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.

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!

The day just got better, not

I went to a dance class tonight out near were I am building and so afterwards I thought "ooh, I'll go and see how the neighbours house is going". This is so I can just anticipate how quickly I can expect our house to be built compared to another builder, and can estimate how soon they will move in and have to start discussing fencing and anything else. So the neighbours house appears to be at lock-up.
Also, I drove around the block and saw a friends slab is down, so good news for him.
But then I saw the sold sign on the other neighbours. I have checked since getting home and Council doesn't have a DA in for them. However when I saw they were sold I thought what about the house at the rear in the middle, as we have three rear neighbours. Back around the block I drove and saw the deposit taken sticker. Not a happy girl.
Now because of all this delay it is most likely we will not be able have the concrete truck deliver directly to the entertainment area which will mean an extra fee for narrow access. I will have to wait and see how all this goes. But if possible and push comes to shove I will be seeking the concrete to be laid once the house is at lockup, even though I have been told Allworth never consents to early access. Absolute nuisance.

Long weekend update

Nothing particularly newsworthy except that the neighbour on the ZLL has her slab down and I'm guessing frame will go up this week. She pulled up as I was leaving but with the dog in tow wasn't a good moment to meet her.

But when I got there, boy my surprise... The Mirvac for sale sign, which previously had a SOLD sticker on it, and which had previously fallen down due to rust in the pivots, is back up again, with NO sticker on it. Their hide!!!

So I emailed to ask that it be removed as we will commence building shortly and I don't want to have to remove their sign, and I also asked that the magnolia street planting with the crown snapped off be replaced and the crew their be asked to be more mindful.