Alkira Homes "The Sienna" KDR Ryde (NSW) - complete

yvonneh · Mar 14, 2015 5:36 pm

From what I understand the trades get paid by the job (at least by our builder) not based on the time they take. So if they take too long then they have to make it up!

deluded · Mar 14, 2015 6:24 pm

yvonneh

From what I understand the trades get paid by the job (at least by our builder) not based on the time they take. So if they take too long then they have to make it up!

yeah it is per job.. so the quicker they can do it the better for them... will share a few more photos as soon as I can

The brickies working on my house is pretty good... workmanship is good

Sheilzy · Mar 14, 2015 6:40 pm

Wow your brickies are hard working! Looks like they are on a mission to finish up ASAP and move on to the next job. At this rate, you will be locked up in no time!

deluded · Mar 14, 2015 6:42 pm

Sheilzy

Wow your brickies are hard working! Looks like they are on a mission to finish up ASAP and move on to the next job. At this rate, you will be locked up in no time!

Hahaha but its the brickies... not the people doing the roof or the external pipes...

yvonneh · Mar 14, 2015 7:03 pm

and it sounds like you have more photos to share...

deluded · Mar 14, 2015 7:55 pm

Yes I do... soon

deluded · Mar 14, 2015 10:37 pm

ok .. finally back so I can post with pictures. To be honest I did not expect that they would be working on a Saturday. I know that they get paid for the work regardless of time frame. So if it is poor weather I reckon it is the worst possible scenario.

Like I said on a prior post, I drove by this morning all psyched up to take photos but they were working! .. I don't really like to be kinda in their face while they work and I'm certain they don't mind but what seems like a few minutes could be a long time just standing there watching the work and looking at the house!! ...

These guys are hard workers!! .. 7am to 5pm would be their day! (I was there just after 5pm thinking they would have left, I had to rush across the road to the liquor store and buy a slab of beer to thank them. yes across the road from my place are a series of shops pizzeria and liquor being the important ones for me. the other ones are a cafe, pathology, local GP, physio and convenience store) and I really appreciate the efforts they are putting in to get the job done (its a 2 way street right?). Its also one of those situations where you don't know how good some people are until they are gone! ... The fact that I pay a little more to Alkira doesn't mean too much but the people and trades that work for them and who put in huge efforts I really hope they are well looked after! ... the quality of their work to my untrained eye is of an extremely high standard!

I also found out about the concrete steps, the brickies will be creating the wall for the steps!! ... Perfect! ... I hope I'll have photos of that early next week. They are really hoping the fencing team I got will get rid of the wall within the time frames agreed so they can keep going. If not, I don't believe they will be happy because it slows them down and again they get paid for the job regardless of duration.

I know the photos are hard to see but they've bricked up the pillars at the front of the house! .. (front of picture and middle of picture) as well as finishing off the bottom of the windows (no idea what you called those angled down bricks)
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not that it is easy to see (was in a rush to take the photos and go) pillar and window complete at ground level / person height level
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the alfresco has a pillar too! .. also the rear windows have the bricks so at ground level all the windows are complete and its upwards we go!!
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yvonneh · Mar 14, 2015 11:25 pm

wow looks great and sounds like a great set of tradies!

you are good to get them a slab of beer. do you ask their preference or just guess?

great work in getting the photos!

deluded · Mar 14, 2015 11:32 pm

yvonneh

wow looks great and sounds like a great set of tradies!

you are good to get them a slab of beer. do you ask their preference or just guess?

great work in getting the photos!

I was observant enough from the few times I was there what they were drinking during their down time. Casually mentioning that I'd buy them a drink and said whether what they were drinking was ok and then buying the full slab.

raina · Mar 14, 2015 11:35 pm

Great news deluded and awesome job by the trades.. I was driving around in my neighbourhood and stumbled upon an almost finished alkira home and the finished work looked so good and nowI'am quite happy about choosing to go with them.. Keep those photos coming

deluded · Mar 14, 2015 11:42 pm

raina

Great news deluded and awesome job by the trades.. I was driving around in my neighbourhood and stumbled upon an almost finished alkira home and the finished work looked so good and nowI'am quite happy about choosing to go with them.. Keep those photos coming

Hi raina

sure will .. hope my time line post can keep up! .. I am guessing that the photos will be slowing down at lock up and everything is done internally where I can not access. Externals easy on a corner block

Sheilzy · Mar 14, 2015 11:45 pm

Awesome progress! Don't you wish all your future trades are just as hard working as your brickies! Workmanship looks top notch.

Good on you for getting them a slab of beer. I'm sure they appreciated the gesture! The last time I'd driven by before school pickup I had intentions of buying my brickies a slab but they'd already packed up and left for the day. I probably need to rock up before midday to catch them before they knock off early

deluded · Mar 14, 2015 11:53 pm

Thanks sheilzy... can't fault them on the quality.. their off the cuff comment was"some of the owners rock up and watch but never speak to them as if tradies are beneath them"... i believe the people doing the work are the ones you look after ... conversation goes on and on .. but in summary not many tradies take pride in the work they produce especially if they get the apprentices to do the work ..

Sheilzy · Mar 15, 2015 12:14 am

I couldn't agree more!

I love all our trades so far! I've made a point to have a chat whenever I've managed to catch them at work. I think if you show interest and appreciation in their work, they're more inclined to go the extra mile. At least that's what I'm hoping for

deluded · Mar 15, 2015 12:20 am

Sheilzy

I couldn't agree more!

I love all our trades so far! I've made a point to have a chat whenever I've managed to catch them at work. I think if you show interest and appreciation in their work, they're more inclined to go the extra mile. At least that's what I'm hoping for

unfortunately for me if I start talking with them I don't stop ... while they are ever so polite I can tell that they are waiting for me to leave so they can power through the work hahahaha

might have to find some time and get over there while they have lunch that way I am not in their way and I can talk their ears off hahahaha

TomCat · Mar 15, 2015 10:16 am

Hello! I can't believe people think they are better than tradies

They are very skilled, hard-working peeps. I love talking to them, but like you deluded, fear of talking their ears off

Lovely house by the way!

trixee · Mar 15, 2015 1:25 pm

Ha, I'm the same way, once I start talking to them it's hard to stop, they're usually really lovely people and I actually find their work fascinating.

Your brickwork looks superb, great job.

deluded · Mar 16, 2015 6:53 pm

I had some great progress today, the morning was cold and dark!

The annoying boundary wall was removed today! .. which is fantastic!. ..

The brickies also got the western wall up to the first level in preparation of scaffolding.
Since the wall is gone they plan to take advantage of that and brick up the rumpus and living rooms (pretty much these are the 2 rooms causing all the dramas with the boundary wall). This means that they'll be finished with that side tomorrow for scaffolding on wednesday and delivery of a new load of bricks! .. yay!!

see how tight it is? because of how thick the concrete blocks were it was extremely difficult to brick up
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Nearly all gone! ... I think wooden sleepers will be placed down before the colorbond as it needs it for a bit of retaining and sloping
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The fencing team already took 3 loads to the tip, this is most of what's remaining mind you they were using little trailers!
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Look at that wall!!!
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The wall from another angle, the integrated hot water system unit in the brick work. Not really in the correct spot as they've had to bend one of the pipes to get it in. But then it's also the plumbers who guessed where it would be instead of thinking about the bricks and to place it in the correct location
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feels like really great progress!! they reckon another 2 weeks max, so just after easter bricks will be complete!
hope to update with progress shots as much as I can before lockup

yvonneh · Mar 16, 2015 6:54 pm

awesome news about the wall coming down and even better visuals!

the bricking is looking great!

deluded · Mar 16, 2015 7:01 pm

really happy with the work at the moment. I spent all day making sure the fence was done correctly. But also just being there looking at the ground floor..

While I noticed hairline cracks on the slab I am not sure whether to be concerned or not. The brickies are preparing the conduits for the pillars so that lights can be installed later.