The Albany 330E ..... HANDOVER ..... 500+ PHOTOS & Counting

Glorious! Those bricks are beautiful! Great to hear that everything with both the family & the build are going well...

Looks awesome, I’m with Dee, Great to hear that everything is going well

Congratulations on the new addition!! My little man did not have that much hair at age 2...come to think of it, he does not have that much hair now!

Your home is looking beautiful and so roomy. Can't wait to see it finished, then again, I bet you can't either

Wow your house is looking amazing TA! Especially my gorgeous lobby especially more gorgeous with the level 2 soundproofing! I really like the line of the house down the laundry side it looks really Great!

Hope all is going well with Blake!

Hi TA,

i came across your thread yesterday, thank you for sharing the process with wonderful pictures.

we plan to build our house in doncaster, your thread really inspiring and very helpful for us to visualized the outcome.

bravo!

cheers
henry

House looks fantastic TheAlbany

Really love the bulkhead over the kitchen island...

Your boys are such cuties

Hi Albany,
just got through your thread. Looks great. Can I ask if you put the extra noggins in for mounting the TV or did the builder do it for you? Also what was the idea behind having the two garage manholes?

cheers

Ash

Hi Scott,
Your house is looking GREAT! especially all your unique additions (grand foyer, center kitchen bulkhead. And two manholes in the garage? oh yes the old adage..two are better than one or more likely......a guy thing?

Your bricking seems pretty good too. Looking forward to seeing it all cleaned up.
I wanted to ask about your windows. We are having the same double glazed awning type and are considering tinting to the front facade. Do the double glazed windows have a slight tint to them? (apart from asthetics, I'm not too sure if tinting double glazed windows is a good idea or not- have had a few conflicting views). Our final drafting is happening at the moment, so I have to finalise my electrical plan ( so back to visualising living in each room to see what I may need - oh another question! what is the standard downlight? are you sticking with these? or have you opted for LED's?

cheers
Mandi

Thanks Dee ... Always happy to read your kind feedback.


Cheers Wiz, All is going great so far, but you are in the lead ATM still with our little race to handover LOL. Im actually not going to rush handover though, want to have everything spot on with the house on pre inspection before ill handover. All is going good though.


LOL, that is the maltese in him, both my kids had a head full of dark hair at first. My wife is maltese, must be a strong gene ... I say they may have her looks, but as long as they have my brains LMAO
Yeah, we cant wait to get in either, really starting to feel like our place now, the more i see it.


Hey HerbieCat, thanks a lot, probably one of the best choices we made doing the CSR L2 Soundchek Walls... Nice and quiet for me in the mornings after a nightshift.

Blake is doing great.

Here is a pic of your the Lobby you love so much
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9964.jpg



Thanks Henry, Thanks for posting too, so many ppl view along in the background and never post (I am too guilty of that myself though i guess )

I did promise everyone from the start of my thread that i would try and be as detailed as i could be with a lot of pictures of our build ... hopefully anyone like yourself get something out of it.

Good luck with your build, hopefully i can follow your build thread one day.
Regards


Cheers Flaggie, yours is coming along quiet nicely as well.
Yeah, my wife said the same thing the other day ... quote wife "im so happy we asked the builder to put that bulkhead over the island bench" LOL That was probably the cheapest variation we made with the builder as well. I never came on the standard plan or as an option, but very glad a mate of mine (plasterer) said to do one.

Another shot of my boys for ya Flaggie
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/Kids/AshtonBlake.jpg


Hey Asha1, Thanks for taking the time to read through it.

I put the extra noggins in throughout the house, i asked the builder if i was able to and he was ok with it. Ive put a few sections in the house with multiple noggins on top of each other ... That is simply for the LCD / Plasma Tv's so we can mount them to the wall and know they are nice and secure. (so many so i can decide how high/low i want it mounted when we move in.

The two garage manholes are too access 2 big 1200x2400 boards i threw up in the roof for extra storage room for light items like the christmas tree, camping gear, ect.
I actually did 2 as the one next the the wall can access the boards while the garage panalift door is opened. While the other will be covered by the garage door when its opened, that manhole does actually open up right in the middle of the boards so i should be able to reach most items without actually getting in the roof.

Hope that all makes sense


Hehehe, yeah a few items can be simple explained by "its a guy thing" LOL

Bricks have come up good ... Im also looking forward to the cleaning of them though. Hopefully they will still look fine.

Our Windows, No they have No tint or even a slight tint to them at all. My wife's cousin Andrew owns his own tinting company, DIRECT FACTORY TINT http://www.startlocal.com.au/home/glasstinting/vic_melbourne/Direct_Factory_Tint_1652677.html if anyone is interested. He is tinting the four front fasade windows, the windows in the front door and our garage window a very dark midnight black for us. Im not sure myself whether it will affect the results of Double Glazing or not, but he tints every day and said it will definately improve furthermore over double glazing ... And i cant see say i can see how it could hurt. We mainly want the tinting done for privacy reasons though....

Im actually not sure exactly what the standard downlights look like, but they are white low voltage downlight, not LEDs (LEDs are so much cheaper to run, but it personally do not like the look of the blueish light the let off. I prefer standard light, thats just me though.)

But once we move in, i have a mate that is an electritian that is going to change a few downlights over in the kitchen area to a stainless steel downlight, and going to install a ceiling fan over the battern light ive asked for in our main bedroom and a heap of extra downlights around the outside bulkhead in the Home Theatre, ohhh and a few flood lights for the sideway and backyard ... i was not going to pay $360 for 2 standard parra flood lights for the backyard and sideway where the are only $14.95 ea from bunnings.

Cheers Mandi,
And Good Luck with Casa, they are great builders ... you still hopefully have my mobile number if you ever need anything.





Well Well Well Photo UPDATE

PLASTER HAS BEEN STOPPED UP AND WE ONLY HAVE CORNICES LEFT TO GO UP ON MONDAY

My Garage
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9956.jpg


Our Entry Ceiling
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9959.jpg


And Again
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9986.jpg


Home Theatre
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9960.jpg


Home Theatre
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9961.jpg


Kitchen and Dining on Left - Living to the End - Main Bedroom to the Right
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9962.jpg


Kitchen and Dining
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9963.jpg


Kitchen
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9984.jpg


Inside our Pantry / Ante
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9985.jpg


CSR Level 2 Soundchek Bedroom Wall - Ahhh Peaceful Sleep
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9982.jpg


Lobby through to our Bedroom
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9964.jpg


Main Bedroom
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9965.jpg


Ensuite - Bath and Vanaties
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9968.jpg


Ensuite - Shower and Toilet
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9967.jpg


Ensuite - Spa
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9969.jpg


Through to Lounge / Living Room
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc215/rompn8/1st%20House/08%20Plaster/IMG_9970.jpg


Lounge / Living Room



Lounge / Living Room



Linen at Start of Hallway



W/C and Bathroom



Bathroom



Bathroom



Laundry



Bedroom 2



Bedroom 3



Bedroom 3 Wardrobe



Bedroom 4 / Our Study




Once again, Thanks to everyone for keeping up with my thread ... hope it gives anyone planning a build some insite into the whole process.

And one last thing, Dont ever let any tell you that building a house is a nightmare, i guess it could be at times, but if you keep on top of things, and do all your research prior to signing contract it should be a lot of fun ... We are loving our build experience so far anyway

Wow, its looking great, and your boys are gorgeous

The 2 manholes is a great idea, well thought out!

Awwwwwwwwwwww Ashton looks like such a proud big brother... little Blake looks like a grumpy bum!

Kitchen next?

Your house is looking great....Ashton and Blake are gorgeous....The only thing I can criticise is....your choice in footy team...

GO CATS!!!!
http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv358/bangermeghna/75021.gif

Thanks Tinkster


Ashton is ... and yeah, Blake is a grumpy little man when he is hungry, but a little sleeper when he is full.

Sanding walls Monday, Prehung doors on Wednesday and maybe some of the skirting and architraves ... Kitchen early next week (as well as the bathrooms to im guessing)


Cheers handmick, if that is the only thing you are critising, then i think im doing alright ... Anyway, once we win the flag this year, You probably wont bring up the AFL again this season .... LOL

All good, im hoping it is a Bulldogs v Collingwood final as my wife is a Doggies supporter and it would be great to see us knock them off in the big game, but the dogs just wont get past St Kilda i dont think.

Yay to progress Love looking at all the pics. Your home is going to be so big and beautiful

Can't believe I'm about to say this.....but I think that it may be Collingwood's year..

Dee you need to go immediately to the bathroom and wash your mouth out with soap and water!!

HAHAHA ... Sorry Dee, a lot of people would have struggled to read that.

And Yes, I do agree.

Thanks Albany, i like the garage storage idea, can never have too much storage! Are you doing much with your home theatre - Dark walls, projector, blockout curtains, theatre couches........?

cheers

Home Theatre - Via the Builder we had asked for the 300x400 Bulkhead around the Ceiling all in square set as seen. The Carpet in the Home Theatre is the only place where there is a light Mocha Colored Carpet, the rest of the house is a dark mocha. The walls are getting painted asian ivory for the time being. And the builder is putting in a few downlights on a dimmer switch in the bottom of the bulkhead. We have removed ALL lights from the actual ceiling (nice clean look).

It is going to be our dedicated Home Theatre Room.

Once I move in ... Luckly ive got 2 good mates (1 a plasterer and the other a sparky). The plasterer is going to cut a small section out of the centre of the bulkhead at the back of the room, and box it in to place a projector in there instead of hanging it from the ceiling.



And the sparky is going to run a few more downlights around the bulkhead for me... 3 on the back wall bulkhead, 3 on each side bulkhead and 2 on the front bulkhead (either side of the projector screen).

Now this is the hard bit to visualise ... We wanted the 4 long windows across the front of our house, as i think it completes the fasade. BUT, the front room ofcourse is also our Home Theatre, and nobody wants light in a H/T. So once i move in we are tinting ALL the houses front windows really dark. Then on the inside of the H/T, where we have the 2 middle windows, I will be framing up a false wall and plastering over it properly to cover the 2 middle windows completely. This is then where the 2.5m wide fixed wall projector screen will go permanently attrached to the wall. Accomanied by a set of Jamo s608 5.1 surround sound speakers.




Also get 2x Floor to Roof style chocolate colored curtains to go over the last side windows, and a proper Theatre Lounge with the Recliners in them for seating.


Will look something like this except a wider room with the 2 side windows curtained over. My best friends partner is a painter, so he is going to paint all the walls a chocolate brown, leaving the bulkhead white, and painting the ceiling a very light chocolate / mocha. And our downlights in the bulkhead will give this same effect.

WOW