Here's a pictorial essay showing the construction of the house up to the point that the windows are installed.

2020-09-13

Richard Keech

Getting started

Kicking off the build with Dave Martin - Week 1

It's about three years from our first visit and finally, at the start of March, things get underway on site. On the first of March we celebrated the kick off with a glass of bubbly with Dave Martin (Martin Builders), and his partner Alice.   Dave has advised a build schedule with an expected completion in January 2021.

The windows are ordered from Logikhaus at about the same time. Because they're being made in Europe, the lead time is long. At this stage, the windows are not expected till early August, which makes them the critical path for the whole construction.

Green roof.  I'll post separately about the green roof on the garage.

COVID. We were worried about delays arising from COVID.  We've been lucky to date, with only minor impact.  The windows had production delays of about three weeks.  In the scheme of 2020 craziness, that's not too bad.  The biggest impact has been restrictions on our own ability to visit site.

The first half of the build - a weekly journey

Site cut and 'hurdles'- Week 2[/caption]

Excavation for garage, showing mains connection - Week 2[/caption]

Foundations - Week 6[/caption]

Insulated floor structure - Week 7[/caption]

Sub floor showing stumps and Extasana wrap. R5 floor insulation is full depth of the floor joists - Week 7[/caption]

Garage block wall and slab - Week 8[/caption]

Social distancing - Week 8[/caption]

Frame - Week 9[/caption]

Roof trusses - Week 10[/caption]

Posts - Week 11[/caption]

Wall wrap and garage frame - Week 12[/caption]

Roof and gutters on (Colorbond Surfmist) - Week 13[/caption]

Window production complete. They start their long journey from Poland - Week 13[/caption]

Post detail - 200mm x 200mm cypress with detail of joint[/caption]

Vaulted ceiling and scissor trusses.[/caption]

Half-round Colorbond guttering and Cemintel fascia.  Even funny details like the bracket are appealing.[/caption]

Scaffold down, showing the glory of the posts - Week 14[/caption]

In-ground concrete tank behind retailing wall - Week 16[/caption]

Bitumen roof on garage - Week 16[/caption]

The sloping ridge line of the roof is apparent from a distance - Week 17[/caption]

Ship with windows arrives in Malaysia - Week 18[/caption]

Garage door frame - Week 21[/caption]

Windows arrive at Port of Melbourne - Week 27[/caption]

Garage clad - Week 27[/caption]

Windows arrive at site, six months since order - Week 28[/caption]

Interior wrap commences - Week 29[/caption]

Windows installed - kitchen looking south east - Week 29[/caption]

Windows installed - main bedroom looking south west - Week 29[/caption]

East end of house showing overhang and posts, and kitchen windows - Week 29[/caption]

Living / Dining area looking north. Showing wall insulation - Week 29[/caption]