still nothing

It seems like forever since my last post, but I can't help to also feel the same way about the progress of our home. Since my last post, there has not been much activity at the site at all. Mainly probably due to our SS being away on Annual leave and a whole lot of other complications. 
I want to give you guys good news on our progress but I just cant seem to be able to, and its frustrating! 

So since the last post, I was at the house just looking at the workmanship of the tradies that come through to the house to work. I've managed to pick up another error regarding the heating/cooling zoning in the house. So we've requested to have an All bedrooms zone A and the remaining of the house zone B option, its something we believe that we should have so that we can keep the cost of heating lower during the colder periods of the year. Because the Master Ensuite was on ground level, we have had to install an additional zone thermostat to the upper level so that the kids can access the system without having to come downstairs to adjust the temperature. This whole zoning thing was so complicated for us that we spent 2 weeks with out BC just working it out with her. So because all the bedrooms were in a single zone, the duct work for this option was slightly complicated. An additional duct had to be run down into the Master Ensuite so that it will be connected to the same duct work as the rest of the bedrooms. 
I managed to spot the error that the duct had not been constructed this way, but rather All upper floor as zone A and all ground floor zone B. This completely defeats the purpose of us zoning up the house for the bedrooms to be connected so that only zone A will be switched on when all of us are in our rooms resting. 
Brought the issue up to our SS and he tells us that it's fine and ensured us not to worry about it. 
Last friday 23rd Nov 12 I drove past and saw that there were the heating/cooling guys working and they advised me that they've constructed the ducts wrongly! It goes to say that our SS had no idea that it had been wrong the whole time and he'll rather just ensure me that its fine and fix the mistake later - hoping we won't know about it. 
Thank God its all getting fixed and I can have a peace of mind in this area for now. 

Our SS was away until the 12 Nov 12. But while he was away, very minimal work was completed. We had our corner windows installed on the 9th November 12. 

Master Ensuite: 9th November 12 

9th November 12

Activity Room: 9th November 12

Scaffolding sticking into window space

Uninstalled glass

I was at the site when the glass guys were installing the windows. The supervisor incharge of installing the glass was not willing to move a piece of pole from the scaffolding which was sticking through one of our window spaces. They'll rather come out again later to install it. He even called PD office and they were told that unless our SS comes out to move the pole, they will not install the glass.

19 Nov 12

19 Nov 12

So the BIGGEST hold up I believe is the scaffolding side of the house. Not being able to be erected because of power lines being too close. We were initially told that having a spotter was sufficient during the time when scaffolding is erected and Hebel panels installed. But instead, the job that was planned to be completed by 9th November 12 is STILL pending and no progress being made. You will notice in the above pictures that there is a Black and Yellow striped line running across - that was installed on the 19th November 12. I believe this is part of their hazard protection process that needs to be complied with when erecting scaffolding too close to power lines. 
I just hope Hebel can at least be completed by this coming week!

Some very strong crawling bamboo from the previous owner.
It had not died even after we knocked down the house.
Any tips on killing them?

  

Insulation Batts: 22nd Nov 12

Batts for the external walls

Insulation Batts had been delivered on the 22nd November 12. Im not sure if they can start putting up insulations before they've completed their Hebel work. Technically the house is still not water sealed. SS would be taking a big risk if he tries to insulate the ground level without making sure the top level is completing sealed yet. 

Our full tile up to ceiling feature in the Master Ensuite

Located directly above our stairs. 

I hope the electrician will be back to fix these up

Our house 24th November 12

As you can see, the house is still in its half completed stage. We really hope PD will get the ball rolling again this coming week. Hopefully have the house plastered before the Christmas and New Years break. Its been almost 2 weeks of little to no activity at the house, mainly due to the power line issue. And also, our BC has resigned from her role! She gave me a call on the Friday 16th November 12 to tell me that she was moving on and another BC will be taking over her effective the Monday. Looks like what everyone talks about going through almost a minimum of 3 BC is definitely true. Hopefully we will break this curse! Losing your SS will be devastating - having to go through and tell the new BC/SS about the uniqueness of our HOME can be quite tiring and difficult. Especially when you tell PD that you probably know the house better than they do when you check on it almost everyday! I've been getting many requests for information and advices - at this stage, you can see that we do go through alot of frustrations and difficulties, but I guess the main thing is get everything in writing and be fair and I'm sure you'll be alright! 

Until next time!

Back to the colour pallets

So our BC called up on friday to inform me that the selections that we made for our cabinets in the Master Ensuite, Bathrooms and Powder Rooms have been discontinued. 

No longer available

We were given some suggestions and I think my family and I have landed on:

New Selection

Such a shame that we couldn't have what we initially selected. It brings me back to think about the time when I asked if we could change the colour of our garage door, and PD told me that they have already ordered the things when we put in our colour selections. Sad to say that why didn't the cabinet doors get ordered too - when the colour selections were made. 

Also, I was informed that the caesarstone island bench we have in our kitchen will have a 'joint' down width of the bench because its too big. We either go with the 1430mm joint stone bench, or we cut the size down to a 1390mm bench. Again this is puzzling me... why didn't PD rectify this at the beginning. Maybe we can work something out to keep out 1430mm bench top - change the stone used? 

Anyway, the progress over late last week has been great! We've seen the scaffolding go up on the 25th Oct 12, Thursday and wrapping half of the house as well. 

Hebel on the 2nd storey come to almost half way completed on the 26th Oct 12, Friday! 

Looks like PD were very accurate with their timeline! (slightly off this time around) 

But I expect to see the whole house panelled by next week. 

Our evaporative unit/heating was also installed on on the 26th Oct 12, Friday & 27th Oct 12, Saturday. I was so surprised to see them working on the weekend. I'm assuming that our frames will be straightened this week and insulation installed with plasterboard coming right after! 

Lock Up here we come!!

26th Oct 12

25th Oct 12
Hebel Panels /
Evaporative cooling Unit

Family Room Evap Duct

Kitchen Evap Duct

The Media centre for our lounge!

Slow and steady

Construction has seems to have slowed down a fair bit since the start of our build. 

It probably means that the build is fairly difficult at this stage. 

We're still in the midst of fixing Hebel to the exterior of our home. Since the last post, nothing significant has happened other than more panels going on. The panels apparently weigh about 80kg EACH and theres usually only 3 men working on fitting them to the frame.

18th Oct 12
Hebel on the South wall of the house completed

The above picture is where our Study (sliding door) and Lounge room (fixed window) will be located.

As you can see the garage has not been constructed yet. 

19th Oct 12
Rear of the building Hebel panels completed

Rear of the house.
Our large upgraded window panels.

In the above picture, the window panels had been upgraded at our tender appointment, but the drawings were not updated when we sat our electrical appointment. Only when L & O Tech came out to install the double GPO at the location did we realise that the wall in that area was too small to cater for a wall plug. 

So instead we had it shifted to our laundry room to cater for our ironing. 

19th Oct 12
Completed North side wall

19th Oct 12
Completed front facade

19th Oct 12
Ducted Vacuum roughed in

Our ducted vacuum points have been roughed in and outlets connected. However it appears that the guy installing it did not follow the drawings he has been given! I spotted another error in our duc vac waste point.
We have upgraded our garage almost a 3 car garage size. The 3rd lot will be serviced as a workshop/storage area. 

The error is as follows:

Im not sure how strong the Duc Vac is going to be. And whether it will get clogged up easily. It seems like the the pipes they've used aren't very wide at all :S

PD advised that they will finish ALL of the ground Hebel by 19th October. And they did! Well done guys! Credits to our S/S being so organised!

Week Beginning 21st Oct 12

Some exciting thing to be completed this week:

• Wrapped on Upper floor
• Hebel panels on Upper floor 
• Plumbing for upper floor 
• Heating/cooling unit installed 

22nd Oct 12
Plumbing for the upper floor completed

Stacker pipes next to the study room to service the upper level. This is directly next to the open space next to the doorway.

Pipes in the bulkhead above refrigerator space.

Stacker pipe to service upper floor as well

These pipes service the upper floor as well. It is located IN the WIP and next to the Refrigerator space. We wanted to have a bigger refrigerator, but we were told that we cannot due to this reason. 

Breather pipes

Plumber installed tap
& pressurised pipes

23rd October 

All scaffolding have been moved onto the nature strip. 

No other activity recorded. 

24th October

Heating/Cooling install has started.

Heating/cooling in Family area

Heating/cooling ducts servicing ground level

Cooling duct in Kitchen area

  

Cooling duct for the lounge room.
Seems like the plumber might have made a mistake here.

Potential problem for the plumber. (View from upper floor)
The large cut out space is used for ducts to get to the lounge room.
plumbing pipe is in the way!

Another view

Heating cooling ducts will run down this to the master ensuite

Master Ensuite Heating/cooling.
This is integrated into the front facade 

24th Oct 12
The proposed duct opening marked in rooms

 External scaffolding has been constructed only on the ground level.

24th Oct 12 

24th Oct 12

24th Oct 12

Now it seems like the upper level may not be panelled up by the end of this week.
They've still got to construct the rest of the scaffolding, and wrap up the upper level. If they can do all of that by tomorrow, maybe the Hebel guys can come in on Friday and get a head start.
1st time PD falling behind schedule! Hopefully its not going to be a trend.

On a side note: I just bought our family a new surround sound system for our lounge room from digital cinemas! Im currently also thinking if we'll get a new TV for our lounge! 60inch Plasma Samsung 8000series or 60 inch LED Samsung 6000series?

Denon 2113 AV Receiver
Wharfedale DX-1
100m speaker cables

$1700 all up! I managed to get a deal with the guy selling them to me. I was even able to score a deal better than JB-HIFI can do for me.

Can't wait to give them a try tomorrow when I receive them!