Monday, February 18, 2013

Excitement

I got great news!
Got a call from our SS last Friday informing me that the house will be ready in sometime early march - PCI! Right after that would be our handover. At first he said that we should have our PCI on the 2nd March 13, but when I informed him that we are getting our private inspector from Final Inspect, he suggested that we push back the PCI and make it the 8th March 13, just so that he can get everything ready and in place for the inspection; 3 weeks out!
I don't expect that we move in immediately after our Handover. I'm anticipating for the handover to be delayed by about 2 weeks after the PCI, probably sometime late March. Just because I know that there are a number of things outstanding which has to be fixed. One which is the motion sensors currently installed at the wrong locations (in the lounge room, where there is no openable doors).


Our SS has been really REALLY helpful over the whole course of the build. I really do believe that he is one of the BEST that PD has. Every little thing that we weren't sure or satisfied about, he looks into it and gets it fixed. Sometimes, he issin't willing to budge, but theres other times he's willing to go the extra mile. I guess he is a fair guy.


The whole of last week was tiling, and some plastering. All tiles completed! Even our facade ones. The house is really starting to look GREAT!
15th Feb 13 - Completed tiling facade
Facade Tiles - Brick layered
Completed powder room tiles
Large Bathroom Niche 
Master Ensuite Tiles to ceiling
Plasters were also on site to complete the garage area and also the void area which we weren't happy about the finishing.
Extended garage, for extra storage space
Kitchen/family area
15th Feb 13 - Fixed Void
Downpipes have finally been installed too! Im not sure why PD hasn't done this earlier in the build. Especially during the winter period. When water is not drained away from the slab, it can cause extra moisture around the area and the slab can be prone to cracking due to the excessive moist in the soil. This is very dangerous for the waffle slab is the soil is reactive. PD has had some litigation claims against it in the Northern and Western suburbs. If you refer to the earlier photos in our build, you see that they have connected plastic downpipes to address this problem. The issue is, when different tradies come on site, they just rip these plastic downpipes off the gutter and the solution is no longer applicable. Water from the roof and gutters will just flow out of the gutter outlets, onto the bricks/hebel walls, and onto the soil area directly under it.
Well anyway, our downpipes are still NOT connected to the stormwater outlets. But Im not too fussed about it, as we are still in the summer. The likelyhood of a storm coming through is quite low.
Downpipe behind garage wall
15th Feb 13 - Downpipes installed
Now that we have been informed that we could be moving into the house much sooner than expected, I have change the delivery dates for our fridge we ordered.
Appliances online were having a sale last month and I purchased a twin Pigeon pair fridge/freezer. We had to buy a joining kit $88, which will make the pair look like a large single unit.

451L Fisher & Paykel Fridge E450LXFD


389L Fisher & Paykel Freezer E388RXFD

The fridge has a 2 star energy rating; $1322
Freezer 1.5 star energy rating; $1430
Free delivery. Currently out of stock.
We have decided that the dedicated space PD has provided us for a fridge will be converted into a pantry space, and we will fit the pigeon pair in the WIP across the fridge space; refer to link. This will allow us to have a bigger fridge/freezer unit in the WIP.

I also purchased 5x step wall lights for the stairs. We opted for baton plugs for the stairs as I believe PD was going to charge some enormous amount for them. I paid $54ea from Beacon lighting.
They are currently out of stock too. But I should be getting them soon.

Maxx 50W Step Light Kit in Silver

We have also decided on our pendant lighting above our island bench. I just have to order them in now.
3x A**ika Pendants.
Dimensions: 420 mm H x 230 mm D

The void pendants
2x or 3x Pendants
Either 1 400 and 1 500 OR 2 500.
JU**A 400 Dimensions: 250 mm H x 400 mm D
JU**A 500 Dimensions: 260 mm H x 500 mm D
What do you think?



Our BC also called me to inform me that this whole week will be fittings week! Hopefully I will be giving you more updates about our basins and our toilet fixtures! We are really rolling ahead now. The countdown begins!

Things to do this week:
Quotes for retainer walls/fencing and finalise council dispensation application
Order in wholesale LED downlights for the entire house
Book our Sparkie
Call Telstra to confirm bigpond and telephone services
Get quotes for the front driveway

7 comments:

  1. Awesome news about your PCI date. Love your light fittings. I also love what looks like cabinets around your mirror in the ensuite. Wish I had thought of that.

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  2. Hi Lyndall, those cabinets around the mirror were upgrades. Kicked me back $3k! ughh!

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  3. Do you mind if I ask where you got your lights from? I am building with PD (a waldorf) and find your lights unique... need some places to browse lights

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    Replies
    1. Hi jnkbids,
      I get my lights from all over the place. haha. I look on ebay and sometimes on ClickOn furniture, or Lazy Susan.

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    2. Check out http://www.westelm.com
      If you want more ideas. I quite like the lighting here.

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  4. Hi
    can I ask if it cost you extra to change the cladding for your facade ?

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    Replies
    1. The horizontal portion of the facade was a standard cladding. They use James Hardie Axon cladding. We requested for them to be 400mm centered. I would actually suggest to use a James Hardie Matrix cladding. They look more modern imo. Also, the finishing of our Axon cladding issin't very good at the moment. I can see that it hasn't been weather proofed yet. Hopefully the SS will see that it will be done before our PCI.
      SS says that this is the FIRST time he has installed this cladding onto our facade. Most people would've paid the extra $$ to get other tiles on it. We decided that we won't for now, and maybe do that later on when we think the house needs a refresh on its outlook down the track.

      The vertical portion of the facade was an upgrade. You will have select the tiles you would like at your tiles appointment.

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