We're in!

Bamboo flooring

Handover is over

Last Friday evening we had handover with our site supervisor and it all went smoothly, sure there are a few things that are still to be sorted out but nothing that we were prepared to hold up things for.

A bottle of bubbly and a few other gifts helped seal the deal (not really, but it's still nice to get free stuff) and before you knew it we had started moving our things in. The bamboo floors go in later this week and then after carpets we can move the big furniture etc in next Thursday and then we can actually move in!

A note to anyone planning on having hardwood/bamboo floors installed after handover: Please ask your builder to 'loose-fit' the skirting boards. I just spent the best part of today ripping our skirting boards off through our big open-plan living area. If you cannot remove them (or choose not to) then you have to put up with beading along all walls that the floors butt up against. We weren't going to live with that, anyway it's done now.

Look! Yesterday I made a gate! I think it looks pretty good, it's big too, just over 1.3 metres wide. When we pave and I get the final level I will attach the last slat at the bottom (don't worry I wasn't going to leave it like that).

Here's my gate and the new plantation shutters that were installed today.

The plantation shutters cover both the study and the main bedroom, basically all the front windows.

Shutters from inside the bedroom.

Close up of the shutters.

The facade showing our plantation shutters. Will look better with a bit of landscaping (eventually).

The facade

I see the lights

We now have the official word, Friday next week is handover day!

The final electrical fix is getting there, a couple of minor things to be straightened out but nothing to worry about. According to our site supervisor a few things will be finished off early next week and then we are in business.

In the meantime, here is one of our energy efficient downlights.

Downlights in action.

I know there look to be a lot but remember they are energy efficient!

Our vanity light in the ensuite.

The vanity light in the main bathroom.

Up-down, down-up light on the front of the house. We have four of these, they are nice.

Our portico has been capped and hopefully this will be the last photo we have with the ugly pipe out the side. This should be capped off quite flush very soon. With any luck they will fix up the leak from the gutter too, then the painter can finish his job.

Finally a garage door

I think it looks slick.

Bonus photos!

Our ensuite (almost complete now).

Ensuite again, featuring the new shower.

Spa bath taps.

The kitchen with tiled splashback and pantry.

View into the pantry.

Showers

Yesterday our showers, bathroom mirrors and towel rails appeared magically out of nowhere, even our painter who is in the middle of painting the interior of the house didn't realise they had been fitted until this morning. Painting should be completed by next Tuesday and then we are really getting close!

The shower in the ensuite.

The tile and shower base in detail. Illustrates our charcoal-white colour scheme for the wet areas.

Towel rails, nice and clean lined, simple no frills design. We don't do frills.

Shower in the main bathroom.

Bits and bobs

Well we have a few things to update as we have been given the 3-4 week notice by our site supervisor! So close.

Here is our glass tile splash back in the kitchen. It looks a little greyer in this picture than it actually is, it's quite a nice silver blue colour. Our tiler has now finished and he's done a fantastic job.

Our rear roller door has been installed, the front panel-lift is yet to be seen however it will be the same colour.

We have also had our 12000 litre custom water tank built out the back. It should be plumbed later this week and we are quite proud of it.

Plumbing fix

Today all of our plumbing fixtures were fitted, here are some of them for you to look at.

Our shower taps, the bath taps are the same.

The spa in the ensuite, I know you've seen this before but now it has taps.

Basin mixer tap, these are in the ensuite and the main bathroom.

Bath in the main bathroom.

Ensuite with a loo now.

As you may have noticed earlier our kitchen benchtop is in, subsequently we have a sink and mixer in here as well.

Detail of our lovely stone benchtop with shadowline.

Another view of the benchtop with the pantry on the left.

Our benchtop - first sight

Earlier this week out benchtop finally went in. Essa Stone Basmati for those of you that had forgotten. We have to put up with 'through the window' shots for now. I hope to get into the house later this week for a good look (and touch), so should be some more photos too.

A bit of a closeup but hard to see much through the window. Still, it looks nice from here.