Floorboards

The builders started laying the floorboards today. We chose grey iron bark. As hard as hardwood gets!

The colours are georgeous. Can't wait to see it when it's oiled.

House Progress

Ther has been a huge amount of progress on the house in the last month or so.  It is now at lock up stage!

Here is a list of achievements in the last month:

- guttering and down pipes installed and connected to the 120,000L water tank.

- Electrical rough in completed.

- Data cabling (all 640 meters of it) roughed in (by GG).

- The wall and ceiling sheets are done.

- The brickwork is bagged.

- Eaves installed and painted.

- External wall cladding started.

- Internal door frames and jambs started.

- concrete plinth for the hearth done.

- Wet area screeds done.

- Coats and linen cupboards installed.

- Kitchen, bathroom and ensuite joinery measured and started.

I have to say, our builders get top marks for running the project to schedule.

The house itself looks and feels wonderful. Each time I walk through to check things out, I fall in love with it more.

Shed Sweet Shed

It has been just over four weeks since we moved into the shed. We've adjusted well to living in a small space of 40m2. We've discovered that it's colder and windier here at Royalla. There happened to be a cold snap on our first night here, with the temperature plunging to minus 6 degrees. The water pipes froze and we noted the heater wasn't turned up enough ... Despite the alpine like temperatures and the wind, we love this place. The view is lovely and the open space is wonderful.

Our old labrador Louis and the four chickens have adjusted well to their new home too. We have taken extra precautions in locking the chickens well at night as there are foxes in the area.

We are now setup with all the mod cons; TV, XBox, Internet, microwave, gas stove (of the camping variety). No oven though, so don't expect home baked cakes or roast dinners until the main house is finished. :-)