Alfresco concreted

Our alfresco, front porch and back porch have now been concreted in 'pompeii' flyash concrete. We chose the colour to match the inside floor, I didn't really think about seeing the colour from the front of the house, but I think it has come up alright.

front view

close up of back porch concrete

The breakfast bar is now in, the upstand is a bit longer then I expected but I think it looks great. Can't wait to see it with the benchtops on.

sink will be to the far right

The cabinet in the powder room has been replaced and all the basins have been installed and so is the laundry trough

powder room

ensuite

laundry - also has cupboard doors now

The painters have still not returned, but are expected back tomorrow. The HWS is finally installed, and they have upgraded our storage tank to Stainless as a freebie.
The wardrobe inners are all completed and are waiting to be installed which will happen after the painters do their thing.
Stuart and I have to finalise what is to go above the fridge tonight, I'm thinking an open shelf so I have a place to display a few objects, and that's about it for now.

Rain at last!

So the rain has started and the sound of the water falling into the tank was wonderful. Stuart and I were working out there in the rain today, he slashed the higher part of the backyard and then we got to work planting out all our fruit trees - excluding the citrus which we will do when it warms up a little. We ended up using the kanga to carry some extra dirt up there to help build the trees up, so its gone from looking slashed and great, to looking trashed and muddy.
I'm sorry to report that there wasn't really much progress at the house at all this past week. The builder met us on site on Friday and greeted us with 'I'm so embarrassed'. It seems after completing all the bog fill, sanding and getting down some drop sheets the painter was called away to another job - and neglected to tell Glen.
The kitchen guy was supposed to return Wednesday, then Thursday, then Friday - but still hasn't shown. Something weird is going on there. They have put vinyl wrapped panels on the back of my breakfast bar (which I didn't ask for and not sure I want but am waiting to see it set up properly before deciding for sure), and now the kickplate for the breakfast bar which was in place has been removed from the site completely.
Can't remember why the outside concrete didn't get done - the weather until Friday night has been pretty good, but Glen assured me that is booked for Monday.
Our kitchen sink, basins and laundry trough have arrived though, and Glen thinks the plumbers will be installing the spa bath next week too. So painters, joiners, plumbers and concretors are all set for next week - maybe!! I'm glad the plumbers are coming as today watching the rain I saw that a gutter has been put on angled the wrong way, so water was pouring out of it onto the ground rather then going down the downpipe so hopefully that can get fixed too.
The HWS people did return on Friday - the system itself is still not installed but the evacuated tubes are, very  slow installation this one. They keep saying its too wet - even after a couple of weeks of barely no rain at all.
We have finalised our curtain selection and they have been measured and ordered, we've ended up choosing quite a few colours, hope they all look good.

Fruit trees at top corner, planted along top fence in an L shape

The leaky guttering. Wasn't even raining hard when I took this

The evacuated tubes for the SHWS

Time for paint

Our meeting with the builder on Friday morning went quite well. Painting is expected to be started today, and the next lot of kitchen instalment is due on Wednesday. The outside concreting areas will possibly get done on Friday - weather dependant. The fix out man was completing his jobs over the weekend, and we were out there yesterday evening and he was just finishing up. It's quite surprising what a difference skirting and architrave around the windows can make. We are still on schedule for a handover at the end of August.
We went and looked at curtain materials on the weekend but I forgot to take my colour samples with me. We have chosen the brand and type, just not the colour. I will do that on Tuesday when they come out to measure up. We had intended to use some cellular blinds in the living room, but due to the large handles on our windows the blinds can't be recessed, and cellular look pretty ordinary from the side view, so now the living room will be all holland blinds. Probably a good thing as it will save us some money, and they will sit flush against the window surrounds so still help with insulation.
We also went and bought a heap of fruit trees but ran out of time to plant them, so have buried their roots in one of the many dirt piles on the block and will plant them properly on the weekend. We bought 2 types of apples, 2 types of pears, plums, nectarines, oranges and lemons. Can't wait until our little orchard starts producing fruit.

Half a kitchen!

Spoke to our builder yesterday and as a second thought, after telling me nothing had really happened at the house this week, he remembered the joiners had been in and started installing the kitchen. Despite having a meeting there tomorrow morning, I couldn't wait all that time, so dashed out during lunchtime today to have a squiz.
The breakfast bar is not installed yet - it's piled up in the Walk in pantry. Benchtops are also not on yet, at the moment it's just chipboard.

I'm guessing that's the upstand part of the breakfast bar sitting on the bench

the blue sticker on the drawer is because the rails are missing

The study desk is also in place now, as are the shelving. I think this colour has come up great, I'm really pleased he edged the shelves to match, I hadn't expected that, but it finishes it off nicely.

They have also prepared the boxing for the concreting for the alfresco, front porch and back porch.

Look at all that beautiful winter sun, perfectly sheltered from the wind. Can't wait to use this area!

More winter sun flooding the house and warming up
the concrete brilliantly. Love it.

Now to update on a few things that have been brought up in the past.
The sliding window that had those little beads in it has now been replaced; the cupboard in the powder room has been removed as it was made larger then it should have been which is why there was no space for the toilet; and the big 'X' in the living room will be staying. They think it was caused by the trowelling machine back when the concrete was poured. To get rid of it would mean grinding down the floor so much that it would have a dip in it. Looks like we now have a very special character mark and talking point!
We also managed to finish choosing our lights last weekend, and are currently working out what to do curtain wise. Looks like some compromises will have to be made due to budgetary restrictions. I'm disappointed but not devastated.  The hose is still connected to the septic. I'm hoping that can come off soon and then the rain can start properly and get our tanks filling.

A nice surprise

Septic got installed yesterday, and there have been a few issues regarding getting enough water into the tank in order to stop it from 'floating up'. Stu put 400 litres in last night, and today the plumbers have attached a hose from our water tanks to feed direct to the septic. Nice that the septic is sorted, but not really happy that our tanks won't be gaining from any rainfall we get. I'm probably the only person around here that is hoping for a lot of rain in the next few weeks.
I did get a nice surprise going in the house. I had expected lots more fit out to be completed. That hasn't progressed (although when I went back this afternoon to get some photos, the fit out man had started working and was still there when I left). However, some of the cabinets have been installed already!
We now have the bathroom cabinets, the laundry cabinets - except for some doors, and we also have the bookcase installed. Pretty exciting stuff.

The bookcase

Ensuite

Powder room. VERY concerned with the proximity of the toilet plumbing

laundry

Girls bathroom

Concrete floor polished at long last!

Yesterday the polishing of the floor was finished. I had assumed that was it for the floor so was all excited to go and see a shiny beautiful floor done. I was so disappointed to turn up and see that it was filthy, and worst of all the cracks are still visible. They aren't 'cracks' any longer as they have been filled, but you can still see where the cracks were. It's probably something that will only stand out to me, well hopefully anyway! Even worse - a new crack has appeared that runs from the outer dining wall all the way across the room to the corner of the living room. Bummer.

I went back this morning to take some photos as yesterday afternoon the polisher was still finishing up, and am much happier with it today. Amazing what a nights sleep can do!

Rumpus room with cupboard on left looking towards passage

Kitchen/Dining standing at hallway door

Kitchen, dining and living standing at WIP door

Kitchen/dining from master bedroom door

Living room to kitchen, air lock door to right

Close up of kitchen floor

crack in hallway

crack near master bedroom

Strange 'X' shape in living room 

The final coating of the sealer will happen when the floor gets buffed, which won't happen until after the professional cleaners go through, so not until just before handover! Such a long time to wait. I was very pleased to hear from the polisher that he has used an eco product to seal the floor though. We had mentioned this to him back when he did the original grinding before frameworks started, and he gave me the impression then that it wasn't really doable, so a very nice surprise to hear that he managed it after all.

Stu met with the septic man to discuss placement and so on today. Works are supposed to start this Thursday. I dread to think of the mess they are going to make to the remainder of the block.

Drainage Done!!

On Monday the plumbers turned up and got heaps done. The downpipes are finished, and there are signs that the drainage has been completed. The tanks are now in place and even appear to be connected! Finally! As we predicted, it hasn't rained much at all since then, just a few odd showers, typical.
As far as I am aware the concrete polisher hasn't shown up yet to complete his job, and of course nothing much can progress now without him doing it.
The photos aren't flash, they are just from my phone.

Winter morning sun lighting up our bedroom

Looks to me like our tanks are connected..

An idea of the numerous track marks

We have been looking into door stops of all things as I noticed a box of horrible ones sitting in the master bedroom. Seems so stupid to upgrade door stops - but likewise seems pretty stupid to spend all this money on a house and put ugly things in there.

Slow progress

This week the bathrooms have been waterproofed, the brickie's returned and completed the back porch and made some adjustments to our garage step, the eaves were lined, the spa bath delivered and a few more internal doors and cupboards were installed.

The plumber of course didn't show. We had another meeting with Glen on Thursday morning, he assured us yet again that the plumber would be there on Monday. Maybe this time he will - third time lucky? Glen also believes that the polishing should get started this week, once again though I won't believe it until I see it. We are so anxious to get our tanks hooked up. We are supposed to be living there in 9 weeks and still have no water collected.

The electrician was out yesterday locating cables in the roof, and Stu will be out there again later today spreading more of the stones which were delivered on Monday. He started some of it during the week, but hasn't had the chance to do any more yet.

Steps from garage to house, will look much better clean!

The spa bath..currently in Paige's room

study nook doors open

study nook doors closed

back porch

back porch and eaves