Lucy's House Blog

The gap in the kitchen just needed something

2010-01-14T17:23:00.004+11:00

One corner of the kitchen just seemed to be missing something ... I was thinking of what decals I might use ... some flowers? something pretty? ... found a better solution ...

Isn't it just the perfect gap filler?!?!? And it is also useful ;-) ... first recipe I tried it out, no point starting off easy, fresh strawberry puree marshmallows!!! (and in the photo above you can just get your first look at the new kitchen draw fronts and handles ... just a coat of paint on the corbels and then I'll take the final AFTER photos of the kitchen!!!).

I've tried making mashmallows before and they always end up a bit rubbery, as the little hand held beater starts to smoke (oops!) after only about 5 minutes and the recipe wants 8-10 minutes of beating. Stick the mix in the kitchenaid, put it on high for 10 minutes ... beautiful fluffy gorgeous marshmallows! I'd love to make a cake next but not sure about timings tomorrow (might be picking up a new horse!) ... though the carpenter will be back and the electricians are around.

Talking of electricians ... below is an electricians idea of a joke ...
Yup, anyone over 7ft can not enter my house, or they'll risk losing their head!!! Silly shop told me I had to buy an extended pole for the fan so it wouldn't be too high because of my ceilings ... the electrician installed it as a bit of a joke ... they knew I wouldn't want it at that height, but just wanted to make sure ;-) ... sure ... course I want to lose my fingers if I put them up in the air :-)

It will be getting raised tomorrow!!

I've spoken with the builder ... he wants to do the final inspection next week ... of course there will still be faults after that ... but sooooooooooooo exciting it is so nearly over!!!

A touch of toilet whimsy - wall decals

2010-01-09T11:30:00.005+11:00

I'm not quite sure why I feel the need for a touch of whimsy in my bathroom and toilet ... something about them being cold clinical boring sort of places that need a bit of warming up. Though during a heat wave I am thinking of going to sit in the bath (without water) it is soooo cool in there!

There is the chandelier in the bathroom ... and, after today there are wall decals in the toilet ... on the wall and behind the door ...I've actually had the decals for a little while, but was really worried about putting them up. I was hoping I could drag someone in to helping me as it looked like a two person type of job ... but since it is hot outside and I've got little to do today, I thought I'd have a go ... soooo easy!! I could take off the bits that went slightly in the wrong spot and reposition them.

I am really hoping that they have told the truth and they are easy to remove in a couple of years - pretty sure this is a fad that will go out of fashion, but I'm happy to spend $35 on something that might not last!! Pretty cheap for some art work ... now I know how easy it is, wonder if I can find something to go in the kitchen ... hmmm!!

I got these from www.walldecors.com.au the one below was a quote I requested and they made it up in the font/size I wanted.

Only visible when you're in the toilet ... behind the door (ignore the taps put on the wrong way around by the plumber!!) ...
"Believe, never lose sight of your dreams"

Flashing my under-draw-ers!

2010-01-05T09:58:00.003+11:00

I've been looking at the best way to sort out my draws so they don't end up in a complete mess, with nothing able to be found!

The drawer I'm most proud of ... the cutlery
isn't it just pretty!! Never realised draw liner thingies could look sooo wonderful! They are Blum Orga-line ... two different sets.

The plates look pretty good in their cheap Ikea bought Blum dividersnice and neat, no smashing and the grey sticky liner is also Ikea.

Then there are the embarrassing draws *blush* My cooking stuff ... I really want to create something that has two layers in this draw ... but I can't quite find what I'm looking for. The double level ones seem more designed for nice neat things like cutlery, that don't stick up ... not blender pieces and measuring cups.
The photo belows shows the solution the kitchen makers put in, to allow me to stack the drawer full of more things ... the Blum draw thingie bits (they haven't quite got their final tags on to hide the runners) are quite shallow ... the draw itself is 12.5cm deep, the original side bits only went up to 7cm ... hence the raised sides.

Another messy draw ... this is one of the deeper ones, with higher sides ... two layers in here would be great too! Plastic plates, napkins, cupcake wrappers ... all sorts of mess!!

I think I'll just keep opening the pretty neat drawers!!

Christmas recovery

2010-01-02T07:52:00.006+11:00

I've been holding off on more photos because everything is just sooooo nearly complete ... the differences wont be really obvious in photos, but I'd rather hold off on most of them until the bits that are missing are done.

The dining room is the closest to completion ... the only thing missing now is the curtain on the french doors (I have the curtain, just not the appropriate plasterboard screws to put it up!).

A photo with my brother's special wide angle lensDining room details (added because I hated looking at other people's photos and having no idea how to copy things from them!!):
Paint colours - emerald city (green); vivid white
Curtains: Warwick Grandeur Gold (to come for french doors are Pavia Ecru cream)
Window seat main cushion: Warwick Port Norris Gold
Cushions: Warwick Global Soft Chalk (cream); Warwick Global Suede Navy (blue); Grove Beach Houndstooth Gold (my favourite one!); plain gold was purchased as is from Make Your House A Home.
Mirror: from Moreland Auctions in Kilmore
Dining table: Cousin Clyde's!

Christmas day and the table is set ...

The yummy fruit terrine I made for Christmas dessert:It has the most delightful basil syrup for the jelly - making it so refreshing and not heavy.

The builders have taken the week off ... the electrician wont be back until the 11th (damn! wanted that aircon connected up - or even the fan!). Who knows when the kitchen guy will be back ... I'd really love some handles!!! The kitchen so far ...
My brother helped put up the prints near the window seat yesterday ... he's now disappeared back home ... muttering something about holidays shouldn't be hard work!! ooops!! Sorry!

The painter should be back soon ... then the outside will be done and I can put up the final photos. Some of the external doors aren't quite finished.

Someone asked me if it felt strange being in the extension ... it doesn't! It feels like it has always been this way ... it feels like HOME!

From building site to home in 24 hours

2009-12-26T09:58:00.002+11:00

Thursday morning ... the day before Christmas

24 hours later ... Christmas morning

Who could believe at the start ....

2009-12-24T06:33:00.001+11:00

... that the builders would still be going on Christmas eve! I thought I set my "in my head" deadline so far out even I couldn't be surprised at delays ... but I was wrong! It wont be finished for Christmas ... enough will be done that christmas lunch will go ahead ... but the tradies will be back next year!!

They will be working Christmas eve ... when all I want is a couple of days to clean up, recover and become human again.

Builder got his payment ... I was generous for Christmas even though there are bits missing from the agreed list to complete, some they will finish today.

Pretty scaring looking at the kitchen and thinking I've got to miraculously turn it into a beautiful space in the next 24 hours.

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas ....

2009-12-21T23:04:00.002+11:00

The lovely electricians connected up the ovens today ... so of course I had to use BOTH of them (after turning them on for an hour or so to get rid of the horrible smell!) ... very exciting that I got to cook in TWO new ovens ... which meant thinking of two things to be the first timers: dinner was roast veggies out of one oven, then we (my brother and I) made gingerbread in the other oven! YUM!!! I LOVE roast veggies and gingerbread!!

The gas tops are still not connected .... looks like there is a problem with me being on LPG gas ... even though the oven was ordered to be set up for LPG, it seems it wasn't. I haven't quite been told about this (heard through one of the other tradesmen) ... so I'm assuming it is a solveable problem that I don't need to get involved in.

Also going in today were the flyscreens ... they look wonderful - even if the cat can't see them and bumps into them with his whiskers ... "engage invisible cat shields"!

The airconditioner guys did turn up to put in the aircon ... pity the store had given them the wrong inside unit ... the lovely label on it had my name and the model number, pity that model number didn't match the BIG writing right underneath it!! So tomorrow morning it goes in (would have been nice tonight since it was quite warm).

The electricians have also set up my inside lights, some of the outside lights, phone line and powerpoints ... just missing a bathroom light which they'll come back to do (oh and no TV for me until next year - they cut the cable!).

The tradesman missing today: the plumber!! I've given up hope of getting the rest of the stuff finished, now I have a working oven ... all I want is some plumbing! A dishwasher, toilet and basin would be juuuuussst lovely!!

Photo of oven and others!

2009-12-19T20:04:00.003+11:00

Here it is .......

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww ... I could look at if for hours!!!

Below is a close up of the stainless steel bench ... still in its wrapping ... will be unwrapped for Christmas (given it was a pressie from my Mum!) ... it is nearly as beautiful as the oven!

I realised I had other photos I haven't shared ... so here goes ....

Below is my driveway on Friday afternoon ...
Rush hour!! That day we had carpenter, builder, 3 electricians, 2 tilers, 2 painters, 3 joiners ... and I'm sure I'm missing someone!!! Monday is going to be about the same ... adding in a plumber, airconditioner installer, flyscreen installer ... gas man? and maybe more?!?!

The dining room is ready to go for carpet ... was supposed to have happened this week but a bit of a mix up ... hopefully tomorrow morning (given I have guests arriving for lunch ... they'll have to carry in their own table to eat off!!). Bonus points if you can see the fatty grey poom-bah in the background!
Most of the tiling in the laundry and bathroom has been done ... I LOVE the tile ... thanks to my wonderful friend who trialled it for me ;-) ... it is quite amazing how little the dirt shows on it!! The bath is surrounded by the tile ... can't wait to see it all fitted out ... maybe tomorrow?! I suppose my brother who is staying from tomorrow night might actually LIKE his own bathroom.
I'm missing photos of the outside ... the windows have nearly all been done ... just waiting on the doors to get their final colour before I take another photo ... that will nearly be an "after" photo!

OMG ... it is IN the house!!!!

2009-12-19T10:16:00.003+11:00

The OVEN is in the KITCHEN!!!

After over two years of living in the stables ... all packaged up ... with my nightmares of it being chewed by rats ... it is IN the kitchen!!!

Not quite connected up yet ... and not quite in the right spot ... but it is in the room!

They had originally said it would go in yesterday ... but then said they didn't have enough people to move it, so maybe Saturday :-( ... I woke up this morning with great anticipation ... my first question to them this morning was when they'd move the oven ... "not today they said, maybe Monday" .... nooooooooooooo :-( ... but the builders tricked me ... when I got back from the farmers' market ... THERE it was!! Out of the stables and in the kitchen! Gas guy was there looking to connect it up ... but it will have to wait until the electricians on Monday .... buuuuuttttt ....

best of all ..... so far no signs of it being chewed to death by rats!

Photos to come (thought the builders might not quite understand my over the top excitement!).

Had to stick the car on cruise control as I drove off to do some other jobs ... otherwise I would have been flyyyyyiinnnggg!!!

Oh ... and it is beautiful!!

Pretty shiney floor!

2009-12-18T07:40:00.004+11:00

The floors are done ... they look truly amazing!

The shine!!!! In the sunlight they look a slightly different colour. The fumes are rather nasty at the moment ... but hopefully in another couple of days, with the windows all open, the air might be breatheable! I'm just so glad to be back in the house ... though I'm itching to start moving things in. I desperately need to tidy up my current living area ... and it would be so much easier if I could just MOVE things into their correct spots! eg. the telephone ... would be nice to plug it in at an actual phone point vs leaving it on my floor!!

Only one issue with my gorgeous floors .... after half an hour of the animals being allowed on it ...

I'll be investing in some new cleaning things! Nothing I had before will really help it. Anyway ... once the whole thing is covered in dirt, no one will notice a couple of footprints!!

The floor guy did spring some surprises on me though ... apparently NO furniture is supposed to go on it for a week (ummm ... the day before Christmas?!) and no floor rugs for 3 weeks (lucky he told me that, I would have instantly put something down to protect it!).

Yesterday I went up to a place that supplies cabinet bits ... I wanted to get the inserts for my kitchen drawers, but wanted to see them before ordering them (they are much cheaper through the internet, but I can't play with them beforehand). Nice guy who helped me out took me through some of the options ... and I bought the cutlery ones. I'll go back for more once I've got a bit better idea of how things work out (I was also missing one measurement which was a pain!).

Funnily enough the cabinet supplier's lovely catalogue had something the joiner had sworn was IMPOSSIBLE and didn't exist!!!! That stupid half bottle draw ... he said there were no other options, that "the cabinet was too big for the draw" ... I thought he was bullshitting - I knew the kitchen designer knew what she was doing, she wouldn't have designed a cabinet for something that didn't exist ... and as I looked through the catalogue ... there it was ... the EXACT thing that was supposed to have been put in - for the exactly right carcass size! I'll get the builder to hand the photocopied page over to the joiner :-) :-) ;-)

Curtains have arrived - I haven't unpacked them yet as I don't want them to get dirty.

Off to get light globes today so once the lights go in ... I can have lights.

Been having discussions between the builder, myself and the architect about $$$$$$$ ... builder of course wants to be paid before Christmas ... but he hasn't completed the stage. I'd already given him 1/5 of the payment but he's been hassling me for more. I was sticking on that there was no sign-off from the architect ... so the builder rang the architect and told him to come down and see that the work was done. When the architect got here ... he realised that the builder wasn't quite telling ALL the truth, that although the things left to go aren't big (lots of 10 minute jobs) there are LOTS of them to be done (a number of days work) and that it wasn't as done as the builder had told the architect. We've agreed for a bit more to be paid out, but the remaining amount will not be paid until a list of things has been completed:
- Kitchen bench
- Kitchen sink and taps
- Bathroom taps
- Bathroom vanity
- Toilet
- WC vanity
- Laundry cupboard completion
- Hotwater
- Eternal latches and locks (lock-up stage)

Which doesn't even include finishing the tiling, the painting, the rangehood, the skirting boards and so much more!!!! But at least those are the all important things! (I do have to say ... that finally the architect is being helpful vs causing more work ... maybe he did have his uses!!)

Annnndddd .... is today ... THE DAY!!! The most exciting day? The one I've really been hanging out for ... will it REALLY REALLY happen?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??! Off to talk to the builders to ask ... you'll have to wait to see!!

Most stressful week!!

2009-12-17T06:51:00.000+11:00

I’ve been having a stressful week … finally the wooden floors are to be done … but the delays have meant that I’ve moved out two weeks later than I should, stuffing up all sorts of other plans!!! Then the floor guy let the tilers take precedent over what he was doing, making another days delay. what was supposed to be less than a week out of home, is turning into two weeks … though I think I’ll just have go to back and sleep there with the fumes due to animal juggling (who wants a visitor with two dogs and a cat?!).

The floor colour is a beautiful dark colour … they’ve checked with me a couple of times to just make sure … quite convinced I’ll change my mind … but I really love the dark floor with the light bright walls and windows. It will look even better with furniture and curtains in. They’ve only got the stain on so far … and the varnish will go on over the next couple of days … but still a while until it can be walked on again.

I’m hoping they are able to continue working on the rest of the house … would be great if all the bathroom stuff was in … and the solar hot water connected. Christmas is so awfully close … and I have visitors booked in to arrive … I’m sure they would like a bathroom.

The curtains are ready to be delivered … can’t wait to see them all up. I’ve been working on the cushions for the window seats with my Mum … I just adore all the materials, and we’ve found some great edging stuff to bind them with. The interior designer had picked out a cushion size of 50cmx90cm … and I was wondering how I was going to find a cushion that size – but that is actually a king size pillow size, so although they were expensive fillers to use pillows instead of cushions, they are the perfect size! Photos to come soon of some of these … though it might be until I get the dining table in the dining room that I’ll be able to finish them off (need somewhere clean to sew vs in the dust!).

Duel at dawn – gentlemen pick your weapons

2009-12-14T14:49:00.001+11:00

Not quite a dawn duel … and not many gentlemen around … but my weapon of choice was “the plans”, kitchen guy’s weapon was “defensive cocky attitude” … the plans won!

It was a pretty tense confrontation … the kitchen guy implying that if I wanted something built to plans then I needed to ensure that every single measurement was on the plan … which I called bullshit on … the plans were drawn to scale by a professional, the majority of the measurements were on the plans … and doing hideous things is not acceptable.

It has been agreed that the draw fronts will be replaced … that took quite a bit … but it is on the plans! The draw fills will be changed (he tried to convince me that it was standard to be given half a cupboard!), the glass in the overheads would be changed – had a great win on that one – I asked him to check his paper work, there it was in black and white, the glass was opaque not clear! The rangehood top will be fixed … though I decided that rather than rely upon them to get the correct corbel, I would order them myself. For a $20 item that makes an impact it was not worth the effort of trying to get them to do them … I’m sure I can work out how to paint them and stick them on if they arrive after the builders leave!

He did ask me who I thought would be paying for the changes …I nearly laughed … not me!!!

That was probably my worst nightmare for the whole renovation experience … having to stand up to someone who was trying to bully me into doing what they wanted … and making my lack of knowledge their excuse for doing a bad job. Thank goodness I’m obsessive about lists and paperwork, they just had no excuses with things in writing.

So far they’ve re-done the shelf – interestingly, they had asked the builder to create a template of the shelf bracket, builder draws up a pretty one the first go … but what the kitchen guys have put in is what is on the plan ;-) So they’ve wasted the builders time … and it would have been nice to have the pretty template one, but I’m still so much happier with what is on the plan vs the horrid shelf bracket they put in in the first place.

My side of the argument went something like "it is on the plans", "the plans show", "the plans are drawn to scale, those are the measurements", "on the spreadsheet you were given it says", "there it is on the plan", "there is the enlarged detail on the plan", "check the paper work I gave you, it is written there", "there is the written measurement", "as you can see here on the plan ..." :-) !!!!!

His side of the argument was a whole lot weaker and it just goes to show ... if it is in writing and on the plans ... they can come up with lots of excuses ... but it wont hold! Even though they'll make the changes ... the cupboards/draws will never have the profile exactly how I thought it would look like ... hard to describe but I asked for shaker profile, and the ones I've got are really sort of shallow, with rounded corners - not true shakerish ... but the difference is minor and I don't have anything in writing to define exactly how deep and right angled I wanted the corners (bugger).

At the end of the discussion I left the builder to talk more with the kitchen guy … and I could hear as I left “so why didn’t you build it like it is on the plans?” :-)

The blank space is filled ... with mistakes!

2009-12-03T19:16:00.012+11:00

I cried again today ... luckily not in front of the builders this time!!! Only my second set of big tears over this process I suppose it really has been too easy.

The kitchen arrived today ... I was desperate to see it going in but stayed out of the way. I was asked in for a question about the bench at one stage during the day, when I saw the most HIDDEOUS looking shelf on the wall. It looked awful ... I thought maybe it only had temporary brackets holding it up ... I couldn't put a measuring tape on it (as the builders were all around) so decided to wait until they were all gone and to go out with plans and tape (I hate to make a claim that something is wrong until I've quadruple checked plans and measurements).

The painter was around and asked me what I though of the kitchen ... I said I hadn't really seen it yet but I didn't like the shelf. He went and spoke to one of the builders (not the kitchen guys - they had already left) ... and a builder came to me ... I really didn't want to start making claims about it being wrong until I could check for myself ... but they said I had to quickly speak up so they could rip it off the wall before the glue dried!!!!

We pulled out the plans, the tape measure, the pretty picture from a magazine it was modelled on ... and it was ripped OFF the wall!!! I wasn't wrong ... the plans and the shelf brackets were very different to reality! Picture shows my attempt to put them side by side in an image shows the difference ... though the shelf that remains is the microwave shelf (which I thought might be larger than the other ones since it has a larger shelf to support).

Quick discussion with the builders (the senior one wasn't on site today) and we sketched up an alternative (a pretty bracket!) ... those lemon meringue tarts that I made for them yesterday, at the neighbours, must have helped ;-) ... they get chocolate marshmallows tomorrow. Where they ripped the shelf off the wall has damaged the plasterwork ... but it will be covered by the tiled splashback ... the microwave shelf can't be removed without major problems.

Below is the front on view of the microwave shelf ... it is kind of hard to tell in this photo ... but it is really LARGE ... imagine something wider than a standard fridge ... and takes up huge wall space ... the shelf over the bench was this size but even bigger ... ugh!!!

I thought we'd got through the kitchen hiccup ... I thought that'd be it ... I waited until all the trades were out before further investigation ... and what I found caused me to cry ... it wasn't just the shelves wrong ... there is SO MUCH else wrong!!! It seemed nearly everything I opened wasn't right. Below is the main bench (with damage to the wall).

I was wandering around trying to work out why it looked all wrong ... it just didn't give the feel of what I thought it was going to look like. I got out the pictures I'd cut out of magazines to try and identify what felt wrong ... and I finally worked it out ... I'd asked for a particular profile on the draws and cupboards ... what they had done was a sort of interpretation of this. I wanted boring plain even surrounds ... they seem to have improvised ... below is a picture showing the plan vs the reality. Plan has one distance around the molding (marked yellow) ... the reality is three different sizes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It just makes it look all weird ... and modern! Also ... although two plans slightly differ ... I was planning on putting the handles on the top section (not in the middle as on the plan shown to the left) ... which on the lower draws is only the size of the blue measurement ... not big enough for the handles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The tears were flowing ... and then I opened the draws ... oh my ... oh no ... what the?!?!?!?

The kitchen maker and I had discussed the draws/cupboards were supposed to be like inside ... the cupboard below was supposed to be for my baking trays:
Can't work out how I'm going to put baking trays in there ... if I take off the top basket (which is removeable) the bottom basket is not deep enough to stop them flipping out. I have a peverse desire to hand the kitchen guy a baking tray and say "here, you put it in".

The next draw didn't stop the tears ... this one is supposed to be for tea towels and bottles ....
ummmmm ... half a draw!??!?! what's the other side supposed to have in it? you can't reach into it!!! One narrow little shelf bit?!?!?!?!

Then I opened one of the main big draws ... to find the sides only go halfway up ... so you can't fill the draws!!!!!!!!!!!!! arrggghhh!! I think I'm in the kitchen where the Mad Hatter's tea party was prepared!!!

Then I noticed the rangehood is in the wrong place ... I know it is odd ... but I wanted the actual vent bits to be to one side ... because the oven only has burners on one side (the other side is just a warming plate) ... had discussed this with the kitchen guy ... he wrote it down ... and nope ... it didn't happen.

Another "hmm ... that doesn't look right" .... the mantle over the oven ... just looked too big ... sure enough ... I look at the plans which have 250mm .. and I put up the measuring tape 330mm . ... just a little bit out!!!!

I hadn't quite worked out why they had used such thick MDF in the pantry ... I SHOULD have spoken up about it ... because that horrible thick stuff is all through the kitchen ... the linen cupboard (photo further down below) has normal thickness shelves ... but the new cookbookshelf (is that a word?!) has the thick stuff too... I've never seen bookshelves with huge thick shelves ... they don't have to take that much weight!! Looks awful :-(

Below is the east side of the kitchen .. apart from thick shelves, weird molding on the draws ... it doesn't look too bad!!! Bench colour is OK ... don't know why the powerpoints are at that height (the other side of the kitchen has them lower) ... but I like the top cupboards .. oh BUGGER ... just realised ... the glass was supposed to be opaque!!!!!!!!!! arrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhh!!!! *sob*
Ok ... enough whinging and wringing of hands ... I rang the senior builder, he'll be out tomorrow to discuss. The kitchen guy also called ... he'll be out tomorrow (and on the defensive ... he wasn't expecting my list of issues!) ... tomorrow wont be much fun ... but if the plans say something, then I'm sticking to them!!!

On to good things ... one draw I opened was GOOD ... the rubbish bins!!!! yup ... they're bigger than I expected (but the size I was hoping) ... they are fabulous! Lots of room for recycleables and rubbish!!

The first window seat is in ... in the dining room!! It looks a little low at the moment ... but it was put that way to account for the actual upholstery cushion going on top. Looks pretty!! There was nearly a hiccup over this one ... the builders had put in the skirting board without putting in the window seat. I mentioned it to one of the guys on site (to stop them doing the kitchen one and wasting their time) ... the senior builder approached me the next day saying he thought that the dining room would look better without the window seat ... ohhhh noooo you don't ... just because you made a boo-boo does not mean you get out of creating my window seat, not when I've spent $$$ on getting materials and upholstery done for it! Builder quickly saw it my way and this is today's result!

And I'd like to enter my linen closet in the "world's biggest linen closet" competition ... not sure you can get an idea of size from this photo (use the door as comparison) ... but it is HUUUUGGGGEEE!!! I can take all the stuff out of the spare room ... and it will fit in here!!!! (oh ... it will have doors too!)

Oh ... and for those who struggle to throw things out ... I'd watched an exchange between the builder and the painter ... they had some of the pretty cornice left over ... two big pieces ... the painter asked the builder if he wanted it brought in before the rain came, the builder said he didn't want it, the painter could take it if he wanted ... no the painter didn't want it either ... I looked at it ... and desperately wanted to keep it ... but what would I ever use cornice for?!?!? Well ... when they installed the rangehood today, they realised they just needed an extra piece of cornice ... pity it poured with rain the other day and it is ruined!!!!

This space left intentionally blank

2009-11-30T08:03:00.003+11:00

yes ... this blank space ...

... is for the kitchen ... hopefully not blank too much longer.

Hoping to pick up my new kitchen table today (an ebay purchase) - which needs some work on it ... given I've never done any furniture restoration (or destroying according to one of my friends, who is horrified I'm going to paint the table!) ... it could be interesting. I was sort of hoping to have time to do it once the builders have finished - then I can use my garage AND I wont look like a dill if I stuff it up in front of the builders :-)
Oh and the above photo is your first look at the floor that was finished last week ... the dogs love sliding around on it - I'll have to tell them off once it is all sanded and varnished!

The house is now actually at lock up (not just officially for the payments!) ... I have all external doors and windows in. The last door to go in was my pretty new back door.
One of the builders worked on Saturday (whilst I flew off for a wedding in Adelaide) ... and all the internal doors were put in ... the one below leads to the dining room. Painting is going ahead - kitchen still needs another coat but you can see the pretty green the dining room will be.

The dining room is the only room painted a colour - and it nearly missed out, it got a coat of Antique White USA before the painter was corrected. I think there was a mix up with the room names, and he thought the living room was the dining room (which actually could be a good idea!).

Interestingly I heard one of the builders saying the kitchen was going in Thursday - not the Tuesday I've been told ... and I can't quite work out how that is going to work, if the floors are supposed to be being done then. This week was supposed to be the week that I moved out so that the floors could be done ... I'll be hanging around until the last moment until I move - less trauma for the little animals!

I managed to get all my curtain orders in ... I should have the curtains for the dining rooms definitely - and the rollers in the kitchen are a pretty high chance, the romans in the kitchen are the least likely.

The builders themselves have some minor floor repair work to do, the skirtings aren't in yet, the window seats aren't in ... but they really are nearly done! Now for the plumber and the electrician to do their bit.

ooooo ... I have a laundry ... and a store area ... and a pantry ... and ...

2009-11-24T17:51:00.017+11:00

Very exciting homecoming today ... when I left this morning the joiners had arrived ... so I knew big things were happening today. Sure enough when I got home they were still working at 5pm and I now have a laundry, a pantry, a storage area ... oh ... and I also have all my exterior door handles in the WRONG place!!! argh!!!! When I'm home the builders never do anything evil ... as soon as I leave for the day it seems they start to think up evil things to do ... especially since I'd already discussed it with them ... they are NOT going to be happy when I tell them ALL the doors have to be re-done (I'm hoping this is actually possible!!)!!!

The pantry ... plans and results ... WOW WOW WOW!!! My dream pantry ... I want to fill it all up right away! I don't think I've quite allowed enough room for all the appliances ... but I'll see how I go once I pack them in!

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The laundry plans ... and the results ... I really like how this has come out ... can't wait to see it with the final doors on the washing machine area!

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The laundry has a hallway storage cupboard ... here is my plan ... and the results!! Quite pleased with how it has come out ... only one thing I would change, which would to be to make the mail shelves shallower so you aren't tempted to hit your head!!! Also I didn't count in the effect of the kickboard ... so the boots wont be sitting on the ground (and the nice dark tile ... might have to put a layer of something at the base of the cupboard for muddy boots) ... now to work out the hooks to put in!

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Apparently my floors will be in by the end of the week ... the kitchen is arriving on Tuesday ... and I have to be out late next week for them to stain and polish the floors!! Not quite sure when the tiling is going in ... think we might have a bit of a hiccup with some of the tiling ... I handed the builder the tile for the kitchen and laundry today ... and his response was "I didn't know there was tiling in the kitchen" ... hmmmm!! Not sure about that one ... they are PC items anyway, so not included in his quote ... and of course there had to be something behind the oven as a splashback ... so not sure what he thought was going there.

The door between two worlds opens

2009-11-19T17:21:00.004+11:00

I've been living a bit of an illusion ... it has been as though the renovation is a house on its own ... not really connected to the part I'm living in. Two very different worlds ... but today, for the first time, the door between the worlds was opened ... we have connection!!

The door was quickly closed again to keep out the heat :-) ... but gone is my illusion of a separate existance ... and hopefully soon there will be even less of a difference between the two - they are talking about putting the floorboards in!!!

Today I came home to find many of the cornices installed ... below is the laundry hallway (with manhole or womanhole!).
The bathroom is looking closer ... the hold up on the bath is the tap company sending the wrong tap thingie (they don't seem to appreciate my re-naming of tap parts?!?!). Hopefully tomorrow they will live up to their promises and actually turn up with the right bit ... can't see why they couldn't have posted it two weeks ago ... the whole "customer care" thing seems rather silly if the care takes a whole lot longer and distrupts building!!

The last of the windows are in ... the kitchen sink window and the bay windows ... oh ... and A door. Note: only one door ... we seem to have a case of the disappearing doors. One day the french doors are there, the next they are gone ... I look in the morning and watch them install them ... then they are gone by the afternoon ... so far I think they've gone in 3 times ... and still no doors (not sure I really want to ask!!).

One of my very exciting pickups this week (it is like Christmas with all the boxes arriving!) ... were the fabrics for the window seats. First up is the dining room ... the gold stripe is Warwick Port Norris Gold for the main window seat upholstery then cushions in: the creamy one that is above the blue is a gorgeous soft fabric (Warwick ), the houndtooth one is Warwick Grove Beach ... and there is one more cushion to go - a bright gold one.

The kitchen window seat fabrics ... missing the main upholstery fabric which is a light blue ticking stripe on white, and one of the cushion colours is missing (because I haven't picked it yet ... going to be a solid bright red) .... the other cushions are: Hoad Torquay Claret (the apple green motif one), Warwick Toulouse Cherrywood (the red pattern) and Warwick Provence Marina (the blue toile). I LOVE these colours!!! So exciting to see them together ... can't wait to see them on an actual window seat!!

To give Christy a giggle .....

2009-11-17T17:38:00.001+11:00

I wasn't making it up!

It only took two days ... WALLS!!

2009-11-09T07:27:00.005+11:00

A big load of plasterboard arrived on Friday ... then Saturday, when I was only expecting one builder (who was picking something up and leaving) I got a whole lot ... and the plasterers! In just two day's they've nearly completed the walls. There are a couple of sections missing (I think they ran out) ... but otherwise it is done!

The kitchen:

The bathroom:

The dining room (which now feels bigger):

The laundry:
I can't wait to see what happens next!

Dying of thirst? Find a rose!

2009-11-05T19:00:00.007+11:00

Today I'd planned to chop down the big Cecil Brunner type rose at the front of the house ... it's got a bit out of control and was wrapped around one of the veranda posts - which needed painting. Good thing that was my plan ... I'd gone and got the tools, to come back and find the builder and painter considering what was going to be done with it today!! Once I got it down to just a tiny bit ... everyone noticed ... the rose was DRIPPING! One of the builders put a bowl underneath to see how much was coming out ... the bowl filled over! So if you're dying of thirst ... find a rose and chop it down!! (dead soft toy donated by the puppy to complete the scene!!) Lots of other developments have happened over the last couple of days ... finally we have windows in the dining room. Click on the outside window photo to see the larger version ... you might be able to see the detail of the weatherboards they've put between each window. The bath frame is in ... can't wait to see it all tiled up!! The builder was saying he's going to put some insulation around the bath in the frame ... which might help keep the bath warm!

The back door has glass in the panels - a door would be lovely too! With the veranda posts being painted I can now see how they are turning out ... I did really like them when they were white ... but the green does look fabulous too! Maybe in a couple of years I might change them back to white. The solar hot water was supposed to go in this week ... but it has been put off for another week. It is such a pity it has to ruin this pretty roof line!

Slow going

2009-10-29T09:10:00.006+11:00

Things are still very slow around here ... not many of the original crew working on site ... and days when no one turns up! The roof is at least on and apparently water tight - rain will tell!! Gutters are nearly done, some down pipes and I might start getting some water in my big tank. The plastering that was supposed to be done the other week ... hasn't happened.

The big thing this week was the arrival of the bay window roof bits ... I've been dying to see how they would turn out ... they look a bit smaller than I was expecting ... but they certainly do finish off the bay windows! Much prettier than other options I've seen.

Below is the corner of the french door to the kitchen ... the fun with the veranda has meant that the corner doesn't work properly ... it will be changed again from this ... hopefully I'll get a bit of architrave around the window - as it is going to look odd with the architrave being dark green.

Solar hot water system should be arriving tomorrow ... the joiner was supposed to come out last week and discuss the kitchen etc ... he still hasn't arrived. Christmas is looking more and more like a BBQ :-(

One post I missed doing last week was after talking to the interior designer ... we spent a couple of hours going through fabric choices ... a fairly difficult task, nothing seems quite right! I have decided on about 11 fabrics though!!!! Just got to hope they are all available now! I chose the colours for the curtains in the dining room, the dining room window seat ... and the kitchen window seat ... still to be confirmed are the kitchen curtains ... the colours just weren't quite right (it seems so simple ... just a shade of cream!).

After picking out all the fabrics (and not thinking too much about how much it cost) ... I thought I'd google the fabrics to put together a document of them all (and maybe share them here) ... didn't find many of the important ones so the others don't seem very relevant ... but whilst googling I found myself a bargain ... one of the fabrics which I need most of, I found on ebay ... the right amount of fabric ... and the cost for the entire amount was less than a 1/4 of what I was going to pay!!

I'm currently trolling ebay looking for the perfect kitchen table ... that'd be nice Christmas present to myself!

A new countdown date!

2009-10-20T20:33:00.003+11:00

The builder has set a new completion date ... 7 December ... who else is putting money on the builder being at my place on Christmas eve?!? (and not for pre-Christmas drinks!).

The plaster who was supposed to come Monday, was put off until Wednesday - looking at the site this evening, I can't see that they'll be plastering tomorrow!! The roofer did work late on Monday, but not around today ... I got a couple of gutters up, but I can still see daylight through the roof!!! Surely the capping on the roof was more important than the gutters?! Can't work out how they are going to put up plaster whilst missing most of the windows and part of the roof.

Today there was no one on site! Very frustrating!

The first room!

2009-10-16T10:01:00.004+11:00

Here it is ... the first room! The living room has been extended, and it is the only new section that is being lined with boards in the same way the old part of the house is. You can see near the french doors that they reused some of the old boards (which I'm happy with ... I wanted to recycle as much as I could).

The floorboards have arrived ... not quite the recycled boards I wished I could have ... the builder wasn't really into that concept!! Let's hope they look OK in the end.
I have finally ordered my rangehood ... that really was an icky decision ... nothing really was right ... so I've gone for one that has the fan on the outside of the house, to hopefully make it quieter. There was another one I would have liked ... unfortunately it wasn't going to be available until December ... and that wasn't really going to work (I could just see me trying to get it installed the day before Christmas!). The one I've chosen isn't quite big enough (those were twice the price) but given I don't really cook that many things that need the exhaust, hopefully it will be fine.

I'm starting to realise I'd better get my orders in if I want things installed before Christmas ... but it is a bit hard since I don't have a sealed roof yet ... and I can't measure windows when they don't actually exist! Curtains I think are going to be really important ... summer is going to be nasty and I'll need the block outs in before Christmas.

I've got a list of must haves before Christmas:
- air con for the kitchen
- solar hot water system
- carpet in the dining room
- window seat cushions
- new TV

I'm sure I'm forgetting something important!

My storybook cottage

2009-10-12T15:10:00.003+11:00

It is just sooooo pretty!! My not-so-little-anymore storybook cottage.

Above is the west side of the house ... to the left is the bay window for the kitchen, the center is the main kitchen bench window, then to the right is the dining room bay window. I do love the white (undercoat) veranda posts/window frames ... but they'll all go dark green to match the original - I know the white looks prettier, but ... I know I'd never keep it clean!

Above shows the kitchen living room new french doors, the kitchen bay window, then the dining room french doors. The veranda to the left is not quite finished yet.

They have started installing the "back" door ... the main door that will be used. The plan was to replicate the front door, which - other than some minor changes - it looks like it will be beautiful. That is my ensuite sitting under the veranda, very pleased with how that fits in (though the little window is a pain to open!).

The kitchen has its plumbing rough-in and electricals ... the bench is going to be over 5 metres long ... certainly beats the tiny area I had before! I can't wait to see how that window looks once it goes in ... it is the only one that is quite different to the originals - much wider compared to the height.

This photo shows the bathroom window - the bath will sit just below this, the vanity to the left of it. I'm glad all these decisions are already done ... nothing really left to decide in here except the light!

All the rough in electrics have been done ... so there are wires going everywhere ... and I'm not even having any fancy systems! I would have loved to go for the home automation stuff ... but that cost just was a bit beyond the budget. Hopefully the technology will become cheaper and I can look into it in the future. This photo is of the small side of the kitchen (the sort of breakfast area).

The only slight worry at the moment ... no builders for two days ....

So many things today, which is the most exciting?

2009-10-01T19:05:00.005+10:00

After being out all day today I came home to many exciting things. So many, each turn around the house revealed something new! I think .... I vote the photo below THE most exciting:
OK ... so they look like boring floorboards (with a doggie foot!) ... I know I've nearly gone completely mad this past week ... buuuutttt ... this is the living room floor that I want to be floorboards, I desperatly wanted the original floorboards (the builder kept talking about putting in new ones to match the other new ones) ... and I had no idea what state they would be in, but there was a high chance they would be like this previous photo - of the kitchen floorboards - completely useless and in need of total replacement.
Instead I have beautiful floorboards that look in wonderful condition!!! Yippeeee!!! You can see the darker side where Black Japan has been applied ... I'd like the darker colour eventually for the entire floor. Hopefully, that also means that the hallway will have the same pretty floorboards that are useable!!

They've also removed the temporary wall that was put in the living room, opening it up so I can see its actual size and the impact of the wonderful french doors. I love this room!

I was walking around the house thinking "I'd just love to live in this beautiful house" ... and not too long until I get to live in the rest of it!

I didn't even notice a HUGE addition until a bit later ... you can just see it peeking behind there ....

Yup ... my big tank went in today!!! It is sooo very nice (not that I can quite work out where the water goes in ... but I suppose that's the builder's problem!). Very pleased with the colour to match the house/garage ... now for some gutters on the house so it can actually fill with water. The other tank is already 3/4 full!

You can see why I was so excited tonight ... and beyond the little things, there are lots of smaller things going on - like the architraves on the windows, more painting and more!!

Oh I nearly forgot another big thing ... all my bathroom supplies arrived! Not that I can really tell what the bath looks like when it is upside down, or the shower in its boxes ... but they are here!!!!

Lots of changes

2009-09-28T20:15:00.006+10:00

I was being slack and didn't take photos of the prep of the front of the house, so you've missed a stage ... they've started painting!!! The new green looks very pretty on the one veranda post they've done so far, I'm really pleased at how the rafters under the veranda have come up (considering I don't like them and wish they weren't there!).Looking at the corner of the house below ... on the left is the new paint, on the right is the old paint ... even in "real life" it is hard to pick the different colour (the new one is a shade or two lighter ... oh, and not covered in dust!).

They've got the french door frame in for the living room in ... which means I've lost another room!! But of course ... means the finish is a bit closer!

The bay window on the dining room is moving along ... the window frames are sitting in my garage, I can't wait to see them go in. I also noticed that the tin for the roof over bathroom arrived today (it isn't corrugated like the rest of the roof ... architects!!) ... the roofer was supposed to come today, but bad weather once again put him off. Hopefully nice weather tomorrow will mean they can get the capping on (I'm in a bit of denial about how much water must have got in over the last couple of days ... most of it has the old stuff temporarily attached, but there are gaps).

Your first look at the full house

2009-09-17T20:10:00.006+10:00

Whilst the weather was lovely they got quite a bit of the roof tin on ... and I finally got to see what the final look will be like. Gone is the little cottage side ... now it is a lovely big house!!

Below is the window that today made me cry in front of the builers (how very embarrassing!!) ....

&^*(E#&(@! architect!!! His lovely design on paper ... doesn't actually work in reality. It was supposed to match the existing windows (below) ... the specifications say "match existing windows" - but even the dimensions given don't match the existing window!

The red line shows the line of the veranda rafter ... the window was supposed to go up to where the open section is ... obviously ... not going to work. Soooooo frustrating!! If certain people had measured properly, if they had actually looked at the design, if they had actually thought!!!! I suppose I should have know - but I thought he knew what he was doing ... and that if I read something said "match" then it was going to ... match!! The pretty pictures (not sure they can be called plans) looked right.

The poor builder is fairly cross about it all (being nice of course!) ... other than 1 window, every single window in the specifications is wrong. He's been unable to order in the windows and the wall frames have had to have alterations.

We have the same rafter problem across the french doors going out from the kitchen and dining room - the builders had already agreed that the rafter will have to be cut so it doesn't block the door... there is no other alternative anyone can think up!

Friday afternoon - roof started

2009-09-14T11:28:00.002+10:00

By the end of Friday we had part of the roof on ... it looks great!! There was a massive storm over the weekend, so I spent the time hiding inside waiting for the lovely new roof to fly off!! Lots of banging and crashing, but nothing seems to have flown.

Hopefully more will be done today ... they got Chocolate Praline Mousse Cake for morning tea (cake baked at my neighbours a little while ago and frozen) ... so plenty of sugar to keep them working!!

I don't have a girly tape measure!

2009-09-11T09:06:00.004+10:00

One of the tanks is going behind the house, the builders had started to create the sand pad for the tank a couple of weeks ago. The tank was supposed to arrive about 3 weeks ago and I've commented a couple of times to the builder about whether the sand pad will be ready in time "sure, no problems".

The sand pad looked too small ... I'd stepped it out, and whilst my legs aren't exactly metric ... I've got some idea of distances!! The pad needed to be 6.85m ... my steps made it seem less than 5m.

I approached the builder again last week, said that I was concerned the sand pad wouldn't be ready in time (we may not have got much notice for tank installation) ... once again "no problems, it's all sorted".

On Monday night I got the phone call ... the tank will be arriving in the morning. Went out with my measuring tape ... measured twice ... and sure enough ... 5m not 6.85m!! Ring the builder ... no he says, it is the right size, it is complete and ready. I was thinking I must be mad ... so back out I go with the tape measure, still is 5m to me!! I'm wondering at this stage if my tape measure is missing a bit ;-) !!! Maybe there is some odd way to measure the pad? Maybe I'm confused by diameter and another measurement ... I was never very good with square meters!!

Next morning ... the builders arrive and I stay inside until they've got working ... sure enough, when I go out ... there they are ... making the sand pad bigger!!! I DON'T have a girly tape measure!!!!!!!

The tank didn't actually get installed after all that ... the weather was dreadful again!! The tank people arrived and marked a circle ... that was way too close to the house for what I wanted. Builder promises me it wont end up there!

Lots of changes happening elsewhere ... the veranda for the old part of the house is nearly done. It is looking fantastic. Although over winter I've loved the extra light coming in through the windows, it is nice to feel a bit protected and not have rain/hail on the windows.

Weatherboards going on

2009-09-06T10:56:00.004+10:00

Because I see it everyday sometimes it looks like there is no progress and no point taking photos ... but when looking through today's I realised there have been big changes and it is starting to look more and more like a house vs a frame.

More windows have gone in (and they fixed up the holes from the other day so I've got my other room back!). I was quite excited to see a new part of the veranda going up ... this part I'm going to try to work out how to turn it into a courtyard ... but it is a bit smaller than I was expecting.

The tin for the roof arrived on Friday ... but the weather expected this week is not so great so I doubt it will go on immediately.

Down to one room

2009-09-02T08:51:00.004+10:00

Yesterday the builders took out the window in "bedroom 3" ... my current living room, dining room, kitchen and pantry all-in-one ... of course it would "only take one day" ... but I was left with some rather large gaps in the walls. Since it got down to below freezing last night, not exactly a nice place to be!

So I'm now down to just having the master bedroom ... my toaster and I are coping just fine!!!

Bits of progress, but it is still really slow. They've put in the door frames for two of the french doors, I've received a quote for the flyscreens (only slightly scary - of course ... will put the door PC amount at least treble what the architect allowed), nearly finalised the bathroom order and I've picked the glass for the bathroom window (one sort looked prettier - if my visitors didn't mind being nearly completely visible to the outside world!).

Next coming decisions are the floorboards, some of the kitchen stuff and I'm sure there'll be some surprises in there!

Check out the countdown!!

2009-08-24T10:58:00.002+10:00

Yup ... countdown is at zero ... completion date was supposed to be Saturday ... surprisingly enough it isn't done! Not even close!! And we're going to have quite a bit of delay this week ... the roof was supposed to be going on, but with high winds forecast ... it has been put off until next week.

Gives me a bit more time to search for various things ... roller screen fly doors, canopy roof for the bay windows and bath surrounds.

The canopy roof is being tricky ... looks like a custom job ... of course in the UK they have a zillion and one options!

Walls!!

2009-08-19T08:40:00.004+10:00

The architect managed to come back in daylight ... and we went over the frame. I hope he knew what he was looking at, because I have noooo idea!! He seemed quite happy with everything. The builder was around so we went through a couple of issues I'd raised.

One issue I've been concerned about was the bay windows. I thought they were going to be sash windows but the builder pointed out that on the plan the markings indicate a casement window (I had no idea that is what those lines were). I'd sort of resigned myself that I must have not checked it over properly ... but I went back for one last look at the specs ... and on the window schedule it says "sash" ... so I wasn't wrong. The architect just made an error having sash on one document and casement on another.

After some discussions yesterday ... I'm getting my sash windows!! Yippeee!! I really didn't want fly screens inside the house ... and leaning against fly screens whilst sitting on the window seat wasn't something I thought would be nice. (oh ... and so much for the builder's comments that the windows were ordered and couldn't be changed ... he didn't even bring that up in front of the architect.

After more discussion we've also managed to reduce the amount of balkhead for the hallway section ... it is still going to look odd ... but the compromise should make it a tiny bit less obvious

By the end of the day we had the first lot of walls up ... the external weatherboards.

Also I finally got my shower screen for the ensuite ... it still is waiting on the proper vanity to come before it really is finished ... but it is my first "after" photo!!

Grrrr... architect!!

2009-08-18T07:37:00.002+10:00

Yesterday the architect was supposed to come and inspect the frame to sign off on whether it is finished or not. He said he would be out at 5:30pm ... which I thought was pushing it a bit for daylight, but the days are getting longer. I hung around outside waiting for him ... notebook at the ready... by 6pm I gave up ... at 6:30 ... he drove up the drive.

I told him I thought it was ridiculous to inspect the frame in the dark and he should come back another day. Which he will do.

I'm just shocked he'd consider that he could do a good job in the dark!!!

Today I have to make the decision on the hot water system ... a couple of people coming to quote today ... the plumber is about to go on holidays and they want to know as soon as possible so that the plumbing is in before the walls go on.

Builder is feeling the time pinch ... he's asked if it would be OK to work on Saturdays!!

Better take some more photos ... the roof is due to go on any day now!

Trusses in one day

2009-08-12T20:25:00.003+10:00

This morning I heard lots of big truck noises ... when I got outside the trusses had been delivered ... I went out for the day and returned to find that the trusses were nearly all up!!

The kitchen has shrunk again ... having a "roof" on it makes it seems smaller ... but the mudroom/laundry area seems taller!!

Busy bee ... quick decisions!

2009-08-11T15:04:00.003+10:00

Last week talking to the builder I asked if there were any decisions coming up that he needed me to make (I was thinking it was a bit quiet) ... no ... plenty of time yet until the next lot of stuff he assured me, really it would be weeks away ... of course ... a couple of days later I get "I need to know exactly where to put your plumbing ... tomorrow"!

So off plumbing shopping I've gone. Lots of decisions ... that got quite tricky because I don't want mixer taps everywhere ... the world is completely orientated to mixer taps ... I highly recommend developing a liking for them if you want to renovate because it would be so much easier if I could!!

I've had to give in for one tap - which will be a twinner tap ... so still two levers for hot and cold, but only one spout section thingie (just showing off my expertise in tricky building technical terms!). After going around the shops and despairing at the differences between the budget (thank you Mr Architect) and the reality of the prices ... I decided that I would just seeeeee how much it would be for my dream taps (the ones I'd agonised over for the ensuite because they went over budget) ... just one little quote so I could squash the dream ... and ... YAY!!! They've come down in price (clever me not ordering all the taps earlier!) and now are the equivalent of the others I was looking at (still a bit over budget)!!!

I think I could invent a new reality TV show for Mr Architect ... it goes something like this .... you've been given a budget of $500 for items that usually cost $1000 ... you must find something that fits the style of the house, that doesn't look ugly, that works, comes in on budget, is deliverable to woop woop, fits into a space designed by someone who didn't think ... oh ... and you've got to find it within the next hour!

I think that would be quite entertaining for me ... would be quite fun to watch someone else scramble (especially if he was the silly one who put the silly budget together in the first place!). I'm thinking of donating my rangehood problem to him ... still no luck solving it!

Other wins were the window in the bathroom ... OK so I accused Mr Architect of stuffing that one up ... but it wasn't him :-) ... the builders had changed the window, but not centred it on the wall (had nicely centered it on an oustide wall that wont be relevant once the weatherboards are up!!). So ... they should be moving it!

Today's urgent decisions were the tiles for the laundry etc ... luckily I have a wonderful friend who doesn't mind me copying her fantastic ideas ... so I'd already thought about using her tiles ... and since I had to tell them immediately what I was going to use .... I rang up to confirm they are still available ... and could hand over the tile we'll be using within the timeframe.

Next urgent decision ... hot water systems ... to gas boost or not to gas boost ... that is the question!! Definitely going solar ... but which sort?! Off to research a bit more!

Oh ... and the builders got a lurvely box of chocolates from my chocolate dipping class ... empty box got returned with a note of thanks saying they were "swell" ... must be the irish coming out!!

Frames nearly done

2009-08-06T20:16:00.004+10:00

I haven't been updating much because although things are moving along, the photos I take don't really show the developments.

The wall frames are nearly complete ... no roof trusses yet though.

I can now walk through all the rooms in the house ... and get a feeling of the height of it all. The laundry seems small ... the kitchen is huugggeee!! Will be interesting to see how those sizes end up once the walls /windows / doors are really there.

Internal door way to living room

Kitchen looking to window seat

Kitchen looking to pantry

Hallway extension

The dogs view the whole thing as an exciting maze to play chasey through ... and the chickens have also inspected the works!

More frames up

2009-08-01T14:15:00.005+10:00

The first internal doorway was up on Friday ... not sure why that seems significant, but it does! It is the doorway from the mudroom area to the kitchen.

The windowseat areas in the dining and living area look great ... can't wait to see them filled with cushions and sunshine. The perfect reading place!

The back of the house will soon have another tank put in.

Obviously we're going to go overtime ... which will be interesting to see how that is worked out. I'm not surprised or worried ... living here isn't too bad at the moment. The split system for the master bedroom went in on Friday, but isn't powered up yet ... I'll be very thrilled when I get proper heating!!

The biggest angst this week is the mistake the architect has made working out the roof line. I wish it was possible to go back and design that part again, but it looks like I'm just going to have a part of the house I really dislike.

First wall frame goes up

2009-07-29T14:04:00.003+10:00

I got to see the first wall frame going up ... and the sudden realisation of how tall it is going to be! The old section that was demolished had much lower ceilings. Though we've hit another architect problem - due to one of the roof lines (the one I have hated all along and wish wasn't there) there is going to have to be a lower internal hallway section (and therefore a bulkhead where I don't want one to be), and it isn't going to have the neat outside lines I wanted - where it wasn't possible to see the join between the old and new section. Nothing I can do about it.

Ensuite shower was SUPPOSED to be working last night ... but no hot water!! eeekk!!! They've promised me today!

That's my heated towel rail (which is working) to the left ... it is going to be a bit squishier than I wanted getting in and out of the shower, but I couldn't see the point of having the towel rail on the other side of the bathroom! Oh - and the electricians thought I might have overkilled the heater in the bathroom - nooooooo way :-) Not at this time of year!

A slab, painting and still no phone!

2009-07-27T09:59:00.005+10:00

The slab was poured on Friday ... standing on the outside of it, the house seems small ... once it was dry and I walked on it ... house seems large! HUGE in fact! Neighbours must think I'm mad as I "walk" through the house working out where things go.

My little cat had his first house explore ... he thinks it may be suitable for his requirements!

Ensuite - the painters were in on both Saturday and Sunday ... not quite sure if it has the final coat on yet, there was a bit of a mix up with paint colours (once again, lucky I was there) but all was sorted. I'm really really really hoping I'll be allowed to use the shower soon!

Look ... I have a new luxury ...

2009-07-24T10:26:00.003+10:00

Yes, that's an INDOOR toilet that actually works!!!!! Can't wait for the next luxurious thing on the list - hot and cold running water!! There might be a possibility the shower could be working for the weekend - there are taps, there is a showerhead, there was water on the floor ... could these add up to a working shower?!

I think the builders will be as happy as I will be when the ensuite is working - the portable ensuite thing is just not working out and they spend lots of time fiddling with the hot water to try to make it work (which it doesn't) ... and ... they wont have me asking questions about how much longer!!

As I left this morning the builders were on site early ... apparently at 7:30 the big cement trucks were arriving ... the slab is being poured. I'm hoping the fact that it was below zero and completely frozen everywhere isn't going to cause a problem. Tonight when I get home it will all be done - hope I get there before it dries too much so I can put a date in the concrete.

The first "inside" photos

2009-07-22T13:30:00.005+10:00

I had a thought as I was walking around after the builders left yesterday ... I can actually stand IN the extension and take photos of what it will be like - yes I know it probably isn't that amazing a thought to many, but it was the change from "I'm standing on a piece of dirt" to "I'm standing IN my house"!!!

So ... the first photos that will soon become reality!

The view from the back door:

The lounge area window seat (got to think of a new name for that area of the house, already have a living room so that doesn't fit!):

The kitchen bench to be:

The part of living room:

Still waiting on the ensuite - those drying times are just taking the time - grouting all done (thought I might have picked a colour that was too dark, but it seems to have dried much lighter and looks great), now have to wait until the seal is dry, then they can sand off the plasterwork, then painting, more drying time ... THEN they might be able to fit it out! So ... unlikely to be this weekend (sorry friends, I'll be visiting for more showers!).

Friday they hope to lay the slab - weather is looking ok ... just hoping not too much rain to ruin their preparations. Apparently the electrician is booked for next Thursday to start putting the wiring in - which means the frames will be up by then!

I'm still just amazed at the concept of IN the house!!!

Mud - glorious mud!

2009-07-20T11:49:00.005+10:00

Once they get going, they certainly do some amazing changes in a short period of time. They have nearly finished excavating the main extension site ... cutting my phone line in the process (try calling the mobile instead!). Below is a photo showing where the rooms are going to go ... it is looking small at the moment ... I'm sure it will grow in perception once there are walls. (click on the picture to enlarge it to see the room labels)

The dining room ... with doggie in my windowseat / bay window!

The ensuite is slowly coming along - this week will be about waiting for drying times ... if all goes to plan: grouting today, sealing Tuesday, Wednesday painting, Thursday (maybe) fitting out with toilet etc ... so I may have a bathroom by the weekend. I'll be much much happier then (and all my friends can breathe a sigh of relief I wont be visiting borrowing a bathroom!!).

The dogs just LOVE the excavations - great tunnels for them to race around in and jump on each other ... of course they come back covered in mud!!!

OMG - it's a gonna!!

2009-07-17T13:11:00.003+10:00

Seriously huge changes at home ... in two days they totally removed the back section of the house .... GONE!!! Smash and crash ... and I'm still without a finished ensuite.

They did begin tiling in the ensuite yesterday - another one of those "so glad I was at home" moments ... I went in to look at what was going on, asked the tiler if he could show me the two different tiles (floor vs wall) as I hadn't seen them together yet, and his response was "I didn't know there were two different tiles"!!! eeekkk!!! Luckily he'd only put up one tile - a floor tile on the wall - so it was in the nick of time and no major problems.

They've left me with a portable ensuite - ugh! It is fairly awful and I will go visit neighbours/friends/family/anyone rather than use the shower (I turned it on and the hot water stopped after a short time ... no way I'm standing under there in the cold waiting for the water to stop or it only occasionally working!!!). The tiling should only take a couple more days, then a day or so to fit in the other bits ... crossing my fingers before the end of the week I'll have my gorgeous heated ensuite!!

A roof!

2009-07-15T10:10:00.005+10:00

The ensuite is coming along - should be done by next week. There is an actual roof on it now vs the tarp, which is much better and less noise for me - and less likely to blow off in all the rain/wind we're having.

The builder has said that tonight I might get home to find the entire back of the house gone - and I'll have a temporary bathroom - ICK! But ... hopefully just for a week or so until the ensuite is completed. Not looking forward to going out in the rain to get to the bathroom.

Meeting with the builder yesterday we've changed some of the windows - two of which I'm really glad will change, until I saw how small the ensuite window was, I didn't realise how tiny the rest of them were going to be. It wasn't what I had imagined at all.

Discussion with the electrician yesterday about the electrical layout - I'm going to have to do some deciding on lights and pendants - the sort of thing I thought I could put off longer. I'm wondering if I'm brave enough to do something different in the main bathroom vs normal downlights!

Expecting no walls tonight!

2009-07-13T11:40:00.002+10:00

I'm expecting to get home tonight to find I have an "outside" bathroom. The builder is getting all the asbestos taken off today - which will leave me with no walls (well, there better be internal walls for the bathroom ... the neighbours might complain!!).

Didn't get photos on the weekend - too much rain! But the roof on the ensuite was on, which was probably a good thing since the tarps would have blown off in the wind. Builder said the roof will come off again today (they haven't actually put in the exhaust fan for the shower) ... and hopefully by the end of the week the ensuite might be done.

I'm fuming - WRONG septic installed

2009-07-10T11:43:00.009+10:00

Got home on Wednesday and looked out in the dark by torchlight ... hoping they'd have installed the septic during the day ... they had ... just the WRONG ONE!!!!

I'd done quite a bit of research when decided on the water treatment system I wanted, I'd asked around ... and made sure it was in the contract documents.

But ... not much help when they've dug a massive hole in the ground and installed it. Calling in the lawyers is not exactly going to help.

So who's fault is it?! well ... a little bit of a couple of people ... the builder for sending details on the wrong system (whilst all the while telling me "yes the xxx guy has been and checked it over, it isn't a problem to have the xxx system") and the architect for sending off the permit for the wrong system.

They're of course now selling me on the benefits of the other system ... but I'm just fuming at being presented with something that I've had no choice in and that they've done this behind my back ... and not the "accidental" we forgot to check the specs they're pretending.

Good things about being on site yesterday - tiler was there and we discussed the direction of the tiles (I'll get what I want) and he's going to do up a tile with some different grout colours so I can choose the one I like.

Had a meeting with builder and architect and, apart from my fuming, quite a few things were sorted - my worry with the windows not looking right seems to not be an issue and the builder is on it. There is a slight issue with the way the windows are hung - as I want them to be either opened at the top OR the bottom - not counterlevered by each other.

They poured some more concrete - just a small section of front veranda ... and some was left over so they've done a mini path for my dog enclosure ... I waited until it was nearly set and let the dogs run on it - cute little footie prints!! Not quite so cute: little puppy must have run across the front veranda when I wasn't looking - oops!!

Architect finally came up with the electrical plans ... which are all wrong!! Electrician is going to meet up with me next week and go through them all. Hopefully we'll be able to get them finalised quickly ... though I'm having a hard time looking through lighting websites - too many choices!!!

Ensuite is coming along nicely - they are saying possibly mid-next week for it to be complete.

Then they will smash the remaining part of the house down ... not that there is too much left to go, they've cleared out the inside. It is quite amusing, standing in the shower and, other than I've only got a lamp for light, it could be just like the house was before ... then I step out the door to chaos!

Wish they'd left the keys for the tractor

2009-07-08T14:08:00.004+10:00

Yesterday they finished removing the laundry
and have installed the pipe for the septic

but I wished they'd left the keys for the nice big tractor! I could have done some arena grading in the evening ;-) :-) !!!

Last night was probably the most uncomfortable for me so far ... the builders had disconnected most of the electrics in the house, so I was down to three power points and lots of extension leads. No power at all in the bathroom ... other than the lead coming in ... so I had a shower at night by lamp light - with the blow heater going. I had issues with trying to keep the heaters going and not short out the powerboards! Trying to run the necessities (fridge, heater and TV) was a bit of fun but I worked it out. Had to freeze whilst I plugged in the toaster!! Luckily - the most important things - hot water, electric blanket and fridge worked!

Apparently the ensuite should be complete mid-next week ... the tiler is the slowest part.

Tomorrow is a meeting of the architect, builder and I - lots of things on the agenda.

Just one more day would have been nice

2009-07-07T08:01:00.005+10:00

A bit of a theme in my life at the moment ... just one more day would have been nice, just notice that that was the day would have helped ... but ... so much for my post of yesterday ... LOTS happening on site yesterday.

This is what I arrived home to find (in the dark of course)

before ->

No more kitchen

before->

No more laundry

before ->

The reason I was getting a bit frantic about getting this renovation done, even through winter (because really, renovating really isn't something I wanted to do, especially in the freezing cold) ... but I've had the feeling that one day, very soon, I was going to suddenly find myself standing on the ground as the floor collapsed underneath me ..........

looks like I was right! That's the floor where the kitchen walkway was ...oops! Completely rotted underneath, and goes straight to the ground.

One little stressed cat though ... poor boy. He loses his best friend and half his house in under a week ... at least I can understand and rationalise both.

Very little happening!

2009-07-06T10:47:00.001+10:00

The weather has been awful and things have basically stopped on site ... but today the weather might be a tiny bit nicer and the builders might be around. Last week the plumber did the rough-in for the ensuite and the builders dug another small section for where the concrete is to go ... but have put off installation of the split system until the concrete is actually laid (as that is where the outside bit will go).

Ensuite - a window and doorway

2009-06-29T08:38:00.003+10:00

Got home to find a window and a doorway from the ensuite into the house. Very exciting that they've "broken through" ... it will be interesting to see what they achieve this week.

Window is smaller than I was expecting - I suppose by the end of this process I'll have a better concept of what something looks like on paper compared to how it will turn out - will be too late by then though!

Ensuite going up fast!

2009-06-26T09:32:00.008+10:00

Now I even have some external weatherboards put on!

That would be a puppy in the shower:

And a puppy going out near the toilet:

Not too much longer until they break through into the rest of the house I would think.

Was good being home yesterday (apart from the large amount of tissues I went through) ... so much easier dealing with the builder on site - with us both looking at the plans and knowing what we're both talking about. And ... we're both still having issues getting the electrical plans out of the architect. Though, the builder did let me know I've got my oven for another two weeks - apparently the others working on site would protest if it was taken out earlier ;-) - I'd better keep baking for them. Hope it will provide a little incentive for the new oven to go in faster!

Though the builder did say that they are running 2 months behind - not surprising since the permits were 2 months late due to a certain architect!!

The big water tank I want to get looks like it will fit in the space I wanted for it ... I'll put the order in over the next couple of days.

When I get home tonight I assume there will be even more weatherboards on ... plus the temporary vanity is arriving today, and I'm picking up my taps! The taps I've only seen on websites - couldn't find a place with them on display ... so I'm REALLY hoping I made the right choice!!

I stood IN my ensuite

2009-06-25T10:27:00.004+10:00

Got home in daylight yesterday and found frames up for the ensuite. I can actually stand IN my ensuite and see where the shower is (oops ... looks a bit small), where the vanity and toilet will go. I've been worried about the internal roof height ... but depending how much they have to put on for layers (plaster board I assume) it seems higher than I thought ... oh ... just realised I didn't think to include the influence of the floor going in as well! It is definitely light and airy - well ... until the walls go on!!

Looking towards the shower

Looking towards the toilet

Home today because I've got a nasty cold - can only hope it is swine flu and I wont have to worry about getting that!! Today's baking for the builders were some sweet and salty peanut cookies (Nigella Lawson - Domestic Goddess) ... I sprinkled extra sea salt on top ... and I timed them really well as they came out of the oven just as the builders started their morning tea. Given the progress ... I think my oven will be gone next week ... I'll have to get inventive with non-baked things.

First slab

2009-06-24T10:05:00.005+10:00

They managed to put down the first slab yesterday - for the ensuite! It did pour with rain late in the afternoon, so I hope that doesn't effect it.

Have had to make a compromise on the vanity - getting a fairly ordinary one temporarily for the ensuite, and then will move that to the main bathroom. Going to have to do something to take focus off it when it moves, as it is very uninspiring! It does mean I'll end up with the vanity I want in the ensuite - which is the one I'll see every day and use more.

Currently trying to organise the split system airconditioner for the bedroom - whilst that wall is off I figure it is better that it gets installed (and when I move back into that room - waarrrmmmttthhhh!!!). Quite a variation in price on the same unit - but most seem able to install it next week. I've been advised that Daikin are the way to go, as it can cope with the below zero temperatures we have.

I'm looking forward to next week - I think I'll get to see frames up and an actual room.

A new wall!

2009-06-23T11:35:00.005+10:00

Building permits all approved - so already some major changes ... they've put down the mesh for the ensuite concrete, possibly laying it today or tomorrow - depending on weather I assume - thunderstorms forecast for today!

Got home last night ... to find a new wall inside!! They've blocked off my living room in anticipation of the destruction! Some before and during photos ...

Looking from the living room:

Also ordered my tank and pump today. The internet is so helpful! Company was saying they were giving me the pump at cost price - so I google a bit ... find two different companies advertising for $150 less ... so the original company go below those prices! I'm happy, as they've already dropped the price on the tank as well. Hopefully the tank should take about 2 weeks ... and then finally, I can think about taking my horses off the bore water (which has been tested and shown to have very high levels of heavy metals).

Yay - permits ... finally!

2009-06-19T09:47:00.003+10:00

In the mailbox when I got home ... the septic permit! Which means ... building permit ... which means ... full steam ahead!!!! YAY!! Very pleased that it has come through ... only about 2 months late ... so add that on to the expected completion date ... and ... I suppose the builder could claim an extension from 22 August to 22 October. Ugh!

Since they've got the permit ... now we have plumbing for the ensuite! Closest in the photo is shower, then vanity then toilet. I wonder when the concrete will be laid?

I've been looking at kitchen sinks ... found one close to what I think might work with the taps etc ... architect's budget is $300 ... sink I found .... $2,800 .... hmmmm ... I think I'll keep looking!

Today's puzzle - tiles for ensuite - which direction?

2009-06-16T10:40:00.003+10:00

Not quite sure which way to ask the tiles to be laid in the ensuite ... not sure I should rely upon a tiler's advice (I'm sure they know which way is EASIER ... but maybe not the most attractive way!!)

Horizontal? or ... Vertical?

Small space ... odd angled roof ... low roof height ... ?????

Ensuite frames and diggings

2009-06-15T13:04:00.004+10:00

When speaking with the builder last week, he said that the frames for the ensuite were done, just waiting on that #&^%# building permit. Well ... I'd looked at the frames out on the lawn and there weren't any new ones ... so I figured maybe there was a bit of miscommunication. On the weekend (in actual daylight!) I found them!!! In the garage!!

People keep asking me if the old part of the house is being restumped ... this photo might explain why it isn't being restumped - because there aren't any stumps to start with!!! To the left of new piece of concrete the builders have put in, is an old piece of wood; then on the right are the bricks the house is resting on ... not much clearance under there!Here's the outline of the ensuite ... just waiting on concrete /plumbing etc! Maybe this week?

Below is my present to myself (not that a major house renovation and new kitchen aren't present enough!) ... I saw it at a garden shop near Castlemaine on the weekend. Many years ago I visited the same shop and saw a weathervane I LOVED ... I didn't buy it ... and I have regretted it ever since (of course, I've never seen anything like it again!). I dropped in on my way to Castlemaine, saw this gorgeous thing and thought "no, I shouldn't buy anything until the house is closer to completion" ... got to Castlemaine (yay, found handles for my ensuite vanity) and remembered the years of regret over the last thing I loved from there ... so on the way home I bought it!!
It is made out of a recycled oil drum - from Haiti ... yet to decide where it will live ... was considering in the kitchen over the oven mantle ... or maybe in the outside courtyard ... ????

Hot showers are such wonderful things!

2009-06-11T10:06:00.002+10:00

Obviously this house renovation is going to make me appreciate the simple things in life ... hot showers!! ahhhh!!! The builder organised for the electrician to check out the hot water heater ... yay ... it isn't dead!! Just a blown thingamagigiy element thing ... all fixed! Phew! Looks like the hot water system has a little bit more time in it.

Builder has come up with a new idea for the ensuite/bathroom timing issue - which just happens to be my old idea ... shhhh! They are going back to the original plan - build the ensuite first ... no outside bathroom for me! It will require a day or so when I might have to find alternative bathroom arrangements - as they'll completely construct the ensuite, but not be able to connect it to the new septic until they destroy the lean-to part of the house. They can have everything installed etc, just not connected ... which should mean minimal distruption to me! What a clever idea!

Last night I got home to find they're ready to lay the concrete for the ensuite ... and the builder has said it should only take two weeks for it to be entirely tiled etc - better stop putting off those final decisions on heated towel rails and showerheads!

People keep asking me if it is freezing cold in my house at the moment ... interestingly it is not too bad. Before it was nearly impossible to heat my living area ... but now I'm only living in two rooms (two of the bedrooms) they are pretty easy to heat and keep warm. It's actually probably warmer than last winter!

Long weekends can be so unpleasant!

2009-06-09T10:50:00.001+10:00

I'm quite glad the long weekend is over ... I couldn't take more stress! The most exciting part was having smoke coming out of the hot water heater ... I think it's dead. I knew it was old (over 20 yrs) but was hoping it would last for at least one move during the building process. I'd resigned myself to thinking that there was a fair chance I'd have to buy a new one with the new extension ... but it wasn't supposed to blow up before they've even knocked the old part of the house down!

Thank goodness for lovely neighbours with nice showers ... I do have another hot water system at an outside shed, but it is complete unworkable to have a shower with (the nice neighbours really don't need to be tortured THAT much!).

The builder was over on Monday - trying to do the sell job on the portable ensuite idea. I said not unless he built me a heated walkway between the house and the portable thing ......... ummm ... perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut. He's now proposing closing off the front veranda and sticking it at the end of that ... my heated walkway! I suppose I could just cope with it .. he says it would only be for a couple of weeks ;-) .... I'm not quite that gullible!! I know a couple of weeks really means a couple of months!

The big hold up at the moment ... it that they still don't have a building permit ... they can't get a building permit until they get a septic permit, they can't get the septic permit because the architect too so long to put it in ... it could be another 3 weeks!! grumble grumble

Builder said they can't touch anything more because they've pushed the boundaries of what they can do. The garage was done on a separate permit so that's OK, the veranda they could work on because it is exsiting ... but they are at a standstill until they can get the building permit. Apparently everyone is lined up ready to go ... just waiting!

Outside bathroom - in winter?! no way!

2009-06-04T14:11:00.003+10:00

I had a feeeeeliingg that the builder was working up to this, I just had that niggling suspicion from the way I've seen things being done outside ... and yup ... today I got the phone call ... would I mind if they did it ALL at once vs the stages (as set out in the contract)?!!

The ensuite was to be completed first, then the rest of the back (with existing bathroom etc) taken off. Meaning I could live in the house with no major problems (can cope without a kitchen but not a bathroom), cats could have their outside enclosure for THEIR toilet access. All happy and nice-ish for me!

It was all discussed early on - all OKed ... I knew it was harder for them to do it that way ... but everyone in the planning stage was all happy about it. "No problems" ... and if the builder was Australian I'm sure there would have been a "she'll be right love"!!

He's going to come and discuss it again over the weekend ... but I can't see that a weekend with thunderstorms forecast, is going to help me change my mind. He's trying to sell me on one of those all in one portable ensuites - in the garage ... but I am NOT going to walk 20m to the toilet, in the dark, rain and mud, dodging building and holes - when it is 5 degC or less outside! Fair enough if it wasn't discussed before, fair enough if it wasn't specifically stated in the contract ... I'm being as flexible as I can about everything else ... but I'm not flexing on this!

As for progress on site: came home last night to discover the lawn ripped up ... which I've been expecting and don't really care about. The drive way is all mud too! They had the excavator in to clear the site - would love to know what this actually looks like, but I couldn't see anything in the dark in the morning or night. They also covered up the exposed wall from the day before with plastic (phew - was a bit worried about the wood getting wet).

Hopefully on the weekend I should be able to get some new photos ... and I'll be able to walk out the area of where it is all going. I still haven't quite got in my head how far out it is extending.

Ensuite has STARTED!

2009-06-03T10:44:00.005+10:00

Got home last night to find the side of my house off ... the ensuite has officially started!! This part of the wall is in the worst condition of all the old section of the house ... the wood has rotted away in parts - though seeing it revealed, it is actually in much better condition than I thought!

My bedroom is the otherside of the wall (hence why the ensuite is going there!) ... and I decided last night that sleeping with a thin layer of lining boards between me and the rainy outside world wasn't a good plan. Apart from the dirt etc that had come out of the walls whilst they were removing the weatherboards. So the little creatures were a bit upset last night - though one cat really doesn't mind where she sleeps, as long as the electric blanket is on HOT!

The ensuite ends where they've taken the boards off up to the window - but doesn't start right at the front (but that is where the worst rot is). Need to get out with my measuring tape to really understand where it is going, as the reinforcing posts don't quite make sense from where I thought the door was going.

Pantry plans - first attempt

2009-06-02T08:55:00.005+10:00

Rather than starting off with vague ideas to give to the architect, I decided I'd have a play at creating the plans for my pantry. I googled and discovered someone else's fantastic plans ... and found out they used a free program called SketchUp. I've been playing for the last two weeks or so (on the train to work) and I think I've sort of worked some of it out. I still can't really work out how to change sizes of sections - but it sort of looks like a pantry!! (click on the images to see a bigger size)

No idea if I've really got the proportions right - and I had to guess the actual size of the pantry from the plans (because it wasn't very clear). So it is more a conceptual view vs actual plan. I had to sink the person through the floor to make their height a bit more like mine!

Happy to receive all feedback and good/bad ideas from your pantry experiences!!

Poor mouse is wondering where the kitchen went!

2009-06-01T12:09:00.002+10:00

So there has been a mouse in my kitchen for the last couple of weeks ... the cats have had great fun trying to get it out (they probably brought it in in the first place, entertainment when bored whilst I'm at work). After last night, mousie is going to be wondering where the kitchen went!! Totally cleared out! Nothing to find at all!! A mouse could hardly expect that the nice kitchen they've taken up residence in, would disappear in an afternoon.

(OK, so maybe a good clean out would have been just as much help as a new kitchen!! And I did take the messy photo when it was truly awful!! Just so I could remember how I sometimes lived!)

I'm a bit surprised I actually managed it ... it seemed an unending job - MORE cupboards full of stuff, and this is from a tiny kitchen. Imagine what I'll be able to keep in my new BIG kitchen!!! At least in the new kitchen things will be on display more, so no back of cupboard hiding of things. I still think I could live off my cupboards for weeks. I was quite strict in what I threw out - anything that wasn't going to be used and would be past its use-by date within a couple of months - in the bin! I probably could have been even stricter - but it was hard to throw out things that were still good. When it all goes back into the new kitchen, I'll throw them then.

Amazing to believe that next time I have a kitchen it will have a stunning stove, a huge pantry, zillions of draws and a purdy kitchen bench! It's only a couple of months away!!

I'll have to keep reminding myself of that, as I live in my spare bedroom! I think I'm going to miss the kitchen sink the most. I'm not a great washer-upper-er ... and if it is that much harder to do and I've only got the bathroom basin, that's going to be VERY unpleasant. Might have to be very slack and use plastics and throw occasionally!

Last week the architect finally got the ensuite plans complete ... here they are! Not quite sure where I'm going to find the minature towel rail on the plan!! Especially since I'll need to fit in a light switch there as well.

House is nearly cleared out

2009-05-28T11:00:00.000+10:00

The removalists arrived yesterday morning at 9am ... and carried out all the big pieces of furniture to the garage. It only took them 20 minutes, but something I couldn't do by myself! They were even nice and didn't charge me the minimum 4 hours I was told I would have to pay, they just charged me for the time they travelled and carried.

Note to self: move furniture more often ... what was behind it was sooooo revolting!! Under the fridge was seriously disgusting ... mice had obviously lived there quite a bit (safe from the cats)!!!! The rest was just icky dust. And it became more obvious why the house is cold ... I can see outside from between the floors and the walls ... brrr!! Will be so nice once it is fixed up and less airy.

On Tuesday I went down to the Grays Home Renovator Auctions ... didn't really buy anything, but found it fascinating. I've really wanted a fancy new fridge to go in the fancy new kitchen ... but could't justify one as the ones I want are expensive (ice maker maybe?!) and my current fridge works perfectly fine. Down there .. a massive Maytag fridge went for $900 .. new price would be around $5,000! So maybe a new fridge could be closer than I thought.

I managed to nearly complete all I'd planned for packing up by dark ... the builder had come through earlier in the day and said I didn't need to be out of the kitchen until after the weekend ... so I'll leave that pleasant task until then. Though the fridge is now living in the study (my new little kitchen/living/dining/ everything combined). Bit weird to get my breakfast by cereal in the kitchen then milk from the study.

I really wanted the place nice and quiet by the time I brought the cats back from the stables ... it is traumatic enough for them without me bustling around and acting stressed. By dark the floors were semicleaned, mess was moved away (I have a car load to go to the tip - it wasn't open yesterday). Little cats came into the house ... wandered around crying ... their favourite spots in the window gone, furniture in the wrong rooms ... nothing the way it was. Amazing how well they settle once you put them in front of a heater though!!

Today is the day I want to finalise the order for the ensuite fittings ... will probably order the showerhead from somewhere else as they couldn't match the price I'd found.

Builder was also having a whinge about the delay caused by the architect ... they are waiting on the septic permit which should have been done weeks ago. He also desperately needs that ensuite window. I finally got hold of the architect in the afternoon ... took three attempts to get the window in the right place (I'm not great with my left and right ... but I'm not the one making the mistakes!). I still haven't seen the finalised plan ... there was one more move involved! The vanity is bigger than I thought ... but I think I'll be grateful for the storage space.
The laundry hasn't come off yet ... Monday is now the new smash and crash day. I hope they set up my washing machine before then ... but it looks like I should play washer-woman on the weekend and wash anything I can find, in case there is a delay until they fit it in the other shed.

House is very echoey and odd with no furniture.

Weekend update

2009-05-28T10:55:00.003+10:00

Two posts today - because I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to update the blog!!

What a weekend! It is amazing what you can do living on a block of chocolate and a pack of jaffa cakes!! The house is nneeeaarrrllly completely packed. Just those final small things that just don't seem to belong in any particular box.
I went to finally pull down the doors on the garage late on Saturday, after moving out lots of things, only to find that the doors did NOT stay down. Good to know they lift easily, but staying down is slight important too. I knew they hadn't installed the remote systems (because there is no electricity there yet) but I had assumed that they had made the closeable. Nope!

I rang the builder and he suggested weighting down the doors .... which was a good idea in theory ... quite difficult when you've got on one to help you. That dog of mine ... I excuse the puppy because she is young, but the older one ... you'd think he should have just been able to hold the door whilst I pushed blocks into place!! After a couple of attempts I finally got it standing on a step ladder to pull the door down, then holding onto the ridges (no handles) whilst moving bricks on to the bottom with my foot.

Much as packing up is exhausting, it is full of surprises and memories. I found lots of things that made me laugh, some that made me dance around the house being silly and then there are the sad memories of people past. It all has to go in the box or the bin. I'm hoping the recycle bin truck is REALLY strong this week ... I threw out tonnes of magazines and they are so heavy!

The builder stopped by on Saturday and we went through a couple of things ... I'd been sticky beaking at the frames out on the lawn ... I've got the wall to the kitchen and so much more. Very interesting to see how it will pan out in actual size ... laying flat on the ground they all look so short, but I took my measuring tape out, and they are fine. I was trying to work out the length of my kitchen bench (it's gonna be huge!) but part of that wall was missing - after having a bit of a heart attack at thinking it was over a metre less than I thought! I also measured up the height of the kitchen window - to find that if I have my kitchen bench at 900, plus a 100 splashback for the bench, then ... the window was going to be in the wrong place. Builder was happy to change it - it is a great thing about being here as it builds, better to pick up a window a little bit off now before it is installed.

We're still having issues with placing the new septic system ... I'm still refusing to have my garden dug up! I know there is an alternative - they're just going to have to do that. As part of it going where I want, they are going to have to take off the laundry from the back of the house to run the pipes. Doesn't make that much difference to me other than that is where the cat trays are, and I really didn't want to move them until the new ensuite is up and they get access to their enclosure again.

We're STILL waiting on the architect to come up with the ensuite window - it looks like I'll be living with a boarded up window for a while , not very pleasant.
Nearly finalised the order of fittings for the ensuite - just need a MUCH cheaper heated towel rail. I chose a smaller one than they had on their website - and it turned out to be more expensive! It is in a tricky spot so I'm trying for as small as possible. Most of them also look so modern, which just doesn't work with the rest of the house. The curved ones, a little better look, are, of course, more expensive. It will be so exciting when the order is done.

Garage concrete is done

2009-05-21T11:58:00.006+10:00

Came home to find the veranda completely off and the garage concrete done. Luckily dried enough that little doggies playing on it didn't really make marks!

Still remaining is power and water - the power might be the last to go in, which is a bit of a pain as it means no remote doors, no lights and no easy place for my washing machine.

Builder and I are both trying to chase the ensuite layout from the architect so he can finalise window etc ... that window is just going to have to be boarded up - apparently all the rest are ordered, except this one which is needed first!!

I've been given the push on making ensuite fitting decisions - the builder needs some measurements on the toilet that will go in the ensuite - now to decide on THAT toilet (I really don't want to make that decision!).

We're going to start getting in kitchen quotes - so I'll just await that heart attack ... I mean, if I know a scary scary price is coming, maybe I can work out a way to lessen the blow? eg. "well, at least it is under $50K" !!!!!

Another potential hiccup ... apparently SOMEONE forgot to put in the specs that the floor for the kitchen is going to be floorboards ... not quite sure what impact this is going to have ... but it is going to have some impact. Builder had been working on it being concrete (?!) ... and I might not know much about building, but I've got an idea that there might be a titchy price difference between concrete and floorboards!!! :-)

My mind is whirring - ensuite and design things!

2009-05-20T15:15:00.004+10:00

So I'm looking through websites trying to find the right toilet (I always knew this decision was going to be one of the hardest - I mean really ... how are you going to know until it is too late and you're trying it out!!). The toilets I'm considering are all over the budgetted amount (but what isn't - unless I went cheap everything!) ... no idea how to choose finally!
Two I'm considering:
http://www.burdens.com.au/productdetails.html?pid=12&itemid=499
http://www.carseldinebathroom.com.au/featured-products/14-v-a-b-omnia-pro-toilet-suite

Not much price difference between the two that I've found from one place.

These are the taps I THINK I've chosen for the ensuite: http://www.dorf.com.au/default.asp?page=prod_view&p=2675.04 ... the final decision will only been known when I've actually bought the things!! Which will probably be only when the builder gives me no more fluffing around time.

I've been watching this blog - and I love these designers: http://desiretoinspire.blogspot.com/2009/05/skelton-harris-interiors.html (the black fire place kitchen shot - gorgeous!!! LOVE that shelf above the kitchen bench - oh, that's right, I'm getting one of those!!! :-) ) ... and the feel of this designer: http://desiretoinspire.blogspot.com/2009/05/david-kaplan.html

I seem to struggle to find images like those websites, in magazines - they all seem to be modern minimalism ... completely cleared kitchen benches etc - as if that EVER happens in a normal home!!

HUGE update!

2009-05-20T10:19:00.003+10:00

Yesterday I was home as I wasn't feeling great - and I got to see lots happening ... luckily I wasn't so sick that I had to spend the day in bed in my PJs ... if I get that sick, I think I'm going to have to go to a friend's house, it would be very unpleasant to spend the day there with people around whilst feeling like crap!!

I'd made myself get up, showered and dressed before 7am ... which turned out to be the right thing to do ... 10 past 7 and in rolled the first lot of tradesmen! They were preparing the garage for the concrete which is arriving today! I have asked they close the doors on the garage once the concrete is down - I don't want doggie foot prints all through it when I let the dogs out tonight, even though it would be quite cute!

Later in the day the soil people came through with surveying equipment.
The builders (one of whom is called Bob - poor guy! maybe another profession would have caused less amusement?!) have begun on frames ... I checked what was written on them ... so far I have a pantry wall, a laundry wall and a toilet door way!! Interesting - I just assumed the first frames would be be for the ensuite, but they've started on the back part of the house. The builder said they'll have all the frames ready to go, and they'll just go up in a couple of days once the back is ready.

They also started removing the veranda ... big holes ... and I've now realised I didn't really get a proper before photo of them! Too late now! The rest will be gone by the time I get home tonight.

The main builder called me last night - we've got some issues with the placement of the septic tank ... they've suggested my front garden! Which WONT be happening! There will have to be another solution! I'm a crap gardener, but I don't need an ugly thing sitting right in the middle of my garden (let alone them digging up the rest of the poor thing ... it has only just survived summer!).
He also told me that I'll be able to move things into the garage over the weekend ... so that's my weekend set ... got to find boxes quickly now! He said they will probably pull out the kitchen cabinets by the end of next week ... bye bye kitchen :-( ... I will miss my cooking!! (I made yummy nutty chocolate biscuits for the builders yesterday).

We're waiting on the architect to finalise the plans for the ensuite - the builder can't order the window until these are done. I've got steam coming out my ears over the plans for the ensuite ... the architect decided to remove a component because it was "awkward" ... so he'll have to be putting it back in ... the awkward bit is there for a very good reason!! We also seem to have issues communicating about the window - I think my vanity is about at knee height at the moment - that window is just going to have to get a whole lot smaller. So this is my first grump over the building process - I'm sure there will be more to come!!

When I got home from work on Monday night I found my little dog missing from her enclosure ... I screamed for her and heard a tiny yelp ... she was INSIDE the house!! Apparently she'd got out again (from the hole created by the builders when the garage went it) and had been running around ... they'd gone into the house and they said she went in so they left her there ... noice ... you can imagine the clean up I came home to!! I'm very glad she was at least safe - and she didn't do too much damage in the house, I only lost one item of clothing to being chewed and she chose the bathroom as her toilet spot - so at least not the carpet!! The builders fixed up the hole yesterday - but I think she might just dig again.

2009-05-18T10:39:00.003+10:00

My aim for the weekend was to finalise the ensuite colours - I really want to be prepared when the builder needs my decision on the tiles. I know how my life gets and if the stores are only open from 8-12 on a Saturday, and I can't get there, then trying to fit in tile shopping is impossible!
I drove up to Bendigo to meet up with an interior designer from MakeYourHouseAHome. She had previously come to my house for a short visit and photo taking ... and boy had she done a huge amount of work since then. I was very excited to walk in to see a table laid out with swatches of materials, tiles, paint colours and so much more!

We went through each part of the house and I've walked away with nearly all the colours planned out for the entire house. I was just aiming to get the ensuite done!

The only remaining colour is the wall colour for most of the house. The one she had selected I liked, but once we'd changed the kitchen doors, it made the colour look really pink!! We picked out some alternatives, but need to see them in larger swatches before making that final decision.
I'm sticking with a lot of whites ... pretty boring but I figured the colours will come from what else is put in the room. Lots of Antique White USA!

Once we'd done most of the decisions we went through a tile and carpet store. I absolutely loved the idea of going shopping with someone who could keep all those colours in their head and have an understanding of how they would all go together. I just can't imagine them as anything beyond small swatches ... not walls etc! For the ensuite we had decided on a dark warm brown/grey floor tile and cream walls. The first tile store had nothing and it was decided I'd have to go alone to Melbourne tile stores (eek!), but then they suggested another local tile store we could visit on the way home.

So the very helpful interior designer came with me! Once again, we couldn't find the tile we wanted for the floor ... so a slight change in plans ... we're now going to go matching walls/floors in cream - and use a dramatic bathmat to add a colour on the floor. It makes that colour scheme very plain, but I'm quite happy with the idea of accessorising. We found a nice cream tile - that came in the right size and had both a polished version for the walls and a matt version for the floor.

Dining room colour scheme - existing chair with paint colours - the green is the walls, the white the skirtings/architraves/ceiling, the material is the window seat cushion

Laundy tiles in comparison to kitchen tiles - the laundry one is, maybe, appropriately called "Donkey Brown"!!!!

Decisions made!! I went to sleep very happy!!

Think I've discovered the cause of the delay

2009-05-15T10:13:00.004+10:00

Spoke with the architect this morning about the ensuite plans ... and he let me know they're currently waiting on soil test results ... which would explain why no concrete in the garage has been laid nor any other developments!

I did discover a slight issue with plans for the rest of the house - the doors have been placed too close to the walls to account for the old style architraves I'll have (to match the exisiting ones). Which could reduce the amount of space for my kitchen bench (every mm counts!).

We've also identified something that was missing from the plans - which is a variation in the concrete for the kitchen, as it is having floor boards (but the plans are as though they were for tiles/carpet - I would have ended up with weird floor levels). Luckily this has been discovered before anything was poured!!

Apparently my energy rating has been submitted and come back (didn't even know there had to be one) ... the house got 5 1/2 stars! Yay (I assume that is a yay ... at least it didn't fail ... I really know nothing about it ... might go look it up!!).

No news is "good" news?

2009-05-13T12:01:00.003+10:00

Nothing happening - the builder did warn that not much would happen last week ... and he was right! A couple more piles of things ... but otherwise, no changes.

Delays at this stage are easy for me (I'm not camping in the house yet!) but I do worry about how long it will all take! We've got nice weather at the moment too ... I'm quite sure the drought will break when the back of the house is taken off and I have half a roof!!!! We need the rain so I'll just have to drip and be happy!

I've been doing some ensuite planning - selecting taps etc and confirming the layout. Waiting on the architect to get back to me with new drawings. One of the most urgent decisions will be the ensuite window - as that needs to be ordered.

The roof, the roof, the roof is ... ON!

2009-05-06T10:08:00.004+10:00

The garage has a roof! Just needs concrete and it will be all done.

(did have another photo actually showing the roof - but camera seems to have had a hissy and the file size is 0!)

New piles of things have arrived elsewhere on site ... still no idea what they're for!!

The garage is getting smaller

2009-05-05T09:42:00.005+10:00

No photo from yesterday's developments as I left early - the garage now has windows, doors and some gutters!! No roof yet ... but they've said they will be finished in a day or so.

Interestingly enough, over the weekend, the garage shrank. Obviously not in actual size but in my perception of it!! It now doesn't look so massive and blocking. I must be getting used to it already.

I'm going to have to work out a way to get the roller doors down as there will be no power for a while, there is no way I can reach them.

New piles of "stuff" arrived yesterday - no idea what they're for (also a bit hard to determine in the dark) ... I think they are starting to make frames this week, so maybe associated with that.

One thing I'd really like to have organised is some shelving for the garage, once the slab is down. I've got most of the large furniture items to store in there when the extension is pulled down, plus boxes of books and crap. Shelves would be helpful!

And just to prove how "blonde" I can be ... was looking at the whirly vent thingie which is in its box, wondering why it hasn't been installed yet - then realised ... umm ... they might need the roof on to install it!! oops!

Walls on the garage

2009-05-01T09:42:00.004+10:00

It is beginning to feel very closed in! Having walls on the garage has made me realise how used I am to being able to move easily around the house, I didn't quite get the concept in my mind - of what a whopping great big garage would do to the feel of the place! So where before I'm used to looking through, it now looks at a wall!!

Roller doors are in - though I've realised when speaking with the builder the other day, they wont be having any electricity to them for a while! I hope they can go up and down manually!

Speaking with my good friend who's nearly finished her renovation *waves* it totally freaks me out how much she knows about finishes and brushed chrome and warranties and ... I just have nooooo idea! I need to attend "Renovation 101" and learn how to differentiate between chromes!

Icy morning

2009-04-30T09:53:00.006+10:00

Only -3 degC this morning ... frozen everywhere!

Was wonderful seeing things in daylight yesterday ... the garage is going up. Unfortunately they did some minor damage to the corner of the dog yard - allowing an itty doggie to escape!! Luckily she didn't run away, but gave me a fright to come home to see her running around.

Met with interior designer - she was very helpful - apart from asking questions which I really have no idea about! She wasn't able to stay very long, but I hope she got an idea of what I'm looking for. I'll meet up with her again to go through some actual colours etc once she's had a think about it.

Then I met with the builder - we need to get the architect to draw up a more detailed plan of the ensuite, and there are couple of changes to the specifications (windows that aren't going to work - on plan it looks good - but I don't want my vanity at knee height!).

Garage footings go in

2009-04-29T08:45:00.002+10:00

Another adventurous home coming ... nearly fell on my face walking through the door in the dark ... the builder had put up a "trip wire" (otherwise known as a stringline-thingie!) right across the doorway about 3cm higher than the step ... ouch!!

No photo today - too much of a rush this morning for the couple of seconds of daylight I have. The footings are in for the garage, I'm not sure if they need to set for a day or they will be erecting the shed today. I'll be home in daylight today so I'm looking forward to seeing things in the light ... and not falling into a hole or whatever next they put in!

The garage has JUST squeezed in ... obviously stepping out the site before starting would have been a better plan ... the dog yard has had a bit of the ground wire ripped up ... but luckily there is just enough gap between them (though not enough to walk through which is a bit annoying). At least it didn't need to be moved - as it cost quite a bit to put up in the first place!

The little shed didn't make it - RIP Shed!

2009-04-28T09:14:00.006+10:00

If only I was getting home in daylight it would be so much fun to explore what has been done during the day.

Yesterday they took down my little shed. They had hoped to be able to move it, but I wasn't surprised to find it in pieces.

Here is the before ...

The little shed was pretty old, I assume an old meat shed or dairy? There was a strange concrete block in the middle of it ... can't quite work out what it it was used for.

They've also started looking at what lies behind the south wall - which is to have the external weatherboards replaced and fixing of whatever else has rotted (and ensuite is going here). The house basically just sits on the ground, propped up on some bricks! No stumps or anything! From my brief look at it, I'm actually surprised not to see more rotted wood. Looks like I'll be moving out of my bedroom this week - only floorboards and thin carpet between me and the outside world ... and it is sooo cold outside! Getting down to 2 degC overnight now.

The builder rang last night about yesterday's hiccup ... and the plan is to move the garage about 500mm ... and they'll work out a way of ensuring I can get from the car to the house and not get wet once it is all up. He'd told me last week that the garage wont be going up for 5 days once it is delivered ... but apparently that plan has changed ... they are doing the footings today, garage might even be up by tomorrow!!!

Now I've got to organise to get the furniture in the house moved to the garage once the concrete is set.

Uh oh - first hiccup!

2009-04-27T12:24:00.004+10:00

So it was a good plan ... a nice easy sensible plan ... erect garage, then move all the stuff into that, then knock down the old part of the house ... simple, right?! Except ... the builder has just rung ... and where the garage is to go on the plans, is actually where the current part of the house IS ... which means ... that TOTALLY changes the plan! My garage will be delayed, they might be taking down the laundry wall. Oops!

I had not prepared to lose the back of the house immediately! I could move the garage - which would mean it wasn't sitting right where I wanted when the build is finished ... but 1 metre of walking in the rain forever, could mean a whole lot less hassle now?

They are going to re-measure.

Trees not quite finished

2009-04-24T09:31:00.003+10:00

Last night's arrival home was to all the big trees cleared away and the branches taken off the other trees ... except the MOST important one!!! argh!! The tree that is right next to where the garage is being erected next week!! They trimmed off a tiny branch, not the large branch right back to the trunk. I rang the tree-man as soon as I noticed and he's coming back out today or Saturday to do the last bit.

I was expecting a VERY large pile of wood chips left over - but only a tiny pile has been left ... hmmmmmmmmmmm. I had lots of plans for that.

Speaking with the builder last night, it looks like there are a couple more spare days until the garage goes up anyway. It will be delievered next Tuesday, but it might take them another 5 days before the footings etc will be done. Where they are putting the footings in, there are the cables to the stables and water pipes ... will be interesting to see how many of those they hit!! I've warned them - so at least they'll be prepared to turn the water off.

Monday is the day the builder said he'd start clearing and marking out the site. It will be quite interesting to see it on the ground vs just on paper. We're also hoping to meet up on Wednesday and I'll get an idea of how they plan to do the job. I'm looking forward to knowing a bit more about what to expect.

First before and after photos

2009-04-23T09:14:00.003+10:00

I got home last night to find a big hole in the sky ... the tree people turned up! So we have my first before and after photos! So sad they had to go :-(

There is still more for them to chop down today - branches off other trees vs entire trees. Hoping they'll get them down before the wind picks up too much.

Next week's weather forecast isn't looking nice for the garage going up!

Official START day today!

2009-04-22T10:33:00.003+10:00

Today is the official starting day ... and the builder did call this morning ... but I was racing out the door to catch the train.

Building permit for the garage arrived by mail yesterday - so hoping that is all set to go up next week. The builder just needs to clear the site!

Today the tree people are supposed to be cutting down trees - I'll find out when I get home if they've turned up! It looks like the weather might be OK for the next couple of days - though the wind is forecasted to pick up, which can't be good when dropping massive pine trees. I had hoped to get some more "before" photos but I haven't been home in daylight to get any.

Talking to another interior designer next week - need to start some of those colour decisions for tiles. I had a look through tiles stores last week and I'm really unsure how to pick a specific tile. There are lots that look sort of OK ... but are they THE ONE?! Luckily I'm not so fussy that if it isn't perfect that my life will be ruined ... it will all end up dirty anyway!

2009-04-09T09:14:00.002+10:00

Last night was the big signing night ... contracts are done!! Architect and builder came over and we agreed on a couple of changes to the contract (especially the bit that said something like "existing building datum points are considered level, plumb and square unless agreed otherwise" - luckily we all agreed otherwise!! Old houses aren't known for their straightness!!).

Official start date is the 22nd April ... with an official "end" on 22nd August.

Garage will be first up ... then the ensuite will start.

Now I've got to work hard this weekend to clear out the tool shed - and decide where it goes! The builder has suggested they might be able to move it, so I've got to find a place for a little weatherboard shed. That's where the garage will be.

It is quite funny when I look out and realise the things that have to be moved ... the weather station will have to find a new home, the wire winder thingie and so much more. I'm hoping that the washing line might just be able to stay ... otherwise another thing to find a home for!

2009-04-06T13:38:00.004+10:00

I tried to go bathroom shopping on the weekend ... but got waylaid by wandering animals. I finally got to a bathroom centre and was glad I had gone. What had looked like the right vanity for me on the internet, turned out to have silly draws that would drive me nuts. So on the look out for another now!

Moved my valuables to my Mum's house - though probably not other people's ideas of valuables ... my sourdough starter is now in her freezer (I figured the power is going to go out at some stage, the rest is just food in my freezer that can be replaced), very sad to think I wont use it for months now!

2009-04-01T14:02:00.003+11:00

Building permit sent off today for the garage, zillions of copies of all sorts of documents.

Hoping to finalise the tree removals today, chasing one more quote before I make my decision. Got to hurry that up, most have said within 2 weeks, but I don't really want them making a mess when the garage is supposed to be going up!

Interior designer is booked to come on Monday - to help with those decisions I don't want to do (or can't do!) ... tile colour?! who cares?! - not me, but hopefully someone else does!! Early decisions will be the ensuite, I've got a bit of breathing space until further decisions are required.

The plans ... the dream!

2009-03-30T14:38:00.003+11:00

Existing house

Extension

Some "before" photos

2009-03-30T11:20:00.002+11:00

Always a good place to start ... before photos! Looking fairly grotty and dry.

Over the weekend I began buy cutting down the lucerne tree behind the little shed. Would have been an easy job if I had a chainsaw!

One tick on the list

2009-03-26T10:55:00.003+11:00

First thing to be ticked off - garage/shed is ordered. Got a slight discount by asking my preferred company to be competitive with the lower quotes I'd received. It should be on track to be delivered early and built on time. Just got to hope the builder clears the site to be ready!

Starting out

2009-03-25T13:01:00.003+11:00

Lots of tasks to start out this week, with the likely building date getting closer.

First up is getting quotes on tree removal - don't want those lovely old pine trees smashing down through my nice new extension. Will be sad to say good bye to the 100+ year old trees, but it is there time.

Also need to book in the garage to be supplied and built ... comparing quotes is lots of fun.

Starting to think about packing up the house.

Selecting ensuite fittings is going to get a bit desperate soon ... decisions will have to be made.