It's been a few days since I have been able to update...I've been a tad busy!
The brickies only worked 4 days this week, but they still made steady progress with some of the remaining window sills, the remaining section of the alfresco and began work on the garage boundary wall and the portico. They even worked in the occasional rain we had on Monday and Tuesday! Have to be happy with that!
Loving my large alfresco! How great will it be on balmy summer evenings watching the cricket on TV out here with a few drinks!
Up goes the garage wall, and the frame is in for the external door as well:
The beginnings of our double storey portico:
More progress on the garage wall:
My CSA called me with an update yesterday, so I called her back just to double check a few things. I also mentioned to her that there were a few brick issues I had. She asked me to send off an email and she would forward it on to my SS to see if it warrants a meeting. She called this morning, and asked if I was available this afternoon to meet with the SS on site. Fabulous! She said it was easier to discuss any concerns as they arose, rather than waiting (if only the pre- start admin worked as efficiently...).
Anyway, I met my SS on site and spent over half an hour chatting away and discussing any concerns that I had.
* The infill above the front doors will be painted black - the same as the doors and the door frame. Because bricks differ in height between brands, it is almost impossible to get a door (or a window for that matter) to fit within an exact number of brick courses and mortar beds. The display homes, and the majority of homes now have this, so there is nothing that can be done about it. Once it's all done, it won't be noticeable.
* The above also applies to the windows, hence the need for a 'half' filler brick. The sills that Henley design are fairly flush to the rest of the brickwork, which is why the half brick is more noticeable. Same on the displays (if you can find one that isn't completely rendered!)
* According to the SS today, the 'perpends', or joins between the bricks do not actually have to line up, and in some cases this is unavoidable...particularly with the rustic and odd sized bricks I have chosen. The sizes of the perpends can vary considerably, also particularly with these type of bricks, and it's all 'within tolerances' and not considered a defect. I'm prepared to wear it, as no one else can see it unless it's pointed out, and it's not at eye level.
* The powder room toilet outlet will be fixed so there is no longer a 'shelf' in it!
The agi drains, which currently have pools of water sitting on them, will all be serviced and replaced if necessary. They don't do it now, but wait until all the rest of the plumbing and storm water drains are checked.
He also explained the straightening of the frame with planing back some studs and packing others, and also explained the 'missing' range hood vent on the exterior. This will be added by the sparkies when they install the rangehood at handover.
Apart from all of this, he gave me a run down on what is expected to happen in the next 2 weeks!
Briefly, scaffolding for the brickies goes up, brickies are due back on the 11th May, Plaster delivery, electrical rough in (due 12th May), organise cabler to come in for network, telephone and speakers, fixing carpenter in to fix frame, batts and sound proofing installed, plaster begins roughly on 15th May, weatherboards on the back top storey are installed around the 17th, roof flashing for single storey section out the back is installed, brickies finish, eaves go in and are painted, bricks are cleaned on the top storey, scaffolding comes down and remaining bricks are cleaned. Not much, really!!
I'll keep you all posted!! Although photos might be a little scarce. It will be a dangerous place with bricks sitting on the scaffolding, so outside the fence visits mainly for a while!
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