Chalk up another one for brickie top dog, "Red"!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Bricked up!
Meanwhile, the bricking is nearing completion.
Chalk up another one for brickie top dog, "Red"!
Chalk up another one for brickie top dog, "Red"!
Fence surprise
After visiting the site every day lately I was a bit shocked to turn up on Thursday and find that fence posts had gone in down the left hand side of the house and that fencing contractors were just about to add the rails and palings.
How can that happen without anybody consulting me?
And couldn't they at least have had the courtesy to let my builder know, with brickies hard at work on that side of the building?
This is my fence too. I'd like to have a say in it. What style will it be? What materials will be used?
I hadn't yet settled on a fence design but I have been considering something along the lines of a "good neighbour" fence, with palings on both sides and a capping timber at the top. Something with a little style, in keeping with all the other choices I have been making, and with the better fences around the neighbourhood.
How can that happen without anybody consulting me?
And couldn't they at least have had the courtesy to let my builder know, with brickies hard at work on that side of the building?
This is my fence too. I'd like to have a say in it. What style will it be? What materials will be used?
I hadn't yet settled on a fence design but I have been considering something along the lines of a "good neighbour" fence, with palings on both sides and a capping timber at the top. Something with a little style, in keeping with all the other choices I have been making, and with the better fences around the neighbourhood.
Now I know it's just a fence. A fence down the service side of the house. It pretty much can't even be seen from the road, due to fencing covenants. But this is what we'll see from the bedrooms. I want it to look nice.
And then there's an issue of consistency. Have you ever looked at a property with different styles of fence on every boundary and wondered how that could have happened? I didn't want it to happen to me.
My builder confirmed that if I hadn't been consulted I couldn't be obliged to pay for it. That added to my confusion. Why would the neighbours proceed, knowing they couldn't claim back half of the cost? Perhaps they didn't know and their builder had just bundled up the full cost of the fence in their contract?
Thoughts were swirling in my head. If it wasn't going to cost me anything I could put the savings toward upgrading the fence on the other side - the more-used entertainment side of the house. Again, on the plus side, the neighbours have a pool and they were proposing to put the palings on my side to prevent climb-overs. This would give me the more attractive side to look at.
My builder confirmed that if I hadn't been consulted I couldn't be obliged to pay for it. That added to my confusion. Why would the neighbours proceed, knowing they couldn't claim back half of the cost? Perhaps they didn't know and their builder had just bundled up the full cost of the fence in their contract?
Thoughts were swirling in my head. If it wasn't going to cost me anything I could put the savings toward upgrading the fence on the other side - the more-used entertainment side of the house. Again, on the plus side, the neighbours have a pool and they were proposing to put the palings on my side to prevent climb-overs. This would give me the more attractive side to look at.
But I'm still left with a sense of betrayal. Isn't this something I should have had a say in? Isn't it an act of arrogance on the part of the builder next door to proceed in this way?
What have I learned? Time to start negotiations with the builder/owner on the other side to ensure it doesn't happen there too!
Walls up (more pix)
It's the end of Week 8 and yet again rapid progress has been made. We have gone from this:
to this:
There was lots of hammering and sawing and the sound of nail guns on site again. And teamwork was very evident as the subbies manoevred wall and ceiling sheets into place. Here are some shots of the lads at work:
And here are some shots of the kids at play:
to this:
There was lots of hammering and sawing and the sound of nail guns on site again. And teamwork was very evident as the subbies manoevred wall and ceiling sheets into place. Here are some shots of the lads at work:
And here are some shots of the kids at play:
Friday, November 21, 2008
Rain days
It's the start of Week 8 and the morning after the destructive storm that damaged thousands of homes in Brisbane's west. The site supervisor has left a message on my phone. How did we fare, I wonder. Have we lost our new roof? But no, North Lakes has been spared and he just wants to discuss some wall issues, such as whether or not to add decorative MDF inserts to the internal cutouts, or leave them square set so shutters can be installed.
There is some impact from the rain, though. The new roof has sprung a leak over the master bedroom and while I'm on site the site supervisor is up there checking it out personally. Didn't know that was in the job description! But I suspect there are many things this man does, purely for the satisfaction of a job well done. I count myself extremely lucky to have him as a supervisor. You be careful up there, won't you!
But the impact of the rain is much more evident next door, where the run-off has pooled around the back corner of the building and is rising up the brickwork. When the render was applied the workers had to wear gumboots. Any more rain and they'll need a diver's qualification! I'm just glad it's not my drainage.
Soon after our slab was laid, a layer of gravel was laid down and this has really helped improve drainage and movement around the site. Before that, if you walked around after rain you would end up with shoes caked in clay, slowing you down like a pair of concrete boots! The layer of gravel is not something that was done on the neighbouring sites, so I can't help thinking it's an added extra that really speaks of quality, both in the builder's construction technique and its conditions for workers.
Inside, you'd never guess that this was a day to count as a rain-affected day delaying completion. The brickies have got the day off, but the wall-sheeting team is in full flight laying out plasterboard and starting on the ceilings.
There is some impact from the rain, though. The new roof has sprung a leak over the master bedroom and while I'm on site the site supervisor is up there checking it out personally. Didn't know that was in the job description! But I suspect there are many things this man does, purely for the satisfaction of a job well done. I count myself extremely lucky to have him as a supervisor. You be careful up there, won't you!
But the impact of the rain is much more evident next door, where the run-off has pooled around the back corner of the building and is rising up the brickwork. When the render was applied the workers had to wear gumboots. Any more rain and they'll need a diver's qualification! I'm just glad it's not my drainage.
Soon after our slab was laid, a layer of gravel was laid down and this has really helped improve drainage and movement around the site. Before that, if you walked around after rain you would end up with shoes caked in clay, slowing you down like a pair of concrete boots! The layer of gravel is not something that was done on the neighbouring sites, so I can't help thinking it's an added extra that really speaks of quality, both in the builder's construction technique and its conditions for workers.Inside, you'd never guess that this was a day to count as a rain-affected day delaying completion. The brickies have got the day off, but the wall-sheeting team is in full flight laying out plasterboard and starting on the ceilings.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Bricklaying
Cabling
The next major development of Week 7 was the cabling.
This has been a real challenge and a huge learning curve for me, as I've gone from zero knowledge (thinking if you had phone points beside computers they'd all be able to access the Internet) to designing a smart wiring system to meet our needs.
It seems that the builder doesn't have a lot of demand for computer networking and is not well placed to provide the service at this time. In hindsight, I think if they'd told me from the beginning to outsource it I could have avoided a few headaches and got a professional to explain it all to me.
But there I was two weeks before cabling was due to commence still with no definite plan in place. I had spent weeks researching the builder's recommendation of the Lexcom Home Network, which runs all phone/data and audio/visual applications on a single cable. I'd learnt about the differences between Cat 5 and Cat 7 cable, about patch panels and modulators and RJ-45 outlets, and had drawn up a plan for our needs, but still had not had the promised meeting with the company and still had no idea what it would cost. With time running out, I approached the company directly, and to their credit, had a sales rep meet me onsite to confirm the workability of the plan and arrange an independent contractor to quote. That was last Monday, and the quote didn't come in until Friday afternoon, with cabling due to start this week. At $8000, plus additional components still to be priced, I reluctantly confronted the reality that many of the additional features of the network were luxuries that we were unlikely to make regular use of, or that could be achieved another way (eg. stream wirelessly from computer to TV). So it was back to the drawing board over the weekend to design a simpler Cat 5 system to network all the computers, printers and security camera, and back to the computer to revise my understanding of routers, switches, patch panels and media extenders.
I felt quite stressed about the whole thing, knowing that the walls were due to be sheeted once the cabling was done and that this would be the last chance to get it all sorted. I got some last minute advice on where to position the modem and how to wire the network camera and some reassurance from the subbies that it was workable. Time will tell. I'll post my network plan on here soon. In the meantime here's some shots of the cabling for power, TV and data.
The set-out in the lounge for data, power, TV + pay, power and phone. I'm not sure if we'll get pay TV, as we really don't watch much TV anyway, but at least it will be prewired should it be required in the future.
This has been a real challenge and a huge learning curve for me, as I've gone from zero knowledge (thinking if you had phone points beside computers they'd all be able to access the Internet) to designing a smart wiring system to meet our needs.
It seems that the builder doesn't have a lot of demand for computer networking and is not well placed to provide the service at this time. In hindsight, I think if they'd told me from the beginning to outsource it I could have avoided a few headaches and got a professional to explain it all to me.
But there I was two weeks before cabling was due to commence still with no definite plan in place. I had spent weeks researching the builder's recommendation of the Lexcom Home Network, which runs all phone/data and audio/visual applications on a single cable. I'd learnt about the differences between Cat 5 and Cat 7 cable, about patch panels and modulators and RJ-45 outlets, and had drawn up a plan for our needs, but still had not had the promised meeting with the company and still had no idea what it would cost. With time running out, I approached the company directly, and to their credit, had a sales rep meet me onsite to confirm the workability of the plan and arrange an independent contractor to quote. That was last Monday, and the quote didn't come in until Friday afternoon, with cabling due to start this week. At $8000, plus additional components still to be priced, I reluctantly confronted the reality that many of the additional features of the network were luxuries that we were unlikely to make regular use of, or that could be achieved another way (eg. stream wirelessly from computer to TV). So it was back to the drawing board over the weekend to design a simpler Cat 5 system to network all the computers, printers and security camera, and back to the computer to revise my understanding of routers, switches, patch panels and media extenders.
I felt quite stressed about the whole thing, knowing that the walls were due to be sheeted once the cabling was done and that this would be the last chance to get it all sorted. I got some last minute advice on where to position the modem and how to wire the network camera and some reassurance from the subbies that it was workable. Time will tell. I'll post my network plan on here soon. In the meantime here's some shots of the cabling for power, TV and data.
The set-out in the lounge for data, power, TV + pay, power and phone. I'm not sure if we'll get pay TV, as we really don't watch much TV anyway, but at least it will be prewired should it be required in the future.
Bricks arrive
I just happened to be at the house the next day (Nov 12) when a massive truck turned up with a load of bricks. Are they all for here, I asked? Yes, all 9595 of them, in 25 packs, weighing a total of 28,785kg! The brickies tell me their average job is around 6-7000. Can this house really be that big?
The bricks are "purpose-made commons" - nothing special in appearance - made to be rendered or bagged. Well, at least the type of brick was one decision I didn't have to make. I see so many other people struggling with the colour and texture of their chosen bricks and mortar, hoping that the final result will be as they've envisaged it. I've managed to bypass that one, choosing a "bag and paint", which the builder tells me will be as good as some builders' render. I inspected a nearby Ausbuild home that had been bagged, and it certainly looked a lot better than many other homes in North Lakes, where you can still see the outline of every brick.
The bricks were unloaded by two men, a master and his apprentice, and it was amazing to see the confidence of the master as he manoeuvred his forklift expertly and speedily around the site, smashing the kids' fortress en route.
Check out how long that truck is. Not made for cornering suburban streets...
Fortress Morgan takes a fatal blow in the name of progress!
25 packs, 9595 bricks, 28,785kg, a week to lay...
The bricks are "purpose-made commons" - nothing special in appearance - made to be rendered or bagged. Well, at least the type of brick was one decision I didn't have to make. I see so many other people struggling with the colour and texture of their chosen bricks and mortar, hoping that the final result will be as they've envisaged it. I've managed to bypass that one, choosing a "bag and paint", which the builder tells me will be as good as some builders' render. I inspected a nearby Ausbuild home that had been bagged, and it certainly looked a lot better than many other homes in North Lakes, where you can still see the outline of every brick.
The bricks were unloaded by two men, a master and his apprentice, and it was amazing to see the confidence of the master as he manoeuvred his forklift expertly and speedily around the site, smashing the kids' fortress en route.
Check out how long that truck is. Not made for cornering suburban streets...
Fortress Morgan takes a fatal blow in the name of progress!
25 packs, 9595 bricks, 28,785kg, a week to lay...
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