My driveway has not come up to standard, If you look down at the post on the 23/4 it was a bit patchy in colour. I believe that it was caused by the sealant that was used, or how it was applied. Anyway, after 3 emails and a phonecall to the office of Creative Concrete, I got this email reply -

To Ryan,

It seems something has been done to the surface since the work. If you have tried cleaning and it was unsuccesful I would recommend a tint seal over the surface. This isn’t too expensive especially if you undertake it yourself. You do need to be cluey and handy otherwise it can quite easily be done wrong. If you would like further info please let me know.

Kind Regards

Nathan Carter

Managing Director

All I can say is 'How dare he', without even a phonecall to discuss this problem, he says that I must have done something to the driveway.

I replied to his email with the following -

Nathan, I have attached two photographs that were taken on the 23/4 which is the day that the Driveway was poured. Clearly it looks the same. I expect that Creative Concrete will repair this work as it is not up to standard. Please contact me as soon as possible to let me know when this will be done.

I will update this blog when I get his reply. Hopefully this can be sorted out without legal action.

Some photos of what we have done since handover.

6 month maintanance

Well that time has come already, we have had the Maintenance Officer from Coral Homes come today to complete the maintenace inspection. He was very plesent, even though we have come up with what I think is a very large list of defects. I will keep you up to date with how everything goes.Garage Door needs a service, the chain rubs against the door when opening.Toilet needs to be moved over so that it is centered with the window, this will be a big job I think, but it's just to close to the wall.The tiler we had was shocking, this is just a small sample of what he needs to fix.

Door is damaged, this is the second door that we have had so far, so hopefully third time is a charm.


Large bow in the ensuite ceiling

I was meant to get handover this week, the lease on the rental runs out on Wednesday. I gave two weeks notice after asking the site supervisor if it was a suitable time for the house to be finished and he said that it was plenty of time, well that two weeks was up today, and no handover. The house did not pass the plumbing final cert, so the bank will not release the funds. Tomorrow I will have to go to the real estate office and beg to stay in the rental a bit longer, if that is even possible. I will also have to let everyone that has been organised for the move know that it's not going to happen. I am very disappointed about all of this, if someone has taken a new lease on this place, I'm not sure what we are going to do?

Site Supervisor GONE !!!

Saturday 7th March - More bad news (I think)! My site supervisor is no longer working for Coral and the Construction Manager has now gone back to being a Site Supervisor, but not in my building area! So basically, I now have a new SS and CM that are not familiar with the problems that we have had and some of the things that I have discussed with the previous CM i.e He was allowing me to lay my floor tiles before handover, I might not be able to do with the new manager. I am not happy, I was expecting handover on Monday and I am on my Annual Leave now but cannot get stuck into my house.





Friday 13th March
Not much has happened yet. I met the new Site Supervisor on Monday morning, he still hopes to have Handover for us by the end of next week. Unfortunately, I think that this was only said to make me happy, but we will see. The front gutter has been replaced, and the electrician has been out to fix a few things, but that's about it.

I have been there full time for the last 3 days, organising some things myself. I have had my gas cooktop installed, had the air conditioning installed, changed the kitchen faucet, installed 3 glass shelves in the double shower and installed the HT projector, screen and in-roof speakers.

The SS has said that I can lay the tiles after the paint touch up has been done, but I don't think that will happen until mid next week at the earliest.

From Construction to Demolition ????

Coral have started on our Pre-Handover list, the most obvious being moving the kitchen window over so that our range hood will fit in. Also our downpipes have finally been connected, although the one at the front has not been installed as discussed at the pre-handover inspection, it has a funny looking bend at the top instead of being straight.

I just got back from the house and I am even more disappointed with the paint. I'll give you a little back ground to the story first.

The painter called me on Monday 2nd Feb to talk about our paint selection. During the conversation he asked me if I would like to upgrade the paint to Dulux 101. He said he would only charge the difference between the standard paint and the 101, but we had to pay $400 before he would order it because he had been burnt before. I asked if we were getting a 2 coat or 3 coat system because I didn't want the Dulux if it was 2 coat as I would add a 3rd coat at a later stage. He assured me that I was getting a 3 coat system and highly recommended the Dulux 101. He even told me how he does the paint, first coat is the sealer, 2nd cost is the cheaper coloured paint, and the 3rd coat would be Dulux 101.

As the house is now, one of two things has happened.
1) I only got a 2 coat system and the painter lied
2) The painter has to come back and do the 3rd coat and the SS is not aware of this. I find this unlikely as the painter has removed all of the drop sheets and other protection, there is absolutely no sign that the painter is coming back, and the SS has booked the plumber and electrician to finish off on Monday and Tuesday.

There is evidence to me that only 2 coats have been done, for example
-EDITED. Sorry, I have removed this so that I don't show my hand until the SS gives me his opinion.

I want my money back from the painter for the Dulux 101 unless it is applied as we agreed on, and that is as the final coat in a 3 coat system, and if I am told that three coats have been applied then that is a whole other problem the the builder is going to have to fix.

Bottom line is that I am not happy at all, the paint looks terrible. even if it turns out the painter has done a three coat system, the plaster and wood work the he has applied it to has not been finished as it should have been, it is rough as guts, some of the walls feel like sandpaper.

What should I do about this, I am not happy at all, I have sent the SS a text asking him to come out and inspect the painting. At least I didn't pay the painter in cash, so there is a money trail. And to Coral Homes - I want some answers, I did not ask about this upgrade, I was offered to me by a tradesmen employed by you, so I hold you responsible as well.

Big photo update

Kitchen Installed yesterday

The show moves forward

Well, it's on with the show after the Christmas break, it just felt like forever didn't it!

The water-proofing has been done in the wet area's, tomorrow I will be installing the laundry cabnet's and the garage door should be up by the end of the week, and with any luck the chippie will also have started ( I was originally told he would start on the 5th, but he took longer holiday's, now I'm told he just had to finish off another job first, ahh!!!)

Plaster and Bricks are finished

Some new Pics

Bricks & Locks !

All good, back on track

The frame inspection went well and has been conditionally passed. There were a few things that needed fixing but the inspector doesn't need to come back. Plastering should start again tomorrow then bricking soon after, so the house should be all locked up before the Christmas break. I went out to the house a second time to measure some items and the Coral QLD construction supervisor was there. We had a good little chat and I pointed out some of my concerns, he has given me some confidence that the remainder of the build should go smoothly.

Plaster has started to go up, now it needs to come down!

Well I was on site this morning and the plaster was going up. Then around eleven o'clock the building certifier came around and said that he was there to do the frame certification. So he put a stop on the plastering and said that it might have to come down so he can complete his inspection. We have a meeting booked for tomorrow at 8am with the SS, myself and the certifier. Yes this is the same frame that has been up for the last 21 days, and is still not certified.

My beautiful front door & Airconditioning rough in

Unfortunately there is already damage to the door, will see how it comes up after staining, otherwise it will be replaced. Also since last post we have had the electrical and plumbing rough in done. The bricks are onsite and are due to be laid on Monday.

We have a roof

Flashing and Gutters

I give credit where it is due. The tradie putting up the flashings and gutters worked all day in the rain today, I mean it rained ALL day and he worked from 8am til around 4pm. It was great to see him do this, he didn't want to delay construction any more. He wasn't even meant to start until tomorrow according to what the site supervisor has told me.

We have windows and the house survived the storm

Roof Trusses on

First stage of the frame

Finally a Frame

The frame started going up today, which is great news. Unfortunately its not all good news. When they fixed the fall of the site, they left a great big pile of dirt in what will be the back yard. Due to the size of the front of the house, there is no way to get a bobcat into the back yard now that the frame is up. I have made the builder aware of this many times, and asked that any soil be left in the front yard so I can remove it. Now I am stuck with the dirt and the only way to move it is manually.

Some other photos

Some more photos from before I started this blog installing my 10000L water tank. Coral wanted $7500 for a 5000L slim line tank, I got this 10000L one for about $6000 install and underground out of the way.
This is me.^

a little rough around the edges

I would just like to share this picture of the slab with everyone. Just curious if anyone has ever seen such a rough job before? Please feel free to comment.

Another delay

So framing was meant to start today but the builder wasn't happy with the fall of the earthworks. Due to the frontage of the house, it won't be possible to get a bobcat to the rear of the house after framing starts, so he had the bobcat back out today and has assured me that framing will start tomorrow.

An idea of what I would like the house to look like

Slab photos

Finally, the big pour !

This is still happening at the moment, I will post some more photo's when they are finished

Still nothing

Just drove past my block and still nothing. I spoke to the builder yesterday, he assured me that when the rain clears I am the first job the concreters will work on. He also apologized, but said that there is nothing he can do about the weather. The forecast is 'a slight chance of rain this afternoon and clear tomorrow'. Fingers crossed that it does not rain too heavy tonight and they might get to work tomorrow.

Rain, rain, go away !!!

Concreter's arrived today but it was too wet for them to work. Postponed until tomorrow. But with storms expected over night, I don't expect the slab until Thursday at the earliest. Frame has also been pushed back again until Tuesday, as the carpenter is going fishing or something this weekend.

House Plans and Elevation

Finally

Went to the block after work and finally the slab form work has been done. Concrete is being done tomorrow.

Update

Just got back from the site. No-one was there.

I rang the Builder and asked naturally asked why. He met me on-site and told me that they would be doing the slab prep on Monday, pour slab on Tuesday and start the frame on Thursday.

Same Story

I went to the site around 8am this morning and surprise, surprise, no one there.

I thought that they might just do the boxing today and maybe is is a 1/2 day job so I didn't call the builder. Went back in the afternoon around 4pm and still no one !!!
I will be going back in the morning to check again, but I really don't expect to see anyone working, it's so disheartening!

It's been over 30 days since any real work has been done. That's $1435.17 in extra rent, and the most frustrating thing is that I have not received one phone call telling me that there has been a delay, each time I have had to call the builder to find out what is happening.

Coral, this is not good enough !!!!!!!

Update

Just met the builder onsite, Helitch are currently there cutting down the screw piers. The concreter will be there Thursday & Friday doing the slab, and the carpenter will be there early next week. Again, fingers are crossed.

Getting Angry !!!!!!

Arrived onsite and................. NOTHING, NO SLAB!!!

Phoned the builder, 'sorry, we have another problem, the screw piers are to high, they need to be cut down, I will try and have the slab down by the end of the week'.

This is just getting ridiculous. This is ment to be a professional builder, so far it feels like no one is running the site.

Not happy

Today I received an email from Coral stating that due to rain from the 17 - 20th October they would be claiming these days as calculable delays for inclement weather. This would be fair enough except that they had previously told me that no works would be taking place until October 28th, so there was nothing that could have been delayed.

Where we are at

The Back Ground

My wife and I are building the Hamilton 278 from Coral Homes in Samford on the North Side of Brisbane.

We signed our contract with Coral on June 26th 2008. We were given the start date of Monday the 22nd September 2008.

On the 22nd September, I met the builder on-site and the block was cut that afternoon. Tuesday the 23rd the site was set out and on Wednesday the 24th the screw piers were laid. Friday the 26th and the drainers and electrician were on-site to complete their site works. I went to the site on October 7th and there was more earthworks going on. Since then, nothing has happened !

It is now the 24th of October. I spoke to the builder on Tuesday the 14th October and was told the the site had not been cut at the right height and that it was being lowered (that is why the earthworks were being done on the 7th). Because of this, the builder had to cancel the concreters and re-book them. The earliest the slab would be done is October 28th. I received another phone call from the builder on the 22nd October telling me that the slab would be done on the 28th October and the frame would start on the 30th October. Fingers are now crossed.