We went away for a week in July for some sun at Noosa. Things moved along while we were there despite some awful weather. Below you can see the rooms taking shape downstairs. The window frames are in down there – albeit with no glass. I did point out to the builder that there was no glass, but he had already spotted it. Good to have sharp people on the job ehh?
Next up we found the Amazing Roof.
All the tradies rave about the Amazing Roof and how good it will look. I have had a lot of trouble getting my head around how it’s going to turn out. Below is an early concept pic which sort of shows how its meant to finish up. That bit on the top on the left hand side – that’s the amazing bit. Stay with me – it will all unfold.

The happy couple, very excited that we are half way to the finish date. Yeah, I know, sure doesn’t look half finished.
We now have a floor to walk on in the new Garden Room. Kind of a cheesy name, but that’s what the architect calls it, and I’m not one to argue. Right?
Harry ventured up to the top level of the scaffolding for this photo. The view gets better the higher you go. Maybe we should add another level.
Underneath there’s framework up for the new bathroom and bedroom. The upstairs framework is being made off site and will be steel.
PS – I was only joking about the extra level. Really.

Here’s the form work rising up from the slab for the water tanks. This took many, many days to create. When the builder and the architect stop fighting over the colour of the concrete to be poured in the cavity, then they’ll pour it. But not before there is much unpleasantness.
West side of the house – what’s left of it. The wall upstairs makes way for a big double sliding door which will lead out on to a deck – and the pool. Did I mention the pool will be at first floor level?  Our bathroom is, well, just a room now. Plenty of ventilation at this stage.
And then there was the scaffolding tower that Worksafe would be proud of.
It has its own staircase (no ladders for our tradesmen), and great views. Note the Lemon Scented Gum in the foreground. The builders curse this tree rather regularly as they drive their concrete trucks past it. I have demanded that it stays unharmed. I want it to grow old right there. It reminds me of the beautiful Lemon Scented Gum mum and dad had at their last house. The lights at night used to shine on its white limbs. So stay tuned for the fate of the Gum.

We moved out at the beginning of April and our possessions are spread between our rental house, the shed, the garage and a very large disorganised pile in our bedroom. Then they started in earnest on the inside.

Below you can see where the kitchen used to be, with the footprint of the island bench.

Internal plaster started disappearing. You can see the old study, soon to be a pantry. Floor boards have been pulled up and are being prepped for the cabinet maker to use. We still had windows at this stage, but not for long.


Above you can see the old splashback. That rear wall along the hall is about to disappear.

There you go. No walls to the north or the west. At least they put down some board to walk on.

Not at all how we had the room furnished. Aren’t builders funny!

I loved my kitchen and have great memories of the 15 years we have been in this house. Here’s a few photos, just so we don’t forget.

We are reusing the beautiful jarrah timber from the bench tops. They boards will be a feature divider, used vertically, in the new kitchen. The benches look great, but take a lot of looking after to keep them that way. We are going to have stainless steel benches in the new kitchen. The appliances are toast. The oven has buckled and the cook top was getting dodgy. I’ll sell the dishwasher and the fridge. We’re having a new “fridge only” fridge. I’m finding it harder and harder to keep up with the hungry mouths in our house. And the freezer will go in the new pantry, which used to be the study.

And there’s that step, right behind the sofa, that will be gone. Looking forward to that. The Tasmanian Oak floor boards are being reused as the front of all the drawers in the kitchen joinery. They’ll be stained black. The floor boards will also be used as the desk top for the new study and for the desk in the boys study area.