The Noodle Family Preston - we have keys!!

Broom · Oct 12, 2011 9:03 pm

It all looks gorgeous Cass

I LOVE the Oyster Linea & those glass cupboards look fab. I'm also a big fan of the Amari Oak, my parents have it in their house & I always think how nice it looks.

Fingers crossed your tiles get delivered & started this week!

HillsCass · Oct 12, 2011 9:04 pm

Thanks you guys

we are so excited by it all!

Outside cornices are all done with some external painting due to start either this week or first thing next week, and all our tiles were delivered yesterday.... so hoping we see a tiler soon.

DCT, the splashback is oversized tiles.... I would have liked glass, but the budget wouldn't go that far. This is going to look awesome though - 600 high by 300 wide, so not a lot of tiles across, with matching grout so they will be very unobtrusive I hope. Colour is called Gloss Stone, a bit beige-y instead of stark white. It goes really well with the laminate colours so I"m hoping it all looks pretty special. Everyone will be too busy ooh-ing and aah-ing over my stove anyway!

Hopefully I'll be back in a couple of days with tiling pictures! We have been doing earthworks and landscaping quotes at the moment, and have come across some stormwater issues that need to be addressed by the builder. That's the next hurdle.

dreamcometrue · Oct 12, 2011 9:12 pm

I am interested to see what your splashback looks like - I will be going tiles too, just a personal preference but not sure what size yet (bit difficult since I don't even know what my kitchen is going to look like

)

HillsCass · Oct 12, 2011 9:16 pm

I'm dying to see it too!

We haven't seen it done that way ourselves, we are putting a lot of trust in the consultant at Beaumonts and her "vision" for our kitchen. Although our selections lady didn't think it was a crazy idea. It only cost us an extra $90 too, which made the budget happy!

noelz · Oct 13, 2011 9:32 pm

yep! Looks beautiful - love the kitchen and especially the glass cupboards - nice touch.

Ive got more boxes when you are ready - maybe give me until the end of next week to sort it out...still on concrete, floors will be started tomoz...

HillsCass · Oct 17, 2011 4:38 pm

noelz

yep! Looks beautiful - love the kitchen and especially the glass cupboards - nice touch.

Ive got more boxes when you are ready - maybe give me until the end of next week to sort it out...still on concrete, floors will be started tomoz...

Thanks noelz - I'll be glad of them. Let me know when you're ready for a visitor! At least the weather hopefully will let you get your driveway down, and I hope your floor FINALLY gets down. Poor you

what a mess!!

Nothing really to report this week. Although all the tiles are there, no sign of a tiler yet. We were told definitely starting last week so I have no idea what's going on

however the sparky was there today doing lights and power points. We still don't have a meter, so no power to the house yet for all the tradies. I'm reliably told that the exterior painting will start tomorrow, they can't do any more interior painting until the tiles are done. Boo.

We have been busy with retaining wall quotes etc, and I met the tank guy on site today and have nutted out all the torturous details of what tank and where. AND we're under budget at the moment, so hooray!! Which is good because the retaining walls are going to kill the budget completely. Baked beans on toast for a while I think

mrsroc · Oct 17, 2011 8:45 pm

Cassie, looking really nice at your place, gives me an idea of what mine will look like as our is so similar. My kitchen will be darker and probably a little darker in the bathrooms. Been so long since selections. ::smile::

wildorchid · Oct 20, 2011 3:15 pm

Hi
just had a quick look (i dont think ive looked at your thread before)
the joinery is looking great. i too am a lover of oyster linea, the wild orchid display home has it.
and yes, it looks great with the horizontal grain, esp in the ensuite

HillsCass · Oct 20, 2011 3:17 pm

mrsroc

Cassie, looking really nice at your place, gives me an idea of what mine will look like as our is so similar. My kitchen will be darker and probably a little darker in the bathrooms. Been so long since selections. ::smile::

I know, it's so hard to visualise it all isn't it!!

Update for this week. The external painting got mostly done on Tuesday, just a couple of things need a second coat but it's looking really good!! The SS also got the rocket going regarding the tiling. The sand and concrete/grout etc was all delivered on Tuesday and Wednesday morning there was a team of 3 tilers going hammer and tongs. More tiling done today, but I haven't seen inside since yesterday lunch, so no idea how fast they are going. Pretty quick from what I can guess though!

Sparky came back for the 2nd fix too and all of the lights/switches/powerpoints exhaust fans etc are in. He did mention that we had a LOT. Well, better too many than none where you want them!!

Here's the strange puzzle though. I emailed our CLO and asked why the meter wasn't installed yet. This is the bizarre answer.

"With relation to the electrical connection by ETSA I have been advised by the Electricians that this will not take place until 08/11/11 as ETSA have had some issues with components that are too big to fit into the meter box."

I'm sorry. Did they suddenly change the size and shape of meters? Or meter boxes? That just doesn't make any sense. Especially considering that we just yesterday received a letter from the builder saying that we have reached the stage of Practical completion and our SS should be in touch "SHORTLY" to make an appt for our walkthrough. I'm sorry, but if they think they are going to have the house inspected if I can't turn on one single light, they have Adelaide Hills CLAY in their heads!! ::angry::

Actually almost everything else has been started or is in progress, and by 3 weeks from now, the meter will be the LAST thing we are waiting for, something that is usually done as one of the earliest stages!

So, either the CLO is right, and we won't be getting in until Mid november at the earliest, or he's wrong. We can hope! ::lol::

We have asked the SS for clarification as obviously this is the first we have heard of this. I would be interested to know how long they have known that there was a problem with the meter connection. Rule number 1 in this business ASK! Never assume ANYTHING!

Ok, rant over. It's pretty minor compared to what other people on H1 have been through, but it is truly strange. I can't wait to find out the answer! Of course on the bright side, we won't have to pay an electricity bill for a while! ::wink::

Mclaren · Oct 20, 2011 3:33 pm

Sounds strange indeed :th:

dreamcometrue · Oct 20, 2011 8:53 pm

One of the threads (all rants in here) talks about smart meters going in in their area, so perhaps that is what is happening in your area. The post I am referring to was posted on Oct 13 by building1.

HillsCass · Oct 20, 2011 9:12 pm

Thanks DCT! I'll go have a read! I don't know much about them I'm afraid.

HillsCass · Oct 24, 2011 9:13 pm

Possibly it will be a smart-meter.... the SS just told us today that he doesn't care what Etsa say, that meter WILL be in by the end of the week....

Because.....

He's booked us in for PCI next monday!!

Totally insane. The tiling is only half finished (and they got some of it wrong which will slow them down even more!) the painting isn't finished, let alone the installing of toilets, sinks, taps and showerscreens. But apparently it will ALL BE DONE by Friday - including the site clean!

We have booked the inspector, but we just can't see how he can get all that done in 4 days, considering that the tilers told the painter they were having a big weekend

and they wouldn't be there today. Which they weren't. No fun tiling with a hangover.

So, the countdown has begun. And we have hit full-speed with all the other stuff we are trying to arrange outside the house, paying off stuff and deposits on more stuff.... tomorrow I am going to do the insurance, and I think PACK MY FIRST BOX!!

Mclaren · Oct 25, 2011 8:23 am

That's exciting but it is a bit of a worry that they leave so much stuff to the last minute ... that's probably why we still have things that need fixing. Check everything carefully at PCI - step inside your showers and check that there isn't grout smeared all over the frame under the door (one of our things to be fixed) and that there isn't paint overspray on the shower tiles (another one). Look for any chipped tiles so they can be fixed before handover. The silicone was done really badly in our house (another thing to be fixed) so have a good look that it's been done properly and not smeared all over the walls, tiles, etc etc. We've discovered the tiles and silicone to be the biggest disappointments in our home - painting etc can be easily fixed but taking up tiles and replacing them is a big messy job when you are living in the house. Anyway, GOOD LUCK with PCI :z:

- hope it goes like a dream for you. Your build seems to have gone quick looking back - don't you think?

mrsroc · Oct 25, 2011 12:56 pm

Hey Cassie, so happy for you guys you seamed to stall a bit at the begining and I got ahead of you and now you have gone right past me now. Good luck for PCI as Mclaren say have a good look take as long as you like remember this is your house you have work hard and paid good money for it. If your not happy let them know. Check everything and then check it again. Good luck.

mrsroc · Oct 25, 2011 12:56 pm

Hey Cassie, so happy for you guys you seamed to stall a bit at the begining and I got ahead of you and now you have gone right past me now. Good luck for PCI as Mclaren say have a good look take as long as you like remember this is your house you have work hard and paid good money for it. If your not happy let them know. Check everything and then check it again. Good luck.

wildorchid · Oct 25, 2011 2:20 pm

wow, thats alot to do in a short time.
good luck

BuildingSA · Oct 25, 2011 2:40 pm

PCI YAY !!!!!!!!

Fingers crossed they have a very busy 4 days .

HillsCass · Oct 25, 2011 3:41 pm

Thanks for the great advice everyone. Yes I am a bit nervous that things won't be done as neatly because of the rushed pressure the SS is putting on them all. Don't worry, we are not in so much of a hurry to move in that we will be letting them skate on anything

Tilers were hard at work today once they turned up, and someone from the painting crew was there patching some plaster holes and doing timber touchups. It will be busy every day from here on if they are going to make their deadline!

HillsCass · Oct 28, 2011 2:42 pm

Oh, this building thing is such a roller-coaster of ups and downs! Just hit a major down this afternoon. Despite everyone working their behinds off to get the house done, the tiling, majority of the plumbing, even the silicone guy has been today. All the painting inside and out is finished.

Our meter is definitely NOT going in until the 8th of November. Which is just ridiculous when you think that they've had, since, oh, AUGUST to arrange it!! ::angry::

There are still major dramas with the conduit for the power/water to our island bench that we have been begging someone - ANYONE to fix for the past 2 weeks. Finally the maintenance guy rocks up today, takes one look at it and says, well, how are you supposed to get your fridge over that? Hello? ::wornout::

Isn't that what we have been texting, calling and emailing them about for 2 weeks? Well NOW they have the time to fix it properly!

So, no PCI until after the meter. On the bright side, our SS has promised that he will start the inspection, so that things start getting fixed up before then. Hopefully we will have a quick handover, but I'm not pushing for one.

I'm devastated. Sitting on the lounge eating popcorn and sulking in fact. ::cry::