Day 42 - WALL FRAMES provide the 3D experience

Driving down our street today I was actually quite nervous about what I was about to see.

For soooo long we have poured over our plans on paper...  concerned with the feeling of space, the size of the rooms vs having enough of the different living areas in the overall house....  

We tried to be/ had to be clever - we couldn't afford to have a separate hallway wall that hid the bedroom doors from view, extra large bedrooms or a guest wing... especially if I really hoped for a 'study nook', the TV out of the main living area (media room), somewhere for guests at least and and very importantly - an inviting living space (to hang out in together). 

 

 So... the final floorplans had a media room but not too big so that we still had enough room elsewhere for a study nook (media room will double as the guest room) ...  The bedrooms were minimum sized (just big enough)... The laundry went into a space near the garage... The long hallway (which I would have normally maybe avoided) will simply lead out to the 'inviting' living area/kitchen/dining that all face the large stacker doors that open up wide to the Alfresco...

Again, for sooo long I have tried to imagine what these 2D decisions / plans would look like in 3D... what will our 'spaces' be like in reality???

With the wall frames being finally erected, I was about to get a glimpse of this...  the first tangible 3D taste of our new home... hmmm... excited nerves...

Walking around the block, my first impression was that the rooms appeared smaller than I expected. 

I let the kids run up and down the back yard's dirt piles (they were so happy lol!) as I tentatively stepped onto the green framed maze...

Once 'inside' I was impressed with the height of the walls. Thats good for a feeling of space... After walking through (only the rooms not occupied by the carpenters), I began to relax more...

 Just breathe

 

The house is definitely not huge... its not a double story mansion... 

Yet it deliberately planned, thought out and strived for... 

It is a achievement of a dream to build...  

This 'space' is gonna be OUR new home and
the location of our family's sanctuary. 

After work, James joined me on site and we got to explore the rooms together.  How surreal it felt to be standing within the frames of our future bedroom and ensuite... Can't wait :)

As we talked through each space... "here is where the kitchen island bench will be... oh and is the TV on this side or that wall?   Look at the study nook!  I can't wait to see the stacker doors in place...." 

This is the view from the back yard. 

The alfresco is being done towards the end of the build (we outsourced the external concrete as a cost-saving step).  

The area without a frame is for a sliding door from the dining room. 
Next to this is the Media Room wall.

As we looked around, our 6 yr old daughter came in and was calling out into the exposed pipes sticking out of the slab (as one does)... 

Then we realised something...

- in the middle of the Media Room was a pipe... 

...hmmm that's supposed to be in the laundry...  

Turns out the laundry plumbing is slightly out of place... After a stress, and a chat with our site supervisor we are told they will fix it... Whew!  Later, James of course made funny jokes about it not being pleasant if "builders have to fiddle with his plumbing"... Gotta Laugh :)))

So, here is a few more photos to finish up for tonight...  

Photos of the kids of course :) 

Day 14 - wet ground causes a week delay!

Yesterday (Day 13) we got the weekly contact call from our Site Supervisor (SS).  My paraphrase of his information to me follows:

When the guys went to work on site (concreting preparation etc) they found the ground was too wet to bring machines on to the land or do the work... All due to the lovely downpour of rain we had received the afternoon before. So the guy said he was not going to come back until  Tuesday or Wednesday of next week to try again. This would give it enough time to dry out (IF we didn't get more heavy rain in the meantime).

So our SS said to the guy 'I don't care if you have other jobs on - come back and do this job first!'

Hopefully this actually happens... Nevertheless, its was nice to hear our SS placing emphasis on getting our place done sooner than later!

So basically no more action on site until next Tuesday (hopefully not later than that).

I'm trying to take this in my stride and be positive... We've waited soooooo long for the construction process to start - one week will not hurt us... And besides, its due to rain, (one of my favourite things in the world) so I can't be grumpy at rain... I just hope it decides to keep its activities to being lightly refreshing rather than huge downpours over the next week...  Thats my prayer :))) But I also surrender to this as something that is completely out of my control.... (can you sense my impatience and my mental attempts to keep it in check haha)

I will aim to post some 'backstories' in the meantime, to keep myself busy :)

Oh - and just so you know - I have added a SANCTUARY QUOTE from Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events at the very bottom of my blog page... I love this movie... and its message of "making a sanctuary together" has always stayed with me...

Cheers :)