All well, I knew it was too good to be true - no we don't have the CC. Well the builder has left it until the 11th hour to get back to me, and said that we should now have it Monday. Hmph.
Good news though the Bank is all sorted, apparently all we need to do send off a fax authorisation when we need to pay a progress payment. They don't need anymore paperwork etc, so that's one good thing.
I'm not thinking about house stuff this weekend! Master 7 has soccer, and 2 birthday parties on Saturday, then another party on Sunday. Looks like I'll be the taxi to and from the parties all weekend.
Looking forward to seeing you Southies, Themax and JC Monday morning for coffee! So excited!
Bel x x
Thursday, May 20, 2010
And closer again......
Well rubbish man quoted and got the job. He will be coming Saturday - yes tomorrow - to remove all the rubbish from the block, then we will have a nice clean slate for the builder to start.
Going off now to call the Bank to see what they need (if anything) to be happy to release funds when we need to.
I still know we are a good few weeks away to starting, but I'm a teeny tiny bit more enthused so I'll run with it! Ha ha ha
Will let you know if we actually get the CC today :)
Bel
Going off now to call the Bank to see what they need (if anything) to be happy to release funds when we need to.
I still know we are a good few weeks away to starting, but I'm a teeny tiny bit more enthused so I'll run with it! Ha ha ha
Will let you know if we actually get the CC today :)
Bel
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Another step closer
Wow, well I just got off the phone from the builder, and we should have our construction certificate by the end of the week!!! *does happy dance* Next week we will finalise contract (need to sign it) and bank stuff (need a letter to commence or something???) then we should be ready to go!
I made another call today to a rubbish removal person - we have a pile of rubble/concrete/crappola up the back, that if we don't get rid of now, it will become a feature once the house is built. Hopefully this guy actually quotes and gets back to me. I've made so may calls about the pile of rubbish, it seems no one wants the work *rolls eyes*
Small steps but oh so exciting!!!
Bel :)
I made another call today to a rubbish removal person - we have a pile of rubble/concrete/crappola up the back, that if we don't get rid of now, it will become a feature once the house is built. Hopefully this guy actually quotes and gets back to me. I've made so may calls about the pile of rubbish, it seems no one wants the work *rolls eyes*
Small steps but oh so exciting!!!
Bel :)
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Another month goes by
At least this time I have some promising news!
Let me start where I left off........
We finally got the drainage plans through, but lo and behold, no OSD, but 6, yes 6, grate things in the ground everywhere. It seems to me that we are compensating for the council's lack of adequate stormwater assets.
Anyway, the drainage plans did not include utilising the side easement. When I questioned this with the builder, I was asked if I actually told the drainage engineer that we had an easement. Huh, isn't that your job?
Long story short - the easement is too complicated to use, so we will just go with the drawn up plans. It is costing $10k more than budgeted for, but what can we do. Looks like we won't have new furniture for a while *rolls eyes* I'm at the stage I just want the darn thing to start, so I have hope that we will indeed get a house one day.
I've sent an email to the builder this arvo, to say, ok go ahead with drainage plans, and now what's next!
Will let you know!
Bel
Let me start where I left off........
We finally got the drainage plans through, but lo and behold, no OSD, but 6, yes 6, grate things in the ground everywhere. It seems to me that we are compensating for the council's lack of adequate stormwater assets.
Anyway, the drainage plans did not include utilising the side easement. When I questioned this with the builder, I was asked if I actually told the drainage engineer that we had an easement. Huh, isn't that your job?
Long story short - the easement is too complicated to use, so we will just go with the drawn up plans. It is costing $10k more than budgeted for, but what can we do. Looks like we won't have new furniture for a while *rolls eyes* I'm at the stage I just want the darn thing to start, so I have hope that we will indeed get a house one day.
I've sent an email to the builder this arvo, to say, ok go ahead with drainage plans, and now what's next!
Will let you know!
Bel
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The rollercoaster of building
OK where to I begin......(It's a long post but I gotta get it out....)
Yesterday I had the worst day so far with the build. We have had some pretty low days when you look back on my posts - voluntary administration, salesmen and their lies - but I think yesterday topped all that.
We had the dreaded call from the Drainage/Stormwater Engineer.
Now if you are reading this and have built before, you know where this is going, and it's not pleasant.
Yes, we had the dreaded "I think you need a Onsite detention pit/underground 20,000 litre rainwater tank" conversation. For those of you who don't know, basically it means the cost of a car goes into the ground. Yep we were told we'd be lucky to get out of it for $20k.
Needless to say I was hysterical. I think it was a lot of things that got me to breaking point, and this just tipped me over the edge.
I spent the day trying to understand drainage - had a crash course from the Engineer. We are on the high side of the street, in an upsloping block. The issue we had is that the council calculate hard vs soft surfaces, roof area and so on, based on your block and house size. As we are a battleaxe, the battleaxe handle is included in the calculation, and it is a (proposed) concrete driveway (based on council requirements!).
I spoke with the town planner who approved the DA/S96, and he advised that's the rules, but find out the calculations with the Engineer and speak with the Drainage Engineers at council. I left a message for our Engineer to say the above.
When he called late afternoon, he had proactively spoken with Council, and had gained approval to not include the battleaxe in calculations.
Success! No OSD for us!
Ha ha today it's not that easy. Our builder uses a private certifier for the construction certificate, so the council engineer can not just approve it for us - it doesn't actually go past his desk.
So where are we at now - not out of the clear. I'm waiting to see if the Engineer can convince who he spoke with at council to put it in writing, so the private certifier will approve.
Now you understand the rollercoaster of our build.
Yesterday I had the worst day so far with the build. We have had some pretty low days when you look back on my posts - voluntary administration, salesmen and their lies - but I think yesterday topped all that.
We had the dreaded call from the Drainage/Stormwater Engineer.
Now if you are reading this and have built before, you know where this is going, and it's not pleasant.
Yes, we had the dreaded "I think you need a Onsite detention pit/underground 20,000 litre rainwater tank" conversation. For those of you who don't know, basically it means the cost of a car goes into the ground. Yep we were told we'd be lucky to get out of it for $20k.
Needless to say I was hysterical. I think it was a lot of things that got me to breaking point, and this just tipped me over the edge.
I spent the day trying to understand drainage - had a crash course from the Engineer. We are on the high side of the street, in an upsloping block. The issue we had is that the council calculate hard vs soft surfaces, roof area and so on, based on your block and house size. As we are a battleaxe, the battleaxe handle is included in the calculation, and it is a (proposed) concrete driveway (based on council requirements!).
I spoke with the town planner who approved the DA/S96, and he advised that's the rules, but find out the calculations with the Engineer and speak with the Drainage Engineers at council. I left a message for our Engineer to say the above.
When he called late afternoon, he had proactively spoken with Council, and had gained approval to not include the battleaxe in calculations.
Success! No OSD for us!
Ha ha today it's not that easy. Our builder uses a private certifier for the construction certificate, so the council engineer can not just approve it for us - it doesn't actually go past his desk.
So where are we at now - not out of the clear. I'm waiting to see if the Engineer can convince who he spoke with at council to put it in writing, so the private certifier will approve.
Now you understand the rollercoaster of our build.
Friday, April 9, 2010
We're Back!
Well we have returned from holidays anyway! I've actually come home with a fractured knee, well fractured tibial plateau, not my idea of a souvenir. The good news is no surgery is required - went to the surgeon yesterday, who 17 years ago completed my ACL reconstruction. So it's a few more weeks of crutches and a leg brace, no driving, and kids & DH who can't cope, then back to normal!
House update, well it's all so frustrating. I seriously think at times no one really wants to build this house. DH called the builder today - it's getting too much for me atm - and wanted to know time frames to start.
It's something like this - Hydraulics, Water Board approval, Dilapidation report all due next week. (They should have pushed these through weeks ago....) The construction certificate will be issued. Bank needs to issue a commencement to start or something, then it can happen. Looks like to me we are still about 4 weeks away.
Just make it happen. Arghhhh.
I was having a building/renovation conversation with my Mum the other day (Mum and Dad are doing major reno's to their place which has dragged on, and they are over it) and we came to the conclusion, "He who shouts loudest gets the most done". Now I don't believe this is everyday life, but it seems that it's going to be our philosophy for the build. Call twice a week and be on their back. Why does it have to be this way?
Bel
House update, well it's all so frustrating. I seriously think at times no one really wants to build this house. DH called the builder today - it's getting too much for me atm - and wanted to know time frames to start.
It's something like this - Hydraulics, Water Board approval, Dilapidation report all due next week. (They should have pushed these through weeks ago....) The construction certificate will be issued. Bank needs to issue a commencement to start or something, then it can happen. Looks like to me we are still about 4 weeks away.
Just make it happen. Arghhhh.
I was having a building/renovation conversation with my Mum the other day (Mum and Dad are doing major reno's to their place which has dragged on, and they are over it) and we came to the conclusion, "He who shouts loudest gets the most done". Now I don't believe this is everyday life, but it seems that it's going to be our philosophy for the build. Call twice a week and be on their back. Why does it have to be this way?
Bel
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Engineers reports, Trees and Holidays
Just a quick update. Spoke with the builder yesterday and again today - follow up (!) - and the Structural engineer report and another (?) are completed, now need the dilapidation report and stormwater hydraulics report (I think). Hmmm not good at focusing on the detail am I!
They also need to get Sydney Water approval for the building over the sewer.
We also got 4 trees cut down yesterday, and the tree people are also clearing the block of crapola for us. It means that the block will be completing clear, ready for building. We inherited a pile of concrete/rubble from god knows who (probably the previous owner - can't remember).
Getting there!!! And it's finally getting exciting.
Oh and we are going on holidays tomorrow! Taking the kids to the Gold Coast for a family holiday. We haven't taken the twins before, and this will be the first time they have been on a plane.
See you all late March!
Bel x x x
They also need to get Sydney Water approval for the building over the sewer.
We also got 4 trees cut down yesterday, and the tree people are also clearing the block of crapola for us. It means that the block will be completing clear, ready for building. We inherited a pile of concrete/rubble from god knows who (probably the previous owner - can't remember).
Getting there!!! And it's finally getting exciting.
Oh and we are going on holidays tomorrow! Taking the kids to the Gold Coast for a family holiday. We haven't taken the twins before, and this will be the first time they have been on a plane.
See you all late March!
Bel x x x
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