So we got the keys on March 22 - YAY

Moved in over the next few days and then I got a call on Good Friday, and I was on a plane the same day to go work on a drilling rig for 6 weeks. Such is life, gotta find a way to pay for this bad boy.

Once I'm back I'll take some more photos and get them up.

In the mean time - if you're in the Ambrosia estate and see my wife and 2 girls walking around, tell them I said hi! (You'll recognize them - they're the once with all the curly hair :p and driving a silver mini)

Anyway - good to be in! - Can't wait to actually enjoy it myself.... 

PCI and Independent Inspections

Here are the items that I picked up on my PCI

and then here is the report that I got from my independent inspector - you can see the Value of having him.... 

Hi, remember me?

Honest... I ran out of gas. I... I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD! 

Ok, so it's been a while, life, work and my apathy got in the way of me updating this. 

Well we are almost at the finish line, we had our PCI (+independent inspection) on Thursday / Friday, Once I get Kevin's report I'll get my settlement date. Hopefully first or 2nd week of March. 

Things continue to go well, and I will continue to believe in the benefit of using independent inspectors to monitor the build. Especially when you have 0 knowledge in this area like me. 

Kevin has picked things up in each of his inspections that I would have missed, and I am sure that because my SS is aware I am using him, that they are more conscious of their own quality checks.

Once I get Kevin's report, hopefully later today, I'll post it up.

Anyway, enjoy some pictures and let me know if you have any questions. 

Cheers

Sean

Front

Living room to kitchen

Sink Counter and backsplash

Living area into formal dining (rumpus)

Kitchen to living area

The rugrats on the rug

Hallway into laundry

Playroom

Master

Ensuite

Girls bath

Building Update

Just a quick one with some photos and my pre-plaster inspection report. 

Things are progressing well, I have been very happy with Jason Smith my SS, he even went to Bali for a week, but had another guy taking care of me - and all was organized and smooth. 

Chatting with a few of the tradies, I have had more than one tell me he is the best Carlisle SS  - always organized - they're never waiting on stuff. 

The Brickies should be done this week, staircase in and the painters will be in over the Christmas break apparently. 

Looking like an end of Feb move in :)

Any way here is the latest inspection report - (all was taken care of promptly), and some progress photos from the last month. 

Pre Plaster Inspection Report

Brickies getting started

Rear of house

The brickies at work, you can also see our really ugly front doors, we  couldn't get the ones we wanted, so we got the base level doors and will replace them after handover

Brickie Progress

Plaster has been hung

From the living room to the kitchen

The alfresco

The girls bathroom

Framing Inspection Completed

Things are still progressing nicely.

I had my frame inspection completed with New home Inspections, it went well with some defects noted:

My Inspection Report

I have spoken with my Carlisle Site Supervisor, he has said that all defects other than the slab have been corrected. The slab correction is scheduled however. I will be having New Home Inspections do a pre-plaster inspection, they will review all remedial work at that time.

Anyway enjoy some more photos.

Framing Complete

Framing Complete

One week later the roof is on and the roughing in has begun

Front of the house with my new sexy roof

From the back

My little tradie

Stopped by Sunday for a little look:

Surprised to find a tradie still working on a Sunday

Front of House

Framing Progress

Some more photos, looking at the 25th for completion of framing

Front Door and Office on the right

Home office

Home office and side of house

side of house looking at living room and rumpus (formal dining) on the right

Back of house - alfresco into living and kitchen area

Framing Start

Framing started today.

I called my site-supervisor on Wednesday, I have not gotten a call back yet... Will try him on Monday

Slab is done!!!!

Went by today and the crew was just completing my slab... is it just me or do houses always look smaller than you think when it is only slab in.

from the rear - looking at the alfresco

rear of house - rumpus across to alfresco

front right - looking at study - garage to the left

Garage across to study

back yard

from front - garage

Also stopped by Cassiana Grove and saw our Sales rep Deb - got to say thank you to her for her hard work!

Final Plans

 Here are the final plans we received and signed off on

Our block

Downstairs final plan

Upstairs final plan

Downstairs Electrical Plan

Upstairs Electrical Plan

Site Cut

Site Cut has taken place - this is now officially happening very excited. Went down today with my 8 year old   and was excited to see real progress. Slab is due to poured on the 9th.

So the photos will be coming thick and fast now hopefully!

Long time between drinks

Well, I'm back to my blog! Sorry for the absence but there hasn't been a lot to report.
We have been working on finalizing financing and settling on the land. That has all been completed now, it took a little while than expected, primarily because of my travel schedule for work which has seen me spending more time in Asia than in Australia recently.
A big recommendation for:

Anna at Rams in Glen Waverly
Angela at Ideal Conveyancing 
and Claire at Carlisle

- their communication during this process has been first rate and I am very please with the service from all parties. Anna at Rams and Angela at Ideal both worked very hard and went above and beyond to get this over the line and I am appreciative.

So I have settled on the land, all paperwork is done and in, the final engineering plans and building permit are being finalized. We are looking at a site start date of mid to late September.

I am excited to get to this stage - pics an updates will be far more regular now. 

We have signed :)

Well, I am now officially ~$500,000 broker... signed my contract today with Carlisle and over-all I am pretty happy.

We received our contract paperwork on Friday, I got home from a month in Vietnam on Saturday. I went through it carefully and aside from a couple of errors that were because of some mis-communication from my bride in the colour selection it was on the money.

We signed off and we will be getting a post contract variation for the items I changed today. (some electrical).

We got the facade looking the way we wanted without any cost, we are getting an under-mount sink despite initially being told it wasn't possible. They had to move the dishwasher a little and we lose the corner cupboard in the kitchen but I am thrilled to get the under-mount and an insinkerator.

Once I get the final paperwork I'll post up the final plans and final variation costs.

Facades :(

After receiving my colour selection plans, I saw that the facade of my new home looks noting like the Sovereign facade shown on the Carlisle Website......

The study windows are 2 small skinny ones instead of one large window and the balcony has bars across the front instead of a rendered wall.

These two features, along with the roof over the balcony are the reasons we chose this facade.

I have gone back to my sales person (Deb) and asked them to find a solution. I'll keep you updated

Updated house plans

Finally all the documentation for the loan is in and done, (a challenge from Vietnam)! Hopefully have approval early next week, (if we don't all this is for naught!)

Got a copy of the final layout (click on the link below) The major changes from the original Odessa layout is this:

• Added internal access from the garage
• Moved Laundry door to edge of stairs / hallway
• Opened up the wall from family room to rumpus - the plan here is for it to be a formal dining or a pool room - (go pool room)
• Straightened the wall on bedrooms 2 & 3 between the activity room - we will be constructing a desk / bookshelf along that wall for our daughters
• double doors to study and lounge (lounge to be home theater)
• door to en-suite.

Updated house plans