Check out the countdown!!

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!!

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!!

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

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!

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

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

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.