So exciting!

Wow! The house is looking fantastic. Love, love, love it even without being cleaned or flooring in. We discovered a few issues to fix up.
* The laundry cupboards have been fitted out with shelving when we have put it in the contract to delete it all. The shelving installed is fine though they have not left us anywhere to store ironing board, brooms, mops etc. Troy is going to delete 1/4 of the shelving for that purpose.
* The vanities have incorrect mixers installed. Thanks to AJ for picking that up immediately. They are far too long and, in fact, are bath mixers.
* There is a motion sensor for my WIR missing.

Enjoy the photos.

Powder room vanity

Alarm pad (!)

Study/guest

Formal lounge

Stairs with step lights added

Undermount sink with mixer/vegie spray

Family room

Hallway to front door

My beautiful linen cupboard

Main bathroom (incorrect mixer)

Ensuite bathroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ensuite shower

Ensuite bath

Pantry

Pantry

Half the laundry cupboard

Other half

Alfresco fans

Hmmm....more wardrobes

But first I'll give you a photo of the house from this week, taken with my phone....

Yesterday I received a Building Contract Variation from my CSA for the amendments to be made as already discussed with Alan from HOG. I had already viewed it on my phone earlier in the day and printed it off when I got home ready to sign, scan and email back. As I signed it, I noticed a line in the NOTES section "10 calendar days will be added to your construction time due to these variations....". No way! An error on their behalf and I am penalised 2 weeks for it?? It wasn't going to happen. I might even offer to accept settlement with the wardrobes unfinished if I needed to meet in the middle but there was little chance of 2 weeks being slapped on the contract for giving wardrobes some extra height.
The lovely Bev rang me today, and amongst chatting about everything else under the sun, she took responsibility for the note on the BCV and apologised. She was asked how long it would take to fix it up, said about 2 weeks but didn't expect it to be added to the contract time by the other staff member. Bev said she should have been a little clearer in her answer. All forgiven here ;-)

Update post on wardrobe & splashback

I received a phone call today from the owner of HOG, Alan. A lovely guy and very easy to chat to. He was keen to work out a solution to THEIR problem (he stressed this LOL). Alan is going to come up with a sketch of a possible solution using melamine only in conjunction with Wardrobe World or some other company who may complete the reachins (Fab Kitchens or Stegbar) Alan thinks the sliding doors we added may be the issue though Giovis, the installer did not think so when I spoke with him. I will leave it in Alan's capable hands.
I also spoke to him regarding the splashback issue (tiling not going up to the bulkhead behind the rangehood) I mentioned a checklist for consultants of items to suggest/discuss would be a beneficial tool to ensure consistency across clients/consultants. Alan has offered to raise a Building Variation to get the splashback tiled at cost price - I will be happy to sign that one off. Thankyou HOG.

Wardrobe update

I spent most of the morning out on site today, either waiting for someone or meeting with someone. Troy and I had a chat in the house whilst we waited for Wardrobe World who were running quite late.
We looked at the kitchen splashback. After looking at another blog, I was told that tiling behind the rangehood is not standard. We need to ask for it. Personally, I think it looks incomplete. When overhead cupboards are requested, a quick question of 'do you wish to extend your splashback?" should not be too hard?! Or even at the DiLorenzo appointment when you select the tiles for the splashback. Troy is going to investigate options for me.
I met with Giovis and discussed some additions to our wardrobes (extra drawers and shoe racks). Payment to be made directly to him for that.
Giovis ran through the issue with me that he is experiencing a little of late. The reachin wardrobes selected (melamine shelves) need to have a depth of 600mm or a door height of more than 2200mm. It is clearly stated on the document that HOG have but it is not being addressed when selections are done. My option is to go with wire shelving with some melamine but this is not acceptable to me when I have deleted wire shelving throughout the house and paid for a premium product. Troy is going to talk to Customer Service to see what our other options are. Possibly another company can supply the reach-ins.

Problematic wardrobes it seems

This morning I finally heard from Giovis the rep from Wardrobe World. I have put in phone calls and many emails as I wish to discuss adding in some more drawers to each wardrobe - 2 is not enough for our needs. Well, unbeknownst to us, there has been a lot of discussion behind the scenes over the last month as this wardrobe design does not fit in our 3 reach-in wardrobes. Not sure how this happened as this is the only design we were offered AND our wardrobes are standard apart from the sliding doors. It seems no-one is accepting responsibility, no-one has informed us and it has been left to the installer to work out an acceptable solution with us the client. Not sure how this won't fit into the wardrobes but I will find out when I meet him on site on Monday at 11am to discuss our options.

How is it that I have not been contacted about this until a month later and not by Eden brae????

A teaser....

Tomorrow's post will contain loads of photos. I am meeting Troy on site tomorrow to check out the progress and the kitchen handles. I am hoping that I will have time to wander around and shoot away. Maybe I can give AJ (re-do my space) those honours whilst I talk to Troy.
The stackstone on the front portico has been started and whilst it looks good, it is darker or 'dirtier' than I thought it would be. Photo to come tomorrow.
I also sent a message to the Wardrobe World installer today as directed by their head office. I am keen to find out the cost to add some more drawers to the wardrobes - 2 is not enough and it seems our wardrobes are too shallow to accommodate any stand alone shelving.

A quick spontaneous inspection....

....but sorry, no photos! I made a visit to the house this afternoon to see if I could take photos from outside. The carpenters were still there and so was Troy. After a chat, Troy offered a quick run through the house before he had to leave to go elsewhere. Happy to!
It was great to see the gyprock on, cornices, some doors on, stairs installed etc. Gives a better idea of the size of rooms. Other things noted include
* The garage door is on but hidden out of view
* The laundry cupboards are amazing - LOVE!
* The lowered ceiling in the powder/mud area doesn't look too bad really
* I really don't like the airconditioning box in Bed 3 :-(
* The decorative corbel has been taken off and half of it replaced.
* The wardrobes for the children do not seem very deep at all (450mm)
* The manhole has had to be moved to Brad's WIR due to a roof truss being in the way.
* Bricks can be left for us to use for landscaping
* The noisebatts and soundcheck gyprock has been installed between BED 1 and BED 2.
Troy confirmed that all is still on track for work to progress as per the latest screenshot.

Wardrobe update

 In some spare time today, I started to followup on an email I sent to Wardrobe World a few weeks ago. WW are fitting out our wardrobes at a HUGE cost before handover. There are advantages to doing it this way ie. any scratches, issues, dents would be Eden Brae's problem to deal with.

I rang WW today to confirm that particularly in the walkin robes the shelving runs the entire length of the walls. Our robes are reasonably large at about 2.3mx2.4m. It has been confirmed that the fitout won't stop short of the walls.

I have been thinking that 2 drawers will not be enough for any of us. Not being the neatest of gals, I would prefer my clothes to be enclosed. I asked whether it was possible to request changes to the fitout and pay WW privately. A note has been added to the file so that when the job is ordered, the installer will contact me. I am thinking 3 extra drawers for Brad and I and 2 extra for the children's??

In the kids wardrobes

His & Hers walkin (one each)

Thanks for bearing with me in my pictureless posts! I haven't really had much to show of late and probably won't until early next year when construction starts. I remembered today that I hadn't shown the absolutely riveting inside of our wardrobes. They will look something a little like this - white melamine with hanging spaces, shelves & drawers. Brad & I each have a wardrobe that will be U shaped. I am having a motion sensor light in mine - for fun! (Brad couldn't have one as the ensuite is off his wardrobe and I didn't want the light turning on everytime I went to the bathroom)

The children will have something similar but smaller...

Eden Brae are proving to be SLOW at the moment

And this is being experienced by a few of my fellow H1 members too. This is more a to-do list for me but these are the things that need following up.
1) Quote for a bulkhead in the laundry 07/08 - not needed according to CSA 16/08.
2) Quote for the change in front doors & rumpus sliding doors to Madison 06/08 - received & accepted
3) Follow through on wardrobe shape in main 02/08 - not needed as will leave as is.
4) Quote for extra aircon vents to the laundry, main bathroom & ensuite 14/08

Also waiting on.....
1) Kitchen, bathroom & laundry 3D drawings from Kitchen Culture 17/07 received 22/08 accepted 22/08
2) Answers from electrical guy to tie that variation up 14/08 (DONE 17/08 - accepted)
3) Details from Di Lorenzo for tiles, carpet & kitchen splashback 14/08
4) Quote from Abbey Blinds though won't hold my breath - someone is still waiting on their quote from NOV 2011!!) 14/08
5) Quote from Genneral Stairs for balustrading 14/08 - received & approved
6) Relocation of gas point from inside to outside 14/08
7) Images of wardrobes from HOG 07/08  Received 24/08
8) Image of standard mirrors from HOG 16/08

Fiddly bits and followups

It has been a while since I have posted an update. Nothing major has happened just loads more research on the forums to see what others are doing and going back through emails to see if there is any item that seems to have fallen through the cracks.

1) The pool contract is here for some light bedtime reading. Hmmmm, I just love reading all that fine print. I also need to talk to the mortgage broker soon to see if we need to take the pool allowance out of the EBH contract as Concept Pools are not related in any way to EBH. (This is more a little note to myself than of any great interest to anyone!)

2) Waiting to hear back from the estimators on the Madison front door and door to rumpus room as pictured below.

3) Still waiting to hear about the shape of our Bed 1 robes - the plan has them as Ushaped but the design of the fitout from Wardrobe World is named L-shaped. Don't want 2/3 of the robes not shelved!

4) Not being au fait with reading plans, I have been a little in the dark about measurements of certain things in my house. This has been highlighted when planing the luxuriously large laundry. No-one has told me what sort of material the laundry cupboards will be made of - laminex? No, gyprock inside, architraves and flush doors. No heights, depths etc. Discovered the height of them which does not go to the ceiling. Now I am waiting on estimating to get back to me on a quote for a bulkhead over these cupboards - I really do not want an open space above the cupboards for dust and lint to collect (or for me to dump stuff!) I am guessing that the picture below, from a display home, are the standard height.

 

5) Caught EBH out on a little error this week too. Reading through a PCV for me to sign there was an extra charge for $494 to install 2 upgraded freestanding baths. Pretty sure that the baths I selected were not freestanding (don't want them) and even if I did, there was no mention of this when I signed the Cooks Plumbing quote. A quick apology was made when I pointed this out to them. I reckon some clients might just sign away without checking too carefully.

6) Finished all my variations (I hope) with Kitchen Culture for the kitchen (obviously), bathroom vanities and the laundry benches. Waiting on my 3D drawings and plans which will take approximately another 2 weeks.
I really wish EBH used more than one company for their fittings etc (kitchen, electricals, flooring etc) These companies know that we are 'stuck' with using them so there is no competitive pricing at all and customer service could be better.
Whilst I am on suggestions for EBH, I will note here for future reference (mine) that my idea would be to have another level of inclusions called Platinum (or the like) for clients like me who seem to want all the upgrades. They could include things like, but not limited to, glass splashback, stone tops in kitchen & bathrooms, wallfaced toilets, raised ceilings/doors, softclose drawers, pot drawers, 2 DPOs per room, more TV points, more data points, overhead cupboards in kitchen & laundry, higher category of carpet & tiles.......
Anyone else on my wavelength?

Ramble over now. Excited about Tuesday's appointment - electrical, window coverings, staircase and floor coverings. I am sure there will be a big post on Tuesday or Wednesday!