Browse Forums Building A New House Re: SunshineT's Build: passed inspection $3k bond back 4381Mar 29, 2013 11:51 am Hi T, Your home is beautiful!! I love love love it! Long time no hear, I have been slack on the forum - nice to see the oldies all still here. Hope that you are well. xx Villina with Contemporary Facade + Alfresco *Demo 22/4/2010 *Pool 04/05/2010 *Released to Construction 24/05/2010 *Slab 29 June 2010 *Start of Frame 30 July 2010 - 21 Aug 2010 *Bricks started 14/09/2010 - 13/10/2010 *Roof started (Facsia) 15/10/2010 *Lock Up 10/12/2010 *PCI 18 Feb *Keys in hand 24 Feb *IOC 09 March 2011 My Thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=39843 Re: SunshineT's Build: passed inspection $3k bond back 4382Mar 29, 2013 2:05 pm Oh lordy, can't believe two long time no see Masterton besties turn up again on the same day!! MrsRose - yes, we have exactly that. Grout is fine when wet. It has been scrubbed many times by myself, by Zens cleaner, by my own cleaner, by the couch cleaner (who turns out also does tiles). I didn't know there was a wet look grout sealer? Interesting. I also hadn't thought of it as grout wash from white walls. It seems common though. Do you remember dreamhome (can't remember, but one of the early Masterton thread posters, built in my area, Villina, had charcoal tiles and lovely charcoal grout)? She had me thinking about grout color. I was also concerned to seal the grout for water / long term mould protection too. I think this product acts as both - color correction and sealer. Anyway, I am picking it up next week and then will call the couch tile cleaning coming (Blanche & Doyle I think?) then get them out to clean tiles first, seal then I was going to apply the color myself. Haven't decided. Watch this space! Sabs - thank you. Each time I go to Nth Ryde club (not often I hasten!) I think of you and that tutorial. Howard did our inspection and was great. SunshineT's Build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34585 Designs start: 4/12/09 DA: 5/7/11 Demo: 22/12/11 Slab: 24/2/12 Keys: 31/8/12 Re: SunshineT's Build: passed inspection $3k bond back 4383May 10, 2013 5:10 am Hi yall - sorry I have been so slack on the forum. I do read stuff but just rarely post. Some great work has happened on our place, particularly with landscaping, plus Zen fixing up odds and ends. Painters finally coming back today (will believe it when I see it!) and Steeline garage guys to fix garage door. Promise promise to update properly soon and photos. SunshineT's Build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34585 Designs start: 4/12/09 DA: 5/7/11 Demo: 22/12/11 Slab: 24/2/12 Keys: 31/8/12 Re: SunshineT's Build: passed inspection $3k bond back 4384May 10, 2013 6:39 am Why are the painters back? Re: SunshineT's Build: passed inspection $3k bond back 4385May 10, 2013 6:40 am 49 posts to go till i have 12,000 posts. I think they will take longer than the first 49 posts! Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4387May 11, 2013 11:29 am Okidoki, so lots has happened over the past few months. In a nutshell: Good Things Come To Those That Wait. That motto came true yesterday. We had the Zen painter finally come back (since hand-over) to finish painting, plus the garage door company. Recently I had been getting a bit agitated that it was taking so long to get the final jobs done (no less than 8 months after hand-over). But turns out the longer period worked in our favour. Because of the delay, a few other minor issues had appeared. Things that would not have been permissible under the usual maintenance to get fixed, but because people were here, we could get them seen to. Ordinarily they would not even warrant as maintenance and we would have to do them ourselves. So what has been happening: - Yesterday Steeline came to fix the garage door as it was opening half way, stopping with lots of beeps, then had to be activated again to open. It took the guy 5 mins to fix, but while he was here I asked him if he could adjust the door to make it it a bit quieter, which he could. If he hadn't come for the door fix then we couldn't have asked for the extra help in making it quieter. Apparently because we have the upgraded DecoWood door, it has extra coats of something or rather that makes it noisy when it rotates in the shark fin. Whatever that means. - Yesterday the painter was also here attending to hand-over jobs: such as the moroka around the driveway (when the drive was put in, it lowered the ground level from the mud piles of the build which left bricks that hadn't been painted at the new ground level) plus the external stairs (you may recall we had all that drama with the Spotted Gum stairs, the natural tannin leaching etc. which meant we had to leave it raw to naturally leach for 6 months). He also had to paint the bottom of the downpipes (where the colourbond downpipes ended near ground level) and some patching internally. So while doing those legitimate jobs, it wasn't a big deal to get him to attend to other minor paint things (wear and tear such as scratches, minor cracks and kids marks), which ordinarily we would have to do as they would not qualify as maintenance. Probably the best thing was that as he had tins and brushes already open for the external moroka and Woodlands Grey, he let me work along side him so I could patch in little scratches and patches on the external walls and poles myself. These things are usual wear and tear, and jobs DH and I would just never get around to doing. But with the paint / brushes already open, a few hours of work from me meant that the whole house got a refresh! Those that followed my thread during the build will laugh when I say yet again I could not go without supplying the painter with something. This time cups of coffee, beer and packet of Tim Tams at the end - running joke as we gave him Tim Tams when he finished up the house for us at hand-over too. Great painter, Alex, beautiful finish and he has pride in his work. When he is back to fix the patio ceiling - after the water issue is resolved - we are going to pay him extra to paint our brick fence and do a second coat on the internal stairs railings. - Coincidentally, yesterday the Genneral Stairs owner also turned up. He was in the area and wanted to take some photos for their marketing. We got talking about any issues with the railing etc and I mentioned the ceiling leak in the patio. Turns out the railings were installed after tiles (which is not best practice - often happens when builders are disorganised and late in ordering the railings he said). Usually a wooden stump is installed to the balcony floor, then the water-proofer does all the floor including the stump, then tiles, then railings. Our railings were done last (due to the hopeless organisation of someone who I shall not name) which means the tiles were breached by the handrail bolts. It is highly likely that is how the water is leaking through. Good to know, but the damn thing still needs to be fixed. Zen (Chris) is on to it, and I spoke to him yesterday too. Tilers are coming back to fix the tiles, including silicon around the railing base etc. then hopefully we can move on to repairing the ceiling and electricals. - Zen (Chris) has been a few times to fix things like the front door handle, wall cracks (two small ones in the Great Room). - DH has been building more things, including the downstairs kitchenette / office (thanks to Ikea), garage storage etc. Bought a little garden shed for his mower, gardening tools etc. Thanks to Bunnings. - Garden has been the main focus though. We decided to put more Buffalo Palmetto grass in the small section next to the patio (could have saved ourselves a bit of money if we had decided this before we did the main lawn area, as we had to pay for delivery with for such a small area of grass), but it looks fab. - We have also been planting heaps of veggies, herbs, citrus fruit, lavender etc. DH is building a veggie patch box and we are surprisingly enjoying becoming green thumbs. I would NEVER have imagined me gardening in a million years. But now I am out there most of the weekends and whenever I can during the week. Promise to post some photos soon. All in all we are still just loving our house so much, and feel grateful every day. SunshineT's Build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34585 Designs start: 4/12/09 DA: 5/7/11 Demo: 22/12/11 Slab: 24/2/12 Keys: 31/8/12 Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4389May 11, 2013 5:25 pm Carmel Great update Sunshine I love the bit about rotating in the shark fin. Very funny. I don't know what it means either. I like that they could make it quieter. Handy! thanks, yeah I thought the same thing - WTF is that?! But when I relayed the information to DH it seemed to make complete sense to him. Go figure!! SunshineT's Build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34585 Designs start: 4/12/09 DA: 5/7/11 Demo: 22/12/11 Slab: 24/2/12 Keys: 31/8/12 Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4390May 11, 2013 8:41 pm So glad to hear that you are enjoying all aspects of your home T-including t he outside! Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4391May 11, 2013 8:55 pm Deemaree So glad to hear that you are enjoying all aspects of your home T-including t he outside! Thanks Dee. You will be pleased to know we didn't go with the artificial turf option in the end... Look forward to seeing you in a few weeks... SunshineT's Build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34585 Designs start: 4/12/09 DA: 5/7/11 Demo: 22/12/11 Slab: 24/2/12 Keys: 31/8/12 Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4392May 15, 2013 12:11 pm Hi T, We didn't get any artificial turf either, just using the concrete top of the tank as it is for now. Wondering if you can help, I think you said you had some tiny chips on the laundry bench top & Zen were going to fill them, was that you? Anyway I have made 2 little chips loading dishes into the dishwasher & I wondered what is involved in fixing them. I am pleased now that I did not get an undermount sink as I am sure I would be chipping that too. Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4393May 16, 2013 7:54 pm Hi Ryan, yes it was us that had the two chips in the bench top. They were caused by tradies working prior to hand over but we didn't see what happened. Zen got them fixed, but I can't remember exactly who fixed whether Zen or Jack. All they did was fill it in with some sort of putty stuff. At the time I wasn't that impressed, but since moving in I can't even remember where they are now. All our mess and daily living obscures so many of the details I agonised over at hand over. Luckily we haven't chipped any ourselves. Sorry I can't be of more help. Some white putty stuff. I thought it would have been better filed back or something but I have no idea what is supposed to happen. SunshineT's Build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34585 Designs start: 4/12/09 DA: 5/7/11 Demo: 22/12/11 Slab: 24/2/12 Keys: 31/8/12 Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4394May 20, 2013 6:53 pm Good to hear everything is going well T, and getting things ticked off the list, look forward to photos! We too have a chip on our benchtop, not sure how it got there, will just leave it be, not to big about 3-4mm long, but like you Ryan so glad I didn't get an undermount sink, loving my sink Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4395May 26, 2013 1:52 pm Hey T! Been so long since I have logged on here, nice to see a recent update and that all is going well. Sorry to hear you have been experiencing leaking problems. Hope that it gets rectified nice and quickly for you. Take care x Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4396Aug 25, 2013 4:56 pm Hiya - well, I vowed I wouldn't do what other house builder do - drop off the end of the earth once I have built. But alas... Time and energy going into the garden and living in the house rather than building it. I updated on the Zen thread, but our leak in the alfresco is finally getting seen to. Bigger job than we realised. Still loving the house. Garden going well, have a little lavender hedge out near the patio, grass survived winter, Australian natives growing well in the front. I should take photos but it just takes so long to load up via photobucket. Finally agreed with the neighbour to plant a tree out front (likely a banksia) to improve the streetscape and our privacy. Just need to get Council on side as it is Council land - meeting them next Friday. Built a little shed (from Bunnings) for the lawn mower and whipper snipper, just working on the garage now. Put some plans in to Zen's cabinet maker (Jack), to do some cabinetry in the craft / store area. Quote was $1900 which we thought a bit high, but we know we will never get around to it nor do as neat a job, so will go ahead with him. Don't expect to see it done for at least 6 months though... The house has been amazingly warm through winter. I still love putting on the double sided fire place on the cold nights. The TV room side gets lovely and toasty, but I can see how it is a waste of heat on the other Great Room side as the area is just too big. Surprisingly we aren't using the alfresco areas nearly as much as we expected. And when we were designing we thought that would be the prime living area. Friends around the corner building with Zen are at bricking stage and seem happy. Once we get some architrave cracks painted we will be done with our 12 month maintenance period and that will (hopefully!) be the end. Otherwise, we are all good and happy SunshineT's Build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34585 Designs start: 4/12/09 DA: 5/7/11 Demo: 22/12/11 Slab: 24/2/12 Keys: 31/8/12 Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4397Aug 25, 2013 7:13 pm Lovely to hear from you T. At some point I'll have to come & check out that garden again. Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4398Aug 25, 2013 8:31 pm Good to see you sunshine! Amazing how fast the first year has flown! We also love our fireplace and have never had the aircon at all this winter, the fireplace heats the whole house, best thing we ever did. I'm sure you will start using the alfresco again, once it warms up, perfect place for a drink or two! Love to see some photos Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4399Aug 25, 2013 9:04 pm Hello dear Dee and Gogo - nice to see you still here ... Dee I think you would approve of our garden and veggie patch. Gogo would love to post pics of landscaping, will give it a go... SunshineT's Build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34585 Designs start: 4/12/09 DA: 5/7/11 Demo: 22/12/11 Slab: 24/2/12 Keys: 31/8/12 Re: SunshineT's Build: good progress 4400Aug 26, 2013 8:19 am gogo65 We also love our fireplace and have never had the aircon at all this winter, the fireplace heats the whole house, best thing we ever did. I'm sure you will start using the alfresco again, once it warms up, perfect place for a drink or two! ps: that is very cool that you don't need the air-con. I was wondering how your back area would go in winter as it faces South, but with the fire-place right there sounds like it has worked out perfectly. Do you regret getting the air-con? As for our alfresco - the irony is DH doesn't go out there because it is too hot! It faces north and has wide eaves angled up (what am I talking about - you know as you have been here!). Anyway, it doesn't get a whole lot of shade in winter time and DH says it is too sunny / warm to go out there. Go figure... I am wondering if it is the way we have the furniture configured, so just thinking about how to make it more user friendly.... Funny how we use our houses differently to first imagined. We use the living room / kids play room much more than we expected. I guess as the kids are still young and it joins to the backyard. Works well to keep all their mess and toys in there so our lounge upstairs is relatively sane and slightly less mess most the time SunshineT's Build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34585 Designs start: 4/12/09 DA: 5/7/11 Demo: 22/12/11 Slab: 24/2/12 Keys: 31/8/12 Fig Landscapes has produced an e-book and native plant index, available for purchase from their website. It's a great resource, full of inspiration and tips. Another… 1 12523 Our Bondi Greenwall was impressive from day one with advanced lush plants to provide a wow factor to this recently renovated living area. The boundary was less than 1… 0 18891 |