It has been a very busy week adding the finishing touches to the inside of the house before the floor sanding commenced.  The ducted airconditioning was installed, window and door furniture was added, powerpoints and lights were installed and the tiling was completed.  Our kitchen island bench was also replaced with a correct sink cutout this time!

Master H's french door with locks and handle.

Gainsborough 'Majestic' handles on the bedroom doors.

Sash lifts on the windows.

The new Caesarstone benchtop with correct sink cutout.

Kitchen pendant lights from Schots Home Emporium.  Base glass still to be added.

Re-using our existing hallway lights.

Re-using our existing lights in the kids' bedrooms.

The ensuite tiles look amazing even though they are covered in dust from the floor sanding!

On Saturday afternoon I realised that the white subway tiles I had selected for the splashback were too stark.  Not good news when the tiler was starting on Monday!  So we made a quick dash to a couple of tile shops to select a new option.  I was pleased to find a smaller, textured tile with more of an antique white finish.  I cringed when the salesman mentioned 'handmade' and 'imported from Italy' but at this late stage it was our only option.  Unfortunately the tile wasn't in stock but the lovely people at Meer Tile Market arranged for me to collect it directly from the supplier on Monday.  Thankfully I was finishing work early and could fit in a drive to Ormeau!  


New tiles for the kitchen splashback.

We are still waiting for our master bedroom and ensuite lights to be made and are having endless trouble with our ensuite benchtop.  It seems there is no black or white Caesarstone in Australia until December and other suppliers are also out of stock!  Anyway, we are pressing on with having the floors polished so that we can move in this weekend. 



The final sand completed and floors cleaned before polishing.


Outside the house was also buzzing with activity as the painters moved on to the exterior and earthworks were completed in the front yard to allow for concreting our driveway and front porch.
 



Framing completed for the garage door and entrance door.



The rest of the week will involve polishing the floors, paint touch-ups, concreting the driveway, and the erection of the front and back stairs and then we move in on Saturday!  The house won't be totally complete but it will be so good to be home!!!

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!

I think I have the renovation blues this week.  Combine a severe case of decision fatigue (Ref.-Bungalow Girl), returning to work, no daycare placement for Miss O, a heat wave with all of my summer clothes packed away in the shipping container, 3 out of 4 of us being sick plus a couple of disappointments on site and I'm left feeling very weary!  But seeing our front door handle installed was a reminder that it won't be much longer before we return to our home and our life returns to normal.

Much of this week involved the builders completing the sheeting, adding the mouldings and installing the wardrobes.



New VJs for the guest bedroom wall.

 

Miss O's Bedroom door frame.

Miss O's Wardrobe.

Master Bedroom Robes and Ensuite.

 

The ensuite was lined ready for waterproofing, the installation of the vanity and tiling.  I am really looking forward to seeing the hexagon marble mosiac tiles laid.  This week I decided on some wall sconces that will look great above the vanity.

 





The retreat area windows have also been trimmed nicely to frame some more wall sconces.

The final cabinets were added to the kitchen so it is now ready for the benchtops to be installed.

For now I will dream about the house being complete and enjoying this lovely family living area.