More Building Progress

As promised, here is a picture of the timber floors as they are going in in the living space. Coastal Spotted Gum is the timber and it will darken a bit when they are oiled. And hey presto, no nails!

The weatherboard cladding is being painted, well, white. Dulux Natural White to be specific.

The sandstone wall inside is nearing completion - here it is on the lower level and then the upper (sorry about the quality of the photos - they were taken on my phone).

And here is the tombstone of the last stone mason in the master bedroom!

Oh, exciting times ...

News & Views from the House

Well, I seem unable to find time to blog these days - ironically work on the house is becoming more time-consuming and then there's my work, a writing course I'm doing and the girls on school holidays.

Don't bring out the violins because it is all self-induced. I just need to say no occasionally but that's another story.

On this story, we are making progress but not as quickly as we'd like because there have been some dramas with the glass for the windows with it not fitting the frames when it arruives on site! I feel like we're on a series of the television program Grand Designs - although, thankfully, we don't have host Kevin McCloud doing a close-up to camera on whether or not we'll finish on time and on budget!

The plan, as I mentioned in a previous post, was to have lock-up by Easter but that's now not possible. The guys are working as hard as they can to fit the windows and then do the cladding at the same time and also prepare the area and foundations for the garage (which will now be done all in timber rather than brick which is easier, quicker and saves money - hooray!).

Anyhow, here's a few pictures ...

Weatherboard cladding going up around the front bedroom (below) and the study above. It will be painted Dulux Natural White and should look pretty good methinks.

Close-up of the cladding.

One of the girl's bedroom windows - sans glass.

Woodchips in the bedroom and purple converse feet (my daughter's).

The last of the original bricks being stored in the guest bedroom which were to go on the garage but will now be used in the landscaping.

The garage foundations and site being prepared.

A pier for the garage. Alice and the Mad Hatter may be down there ... who knows?

Good byeeee!

More building progress ...

Just realised I floated a way for longer than I intended!

But I'm back and pleased to report some more progress on the house.

The site office has been removed from the back garden

and set up in the TV room (through the door) and dining space (seen here)

Ceiling insulation has been installed (and, no, I didn't just take a photo of used tinfoil!)

The electrical stuff has been roughed out or in or up or whatever the expression is, I always forget!

Study

The plumber has been in

Guest bedroom ceiling

Styligh green buckets have been left lying around

Master bedroom

Hugh the Digger has been preparing the site for the garage

And the water pipe is slowly disappearing under layers of cement and brick.

This will one day be a garden

It is certainly still hard to imagine how this mountain of brick, cement, rubble and mud will ever be transformed into a home and that one day we will be living there but technically it's only four months away!

Watch this space next week when the windows will be going in and the cladding going on!

 

Building Progress: Mr Water Pipe

Well, I'm feeling a lot better now that my pesky cold has gone and the good news is we seem to be back on track with the build and more action has been happening and is scheduled for the next six weeks. The roof will be going on, the windows going in, the gutters being hung and the cladding being clad! And I can't wait. Watch this space for concrete signs of productivity on site.

In the meantime, you'll be pleased to know that Mr Ginormous Sydney Water Pipe that appeared in our garden is on its way to disappearing into its own little house.

Mr Pipe has a nice little brick wall around it, is secured in concrete and will eventually be covered by a sandstone pier and lawn.

And here it is as seen here from the upstairs TV room with the retaining wall behind it which will support the timber walkway that will lead to the front entrance.

View to the right of the water pipe, showing the entrance to the laundry and and the concrete slab which will house the water tanks under the walkway.

So long Mr Pipe!

Weatherboard Cladding

I've always liked weatherboard. Whether modern or traditional in style.

contemporary exterior design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

contemporary exterior design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

Images via Houzz

Which is why our house, while modern in design, will be all-white weatherboard. Here is an unpainted mock-up of what the cladding will look like. Not the greatest photo but you get the idea and it will be white, not cream.

And this is a little like what our upstairs living will be - with the timber decking, an extended roof for shade and kitchen window overlooking the decking.

{Apologies: I cannot source this image as I've had it on file for ages and didn't keep the web source. If anyone knows it, please let me know!}

The brickwork will be tucked away inside, in between insulation and the internal cladding. So I will still be, technically speaking, 'the girl in the brick house'!