We have a moving date!

Yesterday was our big inspection. It went relatively well, and after 2 hrs and about 300 red dots we emerged with 4 pages of items to be corrected - most of which were paint related (scuffs, scratches, dents, etc). The bricks will need to be re-cleaned, some grout issues resolved, a pane of glass in the ensuite shower fixed, a leaking tap over the spa rectified and 2 panels of the garage door need to be replaced.
All that being said, we still don't have a glass splashback in the kitchen. If this can get installed this week we have a hope (very small) of having handover on the 9th May - next Friday. As it seems this is highly unlikely, handover will be on Friday 16th May, with us moving in on the 17th. It would be great if it was next Friday, as this would give us a chance to do the concrete and fencing prior to moving in. Then again, we will get more compensation if handover is on the 16th - so it's a toss up which would be better.
This week we visited Bunnings to obtain a step ladder, light globes and a temporary letterbox until we get around to building the brick one. We also visited a homewares store on the weekend to buy some new small appliances and a matching coffee table to the TV unit we have on order ready to be delivered as soon as we are in. It's all very exciting - 17 days!!!
Still to arrange - getting written quotes for fencing, a concreting contractor to do our driveway and path (minimum), and as soon as we have a set handover date we can also book in the carpet laying. I also need to get a quote from a locally recommended blind company that are apparently cheap. Oh, and booking a moving van - anyone vollunteering their help for that day?
Money money money...

It's clean and shiny

We have had our house clean, and while it isn't 100% it has come up beautiful (IMO!).

Here are some pics taken this week after the clean:

Other BIG news is that we have our inspection Tuesday morning! If all goes well our handover may be 1-2 weeks after that. Fingers crossed, because we have now given our 28 days notice to vacate our rental so it has to be before the 22/5.

April is upon us - looks like we will be moving in May

Well, it looks like a house!

Our plumbing has been finished, the electrician has installed the lights and powerpoints, the wardrobes and pantry have the shelving in and the shower screens are now in (after the photos). It looks livable. The only things left to be fitted are the mirrors and the glass splashback in the kitchen.

House clean should have happened yesterday, but didn't, and inspections are supposed to start this coming week. We still haven't been given a date, but following a conversation with our Customer Service Coordinator, she suggested we give the 28 days notice to vacate our rental when the surveyor goes through the house (whatever that is), which is due to happen this coming week, so it looks like it will still be 3-4 weeks until we are in our new house.

So - the great reveal! These photos were taken on Tuesday evening.

Front

Inside front door - looking from front door toward Kitchen/Dining/Family

Entry - looking from Sitting room across to Master

Entry - looking from Kitchen/Dining room door


Butlers' Pantry through to Kitchen



Kitchen (view from dining room)


Kitchen (view from Family room)




Kitchen Island Bench




Ensuite Benchtop and sinks


Ensuite spa




Ensuite Shower








Bathroom Shower




Bathroom Vanity/Basin


Bathroom Bath

End of March... on the final stretch.

March has been a busy month, yet from the surface it may seem that not much has been done.

Our painting was finished (which I have noticed a few small defects that will need to be fixed) and overall we are very happy with it. It is a strange colour though, as in some lights it looks nearly yellow, mostly it looks creamy-brown, and late evening it seems to look pink!

The doors have been installed, including our Sikkens stained feature doors.


The garage door has been installed, although there is a large dent in the door on the inside that will need to be fixed!

The heating and evaporative cooling ducts/outlets have been installed into the ceiling, and the electrician will hook it up when he comes - hopefully this week.

The tiles have been laid, and what was supposed to be a 3-4 day job has now dragged out to be 6 working days with another 2 public holidays (Easter) + 2 weekends - so 10 days. The final grouting will be done today and then that will be finished.


Floor Tiles (Main):








The following photos have been enhanced as it was getting dark when they were taken:


Master/Ensuite




Ensuite





Dining/Kitchen





Kitchen/Family/Back Passage through to Laundry




Laundry/Back passage through to Family



Bathroom




Sitting/Entry




Electrician is yet to come to hook everything up and install all the light fittings and powerpoints.

The glass splashback is ready to be installed at some stage.

Our site supervisor has said that clean up should happen next week, with inspections to follow that.


We were told that we WOULD be in before the middle of April, although it seems doubtful at this stage - but if everything goes smoothly it could? We should be in by the end of April... BETTER BE!!!


It just seems like the time is dragging - maybe because it is so close to being finished.

Almost everything - AND a kitchen sink!

Wow - we are totally blown away by how things are progressing so well! Everytime we visit the house there is something that has been done and some sign that we are a tiny bit closer to getting the long awaited keys.

Today on my visit I found:

The tiles had in fact been delivered last night.

I'm guessing all of the ceilings are finished, and most of the walls have had the first coat of paint.

Our ceasarstone (despite still being covered - which is a good thing) has been installed and the kitchen sink.

We are yet to hear from our site super this week - usually rings Wednesdays, so that we can arrange a time to inspect the tiles prior to them being laid (although I notice on the boxes the floor tiles say "polished porcelain" so I'm interested if they are the ones we picked... but as long as they are the right colour they'll be fine ;) thanks very much ;) )

Tiles have arrived.

I drove past this afternoon/evening and found the truck delivering what could only be our floor/wall tiles (no idea what else they would be). Woo-hoo!
I also noticed that the plumber has been back and ripped the plaster off the wall in the ensuite and moved the mixer tap over the spa back to it's original position (on the closest side).
Ceiling has been sprayed in "Bedouin Beige" and the architraves have been sprayed in "Sandlight" (well, according to our selection schedule) - yet the empty cans in the bin out the side say "Taubmans Tradex Paint" - not Bristol... and yes, I know they are essentially the same company... the ironic part was that in the beginning I was told they used Taubmans paints so I went and got sample pots and painted a large sheet of MDF to use as our guide for colour selections. We later found out that it HAD to be Bristol colours so we matched our initial selection of Taubmans "Cafe" and "Teague" as best we could to the Bristol colours... now it IS Taubmans paints?!?!? Ah, who cares as long as it looks good in the end!

When...? That is the question.

Matt spoke to our site supervisor Wednesday (weekly phone call) and during the conversation it came up about our finishing date... Matt asked if it would be by middle of next month (April) and he replied that we was hoping that it would be before then (YAY!!!!!). So then Matt asked if it would be by the end of this month, considering they are starting the painting at the moment and should be done by mid week, then tiling and fit offs and it's basically finished - bar the inspections. He said that it may not be that quick with this month having 3 short weeks (Labour Day + Good Friday + Easter Monday) but somewhere start of April! That means we have 4-6 weeks before we are moving - HOORAY!!!
Better start getting some boxes!