Totally plastered - almost

This week we had a site clean... bye bye to most of the rubble from the frame and bricking stages. More importantly, the plastering continued and the patching and cornices are almost all done (just a few rooms to go). One way or another the plaster in the alfresco was put up - the SS mentioned something about the business owner coming in to do the finishing off. No mention of a variation... my wife says I'm a worrying fuss-pot.

Another curious thing, a new delivery of bricks arrived, which was a surprise... though I think it has something to do with the bricks above the front bedroom window. If I'm reading the plans right the bricks need to go all the way up (as the background in the gable), and they either forgot it, or ran out of decent bricks to use... Either way there should now be plenty left over to build a letterbox with. We are meeting with the SS tomorrow so I might provide an update to this story then.

Oh yeah, and I bumped into Lou and Neen at their house as I was wandering past - nice to meet them and nice to know which name goes with which face. Shouldn't be long before they make the Avenue their home.

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Just a few photos this week as we had to take them through the windows that didn't have the protective plastic covering them. Here's the main bedroom, en-suite on the left, WIR on the right.

And the family room - the cornice in here is a feature one; "Classic", it's got a kind of compound curve to it that is really nice - no real sharp edges or shadow lines either.

Ok, my descriptions suck... so here's a picture or the feature cornice instead!

And the view down the hallway from the entry window. The entry bulkheads are in and looking good.

Bricks and Rocks (Gyprock that is)

We are pleased to announce that great progress has been made this week. Despite the rain, the last of the bricks have been laid. And inside, laughing at the rain, the plaster has been hung on the roof and the walls. What a difference it all makes! The biggest difference is you can get a real feel for the size of the place, and I couldn't be happier. Slight delay with the plastering as the insulating team had forgotten a couple of internal walls... no matter, it gave us a chance to add some in a couple of other walls we should have put it in as well. Enough rambling, on with the pictures!

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The front of the house has all it's bricks, window sills and all. I am eager to see the roof gables filled in, then it might start to look liveable. (Though the builders rubble might have to go as well.)

Family room / verandah brickwork. Slight drama here... the plasterer wont put the plaster on the roof as it is over safe working height without proper scaffolding (and no concrete floor)... not sure what the builder is going to do.

Back brickwork all done... on a roll!

And down the blind side back to the garage.... All bricks done! Yay! Of course the downside is that I am sure we will get the invoice for lock-up stage this week, but it had to happen sooner or later, and in one way, sooner is better; yes?

Here is our main bedroom. Nice and light. Any suggestions for window coverings to make sure the light doesn't get into the over-bed window until we want it to?

Here's the plaster in the family room - the alcove where the TV will go, looking out the window to where the deck will go.

Looking back from the window to the other alcove in the family room - we made this bigger than the one in the display, can you tell?

Looking down the family room. You can see (from left to right), the fridge alcove, the door to the rumpus, door to the walk in pantry, the two openings for the study nook (through which you can see the opening to bedroom 4), bedroom hallway entry (and through that the laundry entry), and the family room alcove... phew.

The rumpus, where we plan for our little girls to play... of course where they actually do play will most likely be an entirely different matter... has anyone had a three year old do what they were told?

And the laundry, ok not the most glamorous, but I like the sliding door, should make being in the laundry as nice as possible.

Bats in the belfry

Things are progressing. Most significant is the addition of insulation to the walls...

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... and, as I said in the belfry... ok, roof space. Awaiting the plaster I presume.

This is how the bats hang out around france.

The sound insulation for the bedroom - looking back from the french doors.

Here's where my wife will spend most of her time... once the Kitchen cabinets and bits and pieces goes in of course.

Here's where my wife would like to spend most of her time - just her and some bubbles (not bathing the kiddly-winks).

Oh yeah, and some more of the bricking has been done too! The front is pretty much complete - just the window sills to be done.

More done around the side... for some reason the kitchen window sill has been done. I wonder if that is because they wanted to unwrap the kitchen window?

The view from the back corner of the block.

The back and blind-side are not as progressed as the rest - but hey progress is progress.

As eyes are the windows to the soul...

...So are windows the eyes of a house!


We wandered down to get some pictures of the windows that we were helpfully informed had been installed.
But we were kept on the outer...
locked out...
stuck behind a fence...
(so close, yet so far)...
because....

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The brickie was there adding bricks to the front of the house! The front door is temporary, the windows are not! The façade is really starting to take shape now.

You can see some more of the windows around the side... through that lovely fence again. The keen eyed might spot some temporary downpipes and a human apendage. We hope to get some more varied pictures this weekend.

From little things...

House progress is ticking over slowly. Friday saw the electrical rough-in being done (phone, and tv wiring as well). Saturday added the pipes and wiring for the ducted vacuum. Some time during the week the poly-marble shower bases were installed. The enclosures for the cavity sliding doors were installed and the walls were prepared for plaster (shaved and packed). Looking around you don't notice much has happened other than a whole lot of wood shavings on the floor, but there has definitely been progress. I'm still hanging out for the windows to be hung.

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Shower bases... We could have had tiled shower bases, but our feet prefer the feel of the old-fashioned polymarble. Hope those woodchips won't block anything up.

One of the inlets for the ducted vacuum. I think the extra noggin I put in for hanging a towel rail might have gotten in the way a little (not that the installer complained).

This is probably one of the lamest pics ever, but it shows the Masonite packing on the frame, and some of the electrical work.

On the left is the cage for the sliding door to our ensuite. Don't worry the pipe doesn't go around the stud, it's just the bit that goes to the shower head.

Temporarily turning green

Not a whole lot to report at this stage.... except that our windows have arrived, the temporary fencing has been erected, and the sisalation has wrapped up our abode; making it a lovely shade of green! oh... and the safety guard has been taken off the roof.... much better.

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Here are the windows... wood for the front façade, aluminium for the remainder of the house. Lovely.

Our house all caged in (or is that out?), and wrapped in green. Do you love how most of the builders advertise themselves on the wall wrap these days? It's kind of like a time capsule for when the house is renovated sometime in the future. ... I like your house, can I knock down a wall so I can see who built it? ... I must remember to sign the slab sometime before they lay the carpet.