Building our dream home.. walls no longer bare!

DeeElle · Aug 11, 2008 11:34 pm

VJ

Looks great. The trick to seeing the inside is to turn up during the day when the tradies are there :wink:

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Good luck with your handover date. Kitchen is gorgeous.

VJ · Aug 12, 2008 10:50 am

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Looks great. The trick to seeing the inside is to turn up during the day when the tradies are there .

Dy,

I thought we can't enter the premises without our SS's permission? Although we did go in prior to fixing stage (when door in the mud room wasn't installed yet).

So when I turn up today, they won't tell the SS that I entered the premises?

Because I'm on leave at the moment - no childcare for my DS.

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don't know when our handover date is, don't even know when our lockup date is either

I just wish they would finish ASAP. We are living with our inlaws at the moment. And all 5 of us squeezed into 1 room. I can't wait to move to our place and have some breathing space!

sammy, that must be hard.. the 5 of you squeezed into 1 room? i can just imagine how relieve you would be once you move to your new house! and your house is huge! :shock:

PhoenixStar · Aug 12, 2008 10:57 am

WOW, VJ, its looking fantastic!!!!!

Love the colours in the kitchen and laundry....and i'm drooling over the glass internal doors too, i'd like to change a few of ours but that is low in priority atm....

Dont stress too much about being on-site, we would just be told not to be there, but who can honestly stay away from something so important and exciting!!!

Plus tell them you're keep all of us Homeone members on-track with your build!!! Can't leave us in the lurch now can they??? :wink:

More pics please!!!!!

VJ · Aug 12, 2008 12:12 pm

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WOW, VJ, its looking fantastic!!!!!

Love the colours in the kitchen and laundry....and i'm drooling over the glass internal doors too, i'd like to change a few of ours but that is low in priority atm....

Dont stress too much about being on-site, we would just be told not to be there, but who can honestly stay away from something so important and exciting!!!

Plus tell them you're keep all of us Homeone members on-track with your build!!! Can't leave us in the lurch now can they???

More pics please!!!!!

Phoenix!!!
Nice to hear from you again!

Yes, we love our timber glazed doors... I'm sure you can easily change them in the future.

My mistake. I told our CSR that we want to take some photos today.. but she said it's not allowed. :cry:

Anyway, we arranged for a site meeting on Thu 10am with our SS. Will definitely post photos afterwards

petal · Aug 12, 2008 12:46 pm

Everything's looking stunning, VJ - you must be so pleased! We were at the same stage weeks ago - and now you have cupboards - we're STILL not even at lock up!!! ::crying::

Your pergola looks sensational - and what a win for you!!!!!Well done :wink:

I wonder what's going on with the bricks??? We have the same ones I think (Austral Hawthorn?) - now I'll have to go and check every brick at our place!!!!

Can't wait to see more photos!

VJ · Aug 12, 2008 1:01 pm

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Everything's looking stunning, VJ - you must be so pleased! We were at the same stage weeks ago - and now you have cupboards - we're STILL not even at lock up!!!

Your pergola looks sensational - and what a win for you!!!!!Well done

I wonder what's going on with the bricks??? We have the same ones I think (Austral Hawthorn?) - now I'll have to go and check every brick at our place!!!!

Can't wait to see more photos!

Hi petal,

I checked your blog, your site start was March '08. Ours was Dec '07 and we are almost at the same stage. PD really builds faster than M!

So when do you expect to have the cupboards in?
Isn't it that you have online facility to check the time line?

Yes, we have the same bricks, but you used the 50mm to the front ? am I right?
Don't know if the cracks to some bricks pose an issue in the future.
Hope not.

Yes, pergola is sensational! We really love it!

Will have new photos of the kitchen this Thu.

By the way, your house is huge! How big is it again?

Cheers!

petal · Aug 12, 2008 2:08 pm

I didn't realise that you started last year VJ - bummer, they get to use the Christmas period as part of youyr contract time! :roll:

Yes, we have a "thermometer" on PD website that showas where you're supposed to be - ours said "Lock Up" on 2th June!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They changed it at the start of this monthnto 1st August....we're still not there.... :roll:

I don't know when the cupboards will go in - the plaster is sitting inside, and was supposed to start yesterday....but didn't - surprise, surprise! NOT! There was no one there yesterday, and tosay I only saw the brick cleaners back again- they're th eonly ones who sem to take any pride in their job!

Yes we used the slimline Hawthorns to the whole front facade (except for where they render of course!) and the house (incl garage) is 54 sq, so, yes, it's pretty big - but the 6 of us will fill it! :lol:

I reckon you could fit about 5 of this rental place in there!!!!

Yay - looking forward to those kitchen photos! :wink:

Btw, what house & facade is yours? (I j have 2 friends who've recently signed up with M)

VJ · Aug 12, 2008 2:53 pm

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Yes, we have a "thermometer" on PD website that showas where you're supposed to be - ours said "Lock Up" on 2th June!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They changed it at the start of this monthnto 1st August....we're still not there....

I don't know when the cupboards will go in - the plaster is sitting inside, and was supposed to start yesterday....but didn't - surprise, surprise! NOT! There was no one there yesterday, and tosay I only saw the brick cleaners back again- they're th eonly ones who sem to take any pride in their job!

petal,

so what was the reason for the delays? did they tell you?

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Yes we used the slimline Hawthorns to the whole front facade (except for where they render of course!) and the house (incl garage) is 54 sq, so, yes, it's pretty big - but the 6 of us will fill it!

We also wanted the slimline to the front facade, but due to costs, we didn't go ahead with it.

54? wow, that's huge!
Our house is Nevada 39 Coastal Facade. When we moved the garage to make way for a mud room, size increased to 42+ sq.

Hope they resume work in your house.

petal · Aug 12, 2008 3:15 pm

Yeah, standard is 50sq, but we added 600mm length to back of house (HT & Fam Rm) and made the garage into a 4 car size, but had a room built within that (which we will use as a gym/music room).

Yours is big, too! :lol:

I have 4 kids - boys 12 10 and 8, and a daughter who is 6 and a half so they take up a lot of space!!! :lol:

We have no back yard at this rental place :shock:

but luckily, it's in a court and park lands nearby, but I just can't wait to get back home....but in a brand-spanking new house!!!!!!

It's been such a long process - we actually signed with PD in June last year - and before that we went thru the process of designing a reno/extension and having that approved by our very pedantic council, before deciding to bulldoze & start again - so a long haul!!! I'm sure you're pretty keen to get in too!

VJ · Aug 12, 2008 7:54 pm

4-car garage :shock:

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It's been such a long process - we actually signed with PD in June last year - and before that we went thru the process of designing a reno/extension and having that approved by our very pedantic council, before deciding to bulldoze & start again - so a long haul!!! I'm sure you're pretty keen to get in too!

on our part, we've been living in this rental unit for 5 years now...
2-bedroom unit was enough for us then (for the 3 of us).. but now that we have 1 more child and too many things, we need a bigger place.

can't wait to have our own place.

it was a long journey too on our part before we finally started building. it took us 3 builders (and 3 deposits too!) before we finally signed a contract to build.
looking back now.. no regrets. we are building our dream home and in 4 to 6 weeks' time.. we'll be moving to our own house!
yeepeee!!!!!!!!!

petal · Aug 13, 2008 12:11 pm

4 car garage is just the outside size - the gym/music room is within that, so there'll be space for 2 cars, the trailer and bikes at the back! :wink:

Yep, you're dream home will be amazing and the diffficult lead up will all be a blur very soon, VJ !!!.....that's what I'm trying to tell myself too!!! :wink:

VJ · Aug 14, 2008 12:47 pm

Ok, as promised, here are the photos that I took when we met with our SS this morning:

Front door delivered:
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Stairs:
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door underneath the stairs (to be used for storage):
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Laundry:
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broom/linen storage in Laundry:
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Powder room:
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Kitchen:
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Linen upstairs:
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Ensuite:
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Bathroom:
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Doors were already installed:
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DS was all over the place!

We also clarified that the power point to the fridge area should be to the rear and not the side! We found out that when we asked for some changes to the electricals (e.g. separate switches for the 3 lights on top of the benchtop, double switches, etc), their drafters changed the location of the powerpoint to the fridge area.
SS rang the electrician (E) to confirm the location and E said it's on the side!
We argued to our SS that we never gave an instruction to change the location of the power point. We didn't check it anymore as we only checked the ones that we asked to be changed. SS was trying to convince us to retain the power point as per plan, but we said we couldn't allow that because it would use up too much space in our fridge area, which we can't afford to lose because we've already ordered the 2 fridges and have allowed enough space (30mm both sides) as per manufacturer's suggestion.

Good thing SS agreed and rang back E to instruct to change the location to the rear.
Kudos to our SS!

We asked our SS about the tentative handover date... he didn't want to commit. He said it would be more certain once we have the pre-handover inspection.

Paula · Aug 14, 2008 12:51 pm

Wow, its looking great!

Love all the storage!!!!!

Nice kitchen - VJ, you are one lucky gal :wink:

VJ · Aug 14, 2008 12:55 pm

I noticed that the colours of the cupboards to the Laundry and Powder appear to be creamy... it's to do with the lighting (very dark there when I took the photos).

Should be the same as the one in the Kitchen.

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Nice kitchen - VJ, you are one lucky gal

Thanks, Paula!

petal · Aug 14, 2008 1:06 pm

It looks beautiful, VJ - LOVE the look of the horizontal handles, looks really clean and streamlined ......(yes, that's what I'm having! :lol:

)
DS looks very pleased with it all, too - cute!

Toast · Aug 14, 2008 1:39 pm

Wow! Looking great! So much storage!!

Love your kitchen! When we choosing our handles we went all the one length... now i'm wishing we got longer ones for the pot drawers....

VJ · Aug 14, 2008 2:13 pm

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It looks beautiful, VJ - LOVE the look of the horizontal handles, looks really clean and streamlined ......(yes, that's what I'm having! )
DS looks very pleased with it all, too - cute!

Thanks petal.
The horizontal handles were DH's idea.

He said in their office, they normally suggest horizontal handles esp. for aged people (more ergonomic)... so are we aged people? :lol:

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Wow! Looking great! So much storage!!

Love your kitchen! When we choosing our handles we went all the one length... now i'm wishing we got longer ones for the pot drawers....

Toast,
We almost did the same.. good thing we reviewed the plans the night after we did the selections and realised that we have lots of pot drawers and it would look better to have bigger handles.
Our colour consultant was the one who chose the smaller size for the cupboards.

joles · Aug 14, 2008 2:17 pm

VJ stop posting pics!!! :lol:

I'm looking at all your cabinets thinking how good they are going to look with the floor tile! :lol:

I'm obsessed with your floor tile and all these pics just make me want to see the it laid!!!! :lol:

Everything looks fantastic!

Jo

petal · Aug 14, 2008 3:25 pm

VJ - that's so funny!!!!.....Umm, yes, maybe we ARE old aged!!!!! :shock:

Someone hand me that walking stick.....

Jo, you're obsessing about tiles getting laid??!! :twisted:

Hmmmm....

VJ · Aug 14, 2008 4:50 pm

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VJ stop posting pics!!!
I'm looking at all your cabinets thinking how good they are going to look with the floor tile!
I'm obsessed with your floor tile and all these pics just make me want to see the it laid!!!!

Everything looks fantastic!

Jo

I was all smile while reading your post!

Jo, so you now understand why we had to request for a tile variation!
The colours of our cabinets will truly match our floor tile!!!!!!!!

I'm very pleased with the colours!
And it's great to hear that other people appreciate our choices!

Now, we need to find the best tiler in Melbourne!

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VJ - that's so funny!!!!.....Umm, yes, maybe we ARE old aged!!!!! Someone hand me that walking stick.....

Jo, you're obsessing about tiles getting laid??!! Hmmmm....

petal,

soon we'll be old... at least we are preparing now...
and horizontal handles look good too!