W 13_ D 2: our FIRST brick walls

I 'm very happy with neat bricking here but it seems we have 3 different color level here

I pray very hard to have a bit fair uniformed color!

Though 30 years experienced brick layer told me if he were me he would never think of paint the bricks and the nature of brick color should NOT BE uniformed! And he said it is the best in his classical  opinion and preferences. I hope  I will be convinced later on.

Week 13_ D1: Brickies will start tomorrow___Worry

SS advised in this morning our brickies will start tomorrow Wed (May 17).

As indicated on my previous post, the original schedule was on last Friday (May 11) right after our plumb rough-in done. However, I requested to hold on in searching for a resolution on our color variety bricks. It was supposed to get a resolution on last Friday, however, SS said he was waiting for a commitment till today. I have been unhappily surprised for such 3 days - awaiting as I'm sure a resolution for our color variety problem is not a big "deal" due to its obvious unacceptable mistaken color. Furthermore, our problem is not new at all as other Fowler client has  got a resolution for the same problem last Wednesday.

By the way, what I have learn another lesson is  if some thing goes wrong, even if wrongful thing is not new and there is an existing resolution for that problem,  I should not expect to get a resolution within 48 hours. This time, we lost over 3 days for brick variety color issue.

After making phone calls and SMSs to SS,  I have yet been advised what kind of color will be a "standard sample" for our bricks. So, my biggest  "job" tomorrow is to make sure darker color as standard color for our bricks.    

Week 13 (May 15 Tue _ May 19 Mon): Bricking

1) What had done in Week 12:

- In accordance with the plan, on Mon (May 7) Framing company sent their carpenter to fix the wrongful roof trusses pieces. Actually  that carpenter worked only few hours to fix the problem.

- Fowler 's 3 very professional and generous carpenters led by A were back and finally completed our frame on Tue (May 8)

- On Wed (May 9), our site was clean up

- On Thur (May 10) , 3 plumbers installed our hot/cold water and gas lines. I had a very long chat with SS in which I had confirmation that :

# Fowler will  re-order all 3 sets of stacker doors (2430mm) to our rear yard and will fix all frames to mat with those higher stacker doors. They plan to do during our bricking to save our time

# Our brick will be commenced on the next day FRIDAY (MAY 11) by the team of 6 brickies

- Bricks were delivered on May 10. And I was upset but  not surprised to see a color variation of our bricks. However, it took me 2 hours to think of it and then I finally decided to get a resolution for that color problem. Therefore, we were willing to get our very awaited bricking commencement canceled

- On Fri (May 11), sand was delivered and it was supposed to have a meeting between Fowler's construction manager with Austrial representative to reach an agreed solution for our variety color brick. I thought we don't really need Fowler management level to go there for our brick resolution as I knew such kind of resolution was already reached from site supervisor level.

- Unfortunately, our dear SS  had a day off on Friday (May 11) to celebrate his 4th wedding anniversary so that his boss was there for him. However, I hoped it would work but I also felt it would not work as SS advised that SS was not sure the brickies would be on our site on Monday (May 14)

- Actually, it would not work so I'm now waiting for SS further information.

2) Week 12 's features:

- Everything on the schedules
- our bricking commencement was arranged 1 day earlier than my expectation. However, we decided to cancel it and looked for a resolution for our bricks
- I was very very grateful for generous help from Fowler's carpenters, particularly A. I will always remember your generous help as I'm in .....Laundry.

3) my "jobs" for Week 13:

- Stacker doors to Court Yard
- French door to Balcony
- Relocate sliding door to Bed 1
- new bricking plan
- kitchen for new layout around Fridge
- electrician layout for Laundry area

Week 12 ( May 8 Tue _ May 14 Mon): Finally Frame done ?

1) Roof trusses problem and solution

- Problem was noticed on Tue May 1
- Our SS organized a meeting between his supplier, construction manager and himself on our site on Thursday May 3. I were very happy as I have seen SS has tried his best to reach a quickest solution for us by organizing on site meeting at management level.  
- Framing company will send out their carpenter to fix the wrongful pieces on Monday May 7

2) Planning 

- Fowler's carpenter crew will finish off our frames on Tuesday May 8, which was the second THIRD time re-schedule
- Our original schedule to have framing done was on the week ( April 21).
- Then, it was carpenter's own delay and rain. So, the framing was re-schedule for the first time on  April 26.
- There was a problem with a strange heavy frame, so we needed an extra big crane. As a result, our framing was re-schedule for the second time on May 1.
- Again, we had another problem with roof trusses so our framing was re-scheduled for the third time on May 8
==> if the frame done on May 8, we had already suffered 2 weeks delay

-  Plumb rough-in and site clean on Thursday May 10
-  Brick ....delivery
- Bricking commence on Mon May 14 (weather permitting)

3) Week's feature: one day can indeed make a huge different

I can see how easy for people to make mistakes in building industry....

I also painfully recognize how unbelievable mistakes have brought us 2 weeks delay. However, if the carpenter came to our site as scheduled on Mon Apr 16 (they didn't advise SS they didn't come on that day, in fact they came on the following day and left due to rain) then our extra crane and roof issue would be discovered much earlier, then we would just suffer 2 days delay instead of 2 weeks delay.

Week 11 _ happy again with our chosen plan

After being very sad as we saw we lost very beautiful view from first floor WIR, I have done a lot of homework and many consultation with friends and professional builders. And now I can say that our chosen plan is still the best comprise for the overall house.

I red again and again all my written reasons to how and why then we had chosen for each corner in our new house. I have felt very good that I started to write down in our diary building since the first time I did homework on our knock down and rebuild project  in April 2010. I have learned even we have extra budget for our new house, but we still can't have everything we want that we still need to make our choice among available options. In short, I only made a big mistake for our wet area on the ground floor that we are now trying our best to prepare for fix this mistake in our near future.

We have decided to build this house for "the love of our life" _ our princess and I hope in the next 10 years she still likes the house. 

W 11_ D2: Wrongful measurement on roof trusses is very rare?

 I met a crew of 5 professional and nice carpenter on our site before 7am yesterday. Furthermore, they happily informed me that they will tried their best to complete yesterday. If they could not, they would complete in the following day.

However, I noticed they all left by 2.30pm while front roof and all most of window were not done. It was unusual as I know they are hard working and very professional guys. Immediately, I sent SMS to our SS mentioning my concern and question if is there again a problem with our frame. He did not respond. In the later afternoon, DH and I came back the site and I had another concern regarding our view (I posted in the previous entry) which switched me away from my concern why did 5 good carpenters left many uncompleted works so early....

This morning, I went to the site with heavy drink bag for carpenters and was again shocked to see no one there. Obviously, my yesterday concern became true. Again I sent SMS to our SS and this time he responded quickly that  Fowler  couldn’t complete our frames as  their supplier has made a mistake on the manufacture of our roof trusses, it seems that the computer has calculated the incorrect measurement on the front section of our roof.


# I think their explanation is just an excuses…I think it is their unbelievable mistake. Indeed, this mistake hit me very hard as this mistake arrived right after last week mistake which brought almost 1 week delay to us. Last Tuesday, 5 carpenters came by 7am and they found out that they could not lift (by hands) frame for rear house as engineer made unusual/strange order for 385 kg frame package. As a consequence, SS have to organize an extra big crane to lift such frame package. 

# SS also said this issue will be rectified as soon as possible. I wish “as soon as possible” terms does not mean 1 month.

Week 11_ D1: SAD as I made the biggest mistake on house plan

This afternoon, DH and I climbed up to our first floor for the first time with the purpose to know our house frame and shape. But we can't believe we have such so vey beautiful view and we are happy with our each room.....

And suddenly I noticed that view from our .....WIR is the best view we have from our house. We stayed there speechless as we have ever ever thought/dreamed of such view from such position.

I was really shocked and then very sad to recognize that we  lost that dream view....When I feel better or when I can find some way to keep that view , I will post a photo of that view here.

On the ground floor, I also made a big mistake by locating Laundry in one of the best location of the ground floor. However, our SS, plumbers, and carpenters are helping me to fix this mistake by generously re-organize this area for me. In the near future, I must do a minor renovation in this area to narrow Laundry.

Maybe, lucky arrives only 1 time and I had used it for re-organize Laundry. And now I have to accept the location of WIR and learn to live with it?

Well,  I let my sad emotion stay tonight and tomorrow I will go to get some consultation with hope that I can still save that beautiful view by a bit moving our WIR around.