Boring Wall Shots

That's what I was going to inflict on you.

Lots and lots of walls and close ups of screws beautifully placed just below the surface of the gyprock, oh and shots of joint tape then acres of horizontal and vertical plastered joints and the subtle spotting of filled screw holes.
But then I took pity on you and decided on Boring Ceiling Shots instead!

The Feral Fossil Team's greatest challenge was to get the gyprock from floor level to ceiling height. We looked at hiring a panel lifter - $130 per week eeek at our pace we would need a morgtage. So bought one for 190 bucks - bargain!
Meet the 'Tangerine Dream Machine'

Tilt the head, lift a sheet onto the arms, lower head, wheel into position and crank it up. Too easy

First panel in place ready to screw off. (You won't believe how many screws are in this house)

Takes about an hour to measure, cut, check the fit, glue battens, re fit sheet and screw off.
Had this done by Sunday afternoon. Will have lounge finished this morning. 
To start the kitchen/dining we have to move the cornice somewhere so that we don't trip over it or damage it. You have no idea how many times we have to shift stuff

Getting Plastered

Yep that's the plan. 
After all, the white tangle of wires have been run from power points and light switches. 

The trench from the solar shed to the house has been dug and the power cable fed through bright orange conduit, and the trench back filled. 
The quilted foil insulation has been laid across the roof and the plumber has been and run the internal copper pipes, so we decided that getting plastered was the go.
Visions of champagne cocktails, bloody marys, Bundy'n'coke, copious quantities of XXXX and us rolling unsteadily out of the door of the local pub no doubt flashed upon your inner eye, but not so.
This morning a truck arrived and by 9am this was all over the front verandah and inside.

We didn't have to lift a finger. Everything was unloaded and place where we requested.

After lunch we got stuck into getting plastered

First of the 6 metre panels up against the wall.

We had a go at putting the second 6 metre sheet on the top of the wall BUT. . . so cut it down and put it up in two sections. Will mean more joints and filling, which is preferable to doing our backs in.

So the main wall in the lounge is done and it took us about 2 hours.
More wall tomorrow!
 

It's Easy Being GREEN!

Two weeks ago the house looked like this. . .

Then came this . . .

Followed by the whole front

 Back verandah in both directions

The house from the top of the drive

 And from the rear laundry corner

 WOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!!!
 

Singin' da Blues

After 2 weeks with the assistance of Derrick, a German backpacker, the ceiling is now completed with all the plaster battens in place.

 Had the framing inspection and we are now able to start the cladding and organise the first fix for the plumbing and the wiring.
Then the sarking was started, silver side inside, blue facing out.

Next step - putting on the building's 'overcoat' and we will finally get to see what has been in our mind's eye for so long!

 

After the Gap

Yikes I can't believe it's been two months since I have updated the blog.
The weather over December and January has been so hot here and really all we wanted to do was sit somewhere cool and do as little as possible. In January I went to Melbourne for my nephew Lliam and Rachael's wedding. Fun week with my sister, daughter and people I haven't seen for years.
Arrived back and walked straight into ex-tropical cyclone Oscar. The rainfall was much worse then last year and our creek ran at 20m deep. Bundaberg had the worst flood in history and so many people totally lost their homes and businesses, some still recovering from the last flood.
We were OK, just some water in 'Our Gunyah' and the inconvenience of not being able to get out.

House Report 
We have finished all the internal framing and bracing.

Last Saturday this arrived . . .

 YAY - WINDOWS!!! All the way from CKA on the Gold Coast. Shane has been 'minding' our glass for 18 months and I bet he's glad to see it gone. Really pleased with the quality and coming so far. Thanks Shane.

The view through the above door.

And our bank of louvres

Now the windows are in we can measure for the cladding which will be delivered with the ceiling sections. Install the ceilings and we can get our framing inspection, then we get on with the build all the way up to the final!!

 

Internal

Today we started on the internal frames. Sooooo much easier not having to fit between existing posts and not as high either.

 Wall between lounge and kitchen

Wall between kitchen and larder 

 All the framing for the laundry done and dusted.

Framed!

We have been framed!
Well the outer walls of the house have been. That's what we've been doing this week.

 Each section had to be measured cut, assembled, screwed and lifted into position. With this Supra frame system, there are no noggins only studs. Up to 3 studs are fitted to door openings and 2 to windows. Now lifting two studs is pretty easy as is 2 lengths of U channel. Add up to 12 studs and U channel and they become HEAVY.
4 of the openings were full of studs and a large opening for a sliding door the walls are also 3 metres high. To put them in place we had to slide them out onto the verandah and raise them to fit between the roof purlins and the end of the main beams.
We fitted all the other openings and figured that the Feral Fossils needed help with these.
Turns out that when the brawn department ain't up to it the brains have to take over.
So we propped the top of the wall on the ladder (the Transformer - thanks Olwen) and were able to lift the panels and slot them in. Took about an hour to fit them and screw them off.
Not bad for a couple a fast approaching geriatrics!  
 

 John came out today with some more metal and an inspection. A few adjustments, but he gave us both an elephant stamp.
Tomorrow we start on the internal walls.