We have just stumbled upon this forum and decided to join up and share our build process and hopefully learn through everyone else's journeys too! Our story so far:
Jan 2011 We fell in love and bought a bush block (1400m2) in a small coastal town (approx 50 houses in the area). It was scrub (tea tree etc) to about head height, and a few small scraggly gums. Basically you couldn't see two feet ahead of you. This is looking down the only cleared bit - the driveway:
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And this shot - if the link works: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅
Over the next couple of years we mulled over and designed a house we would like to build, however when we finally got the build quoted, it was far too expensive - we decided we didn't want to spend that much on our first home. So we started from scratch and designed a whole new house. We found some plans online that we liked, then I did our very first sketch: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅
We took the plans to a local architect - the dwelling area is 152sq.m and garage is 78sq.m: will try and upload picture soon
Our biggest headache was dealing with Tas Fire, and getting a Bushfire a Assessment Level (BAL) rating and report done, and then making sure our house would meet the specified standards. We were lucky that we just managed to build a house without having to put fire shutters on all our windows! In about August/Sept this year we were finally getting moving - we had our block cleared and to make our view even better, we had a heap (and a heap and a heap more) fill brought in to give us a flat site: the caravan is on the next door neighbours land... This is looking up from near the road.
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This one is a similar view a day later perhaps
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We ended up with something like this:
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And this amazing view from the actual house site:
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We have signed a contract with a local builder and they are already underway. They are helping us get the slab laid and hopefully the shed up before Xmas. They have estimated we might have a house to live in by Easter! So after all these years we are pretty excited that things are finally moving! We are doing a waffle pod slab (which for those like me who didn't know what it is - it's big polystyrene crate-like boxes that you lay into your slab box, then the concrete is poured over them. So not only do you use less concrete, you are also insulating against the cool earth at the same time). Some pics taken last week:
House boxed up:
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Garage site:
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We went out this morning and they were getting ready to lay the polystyrene (in gale force winds!). The concrete starts pouring Wednesday! it's an amazing place for our first home. We have a neighbour on one side, vacant block on the other side, reserve land behind us (as there is a highway behind us) and crown land in front - so will hopefully never have anyone build directly in front! Perfect