Front garden

Some weeks ago, Graham built up a garden bed in front of the house. Suddenly it stopped looking like a building site and started looking like a house and garden. Apart from two figs, three passionfruits and three citrus, it's my garden, and mostly natives.


I put in some stepping stones.


Louka has a little row of her own choices along the wall.

Backyard progress

26 February 2010


21 March 2010


4 April 2010


7 April 2010


22 April 2010


4 June 2010

Bone Dry Garage

Despite the amount of rain, my garage remains bone dry. I think 90% of the reason behind this is that the building is on sand. It is funny that the garage (my pride and joy) seems like a world away from the main house - kind of a different planet.

Inauspicious beginning

Last Thursday council notified us that we could move in, so yesterday we took bedding, food, utensils, table and chairs and stayed for the weekend. We installed the cooktop (but didn't connect the gas) and Graham cleaned up the bathroom, then I cooked a simple dinner on a plug-in two-burner hotplate and we went to bed.

A while later, Louka sat up in bed and vomited. We cleaned her and the bed as best we could and went, or tried to go, back to sleep. By the third time we were ready with a bucket and damp cloth (from a big bag of rags) but the fourth time she was too quick for us. Not much sleep for any of us.

In the morning she was hot and miserable but of course we had no panadol, so Graham went off to the pharmacy to find some. Fortunately it was open. She fell asleep again and we managed to sort out all the rubbish and cardboard boxes (hundreds of cardboard boxes) so Graham could take a load to the tip. Louka woke up feeling better and had some lunch, but soon brought that up again.

When Graham got back from the tip we started painting the living room, but after a while Louka felt sick again and only wanted to be held by me, so Graham had to clean up on his own. Then he had to pack the ute himself, and of course it rained again on the way home. We'll have to get some sort of cover for the ute.

I can now move in!

I sent the council the remaining certificates that they require for an interim occupancy certificate last week. Unfortunately they never got them in time to give me certificate by this weekend. However, over the phone they gave me the ok to move in. I'm so relieved.

Kitchen drawers

While Louka was at kindergarten today, I spent some time putting together kitchen drawers. Graham had said it was easy.

I managed to figure out how the standard parts went together, but I had no idea which drawer front went with which drawer. So mostly I just put all the backs, sides and bottoms together. I did figure out a set of narrow drawers so I installed them: I hope they're right! I also managed to break one of the big ones. The sides and back click together, then the bottom slides in. However, sliding in the big unwieldy bottom caused the back and sides to come apart, and the little plastic clip holding them together just snapped, and the corner chipped off the chipboard bottom too. I guess we can take it back.

Gunk From First Flush

The water tank has started to fill up. I checked the first flushes and they are collecting a lot of gunk. One of the devices had even blocked. I put in wider apeture drippers.



I shone a torch into the tank. It had a slight brown tinge. Hopefully it will settle.

The system actually has a number of filters. A course and fine one in the form of a leaf guard. A fine mesh one into the tank. And finally a very fine one just after the pump.

I think the secret will be in cleaning out the gutters and leaf guards often.

Saturday

I'm only allowed to work on the site between 8am and 1pm on Saturdays.

I cleaned out the gutters. They were chockers. Anyway the best thing about it was that it only took me around 15 minutes to do so. This is because the roof has only a 9 degree slope and that the round gutters do not have over hanging clips. I won't get any leaf guard simply because it would take me probably around 4 hours to remove and replace it when I needed to clean it.

I managed to tidy a few things up. I finished putting in the balastrade wires, put in th brackets to support the first flush devices, put in the silicone for the bath and part of the kitchen bench and put in the fence between the building and the main fence. I won't be able to completely finish it off until the temporary toilet and water supply goes.

Last Day

Today was my last day. I go back to work next week. Aside from the electrics (which I not allowed to do), I can now apply for an interim occupancy certificate. The main reason why I can't apply for a final one is that I don't have airconditioning! Go and figure!

I'm happy how things have gone.

As an asside, the down stairs bathroom is complete. Shower, toilet and laundry sink (not shown).



Most of the day was spent connecting up the storm water to the tank and putting in the first flush devices.

Kitchen Bench Top

Along with putting back the doors (after tiling), I put in the kitchen sink and benchtop.



Interestingly, it is possible to remove the legs of the kitchen for finishing the floor. The reason being is that they are fixed to the wall.

Ikea Kitchen

I've spent the last couple of days putting in the Ikea kitchen. It is pretty straight forward.

The design does not give much flexibility in attaching the cabinents to the walls. It is not very good for my timber stud wall. To solve this I did one of two things. One option was to create horizontal anchor points by installing a piece of timber that spans the cabinet sides. The other option is simply to move the anchor angles from their standard position on the cabinent sides to the top and bottom.

The adjustable legs make leveling the benchtops easy. When attaching to the wall I did use packers to compensate for the lack of a perfectly straight wall.

I added some more bracing for the sink and gave it the sit test and it was fine. I may need to brace the stove top as well. I guess we will see.

Obviously the whole set up has been carefully engineered to avoid waste.

The plumber dropped in and expressed a desire to put in the fittings before the benchtop. I've got other things to do, so that is fine.



The council inspected my stormwater. No problems - yay! We discussed what is required for an interim occupancy certificate. Not too much. Probably the biggest thing is the electricity. Hopefully I'll be able to finish every thing I need to by the weekend

Path

I've put in a path to the front door - well it is not much, didn't cost anything and took ten minutes. At least stones should not be dragged up the steps anymore.



I've finished most of the storm water. I just need to connect the pipes to the tank.

Here is my garage - it is a bit old, but you can see the lights.



My downstairs bathroom which my wife will never visit. It is a secret bathroom - don't tell her! I'm planning on putting a men's toilet sign on it. It is very industrial with a dual strip fluoro lighting, exposed pipe work etc. I'm even planning on putting in the old crap washing machine when the wife upgrades. I'll probably paint the concrete blocks.

Tiling

The tilers have come back to finish the tiling. They managed to finish most of the grouting, but they ran out of time - they have to finish by 5pm, so they are back tomorrow for an hour or so.





I've been busy doing the storm water. I need to get this inspected next week. I'm handing over to my wife Liz at the end of next week, so there is a big push to get everything done.

Balustrade and Tiling

The tiler has finished tiling the upstairs with the downstairs to go. He is doing a good job.



There is no floor drain here because it is a summer kitchen. Tiles just look nice.



I put in a balustrade to block off the stairwell. I won't have time to do the stairs, so this will do in the meantime. It is very solid. Certainly Louka proof.



I spent some more time doing the storm water. It is very fiddly. I'm putting a first flush devices on each down pipe.

I missed my target of being finished by christmas. I'm very close.

Storm Water

Yesterday I started putting in my storm water. I was very excited to arrive this morning to find the pit full of water and a little water stain near the gutter. Meaning of course that it is successfully draining storm water. Another yay.

I also found time to demolish my rear shed and finish my privacy barrier. The barrier looks good as it frames a rather attractive crepe myrtle.

lockup

Well, I can finally lock the house up. All the external doors are in. Yay!

Here is a rare inside view of the house. Notice how the high windows can open up to a horizontal position. This ensures maximun ventilation.






The light coloured roof reflects the sun. Insulation helps as well. The place is noticably cooler inside than out.



I'm sure a tree has decided to invade my block. My wife is a real greenie so I can't cut it down.

Sashes

It is full steam ahead in installing the windows. I've finished the low ones and now I am installing the high ones. The high ones open inwards - called hopper windows. The idea is that I can easilly put in fly screen. It is really good how the windows can open up to beyond a horizontal position. This insures that maximum ventilation will be achieved. I'm using decking to cover up the voids for the electrical.

The fixed stays are really forgiving in the sense that the gap around of the window can vary quite a bit and still work.



Here are my living room viewing windows. A fantastic view of kids as well as sometimes parents who do No1 and 2s behind the gardeners shed - gasp! I'm thinking and hoping that they might choose another shed to do their business.

Mean while, the carpenters have started the easy task of putting in the door jambs and beading.

Windows

It has been full steam ahead. My glass for my opening windows has arrived and I have just started putting them in. All of my opening windows are awning windows. They are really easy. The only issue will be the fly screens. I'll need to make hinged ones so you can open them to open the window. The top windows are hoppers that open on inside so I can put the fly screen on the outside.




The electrician has put in my fluoro lights and my garage is fully illuminated.



The gyprockers have almost finished.

Water Proofing

The water proofing guy came. He put fibre glass down and the next day, he put a coat of solvent based water proofing down.

The gyprocking boss decided to sack the guy who chipped the bath. He decided that he was lying about the chip. Presuambly the sacked guy lied because he though he would have to pay. He would not have had to, but the boss man could no longer trust him, so he sacked him.

It is a difficult thing. At the end of the day, an employer can not force an employee to pay for damage. I felt very guilty to be associated with someone who lost their job.

I started painting on cutek today. I'm quite happy with the result. It makes the bloodwood very dark.

Fifth Bath

Ok, I'm on to my 5th bath. Surprise, surprise I am not a happy chappy. The 2 after I found a rusted crack had defects and fortunately they were not installed. The 4th was damaged by the gyprockers - they used a hammer rather than their special tool to trim the villaboard! The guy that did it kept on denying it but fortunately the boss man said he will pay. All I had to do was organise for its removal, a new bath, the plumber to come back and the gyprock guys to finish it that day. Fortunately I did it! It cost me a day and a bundle on phone calls.

I had already organised the water proofing guy for tomorrow (he could not come today), the council guy Monday and the tiler Monday as well.