T-R enjoyed watching the roofers a couple of blocks down. She is strange sometimes.
And I saw more ducks.
Settling in ...
15 years ago
Showing posts with label dirt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dirt. Show all posts
Monday, July 19, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
The Saga of the Dirt continues
So after some nice tradies got back to my online queries at about 7am this morning I anxiously waited all day to hear back from Allworth after I emailed some pictures and a request for the land to be leveled last night. Well about 2pm I called the Construction Clerk and she said it had been handed on to the Construction Manager and SS and to wait to hear from either of them. After waiting some more it turned 430pm and so I called the SS.
Long story short he says its clay and not worth leveling and Allworth aren't going to level it.
I disputed this as what little I know of laying turf is if you try to smooth it over using the underlay then when you walk on it you'll easily know where all the ruts are as soon as you step in them as you'll likely break an ankle. This is because the underlay is pliable and gives underfoot. So even though clay isn't ideal I can work with this by throwing gypsum around over the next few months to give it time to be worked in and break down the clay, but it will still provide a firm base for the underlay. Ergo I want it leveled out some.
Monday 7am a guy will do it. He's charging $350 for the bobcat and he will level it. Then $350 for every load taken away, approx. 1-2. This fee seems on par for all earthmovers. I found them all on the Fairfax Classifieds online, which was good as you can search for all trades and services advertised in their large NSW publications as well as the local newspapers.
Now I come to think of it I might run around the block with some gypsum this weekend.
Long story short he says its clay and not worth leveling and Allworth aren't going to level it.
I disputed this as what little I know of laying turf is if you try to smooth it over using the underlay then when you walk on it you'll easily know where all the ruts are as soon as you step in them as you'll likely break an ankle. This is because the underlay is pliable and gives underfoot. So even though clay isn't ideal I can work with this by throwing gypsum around over the next few months to give it time to be worked in and break down the clay, but it will still provide a firm base for the underlay. Ergo I want it leveled out some.
Monday 7am a guy will do it. He's charging $350 for the bobcat and he will level it. Then $350 for every load taken away, approx. 1-2. This fee seems on par for all earthmovers. I found them all on the Fairfax Classifieds online, which was good as you can search for all trades and services advertised in their large NSW publications as well as the local newspapers.
Now I come to think of it I might run around the block with some gypsum this weekend.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Slab pics
Front view:
Going to ask for the excess soil to be redistributed around the block to level it off before I pay for any excess to be carted away as I'll just be buying more later to deal with this sort of stuff.
Side view:
Going to ask for the excess soil to be redistributed around the block to level it off before I pay for any excess to be carted away as I'll just be buying more later to deal with this sort of stuff.
Other side view from rear:
Oh the excess dirt needs to be removed!
I've had a call from SS to advise the excess dirt needs to be removed by the end of the week as they start framing next week and need the access. So if he has to organise it Allworth charges a 20% fee on top of cost. He's given me contact but I want to compare it so I know what is a good deal.
Anyone had a good deal for removal and disposal of about 25 tonnes?
Anyone had a good deal for removal and disposal of about 25 tonnes?
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Underground Plumbing Connections 08-07-10
Despite some mid-morning drizzle the plumbing connections appear to have gone ahead on schedule.
There has also been the appearance of the some formwork, the security fence and the beloved trademen's friend, the port-a-loo! The middle picture below is looking across the front window of the main lounge towards the portico. In the third picture can you see the pile of dirt? I can't believe we had one like that hauled away already and now there is the same again. A friend of a friend building nearby said that because the dirt wasn't carted away immediately neighbouring lots dumped their excess on his pile, and then he was quoted $17,000 to cart it away. He argued with the builder and the developer and not sure of the details of the arrangement reached but it was agreed that as it was the result of dumping he wouldn't be charged above the excess. Apparently the lesson to observe from this is if the builder hasn't agreed to remove it immediately go and take some pictures of the size and shape, or if it is not covered in the contract arrange to have it taken away ASAP and again take pictures.
I start a new job on the 19th so my random late afternoon trips will stop but hopefully by then the frame will be going up, then the guttering, and the bricking or roofing commenced thereafter, so the new visual changes will be less frequent and weekend trips should suffice. The slab will be laid on Monday/Tuesday coming, then some more plumbing and then usually the frame goes up about the end of the following week.
The picture below and left is of the garage looking towards the main lounge and back. Once it is done the builder provides 3 steps from the garage into the house. I still have no real sense of what the final height will be, but it makes me confident that at least the same will be needed in the front yard up to the portico.
The second picture is looking from the right hand side across the backyard. It is 4m deep to the back fence, but that narrowing is caused by the rainwater tank. The shed will also be positioned on the rear wall as it has no windows looking out, ad otherwise Camden Council guidelines are that sheds must be positioned 900m off the boundary, so really encroaching too much. It's only going to be a narrow under eaves version with a sliding door just big enough to make sure the mower and the like don't have to be stored in the garage. But as you can see they have excavated so much at what appears to be about 1m from the rear fenceline so I am inclined to retain it at this point and garden behind it. The entertainment area is around the corner to the left, and because the house is set 2m from the Peach Palace I am guessing that the dog will have a grass patch to do her business around there somewhere near the garage, adjacent to the car washing bay Camden Council requires you to have in the front yard.
There has also been the appearance of the some formwork, the security fence and the beloved trademen's friend, the port-a-loo! The middle picture below is looking across the front window of the main lounge towards the portico. In the third picture can you see the pile of dirt? I can't believe we had one like that hauled away already and now there is the same again. A friend of a friend building nearby said that because the dirt wasn't carted away immediately neighbouring lots dumped their excess on his pile, and then he was quoted $17,000 to cart it away. He argued with the builder and the developer and not sure of the details of the arrangement reached but it was agreed that as it was the result of dumping he wouldn't be charged above the excess. Apparently the lesson to observe from this is if the builder hasn't agreed to remove it immediately go and take some pictures of the size and shape, or if it is not covered in the contract arrange to have it taken away ASAP and again take pictures.
The picture below and left is of the garage looking towards the main lounge and back. Once it is done the builder provides 3 steps from the garage into the house. I still have no real sense of what the final height will be, but it makes me confident that at least the same will be needed in the front yard up to the portico.
The second picture is looking from the right hand side across the backyard. It is 4m deep to the back fence, but that narrowing is caused by the rainwater tank. The shed will also be positioned on the rear wall as it has no windows looking out, ad otherwise Camden Council guidelines are that sheds must be positioned 900m off the boundary, so really encroaching too much. It's only going to be a narrow under eaves version with a sliding door just big enough to make sure the mower and the like don't have to be stored in the garage. But as you can see they have excavated so much at what appears to be about 1m from the rear fenceline so I am inclined to retain it at this point and garden behind it. The entertainment area is around the corner to the left, and because the house is set 2m from the Peach Palace I am guessing that the dog will have a grass patch to do her business around there somewhere near the garage, adjacent to the car washing bay Camden Council requires you to have in the front yard.
Monday, July 5, 2010
05-07-10 Piering Day
Today was piering day. Had the opportunity to take the dog for a quick walk as they finished off with the bobcat.
As I assumed this involved the piering guy/concrete contractor waking around with a measuring stick, writing down the measurements as I watched on, adding up and then signing off.
Good news is it came in under the piering allowance, so that means a refund/deduction. My glee was shortlived as the dirt from the holes and from who knows where has become accumulated in yet another mound in the front yard and since this is probably in excess of the allowance will need to be carted away. Seriously though, I have no idea where all the dirt is coming from. Fingers crossed if it is excess that the deduction will cover it.
The contractor also helped out by establishing what the difference between yard heights will be once completed. He used his equipment and suggested that it'll be a 300m difference, so not a great difference, but still probably worth retaining. Nothing can be established at this point in time as it will have to be discussed with the landscaper.
The other useful suggestion the contractor made was to discuss the need to have the separate slab for the air-conditioner joined to the main slab by way of epoxy joints. The hot water unit and rainwater tank will be done in this fashion. He explained that otherwise the mini-slab can shift and he has seen this happen so that the rainwater tank for example sits out on a 20 degree angle. Once it comes to it, might offer him the work of the concreting that and the driveway and entertainment area.
The contractor said once the piers are done today, the will be back on Monday/Tuesday to do the slab. The plumber will be on-site on Thursday at the earliest to do the underground connections. This is once gain the weather pending, so lets see what is expected from my new preferred site, weather.com.au:
If all goes to plan and the plumbing is done later this week before the rain starts, and the mild weather continues into next week, I'll be happy come Wednesday when I have a slab a little bit ahead of what I am expecting!
As I assumed this involved the piering guy/concrete contractor waking around with a measuring stick, writing down the measurements as I watched on, adding up and then signing off.
Good news is it came in under the piering allowance, so that means a refund/deduction. My glee was shortlived as the dirt from the holes and from who knows where has become accumulated in yet another mound in the front yard and since this is probably in excess of the allowance will need to be carted away. Seriously though, I have no idea where all the dirt is coming from. Fingers crossed if it is excess that the deduction will cover it.
The contractor also helped out by establishing what the difference between yard heights will be once completed. He used his equipment and suggested that it'll be a 300m difference, so not a great difference, but still probably worth retaining. Nothing can be established at this point in time as it will have to be discussed with the landscaper.
The other useful suggestion the contractor made was to discuss the need to have the separate slab for the air-conditioner joined to the main slab by way of epoxy joints. The hot water unit and rainwater tank will be done in this fashion. He explained that otherwise the mini-slab can shift and he has seen this happen so that the rainwater tank for example sits out on a 20 degree angle. Once it comes to it, might offer him the work of the concreting that and the driveway and entertainment area.
The contractor said once the piers are done today, the will be back on Monday/Tuesday to do the slab. The plumber will be on-site on Thursday at the earliest to do the underground connections. This is once gain the weather pending, so lets see what is expected from my new preferred site, weather.com.au:
Wind Rain Humid Min Max
| MON |  | Mostly Sunny. Cool. | 5 km/h NNE | - | 84% | 8 | 16 |
| TUE |  | A Few Showers. Morning Clouds. Cool. | 15 km/h NNW | 2mm (42%) | 81% | 10 | 16 |
| WED |  | Drizzle. Morning Clouds. Cool. | 24 km/h SW | 1mm (30%) | 70% | 9 | 16 |
| THU |  | Afternoon Clouds. Cool. | 14 km/h S | - | 81% | 9 | 14 |
| FRI | | A Few Showers. Morning Clouds. Cool. | 23 km/h S | 2mm (37%) | 83% | 11 | 14 |
| SAT | | A Few Showers. Mostly Sunny. Cool. | 16 km/h SSE | 2mm (35%) | 82% | 12 | 15 |
| SUN | | Mostly Sunny. Mild. | 8 km/h N | - | 63% | 9 | 18 |
Friday, July 2, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
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!
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!
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