Brick Licking Good

Bricks and Plaster continued with gusto again today, Balcony / facade is taking shape. Surprised they are actually two layers of brick deep. Very happy we choose the thin 50 mil bricks they look great.

Day 60

Work commenced on the slab some 60 days ago on August 28, 2012. So now its 60 days in. Since then, the site has exploded with activity, The site has seen an approach that includes multi trades and x-over activity instead of a linear build approach. Metricon build quality and approach has probably benefited from the lowering of market demand by some 24% and a rationalisation of Trades people employed, whereby better tradespeople remain employed and the sub standard move on.

Very satisfied with the Metricon Experience thus far. Being a Marketer, I must admit I have a great deal of respect for their marketing. In practice the over promise and deliver, as apposed to over promise and don't deliver. It's interesting to watch other volume builders essentially copy the metricon approach especially in print advertising.

I think the fact that we live just around the corner at a rental property and have an often rare opportunity to walk by, talk, ask questions (lots). This helps keep the personal approach active and alive. We have asked lots of questions, asked nicely for additional nuances, got to know the trades people quite well, rewarded some with liquid incentives (including coffee). We requested some items to be placed into the build without being demanding or confronting or just being a pain in the arse...just nice guys to deal with.

We also spent a lot of time analysing the plan, knowing each measurement and contributing to off plan adjustments such as noggin and stud additional that allow for future needs and current considerations such as mounting of towel rails and t-roll holders, picture hanging, cupboard mounting and future door jams fitting as well as noggins to support future, tv wall mounting, overhead fans and or projector mounts. Funny thing is that Metricon should monetize these adjustments as an up-sell option.

Metricon should be promoting this blog, so when I say I like their marketing, then obviously this is not an endorsement of their Social Media team who may be asleep at the wheel.

Anyway enough waffle let's look at plastering day 2.

Today the scaffolding was erected, so now the final brickwork can begin.

Plasterlicious

Got Back from Vietnam / Singapore on Sunday 28th October and wow. plaster is roughed in on every wall, every ceiling. Whilst it still needs all the edging, filling and patching done it's an amazing transformation. Suddenly it's becoming real, very real.

This is partial panorama of the living kitchen area.

whilst weve got photo's of every speaker and Cat 6 and HDMI cable position I bought a Bosch "professional" stud, metal and electic's finder. Tested it yesterday and it working brilliantly, will made an enormous difference when I go to install cable outlets.

Bricks are climbing skyward and looking good, The yard is filled with Scaffolding ready for installation so, once installed the remaining brickwork can commence.

on the up n up

The beast continues to rise, the last week has seen insulation installed, including us adding some "sound block" to most of downstairs a several walls up stairs. Whilst adding the extra insulation was not necessarily necessary it will in theory will pay for itself and adds a layer of extra quiet that separates up from down.

We will need to check the sound and video wiring to make sure the speaker cables and assorted HDMI, video / security wiring in positioned in front of the outlet plates so we can access them post plastering. We have taken extensive notes, measurements and photos through out the house, of everything.

On top of the insulation it appear that all internal plumbing is done and dusted and electrical wiring is in, so next stage is plastering which was delivered this week.

The bricks are on the rise and looking great, we estimate that we are at 60% stage and very glad we opted for the 50 mill feature bricks which will cover the entire "Oak Park" facade and balcony excluding rendered columns.

View from Space

Below is "Near Map's" Latest pic (October 3) note the Phoenix Rising. The site is really cool you get to see all the junk people have in their back yard.

Colour Blind

Thinking of visiting an eye specialist, Maybe my colour vision needs testing. Either that or Selkirk Bricks have a problem. Imagine paying $5000 for feature bricks that don't match. Guessing it would make a good story on "a current affair"

Our Site Supervisor

Our site supervisor, Andrew T, has been fantastic. He has explained the process and every step along the way and seems to have the amazing ability to organise multiple projects at once ensuring that no time is either wasted or lost in the build process. This has resulted in the site going from mud pie status through to almost lock up in just 40 days.

Also Andrew, has been very patient in meeting us and allowing us limited access to collect photo's of the build process.

The only problem with an efficient site supervisor like Andrew is that the Bills arrive much earlier than expected.

Brickalicious

Bricks are rising all around. Its amazing watching the professionalism of the team. everything is planned measured, stringed up and triple checked. We have a team of three, one Aussie, one Irish and one Scottish, plus their savage Jack Russell called Baxter.

Professional Advice

We think Metricon are pretty cool, but there is nothing like a second opinion. So who are you going to talk to right? Well, after much deliberation we called our good friend Keith, you know Keith from the BLOCK - Channel Nine's hit renovation show for the last 5 years. So Keith has been engaged as our professional adviser. Who could ask for a more professional one.

we have a cap, tiles that is

Roof is on, plumbing including waste, water and gas is almost in and bricks are on the rise.

we installed security cabling and surround sound pre wiring over the weekend including hdmi points. must say that for amateurs we are amazing professionals.