...and then today

...there was mesh ...woohoo! ...mmm...cant really see it here...so maybe another photo is in order..mmm...still cant see it...but believe me...its there..!!
(I was also amazed to see the frame going up on the house alongside to ours..... they must be wildly excited!)

...well lookie here....

...pretty happy tonight.... things are moving along..... we have boards and trenches.... cool!!
back with more soon...

mmm...where are we up to...

Not sure if I mentioned I changed the plans.... but it has held up the progress... a bit disappointing...but worth it in the long run..

so...Ian met with Pat today and..
the footings should be dug next week... we applied for our electrical connection... we have quotes on the way for our bricks.... our building change.....and we are still to choose our windows.

so...not much happening just yet.....but soon...

...things are happening...

Well....after what seems months...things have started to come together... and quite quickly...

The council approval came through.... for both the house and the shed....not sure if it was late Aug or early Sept...but it was nice to get that piece of paper in our hot little mitts...

...then in the first week of September the boundary pegs went in...and the builder pegged their sign on our block.... big huh!...but it signalled things were moving...and we were excited.

...then last week...around the 11th the earthmovery type guys came in...and levelled the block...and the pad was prepared... so it now looks like a proper spot for a house....

...and then phone call we were thrilled to receive also arrived...Pat called and said they were ahead of schedule and would begin our home sooner than expected.... and could we choose our bricks and windows....could we?...shit yeah!

So....we began looking at bricks in earnest....Ian and I already had a pretty good idea of what we were after....but it had been awhile since we decided...and wanted to just confirm we still liked the same look... Mum and Dad are visiting atthe moment....and so the four of us set off..... driving around all the new estates in the area.... making sure we were choosing well.

It was only while driving around this time...that I noticed that I wasn't happy with the front of our house anymore.....I had overlooked something on the plan....

The more I looked...the more unhappy I was..... I wanted to bring the garage out further....inline with bedroom one.....making an alcove over the front door...which put the veranda in between two gables.... by doing this...it also added 1.8m to the size of my scrapbooking room inside.....another thing that had been worrying me.... so it seemed a win win solution...

.....except...initially Ian was frustrated by me...why leave it to this late stage...the footings were to be dug next week...and this change would mean back to the draughtsman....back to the council....and we had just waited 8 weeks to get it through council.....

...but I wasn't happy to just ignore it.....so I phoned Pat.... and nervously told her what I was thinking....and she was wonderful.... it was back at the draughtsman the next morning...and council the following...and I'm hoping it got the re-approval stamp so that the footings can still be dug on Thursday (20th Sept 07) ... I haven't had the latest ...but Ive still got everything crossed that the changes have been accepted...and the building wont be delayed.

..so back to the bricks.....Ian and I both like red bricks....just plain old red and cream....like the older heritage homes...they never seem to date.... so we are hoping to have red bricks.....with cream mortar....cream trim... (possibly cream quions..waiting on a quote).... red roof...and cream windows... nothing like this...but in these colours...lol

... stay tuned for another update this week.....

M x

update...

things are moving along...slowly of course but getting there.

The land purchase is with the conveyancers at the moment...all our documents have been signed.

The build contract has been signed...the extras put in...and the price re-agreed....so its all off for council approval next week...Yay!!

We have a set of plans..... our very own house plans....

The house adjoining our rear boundary is looking like a real house now...and we will apparently be approached soon about our rear fence going up...such a tiny thing...but exciting.

I came across this piccie tonight.... Mmmmm...love it.

(images from house beautiful magazine)

.. in review...

...obviously I want to record the steps...and include some photos throughout this journey... but I also for my own interest want to include these initial steps...so this is just a quick update of whats happened to this point...which is actually not very much...lol

Feb 07 ....

We met with Hamoods builders for the first time to discuss the possibility and costs of building.

We met with LJ Hookers and checked out the building lots available in the Brooke st Subdivision... we chose our preferred lot....but where unhappy with the boundry alignment... LJ Hookers to take it to council for clarification.

March 07...

we met with the Bank to discuss a loan and our options..and had loan pre-approved

we met with the builders again and began looking at plans..

we met with Iris from LJ Hookers and checked progress on building lot.

April 07...

LJ Hookers finally have the word from council that the boundry will be aligned in lot 111...and a new title issued.... we signed the initial land contract.

Hamoods give us our quote to build and we begin to gather additional quotes on airconditioning...heating... fences...sheds ect....

May 07...

Our loan comparison begins and we now know the total required...

7th -We pay the deposit on our block of land...

8th - Pat phones to say the effluent pipes in the sub-division are too high....which means there is a major issue with the effluent drainage.

Ian and I put a hold on the purchase of the block of land...we want it sorted out before we cool off.

Darryl is working on our plans.... we make a few adjustments to the size of the front windows.

15th - our bank loan is approved..... but we are still waiting to hear any news on the effluent issue in the sub-division.

23rd - there is some word that the effluent problem will be resolved by putting a three metre easement at the rear of our block...with a pump...we are nervous as we dont want a 3 metre easement which wont allow us to build our shed ...the block would become too small... its an anxious time..

June 07...

1st - it seems the effluent issue will be resolved by re-trenching the entire pipe to a lower level... this seems the most logical solution...and also means although we will still have an easement along our back boundry we have the councils approval to build over it....a big sigh of relief..

5th - the trenching of the effluent pipe began...

7th - our soil test is done..

14th - council have finally provided in writing the changes to the effluent and easement...and we can now proceed with the purchase of the land.. all documents now off to the conveyancer....and bank loan documents all signed....and to the conveyancer as well....

16th - Darryl is finished the plans...I guess this means they are off to council next week...and the next waiting period begins.....

m x

...lets start at the beginning....

...this is about our home...OUR home...
..you see...
we have been renting.... for the last five years.... in some ways it has been fantastic....we rent the most gorgeous home...we have the best landlords ever.... and the loation and is perfect.
We have been out of town...with lots of space for the kids to run...ride bikes and play...we have had a pool and spa for the summer...and huge back lawn...

...but it is not OUR HOME....and we long for that again...

We have owned two homes in the past... one in Queensland... our first little home... where Brent was born.
Then when we moved back to Bordertown SA we bought our second home... where we lived for 10 years...slowly renovating until it was finally finished..ahhh! and then we sold it.... so now we are starting over.... from scratch.

...so I want this blog to record the journey for me...and for the kids....and for anyone else who stumbles across it and may be interested...

Because...we have finally decided to build a new home... and I cant wait..
M