Heres a view not shared before

I have not shared this view before as it has not really been interesting. This is the side wall for the second bedroom. Now goes from here to the start of the return for the Main bedroom.

All to keep the nasty South West weather out of the house - aka Freaking rain, that damages the floors.

One Wall

12 mts long and at the peek 6 mts, the door is not going to be red!!

One Roof

Here we go - one roof completed.

Roof Roof

Well much going on around the place, we have been very busy as usual. Since the last post the frame inspection passed and we have almost completed our roof! I hope that we only have 1 or maybe 2 more days to be done. SO looking forward to some work at Ground level or at least on a surface that doesn't have an 18º pitch.

Here is a sneak peak at our peak, not showing much more until we have had a visit from my Dad and Jan this coming weekend - they could see more than I would like them to see!

Busy times

Busy times over the past while! So here are a few pics showing progress.

Next steps - Frame inspection and Tin and insulation and we can slow down a little - I hope :)

The Walls are now home...

Today we completed the external walls of the house as the pic below will illustrate, it was a little dark for photography so not the best looking pic.

I really didn't think that we would get the final wall up this weekend and was quite prepared to attempt that next weekend. I did think it would be left at this stage. Assembled and waiting to be man-handled up into position.

We had a bit of a grin and bare it moment, and calculated if there was enough time to raise and secure the wall before losing all light and ending up in the dark whilst packing up... I can tell you that is never any fun and something we attempt to avoid at all costs.

Anyway here is the Pic of the state of play, next weekend we will make some internal walls, maybe insert some noggins and begin tieing down to the subfloor structure.

Sewing adventures.

My squares are going along nicely - I am making sashing at the moment in neutrals, greys and mono chromatic fabrics - of course left overs from many other quilts, with the extras from the stash club at Amitié. If I can find some time with natural daylight I will take a pic of the planned next steps.

Are any of the Walls home?

We we all know of the phone prank that ends with the punch line - Then whats holding your roof up!

So we didn't order ready made walls - simply the costs of our time v the costs of buying the frames and basic material costs didn't stack up. So we are making ourselves doing it saves up to 2/3 thirds the cost of the frames.

So far we have completed about 24 metres of walls. Sunday was not the best day of the year to stand and work very cold and blustery day we sideways wind. It must have been snowing somewhere close as the rain was very icy.

We now have the van home and are heading away for a couple of weeks. We all do deserve the break, to recharge the batteries for a bit.

Following photos are not the best - was last min before heading home, it miserable and cold.

Looking this way at the house is the main bedroom with its 2700 wide window and door to the deck and the back landing and door.

The default view that I have been taking..

Looking through our window to the second bedroom, the views are going to be stunning.

2 Years on from contract

In the 2 years since we signed the contract to buy our place in the country we have achieved more than I expected. Especially since we are doing everything we can to construct, build, connect and develop before calling on trades for items that require special certificates.

Since we broke ground before the Australia day weekend, we have now completed the subfloor and the floor including all insulation. We now have quotes out for the frames and trusses. So depending on costs and estimated timeframes for supply we are well on track to get to the next inspection stage, and then a roof!

You never know we may be there by the 2nd anniversary of settlement.

I love the late afternoon light we get on a cool winters day, in this pic we only had the small row on the edge. What was not fun was the ice we had to clear off before we could start the days work.

Toasty feet

Whats new - we have completed installing the under floor insulation. This product is called Foilboard it hangs between the joists below the floor level by about 25mm and is a foil coated product both sides. Once sealed and taped up and having the board on top.

The warmth in winter will stay mostly in the house and not have to deal with the heat loss into the subfloor. Besides looks great at the moment all bling.



If you were renovating you could fit this product to an existing house.

Steady progress

Over due update of progress and a couple of pics.

So far we have completed all the foundations, bearers and joists. Looking at the darker colour is the house and the lighter is the verandah. It is interesting looking at pics that the view is changing as expected and that the valley is growing.

Hard work in the heat

The past few weeks progress has been steady - we are battling the heat, fires around the district but getting somewhere non the less.

We and some wonderful rain during the week 25mm or so in my not so scientific gauge. This summer has been particularly hard on plants and the 'garden', with the wild life looking for food. I lost a young Golden Ash to some Kangaroos. Which is a shame, I think we will need to put more protection around the plants when we do replace them during winter. As for the rest of the garden - no more planting until we are able to spend sufficient time and are able to mulch and water.

Making concrete is consuming a fair amount of water when you are also cleaning up as well so we are preying for more rain this week



In this pic you are looking at the veranda for the first 2 rows, then at row 3 we have the house wall, so with row 4 we are well inside the dining room and kitchen/pantry. Our aim is to have 7 rows (13 in total) completed by the March long weekend.

This view is towards the main bedroom were there will be a sliding glass door for access.

Stumps

The last couple of weekends have been busy as usual. The change now is that we can see the fruits of our labour, rather than see it all buried in the ground or disappear in fees, taxes and permits.

Over the Australia day weekend we finished making all of the bearers. This process was to measure and cut then join timbers so that no joint will not be supported by a stump and that the joins were staggered as best as possible. Then drilled so that we can hang a concrete stump from the underside with a bolt.

Some times it is important to remember what this is all for, I took this on the Australia day weekend after we had a visitor - the little fellow who is on our 5 cent coin - wandering through for a snack of ants.

What is surprising is just how brown the country is compared to the photos of only a few weeks ago. We have not been traveling up as this way as much as we do now - so it may be normal. No matter what the change is dramatic. Some good news is that you can see a whole bunch of dead trees on the block next door, well our neighbour visited and has advised they are coming down very soon. This will only make the view so much better.

The plans have this view from the master bedroom and the kitchen, dining area.

So with the bearers completed and stacked.

We are able to concrete them in - we now have 1 row completed, and the second hung ready for concrete next weekend. With the Third row in the trailer ready to go over the range.

The one thing we didn't photograph this weekend were the handful of potatoes from our small vegi garden on the block. Hmm either the beginnings of some self sufficiency or very expensive potatoes. I will choose a beginning.

Holes in the ground....

Who would have thought that you could get a little excited about holes in the ground.

This weekend we dug all the holes for the house all 112, 12.5 hours later.  The site looks so much different as a mine field.

I can not imagine how hard this would have been without the digger.

Much progress and no posting..

Gosh - fain surprise!!!

Yes I have been a complete flake and not posted since ever so long - but so much has been happening on the home and future home fronts.

Quilting

What have we achieved?

I completed 'The Circle Game' and have been working slowly on my 2500 squares, I have cut and sewn 1200 so far - thank goodness for the Amitie Fabric stash clubs for more to choose from..

Kitties

They are both adjusted unless Alakazam is having a moment of jealousy and thinks that Tigga is getting more love or just a pat!

Taggerty

This if you needed a guess is where all the time has gone!

The list so far, not including removing a lot of high fire risk regrowth and planting the beginnings of the orchard and a few slower growing shade trees we have completed the key points below.

• Electricity connection
• BAL
• Soil Test
• Land survey
• Poles
• Drafting services
• Energy Report
• Fencing Wire
• Owner builder permit
• Septic permit
• Building Permit
• Building Permit lodgement fee
• Building gov tax
• Storm water discharge permit
• Gravel
• Plumbing Services
• Framing and Pegs

So in short - we can commence building our little house as we have all the permits in place.

Some Photo Candy for you all..