Lights and Plaster

During the last couple of days the sparkies have been back to move some downlights, and the plasterer has been repairing the holes.

We are now waiting on the painter, roof tiler, interior tiler and some odds and ends to be sorted before we can do a handover. One of the problems we have is weather related - the tiler can't do the balcony tiles until this darn rain stops! No firm date for handover - but we are working towards Monday the 28th July.

Very happy with the location of the lights

The old and the new

Red spots are being addressed

The garage floor has had a touch up

A couple of people have asked why the lights had to be changed - when we planned our lights we gave some careful consideration to where we wanted the lights, especially over the kitchen work area. In practical terms, the lights could not be placed exactly where we had them on the plan, as the heating and cooling ducts were larger than shown on the plan - the sparkie had to make some changes, but we were not happy with the lighting of the bench.

Having said that, we are very happy with the new arrangement.

Things of glass.

Splashbacks, Shower screens, Door handles, Plaster work in the garage - All these things have been done, and look great!

Plaster has been filled in the garage.

Door handles on the linen cupboard

Shiny new door handles!

Glass splashback number 1

Glass splashback number 2.

Shower screen in the main bathroom

Shower screen in the ensuite

Balcony floor has been started

Zap!

The heading for this entry is only because we think it vaguely relates to electricity. The sparkies are back at the house today fitting off the switches, points, junction boxes and so on. It's amazing how much they can do in a day.

We are interested in what others are planning on doing (or have done) regarding covers for downlights. In case you don't know what we mean, there have been some press over the past 6 months highlighting the dangers of downlights - especially when installed in older homes with cellulose type of insulation. Apparently the heat can be a problem, and it is possible for a fire to start in some circumstances.

There are covers available which can be easily bought, and some people are using them in new homes, just for peace of mind. At $20 for each cover - well you can do the maths!

We had a chat with the sparkie who said that there is supposed to be 300mm clearance around the downlights in the roof, but he knows that many people still fit covers. Not necessary in his opinion, but nothing wrong with the idea if people want to fit them.

Anyone thought about fitting these covers, or found a cheaper alternative? Reading about the covers, they proudly boast that they keep the heat in. Seems to fly contrary to the idea of providing ventilation. Anyhow - enough on that. Picture time!

This is why we covered the sink!

Work in progress. We were there while the boys were working.

Power points in the master bedroom

Plain light switches - we didn't go for the upgraded ones.

Excavation for the new shed. We expect a slab to go in by the end of the week.

Plaster ceiling in the garage

Cabinets and bowls

Time for an update! The plaster is complete, as is most of the fix. The cabinets are also in, along with basins and laundry trough.

Some of these photos were taken yesterday while the tradies had the house open (g'day to Luke, Graeme and Mark!)

Other photos were taken this evening through the windows, including a broken window.

Huh? What's that? Yes - one of the windows has been busted by person or persons unknown.

One of the problems is that our block, and the still vacant one next door, have been used as a thoroughfare for the teenagers in the area for years. They jump the fence and walk though - the rear fence on the property backs onto a large easement. In fact, one of the palings on the fence was removed to make the access easier. Today we put a new paling on the fence, and I put some cardboard over the broken window.

Bernadette had a chat with three "youths" she saw jump the fence and walk up the side and through the garage.

Anyhow pictures below - M&M, I think we may have edged slightly ahead until your next update! I left a message for our Site Supervisor today, advising him of your progress!

Cornice is done

Bathroom vanity

Ensuite vanity with "salad bowls"

Doors hung, architraves and skirting boards done

Busted window next to the kitchen

Our new kitchen!

Making use of the broken window - photo taken when the house was locked.

You can just spot the drawers in the pantry, and the shelf.

Yes, now that we are at lockup, it's photos through the windows!

Kitchen and broken window

Replaced the paling in the back fence

Cardboard and tape. Not very secure, but does the job.

100 NOT OUT!

Friday was another busy day on site, with the cabinets being delivered, the trusses for the garage roof going on, the balcony framed in, the cornice going in upstairs and the fixing being almost completed downstairs.

Garage Trusses are up!

Latest view from the front

Our garage is taking shape. If you look closely, you can see where the ducted vac will go.

Cabinets

Architraves on downstairs windows

Cabinets again - more of them were placed in other rooms!

GLook closely - skirts, architraves, and a door!

Some upstairs cornice

The bath went in a while back

Watch that step...

Tiled floor will eventually go in.

Yesterday (Saturday) we visited Fowles showroom in South Melbourne to look at carpet and laminate timber floorings (thanks Tony!). Nothing is ever as easy as it seems.

We found a nice carpet (Godfrey-Hirst brand) which we like, and Gavin at Fowles priced and sized our requirements for us. Initially the plan was to carpet throughout upstairs, but due to the cost we may put some laminate timber in the family room at the top of the stairs.

The laminate timber floorboards available from Fowles is by Armstrong, and we will be laying it ourselves. Price is around $20 per square metre - less than half the cost of carpet just for the supply.

Problem is, that we have a light cherry colour on the kitchen cabinets - and we are having difficulty finding a colour for the floor which will suit. We are not done yet - we plan to go back to Fowles and have another look with a bigger colour sample Similar laminates at other places which we saw were around $30 per square metre.

100 NOT OUT! - Why the title of this entry? Easy, this is our 100th blog entry. Wow. We talk too much.

Some stats for you (pretend you care...):

Number of blog entries: 100
Number of Visitors to the site: 9,472 (since August 2007)
Number of page views: 21,010 (since August 2007)
Number of pictures uploaded: 434
Average length of each visit: 3 minutes, 52 seconds.

Thanks to everyone who has hopped on board our adventure with us, and for all the comments and feedback!

Blink, and you'll miss it!

Well, as promised after a few days away - here's another update. Last visit to the site was last Thursday - in one week, quite a bit has happened!

We met the chippie doing the fix - a nice guy who lives in Ocean Grove, and also met the guys fixing the cornice. The plasterers told us that they were finishing the job because Luke, the guy we met who was doing the fill, was quite ill - hope you get well soon Luke!

We must admit that we are getting a bit worried - Mike and Marita's home seems to be catching ours! Better call the Site Supervisor and let him know!

Scaffolding down, and site cleaned

Cleaned everywhere

Doors, architraves and skirts delivered.

Stairs have gone in!

We now have a room under the stairs

Top of the stairs

Cornices have been cut - fitting was in progress

Hand rail is in

Cleaned around the side

Trusses delivered for the garage

Looks like a real house now!

Even the decorative strip is in place

Looks like we have some serious landscaping to do soon!

Paint 'n space

Plasterer was on site today, along with the painters. Plasterer said that he's spending so much time here that he might move in! All that needs to be done now is the cornice (from what I can see).

Painters started under the eaves at the front, and looks like they ran out of paint. Some of the steel lintels above the windows have also been done.

I went to take a look upstairs, and guess what - no more ladder. In fact, no more anything. Empty space where our staircase will go.

Just as well the staircase has been delivered!

There won't be any updates for a few days as your friendly blogger will be away. You get a rest for a few days, and I get to do a big update (hopefully!) when I get back!

Kitchen

Hallway, towards front door

Our ladder is gone!

Staircase has been delivered

Looking up at the second level - standing where the staircase will go.

Looks like we ran out of paint.

Painted eave

Another angle. Had to take advantage of the scaffolding!

Painted lintel

..and again!

Closer and closer

If you read the title, you might wonder... closer and closer to what?

Answer: Lockup, and the next big invoice from Porter Davis.

Today the plasterer and chippie were on site, along with the friendly neighborhood brick stacker.

Plaster is making good progress, as can be seen below. The upstairs fill work has been done, and the downstairs is in progress. After that, it's the cornices on both levels.







Speaking to the Site Supervisor (who also visited the site today), it looks like the staircase isn't too far away. The scaffolding will be coming down soon, and a site clean will then happen which should transform the look of the house.

The rear cladding was installed today - the photo below was taken while in progress. We will upload a completed photo tomorrow.


Some of the eave lining has also been done (the fiddly bits at the back of the house) and the front eave lining will happen tomorrow or Monday.

Our bath as also been delivered. No photo... we really didn't take enough photos today.... something to do with moving a couple of packs of bricks!

Acid wash

Bricks were given a dose of the acid scrub today and cleaned up. We are very happy with the colour, and the guy doing the cleaning also commented on the excellent work done by the brickies.

Some photos for your enjoyment! As you can see below, there are two windows still to be installed (these were the ones which were knocked off, but replacements have been delivered).








We particularly like the nice even brick work in the picture above. The plasterer was also at it today, and although the house was locked we could see that there had been plenty of patching and filling going on.

All Hung Up

After a couple of days away we stopped by the house today and went in and took a few photos.

Yes, the house was unlocked. Looks like some more deliveries had been made, but doesn't seem as though anyone has been in there that shouldn't have been.

The change since last Thursday is amazing as the front brickwork is almost done, and the plaster sheets have all been hung.

Busy Busy Busy!

More bricks and plaster today, and only one photo for your viewing pleasure - because the house was locked when we got there. Good work!

This side of the house has been bricked today - these guys work fast! We could see that the interior has had a lot more plaster done.

Tools and Bits

In the right column of this page (if you scroll down) you will see a new section titled "Tools and bits". There are three things in this section:

1. Some handy checklists which may help others building or about to build (we are happy to add items to these lists)
   
   
2. A Firefox Search addin for the homeone forums. If you are building or planning to build, visit http://forums.homeone.com.au)
   
   
3. A new album of all the pictures of the house on this blog. We thought some people might want to have a look an album of pictures.
   

Our Cremorne 41 (the album)

Busy, busy!

It must have been very busy at our humble little (!) home today as we had the following people on site:

• Brickies - the brickies have been hard at it and have finished one side of the house in one day;
  
  
• Plasterers - the plasterers have started upstairs and almost every room has some board hung now.
  
  
• Neighbourhood Kids - the local teenagers have been visiting the place after the tradies leave. How do we know? Because Bernadette caught them climbing out one of the windows. I think they were a bit surprised by the firey blonde putting the fear of God into them. Let's hope they got the message. Even though they claimed never to have been in the house before, I suspect it's the same kids who helped themselves to some cables previously.
  
  It would be nice if the tradies locked up when they left in the evening! Even though it would mean we can't get in to take photos, we would prefer that the place is secure.
  

People have said that they like the pictures, so here are a whole bunch more.

First, a picture which was taken from the top level of the house this evening:


The latest house picture. Check the upstairs brickwork:



Interior pictures:

Everything happening very quickly. Great to see!

A bit tipsy

Went past the house after work today, and in the fading daylight saw that some progress had been made on the ground floor by the plasterers.

Entry:

Looking from the entry:

Theatre Room:


Footprints on the ceiling:

Sand and mixer delivered today, which means the brickies will probably be on site tomorrow:

Family room:

Formal lounge:

The combination of daylight saving being over and the house being locked is going to make it difficult for photos - but we will do our best!

Ps: Why the title "A bit tipsy"? Answer - because we are not fully plastered yet... (sorry).

Thieving Ba5t4rds!

We thought we might give you a break from a blog entry today because nothing would be happening. Wrong! Bad luck for you!

Speaking of bad luck, I hope the person who came in and took some of my speaker wire and home theatre wiring has 7 years bad luck. I know that theft is common on building sites, but honestly - stealing speaker wire - is this what we have come to?

On a more positive note, the bulkhead plaster was installed today, and the rest of the insulation was also put in - everything in readiness for the plaster (with the exception of the cables I need to replace). In case you are wondering, there are 35 bulkhead plaster sections which are pre-made and then delivered to the building site.





We went back in today and did a clean up and we tidied up the tape holding the insulation batts between the rooms. Plasterers "easy tape", seems to do the trick. Contact us if you need more information.

Small bits

Yesterday a bit more plaster was delivered, and I took a few more pictures showing the new foil which has been added to the back. The windows in the back have yet to be put in (the originals ones were stolen from the site).

The photo below shows our house from higher up the hill. The green colour stands out! From the upper level of our new home we have a view over Geelong, Corio Bay across to the You Yangs.





Thanks to Dad for making the trip down from the Murray to visit, and come and check the house out. The house is so big I think he might be planning a move around August..... :-)

The house is locked, with the exception that the plaster sheets are so large the back door can't be closed. Lockup is a good thing, although it means a large progress payment, and restricted access.

Huge!

Today the plaster was delivered - we've seen plaster boards before, however the ones delivered today were HUGE! So large in fact that the guys delivering the boards had some trouble fitting them in the house.

Brickies were on site loading some of the bricks onto the scaffolding. Looks like we are in for some activity soon!