Framed!

I drove around the corner today expecting to see that my frames had been delivered in a nice pile on my block ready for the carpenter to start putting them up tomorrow. What I found was even better!

It's not often in the building game you get nice suprises especially ones which leave you ahead of schedule but today when I drove around that corner not only had my frames been delivered but they were at least 70% complete. By the looks of it all that needs to be done is the the garage, the front door and the roof which I'm thinking will be complete by the end of the week should the weather take pity on me.

I spoke with my site supervisor yesterday and the bricks have been ordered to arrive on site on Wednesday with the Bricklayer scheduled to start work on Thursday. It's crazy to think that within the next fortnight I might have a framed, bricked, roofed house....pinch me I must be framing. I mean dreaming. Damn auto correct 😳

My frames....

And on a completely unrelated note- me and my puppy. Just because he's so cute ❤️

My Saturday Miracle

24/01/15

Holy Moses I now believe in miracles. And I got mine today. The sky finally decided to stop raining long enough for me to acquire a slab. 

The boys were hard at work for most of the day (except at around 11.30am when I drove past and a few of the workers were bludging...must have been on their designated morning tea break)

Luckily for them they got the job done so I won't begrudge them. Quite frankly I wouldn't have cared if they took 20 breaks as long as my slab was poured and left in pristine condition which it was I must say.

The next stage of the building game will be the erection of my frames (lol erection.....so immature). They'll be delivered on Wednesday and hopefully I'll have a standing house within a fortnight. 

Naturally I witnessed my slab about half an hour ago and the novelty of it has worn off and I want my frames. 

#getbacktoworkboys #theresframestobeerected #hahaerected

Colours

So it looks like I won't get a slab poured before Christmas. Oh well. Such is life. The peering has been done though and the site is ready for a slab. I'm first job off the rank in 2015 so can't complain too much. Got my external colours back last week. I reckon it looks pretty good and all the colours go well together. Nice and beachy looking. 

Today I went shopping at Oz design for a dining table. I ended up putting one on layby. I have to say I'm pretty happy with my choices so far! 

Merry Christmas everyone.

My site all excavated.

External colours for the house.

Dining table.

And so it begins!

Today marks the beginning of the excavation of my block! The beginning of the whole building process, the beginning of one of my biggest achievements yet, the beginning of my future and the beginning of a new chapter. I can't remember a time I've felt as happy or as proud as I did today when I stepped out on my block and marvelled at what I've been able to achieve on my own. I honestly cannot wait to see my house start to come together piece by piece, brick by brick and tile by tile. All the drama, hold ups and upsets already feel like a distant memory and I know it's all going to be worth it in the end!

Did someone say excavation?

Yes they damn well did!!

That's right people. My block has been pegged and prepped ready for earth works to begin as early as next Friday! I have to say I'm happier than a pig in mud, than a fat kid with chocolate cake, than a dog with a bone and so on and so forth. 

If all goes to plan and cyclone Tracey doesn't decide to unleash on little ole Brooks Reach (not impossible with my track record of luck when it comes to building) then I should have a slab of concrete by Xmas. My frames won't be delivered until mid Jan but no harm no foul- a slab by Christmas will do me just fine! 

Merry Christmas to me. 

Slab before Xmas?

11/11/14

After weeks and weeks of backwards and forwards between myself and the builders I have finally signed the new tender and my plans were lodged to CDC yesterday.
Phew. What an ordeal. (Wipes brow line).
What a process. Would I ever build a house again? Hell no.

The timeframe is estimated to be approximately 10 working days and should definitely be back before the end of November according to the builders. I have my excavator booked in to start digging in early December. My peg out has been ordered to be done as soon as the plans come back from CDC and the builders are aiming to have my slab poured before Christmas. Then it'll be all hands on deck as of next year and with any luck I'll be in my new house by mid next year.

Looking forward to at least having a slab poured so I can suss out the space I will have left over in the back yard and start making some plans for where I want bits and pieces to go.

Very fascinating for you all I'm sure.

Anyhow thats the latest- not the greatest but better than nothing I suppose!
Hopefully I will be back with some pics before Santa comes to town!

Off to the piggy bank to get more cash!

Friday 12/09/14 equalled doom day. 

I'm often left wondering why people can't just get it right from the start? 

I think it's because they're often doing important jobs on Mondays or Fridays. On Mondays people are clearly devestated that their weekend is over and they have a whole week at work before the next one comes around so they obviously aren't doing their best work.

On Fridays people are waiting impatiently for 5pm to roll around so they can clock off and head to the pub for a few sneaky drinks.

Anyway I'm convinced the developer did my contours on either a Monday or a Friday because their mind cleary wasn't on the job. That's evident now seen as though doom day Friday saw me get stung with another $21,000 to make the house split level because the initial contours given to the builder were wrong.

Yeah good on ya.

Apparently I am now going to have a garage that is sunken into the ground with 4 steps going up into the house. More concrete, more digging, more raising of ceilings, more labour so more money. $13,500 of it unfortunately.

The rest of the sting comes from the removal of the dirt. Apparently I'm going to have an excess of 200 tonnes and to get rid of it I'm looking down the barrel of a $7500 gun. How pleasant for me.

I am feverishly hoping this is the last of the cash gouge and when the builder starts digging they don't hit a big pile of rock that will cost me another few thousands that frankly I don't want to give away to rock. Fingers and toes are crossed to the point blood flow is restricted. Hope for me guys!