We have benchtops and lights!

A lengthy post today...

So up to the house today, and very luckily for us someone had left the laundry door wide open. We did lock up when we left though. Was great to get in and check everything out, especially as Dale hadn't been inside since the kitchen was put in. The electrics were done yesterday, so we were able to check everything off against the electrical plan and check a few other additions against the plan.

This week the tiler was meant to start, but has been delayed until next week. So the electrics were brought forward and all done in a day with lots of people we gather. Just the heating and cooling ducts to be done. Our curtain man was there yesterday to measure and told us the place was full of people. That's what we like to hear! Also this week, the caeserstone for the ensuite and kitchen is in place, along with the undermount basins and sinks. And, the wardrobes, pantry and linen cupboard are fitted out.

Next week, we have been told that the following will be done:
- heating and cooling ducts
- the laundry will be changed (old one was mostly ripped out today)
- tiler will start and probably finish
- bath and spa may go in
- downpipes and some other plumbing

So after all that, there won't be a lot left to do. Our supervisor has told us that by the end of the week they should be able to give us a handover date. YAAAAY!! So based on that we expect that date to be end of May at the latest.

Some photos now...

Firstly the outside, now that the bricks have been cleaned.



Inside in the family room - with the lights on! We have downlights in the family/dining, kitchen, ensuite and alfresco. Everywhere else is batten lights.


Some kitchen shots - with benchtops in place. Still some finishing off to be done on the island. There will be an end panel on the right to enclose the overhang and support the stone. Plus not finished around the base and under the breakfast bar. Also some adjustments required to the drawers now the stone is on.

Our beautiful square sinks. Love them! It is all looking very white... will be so different when the strong colour of the splashback is there, plus floor boards. Will have to make sure the open shelves are filled with some colour too!

Our ensuite - lit up like a Christmas tree! There are two downlights over the vanity and one over the spa. Plus the 4-globe IXLTastic.

A close up of the stone and the undermount basin. I am really happy with the look and glad we upgraded the ensuite. Next week we should have tiles done and spa in possibly. One problem though, the height seems too low at 810mm instead of 850mm - so will tell them asap and they will need to raise it.

The hallway - to show the SUPER UGLY so called light shades. I really don't know why they bother to include them as I imagine everyone just throws them away and replaces with something at least vaguely acceptable!! Needless to say, we have added quite a few light fittings to the list we need to buy... That's ok though, in most places we will want something reasonably basic - well until I start looking and find something not so basic...

So after being at our house, we had a couple of things we needed to check against the display house. The main one being that the shelves in the pantry are fixed rather than moveable as we expected and as per the display. We will follow this up.

While there, I took a photo of the entrance showing their hob and what was on it. This sort of arrangement of similar items looks good. Also quite liking a feature wallpaper on the left wall. We are planning to move in before deciding on any feature walls or rooms to be painted different colours.

We are almost there. It is very exciting to be about to get a handover date. The work done this week will definitely make it feel almost ready. Not long to wait now.

Landscaping plan - Part 2

We met with our landscape guy again yesterday. We had requested some changes to our original design - sort of like the drawing below.

So we have deleted the deck outside our bedroom. Figured it wouldn't get used much and if you put a table and chairs on it then it would be in the way of getting from the laundry to clothesline.

We had changed the large deck - actually just added in the bit around the corner, outside the kitchen window. In this area we will add in built bench seating.

This photo which I found somewhere online shows the style of bench seating we will have - although ours will be l-shaped rather than u-shaped. At some stage we will get seat cushions made to fit in a durable outdoor fabric and foam.

Also on the deck, he is going to double check the building regulations re how we can avoid a handrail, which I think would ruin the look and feel of the deck. He thinks if we build up the soil around and have minimum 1 metre garden bed before a slope, then it is ok. Hopefully that is the case.

We are also going to get him to put in a retaining wall at the front of the house, where the site cut is in front of the bedrooms. That will get that area looking ok straight away and ready for some planting.

So our trip to the house was not a waste!

Plus we went to the open house of a place for sale just down the road which seems to have been built on spec by a local builder (not yet finished). They are asking heaps for it and I don't think I am biased in saying ours will be heaps better... The land is 2/3 the size of ours, the house is only about 27sq (2 storey), the fittings in so far are pretty basic and the layout if not great with the open plan kitchen/living/dining an odd shape for furniture placement and the master bedroom was very disappointing with tiny WIR and pokey ensuite. Plus they are asking close to $200k more than the bank has valued our building contract. So, hoping it sells for heaps, as would mean good things for our valuation I think.

Nothing...

Well nothing has happened. Not happy!! We were told the tiler would start last Wednesday and get most of the work done before the end of the week. We were up there today and it seems noone has been there this week.

We shall call the site supervisor on Monday to get an update on the work schedule. We expect things to slow, but more or less no work for two weeks is taking things a bit far... As well, the laundry fix has not been done yet, despite them knowing about that for three weeks. We suspect that they may have delayed the tiler until after that is done, but we had been told that would be done by now.

Very frustrating.

I Got Inside Today!

Today I met with our site supervisor to look at the ensuite vanity as the taps are not centred as they should be. By the time I got there they had decided to fix the location of the plumbing, so should be all ok. The plumber seems to have worked off the standard plans rather than our plans which have different taps and basins.

So I had time to check out all the cabinetry properly and to also measure spaces for towel rails and the like, and to finally check out the powder room bench - the only room I couldn't see through the windows. I also looked at the tiles that have now been delivered to check all ok. I have decided to not do the feature tile in the main bathroom - had been thinking about it and figured it would not look that great. So we have officially changed it.

A few photos now - not much that you haven't seen through the windows!

Firstly, bedroom looking into ensuite. Tiling starts tomorrow - floors and wall tiles in ensuite, bathroom, powder room and laundry. The baths will go in after tiling. The ceasarstone benches have been ordered for the kitchen and will be re ordered for the ensuite with new measurements.

The kitchen. Island bench still to have some laminex boards added to finish off. There is room for about three stools. Will look for those once we are in I think.

The powder room with the Fudge Stream Laminex. I am very happy that our other laminex selection was discontinued and that I decided to go back to this. Tiles in here will be white up to the mirror (big mirror) and grey on the floor. Should go well... Following shot is the bathroom vanity.

View from front door down the hallway. On left is the door to the garage - and the hallway hob. May be a challenge to find something for this space.

That's it for now. Progress will slow a little now, although tiling will soon be done. The laundry will be fixed soon, and needs to be done before the tiler can finish. Handover should be 4-6 weeks away - but we are yet to get official advice.

Also today the bricks were being cleaned. Was lucky he was there to let me in again later when I arrived back with Sarah and her girls to show them around. We were expecting to just peek in the windows!

All painted

We have paint - and a front door!

Went up to the house today expecting the painters to still be there, but they have apparently already finished. So all locked up and only peeking through the windows once again... oh well. Hopefully we will get in next week to meet with the tiler when he starts.

So the painting seems done, although some bits still to finish like the eaves, beams out the back, and part of the bedroom looked unfinished. They have told Carlisle they are done though! The rooms look much better with paint - funny that.

Some photos now. Firstly our lovely (read expensive) front door. Handle and lock still to be put on. Has definitely been firmly shut for now though.


Next, looking from back window into the family room, up the hallway and to the front door in the distance...

The paints are Dulux Whisper White for the walls and Dulux Lexicon 1/2 strength for the trims and ceiling. I think I am happy with it - the walls are an off white basically, but seem warm which was the goal.


A couple of kitchen shots. First one is looking from dining area over to kitchen. All very white at the moment - but will be warmed up with the floorboards and the coloured splashback.



Our ensuite, all painted. Hanging out to see the spa in here! Hopefully soon given the tiler is starting next week.

Our bedroom. Looks like a small area not painted to the right. Seems odd! I am sure this will get fixed when the painters come back to do touch ups.

Laundry all ok

Just a quick update - Carlisle have agreed that our contract was inconsistent and the drawings for the laundry were wrong - and therefore the build was wrong. So we have now signed off on the correct drawings and it should all be fixed in the coming week.

No photos today! We haven't been up to the house since Monday night to see the kitchen etc. We are now on holidays for a week and away for two days, but will be up there on Wednesday and have access to inside. Expect lots of photos after that... We are meeting the curtains and blinds people that day to have all the windows measured up.

So we have been told that our front door went on last week and fixing stage is officially done - we have the invoice to prove it! The painters started their prep work on Thursday and should be mostly done in the next week. The place will look so different then and a lot should be done by the time we are there on Wednesday.

Not too long now, we hope. Time to go shopping for exciting things like towel rails!