After the initial brickwork was laid, the plumbing waste pipes were fitted (1 week later) and formwork put in place (2 weeks later). Finally, we were ready for concrete!
It took about 4 trucks and 6 hours to pour the slab.
After the initial screeding (smoothing of the concrete), we scattered some white stones into the patio areas so we can polish them at a later date...should look great!
So here's what it looks like 2 weeks later...(I didn't catch the tumbleweed rolling across the slab).
Does it usually take this long to get to this stage? No. So what's the hold up?
Weather has been one delay. The builder went off to finish another job / go on holiday for a week or two. We delayed it for a couple of days by trying to be there when the slab was poured to scatter in the stones...then they ended up doing it themselves :(
The builder has been trying to talk us into using oregon in the frame instead of pine. Pine was fine for us (though we can see the benefits of oregon) as we couldn't afford the extra $7000 expense. Then the cost went down to $5000, then $2000, and now they've decided to put it in anyway...for free. Personally, I think they've gone ahead with oregon as they could get it a lot faster then pine. It was ordered it 3 days ago. Yes, that's right, the slab was poured 2 weeks ago and the frame was ordered just this week.
We (almost) spat the dummy this week at the estimated time frame to complete the build. In November last year we signed on with the builder as they assured us they would be finished by mid April. Now it looks to be the beginning of June.
It doesn't seem prudent to get off side with the builder, after all, we still want this house to be built quickly and expertly (and we're locked into a contract), so we've vowed not to cause any further delays and decisive on any queries that arise.
Tomorrow should be a busy day as the frame arrived today, along with 10 pallets of bricks and a truckload (literally) of sand. Can't wait to see it all come together. I've been told the most difficult part has been done already. Let's hope that person was right!
