PROGRESS UPDATE - Form work

MJH on site on Thursday 7th April starting the form work and piering done.
Should finish off today with pour scheduled for Monday/Tuesday next week

PROGRESS UPDATE - Drainage & Site Fencing

Tuesday 29th March brought a nice surprise with workers on site doing drainage.


Craig had that day off luckily as when he went to site it was discovered that the drainers were working off the old plan where the water tank was located Front LHS - it was amended weeks ago to be Rear RHS. They just never received the updated copy!


Any other week day and we would not have been at site in the morning so the drainers were able to rectify to have all done correct on first go rather than having to come back to site and dig up and re-do drainage, which would have resulted in delays - Phew!


Site fencing was erected Thursday 1st April.


Site ready and waiting for slab to be prepped and laid.

Taken from rear of house - Kitchen LHS & Ensuite RHS

Ensuite

Water tank run off drain

Main Bathroom and WC

Front view

ROCK REMOVAL DAY 2, 3 & 4...

Rock removal took longer than originally thought pushing into 4 days.


Hundreds of tones of rock removed - back of house pad levelled and trenches dug.
Massive effort from our Excavator Driver Troy who works for CRAMPS EARTHMOVING.
Troy worked all weekend with my amazing husband making sure our site was all cut and ready to hand back to MJH on schedule.
Troy spent most of the 4 days on the rock breaker whilst Craig tirelessly loaded trucks with the rock and cleared the area when rock was broken.
We still have a large pile of rock and dirt but will need it when we retain the front of the block


If anyone needs earth moving works done give these guys a call.


So happy with the end result Craig spent 3 days with his bum in the excavator moving rock, loading trucks and prepping our block with no hesitation - all so that we can have our family home.
Best husband ever :)

Clearing away the rock.

So much rock

Digging the trenches



The finished site

ROCK REMOVAL - DAY 1

The rock removal has begun.
About 1/2 the rock out on Day 1.


Excess dirt and rock being taken away today and remaining rock removed as well as trenches dug.


Hoping to  be able to hand site back to MJH Monday.

PROGRESS UPDATE

Yesterday we met on site with the Operations and Construction Manager to discuss a few issues that had arisen.


WATER TANK - the water tank on original plan was only a 3000 litre Slimline with the entire roof space to go to the tank.
We questioned this size and the fact that the entire roof space was to go to it but was assured that all was as per council regulations.
BUT... Council noted on plans that the tank had to be a 4000 litre.
We had to contact MJH re this change noted on plan as they had made no contact with us in relation to this change. With which we were advised that it was now an additional charge to us. And not a cheap one.


Basically after site meetings with MJH the water tank will be relocated due to size and all costs associated with upgrade and new placement will be covered by MJH. Small win for us.


ROCK - all along we have known and it has been noted in their soil tests that we have a shelf of shale on the rear portion of the block approx. 200mm deep.
Of course they want to charge extra for MJH to remove the rock - although the machine they cut the rest of the block with was more than ample to be able to pull the small shelf of rock out.
But there was no budging on this we will be having the site given back to us so we can have the rock removed and the rear section of the cut completed by us at our cost - which will be 1/2 what MJH want to charge.


DIRT - right from our first contact with MJH we have requested that the dirt removed from the cut be placed at the rear of our block (due to the large size of block).
This would mean that we wouldn't have to move the dirt immediately and MJH would not be hindered in anyway with the build.
BUT... when the block was cut the excess dirt was placed at the front of the block.


Initial conversations with the Operation Manager basically dismissed any responsibility for putting it in the wrong location.
After providing emailed correspondence of previous requests MJH will now move the dirt to the rear of the block as requested way back in the beginning. Another small win for us.


I am certain that most builders bank on the fact that the client will accept all changes and additional charges with minimal argument unfortunately for them we have emails to back up any requests we have made and have a knowledge of what happens on a construction site.


We have also asked them to check the levels of the block before it is handed back to us to ensure that it is correct as we feel it may be a bit high.
We now have to wait on them to get back to us with levels before we can take the site back to remove the rock.


Hopefully once this has all been sorted the rest of the build will run smoothly - fingers crossed.

PROGRESS

Finally some movement on the block - we have had our block cut ready for form work and slab. Site cut on 17th Feb 2016.


As noted when soil test done the rear of the block has 200mm of Shale which needs to be removed.
Nothing that the digger below couldn't take out but he didn't so now we need to sort out the removal of it with MJH.


We will meet on site to discuss removal and also water tank location as tank on plan was not large enough for councils requirements so now wont fit in original space.


AHHH the joys of building

View from rear of block

Construction List

Fantastic news today that we are finally on the Construction List - HOORAY!


Feels like this point has taken forever to get to - so happy to be finally at this stage.


Hopefully will hear from site prep guys in the coming week to advise us of start date.
Will update blog as stages progress.