Our Half Acre Heaven- Bushman's cave

[*]My internal colour selections...
Kitchen:
Benchtop: Diamondgloss Stipple seal or Essastone New Sable Luxe- depends on overall costing at the end of the day.
Cupboards: Formica Warm white. Rethinking vinyl profile- with woodstove in kitchen, radiant heat is possibly a problem!
Wall tiles: 100x300 white, laid brickbond pattern.
Splashback: the Boys tile with frame ivory "candy twist" border tile. Love them together!
Kick: Laminex Peruvian Clay.
Bathroom:
Benchtop: Laminex satin heartwood
Cupboards: Laminex satin heartwood
Kicks, Bath riser and hob white ripple gloss.
Feature tile: Southern Cross Eucalypt with Paprika pencil border (sorry no pic- in storage).
Floor tile: Lanka sorento

Ensuite:
Benchtop: Formica Glossplus Warm white
Cupboards: Satin heartwood
Feature: Eucalypt with Heath pencil border ( a soft green- in storage)
Wall tiles and kick: ripple gloss white
Laundry:
Benchtop: Formica Rock salt tightform.
Cupboards: Satin heartwood
Splash: Rainbow Ivory tile with feature the Girls. 2 rows of chocolate pencil border (in storage.)

That's it for now. Exciting to see it all come together.... We still have to meet the cost of the tank & plumbing, the ATU plumbing, all post and rail fencing and driveway and the garage/shed...

I am all about the Stipple Seal/New Sable luxe + Peruvian Clay but all your selections sound deliciously amazing! Can't wait to see them in action!

Gorgeous Selections Trees, I really like your Chicky tiles

Hmmm. I have just noticed my thread doesn't continue when I changed the subheading- to internal selections. How can I link them without making a new thread every time??

you need to change the heading on the very first post.

I was wondering why this isn't in your normal thread tree. Very nice selections and will suit your house well. Make that you Charnley and me having some sort of brickbond/subway tile splashback in kitchen.

ooooh I love your selections! Especially the kitchen splashback!!

And that satin heartwood laminex is to die for! Can't wait to see it!

Huh? How do I update new developments- as they will all change back to the first, won't they??
Yes, I met someone who kindly invited me over to see her new kitchen and that 100% confirmed my choice of laminate, it was so nice.
And I must admit the rooster splashback pic does not do it justice at all it is gorgeous

Hey tree, are you looking to change your heading "Our half acre heaven-patience finally rewarded" to something else but still keep it all in this thread, just go back to the very original post you wrote on page 1 and click "edit" down the bottom of that first post and then you can change your title and save it. So every time something exciting happens with your build we will know by your updated title and it all still remains in this thread.

thanks Tash! Whoops I think I started a new thread instead of changing the heading... Pity I can't link the 2 threads...

Update: prestart 2 days away 30th November Can't wait to lock it all in! That will be one pressure off my shoulders

Oh what a tiring day. Did a day trip so I could collect my poochie from the vet this evening. Now we will wait on final costing, our builders are busy atm so it may take 2 weeks before we get everything through.

Really pleased with what we achieved today. Our girl was very helpful. My darling went astro travelling pretty early, he's not used to sitting around!! He did a lot of yawning I even had to prompt him when it came to something he wanted!!! Lucky his private secretary was on the ball... with my trusty notebook and list

One of the drafters did a shadow plan for us with winter and summer sun comparisons so we could actually see what sun would come in calculated at 12 noon. It was brilliant. We had to discard the raising the roof issue, too costly, and the skylights with automatic close blinds were also pricey. Hard to do on a raked ceiling as well. We have compromised with putting laserlight sheets over the front windows only, not along the whole verandah. From the drawings it is a good compromise and cost effective too. We will get winter sun in the front half of the freeform living and none at all inside in summer.

Kitchen was changed to incorporate the woodstove, I will post the revamped plan once I get them, I love the new arrangement and gained extra drawers as well!

One thing we hadn't selected was barge board colour, rafter tails and the wide board that connects along the verandah. Plain forgot about these!!! I've gone with Asian Ivory (Wattyl), this colour is just a shade deeper than the wicker white which we had picked for verandah posts, it looked a bit stark.
Anyway it is definitely past my bedtime. More posts and pics of items to follow soon.

Forgot to say we went with Stipple seal and not the Essastone new sable luxe. My darling says he can't justify the expense. But that saving means more drawers in the kitchen, an internal door upgrade (standard was plain flush) and some lighting bonuses...
So it's all good.

That's sounds great!

What did it cost to upgrade doors? I think it would have been the first to go but we didn't get the chance to ask...

I don't have any costings as yet but I will let you know.

We have an idea of all other costs except the kitchen, having done a prestart 12 months ago. Some idea because there's price rises to incorporate in that. (We have already had to absorb one for the actual build). By the way, they want us to sign a disclaimer about the Diamondgloss, they don't recommend gloss in the kitchen cos it's a high wear area. I would be interested to know how others have found the product, I am prepared to be careful anyway....

I would have liked to upgrade a few more items but there's only so far our money will stretch. However, we got a smeg appliance package for the kitchen for free, we entertain a lot so I hope they live up to the "brand name".

Hi Tree, nice to hear prestart went well for you and that doggie is on the mend.

We had diamondgloss benchtops in our old house in black and we too if I remember correctly had to sign a disclaimer as well. We had a large window over our sink that shone onto the bench and that is when all of our scratches would really show up, I was really careful with it when we first moved in but as time goes on daily living takes over and we ended up with a few but like I say it was the light from the window that really showed them up. We sold the house with those same benches still in so it was still presentable. I am sure that we have diamond gloss in this rental but it is in a lighter speckled colour with a window in the kitchen and I can't see a single scratch so maybe it has improved heaps since our one or colour and lighting makes a difference?

Yes I think you are right, lighting and colour would certainly make a difference.

My poor little pooch is not exactly on the mend, as of today he was xrayed and now will be medicated for a heart condition. It's all been VERY stressful. I found a vet who would xray without anaesthesic, after begging my own vet to do it and was refused. So grateful, cos otherwise he wouldn't have survived AND he was misdiagnosed with kennel cough. Needless to say I have changed vets!!! The new vet who is brilliant! said it would have been coming on for some time. Wish animals could talk. I am praying he will have a few more happy years after meds kick in. My dog is actually only middle aged, he is from a proper breeder. You'd think they would check their breeding stock for these sorts of things, but I wouldn't exchange my dog anyway, he has the most beautiful nature and gives me so much joy and unconditional love.

Here's the latest pic, our finished road. I didn't know there was pavement both sides of the road...detracts from the rural setting really, but it's good for prams, strollers or walking the pooches. The public open space gardens (left of road) will start to be landscaped soon if my information is accurate.



We've been organising our water tank so we can provide water for the build. Bit of a hassle when we are several hour's drive away but we will be saving a few thou which builders would have gobbled up. Of course it can't be installed until after the land settlement but we want to be ready to go in Feb and avoid construction delays.
Still waiting to receive our prestart changes to sign off on the costings and then we are all set to begin. As long as they reach lock up before winter rains it will be sweet, cos they've quoted 10 months from start to finish. Last time we built it took only 6 months...

Oh poor doggie. What kind of breed Tree? I know our Cavaliers are known to have heart problems but so far so good. At least you have a better vet now that you feel you can trust.

It looks like it's all coming together now and won't be too long til land settlement.

Glad to hear that your little guy has a diagnosis and should be getting better!!!

The street is looking great! Its going to be a lovely area when it is all completed!

He is a shih tzu. Here are my two fur babies together, they are both so delightful, my chihuaha adores his "brother" :



Thanks Enelya, yes it's another week before his medication takes full effect. Hoping it will have a great result and I have him for a few more happy years.

As for the block, I'm looking forward to seeing the open space plantings go in, should look lovely :