Day 98 – bricking continues

Turns out the house has not been dormant. The brickies worked through the break. I think they had a few days off but since then they have been gunning it. To my untrained eye the brickwork looks really neat and tidy. Great job. Our site supervisor is also really impressed with the work.

I am really enjoying my weekly update from our site supervisor. He is very good at keeping us up to date with everything. He lets us know the next few week’s deadlines and expectations. He gets extra points as he keeps telling me how much he really likes the façade of our home! As the bricks are finished off there are a few lasting questions about the chimney and the team need to check with the engineers who drafted the plans. I guess it is not every day you build a six metre chimney!

Work will also start on the garage brickwork to the boundary fence.

We are in the middle of a Melbourne heatwave but the brickies – made of stronger stuff than I – have decided to keep working (at least the morning shift most days this week!).

The plaster sheets are scheduled to arrive next week and hopefully the plasterers  can start. I’m really impressed that we are up to plastering already. The upper insulation and cladding is also on the work plan for the next fortnight. Next step, scaffolding.

 

Day 73 – Christmas shut down

We are racing the clock as we try and get as much done as we possibly can before the house goes dormant for the festive season. We are aiming to have all windows in, fully wrapped, and perhaps, if all goes well, a bit of brickwork done.

The bricks have arrived. Looks like 6 pallets of lovely golden haze. Warning: they are yellow and pretty ugly.  Need not matter – they are being bagged in our fantasy green colour! I’ve got a mate who renders and he’s said he’ll quote a bit lower. Bagging is a lost art – just make up a sludge mix and toss it on the bricks. How hard can it be?

I’m told our job is a few weeks behind where Metricon wants it to be, but that we are still in within the acceptable limits. That is, we are not in the ‘delayed’ or ‘behind schedule’ part of the graph just yet. Hopefully the new year will bring us back to the middle of the curve.

I’m told the tradies will be off until mid-late January. The roof on has been a blessing in the horrid weather. The plumbers have roughed in, and have now gone. Gas work is all done as well. The heating and cooling guys have also come and gone and have put down all the internal ducting pipework. Not stuff that you can see, but important progress all the same.  There is even a new tv antenna on the roof. The 20 year warranty is a blessing with the salty beach rain we get some days.

I was sad to see the bricks still sitting there this week – but we did get some good news. Hopefully our brickie will work a few days next week to start the job.

And a big merry Christmas to our family, friends, loyal blog readers and fellow building friends. I feel your pain as your build goes dormant. Not easy is it. Hopefully Santa will bring us all a fantastic build next year! Have a safe one.