Lights

We had a couple of our lights installed yesterday.

I was a bit unsure of  what the lights would look like. We bought them a year ago and I thought that they might be a bit big, but I am really happy with them. They are the perfect size and just the right amount of bling.

The best part about the lights - they were only $50.00 each - so a total of $150.00 for the three of them.

If you are interested the lights are from Recollections and they are called the Callisto Pendant - and currently on sale for $69.00 each.

We also installed the light above the dining room table.  I was unsure that it would be able to be installed as my goodness it is heavy, but thankfully it was able to be attached to a joist - so I don't have to worry about the light falling down in the night.

I love the light and think it matches well with the other stainless steel in the house. What I love the most is the cost of it - $40.00 off eBay

Last but not least another eBay purchase, the pendant for the kids lounge upstairs. This is my David Trubridge Coral Pendant knock off.  I still want the real thing for the void feature light, but this $35.00 gem looks great.

It Only Took Two Months.

My kitchen was installed on 13th May 2013.  From the day it was installed we realised that one thing was missing - the cutlery tray.

I have ordered the kitchen cutlery bank of drawers to be 950mm wide as I wanted to avoid the spill over to the second drawer which always happens.  I paid $200.00 for the drawer to be made to this width and I was told it would come with a cutlery tray to fit.

When the drawer was installed the cutlery tray was missing from the large set of drawers, but a smaller one was installed on the 630mm wide drawers. This was not what I ordered.

So ever since then I have been on a weekly basis reminding my SS, who was calling the kitchen company asking where the cutlery tray was.

The kitchen company said that they did not have a cutlery tray in that size - not true as I saw it in one of the Rawson show homes and thankfully took a picture of it, which was emailed to the kitchen company.

Excuses after excuses from the kitchen company, but I was not going to back down. I wanted that cutlery tray.

Yesterday, two kitchen cupboard doors were replaced and my cutlery tray was finally installed in the correct drawer.

It only took them two months. Wouldn't it have been a lot easier if they did it from the start. 

Its Not Easy to Remove a Splashback

When I asked for the splashback to be removed, I didn't realise what it entailed, or what a mess it would make.

Now my walls have to be repaired before the new splashback can be installed.  

Tiling Day 1 and 2

We wanted the tiling to be started as soon as we moved in to save disruption later on. I guess no matter what time you tile, there is always disruption. 

On Saturday we moved everything into the ground floor of the house and Monday we had to move it out again. Tiling is going to take about two weeks - hopefully no longer than that. 

Monday the tile glue primer was applied and set out done. Our tiler is the best and has made sure that we don't have any tiny cuts where they are really visible. 

Yesterday after a bit more re-work on the setting out - finally the first lot of tiles could be laid. 

What do you think???? Tiles are called Super White 

Looking forward to getting home from work and seeing what today's progress is. 

Day 5 - Splashback

Remember the splashback was installed on Friday and I thought it had a green tinge to it.

Over the weekend everyone that came through the door was asked what colour they thought the splashback was.  The consensus was that it was green - apart from my mother-in-law who swore black and blue that it was grey.

Yesterday I received a phone call from the company that installed the splashback and it was confirmed that it was not starfire as what was ordered.  Therefore, it will need to taken off and another one ordered using the correct glass.

I have changed my mind on the splashback colour. When we ordered the splashback we were told we could go with any colour that was made by Dulux.  When I was speaking with the splashback company they said I can choose any colour from any paint company.  So I am going to go with Taubmans Big White with shimmer thown in.  I think it will blend in a lot better than the grey and will really let the window shine.

Day 1 - Its Ours!

It is day one of the house being officially ours.  It was an early start as the splashback people were coming at 7:00am, the carpet layers coming around the same time.

On our practical completion inspection we had noticed that the majority of the doors had little lumps throughout them.  It was only when you looked in certain lights that it looked like the door had measles.  At first I thought maybe it was a paint fault, but then realised as we went from door to door that it was a door fault and not a paint fault.  Apparently a few years ago this happened and it is a fault in the door and it does not show up until it is painted.  The boss of Corinthian Doors came out on Monday and it was agreed that nine of the doors in the house would be replaced, but as they were all painted it would mean that they would all have to be painted again.

On Thursday the doors were replaced, and today the painter was back to paint them.  Probably not the best time for him to be there as the place was chaos.

First to arrive was the carpet layers and they got stuck in

What do you think - I love the colour!!!  The carpet layers did a great job. It was a father and son team and they laid just under 50lm of carpet in less than a day.  

The son Ben, he is 19 years old - check out my foot against his shoe.

His shoes size 14 mens, my shoes, ladies size 6!

Next to arrive were my blinds.  We had blinds installed throughout the house, only simple white holland blinds. I am glad we went with them and got them installed straight away. No sheets on windows for us.

Both the carpet and the blinds came from Nelson Bay Carpet Court.  They have been fantastic and their prices are excellent. We had the same carpet priced up at Choices in Newcastle and it was $50.00 more expensive per lineal metre. That is a huge difference when we had nearly 50 metres.


The splashback also was installed. I am a bit undecided with the splashback - I am not sure if I like it.  It is supposed to be made using starfire glass (which is clear), but I think it is throwing a green tinge.

It is supposed to be finished off on Monday, and I have spoken to the company who installed it and they are checking that it is definitely star fire.

We also had a our new tvs and fridge delivered.

Tonight we are sleeping at the house. We have brought over our bed, so it is camping without being uncomfortable.  Tomorrow we move!

Day 253 - HANDOVER DAY

After 253 days in construction and one year and 3 months since we started our building journey it was finally the day to handover!

Originally handover was supposed to be 28th June, and then moved to 5th July and then 12th July.  Luckily for us handover was moved forward this time and not back.

My excitement started from when I had the Occupation Certificate and confirmation from the bank that they had everything that was needed to pay the final cheque.  It was a good thing that the council did provide the Occupation Certificate, as I was told that under no circumstances would the final payment be made without it.

Handover compared to your practical completion inspection is pretty quick. It probably took about 20 minutes going through the paperwork and checking the keys and remotes worked and handing over of the final cheque - time for a handshake and a quick photo and it was all over, and the house was officially ours.

Mat couldn't make handover as he had to work, so it was only me that got to have the final photo.  Greg our site supervisor, never wanted to be featured on the blog, but he agreed for the handover that I could post one photo of him, and its probably the only photo of me that you will see.

As soon as we handed over our works started so we could move in.  Carpet layers arrived and put down the underlay.

Tiles were delivered ready to start being laid on Monday

over 3 tonnes of tiles - 150m2 of tiles.

Council rubbish bins were also delivered.

Tomorrow we have deliveries, the carpet, glass splashback and blinds. 

Day 251 - Handover Pushed Forward

Here I was excited about handover being 3 days away.

Turns out due to our SS car being in for service on Friday, handover is now Thursday!!!!!

Excited much!!!

Days to handover - 2

Day 251 - Occupation Certificate - CHECK

I thought that getting the Occupation Certificate was going to be a big drama.

The final council inspection was last Monday and it came back as rejected and they were waiting on the all weather access to be completed, plus the certificates from Rawson for the work completed.

I rung Port Stephens Council yesterday and they said it was still under rejection as the certificates had not been received.

I rung my SS, who rung Rawson head office to be told that they had been sent the Friday before.  I rung Council again to be told that they had probably gone to the person who did the inspection and he was not in until this morning.

I called first thing this morning - and caught the inspector before he had a chance to sit down.  He had received the certificates and wanted to confirm that we had completed the driveway. Thankfully I did call today as I found out that he only works one day per week and if I did not call he would have not done anything today and I would have had to wait another week - meaning no handover.

You know you are in trouble when the council says that we have our work cut out for us with all the clay we have - yes I know, but there is nothing a bit of turf can''t solve.

So the council agreed to issue the Occupation Certificate - even better, he said that it will be the Final OC - not the interim that I thought it was going to be. It must have been the driveway that won it for us.

My only downer was he did not think it would be done today as he did not know the office lady's typing schedule.

Thankfully the lady's typing schedule must have had an opening and I was emailed the OC earlier.  I rung the bank and emailed it through.

 The bank valuation has come back today as fine, so the OC was the final piece in the puzzle and they have confirmed that a cheque will be available for collection on Thursday!!!!!

Time to get excited!!!!!!

Days to handover - 3

Day 251 - Driveway CHECK!

The only defect on the house when the council came for their Practical Completion inspection last week was there was no all weather access to the house.  

Thankfully after a delivery of another 36 tonnes of roadbase - the driveway is now clay free

Remember the mud down the garage side of the house

Thankfully most of it has now been covered up. 

We have also put road base down the left hand side of the house - which will be our vehicle access to the backyard

The clay may be dealt with at the front of the house, now we just have to worry about the rest of the house

Luckily I bought a new pair of gumboots yesterday - I think I am going to need them. 

Days to handover - 3!!!!

Day 250 - PCI Photos

Photo overload from our Practical Completion walkthrough.

Home Theatre

Door under the stairs - this was so cheap to add in and provides a huge amount of storage

Downstairs powder room

Study

5th Bedroom Ensuite

5th bedroom ensuite - shower

I bet you think we are finished - no we still have to go upstairs.

Main Bedroom

View from the balcony

The loo with a view

Main bedroom

I hope you enjoyed the tour - next time you will be able to see what it looks like once the carpet is down.

Days to handover  - 4