Bit of a snails pace at DeGauls - Mon 8/12/08

Mon 8/12/08. My little mate below represents the pace of proceedings at our house over the last week.

No plastering or paint repairs, and the main bow in the HT room (which requires a section being replaced and repainted) yet to be started. A few of the minor PCI issues look to have been corrected, but clearly a lot of work to do between now and Friday's planned handover. Scott is still confident we'll get there.
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So given the lack of activity at my house, I have instead been reading with interest the progress of the other blogs.
  • "H2B" as they prepare for their upcoming PCI. I'm sure it will go well guys.
  • "Petal" taking delivery of her keys and around 55sq to play with...!
  • "OurHouse Take 2". Another Cremorne underway. Welcome to the club guys.
  • "G&Vs Roland", who's progress just at the moment is represented by my mate above. Hang in there guys.
  • "R&Cs Brookvale". Progressing well. Have I mentioned how big that alfresco is..?
  • "Building our Windsor47". Hope you get those build issues resolved soon L. Starting to miss your updates..!
  • "BelleBeau". Ahh yes.. the thrill and milestone of getting that tap installed to site. Stand-by for porta loo and fence..!
  • "K&Ts Illoura 36". I'm guessing you guys would give anything to see a tap.......!!
So.... below is my only worthwhile (if not pathetic) contribution to my blog this week. My lead-in trench. Approx 6mtrs long X 300mm deep, dug by hand, and yep....forgot the gloves...!!Nursing 4 painful blisters this morning.
The $400 saved by me doing this sounded good in theory, but.....................
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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi David,
My deepest sympathies for your hands :(
You should have held a Digging Bee like I suggested.
Thanks for your continued interest in our blog. I'm now banging my head against those very bricks that started this whole string of issues. But I stopped after the
10th bang cos the mortar started falling out again!!!

I'm very close to having an update for you and looking forward to your next update too.

Cheers
Liana

BelleBeau said...

David, ours was only $250 through PD. You don't look like you are very far back from the street, so do you have a rock problem??? I just can't understand the $150 difference. Hope you forget about your blisters and probably aching back when you get handover on the 11th!

Toni said...

yeah we paid PD $250 too.....wonder why they didn't off this variation to you guys?

Telstra is still going to charge $300 odd dollars to hook the bloody thing up!

Hope that snail gets a rocket fired under it tomorrow. Hope ALL is rectified by Friday for you. It's not fair to have the tradies come back after handover, you'll have enough to do and they can't be walking in and out while you are doing the floors.

Good luck!

FOUR SLEEPS TO GO!!!!

Toni said...

oh and sorry to hear about your hands...ouch :-(

Awallace said...

Hi David

PD often leave it till the last few days, prior handover to resolve the PCI issues. The same happened to us, we were given 2 weeks to resolve the all the issues and only in the last few days action took place. PD did deliver, all was fine for handover.

So dont worry, PD will resolve your PCI issues in time.

Digging is not very hand friendly... The gloves come in handy, we all learn the hard way....

Our phone tunnel, was a freebie,...:)

Hope all goes well for friday.

Andy

DeGaul said...

Thanks all. Good comments, particularly given my rather droll blog update.

Liana. Stop banging your head against those bricks while they are suspect. Use the slab instead. Far stronger..!! (but stop if you beak through to waffles..!!)

Belle and Toni. Yep, I must have completely missed the offer from PD during contract negotiation re lead-in. Not something I would have deliberately knocked back, so can't work out how I missed it, when everyone else picked it up and got it at $250, or bundled in free..!
Belle. No rock problem, just good old fashion western suburbs clay. Charming substance to work with...!
Toni. Because I signed on with Telstra for phone/internet & Foxtel, they waived the $299 connection fee. So while I AM nursing a few blisters, the plus side is that the connection and excavation has cost me $0.

Andy. Thanks for advice re PD leaving things to the last minute. They are certainly doing this. A look through the window tonight still showed no start in correcting the bulkhead bow..! HT ceiling had been refilled and sanded back ready for a re-paint, so at least something. Don't mind things being completed at the last minute, so long as most items are done by Friday.

R&C's Brookvale 45 Home said...

Degaul,
hope the snails pick between now and xmas. Like the trench, feel for the blisters as I have been there done that. Lets hope Telstra appreciate the fine line you have dug for them.

R&C

Bernadette and Perry said...

Digging trenches and holes is one of my pet hates, and I've done some many over the last few months it's driving me nuts. I feel for you. Hopefully that's it for the trench digging!

Petal said...

Ooooh, he's an ugly one!!!

Let's hope that snail grows legs, picks up some tools, downs a few cans of 'V' and some Boost bars and gets lots done at your place!!!

Same happened with us - they worked frantically on the last 2 days or so....don't understand why it gets left till then...???!

DeGaul said...

R&C and Perry. My tip to Telstra. Don't ring me and tell me I need to be 15mm deeper in my trench. Will get ugly.

Petal. Yep, I suspect the paint will still be wet (perhaps still being applied) when I unlock the house..!

THE HOLIDAY GANG said...

Hey DG
Be proud of those blisters and the trench - it always feels good (once you get over the pain) to contribute to the house build in some way by your own physical efforts. The blisters will heal and disappear but the pride in the trench will long remain.

..and if Telstra dare to ask you to dig longer, deeper, straighter??? Just send them the way of all your blogger mates and we will fix them up.

..and I am sure you will achieve handover by Friday as it is amazing what they can get through when they want to. Even if they are delayed a couple of days, you still have had a really quick build and should be happy with the end result.

Good luck for Friday..

DeGaul said...

Thanks Gang. We have been very happy with our build. To get our Cremone handed over 23 weeks after site scrape, and to have only relatively minor issues along the way has made the build experience a surprisingly enjoyable one.
I only wish that all our blogger friends could have had an equally good ride. We will ALL get our terrific houses, just some a little slower than others.

Agree with you re the blisters. A sense of achievement.

Toni said...

Can't believe they haven't started on your HT bow yet??? They have alot to do in two and a bit days!

Three more sleeps! Hope they come through for you!!