And then the calls stop.

I realise it's been a long time since any updates have been posted.  Main reason for that is that any change from this point has been minor - they seem to be moving at a rate approximately resembling fitting one tap per day, or something to that effect.  It all adds up, but yes, we've only just got some render done on the front, and a driveway has now gone in.

So here's the latest progress shot:

Actually the other reason for lack of information is because that's exactly what they've been providing me - a fortnight ago I didn't get a weekly call from the site supervisor, and then last week I didn't either - making it three weeks since I'd heard from them.  So I called them, and they had very little to really say.  Also tried contacting my person at head office - nothing.  No replies, no returned calls or emails - I really have no idea what's going on.

When I did manage to briefly speak to the supervisor they still won't give any hints on a handover date, and it doesn't look like being before Easter, which will push it out even further.  Oh, and despite somehow managing to keep the crossover intact for the entire build process up until this point, when do they manage to put a nice pothole in it?  Yeah, when pouring the driveway.  Good going!

So right now it's getting rather frustrating being told very close to nothing.

Oh yeah, and fencing guy?  I approved/paid for the fence on the left to be done some time in January, I thought it was supposed to be done by mid-late Feb.  As you can see, there's no fence - but he's also completely dropped off the radar.  No returns to emails, phone calls, nothing - he was supposed to be chasing up the other neighbours to get permission to put fences up.  Haven't heard anything back on that either.  IT's basically like he too has dropped off the face of the planet.

The fences are down!

Fences have come down around the construction site - not long to go now, it would seem.
The update yesterday told me we're looking at the following timeline for various bits and pieces:

• Fixing of Hebel at front of house and first layer of render: Monday
• Replacing glass in front door: Next week.
• Front render complete: Friday
• Internal painting fix-ups: Next week
• Gutters and downpipes installed and checked: Following week
• Driveway: Following week
• Internal QA start: Three weeks
• PCI scheduling: About four weeks.

Of course the actual PCI date could be months away :(

Flooring progress

A little while ago they started with the carpet in some of the smaller rooms, but since then haven't really made too much progress.  As such the study and bedroom 2 have been carpeted, but bedroom 3, the hallway and the master beedroom are still solid concrete.

Some time between Wednesday and Sunday though they've been in and laid down all the floor boards, so now from the hallway to the back of the lounge room it's all timber looking.  Unfortunately when I got out there on Sunday night it was getting quite dark and reflective, so no decent photos to really be able to post.

Painting still needs to occur in the master and lounge room, doors still need to go on in bedroom 3, and the Hebel fixed up on the front façade.

Other than that though, it's mostly getting there.

The splashback

That is all.

Rendering happening!

Good update from the site supervisor today - they've pushed a few things back, but some big progress items have also been completed.
They've held the carpenter back a week so he'll be installing carpets next week, and they're going to hold off a bit longer on the timber flooring - that will now be done at least the week after next or the following week again.
Plastering and re-painting has all been done - there'll be another layer of paint to be done over some areas but for the most part that's been fixed up.
Plumbing fit-off has been done, so there's taps throughout the house, and the first/base layer of the render over the Hebel was done today.  They usually give it three days before doing the second coat, so he's hoping that by Wednesday the house will be fully rendered and coloured.
Most importantly though the splashback is getting fixed up tomorrow, so come tomorrow afternoon we should have a nice blue glass splashback rather than the tile one that was installed by mistake.

Getting close now!

Garage door

This can be kept as a quick update:  Things done between today and last Thursday:

• Garage door
• Holes drilled for door handles, and door latches installed
• Shower screens installed
• Lounge room plaster wall reinstalled and repaired
• Some skirting boards repaired
• Holes in master bedroom walls repaired

Tiles are in, but boy is there a big screwup

Thursday nights have been the time I've been dropping by over the last few weeks, since I can do it without having to make extra trips - this Thursday meant visiting whileit was absolutely bucketing down with rain though.
Just a few hours earlier I'd had an update from the site supervisor as well, which informed me of details something like this:

• Tiling has been completed throughout the house.
• Plumber will be in next week to do all the fit-off of taps etc.
• Hebel guys will be inspecting the house on Friday, and Metricon are waiting for a report back from them.
• The back wall that's been cut out (which was because of the frame being out of plumb) will be repaired early next week, after which they'll get the painters back in.
• Flooring will be done late next week and/or early the week after, which includes both the timber-look laminate and carpet.

Tiles don't look to bad - they're basic though, and we didn't really have a lot of choice in colours for tiles.  There was one very, very obvious screwup though.  Remember how I said I'd paid for a glass splashback, which was basically what's going to liven up the room?  Well, imagine my shock when I saw this:

Basically straight away I sent off a query, basically saying "I didn't know they put glass over top of the tiles..." ;)

As expected, they gave me the option of leaving it with a credit, or fixing it.  A glass splashback isn't just a look and feel thing, it's also easier to clean and much better on the fire safety side - so it's definitely getting fixed.

Some other shots of the tiles having been completed:

Oh, and now we have some shelving in the pantry!

Very difficult to get a photo that shows the width though, since there's a doorway there and all.