Week 9 - 1/08/2010 Interior Doors, skerting and brick work finished

Hi, they have finished the outside work (almost), brick work has been done, still they have to finish the ceiling in the eves.
Inside the house, skirting, internals doors, wardrobe (but the doors) and down lights has been done.
Hola, casi terminaron el trabajo en la parte exterior, todavia tienen que terminar la parte del cielo raso debajo de los aleros.
Adentro, los zocalos, las puertas internas y sus marcos y los marcos de los placares estan hechos 

  Here you can see the columns of the portico finished and the entry door already set up.
Aqui se puede ver las columnas del porch terminado y la puerta de entrada ya puesta.

 (in these days they are doing the columns render, so it will not look like this next week)
(en estos dias estan haciendo el revocado de las columnas, asique no van a verse asi la proxima semana)

The outdoor column is finished and the brick work under the windows are done too
La columna del patio esta terminada y los detalles debajo de las ventanas tambien.

 skirting, internal doors and some holes for down lights and power points has been done but still much more to do!!!
Zocalos, puertas internas y los agujeros de las luces dicroicas y de los tomacorrientes estan hechos pero todavia hay mucho por hacer!!!!



See you soon!!!
Nos vemos!!!

Week 8 26/07/2010 Almost Two Months - Casi dos meses

Hi all, almost two months!!!
We still continue surprising with the building process, in just one day the whole house was plaster boarded, yes just one day.... later on they continue with the detail, architraves, and a lot of small details. Now it looks more like the house that we saw in the display site
At the same time the guys outside continues with the bricks laying, just a couple of days more to finish with all the wall

  And inside.....

Kitchen from the outdoor

from the backyard / desde el fondo

Family from the kitchen / Comedor desde la cocina

Week 7 18/07/2010 Laying the bricks!!

the brick laying started, yes the week started with the brick laying, as you can see in the photo below, the guys start working in the front of the house, only two guys doing the job, very nithy and professional

and see how good it was their job!!!

Inside the house not much progress, the have finished with the solar water heater, and continue with the cabling and putting the wall's insulation 

Week 6 - 11/07/2010 The roof is Ready

Hi all, the sixth week is ended, just in a couple of days they did the roof tiling (just a small part of the garage has been left without the tiling), the rest of the week was to put the solar water heater, the TV antenna, the internal ducted heater and the electric cabling is almost finish too.

Hola a todos, la sexta semana termino, solo en un par de dias pusieron las tejas (solo una pequeña parte del garaje se dejo sin terminar), el resto de la semana fue poner el 'termo solar', la antena de TV, el aire acondicionado central y el cableado eléctrico esta casi terminado

From now on the most important change in the outside will be the brick laying (they have already received  the bricks and they have been placed ready for the brick work - see photo below )

Desde ahora los cambios de la parte externa será la colocación de los ladrillos (ya se recibieron y se hicieron pequeñas torres alrededor listo para su colocación - ver foto de abajo)

I think, the changes will impress lesser than the changes that we have seen during this last month, we will start to show more photos from the inside, we still have the plasterboard to be installed, internal doors, skirting and architraves, bathrooms set up and tiling, kitchens layout, etc, etc..... see you soon!!!!

Yo creo que los cambios serán menos impresionantes que los que hemos visto durante este mes,  empezaremos a ver mas fotos del lado interno, todavía tenemos la colocación de durlock , puertas internas, los cielo rasos, los zocalos, los sanitarios de los baños y las cerámicas en pisos y paredes, la instalación de los enceres de la cocina, etc, etc, etc, hasta pronto!!!!

Week 5 - 02/07/2010 - Las primeras tejas / the first roof tiles

After finishing the frame the next step is roof tiles ... we'll have a black roof house.

They first lay some additional sticks, take all the tiles to the roof and then voile!!  Roof finished in the next weekend for sure.

See you next week with updated photos.

Después de la estructura de las paredes, lo siguiente son las tejas ... nuestra casa va a tener tejas negras.

Primero ponen unas guías de madera para apoyar las tejas, suben las tejas al techo y después voila!!!  Techo terminado ... seguramente ya el proximo fin de semana.

Hasta la próxima semana con mas fotos (";) 

Week 4 - 28/06/2010 - The roof's frame is ready

Hi people, it is incredible, just in one day the roof's frame has been done!!!

 On Friday, the roof was finished and the put the windows and doors frames too.
For our surprise, there was a guy working on Sunday putting the blue paper (wrapping) around the house

Irene doing the frame inspection with Daniel

from the back, you can see the guy working (he was alone), he let us go inside the house and take the photos

the frame

Week 3 - 22/06/2010 The frame is ready - Las paredes interiores estan listas

The true, I can't belive that it tooks just two day to do the frame, yes, on the weekend the slab was ready and with the help of a couple of showers to do not crack it was ready to put the frame
I took a ride Monday night (5:15) to see what has been done, and for my sorprise the timber was there and some of the pale was already fix to the slab, but yesterday I've receive a call from Paul to confirm that the frame was done and that today they were waiting for the roof timber.
We went yesterday night and effectievely the frame was there incredible!!!
We start to imagine every room, we were amaze for the job and now the house start to have its shape.
There was a few error that we noted, one the slab in the entry door was wider than the real size, and other there are a column missing in the outdoor area, we will discuss that with the site manager
So Happy to see how the house start to grow up from the ground

La verdad, no puedo creer que les tomo solo dos dias hacer el frame (el esqueleto de lo que seran las paredes internas, la externa es de ladrillos), si, el hormigon de la base estuvo listo el viernes y durante el fin de semana un par de chaparrones ayudo a que se mantenga humedo y no se resquebraje cuando fijen el frame. Pero ayer recibi el llamado de Paul para confirmarme que ya estaba listo y que esperan para mañana recibir la madera del techo
Nosotros fuimos por la noche y efectivamente el frame ya estaba listo.... increible!!!!
Como la puerta estaba abierta, entramos y empezamos a imaginarnos cada habitacion de la casa, quedamos impresionados por el trabajo, ahora la casa empieza a tomar forma
Notamos un par de errores, uno que la base de la puerta de entrada fue calculada mas grande que lo que deberia ser y la otra falta una columna en el area del patio cubierto, discutiremos eso con el encargado de obra.
Felices de ver como la casa esta creciendo desde el piso!!!

Cheers,

Saludos

17-06 the slab is completed

15-06-2010 They did it - Lo hicieron!!!

Hi, finally they did it, the slab was ready 15/06 and they said that next day (16/06) they were ready to pour the concrete on it, we call the builder inspector to come up to see how it's going.
Finalmente lo hicieron, lo que sera la base (slab) estuvo listo el 15/06 nos llamaron por el mediodia para confimarnos que pondrian el concreto al dia siguiente (16/06), Nosotros llamamos al nuestro inspector para que vea si todo estaba de acuerdo a los planos y las medidas estan bien.


It was around 4:30 that Nick comes to see the job, not much to say, after takes some measures he siad that everything was OK, we take advantage of the oportunity to take some photos.

Now we took conscience of the size of the house, is huge!!!

As you can see here all the slab is over the ground, instead of doing holes in the ground they have done just on top, the thing white is Styrofoam and the wire (I don't know the actual name) on top the styrofoam makes the shape of the waffle with some part deeper than others.

Alrededor de las 4:30 Nick estuvo alli luego de tomar medidas y otras cosas dijo que todo estaba OK, nosotros aprovechamos para tomar algunas fotos
Ahora tomamos conciencia del tamanio de la casa, es enorme!!!
Como pueden ver, el piso (la base) esta toda sobre el suelo, practicamente no hay nada que vaya a estar debajo de la tierra, lo que ven blanco es telgopor, la idea es hacer un hormigon que ellos llaman waffle por la forma, eso es porque con el telgopor hacen una especie de cuadriculado que deja partes mas profundas y partes mas planas

From the Back - Vista desde el fondo

Week 2 - 13/06/2010

Hi all,
The week was rainy, so not much progress in the land, the date to pour the concrete was 11/06 (as in the web site schedule).
I talk to the site manager and he advise me that possibly could be Wednesday 16 that means 3 days out of schedule......
As well we talked about the 'grey water' where should be the connection point.... and where should be the connection point to re-use the recycled water.... I did my request... still waiting for the answer
This week we should have a call to advise our 'builder inspector' when is the final date to pour the concrete, they should know the date 24 hours previous to do the inspection
photos: 2010_06 Week 3

Hola a todos,
Esta semana estuvo muy lluviosa, no tuvimos el progreso esperado, la fecha para hacer la base 'slab' era para el 11/06 (segun lo que aparece en el sitio web de la constructora)
Hable con el director de obra a cerca de donde deberia estar la coneccion para el 'grey water system' (*) al mismo tiempo le pregunte donde poner el punto para hacer la coneccion con el sistema de agua reciclado, bueno yo hice la pregunta y todavia estoy esperando por la respuesta, me pidio por algun dato de que sistema iva a utilizar, yo le mande el brochure the la compania que habia consultado
Esta semana deberiamos tener un llamado de el para decirnos que dia (seguro) hacen el hormigon (#), como nosotros pedimos una auditoria (por las dudas) ellos nos deberian dar la fecha 24 hs antes para que le avisemos al inspector para que vaya a hacer la inspeccion


* = sistema de reciclado de agua, como no tenemos mucha agua de lluvia debido al cambio climatico se esta haciendo uso del agua utilizada en la baniera, ducha, lavadora de ropa y lavabos para ser reciclada, esta puede ser usada para regar los jardines y si es tratada hasta puede volver al sistema para ser re-usada, en nuestro caso queremos almacenar el agua de lluvia y utilizar esa agua para los inodoros (3)
#= el sistema de construccion es la llamada de construccion seca, primero se hace la base de concreto y sobre ella se arma con madera la estructura de la casa, que se reviste por fuera con ladrillos y por dentro con placas de ..... (no me acuerdo en castellano, perdon), como ven en las fotos lo que queda dentro del concreto o debajo es todo el sistema de drenaje de banios, lavatorios, duchas, banieras, lavaderos, etc....

From the Skeleton Creek

Some photos

06 June, this is how it's looks like

Week 1 - 06/06/2010

Hi there,

 Looks like we are very anxious, we went today to take same photos, not much changes in the land, they have done some holes in the land and filled with concrete, that's all, now they have put a cage were to put the rubbish  (I reckon), so we'll wait to the next weekend, we have understand that this week they will have the slab ready, so may be next post looks like more interesting, see ya!!

03/06/10

The builder began  last Saturday 29, we let them know about our intention that the construction to be monitored by an third party (Building Inspector) the first answer was 'Noooo, that will delayed everything', mmmm, sorry even though we'll do.
How it is going, is difficult to say, from Saturday to today no much to see, this morning lunch I went to have look, noone was there working but there was a trace of some job done.... will go next Saturday to take the photo of the first week.... cheers

29-05-2010

The process

• Builder: Metri_con
• Design: Byron see here: http://www.metricon.com.au/victoria/homes/byron/default.aspx
• Facade: Californian
• please note that all the plans and design belong to Metricon and they are protected by copyrights 
• Location: Point Cook, Boardwalk

We bought the land in November 2009 and just in December we were doing our first deposit to set the price fix with the builder

For the selection we need to wait til February 2010, the first thing to do was the electrical selection, after it comes the color selection, sign the contract until last, select the tiles.

And here something that I want to share with you, the electrical selection was good, the time was just enough to do the basic, no time for any discussion, and no doubts nothing easy to do, you never know how many thing you have to decide at once!!!

The Color selection include, bricks, roof tiles, wall colours, glitters, kitchen colour, bench-top, handlers, etc, etc.... is a very stressful time, you are deciding the whole house in just 4 hours, it is really crazy!!!

And the next step, sign the contract and that includes to pay the 5 % of the final price, yes you have to sign the contract before knowing the cost of your tiling!!! and secret I was ready to do not sign the contract, the customer service people is no deal person to deal with, someone that do not agree with you in nothing!!!

Hi all,

This is our first ever building process, we are anxious, the time frame is 7 month so this is just the starting time.

We will try to post all the different feelings, the goods and nice and the uglies too, we hope this could help us to remember the time and to help others in their own process.

Thanks