Monday, January 30, 2012
Wet Weather Update
Well today started out a little grey but the builder and I were making good progress. That is until the rain turned up and ruined a good run. We have two weeks to get everything ready for the roof to go on and it was always going to be tight. This weather will not help.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
More Ridge Beams
A mid week update for Erin. Yesterday saw the big ridge beam above the garage go up. It is the largest of the ridge beams and whilst we may have been able to manhandle it into position we took the easier route and used a crane. One of the guys from the local photography club has a crane on his truck which made easy work of it.
Today saw another small ridge beam go up and some more rafters. We are starting towards the difficult part of the roof, valley rafters.
It's really starting to resemble a house now. You can see the roof and ceiling lines and get a feeling for the spaces that will be created once it is complete.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Rafters
The last three days have been hard work but well worth it. We have managed to get the rafters along the front of the house up, which required another ridge beam. May not look like much but it has taken some effort.
Tomorrow we start to do the roof towards the garage and guest area. The ridge beam over the guest area is the largest in the house (360x90x8000) and it will require a crane to lift into position.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Ridge Beams
Well today was a warm day in Tassie (30 degrees), so a good day to be putting up ridge beams. The builder and I managed to get up two as well as building another ceiling so we had something to stand on.
The big one is 290x90mm and is just over 8 metres long. The two of us could lift it , just, so with some thought and strength we managed to get it up to its resting place, just under 5 metres off the slab. Only casualty was my finger that was caught between the beam and the scaffold. The jury is still out whether I will lose the nail.
Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer than today. We have to get the other ridge beam in and level them all, so should be another challenging day.
The big one is 290x90mm and is just over 8 metres long. The two of us could lift it , just, so with some thought and strength we managed to get it up to its resting place, just under 5 metres off the slab. Only casualty was my finger that was caught between the beam and the scaffold. The jury is still out whether I will lose the nail.
Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer than today. We have to get the other ridge beam in and level them all, so should be another challenging day.
Friday, January 13, 2012
New Year Progress
After two weeks off over Xmas we are back into the build. Last week was a catch up week with me finishing off little jobs and getting my head around the roof build.
This week we were back in to it. Had the brick layer back on Wednesday to finish the block wall now that I know where the ridge is and the rake of the ceiling. Shocking weather for laying blocks with the last downpour lasting over an hour whilst I was trying to fill the cores. It stopped being fun about half way through that.
We also started building up walls and posts for the ridge beams.
Today was driving around to get the scaffolding so that we have something safe to work from. A long way up and my aversion to heights is still there. but the stability of the scaffold is helping.
Next week is starting with the ridge beams and rafters. Hopefully the weather holds out for that.
This week we were back in to it. Had the brick layer back on Wednesday to finish the block wall now that I know where the ridge is and the rake of the ceiling. Shocking weather for laying blocks with the last downpour lasting over an hour whilst I was trying to fill the cores. It stopped being fun about half way through that.
We also started building up walls and posts for the ridge beams.
Today was driving around to get the scaffolding so that we have something safe to work from. A long way up and my aversion to heights is still there. but the stability of the scaffold is helping.
Next week is starting with the ridge beams and rafters. Hopefully the weather holds out for that.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Quick word on 2011
Just thought we would do a brief post about 2011, where we got to and where we hope to be in 2012.
House Build
As you will have seen by all the recent posts, the walls are finally up (well the frames anyway). This has been a long process, delayed through the lack of a builder to help Derek. But we have found ourselves a good one and the work has forged ahead rapidly with him on board.
We're hoping that all of the joists/rafters/beams etc. are all finished and ticked off for the roof to start in February (the roofing guys are having all of January off). After that we can finally get the straw delivered and then it will be full steam ahead (fingers crossed the weather is nice to us).
Derek the builder
Derek is looking very fit and healthy with all of this manual labour, he even has a tan (although not on the legs so it's a little odd). I don't know how I'm going to convince him that he has to go back into an office job after the house build, but we'll see where we end up.
Kylie's Job
This coincided with the toughest budget that the Tasmanian government has had in quite a while, so there has been a lot of cost cutting, voluntary redundancies and the like. Not a fun time for anybody.
It's been a very steep learning curve, but I'm really enjoying the new role and having no staff to manage (yeah!!!).
Loony Lil
The lows
Into every life... so the saying goes. This year has been a tough one with Derek's Dad illness. He still has a long way to go before we can say he is better, but Derek visited last weekend and was very happy with the progress that Norm has made. Makes it difficult to be this far away when something like that is going on, but it's just meant a lot of phone calls and good use of frequent flyer miles.
Apart from that, the rest of the family is going well and we're looking forward to seeing mine for xmas.
We hope that everyone is well and can't wait to get the lovely new house finished so that hopefully some of you will come and visit. Trust us, it is lovely down here!
House Build
As you will have seen by all the recent posts, the walls are finally up (well the frames anyway). This has been a long process, delayed through the lack of a builder to help Derek. But we have found ourselves a good one and the work has forged ahead rapidly with him on board.
We're hoping that all of the joists/rafters/beams etc. are all finished and ticked off for the roof to start in February (the roofing guys are having all of January off). After that we can finally get the straw delivered and then it will be full steam ahead (fingers crossed the weather is nice to us).
Derek the builder
Derek is looking very fit and healthy with all of this manual labour, he even has a tan (although not on the legs so it's a little odd). I don't know how I'm going to convince him that he has to go back into an office job after the house build, but we'll see where we end up.
Kylie's Job
For those of you who don't know, I changed jobs in late March. The Director of Housing was promoted to Deputy Secretary Disability, Housing and Community Services and asked me to move with her. So I am the Manager, Strategy, Performance and Information for the group - which has involved a lot of learning about disability and community services, budget briefs, Secretary briefs etc. etc.
This coincided with the toughest budget that the Tasmanian government has had in quite a while, so there has been a lot of cost cutting, voluntary redundancies and the like. Not a fun time for anybody.
It's been a very steep learning curve, but I'm really enjoying the new role and having no staff to manage (yeah!!!).
We've had Lily for a while now, and she's just part of the family. I don't know how Derek would cope without his worksite companion, even though she does spend a large amount of time sleeping in the ute or sleeping on the slab.
She is such a well trained dog, we can't get over how well trained. Although we still haven't stopped the jumping and mouthing when she is excited, but then again the puppy brain is still there so she has a little while to go before she'll outgrow it.
Into every life... so the saying goes. This year has been a tough one with Derek's Dad illness. He still has a long way to go before we can say he is better, but Derek visited last weekend and was very happy with the progress that Norm has made. Makes it difficult to be this far away when something like that is going on, but it's just meant a lot of phone calls and good use of frequent flyer miles.
Apart from that, the rest of the family is going well and we're looking forward to seeing mine for xmas.
We hope that everyone is well and can't wait to get the lovely new house finished so that hopefully some of you will come and visit. Trust us, it is lovely down here!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Building Status - Ceiling Joists
Last week saw the wall frames bolted down, squared and braced. I had two days on my own doing noggins, nailing off bracing and other little jobs.
We then started on ceiling joists and managed to get the joists done in the bedroom.
This week we lost two days to the weather - lucky it is summer. Despite the weather we have put the ceiling joists over most of the other rooms. We stood up the walls for the guest area and put up some more of the perimeter beams. So a very successful two weeks. Very happy with what has been achieved and the quality of the work to date.
We then started on ceiling joists and managed to get the joists done in the bedroom.
This week we lost two days to the weather - lucky it is summer. Despite the weather we have put the ceiling joists over most of the other rooms. We stood up the walls for the guest area and put up some more of the perimeter beams. So a very successful two weeks. Very happy with what has been achieved and the quality of the work to date.
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