Lucky for us the Romans Invented Concrete

KATOOMBA COTTAGE UPDATE - ENJOY ;-)

Nathan Kerr, builder, has arranged for the concrete truck to arrive early and the boys are on the job splashing cement around, Nathan even got a load down his boot!!

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The driver of this huge truck was incredible and able to guide this massive vehicle up the drive way and around the block filling up all the footing holes. What a mess and the lads worked hard and fast to get it all done.

The front bedroom bay window footings are carefully sculptured in a step design to make the laying of bricks perfect.

As soon as this is dry and ready to go, the bricks will be laid for the piers, all is going to plan prior to the Kit being delivered.

Nathan Kerr

Who doesn't love 'Bunnings'!

Dig Those Trenches Boys!!

KATOOMBA COTTAGE UPDATE - ENJOY ;-)

How exciting is it to arrive and a great big digger thingo is right in your drive way and it's bright Orange!!!

The Pegging Out

KATOOMBA COTTAGE UPDATE - ENJOY ;-)

Steve Anderson from Anderson Surveying has arrived to pegg out the house and when you see it actually marked out, it really is a big home.

Back to Sydney from Fun in New Zealand

KATOOMBA COTTAGE UPDATE - ENJOY ;-)

I arrived back to Sydney on Friday night and Monday morning I called Laurie Waterson who said all was going well and should have plans approved by mid week !!!

The 11th Hour & I'm off to New Zealand for a break!!!

KATOOMBA COTTAGE UPDATE - ENJOY ;-)

The 11th hour and I have everything in order for Laurie Waterson which I raced to Springwood to drop off at his front door on Thursday, flight Friday morning. Note Laurie has a very wide area that he can look after so don't be affraid to call him for advice.

Plans off to the Engineer & the hunt for a Private Certifier

KATOOMBA COTTAGE UPDATE - ENJOY ;-)

Now getting very close to the end of July and so much has to happen.

The final home plans have been sent to my Engineer - Chris Hilder Tel 4782 4691, another great contact from my builder Nathan Kerr, who created the footing diagrams and the report.

 Standard 230 Footing

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Next was to find a Private Certifier, I have to say that the first two fellows I spoke to were rude, very unhelpful, never returned my calls or e-mails and their information I have to say had many holes BUT again my builder Nathan Kerr of 5th Ave Constructions, bless his little cotton sox, put me onto Laurie Waterson of  'Waterson Building Consultants' Tel 4751 6626. The most polite & helpful person, calling me after hours to check on issues, great e-mail updates and sent a super helpful check list and guided me through the points as I did not want to go through the Council process myself.

 Laurie Watersons Check List, what a wonderful tool!

Laurie agreed that the location and plans would be perfect for a 'Complying Development Application' which is set to make my life sooooo much easier as this application can be approved in 11 days, YES, can you believe it!!! Laurie check list above helped me sort all of the items that I need to provide for him to do all the hard yards and have the approvals put through. His fee, which worked out less that the Council itself, strange, includes all site inspections, sign offs and right through to the Occupation Certificate, love this guy and I still haven't met him face to face as yet. Everything has been done by remote.

I put a very detailed package together with all items in separate files and easy to sort through with of course a cheque for the Council.

I'm off to visit Lisa in Auckland New Zealand for her big 50th Birthday and have a weeks break so I am pushing that all is together for Laurie before I leave so that the approval can be half way complete by the time I return...........................fingers crossed.

KATOOMBA COTTAGE UPDATE - ENJOY ;-)

Still in mid July and the race is on!

Now there are so many things to sort out, arrange & organise at the same time to make sure that all is going to plan.

 This is the Front of the home but you have to imagine the cute little balustrade around the Verandah

Specialist Plumber for the Job

22.7.2011 - No grand pictures of this plumbing job but I can show you the bank account draining down the street. As the water main runs down the middle of the road I have to visit the local Council to apply for a footpath open permit. This is a fair cost at $257.00 but the real winner is the cost of the works to put a water line to the block, this is a tidy sum of $4,400.00 ;-(. Be sure you have water on site is my new lesson here!!!
This type of work is as you could imagine not standard so in comes the big guns and the man for this job is 'Sterlo' of Glenmore Park Plumbing Tel 0417 082 082, a very to the point fellow but got the job done super fast, ya water!
P.S - Have been frantic so up dating all that has happened over the last 8 weeks

Site Survey Plans

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Site Survey – Well not every contract for sale automatically comes with a site survey especially if the land has never been built on in the past, unusual really to have such a large piece of land to simply keep as a garden, lovely.

Meeting the Council Team on Site

The Blue Mountains City Council and I am sure that many other Councils have as well, this wonderful option for potential owners and builders to meet on site to discuss their building plans and ideas. 

The Right Block of Land

THE RIGHT BLOCK OF LAND !!!

Finding the right block of land no matter where the location is a long and hard job. Hours spent cruising the respective web sites late into the night, researching local data, trying to understand why one patch of land has a higher price tag to the next, becoming aware of the local Councils mindset and then if you are lucky enough to find a real estate agent that will return your calls so you can spend large sums of money to see a dream even start.

WELCOME

Welcome to my BLOG and I do hope you enjoy being with me on this journey to build a beautiful brand new 3 bedroom Cottage in the wondrous Blue Mountains of NSW, Katoomba.

My intention is to document from start to finish of the building process, pains and highlights, giving as much detail as I can with good tips and lots of my personal contacts along the way.
Also I am very open to your suggestions, ideas, and questions so feel free to make comments here on this BLOG site.
Enjoy!!