concrete

End of year round up for 2015

Carrie

With the December break upon us, I finally have some time to catch up on the progress of the new build. While I have been able to manage the build process in between a very busy few months of work (sometimes I was only able to get home for one or two days between trips), something had to give and that was the documentation of the build. Thankfully, our builder is amazing and of course there is the internet and mobile phones for communication. Miraculously with all this to-ing and fro-ing, there has only been one or two errors of any significance (more on that later) which has been a real blessing.

The new build progresses

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Base stage completed

Carrie

My last visit home between community visits was a short one, enough time to throw my clothes into the washing machine before repacking back into my bag and a quick confab with hubby and the builder over building issues.

It was pleasing to see the stumps were all in as well as the bearers and joists down as well as some of the structural posts for the garage and main house, now it really looks like the house takes up the full block.

The house is now at base stage. All the stumps,bearers and joists are in. Also some of the posts for the carport and house structure.

The builder had a bit of trouble with the concrete pour for the stumps. Due to our unseasonably high rainfall this year, the holes kept filling with water. When they pumped in the concrete the water of course was displaced but as it overflowed it brought with it some of the concrete, hence we have a thin slurry of concrete under the entire house area. Correction – when handy hubby went to clear up the overflow around the house site he found it wasn’t quite so thin in places, hmmm we may have to consider putting in some alkaline loving plants in those areas. We will also need to punch some holes in the overflow under the house to make sure we don’t get water pooling and creating water traps for mosquitos. Read more →

Moving back in – finally!

Carrie

Work life has been pretty full on lately. I’ve been on the road for a few weeks now and only had a brief stop at home mid month for a week’s break. Even that week was full on with business meetings with the accountant and my wonderful business partner, training sessions on new programs we are trialling and starting the move back into the renovated house. Yes it’s finally at the move in stage.

The house is finally finished. A beautiful Queenslander with a few modern touches.

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Stumped, in the nicest possible way

Carrie

This week has been pretty busy on the work site with everyone wanting to get as much done as possible before the Christmas closedown.

Stone age techniques obviously still work

Stone age techniques obviously still work

The house raisers returned on Monday and worked with the bobcat operator to dig the holes for the stumps – two meters deep. The low tech approach to problems came into play again this week. A plumb bob would obviously get in the way of the drill and would be blown around by the wind. The answer was to have one guy (the youngest) climb up onto the Jenga stacks then position and drop a stone from the centre of the attachment point for the stump. Where ever the stone landed, that was where the hole needed to be drilled. It seemed to work as the house stumps appear to be in the right position and they are all straight. Read more →

Do not plant a poinciana in a suburban backyard

Carrie

Yesterday was site clean up day, and I think it was expensive. I haven’t got the bill yet but it looked like a big job.

And the walls came tumbling down.

And the walls came tumbling down.

The backhoe and truck arrived around 6.30am to skies that were threatening rain. The Backhoe operator took one look at the site and ordered a second truck. I watched from my office window throughout the day as they discovered the second slab underneath the first one and old septic pipes. On the bright side, the light rain throughout the day kept the dust down and a building site is meant to be muddy, isn’t it? Read more →