Raked Joints or Ironed Joints

Well, yesterday SS called me that the bricks labourer has noticed that the bricks are not even shapes, hence with ironed joints that we chose, it won't be good. Oh, no....so SS has decided to make 2 sample batches of Raked Joint (that he thinks is the best) and Ironed Joints.

Sample of Ironed joints done this morning :
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd444/willcress/009-1.jpg

Photo of a house nearby using the same bricks with Ironed Joints :
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd444/willcress/003.jpg

http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd444/willcress/005-1.jpg
I saw that Raked Joints give a better aesthetique finish to the bricks. So I have have decided to go with Raked joints...
Sample of Raked joints this morning :

http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd444/willcress/012.jpg

http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd444/willcress/011.jpg


Unfortunately, the brickies are still finishing jobs somewhere else...so SS said tomorrow they will start.

Fingers crossed, praying hard....

3 weeks and none's done...

It's official, today is the 3rd week of nothing's done in our site...
The hardest thing was the weather was so good, sunshine all the way ...(oh, we only got 2 rain days & 1 public holiday/Anzac day).

I made an official complaint email to FS, the head of supervisor on Wednesday and he called me back on Thursday. Not long after, my SS called me and we had a good chat and in the end, he said there'll be labourer on Thursday arvo and Friday to move the bricks around, so on Monday the brickies can start their work.

I felt relieved with the conversation we had and started to trust him again, but Thursday no one came and Friday until now, there's no one moving the brick around as promised. I texted him and no response.
So, again, so dissapointed....

Hooray...the rain stops!!

Not much happened for this week, the rain suddenly poured from the sky so heavily for the last 3 days. So I won't hope so much that something will happen today when the rain finally stopped.

My SS called this morning that bricks will be done next week and should be finished for 1st floor by end of next week. After that is the roof, gutter etc. Then the brickies will be back to do the 2nd floor.

Yay, the cements has arrived too...:)

Oh, btw, the concreter did come to fix a few chips that we complaint before to SS. not sure when did they come but it's a surprise they have done it this week. Good job!

I also a bit worried with some of the pipes that don't look in the the right spot (Photos attached). Do you think it's acceptable?

Meanwhile, last week I was busy making appointments and seeing few landscapers.

The 3 quotes came back with various amount, but I will still see few more landscapers by next week.

Will update you all which one we'll use.

Cheers, have a good weekend all!! :)

Some progress today...

It's been a quiet week so far, but today they have installed all the cables for gas, hot water, etc.

My sons went up to the 2nd storey and they can't decide which room to choose...:)

Oh, also I have seen 2 landscapers today and 1 more tomorrow.

The landscaper both said that I can go up to 900mm heights of retaining walls without going to council/engineers details.

Now is deciding to use logs, bricks, stones or joint paver for our retaining walls.

Hopefully the landscape quotes are good.

Frames finished and windows are installed...

The windows! (I should reduce the 2 window's sizes at the back, they're too big I think...)


Study room's windows... Love it!!


2nd floor : Our Media Alcove in Master bedroom


Frontage : 9 Windows , lucky number..ha..ha..

Yesterday was my 40th birthday and hence I was sooo busy answering emails, phones, Facebook, & whatsapp wishes....:)
We had a really nice dinner just with my DH and kids at Kellyville Thai Rest "Gati" and finished really late like almost 10pm....
(Oh, and surprise, I met there a friend from Homeone forum that is apparently my DH work's friend...what a small world!)

I couldn't check the finished frames and windows that were installed yesterday.

So ....today was so happy to see the house is taking it's shape and we also can climb to 2nd floor. YAY!!
Great view from the 2nd floor and all rooms look okay in sizes. Just like what we imagined, since originally the floor plan was changed a lot of times from the original Boston's plan.

One thing that I should do is to increase the ceiling height to 2.590m, but I didn't. Well, it's a lesson for me, maybe for my next build, ha..ha.. I wish...:)

oo la..la...The windows has arrived!!

Get a bit excited to see the windows arrived today!

Well, it's a white frame window, so nothing's special but it will match our white plantation shutters... will be lovely! :)

Few things to ask SS...

Yes, we visited the frames today and have a quick measure up room per room, also found out few (minor?) things that will need to be addressed to the SS on Monday.

Like the hanging frames & crushed concete slab near the laundry/garage side.

Do you think the hanging wall is acceptable for that lentgh?