The Deck - Part 4 (Completed)

On Christmas Eve day the deck was finished just in time for the celebrations the following day. Merry Christmas!

The build will pause now until the new year.

The Deck - Part 3 (Stairs)

The builders returned today to begin work on our steps. Fortunately, they also completed under the eaves as well.

The steps are coming along nicely, they will take another day to complete fully, however they are very functional until Monday when Tony and the guys will return to finish.

What a nice Christmas gift they are.

The Deck - Part 2

I returned home today after a lovely day at the park with Tracey and Samuel to an almost finished deck. The stairs are to be completed on Friday.

I promptly grabbed the deck chairs in the garage and positioned them in the shade of our juvenile gum tree, poured myself a glass of wine and enjoyed.

I am so thrilled with the end result, it has honestly exceeded my expectations. This build is going to change our life!

Below is our first evening on our deck.

The Deck - Part 1

Another exciting milestone of our build is the commencement of the deck. I have spent many hours studying our plans in relation to the deck, looking at our property from above (with nearmap), and in general reassessing the deck over and over. Why you might ask?

Well mostly because I do not want to get the backyard/deck proportions wrong. So while a deck is without doubt a wonderful, useful addition to the outdoors, a green space (as in garden) is ultimately where the magic happens outside. I just hope we have got it right.

Decking is a funny subject, people seem to be adamantly 'pro' or 'against' them. David for example was definitely in the 'against' camp - he felt a bigger backyard was the way to go. It took a lot of convincing that a deck is a must have addition to the modern house.

In the end I could not make up my mind, do we build the 4.2m deck as per the plans or do we pull it back to 3.5m and allow for that extra bit of backyard? I couldn't decide, David had to make the call.

It surprised me to learn David decided we needed a 4.2m wide deck - so that is what we are getting. I think it's going to be wonderful!

Holes being dug.

Stumps, bearers and joists.

First board being laid.

45 mins later!

Window rendering

Yesterday George rendered our new windows so they would match nicely with our existing windows. It was a fiddly messy job that took a surprising amount of time to complete.

I think he has done a terrific job. And while it is a small job within the big picture of things, it goes a long way towards helping the old and new sections of the house to coexist together harmoniously.

The existing windows.

The rendering in progress

The end result.

WIR "I won't know myself"

Our WIR is really starting to take shape now. This is quite exciting because it was the need for a WIR that got the whole renovation process happening.

Long before a new kitchen and family room were a thought, our main aim was some storage in the master bedroom. I wanted to get a BIR built however David refused, complaining it would take up too much room. This left the only alternative being to build out towards the boundary. A great idea but a very expensive solution just to store some clothes.

It was obvious that to do just a WIR wasn't a great use of money unless we combined it with the other things that needed to be done i.e. kitchen, laundry etc etc.

So, fast forward 3 years (of living with my clothes in baskets) and you will understand how significant this part of the build is to me. This little room of just 2m x 3.6m will (I believe) change our lives for the better FOREVER.

So, if I had a dollar for every time someone has said "You won't know yourself with a WIR" I think we might just have had enough money to pay for it!!

And while, there is still a bit more work before it is completed the excitement is building everyday.

The floor getting built

Timber floor is complete.

Tiles are grouted

Tilers return this morning (Saturday) and finished the grouting. I think it looks fantastic!

Jarrah Floor - Part 2

A few photos of the kitchen / family room finished. It still needs to be sanded and varnished. We are going to get the painting done before that happens though, I think.

Tiling the ensuite.

Today, the tilers arrived and began work on our ensuite. They arrived around 11am and by 1.00pm they had made a good start.

Below is when I called past at 1.00pm

By 3.30am they had made alot of progress - I love it!

Ensuite - Con's 4 step waterproofing process

When David and I decided to renovate our house, right from the start, our goal was not to add immense size (we have only added around 35sqm to the original footprint). Sure we did need more room, but more than that we needed the existing house to work better for us, to flow more efficiently and to maximise the good things it already had.

When it came to choosing a builder, again it wasn't about finding someone who will add the most size for the least amount of dollars. For us anyway, it was about finding someone who cared about the details, who avoided shortcuts, someone with an old school craftsmanship attitude who took pride in his work and reputation.

Watching Con and George tackle the waterproofing of our ensuite is an example of why we chose them. They use a four step process which guarantees there will never be leaking.

Step 1: Begins with using a waterproof plaster (note the blue colour which means to be used in wet areas)

Cement sheeting is put over the yellow tongue board, then George renders the shower base with the necessary slope to ensure efficient drainage.

Step 2:The first waterproofing membrane is applied and allowed to dry fully. (Note the light green membrane)

Step 3: A lead base is moulded and glued to the floor and wall corners of the shower. Lead does not rust, leak or break down over time.

The red shows you where the lead flashing has been applied to the shower area.

Step 4: A second coat of waterproof membrane has been applied over the lead and all other water prone areas. Now the waterproofing is complete and ready for the tilers.

Jarrah Floor - Part 1

Very Exciting, our floor is being laid today. The smell of cut jarrah is lovely. Being so close to Christmas it isn't a given anymore that things can be sourced and delivered when you want them. Somehow Con managed to get these on site and installed within a couple of days notice. We are thrilled!