H&H's acreage build - We are in!

Houseandhorse · Nov 05, 2015 12:06 pm

I love looking at other builds (particularly acreage ones) so I thought I'd share mine as we start our journey.

We have 2.5 acres in which about an acre will be a paddock at the back for animals. The house will be 50m back from road. Only downfall with our block is we have to put septic in.

Land settlement - 16/10/2015
Plans to council - 3/11/2015
Council approved - 2/12/2015
Site scrape - 3/12/2015
Plumbing/electricity - 4/12/2015
Slab - 10/12/2015
Frame - 14/12/2015
Roof - 29/12/2015
Windows - 25/01/2016
Bricks started - 28/01/2016
Lockup - 4/02/2016
Plastering complete - 14/02/2016
Cabinetry - 17/02/2016
Painting - 7/03/2016
Tiling - 18/03/2016
Handover - 6/05/2016

House plan. We have made some adjustments to this plan - Sliding doors to rumpus (hide kids mess!), shelving to study, bed 2 and bed 4 have extra column of shelving in robes, double shower in ensuite plus shower niche (430mmx800mm), dishwasher relocated to main kitchen, extra bench and cupboards underneath in butler pantry end and extended laundry benchtop to wall.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

External colours

Colour choosing has honestly been a nightmare for me. So much choice and worried about how they will turn out. Would love to hear what you think. Have tried to go for neutral colours that won't age too quickly we hope.

Roof/Gutters

Windows/fascia/Garage/Verandah posts/Front door

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Brick

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Front door painted in surfmist with translucent glass. Keeping in with a traditional look I have been torn with the front door. To be honest I'm still not sure. We don't want the house to look like grandma's house :lol:

so hoping this door will give the house a long lasting look that won't age quickly? We most likely will add a screen door in the future too.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Internal

Kitchen colours. White cupboards apart from nickel cupboards above stovetop. Blackbutt vinyl planks. Oiled soapstone benchtops.

http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv34/beckles5000/Tiles_zpssib2myvy.jpg

The long grey tile will be kitchen splashback too and in shower walls of both bathrooms. Large grey tiles for bathrooms and laundry floors. We haven't mixed things up too much as I've found it so hard colour choosing!

http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv34/beckles5000/Tiles2_zpsf803bl1g.jpg

Online pic of bench colour. I really liked seeing it on display at the cabinetry place but it was in a gloss finish that showed way too much fingerprints etc. This is another choice I keep having doubts with. My pics above you can see look so much darker than the below, I think because the sample is matt? Our colour choices are going off they will look like above pic, not below. Our benches will be in matt laminate.

http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv34/beckles5000/Oiled%20Soapstone_zpsl0sxopzb.jpg

Here's my carpet and colour choices together. Carpet looks dark in this pic.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Here is the same carpet in display home!

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Pendant lights for over kitchen bench, picked these up at Beacon lighting on special.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Sink mixer (veggie spray) for main kitchen

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

AKB · Nov 05, 2015 12:09 pm

Posting to follow welcome and I like your colors :-)

nikkis2000 · Nov 05, 2015 12:23 pm

Also posting to follow.
All great choices. I think the front door will look fine. Painting it surfmist will give it a modern edge but keep the traditional style.

You'll have to post some picture of your block too!

I'm with you on the septics. We're currently trying to decide how best to landscape round them to disguise them a bit more!

Houseandhorse · Nov 05, 2015 1:12 pm

Thanks everyone

Builder has told me the house will be started before xmas :z:

nikkis2000 - Our septic tank will be on left hand side of house then it will be subsurface, an area of 350m2 which must be fenced from livestock which is fine as our animal paddock is further back. Not sure what we will plant in septic area that is low maintenance.

Here's a pic of our block standing on back fence looking to front of property. As you can see its a blank canvas. We've planted some plants on front fence as soon as we settled, will be a big hedge once grown. We can't wait to go crazy with planting once house is done! Our biggest mission at moment is finding a ride on lawn mower!

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

nelleebellee · Nov 05, 2015 1:50 pm

Posting to follow. I love seeing acreages builds as we are starting on this journey too.
I think your colours look great. I am having a really hard time with choosing colours.
We had a septic tank at our last property with subsurface irrigation. We planted natives in this area, in particular lillypillies did really well. What system are you having?

Houseandhorse · Nov 05, 2015 2:24 pm

nelleebellee

Posting to follow. I love seeing acreages builds as we are starting on this journey too.
I think your colours look great. I am having a really hard time with choosing colours.
We had a septic tank at our last property with subsurface irrigation. We planted natives in this area, in particular lillypillies did really well. What system are you having?

How did you find maintaining the area? Like did it need mowing? How did you keep it looking neat?

Pretty sure this is the septic we are getting http://econocycle.com.au/index.php?opti ... &Itemid=18

nikkis2000 · Nov 05, 2015 5:34 pm

Houseandhorse

Thanks everyone

Builder has told me the house will be started before xmas :z:

nikkis2000 - Our septic tank will be on left hand side of house then it will be subsurface, an area of 350m2 which must be fenced from livestock which is fine as our animal paddock is further back. Not sure what we will plant in septic area that is low maintenance.

Here's a pic of our block standing on back fence looking to front of property. As you can see its a blank canvas. We've planted some plants on front fence as soon as we settled, will be a big hedge once grown. We can't wait to go crazy with planting once house is done! Our biggest mission at moment is finding a ride on lawn mower!

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Lovely block! I'll let you know if we have any wild ideas for septic planting!

Ah - we can only dream of a ride on mower. The block is far too rocky and would destroy one. Poor old DH has to go out with the strimmer. Fortunately only about an acre actually needs cutting back the rest is bush!

Houseandhorse · Nov 09, 2015 1:07 pm

We are now looking into getting doubled glazed windows! I need to speak to sales lady tomorrow but builder said today its still possible to do a variance (we are at waiting for council approval stage). We were already quoted at signing contract stage but at the time thought no. Since speaking to neighbour about noise from road out front and benefits saving on heating/cooling costs I think we need to go for it. Just means dh's shed gets pushed back even more which he's not real happy about!

nelleebellee · Nov 17, 2015 1:48 pm

Houseandhorse

nelleebellee

Posting to follow. I love seeing acreages builds as we are starting on this journey too.
I think your colours look great. I am having a really hard time with choosing colours.
We had a septic tank at our last property with subsurface irrigation. We planted natives in this area, in particular lillypillies did really well. What system are you having?

How did you find maintaining the area? Like did it need mowing? How did you keep it looking neat?

Pretty sure this is the septic we are getting http://econocycle.com.au/index.php?opti ... &Itemid=18

The garden was sectioned off with kerbing and mulched with woodchips. There was no maintenance, only the occasional weed. The woodchips needed replacing after about 5 years due to the natural aging process. We liked having the woodchips as it allowed us to easily repair some of the irrigation pipes a couple of times when they sprung leaks. I haven't heard of the econocyle, last time we had a biolytics but they went out of business (shame it was a great system) and this time we are having a Fujiclean. I'll see if I can find a photos of the area for you.

Houseandhorse · Dec 01, 2015 2:09 pm

Progress!

We went to block to give it a good mow on weekend with our new mower to find we had a tap, water connection yay! It took yonks to mow 2.5 acres but it needed a going over after the slasher a few weeks ago. To my surprise this morning while watering my plants a portaloo arrived. Couldn't believe how happy I was to have a dunny :z:

We mowed in perfect timing!

Next thing I got the call to say septic had been approved, finally! Site supervisor put pegs out today and hopes to do site scrape tomorrow and have plumbing in by Friday. The plan is to hopefully have house framed and a roof by Christmas!

Here's a pic of the pegs if you can spot them.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Houseandhorse · Dec 02, 2015 3:57 pm

Bobcat has been

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

hrvat_ica · Dec 02, 2015 10:21 pm

Homeone needs a like Botton. Great news

?

Houseandhorse · Dec 07, 2015 8:12 pm

Lots happening on our block. Friday we had gas, electricity and plumbing put in. Today site was prepared for slab to be poured tomorrow :z:

Check out all the waffle pods!

Plumbing
Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Ready for slab

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

bubblynutter · Dec 07, 2015 8:57 pm

Found you!!
Subscribed to follow while we wait for ours to kick off.

Looking great. And how flat is your block!!!

Houseandhorse · Dec 07, 2015 10:10 pm

bubblynutter

Found you!!
Subscribed to follow while we wait for ours to kick off.

Looking great. And how flat is your block!!!

Yay!
Our block slopes gently at the back and with big rain can get abit flooded with water right at the back fence hence why the house is plonked in the middle. Should be able to put in a deck nicely at back eventually....man cave shed comes first though when funds permit!

mellianne5 · Dec 07, 2015 10:48 pm

Posting to follow... looking forward to watching your build progress!

Houseandhorse · Dec 08, 2015 9:26 am

It's raining today damn it! Guess the slab will be poured tomorrow?

Houseandhorse · Dec 08, 2015 8:28 pm

^No thanks!

I checked on house today thinking there would be no change due to rain but waffle pods have been put in, concrete should be tomorrow :z:

Our slab is 400mm high, can really notice now how high it will be.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

MnT · Dec 09, 2015 9:35 pm

Posting to follow. You have a great block. What did you decide regarding the double glazed Windows?

Houseandhorse · Dec 09, 2015 9:40 pm

Thanks MnT. We decided to get double glazing, I better notice the difference :lol:

No slab poured today

hopefully tomorrow.