Renovations
5 posters
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Renovations
OK, time to vent As most know, we are having about 70% of our house rebuilt. Things have been going swimmingly for the first 7 weeks, then just as we could see the light at the end of the tunnel things started going wrong.
1. About 2 weeks ago, finally after 4 weeks of waiting, our new 4.8 metre set of bi-fold doors with sun block/accoustic glass arrived, I was over the moon seeing the truck pull up. It took 8 of us to lift them 3 metres up over the side of the deck to install. After preparing the house and getting ready to actually install them, I casually asked the builders whether the side I was looking at was the inside or the outside. When they said the inside I told them either they were wrong, or the doors opened the wrong way. Sure enough, they had been built to open the wrong way. So, they have had to be taken away and another set ordered, at the same time the factory is moving so none of their machines are up and running. There is a chance we still might get the new set tomorrow though This plus the new French Doors at the back of the house overlooking the pool didn't have any keys to lock them, and now been almost 2 weeks without keys for the bi-fold windows in the kitchen
2. Cabinet maker decides that he needs to increase the size of the bathroom vanity (depth wise) by 80 mmwhich has a flow on effect to the linen cupboard. I had my measurements down to the millimetre to allow for the switches for the bathroom lights and IXL Tastic to be mounted on the wall between the linen cupboard and the door architrave. We are now down to about 16mm. So, call the electrician and have hom re-rout most of the wiring to relocate the switches for the IXL Tastic etc
3. Now we come to today. Finally we eagerly await the arrival of the 30mm Caesarstone top for the bathroom vanity with undermount basins installed. Strangely they quickly snuck in, installed it, and were almost back to their truck before I had a good look at it. They had stuffed up the measurements, so that the undercounter basins weren't set back underneath the Caesarstone, but protruded out by about 3mm and they had stuffed in a load of white silicon. It looked shocking, and their response was "the basins were a different size to the template. Did you buy cheap ones or something" They als advise they have no more Snow coloured 30mm Caesarstone. What are our options? Go to 20mm thick Caesarstone, move the basins back so the back part looks fine, but the front part even worse, or wait until Feb/March 2010 for more 30mm stone? My solution is to but Countertop basins and cover up their crappy work and suck up the value of the extra 2 basins
Anyhoo..just venting
1. About 2 weeks ago, finally after 4 weeks of waiting, our new 4.8 metre set of bi-fold doors with sun block/accoustic glass arrived, I was over the moon seeing the truck pull up. It took 8 of us to lift them 3 metres up over the side of the deck to install. After preparing the house and getting ready to actually install them, I casually asked the builders whether the side I was looking at was the inside or the outside. When they said the inside I told them either they were wrong, or the doors opened the wrong way. Sure enough, they had been built to open the wrong way. So, they have had to be taken away and another set ordered, at the same time the factory is moving so none of their machines are up and running. There is a chance we still might get the new set tomorrow though This plus the new French Doors at the back of the house overlooking the pool didn't have any keys to lock them, and now been almost 2 weeks without keys for the bi-fold windows in the kitchen
2. Cabinet maker decides that he needs to increase the size of the bathroom vanity (depth wise) by 80 mmwhich has a flow on effect to the linen cupboard. I had my measurements down to the millimetre to allow for the switches for the bathroom lights and IXL Tastic to be mounted on the wall between the linen cupboard and the door architrave. We are now down to about 16mm. So, call the electrician and have hom re-rout most of the wiring to relocate the switches for the IXL Tastic etc
3. Now we come to today. Finally we eagerly await the arrival of the 30mm Caesarstone top for the bathroom vanity with undermount basins installed. Strangely they quickly snuck in, installed it, and were almost back to their truck before I had a good look at it. They had stuffed up the measurements, so that the undercounter basins weren't set back underneath the Caesarstone, but protruded out by about 3mm and they had stuffed in a load of white silicon. It looked shocking, and their response was "the basins were a different size to the template. Did you buy cheap ones or something" They als advise they have no more Snow coloured 30mm Caesarstone. What are our options? Go to 20mm thick Caesarstone, move the basins back so the back part looks fine, but the front part even worse, or wait until Feb/March 2010 for more 30mm stone? My solution is to but Countertop basins and cover up their crappy work and suck up the value of the extra 2 basins
Anyhoo..just venting
Re: Renovations
And here I was toying with the idea of renovating \ extending......sounds like pure joy....NOT!
I am sure it will work out well in the end, but, the pain to get there....Hope it gets better.
I am sure it will work out well in the end, but, the pain to get there....Hope it gets better.
TriggerFish- Posts : 131
Join date : 2009-11-02
Re: Renovations
<loads gun ready to deliver to BM's house>
Right Locked & Loaded mate........... When do you want me.
If we start killing them off we may have a chance that they might get something right.....
Now was that a case of Vodka you wanted to take your mind off it.......
Will
Right Locked & Loaded mate........... When do you want me.
If we start killing them off we may have a chance that they might get something right.....
Now was that a case of Vodka you wanted to take your mind off it.......
Will
Will Munney- Posts : 276
Join date : 2009-11-01
Re: Renovations
Hehe, don't think it would ever get bad enough for the gun, but the case of Vodka is certainly welcome Willy
Spent some time this morning getting all of my facts together, including driving halfway across Brisbane to get a copy of the template they were supposed to have used. Took heaps of photos including measurements etc, then sent a nice long email to the cabinet maker
Essentialy, the Specifications stated internal measurment of 370mm, installation instructions state 370mm, template drawing is 372mm....SO WHY ARE THEIR HOLES 377MM?????
So far the cabinet maker has to pay for a plumber to fix the hole in our water pipe when the installer put his drill through it (then wondered why there was water coming out of the wall), an electrician to re-rout the wiring when he changed the linen cupboard size without asking us first, and now the price of 2 new vanity basins Anything else and he will end up owing US money
And to think they still have to come and install the new kitchen cabinets and bench tops
Spent some time this morning getting all of my facts together, including driving halfway across Brisbane to get a copy of the template they were supposed to have used. Took heaps of photos including measurements etc, then sent a nice long email to the cabinet maker
Essentialy, the Specifications stated internal measurment of 370mm, installation instructions state 370mm, template drawing is 372mm....SO WHY ARE THEIR HOLES 377MM?????
So far the cabinet maker has to pay for a plumber to fix the hole in our water pipe when the installer put his drill through it (then wondered why there was water coming out of the wall), an electrician to re-rout the wiring when he changed the linen cupboard size without asking us first, and now the price of 2 new vanity basins Anything else and he will end up owing US money
And to think they still have to come and install the new kitchen cabinets and bench tops
Re: Renovations
Ouch. Hope things have improved over the course of the weekend. Any updates BM? Do you have to use them for the kitchen or have you already *paid* for the privilege of them coming back for the kitchen.
We will be heading into renovations sometime next year. Have just started to get the draftsman to draw the plans up. A bit scared about what this will cost but will only know once we have plans and can start getting quotes. The bits being added should be reasonable but it is the moving of internal walls that could cost anything. We can not decide whether to use a kitchen company, cabinet maker or the builder to put the kitchen in. Initial thinking is it should not be overly complex but hey still have plenty of time to up the ante on that.
We will be heading into renovations sometime next year. Have just started to get the draftsman to draw the plans up. A bit scared about what this will cost but will only know once we have plans and can start getting quotes. The bits being added should be reasonable but it is the moving of internal walls that could cost anything. We can not decide whether to use a kitchen company, cabinet maker or the builder to put the kitchen in. Initial thinking is it should not be overly complex but hey still have plenty of time to up the ante on that.
Watziznehm- Posts : 420
Join date : 2009-11-07
Location : Melbourne
Re: Renovations
Sorry watzi, completely missed that post of yours
Things didn't really get much better. I decided to go with the above counter basins, luckily Reece took our other ones back as a straight swap, but we ended up about $250 our of pocket, which we might use as leverage on bigger splashbacks later on So, we picked out our new above counter basins, and by my calculations they needed to be 480mm from front to back to be able to cover the holes and butt up against the tiles behind them. Found a beautiful one which just happened to be advertised at 480mm...poifect Got them hom, sat them on top of bench, and thought hmmmmm..seems to be a couple of extra mm short. Got out the tape measure and sure enough they were only 475mm Rang Reece a number of times over a 2 week period to keep chasing them up, and finally great news, another store in Brisbane has 2 which are 480. Packed ours into the car, drove all the way to the other store, and the guy briings the basins out. I said "not that I don't trust you, but can I measure them myself?". Sure enough, these were 475 too, to whcih he replied..ooohhh..I didn't measure them that way
new kitchen cabinets were installed which look fantastic, and new fridge/freezer and wine fridge fit nicely Caesarstone guys did come back to measure up for the kitchen benchtops, which ended up in a heated arguement with them refusing to admit their total and complete stupidity, so i told them i had no desire to talk to them anymore, and let my wife deal with them
Now, back to the bi-fold doors again. the new set finally turn up and are installed tuesday morning, glaziers will be here Wednesday. Sure enough, they turned up today and installed the glass panels, and cracked in in the process. Guess we will come back and replace it when we replace all of your hinges to the cokour you actually ordered As we don't know when that will be, it could be next year
On a good note though, we finally got keys to open the new bi-fold windows in the kitchen, only 3 weeks after they were installed
Anything I can do to help just let me know Watzi.
Edit: forgot to mention, beautiful new internal stairs went in on Saturday, and the installer put a screw through a water pipe and we had the water turned off for most of the day
Things didn't really get much better. I decided to go with the above counter basins, luckily Reece took our other ones back as a straight swap, but we ended up about $250 our of pocket, which we might use as leverage on bigger splashbacks later on So, we picked out our new above counter basins, and by my calculations they needed to be 480mm from front to back to be able to cover the holes and butt up against the tiles behind them. Found a beautiful one which just happened to be advertised at 480mm...poifect Got them hom, sat them on top of bench, and thought hmmmmm..seems to be a couple of extra mm short. Got out the tape measure and sure enough they were only 475mm Rang Reece a number of times over a 2 week period to keep chasing them up, and finally great news, another store in Brisbane has 2 which are 480. Packed ours into the car, drove all the way to the other store, and the guy briings the basins out. I said "not that I don't trust you, but can I measure them myself?". Sure enough, these were 475 too, to whcih he replied..ooohhh..I didn't measure them that way
new kitchen cabinets were installed which look fantastic, and new fridge/freezer and wine fridge fit nicely Caesarstone guys did come back to measure up for the kitchen benchtops, which ended up in a heated arguement with them refusing to admit their total and complete stupidity, so i told them i had no desire to talk to them anymore, and let my wife deal with them
Now, back to the bi-fold doors again. the new set finally turn up and are installed tuesday morning, glaziers will be here Wednesday. Sure enough, they turned up today and installed the glass panels, and cracked in in the process. Guess we will come back and replace it when we replace all of your hinges to the cokour you actually ordered As we don't know when that will be, it could be next year
On a good note though, we finally got keys to open the new bi-fold windows in the kitchen, only 3 weeks after they were installed
Ok, we shopped around all of the above. Went to Kitchen Connection and a couple of similar places, and they were all incredibly expensive. Found a cabinet maker who had been highly recommended, but let's just say his service has been rather dismal and you have read my comments about his Caesarstone guys Just draw up your kitchen plans and go around to a few places to compare prices. They all gave an estimated 4-5 week delivery time, so take that into consideration too. Ours was a reasonably simple kitchen, but came to over $15,000, mainly because of the 30mm Caesarstone and Blum soft close drawers. Those Blum things add about $100 to each drawerWe can not decide whether to use a kitchen company, cabinet maker or the builder to put the kitchen in. Initial thinking is it should not be overly complex but hey still have plenty of time to up the ante on that.
Anything I can do to help just let me know Watzi.
Edit: forgot to mention, beautiful new internal stairs went in on Saturday, and the installer put a screw through a water pipe and we had the water turned off for most of the day
Re: Renovations
BM I hope that things have settled a bit.
We are at the mere tip of the iceberg but have realised very quickly that when someone says they will have something done by a certain date it will only happen if you continue to chase them up. Draftsman said with in a week we would have a concept drawing so 1.5 weeks phoned up (Wednesday) and he said would copy documents and put them in the post for Friday, well Friday came and the drawings did not so will have to phone on Monday to find out where they have gone.
We are trying to choose between bi-folds and sliding panels (so 6 panels with the middle four that slide outwards). It seems that the bi-folds are much more expensive. BM how did you choose bi-folds? We went and looked at a few door/window places ahhhh so much choice makes it all the more difficult.
We are at the mere tip of the iceberg but have realised very quickly that when someone says they will have something done by a certain date it will only happen if you continue to chase them up. Draftsman said with in a week we would have a concept drawing so 1.5 weeks phoned up (Wednesday) and he said would copy documents and put them in the post for Friday, well Friday came and the drawings did not so will have to phone on Monday to find out where they have gone.
We are trying to choose between bi-folds and sliding panels (so 6 panels with the middle four that slide outwards). It seems that the bi-folds are much more expensive. BM how did you choose bi-folds? We went and looked at a few door/window places ahhhh so much choice makes it all the more difficult.
Watziznehm- Posts : 420
Join date : 2009-11-07
Location : Melbourne
Re: Renovations
Hey Watzi, we chose the bi-folds because they all folded back against the deck railing and took up the least room. Also because we have accoustic insulation in all of the walls and ceiling in the lounge/dining area of our house we also wanted to noise proof the doors, and bi-folds provide the better seal when they close, plus we got accoustic glass (with solar block) in them. I really have no idea how much they cost, they were just included in the quote for the renovations. We did get aluminium ones from Vantage (http://www.vantagealuminium.com.au/thermalheart/TH_bifold.html). Wooden ones might be a bit more attractive, but as our are going to face West and cop the QLD sun, wooden ones could end up warping and require more maintenance, plus they don't seal as well (IMHO).
This weekend was taken up finishing off the plastering that was missed by our plasterers The painters are starting tomorrow, so if I didn't do it then it would have held up the painters Also started building a set of 5 metre x 2.4 metre privacy screens for our deck.
This weekend was taken up finishing off the plastering that was missed by our plasterers The painters are starting tomorrow, so if I didn't do it then it would have held up the painters Also started building a set of 5 metre x 2.4 metre privacy screens for our deck.
Re: Renovations
Well, painters didn't turn up last week, so many excuses They finally did arrive this week though and made a good start on it yesterday and today, hopefully finishing by the end of the week Tiler finishes both bathrooms tomorrow and grouts them on Thursday. New frameless shower glass, semi-frameless shower and mirrors go in tomorrow, so a HUGE week On the down side, floors won't be sanded and stained until the new year, the painters delay means they can't fit us in At least it means Willy can wear his high heals to our place on NYE
Re: Renovations
At least it means Willy can wear his high heals to our place on NYE
Awesome
I have been practicing in them for the Singstar comp while balancing a bucket of popcorn on my head.
Will
Will Munney- Posts : 276
Join date : 2009-11-01
Re: Renovations
I will say this only once....NO SINGSTAR WILL BE ALLOWED INTO OUR HOUSE THIS NYE!!! My ears are still ringing from the flogging some of those songs copped last year
Re: Renovations
So that means the balancing the bucket of coloured popcorn on my head is good to go.
I would not be surprised if the builders actually found some left over from the last adventure......
Will
I would not be surprised if the builders actually found some left over from the last adventure......
Will
Will Munney- Posts : 276
Join date : 2009-11-01
Re: Renovations
Sorry, "finding popcorn" wasn't included in the original contract and will cost extra That part of the house where the couch was is now a set of internal stairs and bathroom
Re: Renovations
oh well will, if BM wont have singstar guess you will just have to play guitar hero or rockband hehehe
ultima- Posts : 252
Join date : 2009-11-03
Re: Renovations
Those ones are banned too
I assume a popular young man like yourself will already have a number of invites, but if you are at a loose end Ulti feel free to join us Not sure what Booshy and JJay are up to this year.
I assume a popular young man like yourself will already have a number of invites, but if you are at a loose end Ulti feel free to join us Not sure what Booshy and JJay are up to this year.
Re: Renovations
Nice work with the reno's seems like progress and you have not had any angry stories lately either that or you are now just resigned to the whole thing and it happens when it happens.
Hope the painting and tiling continues to go well.
Hope the painting and tiling continues to go well.
Watziznehm- Posts : 420
Join date : 2009-11-07
Location : Melbourne
Re: Renovations
Just resigned myself to things not happening when expected Watzi Stegbar were meant to beinstalling shower glass, mirrors, semi-frameless shower etc, but didn't turn up or contact us. Have just been told they will be here today though, but we will see. Receive a bill for $2000 of variations over the Electrical budegt which was a surprise. Painters and tilers still here working though
Re: Renovations
BiteMe wrote:Those ones are banned too
I assume a popular young man like yourself will already have a number of invites, but if you are at a loose end Ulti feel free to join us Not sure what Booshy and JJay are up to this year.
hehe thanks for the offer BM, at this stage i have no plans or idea's what happening, but i will keep you posted
still looking forward to that poker night too
ultima- Posts : 252
Join date : 2009-11-03
Re: Renovations
Ha..don't worry, they are coming. Once these renos are finished and I can clean up the men's room and set the pool table and everything back up I want to buy a good poker table or even build onestill looking forward to that poker night too
Update, I now have managed to book someone in to do the new floorboards, so you might have to bring the slippers instead of the high heals Willy Somehow next week I have to juggle installation of shower glass, installation of air-conditioning, installation of kitchen splashbacks, all the final electrical work and final plumbing work making sure none of them get in ceach others way
Re: Renovations
So how has the renovation year ended up at BM's house.
I hope that all has been finished so you can enjoy Christmas and the New Year in style, otherwise make the egg nog stronger.
I hope that all has been finished so you can enjoy Christmas and the New Year in style, otherwise make the egg nog stronger.
Watziznehm- Posts : 420
Join date : 2009-11-07
Location : Melbourne
Re: Renovations
Moved back into the main part of house today, IT IS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC Bathroom finally finished today except for towel rails etc, but that will happen on Monday. Main air-con installed and new fridge/freezer setup Just about to celebrate with fish and chips and a bottle of Moet (bought 12 bottles to help us celebrate and reward neighbours for their tolerance) A few minor things to finish off in new year mainly by painters, and I have a list of about 20 things for this coming week, but it is definately all worth it. Nobody would recognise the place
My one big gripe though is I am sick of finishing off labourers work. Nobody seems to have the good old fashioned values of taking pride in their work these days, always just doing about 98% of the job. I ended up doing a couple of big patchs of plaster work, filling gaps under skirting, attaching architraves correctly, circling all of the painting faults for them to fix, touching up the skirting and architraves, finishing off batheroom grouting, siliconing around mirrors, spa bath and bathroom basins, pointing out the mistakes in the floor sanders/stainers and having to ring them to find out when they are coming back to put the final coat on the stair bannister and to re-install it. I have to re-mount all of our stair lights fix big hole in wall where electrician slipped etc etc etc. Watzi, make sure you put EVERYTHING into an "Inclusions/Exclusions" document attached to the contract. Our cheap a$$ builder advised that installation of window furniture (handles & locks) isn't included in the contract, so either we pay for this as a "variation" or I do it myself. Mind you, I will do a better job.
My one big gripe though is I am sick of finishing off labourers work. Nobody seems to have the good old fashioned values of taking pride in their work these days, always just doing about 98% of the job. I ended up doing a couple of big patchs of plaster work, filling gaps under skirting, attaching architraves correctly, circling all of the painting faults for them to fix, touching up the skirting and architraves, finishing off batheroom grouting, siliconing around mirrors, spa bath and bathroom basins, pointing out the mistakes in the floor sanders/stainers and having to ring them to find out when they are coming back to put the final coat on the stair bannister and to re-install it. I have to re-mount all of our stair lights fix big hole in wall where electrician slipped etc etc etc. Watzi, make sure you put EVERYTHING into an "Inclusions/Exclusions" document attached to the contract. Our cheap a$$ builder advised that installation of window furniture (handles & locks) isn't included in the contract, so either we pay for this as a "variation" or I do it myself. Mind you, I will do a better job.
Re: Renovations
Thanks BM we have started putting together a folder with a section for each room. We are putting everything that we want in the room and then will compile a big list to give to the builder when they quote.
I am a bit concerned about the finish of the place but will have to make sure we are diligent with what the builder does and how they finish things off.
Well done BM and hope that you have enjoyed over the festive season.
I am a bit concerned about the finish of the place but will have to make sure we are diligent with what the builder does and how they finish things off.
Well done BM and hope that you have enjoyed over the festive season.
Watziznehm- Posts : 420
Join date : 2009-11-07
Location : Melbourne
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