Day 64 - Retaining wall nearly there...

Today, (30/12) my Dad was there to lend a hand and thankfully we did well in the mild 25deg. temperature.
Builder visited site to inspect our progress and discuss when work will restart after the 'break'. The brickies are set to start on the 10th Jan to brick up the garage, then the steelwork has be booked in for the 14th Jan, when the framing can continue to upstairs.
I showed the builder that a silt pit had been placed right in front of the Portico, at the entry to the house. Who wants a silt pit there? He said he will arrange for it's relocation later thankfully!
I had marked out position of post holes yesterday and Dad dug them all out by 1130 (he only started at 0930!) I was at my other 'hobby' job until 1230 then returned and then we did a couple of trips to Bunnings to get the sleepers and Rapid-Set Concrete.
We decided to go with Rapid-Set for the concreting as there were only 11 posts to concrete. We only used 16 bags @ $6.55ea. = $104.80 Total. I worked out it would have cost us approx $130-150 if we had of mixed our own concrete on site for this job. I believe we managed to save time, major effort in hand mixing and a little cash in the process.
My mother and father in law dropped off the custom made posts whilst we were at Bunnings.
We successfully concreted in all posts and layed the bottom sleepers, all posts were level vertically and sleepers followed the string line to the millimetre.
Tomorrow we will have 1.5 cubic metres of drainage scoria delivered and will level sleepers using the scoria. We also intend to setup the 30mt of agi-drains behind wall.
See how we can survive the 40deg. heat forecast tomorrow.

Silt pit directly in front of Portico/Entry!

 

Height and position marked out

The custom made galvanised posts!
Custom powder-coated in Colorbond Monument (top 450mm)

 

Posts ready to set in position and set level

 

Sleepers lay in wait

First 3 posts concreted in and sleepers placed.
How straight is that so far!

All posts concreted in and bottom sleeper in place

Day 62 - Retaining wall prep. cont....

Had the day off work today, so entire day was spent on site. Took forever to get started as I had a lot of visitors: neighbours, family, wife and kids etc.
Continued digging channel for wall and came across some old terracotta pipes, which were riddled with tree roots. Bloody Pittosporums will have to go now! Came across many other tree roots and debris from demolition. The last 3mt of digging was the hardest, as the clay was sodden in that area.
Finished the channel and went on with the extension of the electrical conduit which was placed in the wrong position, I had to extend it with some flex, and replace trace wire with a longer one, digging up the external pit again!
Will not be back on site until Thursday arvo (30/12) but will be then joined by the expertise of my father.
My Father in law has finished the manufacture of the posts, so all is ready to go on Thursday, fingers crossed.

Old terracotta pipes riddled with roots!

 

Trenching prep. complete

More completed trenching

More completed trenching

Conduit now extended to inside garage wall
  

Day 61 - Retaining wall preparations

Today (27/12/2010) I finished work early and headed to pick up my tools and head to the site to prepare for the retaining wall construction down the North side of block.
I spent the afternoon digging up the 3x silt pits which had been buried after site was filled, after slab poured. Luckily they had been marked. One pit had been damaged by the weight of the dingo and I will have to replace it. Can't find any 300x300 square silt pits anywhere yet. They are all either 345x345 or 350x350.
I marked out with start and finish points and started digging a 300mm wide channel with the mattock along entire length. Also today I dug out the underground elec. conduit I requested from garage to portico and built a little cover for it and then buried it again, so that it will prevent any damage from further works in that vicinity.

 Silt pit unearthed

 Silt pit protected

 

Trenching in preparation for wall at rear

Another pit at rear of Alfresco with line
marked for agi-drain connection

Day 56 - Bricks delivered

My Dad and I were measuring up for the retaining wall when the Boral truck arrived with the bricks for the garage area, all 4140 of them, which need to be layed before any more framing work can continue.
I am very happy with the colour and finish of the bricks delivered in my batch, as I am aware that Lots/Batches can differ significantly in colour/finish from the Boral display centre. They are Boral 'Orient' from the Horizon Riverside range of Clay Bricks.

I also found a small framing error. The fridge cavity is supposed to be 1240mm wide when finished. ie all plaster & skirting on etc. It measures that now between the studs, which means that it's about 40mm too narrow! I am meeting builder on site tomorrow morning to discuss this and other small things of note, including the final plan for the retaining wall.

I am also having grave concerns about the Triple Garage Door arrangements in regard to accessability due to the tight curvature of the driveway to the crossover (eventually)
At present, the Double Roller Door is on the LHS and the Single, the RHS. If I can, I will swap these over, so that it will be easier for my wife and her big 4WD to get in the Garage! The Builder is looking at this for me this evening. Fingers crossed.

The retaining wall will now be only 24mt in length and 400mm in height (2 sleepers), and run along the North fence only. The length and height reduction due to the site fill after slab and drainage works have been completed. Less work for Dad and I.

First pallet of Bricks

First pallet of Bricks

 

First pallet of Bricks 

 

All done!

Day 51 - Framing cont....

Framing of Ground floor looks complete. The Brickies now have the job of bricking up the garage before work can continue on the framing.
Builder has called to discuss a design fault. The Entry door is 2340mm in height and the entry area has a dropped ceiling feature. As you would imagine, this will not work, as the ceiling height is 2550mm and to drop it down at edges will come down below the door height. A good pick up on his part but it leaves us with some choices to chew on over the Christmas break. I think we will just have square set plaster in entry area and have a couple of cut-outs features on the LHS as you enter from front door.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Brickies were due to start this week (Mon 20/12) but heavy rains over the weekend have hampered their enthusiasm I would expect! Maybe this is it before Christmas.

 

Guest Bedroom

 

Portico

 

Garage area

Day 50 - Framing kicks off

Builder called early this morning to get me to come for a site visit and a chat about the retaining wall and mortar colour. Was a nice surprise to see the framing starting today. Lucky I had the day off, although work did try to get in contact with me to do an OT shift!
Builder has a slight reservation regarding our mortar colour choice. (Charcoal grey) Basically, to achieve a true Charcoal colour, an oxide would have to be used, which could be an issue if a strict 'recipe' is not adhered to by the brickies each time they mix up a batch at each brick laying stage. It has been suggested that they will use a specific 'darker' Geelong cement with yellow brick sand, which apparently will achieve a darker grey than normal. I think we will go with this. Mind you, we will also get a credit back, as we paid for oxide. Every cent counts and certainly adds up.

Day 49 - Electricity Meter installed

Builder called and asked if I could drop by after work this morning to check whether Jemena had been to install the meter today. The builder has been onto them for two weeks now to install the meter but it finally happened today - 15/12. Framing set to start now before Christmas.

Meter in box

Day 48 - Site cleaned, dirt levelled & timber delivered

Site was cleaned and a little dingo was used to move and level dirt due to limited access down the side.
Some of the storm water risers were cut off and capped below ground level. They managed to bury 3 of the silt pits entirely -  fortunately they marked their position before they did. I am assuming these silt pits will be extended in height so they are visible at ground level eventually?

It seems that my retaining wall will not be as high as I expected. I had allowed for a 600mm high wall down the North boundary but it will only be 2 sleepers in height now, approx 400mm, with 150mm of sleeper to be below ground level. It also seems that I will not have to bother continue the wall down the rear of the alfresco area either, however I will have to construct a small retaining wall to the rear of the single garage roller door if I want a vehicle to be able to be driven through there.

Timber was delivered for framing which is to start before Christmas now. I am told that the builders contractors will be working through the 4 week traditional 'break' most tradies enjoy, so I could expect a roof to be installed by mid-Jan approx.

I had a friend in the industry check the place out after slab had cured. Only 2 small things he picked up:
1. Water pipe main to house is only 20mm. Not sure if this matters, as according to Yarra Valley Water, 20mm or 25mm pipe can be used. Pressure is very good at the tap, so I don't see it as an issue.

2. Two of the slab risers have not been treated with the part-A termite barrier collars etc. One is an electrical conduit which I believe does not penetrate underneath slab anyway, the other it the main meterbox penetration at the edge of slab. Not sure whether this matters as it is so close to edge anyway and will be covered by the Part-B reticulated system eventually?

Builder has been paid duly for the Base 10% Progress payment and he also met me on site last Sat 11/12 for about an hour to discuss the retaining wall works I will be undertaking post Christmas.

All Levelled out - Portico area

All Levelled out

All Levelled out - North side

 

All Levelled out - Alfresco rear

Timber for framing!

Day 40 - Slabbed.......just in time!

Slab was due to be poured tomorrow (Tue 7/12) but was poured today as heavy rains are expected for  Melbourne in the next 72 hours. Apparently they started just after 6am. Slab was within 5mm tolerance. Slab had 26 hours to cure then down it came!
I didn't get any progress shots as I had a crappy shift at work that finished after lunch - they were done then. It looks small but I am told, all slabs look small. Was very exciting to walk around it.

Front

Blind side of Alfresco 

Alfresco at rear 

 Garage

Day 35+36 - Waffles, Reo & Termguard

Today & yeaterday saw the completion on the slab prep. in between heavy rains and storms again! Slab was due to be poured tomorrow (Friday) but has been rescheduled to next Tuesday because of this unseasonable, stormy weather.

Termite protection was completed on all plumbing risers yesterday also.

Hope weather holds out, although have just looked at 7 day forecast and it's bleak to say the least - just one fine day out of 7 :(

One small issue that has cropped up is that the storm water discharge from the edge of property to the street can't cope with the rains and water has been bubbling out from the inspection pit just below letterbox. It was discovered today that the pipe from the gutter in street to this point is an old terracotta pipe and is most probably blocked. Builder has suggested we replace it with PVC but will get pipe unblocked first, then see how we go.

Termguard sign goes up

Waffles, reo & risers

Pools of water everywhere!

 Laser leveller in action - almost done

Day 34 - Slab preparation

Things on the site have slowed somewhat, due to the unseasonal heavy rains we have been experiencing in Melbourne at present. The site was a muddy mess for a while and has only just dried out enough for slab to be prepared, which was done today. It was great to actually see someone working there when we passed by today.

Pile of crushed rock ready for spreading

 

Workers doing their thing

Ready for further slab prep.

 Ready for further slab prep.

Day 18 to 28 - Works @ the site whilst away

Whilst we were away, my mother-in-law (MIL) kindly took photos for us and suprised us upon our return.
After talking to the builder also, it seems that the site set-out was completed, concrete piers were bored, plumbing trenching and rough-in was done and electrical meter box placed in-situ as well.
Was very impressed to learn that plumber has decided to plumb a separate 90mm storm water drain which connects to 3x silt pits only, which I will be connecting my agi-drains from the retaining wall to.

Plumbing set-out

 Meter Box & silt pit

another silt pit.
note seperate 90mm storm water on LHS!

All filled in

All filled in 

All filled in

All filled in