Yep I am calling myself out on the lack of updates. I had planned to send a completed image of the work i have been doing but it is going to take longer than I hoped and so we have to settle for the update images instead of the "wow its completed!" ones.
Well a lot has happened. Basically Heather and I got to a point at the beginning of the year that we decided that it had to be finished this year. Enough was enough. So we started a lengthly process of getting finances. Well that was the first big hurdle to overcome. Since the GFC basically everyone has become really really tight. Just the mention of owner builder sent most banks into cold sweats and hiding behind policy. Didn't matter that I had been paying everything beautifully for upteen years. I had capacity up the warzoo to repay it and a massive amount of equity. Nope two words shut all doors. Finally thanks to the help of a resourceful broker and some common sense the Bank of Melbourne came to the rescue. Not only did they give me the loan at a better interest rate and fee structure than my current loan they also paid me cash! All the rest that looked at it wanted receipts and quotes etc. Nightmare stuff for the piddly amount we were borrowing. So a huge thanks to the BOM and Craig and Mortgage choice!
Well next hurdle was to find a good builder willing to do the relative small job. You would be amazed how many turned it down without looking at it, they were too busy. Obviously too much work around... but I get it. This is when a retired builder and friend of the family stepped up and did the job. It is amazing how quickly it all went. They had the last part of the house torn down and up in about two weeks! It would have taken me ages! He did a great job dealing with the wonky wall, crumbing sandstone, crappy floor, etc..... nice to have that experience to draw on. I love watching others work on my house especially when it includes grinding cement! So a big thanks to Robert Holstein and Will Meure. Also a big thanks to Brent Griggs (electrician), Cygnet Glass and Huon Plumbing for coming quickly and promptly. It all ran rather smoothly. I spent the two weeks running around like a git making sure they had everything they needed. My goodness the amount of stuff you need to do two bathrooms and a laundry. You should have seen the guest room piled high with appliances. It even spilling out onto the verandah. Had a massive trailer full of cardboard and styrofoam by the end.
Unfortunately they didn't finish the job. I still needed to paint, plaster, waterproof, tile and fit out.... that is where the term 1 holidays finished. There was an amazing amount of work done. Finally the house was fully and properly clad, plumbing and electricity in, windows, external doors, insulated, etc. It felt SOOOO good! No more room to build, tick that off the list.
So next I had to contact a plaster. I cannot say this loud enough but Knauff sheets are just terrible! Quality control does not exist on those sheets. CSR plaster boards are much better! But what do I care..... I don't have to order any more plasterboards sheets... ever again! (well if I wanted to and the kids stop damaging the ones that are already in!). What a liberating feeling one gets knowing that : ) I would have loved to have done the stopping but there was no time as school had begun. They did a great job. It was neat and nicely done though they loved their mesh tape a bit too much for my liking. My love of arches through them a bit... the boss had to come do it : )
So then my job was to waterproof, paint and install the showers ready for the tiler who was to come the beginning of the term 2 holidays. Bit of a stressful term 2 trying to get it all done correctly and order all the materials but I did it... just : ) I must say I did a pretty good job of the acrylic wall liners... much better than the one upstairs. So term 2 holidays came.... three lovely weeks! Dan DeJong came in to do the tiling. He did a great job. He makes custom guitars as a hobby and it came through in some parts of his tiling. Plumber came and fitted out after the tiler had left and the sparky (thanks Cade) came and did his bit. Again I ran around like a chook getting everything again and being a distraction and a general nuisance probably. Gleaming what I could from them. But the end result was two functioning bathrooms and laundry! Finally! It had been nearly 4 months of having only the one bathroom that was in our ensuite... very awkward with sleeping babies and guests.
So here I am term 3 has begun and I can finally just focus on being a teacher again. We have two functioning bathrooms and a laundry.... but still I am not done. Many finishing touches are still needed to be done to get the certificate of completion: Skirting boards, architraves, bulk head lining, barn door, hallway cupboard doors, laundry cabinetry, ducting, roof insulation, mud room cabinetry..... etc. The list goes on and on and on. They will take a lot of time but nothing too trying or stressful.
Well I have now hit the final stretch of a long race. Legs are sore, body screaming to stop, you know the finish line is close and you catch glimpses of it, you have moments of delirium and only the rhythm of one foot in front of the other keeps you going.... almost there... almost there....
