Dining Setting for Alfresco

As the decking of Alfresco is complete, it's time to think about some sitting arrangements. Ordered this sleek beauty today: it is called "Excalibur Outdoor living 7-piece folding dining set"

This is of similar shade of our Pepper Brick. Let's see how it will look:

Foldable, can be converted to two-chair-setup, has storage space inside the table for chairs to be stored. Perfect for our small alfresco.

Backyard: Decking & Garden Screen

Landscaping at the backyard is nearly finished. This week, our landscaper has worked on decking mainly. We are extending the alfresco by 4.5sqm making it around 17sqm. We went for composite decking material because it is of low maintenance. The colour is called Red Rock.

Also an L-shaped garden screen has been installed today to hide Rain Water Tank and Aircon. As vining plant, Jasmine has been planted. In a year or two, the garden screen should be like a green wall of Jasmine.

Here are some photos:

Cordova Two: Deck extension under Eaves

Removable Drainage cover

Deck & Garden Screen

Jasmine as vine

Cordova Two Alfresco

And a photo showing my favorite before & after effect:

Landscaping (before & after)

The composite decking material wasn't used for the sides of the deck, treated pine has been used, now we have to paint it to a suitable colour. The alfresco feels much bigger now. Unfortunately, the only pending thing by our landscaper is the patio tiling, which got moved to first week of January. 

Landscaping at the Front

Front-yard had been dressed up this week. Letter box had been done, tress & shrubs had been planted, turf had been laid. Here are some photos:

Cordova Two: Classic Facade

Cordova Two: Classic Facade

The before and after effect:

Cordova Two McDonald Jones

Security Screen, Brick Edging etc

There hasn't been much progress since the driveway had been poured last Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, landscaper was on site only for few hours. They have done some land leveling of the front-yard along with brick edging. Not happy with the speed of landscaping. There is only one more week left before Christmas, we want it all done before everyone goes on holiday mode!

One necessary thing, that has been done over the weekend, is the security screen installation for the front door and diamond screen mesh installation to two front windows. Our toddlers were trying to go out if the main door wasn't deadlocked with a key (yes, they can open the locked door already). So, relieved that we have another layer of protection now and the door handle of screen door is out of their reach!

For specifics on the security screens, we used Prowler Proof Protec. Diamond mesh color for front windows is Monument (same as our window frame). As our front door is painted in Taubmans 'Mountain Wine', Claret from Prowler Proof was the closest match when we checked against the color sample. At day time from inside, we can see outside as if there is nothing on the door, but from outside it doesn't show much unless you're very close to the door.

Few photos after Brick edging for the Garden bed is done and security screens have been innstalled:

Cordova Two: Classic Facade

Prowler Proof Protec in Claret color

Driveway!!

 Our driveway has been poured this morning. Along with the driveway, the path leading from council footpath to patio (front-landing), wheelchair access from driveway to patio and the front of the first bedroom (Bed 2) had been concreted as well. We chose plain uncolored concrete as per project's landscaping guideline.

The concreters started their work at 5 in the morning, we had to get up and open the garage door as it needed to stay open while they work. Driveway form work was completed by Monday.

Here are some photos:

Cordova Two: Driveway form-work complete

Only a minor issue was fixed yesterday when we asked our landscaper to reduce the slop of the concrete areas of front bedroom.

Concrete being poured (please ignore our messy garage with unpacked boxed):

Cordova Two: Driveway in progress

Cordova Two: Driveway in progress

A closer look:

Concrete Path from Future Council Footpath to Patio  

Driveway in Plain Uncolored Concrete

Driveway in Plain Uncolored concrete

Concrete extension in front of Bed 2

The finished product (yet to dry up):

Cordova Two: Driveway

Cordova Two: Driveway

Turfed at the Backyard

Backyard has been turfed yesterday. Sir Walter Buffalo turf has been used as per recommendations from our landscape designer Susan and landscaper Shane. here are some pictures:

1. Ground has been leveled and soiled:

2. Turf being laid out:

3. Turfed:

4. Turfed

 5. The before and after effect so far:

One of the two pending items in the backyard is Alfresco decking which will be done sometime next week. Another one is a garden screen covering the service areas (Garden Water tank and Aircon).
Driveway will be poured tomorrow, followed by Pebbles & step stones on the side later this week.

December the First: Moved In

We moved in yesterday. Movers were booked for 1 pm which allowed us some precious packing time in the first half of the day. Kids were transported to one of our friend's house for the day with their grandma. Movers delivered our stuff around 7:30 pm. Things went pretty well I would say. We came back to the house after dinner, worked on sleeping arrangements and we are done for the day! Very glad that I cleaned all the rooms specially the bedrooms the day before and they were not accessed by anyone. Kids were a bit puzzled by what's happening but were manageable. Will write once things are a bit settled.

Post Handover: Day 4

No work has been done by the tradesmen over the last two days because it was a week-end. So, we worked on packing and moving some stuff to the new house to reduce the hassle of the actual move-in day.

By the end of Post-Handover Day 4 (which is a Monday), additional lights were installed and landscaping work continued. Here is the update:

Electrical: Our electrician arrived at 7:30 am. He and his assistant installed 27 downlights throughout the house along with 3 pendant lights and 1 wall light. Then we tested them, all done by 11:30. The house is well lit now, we just need to buy warm white LED globes for the pendants.

Flooring: Pending vinyl installation and skirting board installation supposed to happen today, but unfortunately they were short of plunk on Friday. So, the flooring company needed to reorder two boxes, hence delaying the work until Thursday! We are glad that it is being done at least before we are moving in!
FYI: Detail on our Flooring Choices is here

Here are some pictures after we cleaned up the house a bit: flooring looks unfinished without the skirting boards though!

Cordova Two: Open Living

Cordova Two: Open Living

Cordova Two: Open Living

Cordova Two: Open Living

Cordova Two: Open Kitchen

Cordova Two: Open Living

Cordova Two: Hallway Entrance 

Landscaping: Driveway work started from today. By the day end they installed the frames on some part of the driveway. But still needs some land levelling on other parts. Hopefully driveway will be poured sometime this week. Apart from that, the backyard is levelled already.

Cordova Two: Wooden boundaries for Flower bed, Footpath & Driveway

Cordova Two: Wooden boundaries for Flower bed, Footpath & Driveway

Cordova Two: Classic Facade

 Apart from these; we organized the household items throughout the house in different cupboards. Just trying to have less work in hand for the Move-in day (still there will be plenty I know).

Post Handover: Day 1

We got our keys yesterday. Post Handover work starts in full swing from Day one. Landscapers were the first at the site to finish off back retaining wall and fencing. Termite protection installation followed next. We were prepared for the vinyl installation, and surprised to know that carpet will also be installed today as they are not free on next Tuesday when it was originally planned. So, there were at least 12 tradesmen were working at the same time on different things. here is the status at day-end:

Landscaping: Retaining wall and Fencing done at the back, now we are fenced on all three sides. Our landscaper apologized a few times that he couldn't finish it earlier this week. The fence looks good, gives us some idea of the size of the back yard: not big but not too small as well.

Termite Protection: Installation was booked considering the Handover date, it is done now. So, we can work on driveway next week.

Carpet Installation: Carpet installation to Bedrooms, Walk-in-Robe and Home Theater is done, took around three hours!

Vinyl Installation: Boys have done a really great job today, nearly 50% area is complete. They started with floor preparation, as it was not even took five bags of cement (gone another 500$)! At the end of the day, hallway, kitchen, pantry and part of living area flooring is complete. Tomorrow they will finish the vinyl, then skirting boards will be installed (they are already painted, left to dry up in garage floor).

In between, someone from Blind company came to assess how many blinds need to be replaced, will take about two weeks or so to get the brand new ones! The painter also visited to finish some paint touch ups.

Will post some photos once I get home!

The house is very dusty all over again. Planning to do some clean up after Monday when electrical work will be done!

Very productive day indeed.