Tiles and Ktichen Selections (with Pics)

Our tile quote came back and it was remarkably high.  There was an error that I found in the quote too, they used lineal m instead of sqm - lucky I checked!  Another example of how we travel blindly through this process with regard to budget.  Luckily I had included a few provisions/contingencies and tiles are only going to wet areas as we have floor boards and carpet else where otherwise this could have been a massive variation.  I wonder if we could have got the bank to fund the floors and driveway supplied by someone other than the builder?  We could have saved heaps here if we had the cash.  In the end, I am happy with our tile selections and I hope that the laying is of a high standard.

We also had our Kitchen Session with the Director of Pre-Fab Constructions at the new Studio Fowler.  It was a little hard to concentrate on the kitchen as this was our first visit to Studio Fowler (it had not been completed when we did colours in 09/11).  Our kitchen guy was very helpful.  He talked us into letting him do the pantry instead of Fowler - this would let the colour scheme flow better and the removal of some nib walls freed up space for some more bench area.  We also added some drawers to the pantry, and a built in double bin.  We got the chance to revise the colour of our vanities, we had chosen a funny brown and now we have gone for a warm grey - good result.

Final Kitchen Plan - original had a white glass panel door for the pantry, this looks better now

 
We were worried that Fowler Homes would charge us a plan change fee but the Kitchen Selection should have occurred around the time of the Colour Selection except they axed their kitchen supplier at that time and then forgot to arrange a session later - I had to push to make it happen.  They did not apply a change fee so we were happy. Hopefully they have got that ironed out now for new customers.

Now We're (Gyp)Rocking! (with pics)

Progress rolls on at a moderate pace.  Since last update (~3 weeks) we have seen:

• Lower level roof tiles
• Rendering
• Electrical and A/C rough in
• Commencement of gyprocking

Not too shabby.

Rendering (and the offending incomplete roof above the garage!)

A/C and electrical rough in

Master Bed with Soundscreen insulation

Same wall as above with Gyprock commenced - starting to look pretty now!

Central area on top floor (and my eldest monster's head!)

Is this wall starting to pop now?

Great to see the house really coming together.

We also did our tile selection at Abruzzo on Saturday. Quite happy with the support from the Tile Consultant. Would have been better if we could have carried the samples around the showroom to match colours (samples were fixed in frames).  We chose 300 x 600 charcoal tiles for floors and feature walls and then 300 x 600 crema tiles for the other walls.  For the laundry and powder room we chose a silver grey.  A little bit surprised that we still haven't got the quote back from them by Wednesday afternoon so we don't know if we have blown the budget yet.

SS told me that he would not estimate an end date because Kitchens had been delaying his jobs lately.  He asked if we had done a Kitchen Layout yet, which had never been offered to us.  Had to push our Fowler Homes CSO to get a Kitchen Session booked, but this is now locked in for tomorrow.