Let there be Air ...

 

Bring on summer!  In the other house, we dread the onset of summer as it means we would be experiencing the heat and sleepless nights and camping in the lounge as the air con will only reach that area and not extend to the rooms (the house has many walls and divisions) but part of this build is the air conditioner - such a glorious piece of ingenuity on a summer that can easily reach mid 40C...

We are now looking forward to summer while lounging around watching the telly or perhaps enjoying some halo halo ((Filipino Mixed-Fruit Dessert) similar to the one below ...

Looking forward to enjoying the house in any season - hot or cold :) or anything in between.

Things are Starting

This big baby will see alot of baking and cooking in this house

I've never had to resort to one of these but I think I have to from now on

Water heater installed... no more cold showers

Appliances went in today as scheduled by our builder.  They could not organise this during the handover as apparently it needs five days to request for tradies to have it affixed.  So last night we all had cold shower as there was no choice unless we shower in the old house (we extended the lease to do more cleaning).  It was nice to just stand in the shower under a soft water trickling down.

And yes, our much awaited big oven/cooktop also arrived which means tge baking and the cooking starts soon... how exciting!

Do not get me started on the dishwasher.  I've never owned one (though I've used them on other people's house) and I used to just do things manually and wished for one especially on big cooking or baking, when I am so tired yet the washing is staring at me to be finished... now I don't have to force myself to clean up... hoping this simple thing will make things easier for me.

These may be simple things for some, non relevant you may say but for us, these are some of the things that we are grateful for... things that is slowly making our house into our very own home.,,,and for that we are very grateful.

The Very First Morning....

This is us on our very first morning in the new house ... Tired and not much sleep for MrK and I but happy to wake up early and cook for the family ... Thank you Jehovah God for the strength that you always bestow on us and the tender mercy and love that you always show ... we as a family will always be grateful for all the wonderful blessings....

Today is the Big Move !!!

The huge truck is here ... its really happening

Slowly they packed our furniture and the memories of the last house

Our rental place we called home for eleven years

Good thing that my sister and my brother came to help

Touchdown!

Showing up at 7am and travelled an hour to get to our place 

 

Going... going ... gone

It really is here ... our anticipated date of moving to our very own home starts today 26.10.2017.  At 7am (with very little sleep from going back and forth to the new house to transfer as much as we can using our individual cars) my sister and my brother knocked on our door to help out in moving things to the new house.  Not long after that, the huge truck made its way to our front yard.  The transfer was quick, the removalist took only three hours to transport all our big furnitures from the old house to the new.  It was a bittersweet experience.  We were in that rental property for eleven years and many a memories both happy and not so were shared in that house where our next door neighbours are like families and we look after each other.  

We will still try to re-connect with our neighbours that we will be leaving behind but its time to move forward and make new ones in the new house.

The fun begins of unpacking what we just packed ... a five minute drive from the old to the new but it will take us months before we can really settle in.

Window Furnishings Done

Miss H's room with her chosen blind

Mr Z's room with his chosen blind

The (only) dark blind in the house which is in the media/theatre room

This plantation shutter is the one I am most excited about

All our window furnishings have been installed ready for the big move tomorrow ... All the plans in my head is slowly coming into place and I am liking all that I see... Finally what just used to be in my imagination is now slowly coming into fruition and it can only get better from here ... excited for tomorrow's big move.

My Giant Baby is in

This big baby has been in the warehouse for a good couple of months as we await the house to be finished and today she is home... I have been anticipating this giant beauty since I first saw it and would be a great addition to the new house.

Welcome home :)

Let there be Light ...

BEFORE

 

 

 

AFTER

 

 

 

 

Two days after the handover, our electrician went straight to providing us our lights for the house.  We are really very pleased with everything.  There are more to do but the most important parts which are the lounge and kitchen and dinning area and hallways and terrazza are done...

I am very pleased with my entrance as well. For those that knows me, I have been anticipating the red entrance and I think I have achieved it ... The red door with the red shade makes my vision come together...

Slowly moving in ...

I can finally see how the chairs I bought would look in the new house

MrK got into it straight away and started bringing in the kids' beds

MrK got into it straight away and started bringing in the kids' beds

Someone was patiently waiting for her bed to be assembled

Also started bringing in what I can stuff in my little care (there's more than this I promise lol)

Today we woke up early with the intention of slowly moving stuff to the new house now that we have the keys... slowly we do it ... the kids are getting excited about their new room.

Tomorrow the electrician will be here to install all the major lighting for the house.

Slowly we are building this house into our home...

Thanks for dropping by and see you in the next post

Hand Over is Today!

Finally, the day has come - the day any home owners who decided to build from start to end would anticipate... it's handover time.  After BW confirmed that they have received the final payment and that all dues have been settled, we were given today's date to meet up with our CSR Maria to sign paper works and the final procedure - to hand over the keys to our brand new home.

It has been a good year from the time we bought the land until we sourced our builder to where we are now ... I can't say its smooth sailing nor was is champagne and strawberries but from this experience, we learned so many things and even tested our patience, logical thinking as well as our characters but in the end, it all comes down to great communications.

The keys were newly handed...and there's this bag of goodies too

Our bag of goodies consist of a bottle of bubblies with two wine glass to complete it then an apron and bbq utensils 

our much coveted keys... front door, garage doors, sliding doors and all other windows

We're happy to say, we are now the proud owner of a Lexia Slim Four abode from Beechwood Homes and looking forward to new and happy memories in our new home.

Despite our build coming to an end, I still intend to continue blogging with everything that is happening with this beautiful house.

Thank you for dropping by and see you in our next post

It's the Final Countdown...I mean payout

After a couple of weeks of stale mate situation due to issues with our builder's workmanship that we raised after our practical completion inspection, we now have come to an amicable resolution.  We initially said we will withhold the final payment until things were rectified but after assurance from our CSR that the issues raised will be attended to, we then contacted our bank to release the remaining funds.

It was such a stressful time but that has to put at the back now as we move forward and should be looking forward for BW to receive the final payment then an email to let us know of the settlement date... till then we shall sit here and (patiently) wait.

Thank you for joining us and see you in the next post. 

Time to do the Driveway

The house is ready, we have been issued an interim occupational certificate.  Now we pass the baton to the bank to organise the last few things (e.g the final payment) and we are nearly on the finish line.  So thinking about that, we started organising our concreter for the driveway and side of the house.  

Today, I called the same concrete guy who was doing our neighbour's driveway a couple of months ago.  Tony (the concreter) went to our new place despite it being a Sunday to survey our house.

We can move in without the driveway but we wish to have this done and over with soon... 

Thanks for dropping by and see you in our next post.