Monday 28 April 2014

Another milestone - our concrete slab was laid today!



Monday 28 April 2014

Yes!  We've finally reached that other big milestone in building our new home.  Our concrete slab was laid today as scheduled.  When I drove by early this morning on the way to work the site was a hive of busy activity.  There was a big cement mixer truck on site and another mechanical appliance with a huge [3 storeys-high] arm and attached hose that was spraying the cement to form our slab (its appearance reminded me of one of those aliens from the War Of The Worlds movie).  It was quite a sight as the horizon came into view whilst driving up to the site.

The slab has been laid with clear, levelled and defined perimeter lines by the workmen and all the wooden frames have been removed from the site.  It’s hard to see the true dimensions of the new home from outside the security fence.  It is more deceiving than it appears.  For example, next to our garage wall (front, far right) there will be a 4,500 litre rain water tank that will harvest our rooftop rainwater.  The dimensions of that rain water tank are 3 metres in length x 1200mm (1.2 metres) in width.  That rain water tank will therefore hold 4½ tonnes of rain water (when filled to capacity).  To support the weight of that rain water tank, a cement slab has been laid external to the garage wall.  On the left side of the foundations, additional slabs have been laid towards the rear of the house to support the weight of our new gas-boosted solar hot water system and the air conditioning unit.

We are now anxiously waiting to reach the next milestone - the erection of our steel frames.  The framework for our new Douglas home is scheduled to be put up on Tuesday 13 May 2014.

Here's a couple of photos that I took from outside the security fencing while on the way home from work this evening.

(Click on photos to view enlarged images)





Overall home and land dimensions



Dimensions quoted in metres (m).


Home width:
  8.45m
Home length:
21.21m
Width of block of land:
12m
Depth of block of land:
49.5m
Size of block of land in square metres:
594m²
 

Saturday 26 April 2014

Foundation works now completed & the site now ready for laying the concrete slab

Saturday 26 April 2014

Today (the day after Anzac Day) is 12 years to the day when I first picked-up the keys to the old home and moved-in, when I first brought the old place back in 2002.  I wanted to nuke that old place ever since I first moved in on that first day.  So today is quite a special milestone to celebrate at long last! 

Well it looks like the work on the foundations is now completed.  All being well, we're hoping the concrete slab will now be laid as planned on Monday 28 April 2014 (weather permitting).  Here's some photos that we took from outside the security fencing this afternoon.

(Click on photos to view enlarged images)



    


Overall home and land dimensions

Dimensions quoted in metres (m).

Home width:
  8.45m
Home length:
21.21m
Width of block of land:
12m
Depth of block of land:
49.5m
Size of block of land in square metres:
594m²