (Overlooking the Krklec house!)



Sliding door between front offices and the living areas



Laundry sink in!



Window to the washing line for baskets etc



Kitchen sink bench in



Feels more like a house with a kitchen sink



Finished stone in the kitchen



Garage door down for the first time



Toilet downstairs



'Person' hole