Painters & Tilers: caution Men at Work

Okay it's been a few weeks since we have updated the blog. Things seemed to be moving rather slowly, but looking through the photos now,  it seems there is quite a bit to report. Starting with the painting, the kitchen is being wrapped in plastic like an Ebola outbreak quarantine area. Also our caesar stone bench tops are in. Woot!

Kitchen in plastic

It was so fumey out there and i almost jumped out of my skin when the painter appeared from the back room in a haze of white paint and Ebola suit.

Danger fumes, you can't be in here

Time to jump forward a week in the blog time machine and surprise! The tiles have been delivered. So lucky I popped in that day. Was chatting with the painter and we decided to get out one or two tile to see how they look and...

The tiles have been delivered... but wait...

unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, we discovered that the wrong floor tiles had been delivered. Unfortunately because this might delay us getting in, fortunately because the tilers were due to start the next day, so would have had to take them all back up again.

Wrong tiles, bugger

We were one of the first houses to start going up so it's good to see our neighbours have started and we hope they will be at lock up before we are in.

next door have started their build

Flash forward to this week and most of the tiles are down (the correct ones of course) and we are very happy with the colour choice and the contrast between the light floor tiles and the dark wall tiles. Fern noticed when i showed her the photos that the shower looks small and lo and behold or should i say, of course, she is right. It is 900x900 and should be 1200x900

Ensuite tiles are down but whoops the shower is suppose to be larger

When the cupboards first went in, we were worried that they were too dark but now that the white benchtops, tiles and paint are all in, it creates a really nice contrast :)

Kitchen is looking good

Here's a good view of the almost finished kitchen

And finally a view through the window of the family, dining, kitchen room. 

Autumn is here

It's the first day of Autumn and well I can't really remember summer. We hardly had any days over 30 deg and we had so much more rain than usual. Not that rain is something to complain about, we actually have more water in the reservoirs than we did at the start of summer.

Anyway we had our fix inspection the other day. Plaster is all done and woo hoo the kitchen cupboards are in. Here's some photos.

His and Hers Ensuite vanity

So proud of my double sliding doors into the 2nd lounge/music room/library

The Kitchen, the bench tops are yet to come

Sooo Many Drawers hope they're not too shallow

Well it won't be the largest backyard in the world but we reckon that there'll be enough room for an outdoor entertaining area and a vege garden:)

Backyard

Bricks after cleaning

Back on Track

Been almost a week and our little incident last weekend has had no impact on the speed at which the house seems to be going up. We can't believe the house is almost at lock up stage, just needs a door and the windows fixed anyway here's some pics.

Veranda and front door

Entrance

Hall with insulation

Plaster in the living room

Aftermath of Cyclone Anthony

Gong Hei Fatt Choi (Happy Chinese New Year) everybody :) May the year of the rabbit keep you all safe, happy, healthy and prosperous in all ways!

Here are some more pictures taken on Chinese New Year eve. Our bathtub was delivered, windows and sliding doors were loooking goood and everything was fine and dandy. Even the weather was beautiful and we were looking forward to having the bricks done by the end of the week.

Living Room

Bath is in

Bricks almost up, windows and sliding doors intact

Within 24 hours however, everything changed. Remnants of cyclone Anthony hit Melbourne, though nothing in comparison with what happened up in Queensland. Wind and rain caused havoc across the state with flash flooding and a fair amount of damage. Just getting out to our new house was an adventure constantly being turned back due to flooded roads.

So near yet so far....the big golf ball tower in the distance is a 

weather station, not too far from the entrance to the estate

Damn no access from this side too

Anyway we finally made it to the house... 

Hmmm. something's not right. 

Can you see what's in the distance?

Uh Oh!

Windows and sliding door on the floor

Bye-bye sliding door

A hole where our window used to be

The blast zone

A bath full of glass. Extreme bath time

It's still pouring at the moment and we will be heading back out again tomorrow to do some work. Let's hope we get a break from this terrible weather. What a way to start CNY, with so much water "Yao Sui"- bringing good health, wealth and happiness...but perhaps a tad too much.

Fern getting dirty in her boots

Roof, Wrapping and Bricks!

Surprise!
I'd like to introduce everyone to our house, this time with a completed roof, insulation padding and a small section of brick work! Salami curi-curi go to the site during lunch time to check on the work progress and took these photos :) So cepat man these builders.. I'm really impressed. We initially chose jarrah bricks but were advised close to settlement date that bricks of any red shade were no longer accepted as they do not fit in the modern theme. This despite lots of other semi-built houses having red bricks. What a load of crap. So, not wanting to create a kerfufle, we settled on vanilla bricks. It's too early to tell if the house looks noice with vanilla bricks- they seem to have 2 tones at different angles, a whitish and a yellowish warmer tone. I suppose we shall see when the whole house is done up ay?

The bricks we couldn't have

Front Patio

Side of house

Garage

Vanilla bricks

Kitchen

Wow Bricks Already!

Hello everyone! Welcome to our first blog of our soon-to-be-paradise in the west :) 

Wow it is happening so fast, after visiting an empty block of land for the last six months waiting for settlement, BANG! next thing you know the frame is up. Needless to say we are ecstatic, though i must admit Fern is not looking forward to the commute to work. 

We have both nearly always lived on the east side of Melbourne and it will be a big thing come June 2011 when we move to Williams Landing. That said we are ready to embrace our new home and are proud to be called Westies. 

Ok time to play catchup with some photos :)

24/12/2010 Slab is down

18/01/2011 Frame is going up

22/01/2011

22/01/2011 Kim, Fern and James in the garage

22/01/2011 in the living room

29/01/2011 Windows are in and the bricks are on site

Well that's a start