Information

I sent a few early morning texts and messages to our SS and finally got a phone call in return, it's a miracle! He doesn't want to give us a PCI date just yet as he wants as many of the glitches fixed and finished before the inspection is done. I explained to him that this is OK and we are not trying to rush the house all we are asking is to be kept in the loop. I also explained that it would be really great if we could move in November as the following month is very hectic with our son's birthday, lots of work commitments, meetings and weekends away doing workshops oh and of course Christmas. He said he'd let me know either at the end of the day or today. I guess it'll be today as the only other conversation I had was to discuss the new study door and the position of the the big handle. I'll give him until lunch time then I'll gently remind him that he was supposed to speak to me again.

So the painters have finished (they are lovely guys) and the carpenters were in fixing up the sliding study door which they ruined it by putting a bathroom lock on it and apparently are extremely annoyed that they are having to change it and foot the bill for their mistake - the upgraded door cost nearly $3,000 so it was not a cheap fix!. They are also doing minor little things like inspection hatches and so forth. I find it disappointing that they work in such an angry fashion, that's my home you are polluting with you emotional energy.

I am chasing a few contacts about a digger and driver to move the soil around and we are still finalising the quote for the fencing. We are heading up to Noosa for a day out at the weekend for a bit of rest and relaxation but also to have a look at some mail boxes and other little bits and pieces for the yard at a place called front yard art. I have also sourced a few plant nurseries that specialise in bamboos and structural plants that we might want to put along some of the borders so we might check those out on Friday. We  have also picked out a light for the top of the stairs but are awaiting confirmation of it's dimensions as we aren't sure if it will fit the stair well space.

The Light is Similar to This One

Vanity Solution

The vanity position will be rectified but it will cost us more money as they will have to make a new kicker and alter the carcass. It is to be moved over 500mm so it will be centred give or take 5-10mm either side. Our SS said it would be done yesterday because the tilers are starting to prepare the floors today but as I'm away I can't go on site and check it out until Monday so here's hoping its done properly and that they don't make a botch job of it. We have no idea how much it will cost at this stage however we did get a bonus of a $255 refund for the pot drawers that couldn't fit below our different specification ovens. Fingers crossed that will cover the vanity moving costs.

Please Move 500mm to The Left

Well done to our SS for sorting it out the vanity as at first he said there wasn't much scope to move it by more than 300mm but I persisted that there had to be a way to rectify the problem. I explained that I didn't want to spend all that time, effort and cash in planning a home the way we wanted to have to compromise on something that would royally pee me off every time I went in my ensuite. He was pretty understanding and didn't mess about coming up with a solution that suits us and the build. He'll have to draw up some paperwork now for both the refund and the additional charge on the vanity - there better not be any admin fees.

So floor prep for the tiles starts today and the holes were being cut for the electrical sockets and lights (hope they move the one in the ensuite over to be in the middle of the vanity!!!). I will be having a very good look around when we get back.

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.

Site Meeting and Bricks Begin

Not much has happened on our house so far this week I have seen occasional signs of a tradie doing something on site, possibly some corrections to the frame but not sure what. However, it has been good to be able to simply pause for breath and have a look what is going on with the other blocks with the neighbours houses. We are enjoying watching their builds progress, working out which room is where, whether it'll be a single or double story, what external colours have been chosen, tiles or colorbond, bricks or render etc etc. It makes quite a fun game...erm really? I must get a life!

Popped by site this morning to find the bricks have been started, the termiglass is down and upstairs is being gyprocked / plaster boarded. The bricks look lovely so far, all 2 rows of them! The colour of the brick really works against the off-white mortar. It will take the brickies about 4-5 days to finish the ground floor and the they will need scaffolding to do the few bricked areas upstairs half of which will be cladding.

The Mortar Mound and Mixer

Termiglass

Gyprocking and Rolling

There's A Ceiling Up There

Bricking The Portico

Called a site meeting with the SS to go over the QA inspection, discuss our concerns (bi fold doors and gas outlet to hob) and also get some feedback as to progress etc. All went well and yes the doors will be dropped as low as possible so it looks like we will only end up with 2-3mm height difference which will be fine. The gas point is in the correct spot as there needs to be an emergency cut off valve that then attached the rest of the piping to the hob. The SS pointed out and explained a few other things to us, talked through when the pool can start, how long bricking will take and then what happens next. All in all a good meeting - feels like we have gotten off to a better start now.

Upstairs most the rooms have been boarded and the frames for the baths are in. Sorry no photos it was getting too late. Off for a quiet weekend down the cost so will not be going back on site for a few days, ta ta until next time.

Sparkies and Spaghetti

Phew it's mad down on site can't turn your back for a second. The sparkies are back. There are electrical wires being run everywhere, it looks like we have a spaghetti house. Sandy managed to persuade the electrician to lower the power points in the garage even though he had already run and trimmed the wires, so this meant he had to re do them. Apparently they put them up high (1200mm) because they think you are going to have a work bench or hose the garage floor, at first he said he'd only lower them to 500mm so we could hose. Now I have had a garage for the last 10 years and have never had the urge to hose it once (we have also had water restrictions remember). Sandy explained she sweeps the floor and wants the sockets at standard 300mm - after all it is our house so in the end the electrician agreed. Good job!

The ducting and tubing for the air conditioning is also being installed at the same time so its all go at our place today.

The SS called to give me a progress report and introduce himself as we hadn't spoken with each other yet. After a little chat I mentioned about the the bi folds and he agreed they were installed backwards but indicated that no they would not be flush to the tiles like we had been told at our colour selections. I explained to him that is what we wanted, what we had paid for and how they appear in the display homes. He informed me that the ones in the display homes have several more coats of lacquer on to protect them and he wasn't sure if he dropped them down that they would meet quality assurance. I explained we want what we have paid for and if these means we need to have more coats to protect the wood then so be it. As we have the QA on Monday he is going to check then and get back to me. I also asked if he'd seen the mismatched glass in the bathroom window which he reassured me was no problem, the manufacturers sometimes run out and put in what they have so the windows can be on site in time. It will be changed later.

Some detective work is in order to see if the frames for bi-folds do actually sit flush to the tiles or not so Sandy has driven over to Underwood to take photos, measurements and ask questions with our CSC Greg (a top bloke by the way) who helped us through contract and prebuild. And yes you've guessed it they are totally flush! So if they can do it there we want it on our house - no silly toe stubbing raised bits please.
Does anyone out there have know if it can be done or have bi folds where the tiling or carpet is flush to the frame?

San and Revi - I see you have had your site scrape done. Fantastic.

The other Metricon houses on site will be a soho, a trentham, 2 newhavens and possibly a lindrum next door to us but we don't think it will fit as it is too long. Thanks to Greg for letting us know.

Next: The bricks and gyprock will be delivered tomorrow and the Quality Assessment inspection (QA) will be happening on Monday.

Air Con or Alien

Extractor Vent?

Surprise Surprise

The bi-fold doors have arrived and been installed along with the windows. No mentioned that  so how exciting to see them in all their glory it makes the kitchen/family rooms look amazing. Oh Oh hang on a minute..they have put them on opening inwards when we specifically want them opening to the outside walls so as to look neat and not cover the picture window that we paid mega bucks to have installed. That'll be a call to the new SS for certain. I am also concerned that they have set the bi fold frames too high from floor level. We have paid extra to have them recessed into the slab so that there is no lip or step up from the tiles to the frame which you can stub your toes on and the way they have been hung looks like we will end up with a lip unless our tiles have suddenly doubled in thickness!
The other windows look great .....erm except one. Now can you tell me what kind of person assembles a sliding window with satin lite glass in one half and stippled glass in the fixed half? Err what? That will need altering. But who lets it go from the manufacturers when it is obviously wrong.
We have a couple of minor issues with first fix electrics, looks like one power point is missing and another is too high. The sparkies have been missing in action for sometime so we are hoping this was just an over site but seeing as we need to speak to the SS will be make sure to mention it to him.

Now I have my issues off my chest I can stand back and admire how lovely the windows look and how they frame the views from each room. Enjoy the pictures.

Bi Folds

Kitchen and Dining Room

Looking At Kitchen Laundry and Upstairs Bedrooms

Bi Folds From Outside

Looking In To Family Room and Study

Front - Balcony Doors Yet To Go In

Windows In

I'm at work so haven't actually seen it for myself (no photos for you yet) but the windows have been installed and the back door for the garage is in. Wow they really don't hang around do they, once something is on site it gets installed. That's good though as it means things don't get damaged or stolen. Sandy tells me the house looks excellent so hopefully I'll have chance for a quick look see tomorrow lunchtime so I can check it out for myself and take some photos.

News flash: we have been allocated a new Site Supervisor! From reading other Metricon build blogs this appears to be quite a growing trend and we're hoping that we don't have a whole series of different SS's for our build. Apparently it is because Metricon are now building so many homes here they have endeavoured to give their SS's build close together so they don't have to rush from one side of Brisbane to another to keep an eye on things, which makes sense. Let's hope the new guy is as nice and as organised as the previous one.

The house is progressing beautifully and the whole family is very excited ...... the bricks arrive next week. Yippeeee.

First Contact (with SS)

Managed to catch up with the SS over the phone yesterday and he has confirmed the site scrape will be going ahead next week. We are very very very excited and will have cameras at the ready to document every step of the way. We are meeting on site beforehand just to go over things. He tells us he thinks that this is the first Nolan to be built in Queensland (not sure how true that is so if you know of anyone who has built a Nolan in the sunshine state we to love to hear about it). While we had him on the phone we asked about the Metricon board and he laughed saying he'd gone to put it up on Monday but it was raining so hard that after sitting in his car for an hour he decided it'd be better to come back later this week rather than risk a soaking. What, you can't bash a sign in with one hand and hold an umbrella in another? No only teasing - as long as rain doesn't delay our build.

The SS Only Rings Once

Hello are you there?

Our SS rang yesterday, sadly I was busy at work and could not take his call. When I phoned back it was after 5pm and I got his voice message so guess we will have to try again today. Kicking myself that I had not given Sandy's mobile as alternative contact. Obviously we are keen to get things moving as start date is now 9 days and counting.