In preparation for our site start appointment

After weeks of waiting, 2 days before our site start appointment, we received our final variation documents and construction drawings yesterday. Many thanks to Lucinda for her assistance in going through the reams of paper, double checking, triple checking. I am not sure how she pulled up but I had motion sickness from the constant head movements and focusing in fine print.

Firstly for those yet to get to this stage of the journey, be warned. I found the final admin variation list one of the most confusing documents ever. This is our contract document and rather than registering our final decision on selections, it has recorded every single addition and deletion over the last 9 months. For example, there is a mention of our front door about 10 times over the pages of the contract, leaving me wondering if the correct doors will indeed be ordered! Surely, it would make everyones job easier if the contract was a true reflection of the final state of play - less chance of oversights, happier clients, happier site supervisors, happier CSAs??

There were a few errors, some minor, one fairly major.

* We had flyscreens and a security door for the laundry in the colour document that shouldn't have been there. I was very tempted to overlook that mistake but I am too honest!
* We had the wrong package for some door furniture and wrong code for all our kitchen/vanity/laundry handles.
* A possible incorrect handle for the pantry door.
* Possibly incorrect taps for vanity basins in all bathrooms - to be clarified tomorrow.
* A missing towel rail that we paid extra for
* The tender has architraves at 75mm but our colour document has our selected ones at 67mm. Do we choose smaller ones or is that a mistake?
* I have noted that one aircon vent is right up near a cornice rather than more in the centre of the room - that would really bug me.
* The biggie - for our cellar under the stairs, the tender presenter squared off the area that adjoins the media room which was part of the price as well as gyprocking, tiling and a door. This was signed off on the tender variation in handwriting. I wasn't too worried that it wasn't on the contract plans as neither were all the changes to our kitchen. I was told it all comes through in the final drawings. Move forward to yesterday and it didn't come through. I look back to the more official typed up variation 1 and I had signed it off without them adding on the 'squared off' bit. I emailed EBH today explaining the situation and owning my mistake in signing it off when it was not correct. If we were going to be penalised for making a change now, I would have left it. I received a PCV this afternoon requesting the change to the construction drawings with NO CHARGE! Very happy buildee and a happy Brad (more wine storage!)
* In adding the plans to my blog, I have also just noticed that the stacker doors to the family room are opening the wrong way on this plan. Correct elsewhere though......

Antenna recommendation

Not really related to this house but good for anyone in my local area needing antenna work.

I can highly recommend our local franchisee for Jim's Antennas - Martin Vedris. We have been having issues with Channel 7 Digital over the last few weeks. Martin courteously called when he was running late, listened to/heard me when I said that I wanted the cheapest possible solution given we are selling this year, worked in searing heat on the roof and in our roof space for about an hour, made some minor adjustments and wanted NO money for his efforts. I insisted and he relented asking for some money to cover petrol (we gave him more than he asked for) Now, that is service. He suggested that we monitor to see if the problem is fixed before we get him to return to replace the antenna.

If anyone needs help with TVs, antennas, home theatre setup etc - call Martin direct on 0431 455 255 or email on martinv@jimsantennas.com.au Tell him I sent you and I know he will take good care of you.

Tree work completed

All done...almost! I found out today that the guys don't remove small stuff like agapanthas as it does not mulch well. I have quickly organised for my regular gardeners to blitz the property of the final small bits which should be possible next week. We will also need to do a garbage removal sweep over. Obviously our tenants or even the previous tenants left small items in the overgrown shrubbery eg. balls, mops, half a cricket wicket, pot plants

If you ever need tree work done, the guy I just dealt with did a fantastic job. Friendly, flexible, VERY competitive. Tell him I sent you and Simon will really look after you!

SIMON'S TREE LOPPING 0404 881798

A snag!

Poor Simon! His mulcher has been mulched. Apparently, many years ago someone planted a steel rod next to a tree and the tree has engulfed it completely. Simon's boys didn't realise and put it through the mulcher. Oops! I wondered why they gave up so early on Friday afternoon. Simon seems to think that they will be now finished by tomorrow afternoon.
Here are some progress photos for you...

From a few metres from the back fence

From the street

Jack is out of my life!

He has been paid...after I received 3 ignored phone calls from him early this morning. I was just waiting to hear from the tree lopper in writing about exactly what he was going to do today before I paid Jack his money. I did need to chase the clearance certificate even though I was told it could be sent 10 minutes after money had been received. An email from me, an SMS from me....nothing. Brad rang this afternoon and it was emailed to us within 20 minutes with a note to say that we had been a pleasure to work with LOL.

Brad has just returned with a bottle of Moët to celebrate with all our good friends tonight over some Canasta.

Simon, my wonderful tree lopper is doing his bit today & tomorrow. Barring any catastrophic events, the site will be completely cleared by the end of the day tomorrow for pool excavation next week or the week after.

Yesterday also saw us receive our 'Authority to Commence Construction' letter from CBA - another step closer to the building starting.

Phew!

What a relief! With the heat of yesterday, I lost sleep last night worrying about whether Jemena & Ausgrid were able to do their utilities disconnection. My brother sent me photos this morning showing me the ACTION on the site. My friend, Lucinda, can attest to the screams of sheer delight as I was waiting for the email attachments to open - her ears are still recovering.
The excitement levels remained high until I received a phone call from the demolition company at 2pm, declaring the job complete and the payment due NOW. I told him that I was not paying until the site was cleared and ready for the builder (no tree work has been done yet) Again, we argued over his ambiguous quote getting nowhere. He said he needed the money to pay his staff on Friday! I told him that I didn't care about his cash flow issues. He told me that the contract was redone when I engaged HIS treeloppers services. Um....I have not re-signed any contract! The quote & therefore payment was now for demolition of the house only.
Whilst I was waiting for Simon, the treelopper, to call me back, I decided to drive back to Sydney to check on the block. Finished? Not quite! There were still a few guys there at 5pm working on the block. Interestingly, one of the guys told me that he was expecting as per normal to clear most of the vegetation but was told not to for this site. Ask me privately for words to describe this company!
I need the clearance certificate from him so the builders can access the site - not worth fighting at this stage. The job has been done well - the process has been so stressful especially when dealing with the owner of the company.
Looking good now. Treework to be done tomorrow.

Going on holidays

Au revoir! Going away tomorrow for a week and don't I need it! If anyone drives past the house, feel free to snap a pic of the current state of demo and send it to me.