Roof is on

We were very surprised to find that our builders are still working so close to Christmas. Found this on today's visit. We have a roof!

It's really coming together now.

Trusses, gutters, facia and windows

It's all happening pretty quickly now. We now have the trusses done, windows in (and they look AWESOME!), sidelight in, gutters and facia up.

Everyone told me I'd feel worried the house wouldn't be big enough when I saw the slab. I didn't get this feeling until the walls were part up. An overwhelming sense of OMG what have we done came over me. But now the trusses are up and the windows are in to me, it's looking much bigger (PHEW!).

 Sidelight looks a bit wonky, hope they fix that up!

Framed

Went out for a drive today mainly just to look at the houses in the area and where they were up too, not thinking anything would have been done on ours and what a excited surprise we got!

Even though we don't yet have a roof or the garage done, it was very exciting to be able to walk through our house and see where things will be, not just seeing/picturing them off the plan.

The frame has arrived

Just an update really. Went for a drive out to our block today and our frame has been delivered. Hopefully it will start going up next week. *Fingers Crossed*

Damaged slab =(

So after the other night seeing all the excavation works for plumbing at our block and all the mess, I went out the very next day to check it out but the plumbers had been backed and cleaned everything up, which was great to see. However I was able to get a good look at some damage made to our slab =(

UPDATE 30th November 2014

Was able to go onsite today and found even more damage to our slab!

The family room from the alfresco area

End of the garage

The hot water service slab

Hot water slab

 

Hot water slab

Our bedroom from the porch area

Cracks in the portico

Plumbing... what a mess!

Our nice new 4 day old slab looks more like a dirt bike track than anything else.

I was advised tonight from a friend who is also building right near us that there were excavator tracks all over our 4 day old slab. Worried there could be damage, I've bundled my 3 children into the car at 9pm and taken the 5min drive to our block to find this:

Not quite sure what to make of this other than plumbers are messy!

I couldn't check the whole slab as it was late at night and the only light I had was from the car head lights (plus big holes and me in thongs were not a good combo either).

I just find this weird as I have not seen this before on any of the houses that have gone up in the new estate.

Slabbin it

So this just happened!

Getting ready for the slab

Headed to our block today (Thursday) not really knowing what to expect. Here is what I see. Getting all ready for the slab to be poured on Monday or Tuesday. *Happy Dance*

UPDATE - 21st Nov 2014

Panorama from the footpath

UPDATE - 22nd Nov 2014

Went out to our block today and squeezed through the gate to get some pics.

This will be looking into our living room

This is looking from the backyard into the alfresco area

It's all happening now... there's a portaloo onsite!

Something I have learnt whilst reading others blogs has been things aren't really in full swing until there is a portaloo onsite, so imagine my excitement when I saw the loo today!

My husband recieved a phone call today from the SS telling him what was happening today. We have water and sewer connected, peirs and plumbing done and a bit of the framework for the slab.

I am utter disbelief how much has been done in just two days!

The loo!!

 Looking from the front toward our front windows & porch

Looking from the front toward our garage

Asked about what happens come the Christmas break - how long they are off for and where he thinks we will be up too. He said they're off 20th Dec - 12th Jan and by 20th Dec, we will have a frame and a roof on! Whoo hoo!!!

We also got a phone call from head office saying that the side lights glazing we'd picked on the entry door was discontinued and we needed to pick another option. We had whiterain however I think we will choose the Translucent or the Gluechip instead.

IT'S STARTED!!!!!!!!!

Things have started!!! Woke up this morning to several missed calls from my sister saying you need to go to your block, they have started the cut & fill! This is what we saw:

 

When I arrived there, Bernie the slab supervisor was there and told me the concretors would be there tomorrow and we would probably have a slab poured either Monday or Tuesday!! I never understood when people said they were excited to see a bit of dirt moved.... I get it now =D

Waiting waiting waiting...

So today is day 19 of the 20 day period they give once we signed contracts and nothing has begun. Feeling very disappointed. I rang construction this morning and we are next to go apparently, so the slab site supervisor will get our file on Monday (the 20th day) and I can contact him to get a start date. They are just about 3wks into our contract now so I hope they stick to their 17wk promise... 14wks to go... (plus a Christmas break).

Our land

We found a block of land however it still needed to be registered and all that bizo. We didn't want to miss out as they were selling fast and we were told it would be all registered and set to go by March 2014. So at the time (Sept 2013) we'd go ahead and make a deposit. Fast forward to September 2014 it was finally registered and right to go. Here are some pics of our little piece of Australia.

Looking a bit rough but the beginning of earthworks (me - pregnant with our son - and the kids)

Looking up our street

Pegged out (me there with our newborn son)

An ariel view of our estate and stage

Kerb & guttering being laid

Road being laid

Our block with  road, kerb, guttering and footpath

All set to go (although I think that tree is going to be in our way)

Our variations and colour selections

Thought I would share all of the variations and colour selections we've chosen.

Variations

* Extend kitchen to bring wall in line with living/family. Reposition cooktop and cabinetry to suit.

* Provide approx 1.2m wide fridge space.

* Repostion kitchen sink run approx 900mm from wall creating an island bench

* Provide 2 windows as per Winton to family in lieu of standard

* Provide 4.8m panelift door (with sunrise windows) to garage in lieu of 2x2.4m panelift door

* Provide floor tiles in lieu of carpet to bedroom 2/bathroom/activities hallway

* Provide floor tiled hallway approx 2.2m wide computer/living in lieu of carpet

* Provide a cavity sliding door in lieu of square set opening to walk in robe

* Provide a cavity sliding door in lieu of square set opening to kitchen/living

* Provide a double bowl vanity to ensuite

* Upgrade drain grates in ensuite

* Provide 2 door sliding wardrobe door in lieu of basic to bedroom 2, 3 & 4.

*Provide Hume NX5 entrance door

* Upgrade to terimesh in lieu of smartfilm

* Provide melenium coated wire storage system in linen cupboard and wardrobe

* Provide 3 cutouts 475mm x 1175mm to activities/family wall (as per Langford display at Chisholm)

* Provide 2 sets of 2 soft close pot drawers in leiu of floor cabinet positioned either side of oven

* Provide 2 sets of 3 soft close pots drawers positions adjacent to above pot drawers

* Provide 400mm x 400mm recess to ensuite and main bathroom shower including tiled mosaic insert

* Increase splashback tile height to underside of range hood

* Provide whiterain glazing to sidelight in lieu of standard

* Provide a stainless steel laundry tub in lieu of basic

*Provide mixer tapwear to ensuite and bathroom vanities only

* Change direction of sliding door from family/alfresco

* Provide 1 additional internal gas bayonet point

* Provide  1 external gas BBQ point

* Upgraded to termimesh

* Added a glass sliding door in lieu if window in living room

* Provide white rain glazing to entry door sidelight *UPDATE* White Rain glazing is now discontinued so we have chosen to go with Glue Chip and also have the glass panels in the XN5 door glazed the same.

Then we had LOTS of changes in the electrical plan. I won't even go into that.


Colour Selections


Bricks - Austral 'Buff',
'Off White' mortar,
Ironed joint






In colour order of picture-

Window framing - Anodic 'Off White'
Fascia, downpipes, rainwater tank 'Paperbark'
Front door 'Manor Red'
Colourbond Roof, guttering & garage door 'Monument'

Garage door (although ours will be in monument) has the 4 panel sunrise with a woodgrain finish.

NX5 Hume door (colour will be manor red as above)

Main Floor tile.

Laundry & Bathroom tile

Upgrade tile insert drainage in ensuite

Main bathroom feature tile

Ensuite feature tile

Left - Ensuite cupboards
Right - Main bathroom cupboards

Basic off white kitchen splashback tile (to be stacked)

All cupboard doors (except for overheads) and back of island bench 'Classic White' in Matt finish
Benchtop 'Concrete Fabrini' in Matt finish
Overhead cupboards - Carbon Micro

Will look very similar to this except we don't have exposed rangehood. They will be cupboards with just a standard rangehood. Kitchen splashback is tiled 'stacked'. We have even chosen those cupboard handles. This picture shows 3 set pot drawers next to the oven, we'll have 2 large pot drawers, and 3 on the outer.

Kitchen layout










We have cuts in the wall like the Langford design on our activities/family wall

Interior paint 'Flokati'

The kids rooms feature wall colour (This will be done once we are in)







So there you go. A snapshot of most of our choices. =)