WE'VE BEEN SLABBED!!!!!!

My heart was pounding today as I walked up our narrow lane way in anticipation of a hopefully welcoming sight.

And I wasn't disappointed. The men were laying the slab. The cat we dubbed 'Security' was still hanging around leaving pussy cat footprints all over our slab.

In the afternoon, I picked up Peter and the kids for their inspection.

Pouring the slab on the northern end.

The men levelling the slab on the western side.

Peter inspecting the slab at the far end. He did note the paw prints. hmmmm

NO SLAB- IT RAINED :(

No slab today as it rained overnight and this morning. Hopefully they will put the slab down tomorrow as heavy rain looks to be forming for next week.

This is the most awesome cat he is always on our block hanging out with the builders and sitting in their cars if they happen to leave the window open. He is so friendly looking for a pat and patrolling the boarders. I have named him "Security". If you look closely he is in previous pictures too.

RESTART- WAFFLE PODS + REO DOWN

I am on the biggest high!!! I drove past this afternoon and SURPRISE they have restarted building and the men were laying the reo and waffle pods. I spoke with the men and they are pouring the slab tomorrow. YEAHHHH!!!!!!!!! I can't believe how happy a bit of building can make me. I seriously need to get a life.

Here are the pictures:

The little site supervisor in pink was impressed with the 'pretty white' waffle pods.

The men waffle podding the garage section of the house.

PROBLEM SOLVED (HOPEFULLY)

We have now lost 10 day (of awesome weather) trying to solve a few garage and electrical problems.....so $1320 variation later we may have a slab next week.

To help understand why we will have so many problems I have used the building a ship in a bottle analogy. It's a lot to do with trying to build on a tiny block with a 14 foot wide entrance.

CHICKENS, EGGS AND COUNTING

What do they say about counting chickens before they hatch.

It was just all going too well, hoping to have a slab by Friday.

I was introduced to my Site Supervisor today which was good but the happiness only lasted a minute. He informed me that the men had to walk off site today because of a problem with the garage not fitting properly onto the back compound fence (that council stipulated we had to keep). Now we have to check plans with the Construction Certificate company. Hopefully it will be ok. If not, its back to Council with another S96 and $1650 for them to tick it off. Taking another month. I feel so disheartened, my prayers of being in by Christmas are fading like smoke. :( We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Here are the pictures of todays progress

Looking North over the waffle pods (I love saying that word 'waffle pod', waffle pod- it sounds like a kids lolly). Plastic is down and they have put little orange skirts on the pipes.

More reo and waffle pods, they really have run out of room to put everything

The pipes all have pretty little skirts on.

PLUMBING AND ELECTRICALS

Today the underslab plumbing was completed. An Electrician was on site trying to work out how to hook up the electricity and put a metre box in. After a short conversation with him I can see another big cost coming as the nearest connection point is 40 metres away. :(

The pier holes were filled with cement by yesterday afternoon. They are numerous, our house is not going to blow away.

By this afternoon this was the site. The closest capped pipes are the plumbing for the kitchen and the furthest pipes are for the laundry and powder room.

I think next will be the waffle pods and slab....yeee haaa!!!. The weather forecast is awesome no rain for at least a week so we may have a slab by friday.

Formwork- Pier Holes, Slab Frame, Plumbing

I went around to check out progress this morning.

First heard the music:  Jimmy Barnes at full volume....

Then saw the men 'workin hard to make a livin'.

It was such a wonderful sight and the music just added to the beauty.
The pier holes were done. There were heaps of them and they are very deep due to 'influence zones' on decrepit 120 year old pipes going past our block.

The Men were going flat out. They are very fit.

The two closest pier holes are on our alfresco. I think they are mistakes.

The Western Wall of the House

This pier hole is about 2.7 meters deep. It will be filled with cement

BENCHING DONE- tick

I went around this afternoon and SURPRISE the site has been benched. There is a step down from the garage. The ground looks quite high. I assume it will be compacted. It's such a great feeling that things are happening.

View to the South- you can see the 30cm step up to the garage. #2 child thought it was a game to try and get in every picture.

View to South West.

A BIT OF ACTION

It's always the way. You have a little sulk and something good happens. Today I went around and had a look and we have a sign, a big pile of dirt and a green barrier which looks to be outlining the slab. :).
I still haven't heard from the site supervisor. Probably the strong silent type.

The sign

The Pile of dirt

And the green fence

NOTHING has happened :( WEEK 2

I haven't posted as nothing more has happened. I received an email to say they were worried about an edge of the gutter overhanging the fence. The fence is a foot thick compound fence so I don't think it will overhang and the other side is an old dunny run (no mans land). I was hoping to hear from my site supervisor.....but nothing. Our expectations of being in by Christmas are diminishing by the day.  :( .

Hopefully there will be some exciting news next time especially since the weather has been perfect.