More Cut & Fill

Went back out today as more cut and fill was scheduled for yesterday. Since I plan to level the front yard, which will involve a small amount of retaining I asked for some dirt to be moved to the front yard to raise it slightly. I was told no and this is where they expect deliveries and will be too unstable and affect the silt fence. So I went today just to have a look and see. The good news I had also been told the other day was that they do not anticipate the amount to be removed to be in excess of the allowance, so no extra bill.

But knock me over with a feather have look at this:



Where has all the dirt gone? I mean ALL the dirt? They have flattened it from boundary to boundary, and then the garage is a little bit lower. But look at the rear, there's like a 500m drop from the back neighbours to our yard, I've got a bit of both to the outsides and all of the one not yet built in the middle.

The land goes from tree to tree as in the picture below, where you can see the Peach Palace sits on the boundary line. My Mum thinks I should stop calling it this, but I'm not meaning it in a derogatory way, and actually it is growing on me as in different lights you can see some increased variation. The garden is also very flattering, but odd they didn't provide a letterbox in matching brick. I've also proposed to Camden Council that the street planting that is right on the driveway in the left of the picture be relocated towards where I am standing by about a metre, as I really like the magnolias and it's a shame it was vandalised, but also this will mean it won't impinge into her garage access.


But I digress. Because the neighbour's garage sits on the boundary, there is about a 2m offset from that side to my garage, but as you can see, all the dirt is gone. So I hope they have intentions of putting some of it back, which I guess they will to cover up the slab, because otherwise I'll have to haul in tonnes to fill in the retained sections. Speaking off which now involves some reconsideration. Particularly in the backyard, if the house sit lower than the back neighbour (see picture 1), I'm thinking about retained garden beds all the way around, about 1-1.5m width. This would stop at the entertainment area, or at least be stepped back in to support the fence that will run from the rear of the neighbours wall to the back fenceline, as they have an easement of 900m along their wall, so it can't be permanently blocked off in anyway. Then maybe stepped down with some pebbles and palms in large glazed planters, ala' Better Homes and Gardens the other week.

My last little picture is of the view to the west, which I know will be obscured in future but fingers crossed it will be all single storeys (my street will be) so there are glimpses of the Razorback Range off in the distance.

Completion Date - 21 October 2010

On the way back from the picture taking session this morning I called the Customer Service Officer to ask my vague "what's happening question?". The response was that the kitchen pack had been received and has been passed onto Construction. I was put through and left a message for the Construction Assistant. I did say that I knew work had commenced just to put them on notice because I want a completion date.

She called back to say the Site Supervisor has been delegated, and is therefore the best contact for any future queries, but that she would email through the timeframe and details.
Instead of having one SS, there is two, as Camden is currently being picked up by the Southern Highlands team, and they job-share. Whether this is a good or bad thing remains to be seen.
The completion date is apparently the date from the end of the 20 day period, so that is still 21 October 2010. But she acknowledges they have been able to commence two weeks early so construction may be earlier if possible, but as the weather has not been great we also have to be prepared for rain.

So a quick check of BoM reveals:

Forecast for Wednesday
Fine and sunny. Light to moderate westerly winds.
Precis:  Fine. Sunny.                 
City:          Max:   15  Parramatta:  Max:   15
Terrey Hills:  Max:   13  Penrith:     Max:   16
Liverpool     Max:   15  Richmond:    Max:   15

UV Alert:  Nil , UV Index predicted to reach 2 [Low]

Forecast for Thursday
Fine. Mostly sunny day, cloud increasing later. Light to moderate
westerly winds.
Precis:  Fine. Mostly sunny.          
City:  Min:    7  Max:   15
West:  Min:    1  Max:   15

Friday    Chance late showers.
City:  Min:    7  Max:   16
West:  Min:    1  Max:   16

Saturday  Fine.
City:  Min:    9  Max:   16
West:  Min:    3  Max:   16

Sunday    Fine.
City:  Min:    9  Max:   15
West:  Min:    4  Max:   15

Monday    Chance showers.
City:  Min:    9  Max:   16
West:  Min:    4  Max:   16

Tuesday   Fine.
City:  Min:   10  Max:   18
West:  Min:    5  Max:   18

So looking at other bloggers, I think I may have a slab by end of next week?

Evidence of Cut & Fill

Pictures to prove I wasn't seeing things!

Note: I love that the neighbours landscaper doesn't understand that her land stops at the garage wall and kept going with the grass. Oh well once I know what it is, if it is ok it can stay!

13 days of 20 and CUT & FILL

Tonight I went to a friends house for dinner who lives in Harrington Park, and being only 5 minutes around the corner to Spring Farm I thought I'd have a drive by. I know deciding to do that at 9.30pm in Camden when the night before got down to -3 degrees might not have been the smartest idea when really all I thought I was going to have a look at was the neighbour who is nearing completion, a friend building nearby, and another SF-blogger-I'm-watching's progress.

But woo-hoo! When I got there, I thought "ooh the lady in the Peach Palace will move in this weekend" as her front yard landscaping appears finished. The next thought was "some bastards dumped his dirt on my land" followed by a few more expletives and how could I convince Camden Council to foot the bill on the basis that whoever dumped it pays rates, and to make me pay to remove dirt twice would be unfair. But then, there in the misty darkness, with my rubbish night-vision, my mind said "what's that?" and it dawned on me that there was evidence of overall earthmoving on the block! So I swung the car around, mounted the kerb with my headlights pointed at the block, and yes people... WE HAVE BEEN CUT AND FILLED!!!

So tomorrow morning with new gumboots and trusty camera in hand I shall return to take photo evidence of this historical moment, and then call bloody Allworth and play dumb and ask them if anything is happening to see what the response is. Because ladies and gents, I may be naive, but as far as I understand it today is day 1 of 105, otherwise known as the 15 week build period.

The other purpose of contacting Allworth will be to establish what is to be done with the dirt, because if they would like to cart it away for free they can knock themselves out. Otherwise I specifically instructed them previously it was to be dumped in the front yard as I anticipate in order to have it level it will need to be retained, and I am not paying for more dirt to fill the yard when I have perfectly good stuff there right now.

Stay tuned - this could start to become very interesting!