Just more pictures!!!!!

I'm loving how the bricks are looking!!

 

Welcome to my errr.... kitchen.

 

My living areas and alfresco, as seen from my backyard.

Progress update

It's getting more exciting! Each time I drive past there's significant progress, as now they are really getting ahead with the exterior.

The guys are putting the scaffolding up on Monday, which will allow the brickies to finish bricklaying (bricks go up to the base of the windows upstairs) and then we can get cracking with the cladding.

Here's an interesting fact which I didn't know earlier. The cladding that looks like weatherboard timber is in fact, engineered concrete. They come in 4.something metre long slabs, so they will be a challenge to put up.

Amazing stuff.




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Bricking

They've started bricking!

Everything looks great, and I'm pleased we went with the rolled (actually, we probably would have been none-the-wiser) mortar.

At first I was a bit panicked, with two walls looking like they have different coloured mortar. Our site supervisor was quick to point out that mortar lightens as it dries, so hopefully when we pop by tomorrow, the off-white mortar would've lightened to a similar colour as the other wall.

 

We asked our site supervisor why some houses look incredibly patchy and his reply was that when bricks such as our Mocha are used, there are quite a lot of variation in colour. So in these cases, it's essential to have all bricks that are going to be used on-site. Then the supervisor would ensure that all bricks from different batches are blended before they are laid. Interesting.

At the moment, we are incredibly pleased with our site supervisor.

 Hooray! Totally makes up for the 'almost seeming redundant' office-based Building Coordinators...

Bricks

At our colour appointment, we had decided to have our mortar raked, at the advice of our colour consultant. Heck - it was mortar, what would we know.

Our site supervisor suggested that because our bricks were Boral Mocha, from his experience, rolled mortar would just yield a better result.

 Boral Mocha brick

After uhmming and aahing, trying to get more information from websites and forums, we decided to go with his recommendation and opt for rolled.

Fingers crossed that it'll look good!

Frame up!

We had our independent building inspection today, and finally met with our site supervisor for the first time. Everything seems to be looking good, with only some minor rectifications needed. Our SS reported that the rectifications will be made by the time lock-up is done.

Apart from the rain we got today, weather has been awesome so work has been done so so quickly. I can only hope the weather will hold up and everything will go on as smoothly as it has been since construction began.

Slabbin' it

It's all moving so quickly!

 

Visited on Monday and found the waffle pod pre-slab, awaiting the concrete to be poured the next day. 

Then went by on Wednesday, and lo and behold, the concrete has been poured!

 

Our site supervisor informed us that the framing carpenter will start work tomorrow, so stay tuned!

 

There's something new everyday!

A week after the previous post, I visited the site, and found a pile of soil and a temporary toilet there - boy, was I glad to see that temporary toilet!

We visited yesterday, and saw drainage, sewerage, water pipes peeking out of the ground.

TODAY I visited, and found the waffle pod (blocks of [believe-it-or-not] styrofoam and steel) ready for the concrete slab pour tomorrow.

We finally heard from our Site Supervisor, who seems nice (over the phone). He called to introduce himself and give us a quick update:
- The concrete slab is going to be poured tomorrow (14/02/12)
- The framing carpenter will be on-site on Thursday to get started on building the frame and trusses of the house (16/02/12)
- Expected completion of frame and trusses is NEXT Friday (24/02/12)

We've organised to have our own independent Building Inspector to inspect the slab and frame on Monday (27/02/12) to make sure that the build is going well and we're not on our way to have a 2-storey Leaning Tower of Melbourne.

It's moving so quickly!!