1 week out - Painting not finished

With about one week to go on the basis of the conversation during the week I'm happy to say painting inside has commenced, but not yet finished :o(

I think they are working from the rear to the front as the lounge looks like it is ready for its second coat...


but the main bedroom looks done, except for the skirting boards. That's my Mum and Me in the reflection.


I noticed the backdoor's frame has been done but I forgot to go back around and check the front. The eaves are not yet done at all and nor are the downpipes. The downpipes get to be painted because they are PVC in order to be connected to the rainwater tank as the guttering companies haven't progressed to making round downpipes. Dumb huh?


Well taking another look at the budget some things will be prioritized and others left for later. I was walking around today looking at the level changes in the block and I've come to a bit of a conclusion...

The drop edge beam is ridiculously low! So having paid money to have dirt carted away I am hoping that the excavation from the driveway will be able to be used to raise the level in this photo to cover the bottom row of bricks...


and this will run along the wall to this point, being the bottom row of bricks here. Then a sleeper will be used here to create a step for the next two rows, filled in behind and around to the higher part and the backyard will continue at this height.


Generally this will need to happen all the way around although on the other side because the front yard under the window will be retained and raised that side will all sit at the higher level. Then across the back fence and 1.5m deep raised garden bed will be created by retaining the area in front of the back fenceline as the back neighbour sits higher again, though only by about 2-3 sleepers high.

A drawing might be developed and scanned if I get a chance this week.

Also ordered the blinds, flyscreens and screen doors during the day from Wynstan's at Narellan. Have gone for a vertical throughout with a sewn-in weight and then a 25mm venetian in the bathroom and ensuite. Oddly however as I stood peering through the window at the house into the ensuite I decided to go for a venetian in a pebble brown colour to match the vanity. I thought looking into the ensuite that it would be bland to go with white as the wall tiles are full height and that the window covering could be more of a feature. In the main bathroom it is a long sash window so I think it's going to work out nice. Well for better or worse it is ordered now.

The plan is that because the screen doors and flyscreens are going to be powdercoated to match Colorbond Surfmist (closest thing to Trend Anodic off-white) this takes 3-4 weeks for delivery, which puts it in the first week of November. All going to plan if the keys are handed over on 25 October that week will be the concreting of the driveway and entertainment area and the carpet and tiles going in. Then looking to move in or at least move across that weekend.

Remains to be seen, haha.

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.

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.