Slab is Poured!

Got to know from McDonald Jones that slab has been poured today. Planning to have a look this coming week end.

Pictures taken on Sunday (26-Jun-2016):

Slab: from front

Slab: from back

Construction Started: Piering Work Complete

We received a call from our Slab supervisor Roy on last Thursday. We had provisions for 50 lineal meters of piering, but we needed 79.6!! So, that would cost us 2.7K more.

One of our friends, who is also building a house in next street of ours, has taken some snaps and sent this morning (so grateful to him :) ). Few of our neighbors' houses are quite ahead of us as we see from the pictures:

From front-corner of the plot

From the back of the Plot

Electrical Appointment Complete

Yesterday we had our final visit at MyChoice Colour Studio for the Electrical appointment. Our plan was to leave as many as easier items to be done with an electrician after handover. And items specially those sit on walls (like sockets, data points etc are considered difficult to do later) to do with the builder.

Also, I insisted on having an option to create alternate mood using warm lights when cool lights are not required. So added a few warm ornamental downlights at few places. Planning to add few pendant and wall lights in warm white later. Also, all outdoor lights are warm.

Note: I was inspired by this blog to have both warm and cool lights options though our Design Consultant opposed it.

Here is the plan: (disconnected downlights will be installed after handover).

For Electrical sockets, we doubled the number of electrical sockets for bedrooms, added two extra electrical sockets to Mastersuite, kichen, Home theatre. Also added a few sockets in living areas. Two weatherproof sockets at Alfresco and at the front.

For Lighting, we have converted the batten holders of most rooms to a downlight,  planning additional lights will be installed after  handover and will be controlled by the same switch. But for most of the external lights (front eaves, front pillar, sensor and flood lights), we went with the builder. Also we included the recess lights in Home theatre, Living area and IT desk.

Two fans were added: one in Alfresco and other in living area. Done pre-wiring for pendant lights over the breakfast bar, few internal wall lights.

Here is the list:

• 7 LED Downlights (Warm White) for outdoor, TV recess, Side of rangehood in kichen
• 22 LED Downlights (Cool White) for indoor throughout
• 1 Sentinel Square light for Front Pillar
• 2 Alert II Sensor lights side of the house
• 2 Batten Holders for other side of the house
• 2 Batten Holders for the garage
• 1 Dimmable switch to Home theatre
• 2 2-way switched for living and Hallway lights
• 1 Alert II Flood light for the backyard
• 1 Batten Holder just outside Laundry door
• 1 Airfusion Marine Grade 132CM Fan for Alfresco
• 1 Futura Fan for living Area
• Colour Touch Screen Monitor/Camera Doorbell
• Alarm Package
• 5 CAT6 Data points to Living area, Home theater, Master-suite, Bed 2 
• 3 TV Points in Living area, Home theater, Master-suite
• 1 Phone Point near IT Desk
• 3 Smoke Detectors

All these came in around 8.65K AUD. We are planning for 30 more downlights in total along with few pendant and wall light fittings to install after handover. Also TV antena will be installed later.

Here is picture of few of the items we have selected yesterday:

Airfusion Marine Grade Fan 132cm

Alert II 2 Light Floodlight with Sensor in Brushed Aluminium

Sentinel 2 Light Square Wall Bracket in Stainless Steel

Not too many selection items like Colour Appointment :(

Anyway, we had 5K provision for electrical in our contract, now waiting for the electrical variation for around 3.6K to be raised by MJH soon.

Note: after Handover Electrical work is covered in this posthttp://cordova2withmjh.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/post-handover-day-4.html.

Construction Start Date Announced!

As communicated by our CLO this morning, excavation  is to start next Tuesday which is 14-Jun-2016 and Piering has been aimed at 16-Jun-2016. She also mentioned, we will receive a call from our SS before Tuesday.
Also, we are all set for tomorrow's Electrical Appointment.

Finally We are on Construction List!!

Another step closer to the dream: Our project has been placed on the construction list yesterday and work will commence within 20 working days! Also looking forward to our electrical appointment next week.

Meanwhile, I have notified the landscaper who will be visiting the site when slab work is completed to understand more of the required landscaping work.

On the down side, when we received CDC approval details, we noticed some of the minor upgrades gone missing by the drafting department before it went to CDC. We were terrified whether we need to apply for approval again!! but fortunately NO. But it is very disappointing that a renowned builder like MJH would make these mistakes. If we wouldn't re-checked the plan so carefully then it would have gone missing from the final planning document that goes to the site supervisor, Anyway, they have corrected the plan within a day, and we had to sign and resend to them.