Just over a week till PCI

After a week of  'nothingness' and with only 6 business days left till PCI, trades are starting to show up on site again.

List of items that have been completed (all within a day believe it or not):

• Paint touch ups
• Caulking
• Downpipes connected
• Plumbing fit off completed
• Termite protection installed
• Window silicone sealing <-- very happy to have seen this done properly 

Pending items:

• External painting (downpipes, steel bracing over windows, alfresco lintel etc..)
• Bath tub mistakes... see below picture <-- Worried about the delays this will cause
• Evap/Heater controller installation 
• Front door and side light staining
• Kitchen range hood 
• AGI Drain connection 
• Issues with tanking to retaining garage wall <-- biting my tongue until I get feedback on this

Patience wearing thin...

It's been a week since our last update... why you might ask? Well it's because nothing has been done since. It seems that we're back to the cycle of 2-3 days of trades everywhere and then no progress for a week or so.

Even though we have a PCI date, it's extremely frustrating to watch the house just sit there especially when we are paying rent and 90% of our mortgage.

We do understand that our SS is busy and he has been fantastic so far so we haven't contacted him or pushed him. Having said that PD need to get there act together and stop overloading there staff.

Speaking of PD staff. We have had serious communication issues with our BC. We have been trying to get a BV raised for close to two months now and sent multiple emails without any responses. Last week I called her and she promised she would raise the BV ASAP and send out the confirmation letter of our PCI and settlement dates. Another week has gone past and nothing...

So that's pretty much how we are feeling right now... and I think this is common from other builds I have followed.

Let's hope there are no more delays!

The count-up begins!

We have officially gone over the promised completion date set-out in the contract. So we decided to set-up a timer to see how many days over the contract we will go...

As for progress on the house, not much has happened really. Door handles fitted, tiling commenced and window angles installed. That's pretty much over a two week period. Kind of disappointing really but to be fair our SS has been away all this week.

We're being told to expect hand over 3rd or 4th week of August but we're not holding our breaths. The annoying part is it's hard to give notice to our real estate for the current property. We might just have to bite the bullet...

Some photos from this week. House has been locked up so didn't get any photos of inside.

Site Visit - Another 5 items added to our build issues list

All week we had both been very excited for today. My parents were coming down to Melbourne and we were going to meet them at the house. We did and it was great to show them through the house so they could finally see what we had been trying to explain on paper (Drawings) for the past year.

Unfortunately, we picked up another 5 items to add to our build issues list (20 outstanding). Some are big mistakes on PD's behalf. Hope to get these rectified sooner rather than later. 

1. Cavity slider door to WIP (Walk In Pantry) is not centred. The drawings show that the right hand side wall needs to be 580 mm  wide. This measurement needs to be taken from the inside wall. The framers (even though marked on the ground) decided to take the measurement from the outside wall which includes the hallway stud wall. The result? See for yourself... 

2. Wrong window installed to our Master bedroom. It should be a split awning window. What has been installed is definitely not that and looks so odd from the front of the house. 

3. Noggin damaged at recirculated air recess

4. Noggins to bedroom 4 have not been replaced as promised during frame stage

5. Front awning window to storage room has been damaged. 

Slab Issues - That's better!

After the disappointing repair job applied to our slab last week (Photos), phone calls with our BC, PD's head of construction and finally an on-site meeting our slab has finally been repaired to an acceptable standard.

I am very pleased with the latest repair job. Everything that we requested was done. There were some limitations to how much they could box up the slab but overall I am very happy with the job.

Much better workmanship!

Slab Issues - Meeting with Slab Supervisor

Many of you would have already read my post on Friday regarding the slab 'repairs' that we applied to our home to be. Click here to view it.

I was quite disappointed with the quality of the repairs and as soon as I got home I sent an email to the Slab Supervisor raising my concerns. Even though I did not receive an email back from him. Fortunately, my BC was onto it first thing Monday morning and raised this to management.

Without going into too much detail, this morning I got a call from our Slab Supervisor which was soon followed by PD's head of construction to discuss the issues I have raised. I was already meeting our Site Supervisor on site so the Slab Supervisor agreed to join.

After a lengthy discussion, PD have agreed to 'redo' all the repair work. The repairs will be conducted first thing in the morning and include the following:

• Remove old concrete
• Prep the area for inspection
• Fix the Slab Membrane - Garage corner
• Surveyor to inspect again and provide a report for sign off
• Areas of repair to be boxed and then poured

I am hoping that this time around the repairs are done to that of an acceptable standard. 

A big thank you to all those on the homeone forum that helped me through various posts and PMs. Specifically one member who sent me a message with some great 'ammunition' for the discussion. 

Looking forward to moving on for these issues and continuing our build! 

Framing start date

We've been given a start date for framing which is the 16/03/2015. We welcome the progress but are yet to hear about the slab issues we raised last week. 

Additionally, unlike what others have experienced with Porter Davis, we have not received the invoice for the slab. I made it very clear to PD that we will not be paying them a cent until the stage is 'complete' and all issues have been rectified. 

Hoping to see the issues rectified before framing has started... the clock is ticking! 

We have a tree! Construction is yet to start though...

Went out to have a look at the block today hoping that something has happened. Nothing. Not even a fence :(

Anyway, I was half expecting this to be the case.

I did notice that the council has planted a tree in our front nature strip. Can anyone help me identify it? Here are so photos:

Information regarding LPG/NG compatibility our appliances

So after receiving the lovely news of not having natural gas at our block till September 2015, I decided to do some more research regarding our appliances and their compatibility with LPG/NG.

Porter Davis told us that none of our appliances would be able to change over from LPG --> NG after hand over. Boy were they wrong. Here is section of the email I sent to PD today:

• Rinnai Infinity 26

Confirmed by the manufacturer that it is LPG --> Natural Gas convertible. Part number for the kit is: 92099311

• Blanco BFD9058FX

Confirmed on the manufactures website that it can be converted to natural gas even if order in LPG originally. Please see manual attached page 29. Also here is a screen shot. 

• Brivis Ducted heating HX30i

Available in LPG and confirmed by manufacturer that there is a conversion kit from NG --> LPG. Part no. B061776

Surprise, surprise. I have contacted Porter Davis and asked them to review this information and install LPG appliances to our home as well as the provision for some LPG bottles. The gas company has agreed to cover the cost of the conversion back to Natural Gas for all our appliances.

Thanks for reading. 

Patience is a virtue. Well at least when you're building!

Yet another month has passed and we are yet to start out build. It seems January is probably one of the laziest and slowest months of the year. Here is a quick update on the progress we have had recently:

• Bank has given unconditional approval
• Second soil test was ordered on the 06/01/2015 and we are still waiting for the results!
• Building permit is being held up by the soil test
• Final construction drawings also waiting on the soil test

We are due to go to site on the 30/01/2015 but this is becoming less feasible with every day that goes past.

Fortunately, our current Building Coordinator is absolutely wonderful and responds to my emails/calls within the same day. At worst it will be early the next day! Very impressed and grateful for her top notch service. 

Porter Davis is chasing up the engineering company to provide a report for the soil test. The engineering company says they have already done the test and have a back log of reports to completed.

The strange thing is I have been out to the block and could not see any holes or disturbed soil whatsoever! Who to believe...?

You definitely need to be patient when building a home...

Thanks for reading!