The initial duration given for our renovation was 14 weeks but we are still going!  While I know that 14 weeks really is a short period for the amount of work required it is disappointing that we can't move back in yet.  I had really hoped to be home for Miss O's 1st birthday this Friday.  We have experienced a couple of delays in the arrival of some materials and fixtures and last week we had a disaster with the kitchen island benchtop that had me wishing it was all over!  But the benchtop will be replaced and we have adjusted our orders to ensure the items we urgently require will arrive on time.  Now we have been given a practical completion date of 24th October.  1 more week!  So here's an overdue update on the last two week's progress...



Brick piers demolished

 

Temporary steel beams put in place

New internal doors hung

Airconditioning penetrations cut

Caesarstone benchtops installed in the kitchen.

Ensuite vanity cabinet installed

Loving it!

  

Back door and windows blocked in on ground floor

New steel posts concreted in

And all of this while the painters soldiered on to complete the massive task of painting the interior.

Can you believe we move in next weekend?  I'm not convinced!

It's time to sell off all of our old doors and windows.  We will be listing the items elsewhere but I thought I would give any renovators following the blog the first opportunity to grab one of our pieces.  Please share this post with anyone you think might be interested.  Of course all items are in Brisbane and sold as is.

760x1940mm



1 of 3 - 810x2010mm



815x2025mm

4 available 620x2340mm

1030x2050mm

740x2070mm

1005x2125mm



My favourite door!  Wish we could have used this somewhere.  :-(  930x2090mm



2 of 3 810x2010mm

3 of 3 810x2010mm



6 - 515x1040mm and 2 - 460x900mm



1200x600mm

5 sets - 900x1500mm overall

Are you ready for the good, the bad and the ugly this week?  Firstly, the addition of the final mouldings and breezeways has the interior looking beautiful!  The painters have started the huge task of prep work in the existing part of the house so I will definitely deliver more of their favourite baked treats this week!

Now brace yourself for the bad.  I was initially excited to see work commence in the ensuite with the waterproofing being added but on closer inspection it appeared that our shower area was incorrect.  Rather than sticking to the FC sheet area they continued waterproofing over the VJ sheeting.  The waterstop angle where the shower screen is meant to meet the floor at 900x1500mm was fixed at 1000x1800mm!  When I arrived on site the next morning I was relieved to see the waterproofers back on site rectifying the problem.  Phew!  Thankfully, our terrific builder was already onto it. 

In fact, our builder is so impressive that our neighbour has commenced a renovation with him also!  It has worked out well, allowing access to the small lot next door through our property and coordinating trades across both sites.  This week they were concreting in the posts next door and did our back stairs landing at the same time. 



Now for the ugly.  Demolition has begun downstairs!  The garage door was removed and the existing front brick wall of the garage fell down quite easily.

Our new front wall will be set back under the house to allow for a front porch so the concrete cutter came to cut back the existing slab.

Removal of the verandah decking exposed some pretty sad looking joists that will need to be replaced.  Ouch!

Our home is now sitting pretty on back propping waiting for the removal of the brick piers, some new steel beams, posts and floor joists.

This renovation has been a very long time coming!  After over three years of researching, designing, pricing, redesigning, pricing again and fine tuning work has finally begun on the house!


My view when I arrived home for the day.

I never thought I would be so excited to see a skip bin in my front yard.  I may have done a happy dance all the way up the driveway!  The renovation will start with an extension to the back of the house.



The existing back of the house upon purchase in 2010.

So the first job was a bit of demolition.

Builder B hard at work removing the existing dodgy deck.



And the deck is gone!

It is so exciting to see some real progress after years of drawing countless plans.  But more on that later.

Master H inspecting the progress.