Tile-rrific

The tilers are continuing with the floor to ceiling tiles today in the wet areas which includes the showers and sides and edges around the bath. I'm really liking are tile choices, I think the bathrooms look smart and cozy all at the same time and I can't wait to be in there having a long soak in my bath with my essential oils and candles. We only have a shower at our apartment and it really doesn't do it for me. The tilers have also done the floor on the balcony area of the master bedroom, they are a similar colour to the wall tiles in the bathrooms. As I was checking things over I noticed a couple of tiles had slipped so I was teasing them about the joins not been straight in the bathroom so one of them came and pushed them back into line for us. They were only a couple of millimeters out but he agreed they needed to be perfect - nice guys, very professional and good fun.

The plasterer was in Saturday morning (and boy was he grumpy!!) finishing under the stairs and taking the cornices in the bathrooms off. Unfortunately he did the ones in the toilets too and the tiles are only a skirting in those so he'll have to come back and put up some new ones! I couldn't see any sign of a door for under the stairs will have to check that with the SS again.

The timber doors and bi folds are being stained mahogany and the painter will start painting for real tomorrow. The timber looks quite striking now it is more of a contrast against the white walls.

We asked the SS if we could have another row or two of tiles for the butler's pantry and he said if there are enough  tiles on site he will get the boys to do it. There was an extra pack of tiles in the garage and a few more had been stacked on the bench in the pantry so I think they will have enough to do that for us. Excellent.

So what is left to do?
Exterior cladding to complete
Downpipes
Water tank
Hot water system
Air con
Painting
Electrics
Baths and showers plus screens and taps
Toilets
Tiling and carpets
Appliances
Concrete for drive and paths 
and I think that is it...... oh my goodness it's going to be finished before we know it.!!!

Doors Stained

Under Stairs Boarded - Where's The Door?

Tiles in Bathroom Shower - Recess Will Be In The Dark Tile Too

Smart Tile Drain In Shower

Bath Surround Tiled

Balcony Tiles

In Close Up

Ensuite Tiles - Are You Sure They Are Straight? Teasing!

Next

The house is zooming along I can't believe how much is happening. The bi fold doors have been rehung to be as flush as possible - it looks like we will have a lip of around 3mm which we have decided we can live with. Apparently Duce have changed the way these doors have been constructed and we have ended up with a different sill shape to what they expected.
The bricks for the first floor are nearly complete and another load of bricks has arrived. The first delivery was only half of what we need. We plan to gather up as many unused bricks as possible to use for some retaining walls for the garden beds at a later date. And the gyprock has been plastered.

OK can anyone out there answer this elusive deep and philosophical question.....
Why is it that some trades are such pigs?
The plasterers had no respect, they smoke inside your house even though the SS has told them not to (I caught them red handed and firmly gave them what for), they leave half eaten pizza on the floor, cans and bottles of drink everywhere - is it too much to put your damn rubbish in the bin?! Obviously! I wonder if at home when they finish their meal if they just toss it on the floor? Oh then there is the suspicion that they were having a beer or two on site given the neatly stacked beer bottles back in the box in the bin. Can't prove that one but my instincts say I'm right. Annoyed so I gave the SS a call and he went off because he had only told them in the morning no smoking and then had to give them a revving about the mess earlier in the day.

I'm amazed at the level of disregard this is my house you are working on and their place of work. Could you imagine if in your office everyone smoked then threw the butts on the floor, drank coffee and soft drink and tossed the empties anywhere they liked, ate their lunches then left half eaten pizza on the floor and then had a beer? Hmm just wouldn't happen would it! Amazing. In our house we have simple rules: Respect, no smoking and no alcohol so you can imagine this type of behaviour pushes a button or two for us.
Our son (4yrs old) is making a no smoking sign, along with a put your rubbish in the bin and one for respect. he's so funny he gets more annoyed about it than we do as he feels they should be able to keep the place nice.

OK rant over this is what is planned for next week:
Scaffolding for brickwork to the second storey to arrive
Upstairs gets blue wrapped
Bricks to continue
Kitchen cabinets arrive
Wet areas get prepared
Stairs delivered and installed
Garage door (I think we will be locked out then)
Cornices and architraves

Wow it's going to be a busy busy site.
Didn't get photos as I was so disgusted with the mess and didn't want to go in the house as it felt awful.

More Gyprock and Bricks

Steady progress continues to be made on site. The bricks are slowly creeping higher and higher and I must say they are doing a lovely neat job. This is good as the bricks we have chosen are fairly porous with a slightly textured surface which means they have to be careful not to get mortar all over them otherwise it will get stuck in the bricks making it really difficult for them to clean up when the time comes.
The whole house is nearly fully plaster boarded and looks completely different. We are still waiting for the bi fold doors to be re-hung (for the second time) so have told the brickies they are not allowed to work around them yet otherwise they will be having to pull bricks off and start again, sadly this message fell on deaf ears with the gyprock crew so it looks like they will have to re-do the area above the doors when the time comes.
The outside power point in the outdoor room has been set very high (it seems 1200mm is very popular in these spaces and garages for some reason) as it is it would be staring you in the face while you were sitting out there so we have asked for this has to be dropped as low as possible to make it more discrete. Other than that everything is going very smoothly, the weather is glorious and no rain is forecast for days so all bodes well for the build to continue on schedule.

Bricks Climbing Higher

A Closer Look

From Kitchen Side of House

The Front

Laundry

Kitchen

Garage

Is That All For Us?

More deliveries came today and some mini crane action was called for as the truck and the team arrived to deliver the gyprock plasterboard panels. The mini crane was used to hoist the boards upstairs through the opening on the master suite balcony. (Now I know why they haven't fitted the french doors yet.) The pile of boards is enormous and judging by how many were left on the truck when I visited it will be even bigger next time I get to pop in.
There was no sign of bricks today but originally we were told they would arrive next week so all is calm in the Western Suburbs.

Mini Crane In Action

Keep Them Coming - Is That All For Our Build?

In They Go