Roof Completed - 28 Feb 2015

The roof is finally done, and 2 x solar panels (hot water) & whirlybird are installed. Bricks have been delivered to the site and some plumbing (water pipes) has been installed. Front door frame has also been installed with opaque side window.

We Have Half a Roof - Progress Pics

I have been waiting many years to have a Colorbond roof....and today ours started going up!

Colorbond TV Ad

Rear of house

Rear of house

Rear of house

Rear of house

Rear of house

Side of house (street side) North facing

Side of house (street side) North facing

The Frame is Up... 19 Feb 2015

It was so lovely to arrive to site today to see the frame & roof trusses up, the windows in and the gutters nearly completed. It's been 9 days since I've been and 9 days ago only the slab was present! It's amazing how quickly these things get done.

Ash (roofer) was up on the front facade finishing the guttering and he was very friendly and chatty and told me that the Colorbond roof is scheduled for install early next week. It has been 9 months since I chose all the colours & fittings so it'll be nice to see some of the colours going up.

I must admit, I am really disappointed with the size of the house, in particular the bedrooms & theatre room (tiny!). My expectations were obviously incorrect and I think that going through all of the beautiful display homes was a bit misleading. There isn't a display home for our particular plan so we had a look at 'similar' ones but the bedrooms in those seemed so much larger than what ours are. We might have to take a tape measure next time  just to ease my mind that the sizes are correct! I am so relieved that my son had the forethought to have the ceilings raised. That will make such a difference I think.

Anyway, I am so grateful to have a house. We have upgraded all the fittings so I know that we will have a lovely home...just a bit smaller than I thought!

The funny thing is that standing looking at the house, I feel like I am watching the progress on someone else's house! It doesn't feel like ours, but I guess that this will change as time goes on :)

Back of house - Dining window & Laundry door

Laundry door handle

Back of house - Laundry next to Bed 4 window

Looking out to back yard from Bed 4

Ensuite - Shower to left

Bed 3 window

Standing in Bed 3 looking into Bed 2 (there'll be a cavity door inbetween)

Standing in Bed 3 looking into Bed 2 (there'll be a cavity door inbetween)

Dining window & entertainer door to alfresco area

Standing in Dining looking into Living area

Standing in Dining, looking into Kitchen (Pantry & Theatre room other side of far wall)

Standing in Dining looking toward Living (Kitchen on right)

Looking at Kitchen - Island bench will be where pipe is coming out of slab

Standing in Kitchen - Living on right, Dining on left

Standing in Living looking out Entertainer door to Alfresco

Standing in Living looking toward Dining (Kitchen on left)

Theatre window (Garage on other side of wall)

Bed 1 windows

Looking through 'wall'into Bed 1

Standing in Bed 1 looking into ensuite

Standing in ensuite looking into WIR

Front of house

Front LH side

Ensuite toilet

Front of house

Front corner of house

Bed 2 window

Back alfresco area (last weekend)

Trusses ready to go up (last weekend)

Colours, Upgrades & Final Costs

The House:

• Bellaire 25 $179,400
• Grafton façade, including 2040mm high entry door & feature render $1,450
• Driveway/fencing allowance $4,000 (to be credited back to us post handover).

Included:

• Flooring – Cat 1 Laminate flooring to living areas & Cat 1 carpet to bedrooms & passage
• Aluminium windows & flyscreens
• Keyed locks to all windows
• Remote control sectional garage door with remotes x 3
• Technika SS dishwasher
• Evaporative cooling (Ducted - 7 outlets)
• Gas ducted heating.

Site costs:

• Excavation $3,714
• ‘P’ class waffle concrete slab $3,752
• Additional steel reinforcement to slab $3,736
• Internal stiffening beams to slab $1,325
• Concrete piers $6,259.

 Upgrades:
• Colorbond steel roof (promotion offer) $1,999
• Ceiling height increase to 2590mm (in lieu of 2440mm) $3,750
• Colorbond ‘Timberlook’ garage door $525 and matching flashing $360
• 2 x aluminium (3) sectional entertainer doors to alfresco area $1,111
• Keyed locks to all sliding doors (x3) 144
• Broom cupboard inside linen $85
• Translucent glazing to front door & front entry side window $377
• Lockwood Deadbolt to front entry door $127
• Cavity sliding door between bedrooms 2 & 3 $830
• Privacy locks to bathroom & toilet $32
• 19mm x 75mm wall mounted door stops to all doors $165
• Feature wall (paint) in living room $192
• Ceasarstone bench tops to kitchen $3,840
• Laminate upgrade ‘high gloss’ to kitchen cabinetry $495
• 2 x Perspex cabinets adjacent to rangehood $484
• Upgrade upright dual fuel cooker, including wok burner $127
• Rangehood canopy upgrade to curved glass $168
• Kitchen tap upgrade $126
• Provide pot drawers x 3 either side of cooker $330
• Soft close drawers (kitchen) $280
• Upgrade cabinetry handles $190
• Upgrade basins (x 3) to bathroom & ensuite $285
• Upgrade taps to bathroom & ensuite $195
• Upgrade shower mixers to bathroom & ensuite $160
• Upgrade bath tap $98
• Laundry base cupboard & benchtop $490
• Laundry benchtop extension to 1200mm $280
• 9 x additional ceiling lights $468
• 3 x additional junction boxes (external) $270
• 10 x additional double power points $520
• 1 x external weatherproof power point to al fresco $118
• 2 x additional tv points $298
• Upgrade all powerpoints to Clipsal slimline $306
• Upgrade all switch plates to Clipsal slimline $180
• Additional solar panel (gas hot water) $1,185 (as per Carlisle Homes)
• Capped cold water point to fridge area $256
• Relocate hot water service to external wall of bed 4 $362 (as per Carlisle Homes)
• Upgrade feature tiles in bathroom & ensuite $432
• Provide 300mm niche in shower alcove ensuite $300
• Carpet underlay upgrade $400
• Upgrade kitchen sink to undermount $875

Bushfire requirements, including:

• Corinthian BAL 12.5 range of entry doors
• Screening to weepholes & external vents
• External fascia and cladding gaps
• 6mm fibre cement sheet above openings that don’t have brick work
• Aluminium framed flyscreens with aluminium mesh
• Grade A safety glass (doors & windows)
• Nylon brush/weather strip to perimeter of sectional garage door
• Corinthian tempered hardboard 40mm door with kick plate to rear garage hinged entry door and compliant door frame
• Sarking below entire roof area
• Screening of roof vents
• Whirlybird ventilation including ember guard
• Metal water & gas pipes (when above ground)
• Painted 6mm fibre cement sheet cladding to any non-compliant feature up to 400mm above a flat surface ie ground level, porch floor etc.
 • Total cost: $3,714

Council requirements:

• Temporary fencing $1,148
• Sediment control $396
• Provide crushed rock to driveway $372
• Temporary timber crossover $372
• Termite treatment $849

 Developer requirements:

• NBN Fibre pack $1,633

Colours/Selections:

External:

• Bricks – Austral ‘Mannagum’ 
• Colorbond Roof, fascia, gutters, downpipes, whirly bird – ‘Ironstone’ 
• Render #1 – ‘Crust’ 
• Render #2 – ‘Western Myall’ 
• Garage door – ‘Caoba Dawn’ (Timberlook) 
• Aluminium windows & flyscreens– ‘Monument’ 
• Front door – ‘Gasgoyne Grey’ 

Internal:

• Walls – ‘Beige Royal’ ¼ strength 
• Ceiling, skirtings, architraves & internal doors – ‘Natural White’ 
• Kitchen Benchtops (Ceasarstone) – ‘Osprey’ 
• Kitchen Cabinetry (Laminex Silk – high gloss) – ‘Polar White’ 
• Kickrail (kitchen) – Stainless steel 
• Splashback tiles - Gloss White 100x300 
• Kitchen sink mixer – ‘Phoenix Argo’ MK2 Gooseneck 
• Oven – Technika 900mm wide dual upright cooker with wok burner 
• Rangehood – Technika 900mm wide stainless steel curve glass canopy 
• Dishwasher – Technika Stainless Steel 12 Place Setting 
• Sink - Technika 2 x single bowl Undermount Sink 
• Ensuite, laundry & bathroom benchtops (Laminex natural) – ‘White’ 
• Ensuite, laundry & bathroom cabinet doors (Laminex natural) – ‘Sorrell’ 
• Vanity basins – ‘Raymor Topaz’ Round Countertop Basin 
• Basin/Bath tapware – ‘Alder Alto’ 
• Ensuite/bathroom/laundry wall tiles - ‘Gloss White 100x300’ 
• Ensuite/bathroom feature wall (tiles) - ‘Paxos Travertine Silver’ Gloss Rect 300x600 Ensuite/bathroom/laundry floor tiles - ‘Lifestyle Ice Grey’ 400x400 
• Carpet - Category 1 ‘Ballad’ -Nylon Plush 
• Laminate timber flooring – Category 1 ‘Spotted Gum’