Soil Test #2.

I went for a little wander around the 'dust bowl' yesterday and discovered that someone had been digging (or drilling) holes in various places around the block. Yay!! Not sure if they have done the next contour survey, and they haven't done the re-establishment survey yet, as there are no pegs with pink ribbons on them. Well done Henley for getting started!!





I've also been emailing my lovely Admin throughout the week to decide on some extra bits we would like to include. Thankfully, we don't have to pay the $500 for this Post Contract Variation, as Henley will need to do one to include the results from the second soil test and surveys. We are trying to include as much as we can now, to avoid paying the $500 later!

Some of the things we have decided to include is:

* A couple more power points for ease of vacuuming the stairs and other areas
* A standard shower head instead of a water saving slide rail thingy that would leave 3 holes in the tiles if I ever wanted to change it!
* A Brivis evapourative cooler unit to the upstairs with 6 vents.
* Increased R value to ceiling batts and wall batts.
* the upstairs toilet door to swing the other way and moving the light switch accordingly.
* Sound insulation to most internal walls (unfortunately we can't have it between the floors).
* Move one of the taps outside from the side of the house to the back.
* Add junction box or power point for future split system air con in the meals/family/kitchen area.

We have this weekend to decide exactly what we want to add, and I'll hand deliver all the details to Henley on Monday. Fantastic to see things are moving, so my fingers are firmly crossed for a slab before Christmas!

Demo Complete!

Finally, after 8 working days of actually knocking the house down and clearing up, the job has been completed, and we are left with nothing but dirt and a few trees.







Unfortunately not without some damage. The two side fences have been bashed, and railings are cracked and pulled away, and several pailings in several spots are broken. Nothing a trip to Bunnings and a few nails won't fix though!




The major damage has, unfortunately, occurred on the footpath when they were removing the excavator from the site. The demolishes purposely left 1.5 metres of concrete driveway to protect the footpath, but they seem to have missed the driveway when taking out the excavator and mashed up the footpath instead. Looks as though I won't be getting my full $1800 security deposit back from the Council for the asset protection...

Trees Down.

I didn't get a chance to update the blog yesterday due to a computer issue, but it was a hive of activity at 'the block' yesterday! Most of the rubble, apart from the growing pile of scrap metal, had been cleared in the morning, and during the afternoon the trees were 'removed' from the soil. Most weren't chopped down as such, but literally pulled over by the excavator. Thankfully, I missed the Tulip tree coming down (too sad!), but watched the Liquid amber at the back and the mass of trees on the north side of the property.







I was also astounded at the huge concrete blocks left on the property, and had wondered where they had come from. They ended up being the footings from the house! Luckily I was spared paying an extra $800 for their removal, as they were HUGE!



Many thanks to my Neighbours for allowing me to get a completely different perspective and take photographs from their second story balcony! What a mess, but should look a heap better tomorrow, if not later this afternoon.

Clean-up Continues.

I didn't get a chance to go to the house (or what was...) today, but I know they were not going to be working. They were actually pretty busy yesterday with removing most of the rubble, and putting all the scrap metal into one pile. They were also successful in selling the picket fence, so I hope that has gone to a good home. It was quite strange looking at the 'property' (can't really call it a house now!) without the beautiful front picket fence I painstakingly painted 12 years ago! It will be very much missed...but that's life. These photos were taken at various times during the day on Friday.









R.I.P picket fence...



I had a lovely chat to the excavator bloke on Friday afternoon, and he believes he will most likely be finished on Tuesday. I also asked him how he was going to get rid of the beautiful tulip tree which stands to the right at the front of the property. He said it would be easy with the excavator, and he'll just pull down the branches and basically crunch up the trunk. Not sure if I really want to watch this either...such a beautiful tree!

Looks as though after several reminders to the demolishers that I won't be getting any floorboards. The 'Head Honcho' apparently didn't relay the message to the excavator operator, and they have all gone to the tip. The excavator operator said he wish he had known as it would have been easy to put lots in a pile for me...bugger. Our plan of making our large desk top for the study out of old floorboards from the house seems to have not eventuated. Should have cut them out ourselves before we handed over the keys :(

On a more positive note, the search for a French Provincial style chandelier for the dining room has ended. Although it's still sitting in a shop in Camberwell, this 3 arm rustic/shabby chic looking chandelier will sit above the new dining table in the new house. Absolument magnifique!



And if, on the off chance, it doesn't quite suit the dining room...it'll be perfect in la chambre des maîtres!!

The Clean-up begins.

I think most of the shock of yesterday's big demo has worn off...somewhat! It's still quite strange looking at what once was our home, and I have to keep thinking about what it will be! The Neighbours have all been fantastic and very supportive, despite my tears yesterday!

I don't think the guy's were on site for long today, as everytime I drove past there was no one there, but they have made some progress with clearing up the rubble.

...and in an hour, she was gone.

Roof Tiles Removed!!

I received an urgent phone call from Mum, who happened to be passing the house this afternoon (after TWO trips earlier today from myself to see nothing happening...), to let me know most of the roof tiles were gone and they had almost finished! I made a very frantic dash down and managed to catch the last few tiles being loaded on the salvage truck.