Are we there yet ??

Are you in yet?
Is the house finished?
When are you moving?
Have you got a completion date?

No
NO
Don't know
and no ...

I've decided that building a house is like having a baby ... except that building a house takes longer.

And everyone who's been with you for the entire journey knows the baby is due soon ....and everyone's ringing and asking ... have you had the baby yet, have you had the baby yet, have you had the baby yet ???

With the house, it's the same thing .... except the delivery date keeps moving back and back.

So last night James told me that Ben the builder told him that the house won't be ready by the end of the month.

EEEeeeeekkkkk!!!

To be honest, this is not a surpirse or a shock. I never believed it could be done by the end of March because frankly there's still so much to do ...

So the new arrival date for our house is "before Easter" ... which is OK.

Memo to my parents reading this: looks like you'll be bunking in with your other daughter when you come to Melbourne.

Memo to my sister: thanks for buying those new mattresses! You must have known.

A quick update ..

I dashed to the house for a quick look see on the way home this afternoon. Eliza stayed in the car while I whizzed around to check the progress. She's over the house!

I didn't have my camera with me, so there are no pics ... but Ben's been busy.

We have a brand new front door. So solid.

And the walls are up in the kitchen, dining and living room. Wow!

The ceilings are in too. The height of the ceiling change at various points - adding interest and space ... the whole thing is coming together in a fast and furious way.

I decided against climbing the ladder to the first floor, on my own. (That's my occupational health and safety training coming to the fore!) but James tells me the studio has now been lined, the glass walls for the ensuite are in and look incredible!

The Family Checks It Out

The family were on site today checking out progress

Some were clearly more impressed than others!!

Popping Up

The extension pops up at the back

And this is the view from the other side of the house

We've Got Walls !

What a difference some walls make!

Plaster board in the right place and the joint is starting to feel like a real house instead of a building site.

And the studio is taking shape in the roof, below.

This is the playroom for grown ups! Nothing kinky, mind. Far from it, actually.

A spot right at the top of the house for a bit of crochet, a place for painting, a quiet cuppa, some quilting, maybe some old fashioned needlework ... the odd haiku or blogging. Maybe I'll even twitter - that seems to be all the rage.

I can't wait to disappear into the studio and start a project or two ... or a better idea ... finish a project or three.

Then and Now ...

Look how far we've come ....

Then

And now ...

Not long now ....

The Looming Deadline

Some reassuring words from Ben The Builder this afternoon.
He reckons the house will be finished by the end of March - the outside at least.
Whoo-hooooo!
Nothing like the pressure of getting the spare room ready for my parents to spur the team into action.
I dropped by the house about 6 o'clock this evening and the guys were still on the job.
I didn't press them for an actual finish date and I haven't booked the removal van, but I have given notice at our rental house for the end of March.
Go boys! Go !!!