Waffles, anyone?

I was a little hasty in my last post. I thought concrete was going in today, but no - the waffle pods were put in place ready for thr first pour tomorrow (Thurs). So it begins, tomorrow. We will have concrete. And this time next week, we will have the whole slab!! My god this house looks massive already! The kids were quite impressed though, that they could 'see' where their rooms will be .. Zali's is the jutting out bit at the bottom of the photo, on the LHS. And Max's room is further to the left and up a little. No progress yet on the water tapping, from what I can tell. The Water co still have to come and fix it. We have movement on power though, there are some conduits moving through the slab/boxing up. Next we have to dig a trench!

Boxed and ready for concrete..

The concreter (El Guapo) and crew have been working hard today boxing up the front lower area ready to pour the concrete. The piers have magically shrunk into little circles of concrete, just peeping above the crushed rock placed to make a beautiful flat surface. About half is boxed with the rocks down ready to pour the concrete. El Guapo will be back on site tomorrow to box out the rest of the slab, ready for the first pour of concrete on Thursday! We had another win today - with Bikeman and the blue one bidding successfully via Grays Online on a frameless shower screen. $373, which is $227 under budget. Bring on more savings! Blue was particularly excited, telling his sister that 'we won a shower, we won a shower!' which was very cute. We have another bid out now on the other shower, so fingers crossed! On a more sour note, the plumber has had a problem tapping our water out the front. He's dug out where the water co told him to, no luck. Water co came out to mark exactly where tapping was located, so he dug directly down from there, no luck. So now it is up to the water co to come out and find it and fix it - goodness knows how long that might take! Thankfully our lovely neighbours have allowed us to use some more of their water, until it is all sorted. The neighbours also remember having a similar problem with their tapping, it was going to end up right in the middle of the driveway - so they had theirs moved. I'm thinking we'll probably end up in the same predicament! Anyway time will tell... And if you squint into the background you can see that the retaining wall is all but completed! Capping stones just have to be bon-creted on, which will happen later. Plans are to put a tarp or some other plastic over the retaining wall to protect it during the building process. Moving up, up, up, up.....

Completion and War Wounds

We had a big day Saturday. After a number of false starts, due to hot weather, fires, and other commitments, we were able to get a whole lot done. A big big thanks to our helpers for the day, Pops, Stevie B, Lee-Lee, AOB next door and our chippie Scotty without whom it would have been a much longer day! The aims for the day were as follows: 1. Concrete in fence posts for side fence 2. Complete set out ready for plumber on Monday 3. Finish concrete and blocks on retaining wall 4. Talk to concreter We were able to finish all but 3 of the fence posts, completed most of the setout (enough for the plumber) and finished all but the capping stones on the retaining wall. Our concreter, El Guapo, appeared to have a chat, which was great and looks like we're still on schedule. Stevie B brought with him his fantastic machine which made every job so much quicker! Scoria behind the retaining wall, check. Dirt behind the retaining wall, check. Crushed rock around the concrete piers, check. Wow!!! Sorry there are no photos but a little disagreement with a mallet meant a rushed trip to the doctors and seven stitches in my left index finger. What a lovely way (not) to end the day! I will take some photos tomorrow and post soon...

Hole Diggers

Today was a day we worked very hard! Bikeman, Stevie B and I worked all day digging holes for the piers (big columns of concrete). 42, last count. Stevie B took care of machine detail (ie he digged every single one of those darn holes), Bikeman dug out all of the extra dirt, and I cleared excess dirt from the holes and helped measure, got stuff etc etc. It doesn't sound very much but it took ages! We were so dirty at the end I actually looked like I had a bit of a tan! It was hard work but very rewarding. Next step - get some concrete poured into the holes, organise the temporary fence. Big thanks to Stevie B who worked his butt off all day, as did Bikeman who is now suffering with a sore back ... the price we pay! Prior to today, the extra site cut was completed so now you can clearly see the split level at the front and it goes back a longer way at the back. The kids around our area love it, it's like their own private bike jump! Bit of a problem now though, as there are up to 1.8m holes scattered around the block. Hence we need the temporary fence! On a personal note, the kids have had a wonderful christmas. They both got tool belts for christmas from us, so they think they're pretty good and can't wait to try out their hammers out at the block. As soon as I can work out the photo caper I'll post some ... hope you all have had a Merry Christmas and a have a great New Year!

Yipeeeee I'm excited!!!!

We had the retaining wall bricks delivered the other day, so they are ready for some handy people to put up in the relevant place which all going to plan (and that means the extra excavation works, the big boulder retaining wall at the rear and the concrete all has to happen - in that order - and in a timely fashion!) then it should be up and waiting for the really exciting part to happen.... the slab. I don't know why, but I'm excited about the slab. And no, not a slab of beer, although I have been known to get excited over a slab of beer, especially on beer and pizza night (Friday nights at the William St flat...Bish, back me up here!). But I digress. For some reason 'the slab' marks for me the beginning. The start of something tangible that begins to resemble the house. I can see it, walk on it and our family can press our hand prints into the concrete while it is still wet. We can pretend to be in our own rooms or to walk outside to the alfresco area. That's it - I can SEE it! Can't wait, can't happen soon enough.

A new career...

I became a honorary engineer for a couple of hours on Saturday. Well, a surveyor anyway. Well actually I held what they call the 'dumb end' of the surveying equipment (the stick with the prism on top with a bubble to let you know if it is up straight). And really the Friendly Prussian did it the week before with Bikeman so it was just a few little changes. But I helped! I wasn't going to let that little bubble (like a level) get the better of me - I was concentrating so hard that I didn't see or hear Bikeman fall down the front slope and graze his knee - he got up after much moaning and groaning he got up and there was I, staring at the bubble ... in a trance. The stick was straight! And I hadn't heard a thing. We visited our lovely friends the Sandhurst Crew over the last couple of days. They have an absolutely beautiful house, built by Carlisle Homes. They couldn't speak more highly of them and had a wonderful experience with the build of their house, which has turned out to be absolutely fantastic. Makes me want to be in our house, and now! Patience is not one of my virtues... but I'm trying. And why didn't Zipping win! Hmmph that's why I normally don't bet, can't stand it if I don't win!

Turning over a new leaf

Ok, I'm trying .... it's been a week and here is the next post. Bikeman and The Friendly Prussian went out to the block on the weekend to set out where the house will be. Very clever ginger beers they are! It's very cool, we went out there this afternoon and you can (if you squint) pretty much stand as if you are looking out a window ... or walking through someones bedroom... it gives you some idea of where rooms will be. And because of the setout, we discovered a little problem - we were a little too close to where the retaining wall will be on the current plan. Looks fine on paper, but in real life will end up being a little squishy. So decided to move the house over 1/2 a metre towards the north side to compensate which had an unexpected but fantastic outcome ... I might even get my 'turning bit' just outside the garage door! Woo hoo!!! It's the little things that make me happy. ;)