Last post

It has been a few weeks since the last post because we have been waiting for two things to happen.  Firstly, for the electricity to be connected and secondly, for the Occupation Certificate to be issued.  Thankfully both were completed in the second week of December (after much trauma) and on Wednesday 21st December we finally moved in.

It is a strange feeling to be living in the reality of something we have been dreaming about for 3 and a half years.  At the start, and particularly because it was Christmas, it felt like we have gone on holiday and were renting someone else's house.  Now that we have finished the unpacking (some of the boxes we hadn't opened for 4 years!) it now feels like home.

Below are the latest photos of the house to show you how it turned out.





Photos from week starting 7th November

The finishing off jobs have continued this week and the remaining joinery doors have been installed.  Maybe one more week and then it should be done!

Opening the front door for the first time

This is the view that the whole house has been planned around.
The replacement glazing unit for the glass panel on the left will be delivered next week

The door is 75mm thick!

The joinery units either side of the fireplace are now finished

The cupboard doors in Peter's room have been installed but they are still missing the handles (which is why there are gaps between the doors).  The handles had to be returned to the powder coating company for a third time because the quality of the finish was not acceptable

Cupboard doors in the hallway

Drawer units in the main bedroom

Wardrobe doors in the 3rd bedroom

We are really pleased with the Tung Oil finish on the floor.  It is not too shiny

The floor in Peter's room

The kitchen is virtually finished as well

The swimming pool equipment has been installed.  On the right is the pump, in the centre is the cartridge filter and on is the Enviroswim unit

The rainwater tank overflow pipe work has also been installed (the pipe system for the tanks is far more complicated than I ever imagined)

Photos from week starting 31st October

This week there has not been such a huge amount of progress, compared to the last couple of weeks, as the work has focused on finishing off jobs.  Two exciting steps forward are that the mirrors were fitted in the bathrooms and the fly screens were fitted on the opening windows.  They both look great, however I don't have any photos yet as the floor was being coated with its second coat of Tung oil on Saturday morning so we couldn't go in the house (and we won't be able to until Tuesday).

This is looking through the study window across the still wet Tung oil

The balustrade wires and handrail have been fitted around the courtyard

Completed balustrade along the east terrace 

Balustrade around the north terrace

The water pump and cartridge filter have been installed

The manifold pipe that connects the rainwater tanks to the pump

The valve between the tank and the manifold.
The hole in the slab is to enable the tank overflow pipe to be installed under the slab

Our 'space ship' light has been re-installed at the correct height

The island bench light has also been installed at the correct height

The triple downlight unit has been installed in the lounge

The lights have been fitted on steps from the car park to the east terrace

The light has been installed on the column outside the garage (I am really looking forward to seeing this working)

The downpipe has been installed from the louvre span unit

Matt wasn't happy with the joints between the blue boards on the south facade and has resealed them

The washing line posts have been installed on the terrace next to the vegetable beds

The rework of the landing at the top of the courtyard steps is nearly finished

View of the east facade.
The only thing missing now are the three roof downpipes (they should be fitted next week)

View from the north east.  It looks fantastic

Photos from week starting 24th October

We are getting very very close to the end now.  The big milestones this week were completing the driveway and removing the site boundary fence.  For the first time we were able to drive up to the house just as we will when we are living there.  A magical moment.

View from the start of the driveway; you get a glimpse of the house  

and  then it disappears 

View on the way out

Looking down from the car park.  The driveway is already getting covered in leaves and sticks

Inside the fire place surround has been fitted

The powder coated supports for the window openers have been fitted.  They look really neat

The glass splash back has been installed.
The back has been painted in Tumbleweed to match the outside colour of the house

The very special Barazza cooktop has been installed

The double oven and microwave have been installed

So has the tap in the kitchen

and the tap in the laundry

Handles have been installed on the sliding doors,

the swing doors

and the front door

The sink has been installed in the main bathroom

as well as the bath

The sink has been installed in the en-suite

as well as the shower

The strip light has been installed in the study (this is an uplight into which we can clip spot lights to illuminate the book shelves) 

They have also started to install the wires in the balustrade

Looking along the east terrace where the wires will be installed next week