Cows and codswollup........

Another phone conversation with the gentleman at the local council today who is "processing" our septic permit and it went something like this:

Me: "Hi $%^*, Just wondering if you have confirmed that our plans do show that our house is being built across the allotment boundaries?"

HIm:" Yes, but I have referred it to our legal department because of the other blocks in the subdivision. I can see that your house would have to be cut in half for you to sell off one of the crown allotments and will recommend that your permit is fine but if the legal department decide that they are processing all of the blocks in the one process yours will be included."

Me:" So you are saying that our permit meets all of the requirements but because other prospective building projects do not that we may not be able to get ours?"

Him: "Yes, I can only go on what our legal department recommend. I am waiting on a call now from them."

Me: "Please tell your legal department that should they decide to process our application in a "job lot" despite it meeting all of the requirements, then we will be initiating legal action ourselves!"

To cheer me up I have included some photos from yesterday, when we went out and planted my Mothers Day present-a Prima Donna Tree! And also a photo of our friendly neighbours...

Frustration,frustration,frustration....

Ok, two weeks ago it all looked good. Our builder was ready to go, he had been advised by the Health Department at council that our Crown allotments which make up our land needed to be on one title for the septic permit to be approved. This is because of the EPA requirment ensuring that the land to be utilised is of an adequate size to support the septic system and contain the overflow run off. No problem for us because the land is on one title (since our settlement in January).

Imagine our surprise and dismay over the past couple of days to discover that the permit had not in fact been issued! After a few phone calls I ended up speaking to the person in charge at the local Council and pointed out to him that we had no intention of trying to sell off one of the existing Crown allotments (especially since our house will be built ACROSS both allotments....)and that in fact the single title which we hold actually meets his requirements for permit issue......the couple down the road are in for a battle though because their house is to be built fully within one of their specified alotments in their title!

On a brighter note, we have received a quote from a local business to build our Colorbond alfresco off our meals area and semi enclosed pergola near our ensuite and we are happy with the price-so will be able to pay a deposit of $4000 for them to order and store the materials required intil we are ready for them to erect it at the house.

She'll be apples!

His Lordship and I have achieved quite a bit this weekend. We had a friend with a chainsaw remove a low limb on the gum tree (it was jutting over the future driveway), the whole block got mown (resulting in one sweaty husband!) and I dug out the garden bed for our apples-at 26m long and 2m deep it's a decent size bed!

We are intending to order our bare rooted trees from the Diggers Club in a few weeks-12 different varieties should keep us happy!

The builder has also confirmed that he wants to start next week (Monday May 3rd) so fingers crossed that the weather is good! He is also confident that we should be in by the end of October-YAY!

I also thought that I would upload a couple of pics of bits and pieces that will be in the house:

Above: The Vada Basin which will be in the main bathroom and 2 in the ensuite

Above: The Blanco Induction cooktop

Above: The Blanco 750mm oven

Above: The 1675mm Carina Spa for the Main Bathroom

Driveway details..

I've just spent the morning pegging out the house and driveway in order for the excavation to be completed for our gravel driveway and have come to a few conclusions.....

1) There is a lot of driveway

2) There is a lot of backyard

3) I am going to LOVE our house!

I'll take some photos tomorrow of our pretty coloured pegs when I am out
there with our builder for our site meeting!

Happy 18th!

Yesterday was a great day-our 18th wedding anniversary!~His Lordship & I travelled to Geelong for the day to celebrate-him to watch his beloved Geelong play and me to shop for the house!!! Perfect-might be why we are still married..:-)

Although National Builders Group supply light fittings, we elected to provide some of our own to personalise the space more. So I was thrilled to find what we wanted at Beacon Lighting-and at a great price! They had a special (which finished yesterday) of buy one get 50% off the second-yippee! So after spending a reasonably paltry $328 we have the following:

Above: The 3 light Tanya pendant for the computer nook

Above: The Mara II 500mm Drum shade in Linen for our main bedroom

Above: The Barbados pendants (2) to go above our 2400mm Dining Table

The rest of this week promises to be busy-we have to collect the plans & specifications for the garden shed to be submitted to the surveyor with the house plans. Then on Wednesday we have to mark out where we want the block excavated for the gravel driveway which will be completed on the weekend. Considering that we will be having nearly 400 sq m of gravel driveway all up, the $3000 price tag is very reasonable!

Colours.........

Last Thursday, the Princess and I spent the morning at National Builder's Group's Colour World. I loved the concept of them having all of their options in the one place!

It took less than 90mins to make the selections because we had already decided on what we wanted...it took almost as long for the paperwork........

WE chose
Roof:Colorbond Surfmist
Gutters & Fascia: Colorbond Surfmist
Windows: White Birch
Bricks: Boral Beaumonde
Garage Door: Contempary Style in Surfmist

Front door: Newington XN18

Internal Colours:

Walls: Wattyl Pearl Shell

Ceilings and trims: Wattyl Purest White

Benchtops (Kitchen, Ensuite & Bathroom): Quatum Quartz Alpine White

Cupboards: Kitchen & Laundry Parbury Arctic White

Glass Splashback: Dulux Vivid White (low iron glass)

Vanities: Ensuite Parbury River Cherry

Bathroom:Parbury Fineline Oak

Floor tiles: City Beige Gloss 400mm x 400mm (also used as walltiles in Bathroom)

Feature tile Bathroom: Listello Mondo Lamina Brown

Ensuite Floor & Wall tiles: Marfil Beige Gloss

Ensuite Feature Tile: Listello Taurus

Above: The samples of our colour scheme-all soothing warm whites with a touch of timber to reflect our furniture

Itchy green thumb...

Today we took a trip out to the block with His Lordship's mum and grandmother. They haven't been there since the fencing went up and some trees were planted-therefore they made suitably impressed noises!

I am desperate to get some vegie beds going and to prepare the area for fruit trees. Due to committments over Easter this will have to wait a couple of weeks! Then we will start to prepare a version of a minimal dig garden.....by using a spaded edge and turning the cut lumps of grass upside down a slightly raised garden bed with earth edging is created. A thick layer of newspaper, manure and grass (from the slashing) will be laid on top and allowed to sit for a few weeks before the bare rooted fruit trees are planted.

We are only a few days away from our colour selections at National Builders Group's Colour World-can't wait!