Our house plans

I finally scanned our house plans this week (the 3rd final version)

It's a long cottage block and the 'back' is to the left of screen where the garage is which is a laneway. The 'front' is the family and dining room area which overlooks the park and is pretty much all glass. Oh yeah and the kitchen bench ends where it says slab end, not the 900 which is how it has looks at first glance.

There are some steps up from the park which lead to the front door through the portico and we've got a sliding door which will lead out on to the alfresco area which will be decked and have couches etc on. Leading around the side of the family room will be a more private bbq and dining area which we will have screened and under cover down the track

There's around 80m2 or more of decking to be done which will be fun for us to do!!

We are having custom built in robes installed into our bedroom along the same wall as the door off the hallway and a sliding door out to the deck which will make it easy for us to let river out at night etc.

Oh and who could miss 'the bowling alley'!! Sorry Michael, I mean theatre

Our building application file is open

Newsflash. My unrelenting harassment of the council has finally stirred what looks to be movement. Our file was taken out of a box, placed on a desk and actually opened, I kid you not. It's only taken 12 weeks!

The consultant has been fantastic, however once he started processing our application he came to a bump in the road. Of course! It turns out there's an issue with our frontage setbacks which apparently shouldn't be too big an issue. What it does mean though is more delays as our file now has to move to someones desk in the planning department.

What's annoying was that I had to find this detail out myself. The message I received from goodlife was that our plans had been resubmitted earlier this month (noooo, really!!?!) and that we should have our approval through soon.

Their ability to avoid any level of detail is really getting on my nerves.



-- Posted from my iPhone

Another week bites the dust

We have officially run out of patience. The tank is empty I tell you!!!

I emailed the builder first thing on monday morning for an update, and to find out if anything was going to actually happen this week. Part of me really feels that they should be in helping to fight our battle with the council. Instead it feels like they're doing bugger all, other than telling us to wait - as our job is "in scheduling" for the magical 3 weeks (that has already passed).

I think what builders, councils and everyone involved needs to understand is that you're investing not only a whole lot of dollars in a project, but it encompasses your life - and to see things stagnating for weeks, no sorry, months on end is just not acceptable. I can't get away with a lack of performance at my work and I can't understand how it's not the same for them.

So after the builder told me they'd follow up with the council "this week" I decided to call the council (again) today. I spoke to the decent guy there - he must be a consultant - and in no uncertain terms I expressed my concerns with the progress our application has made to date aka a "whole lotta nuthin".

The champ did pull our application out of the box, and onto the desk though. Do you think its a sign???

signs of progress?

I spoke with my pals down at the council yesterday and it looks as though we might (or should I quote.... "god-willing") have our building application processed later this week, or perhaps early next. Which is better than expected.... something tells me they may have engaged a consultant because I can't imagine the council staff pulling their fingers out.

It's been such a long wait and to be honest I've started getting just a little despondent. This has been compounded by the block next door having had had their site scraped (with all their rubbish dumped on our block) and the one next to theirs has a slab already. I want a slab!!

I know, I know, it won't be long now. The plus side is that it gives us a little longer to boost our savings.

The builders still have our job in scheduling. Once our building approval is through from the council we should be a step closer to getting a site start date. FINALLY!!!