Final papers

Well I've faxed all the paperwork I need to fax to the bank and organised some home & contents insurance so the bank will pay the final invoice...

The only thing left to do now is do the final handover walkthrough... and then it's the banks. Then the truly expensive bit starts. First thing to get sorted is the driveways and fencing - Damn telstra contractors seem to have removed the peg when they were installing something on the house next door, that we've been so careful to keep in place during the build so hopefully we can find the other pegs again so I don't have to pay to resurvey.

Anyone got a good antennae person?

Some garden ideas...

Just a few snapshots of simple things that seem to grow well in the area...

The fluffy green shrub my friends call scuttlebush on account of it looking like something alien that could scuttle away at any moment and some yellow kangaroo paw.

Fluffy purple grasses

Purple & spikey... behind silver and pretty...

Magnolias... these seem to be quite common around display homes and I absolutely adore them. Really hoping I can find some budget for one.

The very attractive batton fittings...

Very awesome gumboots for wandering around the swamp...

Bricks and toffee fingers...

The loo shot...

And on the 14th week (or thereabouts) there was light...

Slightly dodgy carpet join...

The front facade with toffee fingers.. and one dad scraping the swamp off his shoes.

My little (or not so little) house...

Impending PCI

After 14 weeks of activity of the house building variety - I've been asked to come in to the house for a couple of hours tomorrow to do my practical completions inspection. I like to call it "giving the house chicken pox". I get to go through absolutely every detail and try and reduce my urge to think everything is amazing just because it's my house. I've enlisted my Dad into the process again purely so I have someone with some clue that doesn't have house love to catch the million things I know I'm going to overlook.

It's amazing to watch this process is coming close to the end, it's been a rollercoaster of a year.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper might not be everyone's taste, but the graphic designer in me loves the stuff... Unfortunately I'm a graphic designer with an exceptionally short attention span and worry how long it would take me to get sick of. So my logical self is yelling "don't do it!!!"

Doesn't mean I have to stop looking does it?

Here would be the choices for the bedroom (I'm going for a beige, white, chocolate and turquoise scheme for the house).

Another week goes by...

Another week has gone by and more work has been done on the house, it's exciting to see the progress - although it does seem so much slower than the first few weeks where any progress seemed like a massive step.

The tiling is pretty much complete and on the whole I like the selections. Aside from the ensuite splashback tile which is a different tone to the one I originally chose - it's much a much warmer brown than the mocha tiles used everywhere else. My only complaints regarding my colour selections are the front door colour (easily fixable) and these tiles (which aren't so bad and I can live with) so in the scheme of things I'm doing pretty well - I just hope I like the splashback colour.

All the cabinetry and interior closet fitouts have been done including my walk in wardrobe. I can't wait to have somewhere to hang all my clothes (the majority of my clothes are currently in storage boxes while I'm at my parents) and somewhere for my shoes to live.

Kitchen now has the benchtops installed...

Espresso Ligna on Mocha Luxe tiles

My bedroom has a lovely view of a toilet

A very neat tiling job on the base of the shower

The tiles I'm not such a fan of - although I have to admit they look a lot worse here

Shower walls

This tile I really like - I should have done both bathrooms in it

The not so neat capped water point.

Looking back into the kitchen

I was locked out last week... so I couldn't see what was happening in the house. This week I had a painter on site who let me have a quick look around as he was cutting in the edges of the paint work. I'm loving the white duck 1/2... it's still nice and bright but gives the room some depth without being too yellow. The photos don't do it justice. I can't wait to see how it looks with the mocha floor tiles.

Unfortunately my choice in door colour is not so good - I'm not sure what's wrong with it but it has a really strong purple undertone on a beige base... it's going to be the first thing I change once I move in. I really should have gone with something like Jasper which was my original choice but which I managed to get talked out of for some reason (reasons which I can't remember).

This weeks progress also includes the benchtops in the kitchen... The ice snow ceasarstone has always been one of my favourites - white with just enough texture in it to make it look interesting. The white really lifts what could be a very dark kitchen.

Benchtops with building grime

Back bedroom in white duck 1/2

The shoe wardrobe...

Bedroom with a first coat.

More doors waiting to go in...

I did my usual Saturday morning trip up to the house... It's my favourite start to the weekend. Haven't run into any neighbours for a while though (although I'm expecting a notice to fence very very soon by the looks of the house next door.

The render has gone on which highlight that front bay nicely. It will be painted in Dulux Toffee Fingers very shortly. The kitchen and bathrooms and laundry now have their cabinets installed and I'm really pleased with my choices. I was so worried about the Seductive Ligna as I started to have second thoughts that it was too busy - but it's come up really well (I can even forgive the non matching horizontal grain in it).

I still can't believe the perspex overhead cabinets come as standard in Carlisle - considering most of the other major builders don't even include overhead cabinets at all.

The house with it's naked render...

Soon to be painted Dulux Toffee Fingers

The entrance way sanded...

Seductive Ligna (or something along those lines)

Kitchen with overheads in perspex...

Kitchen with the now widened fridge space.

Another Saturday trip - lockup (well almost)

I've been sent the lockup invoices for the house - and while there is doors on the house I would think that locks would be a prerequisite of "lockup".

The house is looking fantastic... I love how it seems to morph in size each time something is done to it. It now seems so much bigger than it did at frame stage. The brickwork is now finished and the plaster hung... can't wait to find out what is coming next.

Need to start thinking about gardens... the soil is awful though - thick plasticy clay - I could throw it on a wheel and start making my own garden pots at this point. Dad seems to think it can be improved with some work - I wish I was more of a garden type. I have no idea where to even start.

Saturday on the block

We did a family trip to the house on Saturday - Mum, Dad and I answering the question of how much brickwork can be laid in a week. The answer is apparently "A lot". Couple of brickies were there on Saturday finishing off the last of the brickwork so I only got a couple of sneaky photos in and made sure I didn't get any of the brickies in the shot (according the Dad taking photos on building sites is generally a big no no - tradies really don't like it).

I'm ecstatic about how it's all starting to come together. I can't wait to see the front with it's coat of render around the two middle windows. I'm now starting to think about how to put the garden together - starting with a layout for the concrete work for the driveway and house surrounds.

Looking into the garage...

The brickwork nearly finished on the front bedroom