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.