Facade Tiles!!!! Eco Alabster Grigio Lappato Porcelain

I have definitely been in love with a lot of things in this build but this one has really got my heart racing. You know how a cat (I'm not a cat person at all, in-fact I kind of detest them...!! sorry cat lovers) anyway, you know how a cat rubs up against something and it's tail lifts up and it gets all warm and fuzzy, well that is how I feel when I see our facade tile!! I just want to run up to them and touch them and purr!!! I'm so happy with our facade and our colour choices. When you choose your colour selections, it's so hard to envisage it all. We didn't want anything over the top or something that would date. We decided that warm neutral colours would be the best. We feel like the render colours have come up really well. They are light but with enough contrast and variation and I love that the tiles almost match the Hog Bristle Half render colour. They don't stand out but because of their colour variation and look/feel are a sutble feature without being in your face! That is what we were hoping for anyway - everyone obviously has a different taste, but we are super happy with it all!

Facade - Hardwick
Render - Dulux Hog Bristle Half (sandy)
 - Dulux BedBox (brown)
Tiles - Eco Alabaster Grigio Lappato Porcelain
Grout - Travertine
Front Doors - Corinthian Win21 - stained in Rich Walnut
Garage Door - Decowood Bush Cherry
Roof/fascia/downpipes - Colourbond Woodland Grey

Tile Beginning!

Slowly Growing

Loving the Tile Variation

The tiler has done a great job at making sure the tiles are layed with the greatest of variation. We opened a box of tiles to see what they looked like and a lot looked to have a similar pattern, but on the pier they all look so varied and different. LOVE THEM!

Finished Tiles!

Up Close and Personal

Tiles also have metal trim

Oh so Close

Hog Bristle Half Render

It has definitely been a monumental day today. Our coloured render has started!! I've said before that I have been a little nervous about our colour choices on the facade. They were one area that we weren't 100% sure about when we went through our colour selection and took on the guidance of the colour consultant. Render sample look so different to colour swatches too. So I have been looking at our colour swatches lately with a hit of hesitation. So whcen I went past today and saw the colour I was so excited! It's great! We wanted a nice sandy colour without being too white and it's just that. The main render is Dulux Hog Bristle Half. Our second render colour is Dulux Bedbox - which will be part of the small piers and beam - they have done a minor part of this colour today too and it's great to see them together. Feeling so happy and proud of our baby; Nelson!!! Facade colours are a HUGE choice - it's not something you can hide and its not a cheap option to change either. 

Render - Dulux Hog Bristle Half

The render on the small beam under the portico is

- Dulux Bedbox

Dulux Bedbox render on the beams (far pier will also be this colour render - brick pier will be tiles)

Close up of colours together - (not finished)

Garage hasn't been done yet! - It will also be Dulux Hog Bristle Half

Side of House

Looking Forward to Tomorrow!

Garage door was also painted - Hog Bristle Half 

We had this door extended to 920mm so you could get through with a wheelbarrow a little more comfortably without skinning your knuckles!!

Alfresco Beams Painted - Dulux Hog Bristle Half

It's amazing how much more 'finished' this area feels, being painted.  

Metre Box Painted - Woodland Grey

(Not sure why they don't just supply the metre cox in the colourbond colour you pick - it will no doubt chip a bit being a metal opening door - every build seems to be the same - standard Jasper when delivered)

Drainage Pipes Painted - Woodland Grey

Didn't expect these to be done - nice touch Carlisle!!

Sneak Peak at the Stairs!!!

There will definitely be more photos to come when I can sneak in - (tomorrow!!) 

Bath Must be In!!

I wasn't sure I was looking in the right house at first as the kitchen bench actually looked a little clean - I had to do a double take - what a special day today is!!! 

3 Steps Forward, 2 Steps Back.

At the moment if feels like we are taking a few steps forward, only to find other things that need to be done or followed up that takes us backwards! Last week was a really quiet week. Most of what our SS told us would be done, wasn't and things that have been done have either only half been done or are now affecting other things that need to be done.

Termite Protection is now Complete! 

Tick that one off the list!

On Friday the plumbers were there connecting all the downpipes to the drainage points. This is great, except that the downpipes on the facade and sides have yet to have the coloured render applied....... The downpipes were lengthened earlier in the week and they thoughtfully only tacked the brackets onto these areas as it was obvious they would need to be taken off. A week goes by (without renderers) and they need to connect them into the pipework below and now they seem somewhat permanent... Wonder what will happen here (they will be coming off!!!) 

It's great to have the downpipes on so that the rain isn't pooling around the sides of the house. They were put on just in time for the warm weather!

Lots of pipes and unknown drainage points!

This one is out the front and has a different capping to the others - sure to find out more during the week.

This point looks like drainage to clear off excess surface water. It is oh so close to where the concrete for the driveway will be. Maybe you concrete it in to the area to help runoff? 

You can see it's position on the edge of the crossover

The painters were there today. When we went past they were staining the trim (architrave) of the front doors. We thought the stairs may also have been done (as our SS said it may be done last week). The front door architraves were done, but not the actual doors, the alfreco ceiling was painted, but not the small eves at the side of the alfresco, the garage wall that was re-plastered was painted, but not the walls inside that had been patched..... 2 steps forward, 1 step back..... 

Alfresco Ceiling

Garage Wall Painted

Garage Eave Painted

Upstairs Bath Delivered (sitting in the study here)

Tapware on Ensuite Spa Bath

except it's the wrong spout.... (It actually hasn't been connected properly so we think they are aware this is the wrong one.  

I took this photo today because I absolutely love these doors! Sometimes you don't want to lose sight of the amazing things by getting bogged down in the things that no doubt will work themselves out in the end! Looking forward to many dinner parties looking through these babies!! 

Render and Weatherboards

The external areas of the house have had a bit of a makeover this week. 

On Friday the eaves were up and on Saturday and Sunday they were painted.

Friday, the weatherboards were also put on the back of the house.

Rendering started on Monday (pre-render). I didn't post the photos the last few days as I thought they would have come back Tuesday or today. We think they may now be waiting for the brickie to finish above the door. The scaffolding was being pulled down today too which will make access easier for them (in some ways!!!)

Full render to front facade

Main pier - tiled in Eco Alabaster Grigio Porcelain 300x600 (as seen on the Sorrento)

Pre-Rendering Starts

Front part started - sides and back still to come

Really starting to come together

Weather Boards go on the Back

(You can see the wall that still needs to be bricked - 

so glad its on the eastern side)

The Attractive Foam..!!

For structural reasons, we have a small amount of rendered foam above the garage on two walls (to the first floor) and to the front of the gable (due to estate requirements). It's not preferred, but it's not a huge area and it will be rendered. We have also upgraded to have the whole facade rendered and porcelain tiles to the main pier (part render was included in the Carlisle Homes Affinity package)

 Finished Design of Facade

The rendered foam has been installed, as well as the metal capping/edging (not sure what this is called) to the bricks in readiness for it to be rendered. There was a slight error with the foam when this was initially done (late last week). When the brickies had bricked the wall above the balcony door they had left above it open; without a lintel or bricks. It looked like it was going to have an infill. Not again!! So when the foam went up as an infill above the door, we were quickly on the phone to our SS. He informed us that this is how they always do it....... However, our final drawings clearly have brickwork here. Affinity homes also include all brick infills above doors.... We were not happy with this response so he passed it onto his boss. His boss then called to say this is how it is done and tried to highlight the positives and that it would be rendered etc. If we weren't having full render (which we upgraded to) then they couldn't have it like this so it's not how it's always done. Our CLE was also informed and she waved her magic wand (she is always so quick to make sure things are rectified) and she phoned back within minutes to inform us a steel lintel was being ordered and that it would be bricked! The foam was pulled down the following day.........

Street View

Foam Around Bedroom 2 and Above Garage

This is the extent of the foam

The Foam Infill that was Quickly Removed the Following Day.....

The metal capping around the brick edges, reading for render

When I drove past the house tonight the steel lintel was being put into place and our SS told me that the brickies would be back sometime this week to finish off the few parts they hadn't yet finished.