Castles in the sky, Daves impending disastrous house build thread
- Thread starter DaveW
- Start date
Make a change to the plan today, I canceled the strandboard overlay flooring, and just ordered $6k of Beech flooring.
The chipboard would irritate the shit out of me in sub 6 months, and be impossible to easily replace later on.
So I bit the bullet and ordered a high quality timber.... totally puts me over budget, but I think it's one place that I can't cheap out on.
www.healthbasedbuilding.com
I wanted the wider 105x10mm planks but I missed out on the next production run, so those won't be available for nearly 2 months.
The 85x10mm are about 3 weeks out, and that's as much of a delay as I can handle at this stage.
The chipboard would irritate the shit out of me in sub 6 months, and be impossible to easily replace later on.
So I bit the bullet and ordered a high quality timber.... totally puts me over budget, but I think it's one place that I can't cheap out on.
Foreverbeech™ Solid Timber Overlay Flooring and Panelling 85x10mm - Health Based Building
www.healthbasedbuilding.com
I wanted the wider 105x10mm planks but I missed out on the next production run, so those won't be available for nearly 2 months.
The 85x10mm are about 3 weeks out, and that's as much of a delay as I can handle at this stage.
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My apologies Toshi!
a few reasons;
1/ instant garage, no need to build one now.
2/ I retain vehicular access to the back of the property being able to drive thru under the building.
3/ Space for a woodworking workshop, I plan to get back into wood carving & wood work.
4/ the height gives me better view (and sun) over the tops of the trees and simultaneously blocks views to and from the road. So privacy, views and sun in one.
5/ Design ascetics, viewed from the rear garden, the building looks like it's floating (Castles in the sky yo), it's very cool to see but hard to tell at the moment in pics due to the scaffolding.
*edit*
longer term I plan to have clear seethru walls either side so it will also be like a mini glasshouse down there other than the roller doors either end, so there will be plants/vege's/herb down there as I have a 9m long by 5m wide by 4.7m high space to play with under the house.
a few reasons;
1/ instant garage, no need to build one now.
2/ I retain vehicular access to the back of the property being able to drive thru under the building.
3/ Space for a woodworking workshop, I plan to get back into wood carving & wood work.
4/ the height gives me better view (and sun) over the tops of the trees and simultaneously blocks views to and from the road. So privacy, views and sun in one.
5/ Design ascetics, viewed from the rear garden, the building looks like it's floating (Castles in the sky yo), it's very cool to see but hard to tell at the moment in pics due to the scaffolding.
*edit*
longer term I plan to have clear seethru walls either side so it will also be like a mini glasshouse down there other than the roller doors either end, so there will be plants/vege's/herb down there as I have a 9m long by 5m wide by 4.7m high space to play with under the house.
Disaster it seems has been averted. Thanks for sharing...
yeah, what gives....
The limitations seem to have been lifted on me. You should expect me to just show up.
My apologies folks!
The house is almost finished, I don't have "Code of compliance" yet and the safety barrier on the edge of one of the mezzanine floors is yet to be done.... Builders tried to install this on Saturday but it's been built wrong by the suppliers, so they will have to make another one.
I moved in back in late November, I was just fed up and unwilling to wait any longer.
It's just as well I did because that gave me sufficient time for my cough to go (Caravan was causing health issues as English caravans are designed for holidays, not living in full time for three and a half years!), after the damage caused in my bike crash, coughing constantly would have been excruciating! (I'm still not able to sleep in a bed, I have to sleep in a chair)
Been a few drama's, the electrician that did most of the work was fired, and will likely have his electrical license removed.
Stupid prick nearly killed me and burnt the house down.
The circuit going to the hot water heater was actually going to bare exposed wires handing loose under the stainless kitchen sink.
When the plumber finished the HWC he flicked the fuse on, and headed off telling me it'd take a couple of hours to heat up.
But the circuit wasn't going to the HWC, as I found out when I put the steel wok into the cupboard under the sink!!!
I didn't get an electrical shock thankfully, but it would have been a very very easy thing to happen.
Turned out there were 2 electrical circuits left like that in the house (the other was a lighting circuit).
I think part of the problem was from the Electrician getting yanked off the job before the end, so it wasn't finished, to go work on another site, the guys that came in after him were confused as to what he had and hadn't done... He was fired in the mean time due to other problems on other work sites.
Just a general all round fail basically.
Plumbers will have to come back, as when it's windy or if I use the shower or washing machine, the bathroom stinks from the toilet even if it hasn't been used.... Probably the traps not being right, but this will entail removing the soffit under the house (4.5m off the ground) to get at them.
Cladding guy still needs to come back and install the rangehood and bathroom vent flashings.
All and all I've been tearing my hair out trying to get the main building contractor to get ANY work done.
I've known the guy for decades, and call him a mate, he's been successful in the construction business for decades, and does a huge amount for mountain biking in Wellington and across NZ.
But I think at the end of this, I don't know if I'll ever speak to him again once I have 1 final sit down chat with him, about the job, and how it's gone.
The house is almost finished, I don't have "Code of compliance" yet and the safety barrier on the edge of one of the mezzanine floors is yet to be done.... Builders tried to install this on Saturday but it's been built wrong by the suppliers, so they will have to make another one.
I moved in back in late November, I was just fed up and unwilling to wait any longer.
It's just as well I did because that gave me sufficient time for my cough to go (Caravan was causing health issues as English caravans are designed for holidays, not living in full time for three and a half years!), after the damage caused in my bike crash, coughing constantly would have been excruciating! (I'm still not able to sleep in a bed, I have to sleep in a chair)
Been a few drama's, the electrician that did most of the work was fired, and will likely have his electrical license removed.
Stupid prick nearly killed me and burnt the house down.
The circuit going to the hot water heater was actually going to bare exposed wires handing loose under the stainless kitchen sink.
When the plumber finished the HWC he flicked the fuse on, and headed off telling me it'd take a couple of hours to heat up.
But the circuit wasn't going to the HWC, as I found out when I put the steel wok into the cupboard under the sink!!!
I didn't get an electrical shock thankfully, but it would have been a very very easy thing to happen.
Turned out there were 2 electrical circuits left like that in the house (the other was a lighting circuit).
I think part of the problem was from the Electrician getting yanked off the job before the end, so it wasn't finished, to go work on another site, the guys that came in after him were confused as to what he had and hadn't done... He was fired in the mean time due to other problems on other work sites.
Just a general all round fail basically.
Plumbers will have to come back, as when it's windy or if I use the shower or washing machine, the bathroom stinks from the toilet even if it hasn't been used.... Probably the traps not being right, but this will entail removing the soffit under the house (4.5m off the ground) to get at them.
Cladding guy still needs to come back and install the rangehood and bathroom vent flashings.
All and all I've been tearing my hair out trying to get the main building contractor to get ANY work done.
I've known the guy for decades, and call him a mate, he's been successful in the construction business for decades, and does a huge amount for mountain biking in Wellington and across NZ.
But I think at the end of this, I don't know if I'll ever speak to him again once I have 1 final sit down chat with him, about the job, and how it's gone.
Damn dude, I feel for ya man, those are some hefty incompetencies for sure.
I would have your next electrician trace and label every wire just to be safe, its easy to do and won't take that long and if he thinks there may be liability or danger to himself, that electrician will more than likely agree.
Your plumbing issue is def a trap vent issue. more than likely it wasn't tied in a loop or pipe size wasn't increased per fixture. Dont be surprised if that whole line needs to get exposed again in order for it to be done right.
I've had very similar issues with "friends" and business agreements, and they always end with the money. Sounds like he has a cash cow somewhere else, and you are on the back burner. I would make that "talk" sooner than later and give a deadline to be held accountable. Otherwise the situation gets taken advantage of. My advice is prepare to do the GC work yourself by getting the contact info of the subs and or finding others to complete the work in a timely manner.
Wow what an update. House is one thing but health issues much more serious and stress from the house does not help. Hope too see some pictures when you have the energy and happy you shared all of this with us.
This.
Otherwise it sounds like business as usual.
Building houses is a fvcking nightmare nowadays and it gets worse the more limited the resource "skilled craftsman" becomes.
Remember: money talks. Do not pay until all the work is done!
And be a constant pita to your contractor.
As far as doing business with family and/or friends, don't do it. Usually, it leads to disaster and relationships get permanently damaged. One side will always take advantage of the other.
I'd rather pay some third party for every service I need, then ever asking a family member or a friend to help me.
Good luck!
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Thanks for the update. Building a house is a stressful yet satisfying endeavor. I'd build another one without hesitation.
For your 'odor' issue. I've had a similar issue. It would smell like crap when we were using the dryer, or when it was windy. Turned out to be the toilet bowl wax donut that wasn't thick enough. So air from the vent column made it's way into the bathroom.
I had a vent column that was not correctly connected to the vent in the roff and smell made it into the master bathroom too.