30-08-10 Electrical Wiring

My late night inspection revealed that the electrical wiring has been started, and I think also finished as the gate was left open so I was able to go in and have a look. This includes the meter box on the outside of the house. Currently it is silver, so I hope it gets painted.

Going to try and get in contact with SS2 this week as I'd like the leftover bricks to be moved into the backyard so they aren't stolen or disposed as these are needed to build the letterbox.

Also have a meeting arranged this weekend with a landscaper.

30-08-10 Independent Inspection Invoice 1

The guys from David Hall Building Appraisals conducted the independent inspection on Friday 27 August and found no defects. Excellent news. I think these guys charge a reasonable fee, $275 per report, when there is no excessive effort in completing the report. Their website can be located from google and explains how the fees work. But from those I contacted these were the most cost effective.

Nice pic that they took too, which shows the tradies doing the last bricks in the portico.

27-08-10 Roof and Bricks Finished

YAY! This is a long awaited day. A nice winter afternoon and when I went to check the house is ready for the independent inspection scheduled for this week coming, I was very happy to see it was. If you have been reading to date I'm sure you agree I had reason to be hesitant. So what you can see below is the portico, one of the garage door openings, and part of the front lounge window.


Below is looking out the front window. This room will hopefully be a nice place to spend time on a cold winter's day as it gets the sun from about 11am onwards.


Nothing special shown here except that the eaves are in and the beading to seal the join. This is looking out the laundry door so the next cavity towards the back is the rear bedroom, which will be the study.


T-R was a very funny site. She was running around like lady of the manor, although I think once the internal linings are up she will be in for a surprise, as she took great delight skirting through the wall cavities. Here she is peering in my bedroom window, which I think will be a regular morning occurrence once we have moved in. The plan is to hold off moving her in until the lawn has taken hold, about six weeks after it is laid, but since I have had a few holidays recently spending some time away from her, my Mum has said she gets very anxious and it might be more kind to keep her locked in the garage when no one is home, and take her for a morning and afternoon walk every day, as she spends her time inside when someone is home.


Also quite impressed with her flirting, as we stopped and got the business card of a landscaping company who we doing a property down the bottom. One of the workmen came and started petting her and baby talking to her - good job T-R, he was a bit of alright too.

8 weeks to go!

Two days late, but it's only two months to go! (That's with me ignoring the one week extension I reckon they will not need)

I went out last night and think it was just the front and the outside wall of the garage left half done to go. The eaves have also started. Going out this weekend so I hope to post pictures showing this later.

Funny thing is all this time I've been coming and going and now they have locked the gate. What they don't know is I have my ways... if they still exist that is, haha! Mostly the unlocked gates makes me cranky because of people dumping rubbish, and in fact I don't know why other sites have one of those special bins but mine doesn't so there is just this growing pile in the front yard.

Got a water bill this week too, but the hide of them - when I went there last night a hose was running. So will raise this with the ever silent SS2 when I can corner him.

8 weeks to go! YAY!!!

Bricks about 75% complete

Nothing exceptional to report but bricking appears about 75% complete and progressing nicely. Hoping for it to be finished this week.

Looks like the independent inspection will happen next week.

Funny thing is I felt the rooms were smaller than I imagined they would be when it was just the frame, but now the bricks are up, with most walls being at least 3/4 up to the eaves except for the front of the house, I feel quite happy with their sizes. Only problem may be changing which rooms lounges are planned for but that will have to wait.

What a joke!

The Building Manager contacted me to tell me that an Independent Inspector is fine, but that they need to provide copies of all insurances, policies and cards, AND consult with the SS before going on site to arrange access (pfft the gate is never locked anyway which is why people keep dumping rubbish on the pile at the front).

I raised the issue of SS2 being uncontactable to which I was told he has been off with pnuemonia. And that's my problem how? They can send out a letter because of rain but can't have the same courtesy to say "Hi. Your SS is sick and please direct all contact to so-and-so until further notice" ???

The rain is my problem because even though I think everything is going swimmingly it may be that a painter was off work last week and therefore may have to catch-up and this has a ripple effect to me in about 4 weeks. So if a butterfly breaks wind in Tibet...

And he tells me that there is a limited supply of contractors. Again how is this my problem? I have seen them working weekends in Spring Farm, don't kid me. But unless I want to put a complaint in with Fair Trading he's not budging, but its only a letter to say there MAY be a delay, not that there WILL be.

Also the contract is deemed to commence from the end of the 4 week lead-up period, so if thee take 19 weeks, they take 19 weeks, if they need another, they can take that too. He only handles construction and isn't responsible for delays from other departments to date. Great.

So do you think I got anywhere on the concreting and retaining? NO I didn't. Apparently other builders or trades on their site will sue them if they have an accident. Well why does anyone bother to have insurance, seriously! They haven't allowed anyone in over 20 years of building to do work of that nature, maybe pools but not concreting. Well why have 'unless written approval from the builder' if you are never going to allow it? He never said never apparently.

Somebody get me a sedative.

Allworth want an extension

Allworth wrote advising that due to the rain they are entitled to extend the contract by one week. I have emailed back saying this is not accepted as they commenced building two weeks earlier than planned and therefore have 17 weeks to complete instead of the usual 15 weeks, an therefore an extra week is not reasonable.

Also since I go out there so frequently I agree they lost a few days but not 7 days to the rain, and since I am satisfied that progress is proceeding at a normal rate based on what I read from other Bloggers, I disagree with them that they need an extension.

In the email also complained that SS2 is not answering phone during his office hours and not leaving his answering service on so I haven't had contact in a week, and therefore had to let them know in the email that I have organised an independent inspection for progress and PCI checks.

Just to try my luck I also sought permission to lay concrete in the driveway and entertainment area and then retain the backyard after the security fence comes down, but before PCI as the remaining vacant block to the rear is now the only easy access to the yard.

Drove past tonight after TAFE and the long bedroom wall and the rear wall is about 3/4 bricked up, so really can't figure why they need another week. I'm thinking at this speed end of next week the bricks will be finished.

Roof looks done, Bricks started!

The roof today looks almost complete except for te points where the scaffolding is attached, and maybe along the peaks the flashing looks like it is yet to be done. You can see the hole in the roof where the scaffolding is still attached.. The view is also from the front porch and because the neighbour in between won't stick out any further than my portico I am confident I'll keep this view to the south-west. The 4x4 is only temporary but a brick column will be built in it's place a little further towards the front of the property because the gutter juts forward over the portico. See the third picture down to get what I am talking about.


But what I am very happy to say is that the bricks have seen activity.


There is a nice big pile of bricking sand in the front yard.


Most of the way around there is two or three courses in place.


And the necessary mixed up piles of brick all the way around the house to ensure the batches are split up and colour variations are balanced all over.


I tried to call SS2 and leave a message to say I need to know when the bricking is expected to be finished because of bringing in an independent inspector, but the message bank was switched off, so that call will have to wait until this week.

RAIN!

I cannot believe that there is one small space of roof still not finished, the bricks are sitting there and the RAIN has started. So I am guessing unless they get in and out tomorrow nothing will happen now until next week.

Wind Rain Humid Min Max

WED		Mostly Sunny. Cool.	11 km/h WNW	-	85%	9	17
THU		Drizzle. Mostly Cloudy. Cool.	18 km/h WNW	1mm (33%)	78%	8	16
FRI		Drizzle. Decreasing Clouds. Mild.	25 km/h SW	1mm (32%)	72%	9	17
SAT		Sunny. Mild.	10 km/h NNE	-	52%	6	18
SUN		Drizzle. Partly Cloudy. Mild.	15 km/h W	1mm (30%)	79%	7	20
MON		Mostly Sunny. Mild.	19 km/h SW	-	69%	9	18
TUE		Mostly Sunny. Cool.	11 km/h S	-	37%	5	14

Bricks arrived

The bricks were delivered Monday afternoon but the roof tiling still not finished.

Vacant side neighbour's security fence went up too, so they will be starting soon. Will be seeking Allworth's approval to lay the entertainment area and driveway and then retain the backyard before all access is cut off.

Door bell and

This is similar to the front door bell that I bought today. It is made by Brassline and came from Bunnings. The search started at Recollections but they only have brass ones. This one is chrome plated solid brass. The rope is going to be replaced with chain and a weight of some sort.


Also found at Recollections house name signs. Looked online and there are a few online stores but am going for a black aluminium frame as the wooden ones require maintenance in silver writing to go with the bell, and a slender inset silver border for some definition. Have a few names in mind but will keep the final decision a surprise to be revealed once it is hanging.

Roof not yet complete

The roof is looking good, but not yet finished. The corner capping is not quite there...


and there is also the side of the lounge room, but I am hoping this will be finished Monday.


The other cute picture I caught was of my Mum and T-R. Normally T-R is with me and does this at every occasion she can, even at retaining walls, fences or anything that is raised and she considers might have something of interest behind. So when Mum had her I had her look through this window at another site and lo and behold T-R was in form. Such a nosey parker.

Also turns out one of the back neighbours has to little dogs that started barking when we went to the rear end of my build. T-R went silly trying to find a gap in the lapped and capped fence to peer through, but didn't respond vocally so I am thinking that looks good for when we move in and they will all settle into being neighbours quickly.

Second payment due and roof tiling started!

Wednesday afternoon I had the delightful call from Allworth to say the frame is finished and the second installment is due. The authority to pay went off in the post today.

My spy on the ground tells me that roof tiling looked like 80% complete at 5pm with just the corner capping to go. Therefore he predicts it should be finished tomorrow!

Going to organise an independent inspection next week for pre-internal linings as I was able to get inside construction the other day and noted a few split pieces where the nail has come through on a bad angle and my knowledge of poor construction is that those nails might be trimmed but the strut not replaced therefore not 100% integrity. Also not likely to spot the irregular bricks and the like so would prefer to get the professional in. Hopefully if the roof is finished this week a brick delivery should be planned for early next week.

Gutters up and Roof Tiles delivered

On Thursday night I went for my now usual drive after TAFE class and saw that nothing new had happened. Went again on Sunday and saw the gutters were up, so this must have happened on Friday! Sunday was also lovely weather.

The skinny window in the middle is the main bathroom and shows the plumbing.


This is the alfresco area, which will be concreted later as Allworth was quoting far too much for the work.


I went again this afternoon as I rang SS2 yesterday and have not received a call back. But last night's trip was cancelled as I injured my back on Sunday and was resting yesterday. This is the view out the front window. Ignore my car but if you look out towards the port-a-loo across the road you can see the townhouses being built at the bottom. This is the last row of houses before the Camden Bypass. Across the road will be single storey homes, and beyond that is a gradual downhill slope, so fingers crossed the view of the skyine will not be completely obstructed from this position. Also I am 5'3" and standing at the far end of the room so I taller person would be able to capture it a lot better.


The excellent news today however is that the roof tiles were delivered, so this indicates that the roof will be done first. I have a feeling that it is the team one block down that are currently completing a roof that will be doing it as the conveyor belt is in place and will only need to be swung around and the scaffolding relocated tomorrow when they finish. It was very hard to take a picture of the colour due to the late afternoon sky, but the sample photo in the slideshow displays it much better, these are really just evidence that I am not seeing things.




The weather outlook is good despite being overcast, so I am looking forward to the roof being done this week if progress continues going in my favour.