Catching up on what has happened this week, along with a surprise at the end

15/12/09: The site supervisor came down to the house and started placing blue dots all over the place to mark the spots where little touch ups need to be done. The wardrobe doors were all taken upstairs and the front fence came down.

16/12/09: A lot of holes were patched up today. All the mirrors were installed along with the wardrobe doors and the ensuite shower screen, we also got a tap installed on the spa. The site was cleaned and scraped out the front.

17/12/09: This morning we met up with the site supervisor, we ran through all the marks we found around the house that needed to be touched up. He told us that the other two shower screens were getting installed today and that the tiler was getting the new splashback tiles from Brisbane this morning and would be installing them this afternoon. The windows in the meals room were getting changed around while we were onsite this morning, when we were half way through the inspection the painter showed up to start doing the touch ups.

After the inspection we drove down to the bank to see if we could get the check to make the final payment today. When we got to the bank and spoke to the home loan manager she couldn't see any problem with issuing the check today as long as we singed a letter stating that we were happy with the final product, which we did. The bank will now organise the bank inspection with us hopefully before the New Year.

After receiving the check we drove back to the house to give it to the site supervisor, which in return he gave us the keys to our new house. Yes you read that right we now have the keys to our new house. We were also given the garage door controllers, along with the TV booster. After we ran through all this he gave us a gift from Coral Homes, which was a BBQ set.

After the site inspection we both had to return to work. I received a missed call from the site supervisor late this afternoon, since I was at work I couldn't answer it. When I got a chance to check the message it was the site supervisor, he said "I've got a bit of bad news" about a million thoughts went through my head at this point. What he had to tell me was that the tiler had some how managed to smash the glass door on our oven and that we was trying to get a replacement door for us, he couldn't tell us if it would be before Christmas. He told us that he should know by tomorrow.

We both can't believe that we have reached this point, I don't think that it has sunk in for either of us yet. We still have so much more left to do, I've organised the insurance today, I still need to arrange the electricity, gas, telephone, Internet. I ordered our fridge, washer and dryer yesterday. We still need to arrange our driveway, blinds, tables, chairs, letterbox, and about a million other things that we don't have yet.

Splashback has come down & carpet has been put in

14/12/09: I rang the site supervisor about the splashback tiles this morning and explained everything I mentioned on yesterday's blog. He told me not to worry and that he will talk to the tiler and will get it sorted out. When I rang the site supervisor at lunch time to check how he went with the tiler he told me that by the time he arrived onsite to talk to the tiler the splashback tiles had already been pulled off the wall. I guess the tiler thought about his conversation with my fiancé over the weekend and realised that he was in the wrong. The new tiles have been ordered, hopefully they won't take too long to receive them.

I asked the site supervisor if he had a date for the practical completion inspection, he told me that we should be able to do it on Thursday morning at around 9:00am. He told me that it would be really good if I could put a list together of things that I can see that need to be fixed or any issues that I have so he can get them into action before practical completion. So this afternoon after work both me and my fiancé went to the house and had a really good look around at everything on the inside, it took us about an hour and a half and the list is mostly little paint touch ups that need to be done, there wasn't anything too major.

It must have been a busy site today as the splashback tiles were taken down, the main floor tiles were grouted and all the carpet was laid. The house looks finished now, all that is left is the shower screens, the wardrobe doors, splashback and flyscreens. It was completely different to Saturday's visit as both my fiancé and I didn't want to leave the house tonight.

It's so exciting, we can't wait until Thursday.

Disappointed; this is the last thing we needed

12/12/09: We arrived at the house at 6:30pm and were very surprised to see that the tiler was just about to leave, he told us to be careful where we walked. I asked him where was safe to walk, he let out a sigh grabbed his keys walked over to the front door opened it up and told us to keep to the middle, but to stay off the sides. He walked back out to his car, got in and left. My fiancé and I walked to the back of the house where the main tiling is, my fiancé looked into the kitchen and said "the tiler has put the splashback tiles up wrong" the tiles were meant to go horizontal not vertical.

My fiancé ran out the front to get the tiler, she was too late, he had just left. I got out my phone and rang him. I told him "you have put the splashback tiles up the wrong way" he replied
"I put them up the way your wife wanted them" she heard him say this and yelled back
"I told you 'horizontal' you have put them up vertical" to which the tiler replied
"Oh well it's too late now, they're up and they're not coming down." I told him that we don't want them that way and he will have to fix it, he just kept saying "your wife told me to put them vertical, just like the feature in the showers" I told him that it's not true, I then said
"Are you calling her a liar?" to which he replied
"No, she told me to put them in vertical" I then told him that I'll be calling the site supervisor first thing Monday morning, to which he replied "well call him then" and hung up on me.

My fiancé just ran out of the house in tears, she sat on the front door step of our new house just sobbing, she told me she couldn't be in the house anymore she just wanted to leave. I had a bit of a look around to see what else had been done. I could see that everything was ready for the carpet to be done next week, I'm sure there were other things but I wasn't really concentrating too much because of the tiles and having my fiancé sitting out the front of the house balling her eyes out.

I don't know how we are going to get this one sorted out, I guess it all depends on what the site supervisor says on Monday, all I can say is that I'm glad that my fiancé took a photo for me so I could see what the tiles would look like, after she spoke to the tiler on Thursday, this pics was posted on Thursday's blog. The photo clearly shows that the tiles are horizontal, so we have proof that this is how we wanted them. It's going to be a tricky one, I guess we will find out the outcome tomorrow.

Have a look at the photos below and tell me honestly what you guys think. We are truly disappointed with the final product and the lack of professionalism of the tiler. Not only did HE make a mistake, he was offensive and accused my fiancé of being a liar, purely because of his error. This is heartbreaking when you put countless hours into something and then someone else makes a careless decision that could ruin so much, as it potentially impacts on not only our handover date but also our wedding. My fiancé is devastated because she now has to make the decision between keeping the kitchen in its current state or the kitchen we worked on, the one we have been looking forward to for so long.

Main floor tiles started today

11/12/09: I rang the site supervisor today to see if I could get a practical completion date, but once again he wouldn't give me one. The closest I could get was maybe next Thursday if not it should be Monday. We hopefully will receive our final invoice early next week. One thing I wanted to bring up with him is the laundry chute. They have put a white melamine box on top of the wood grain laminate to extend it to the roof (see below). I told him we weren't happy with it, as it looks really bad. He told me this is how they do it, I told him were never told this to which he replied "did you ever ask?" I told him it wasn't in our elevation plan. He told me he would check it out on Monday. I'll let you know the outcome after he has seen it, I'm going to leave a copy of our elevations plan attached to the laundry chute so he can see for himself.

Laundry Chute

The tiles were finally started today, most of the main floor tiles were laid today. He will be continuing them tomorrow and if he has enough time will start the splash back. I can't wait to see the tiles for myself in real life.

A few other things have turned up at the house today, including the shower screens, the wardrobe doors and mirrors. The only things we are waiting on now are the flyscreens and the carpet, we are definitely on the home straight now.

Water tank & dishwasher installed, electrical fit out finish

10/12/09: After rereading my blog from yesterday I could see that I was quite harsh on the electrician, one of the main reasons was that he had put the controller for the hot water system in one of the bedroom ensuites and not the main ensuite. He also put the deluxe bathroom controller in the kitchen and the basic controller upstairs. Having this happen along with it not looking like we were going to be in our house before our wedding made things escalate and I was way too harsh on him, for that I am sorry.

When I rang the electrician this morning about the controller issue, he couldn't have been any nicer about it, he told me not to worry and that he would fix it. He said that it would be easy for him to do and he would take care of it. When my fiancé arrived out there this afternoon it had already been done, they is no way you can ask for more than that.

When I look over everything has been done on the house, it was quite a big job, and he has always shown up when I was told by the site supervisor he would be there. He fitted all our lights for us which I guess would have taken a full day to do, he got straight onto the recessed power point and had it installed only one day after I asked him about it, he also moved the two lights in the dinning room closer together as they had been put in the wrong spot and were too far apart. So really I should be thanking him for all the time he and his team have put in to making my house look beautiful and have it finished hopefully before Christmas. He also explained to me that the recessed power point was an extra attachment on top of the normal power point, the part cost $36, so he only charged $9 to fit it which took him about 10-15mins.

So what else happened today? Well the plumber came back and installed the water tank and pump. The cleaner has also been through the house and cleaned all the windows. The tiler who was meant to start today showed up this morning to meet my fiancé to get the tile form signed, he then moved a few tiles around into their spots so he is ready for the tiling to start tomorrow and took off to another job just ahead of ours. He told me last night and my fiancé this morning that the site supervisor wants him done by Monday.

We can't wait to see what the tiles look like tomorrow.

Lights done, painting done, plumbing done

08/12/09: I rang the site supervisor this morning to see if I could get a practical completion date, he wouldn't give me a date but told me he hoped it would be Friday next week. He told me to get on to the bank to see if they could start the process to try and get handover before Christmas. I rang our mortgage broker to see if she could make things happen, she was going to contact the bank and call me back tomorrow.

During the day I got a call from the electrician, I had asked him on Monday about getting a recessed power point behind the fridge so we can push it back flush with the wall. He gave me a price of $45 that included the recessed power point and installation. I thought it was a bit costly but told him to go ahead anyway.

When my fiancé arrived at the house this afternoon she found that all the external lights had been done along with rest of the internal lights, I also noticed in her photos that the electrician had installed the recessed power point.

My fiancé had to go back up to a work thing later that night, I offered to drive her up so I could check out the house while she was busy with work. One of the main things I was looking for was the piece of Caesarstone that was cut out of the bench for the sink to be installed. I found it in the middle of the skip bin, I had a fun time trying to get it out. We plan on cutting it up and making it into pot stands and a block for my fiancé to rest her hair straightener on.

09/12/09: I spoke to the mortgage broker today and she told me she can't do anything until they get the invoice from Coral and the report from the private certifier, it's not looking good for a pre Christmas handover.

The plumber had been back to the house today, he finished installing the toilets, the kitchen sink, laundry tub and all other taps in the house. It also looks like the electrician has been back to install the controller for the instant hot water system.

While writing this blog I got a call from the tiler, he will be starting the splashback tiles tomorrow then moving on to the main floor tile on Friday and Saturday if we are lucky.