Brrrrickwork!

Thus far the bricks have been the longest part of the building process, but they look grrrreat! It's been progressing for about two weeks now. I went past to watch yesterday, and I can understand why it takes so long! They have to be so meticulous so that all the mortar is the same width along, it looks like a real skill! The houses around us are really happening too! Two doors down they are building an 'Allworth' home, which they built with frame and truss which were pre-made so they come up really quick! In our area there are 5 houses being built. It will be so strange in 5 years to look back at these pictures and see vacant land! Joe has found some really good floor boards within our budget this week so we are choosing from the samples soon. We are also picking our roof tiles as soon as we return from our holiday to Melbourne, so the tiles will be on, bricks done, and the house at lock up stage in about a month!

At present the bricks are just about completed on the bottom storey, the windows are all in, and the front pillars are just beginning :)

Frame Completed

In just two weeks the bottom storey, first storey and roof are complete! It has gone up really quickly! The weather has been great, with minimal rain, so we really haven't been delayed at all. 

The plumber came and connected all our water and gas lines, so now we have pipes running through the walls. We made sure to get a gas line running to the alfresco area, which will eventually be for the BBQ...no running out of petrol station gas bottles any more!! :)

The bricks have been delivered (we chose the Boral Storm...after much deliberation!) and the windows should be arriving tomorrow! 

Double Storey!

We started this week with 'Ice-cream Monday', as the boys were working in 41 degree heat! I thought Joe should have sent them home, but he is far too conscientious! So to compensate I took ice-creams and powerade :) There is very little shade so at least they were simultaneously working on some very deep tanning! The second storey went up in no time! This was probably the most exciting thing we've seen thus far, we were actually able to climb up and walk around our upstairs area! We were able to get a real sense of our room size, and the view! I'm guessing that Occupational Health and Safety regulations would stipulate we shouldn't be climbing around up there....so pretend you never saw these pictures! While we were up there we were able to make a couple of minor changes to door widths etc, which is really hard to preempt from the drawings. This is a major benefit to having an independent builder, it is no trouble to move things around!

The frame begins

Joe and the boys made a start on the frame on Monday, and already we have a first floor! It was really awesome to be able to walk on the slab when the rooms had been mapped out in 2D, we started to get a real feel for how the dimensions of the rooms would be. Then, we pop over today to find our frame is now 3D! We could actually walk through the rooms and see where each of the walls, windows and doors would be. Joe has had a great idea to put a two-sided fireplace in the theatre/family room. It would look so awesome so we need to look into the $$$!! We need to make a decision pretty soon as all of the structural elements of the house will be finalised by the end of the week. Tomorrow they are planning on finishing the windows, then its on to the 1st floor! Given the pace they have been working at, it looks very likely that we will be up to Lock Up stage by Christmas. Things will get slow after that as each of the tradies take their Christmas break :)

Pouring of the slab!

Last night John and I ventured to the un-poured slab (waffle pods and metal grids) on Joe's advice to throw coins in for good luck, to be sealed in that concrete mass for ever! It was 38 degrees in western sydney, so we were a little concerned that the slab would dry too quickly and crack!

However, at 6 am when Joe arrived at the block the next day, it was raining!! It nearly looked like we would have to post pone- however, the rain remained at bay, and the pouring began! 

A massive truck came with a big long hose, and a guy basically walks along with the hose pouring the concrete, while someone behind him levels it out with a broom. It is then smoothed with a trow, and voila, we have a slab!

Bricks

Who would have thought bricks would be such a laboursome decision! We have been to every brick yard in greater western Sydney, and have piles of samples lined up at our door, still, indecision surrounds us!

We have been so impressed by our builder, Joe, who has even accompanied us to brick yards to help us make our decision. Our architect has also been so helpful, and has been going over colour schemes with us daily.

We are currently working with a colour scheme using Boral Storm, as pictured below :)









We have also discovered a cool little tool that helps you to picture what your house plans will look like in 3D. It's called 'My Virtual Home". We've been able to see what our colour schemes will look like, get a feel for the configuration of the rooms, and play around with furniture.

All prepared for the slab

Two days after the piers went in, and we are ready to pour the slab! This is what the preparations look like...
In other news, I have been planning our furniture before I had even designed the house, and going furniture shopping is what I am most looking forward to. Today we happened across a sale, and ended up walking out with two lounges! Doing things a little backward :)