Footings report

Well the footings variation came back in at $14k more than the estimated $20k if we build it as is we will have a 2mtr high retaining wall along the back wall of the house. The kids rooms will be looking out onto retaining wall.

They suggested either a split house design, or we sink the garage down. So we have to go back to our semi useless sales consultant and I don't know, start the whole process again?

The extra money will put us into the realm of needing mortage insurance which we where hoping to avoid.

I am so totally bummed by it all. It's to hard, I just want to turn around and walk away.

The baby is really sick, he has had a temp since Saturday and is barely sleeping, he is vommitting and crying, the last thing I need is to have to make a 101 phone calls to try sort out what to do. Hubby seems to have given up on the whole project also, playing his bloody computer games all night long.

*sigh* time to start with the phone calls.

Silk purse out of a sow's ear

I really want our bathroom to look luxurious but not cost a fortune. So I went to the Blackwood Park display village. All the exclusive (read expensive) builders have display homes there.

I think I have hit on a few points as to what makes a bathroom and ensuite look expensive.

1. Rectified porcelain tiles on the bathroom walls
2. Only have the feature tile on one wall
3. Have the cabinetry in the WIR made out of the same laminate as the bathroom.
4. Shiny, flat wall tiles - I was going to have wavy white wall tiles, but have definitely decided against it now.

From talking to this one guy, whose Dad does the building and he sits in the display homes, he told me that you can get a rectified ceramic tile. So going to go the Beaumonts and look for one.

I have to get to Tile Italia also to look for a new floor tile.

Crap floor tiles

Well I thought I loved these floor tiles from Beaumonts. The small sample of laminate that I have off our benchtop looked great on it.

So yesterday I went into the city and bought a sample of the floor tile, a massive 300 x 600 porcelain tile. Then I went to the laminate shop with it and put it next to the big piece of laminate that they have of the bench top I have picked. It looked terrible. They don't look anything like each other. So not happy. Now I am having second thoughts on the laminate benchtop I have picked for the kitchen, and I have to go out and find a new floor tile.

I found some black pebbles in a shop that gets there tiles from Beaumonts, so I went and asked at Beaumonts about that pebble. They have discontinued it :( so looks like I am going to have to make my own pebble feature tiles after all. So another loss for the day.

I did have one win, we have picked a grey laminate sample for the bathroom benchtop. Called Paprio Storm

Extended Settlement

Well after many phone calls and much stress our settlement has been ammended to June.
Now I have to keep on Statesman to get the bank pack from them.

I went in and spoke to the bank manager today, she told me that in order to make the settlement date she would need the bank pack from Statesman by the 28th of May. So I will have to keep on them to get the engineers report and footings report done.

I've not been sleeping well and an really to tierd to put more.

I went and saw a tiler today to get a quote on tiling the house in this porcelain tile that I like. He suggested the I get a 300x600 tile and lay it 'brick' style. I am going to have to do a bit of searching to find a floor like it and see what I think.

I have a picture of a display home where I can just see the edge of the tiles are laid like it. So now I am going to have to work out which display home it was and where and go back and visit it.

Here is the picture.


I went and visited a friend in Aldinga Beach last Friday, she was showing me around her newly built home. She told me that at there colour selection it was recommended that they have the darker colour as the bench top and lighter colour as doors in the bathroom because they where having dark bathroom tiles.

I can see why, her bathroom looks really good with the dark tile floor, light cupboard doors and dark bench top.

So now I am thinking I am going to have to go back to the laminate place and have a look at dark benchtops. I think I will stay with the Silver Grey as the cupboard doors, as it will match the grout we are going to use in the tiles. But I am thinking of one of the two following laminates for the bench top.

Heavenly


Ironstone


anywho .. going to put the kids to bed early so I can go to bed.