... into the pre-construction stage, that is!
We have finally finished the 'planning' stage; have made it out the other side of the scheduling stage and are now well and truly into the pre-construction stage.
We have received a flurry of communication in the past week, mostly relating to issues of one sort or another that need resolving before we could progress. The oven I selected (and paid a kidney for), is not being made any more so I had to peruse the now available options and have 'managed' to select a suitable replacement. What do you think?
Old oven:
We have finally finished the 'planning' stage; have made it out the other side of the scheduling stage and are now well and truly into the pre-construction stage.
We have received a flurry of communication in the past week, mostly relating to issues of one sort or another that need resolving before we could progress. The oven I selected (and paid a kidney for), is not being made any more so I had to peruse the now available options and have 'managed' to select a suitable replacement. What do you think?
Old oven:
New oven:
Big difference huh? The thing that really cracked me up (after totally rubbing me the wrong way) was that the pre-start consultant said "We have decided to not charge a variation fee for changing the oven". Gee how generous of you, seeing as it's totally.not.my.fault you guys have taken so long to get your act together and actually place the order.
The hotplate I paid the other kidney for has remained the same:
... luckily for pre-start lady or I think I would have removed her kidneys through her nose ... just kidding! She has actually been really good but I'm just a bit frustrated with how long everything is taking. My mum signed up to build a rental house two months after we did and her house is almost at lock-up. OK, she didn't make as many changes to her new place as we did and the house itself is smaller and the level of finish is lower buuuut hers is at lock-up and we still haven't started ... waaah!!
Then the pre-earthworks guy (talk about specific job titles! I mean really ... pre-earthworks supervisor? Come on!!) rang to tell me that our block is covered in rubbish that we need to clear before they can start earthworks. That really threw me because last time we built (18 years ago!) that was all included in the site works. Apparently builders don't like paying to dispose of other people's rubbish now so they getus suckers the new owners to do it.
He very nicely offered to get us some quotes and I had immediate visions of $5000 - $10,000 disappearing without a trace, so when he called back with two quotes, one for $2000 and the other for $1780, I was quite surprised. When he then explained that they would be removing something like 20 cubic metres of rubbish and excess sand, I was even happier. It means I don't have to barrow all that extra sand out myself .. woohoo! .. I just have to pay for someone else to do it. Good thing is, we don't have to pay that amount until the last progress payment is due so that should give us, oh, about anotheryear six months to come up with the dough.
Then he said the words I've been longing to hear for the past 9 months .. "Your concrete house pad should be down by the 17th June." If he was in the room, I'm sure I would have hugged him and as it was, I was doing my own little happy dance around my office (much to the confusion of the guys standing outside. I think they thought I was having a fit or something!)
So, there you go. As it stands, we should have a pad down by the 17th June and bricks should start going up 2-3 weeks after that providing the weather isn't too bad.
Progress is good. Veeeeerrrryy good!!
Big difference huh? The thing that really cracked me up (after totally rubbing me the wrong way) was that the pre-start consultant said "We have decided to not charge a variation fee for changing the oven". Gee how generous of you, seeing as it's totally.not.my.fault you guys have taken so long to get your act together and actually place the order.
The hotplate I paid the other kidney for has remained the same:
... luckily for pre-start lady or I think I would have removed her kidneys through her nose ... just kidding! She has actually been really good but I'm just a bit frustrated with how long everything is taking. My mum signed up to build a rental house two months after we did and her house is almost at lock-up. OK, she didn't make as many changes to her new place as we did and the house itself is smaller and the level of finish is lower buuuut hers is at lock-up and we still haven't started ... waaah!!
Then the pre-earthworks guy (talk about specific job titles! I mean really ... pre-earthworks supervisor? Come on!!) rang to tell me that our block is covered in rubbish that we need to clear before they can start earthworks. That really threw me because last time we built (18 years ago!) that was all included in the site works. Apparently builders don't like paying to dispose of other people's rubbish now so they get
He very nicely offered to get us some quotes and I had immediate visions of $5000 - $10,000 disappearing without a trace, so when he called back with two quotes, one for $2000 and the other for $1780, I was quite surprised. When he then explained that they would be removing something like 20 cubic metres of rubbish and excess sand, I was even happier. It means I don't have to barrow all that extra sand out myself .. woohoo! .. I just have to pay for someone else to do it. Good thing is, we don't have to pay that amount until the last progress payment is due so that should give us, oh, about another
Then he said the words I've been longing to hear for the past 9 months .. "Your concrete house pad should be down by the 17th June." If he was in the room, I'm sure I would have hugged him and as it was, I was doing my own little happy dance around my office (much to the confusion of the guys standing outside. I think they thought I was having a fit or something!)
So, there you go. As it stands, we should have a pad down by the 17th June and bricks should start going up 2-3 weeks after that providing the weather isn't too bad.
Progress is good. Veeeeerrrryy good!!
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