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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Sunday Update

Got another update on the house. We went by the house Sunday evening to see what's been done since we last were there. We found the plumbing fittings had been installed, tiling finished and walkable on all areas, oven installed and alfresco was paved.

Our pre-handover meeting is scheduled for 2pm Wednesday, this means key handover will be 16 November 2011! Unfortunately Warren has to go away for a week long job on the 13 November.

So from the list of things to be done, we can now cross out:

  • Electrical fittings and switches 26/10/11
  • Plumbing fittings ie. taps and handles 30/10/11
  • Install Shower screens and Mirrors
  • Finish off painting to front door etc.
  • Install range hood to kitchen 26/10/11
  • Install oven to kitchen 30/10/11
  • Install gas cook top to kitchen
  • Install hot water system
  • Install Carpets
  • Install Horizontal blinds
  • Tile floors 26/10/11
  • Tile wet areas 23/10/11
  • Pour concrete into garage 19/10/11
  • Pave 1/2 driveway 26/10/11
  • Paving of alfresco 30/10/11
  • Install Garage Door
  • Install flywire

Front of house with 1/2 driveway - still waiting on garage door

Ensuite shower with plumbing installed

Taps added to sinks in both bathrooms

Kitchen with range hood and oven installed

Kitchen sink with tap installed

900mm oven installed

Complete with racks and roasting tray

Toilets 1/2 installed

Laundry cabinet with finished tiling and tap

Laundry / storage cupboard

Bath with taps installed

Shower in bathroom

Bathroom cupboard and sink

Living room tiling - in desperate need of a clean!

Alfresco paved and very sandy!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

1/2 a Driveway and Tiling all done!

Went by the house this afternoon to see what's been done. Half of the driveway and path to the front doors is paved with the alfresco still needing to be done. Looked through the window and found that the floors have been fully tiled and grouted.
Also, the range hood has been installed, along with all the electrical switches and light fittings. Still waiting to hear about when our pre-handover meeting is going to be scheduled.

So from the list of things to be done, we can now cross out:
  • Electrical fittings and switches
  • Plumbing fittings ie. taps and handles
  • Install Shower screens and Mirrors
  • Finish off painting to front door etc.
  • Install appliances to kitchen (half done)
  • Install hot water system
  • Install Carpets
  • Install Horizontal blinds
  • Pave 1/2 driveway and alfresco
  • Install Garage Door
  • Install flywire

1/2 driveway and path paved to front door

Paving to front door

Tiling all done to floors and all wet areas

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Exploring Hammond Park and Woodmans Point

Woke up fairly early Sunday morning and it was a beautiful day. Warren and I were both hanging for some breakfast somewhere new, somewhere close to home, our future home. There's a little cafe / coffee shop now open in The Park Hive Shopping Centre called C15 Espresso. They have all day breakfasts, lunches, daily specials, baked goods and yes, coffee. I now wish I had taken a photo, but I had some yummy French Toast and Warren had the Bacon and Eggs special. It was really very good and I can now see that being our local as it's only probably 5-10minute walk away from home.

The local Hammond Park Tavern (located opposite The Park Hive) which has been underway for a while seems to be almost ready. Everytime we drive past theres lights on inside. I've also noticed that it's going to have Thirsty Camel as the signs are up. Floor Plan of Tavern here http://cockburncommunity.asn.au/HammondPark/files/Floor%20Plan_Quarie%20Bar%20Brasserie.pdf Just read that it's going to be called The Quarie Bar & Brasserie and it's going to open early November!

The Quarie Bar - a preview

After eating breakfast at C15 Espresso at The Park Hive, we went to go install a couple of the square down pipe grates we had purchased from Bunnings. (See previous blog entry for photos).

Our next destination was to check out Woodmans Point, Woodmans Point Reserve and Woodmans Point Beach. And in that order we checked them all out. See the photos below! Sunday really was a fantastic day to do this. It was only 25 degrees and the ocean was nice and calm with cool winds coming in.

Woodmans Point










Woodmans Point Reserve


Woodmans Point Beach




Woodmans Point Jetty




Soakwells & Tiling 1/2 done, now for the rest of the finishing touches

So many little finer details are coming together now. On Friday 21 October Perth Soakwells installed and fitted soakwells to our block. We then came to have a look on the weekend. We found that they had installed circular down pipe grates (see below), we wanted square ones to go with our square pavers. So off to Bunnings we went to get some for where paving will be installed. Five at $20 each adds up, but atleast it'll look good with the pavers.

Tiling in all the wet areas has been finished now (see below) and on Monday 24 October, the tilers will be starting on all the other areas apart from the Bedrooms and Theatre. We snuck a look yesterday and it appears it's almost done! They are quite large tiles, but it still amazed me as to how far they have gotten in just one day of tiling. No photos of this unfortunately.

We also saw that our appliances and hot water system has been delivered, so they just need installing now. From what I can tell, the following still need doing:
  • Electrical fittings and switches
  • Plumbing fittings ie. taps and handles
  • Install Shower screens and Mirrors
  • Finish off painting to front door etc.
  • Install appliances to kitchen
  • Install hot water system
  • Install Carpets
  • Install Horizontal blinds
  • Pave 1/2 driveway and alfresco
  • Install Garage Door
  • Install flywire
What we need to organise once we know when our Pre-Handover meeting is scheduled is the fencing and front landscaping. As we bought a block in Eden Green private estate we get free fencing and get $4500 worth of front landscaping done through Landscape Elements. As other houses around are already built, there is only one side of our block that needs fencing now. Warren is going to build and paint a double gate for around the side of the house with wooden horizontal slats. It's going to look much like the ones pictured here http://www.lakeviewscreening.com.au/products.php?action=viewProduct&id=183

Our Pre-Handover meeting might be longer than our Lock Up meeting, as we have to go through every room, every corner and crevice of the house to inspect what needs patching up, painting, fixing etc. After this, Celebration Homes has two weeks (10 business days) to fix all these things and then we get the keys! When we were at our Lock Up meeting, Glen our Site Supervisor said we were looking at mid November for Key Handover. As we get closer and closer to the end of October, I'm awaiting a call any day now for the date and time for our Pre-Handover meeting. It's very exciting, I can't wait to see everything finished with the house!

Once we get the keys, we plan on painting the walls with an undercoat to seal the walls. We will paint the house in 12 months time fully.... once the house has had a chance to settle. That way, if there are cracks, we can patch them and paint over, not having to re-do all our hard work.
Sooooo estimating that it will take 2 weeks to paint the entire house and finish off things to a livable standard ie, side gate, lighting, backyard lawn and garden beds, we will be moving in end of November / early December this year!!!

Drain pipe grate that Perth Soakwells installed - BEFORE

Drain pipe grate Warren installed - AFTER

After

Ensuite cabinets with tiling finished - wall needs repair and powerpoint added

Ensuite shower - just needs glass panels and shower head etc now

Kitchen with tiling finished - Appliances, tap and electrical plugs needs adding

Kitchen

Laundry

Bathroom - needs tap installed

Bathroom shower - needs glass panels and taps installed

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Post Lock Up Meeting Update

Been super busy and haven't updated the blog since before our Lock Up meeting which was scheduled for 3pm on Wednesday 12 October. We weren't sure what to expect, so we invited my Dad who is Builder / Electrician to come with. We were very pleased to see the following done:
  • Painting to the ceilings and walls (exterior as well, but we noticed this previously)
  • Doors delivered and painted (not all installed)
  • Shelving and hanging rail for the wardrobes, linen and pantry installed with undercoat
  • Bathroom bricklaying done around shower, bath and cabinets
  • Kitchen, laundry, ensuite and bathroom cabinets, benchtops and sinks installed
  • Tiles for kitchen and bathrooms delivered
Yesterday afternoon I went to the house to show a Paver what we needed quoting on for the rest of the driveway to be paved, paving near the meterbox where a fence will be installed and paving along the dead side of the house (length of theatre and bedroom 2 will not be paved, as this will be a garden bed). Unfortunately he won't be able to finish off the driveway until Saturday midday on the 26 November and then come back the following Friday 2 December to finish off the job. But this might all coincide well, as we plan on painting etc first and moving in end of November / start of December.

We also have a bricklayer / landscaper come out to quote on a letterbox being bricked and rendered, garden beds out the front being rendered. Then out the back he quoted on reconstituted limestone bricks to be bricked up to form raised garden beds as well as the basic outline of the water feature we plan on having centred and parallel to the alfresco area.

I found the following new things done over the past week. I couldn't see, but I think maybe the tilers are making a start on the bathrooms now.
  • Caesarstone benchtops and sink installed in the kitchen
  • Delivery of yellow sand and pavers
  • Tiles for the floors were delivered
Something else new, is we have Perth Soakwells coming to install and connect soakwells this Friday afternoon. My fiancee Warren will also be back to oversee these being installed.

Pavers for 1/2 our Driveway and Alfresco

Pewter from Atlas Pavers

Charcoal from Atlas Pavers

Garage and store with cement

Ensuite bathroom cupboards with a his and hers sink

Ensuite double shower

Master bedroom walk in robe

Master walk in robe

Kitchen cupboards, pantry, fridge recess and Ceasarstone benches (mind the green protection sticker, it's actually white underneath!)

Kitchen cupboards and Ceasarstone benche

Kitchen island

Floor tiles