Building Our First Home

Yesterday morning we got a call from our Building Manager to tell us that the brickie had signed off on his brick work last night as it was all finished, and discovered that we had upgraded to 'off-white' mortar!! He

used the standard uncoloured mortar, which is a grey colour.

If you remember a few weeks ago when they first started the brick laying, I commented that I wondered if the mortar colour was right. The first time I saw it, I said to hubby - "The mortar colour is wrong!" He calmed me that it was just wet and appeared darker but it would lighten up. Well trust women's intuition, cause I was right!!

So because we paid to have the mortar colour upgraded, and they've done the entire house in a lovely 'grey'; we are waiting to hear from Porter Davis about what they will compensate us for.

Our quick trip out this arvo brought great excitement. They have started putting all the cabinets into the house. Laundry is all in, the ensuite is half in and bathroom all in. They have also put in half of the kitchen cabinets! Amazing!

They have added all the skirting boards throughout the house, and had put in all our internal doors. The difference this makes is amazing, everything looks very different.

It is beginning to feel a lot like our home, and like we are actually going to move into our own home very soon!

Everything is happening very quickly!!

I did a drive-by our house today to see if there were any new additions; and I found all the windows had been added.

Last Saturday when we walked through the frame the windows had all been delivered and were sitting waiting in the Alfresco area.

With all the windows in today the house looked surprisingly tidy; I guess it will look like that till the next lot of building materials are delivered.

Meanwhile Porter Davis were in a frenzy trying to work out how the wrong plans were given to the building manager instead of the modified ones we had previously signed off on.

Apparently someone within the borders of Porter Davis had got confused and sent the wrong plans to the builder.

Important as a customer to keep your eye on the building process and raise any issues as quickly as you can.

Because we found the incorrect fridge position early when only the frame for it was built, it has been very easy to change it at this early stage. Much easier than if they had gone as far as putting the kitchen cabinets in.

Tuesday just gone I went out to take a peek at what they had done, and the builders were only just marking out the walls on the slab.

Four days later and this is what we find. Not only is the frame up, but also the roof trusses.

As we were driving up the hill today to take a look, I could see the frame and started getting excited, Jose was like, "no, that has to be the house next door!" But it was our house.

It's a beautiful sight sitting all nice on the corner!

The only issue we had after walking through the frame, is the kitchen. On the final plans Porter Davis sent to us, they had put the fridge hole next to the pantry instead of at the other end of the kitchen next to the hallway. We got them to change it back to the original plan, which they did.

But somewhere between the drafters and the builders, they have put the fridge hole on the wrong side. So we will have the fridge opening to the pantry door, and will block access to the pantry when open. This will be an almighty pain.

So Monday Jose will be calling to find out what they'll be doing about it!!

On the upside, our house is really taking shape! Exciting!!