Its Starting To Look Like Home

So the cladding isn't finished, they are waiting for some more brick capping to come before they can do more but what cladding there is has been painted along with the sofits. There was a solitary painter on site who was kind enough to let us in so we could check on progress.

When Sandy when for the site meeting yesterday the tilers weren't actually given a lot of information as to what goes where and which tile is which (that's worrying!) so she gave them our tile samples showed them which tile was which and also gave them our plans from the Tile Studio which were much more detailed. That way they have no excuses for any potential stuff ups.
The wet areas floors have been tiled (we are having floor to ceiling tiles so there is a lot for them to do)  and thankfully we are happy with the colour choices as the tiles used for the powder room will be the same as we are having for the entry, hallway and family kitchen dining spaces so they are going to taking up a lot of square meterage. They have laid the shower areas in a diamond layout which I'm not that keen on but its really hard for them to get the fall right if they lay the tiles square and you can end up with water pooling in all the wrong places. I'm sure once the shower screens are on and the other tiles are done it'll look fine. The splash backs in the laundry and butler's pantry have also been done, hopefully the butler's pantry gets more tiles than are currently there as two rows looks quite stingey. We went for white in the laundry and a greyish tone in the pantry which looks very smart. In the kitchen the island bench is completed and the upgrade sink is in (nice). In fact I think all the sinks in the bathrooms have also been fitted. ( I had a super fast whiz through the house as the painter was getting ready to go home and I didn't want to hold him up).

The study doors have been hung, they are the same style as the front door but with translucent glass and of course they look fantastic, I should think so too the cost enough!! Initially we are planning to use the study as a playroom for our son so all his mess can stay in there and be hidden away with one swift slide of the door.
Under the stairs the framework has been started for the space to be boarded, the SS told us a few weeks back that they will put a door on here so we can use it as a storage cupboard will have to keep an eye on that to make sure it happens.

I think that's pretty much it for progress thus far, I can't believe how much they have done..... the bill for lock up will come shortly and as they have done so much inside they next stage will be completed almost as soon as we pay for lock up so it's going to be bills, bills for us.
Are we pleased with our build? Yes. Have we been happy with Metricon? Yes. We have no complaints and everything has been handled swiftly and professionally so far. Let's hope we can say the same once the build is complete.
Warning Lots of photos again:

Powder Room - These Tiles Will Continue Throughout Most Of Downstairs

Stud Work Prior To Boarding Under Stairs

The Island Bench

Kitchen Sink

Laundry - Plain White Tiles

Butler's Pantry Splashback - Will It Only Be 2 Tiles High?

Study Door - Fixed and Sliding Panels

Caution!

Ensuite Vanity With Sinks and Extra Holes for Electrical Socket

Ensuite Floor Tiled Note Diamond Pattern In Shower and Cut Outs for Smart Tile Wastes

Looks Like the Cornice Has to Go

Dark Tile (left) For Shower Wall and Brown Tile (Right) for the Rest

Bench Tops, Tiles and Photos

The cladding work has been at a stand still, don't know where they are or why they aren't on our job they packed up and left lunch time Friday and haven't been seen since. Positive - not at lock up stage until the cladding is done so the money gets to stay in the bank longer. Negative - the scaffolding stays up longer and excavation work for the pool gets delayed again. I know it will get done eventually but I find it difficult to comprehend why they start something and don't finish it when it only looks like there is a days work left to get it completed. I know they get scheduled to do other jobs and can't be in two places at once but still....hang on oh let me do a double take what's that up on the scaffolding......could it be...yes it is it's the cladding team.

And well pardon me for thinking nothing had been happening on site. Inside is a very different story... the chippie has finished all the skirting and architraves and put shelves in the wardrobes, linen cupboard and butler's pantry. The floors have been cleaned (to a degree anyway), the floor and wall tiles have been delivered and are now taking up most of the garage and the team from a marble and granite company were there installing the Cesarstone bench tops. They were in the middle of doing the island bench for the kitchen when we arrived but had already finished the bench tops for the bathroom vanities and the rest of the kitchen.

Yummy they look beautiful and very luxurious. We went for a colour called ice snow which as the name suggests is mainly white, but it has small off white to grey flecks in it which goes really well with the cupboard colours and hopefully the tiles we picked from the standard range. As the bench tops were part of the promo package we only had 5 colours to choose from but luckily we really liked this one.


The tilers have started the wet areas today, the rest of the flooring will not be done until after painting which will be starting in a bout a week. The doors for the study have been delivered and installed, we went for a fixed glass panel and a big slider with translucent glass, really smiko (no photos yet sorry). And our SS said we can keep the bricks, we just need to put a note on them saying "leave for owner" and move them out the way. Hmm that's going to be fun just the two of us and a wheel barrow through the mud.

Update:- yes you wont believe your eyes but our house should be finished in about 9 yes 9 that's nine count them 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 weeks!!!!!! No way 9 weeks plus 13 weeks (already gone) makes 24 weeks wow that is one speedy build. Better start repacking our things... We were given that information straight from the horses mouth the construction manager (CM) was on site and that was what he told us.

By the way we asked him if he knew why the builds in Vic and NSW take so long and he told us that the CMs from up here had gone down to find out why and to try and rectify the situation so that things can be sorted out. I know that doesn't help you guys who have had 40+ week builds but it looks like Metricon realise that there is a huge problem down south and have sent the Queensland boys to show them how its done. Might make a difference to those of you just starting out, it will be interesting to see if things improve.

Photo time:

Cladding In Progress

Gas Lift Cabinet

Miles of Tiles

Butler's Pantry Bench Top and Sink

Shelving in Butler's Pantry

Yummy Kitchen Bench Top

Vanity With Caeserstone

Sinks

Manhole and Architraves

Cladding and Flashing Over Garage

Hollywood Robe Master Bedroom (we don't have this many clothes!!!)

Capping on Balcony

Linen Cupboard Shelves

Island Bench Awaiting Waterfall Edges

Lots Of Activity

While we've been away it has rained a lot but the tradies have been busy on site doing lots of little things and completing tasks that were already underway. There were about 8 blokes working away at the house when we went in on Monday. So what progress did we see?

The kitchen installation continues
The cabinets have handles on
Doors have been hung (some not all)
We have door handles and locks on the exterior doors (our son wants his keys now!)
The floor prep has been done for the bathrooms
Laundry sink is in
Holes for lights, switches and other electrics have been made
Architraves are being cut and fit
The brick work is finished
A new kicker has been made for the ensuite vanity
Ensuite vanity has been moved (amusing photo to follow)

The tiling should start soon however the last we heard the tiles are not in the country yet so no guaranteed timeline can be given on that one.
Its looking good and really starting to come together as a house and not just a build now.

Front Door Handle

Rear Garage Door Hardware

Translucent Glass Door to Powder Room

Butler's Pantry Left Kitchen Right With Cavity Slider Middle (No Doors Yet)

Laundry Sink, Laminex Seal Bench Top

Island Bench With Space For Dishwasher

Close Up of Door Handles

Island Bench From Another Angle Note Silver Kicker

Bathroom Floor Prep

The Balcony

More of the Balcony

Cut Out For Light (This One Is Patch) In Wrong Place

Look They've Repositioned The Vanity!!!!!

Vanity Insanity

OK who thinks having your vanity way off centre is a good idea?
Who thinks having your vanity finish 6cm from your shower screen at one end and over a meter from the bath the other is a good idea?
Obviously the drafting department at Metricon do aaahhhhhhhh ahhhh and ahhh again.
Also the cabinet maker/installer also thinks that this looks nice, is practical and works well as he fitted it without questioning whether it was right.
Now let me explain. Had a lovely look around the house yesterday was enjoying showing it to my mom who is down visiting and having mini break with us and getting to appreciate my amazing kitchen and how great all the cabinets are until........I walked in to my ensuite. What the expletive is the vanity doing there?!!! Why isn't it centred between the bath and the shower etc and so on. No it looks like poop its not what I want I'm unhappy I'm calling the SS. Whats on the plans? Drive back to house dig out plans and oh poop and double poop that's how its been drawn. Noooooo how did we miss that!

The Vanity - Note Big Space From Bath (Left) and No Space To Shower (Right Where Black Waterproofing Is)

Quick call to the SS to very calmly and gently explain that it is not what we wanted we had asked for it to be centred in the space, no we didn't have that in writing we assumed it was basic common sense. Duh that's how they are in the display homes. Yes I admitted it was drawn on the plans and we hadn't noticed after all we only checked the cabinet design not where it was going to be positioned. How annoying, how did we miss that!

Take note guys check the drawings over and over and over again put them away and then look at them several more times before agreeing. The problem is they don't give you the elevations until final contract and then you are so busy reading the small print you don't notice the vanity is a Siamese twin with the shower frame.

Anyway SS said he'll go take and look and get back to us. I told him if it wasn't changed I would cry every day and ring him to tell him I'm still not happy. Let's see what happens as so far they've been really good at sorting things out. I figure if they can erase pot draws without breaking into a sweat they can just amend our plans, post date them and move the vanity. Voila everyone is happy.

And now for the good stuff - Happy Birthday To Me 42 Today oh and some kitchen pictures

The Island Bench Being Constructed

The Kitchen Cabinets

And From The Other Side

Kitchen Creations

The kitchen is taking shape so is the butler's pantry, laundry, powder room and bathrooms. The cupboards are in, doors are on and the laminate bench top in the laundry has been fitted. Wow this build is on fire. I still haven't been able to see them in real life but from the photos taken earlier today I am impressed. Obviously the Caeserstone bench tops will come later but the cabinet maker says he will be finished in two more days.
It's show day here in Brisbane tomorrow so I will be having time off and will able to have a leisurely stroll around on site and take in all that has happened. Actually we are going away for a few days for a mini holiday and a couple of work seminars so won't be back until Monday. Oh no I'm going to miss things happening!

As a point of interest, the drawings for the kitchen had to be amended to allow space for the 2 big ovens we've had so we have lost 2 pot drawers, no problem we had quite a lot so they won't be missed. However, we have asked if we get a refund on those as we have paid for them and had them priced in 2 pac.
It's with the finance department so should hear back in a few days.

The brick work is almost completed and then it'll be time for cladding. Not sure if they paint it before or after installation. Once that is finished the scaffolding comes down the pool company can come in and make a start on the excavation and pool works. Must order some temporary fencing to go around that. Its so exciting - can't wait to be in a swimming in my new pool in my new garden at my new home.



Squatters - The Cabinets Have Moved In



Blackened Linewood Doors

Upper Story Bricked

Laundry

Laundry Linen Cupboard

Butlers Pantry

Powder Room Vanity