We met our McDonald Jones Homes' Site Supervisor at the construction site this morning for a supervised visit to the site. We had to inspect the status of the electrical wiring, Ethernet computer cabling and the placement of power points etc., before the Gyprock work commences tomorrow (Friday 8 August 2014) all being well. We've tried to 'future-proof' our 21st Century new home as much as possible so that it can be more compatible with the needs of ever-changing and evolving technological advancements. So there was a lot of wiring work for us to inspect.
While we were on Site this morning, the Gyprock was being delivered in large sheets. The Gyprock sheets will be installed as the interior wall and ceiling linings throughout the house.
We saw the fleecy-looking woollen insulation Batts that have been installed throughout the wall cavities and in the roof space above the ceilings. The standard wall insulation offered by McDonald Jones Homes is R1.5 rated Batts. At our request, McDonald Jones Homes agreed to upgrade the wall insulation to the maximum that will fit into the wall cavities. So we now have R2.0 rated insulation Batts installed in all the wall cavities (except for the garage). We're happy enough with the standard R3.0 insulation Batts that have been installed in the roof. The increased home insulation will help achieve a very energy-efficient new home. In combination with the external (Blue coloured) thermal wall wrap that was installed earlier and our double-glazed glass windows and sliding doors, the thermal and noise insulation benefits will make life much more affordable, comfortable and peaceful for us as, particularly as we continue to experience Sydney's warming climate change.
Our Site Supervisor told us that there had been a theft from our construction site. Two of the large double-glazed glass sliding doors that were waiting to be installed on our Master Suite Bedroom wall (adjoining the Alfresco Cabana at the rear of the house) have been stolen over the past day or so. Not happy Jan! We've been dreading the risk of theft or vandalism while the construction site is so vulnerable. It's happened and we hope it's not going to become a recurring problem.
I asked our Site Supervisor this morning if he could give me an idea of when we should be nearing the end of construction? All being well, he thinks that by mid October 2014 we should be about ready to start the landscaping work (that's only about 2 months away!). The Site Supervisor is quite agreeable with permitting other people to visit the Site as necessary for measuring windows and blinds, etc.
Here's some photos that I took this morning during our onsite inspection with the Site Supervisor. We can now show you what the rear of the new house looks like.
(Click on photos to view enlarged images)
The roof at the rear of our house faces north. In the southern hemisphere, north-facing roof tops were traditionally preferred for the placement of rooftop photovoltaic solar panels because a north-facing roof faces towards the Equator. The 2 x rooftop solar panels on our north-facing roof (as above) are for our Dux Sunpro gas-boosted solar hot water service. The hot water tank will be located on a concrete slab on the ground at the side of the house (to the right side in the above photo).
Above the 2 x rooftop solar panels, a wind-generated whirlybird ventilator/fan has been installed to ventilate the roof space.
The Alfresco Cabana is pictured at the front left side of the above photo.
In the Douglas 10M floor plan, the Alfresco Cabana wall that adjoins the Master Bedroom Suite is a brick wall. At our request, McDonald Jones Homes agreed to place a double-glazed glass sliding door along that wall space for us.
Note the ceiling insulation and wiring that's been installed in the Alfresco Cabana area and the wall insulation Batts in the Master Bedroom Suite's far wall.
The photo above shows the concrete slab where the Actron Air Conditioner will be installed and in front of that (not in view in this photo) is where the Hot Water Tank will be installed.
Note the ceiling insulation Batts and electrical wiring in the above photo and following photos.
Here's some photos of the eastern (right) side of the house along the garage wall, home theatre, and the open-plan dining and lounge areas.
Dimensions for the ‘Douglas 10M’
with Chase façade
Overall
Home 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
|
Internal Ceiling Height (raised to):
|
2.70m
|
Height of doors (raised to):
|
2.34m
|
Room
Dimensions
Open-plan Family & Dining rooms:
|
4.4m x 6.6m
|
Master Suite:
|
4.1m x 3.6m
|
Bedroom 2:
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2.9m x 2.9m
|
Bedroom 3:
|
2.9m x 2.9m
|
Home Theatre room:
|
4.1m x 3.5m
|
Single Car Garage:
|
3.0m x 5.5m
|
Alfresco Cabana:
|
3.0m x 3.9m
|
It's great you could upgrade upon request. An energy-efficient home doesn't just keep you comfortable; it can also lower power costs by preventing your HVAC system from overextending itself. Good luck with the rest of the project, and they should take measures to prevent further theft.
ReplyDeleteNatalie Baldwin @ Envirotech Insulation