The vision unfolds - part three

Rightio, you're about to see how the place looks as it is today...yep, these photos are fresh off the camera. But before you get to check them out, let's take a look at how the place looked AFTER we'd been away for a few days....

We returned to the farm late Monday 20th October and our home had definitely become a building site! Poor Vern and Aaron had discovered upon removing some floorboards that bunnies had once thought our place was a pretty nice place to live too anad there were burrows everywhere and the soil covered some piers and other piers didn't even connect with the floor anymore! This certainly wasn't in the brief but being the stars they are, the guys got to it and cleaned it all up and the job was back on track.

Oh, there was one more hurdle before the gyprockers could start - the wall on the other side of the fireplace bowed...badly! So the guys move the fireplace out a bit (that's what they're doing in this photo) and then removed some of the floor and then whacked the wall into line. They've definitely got the touch!


The bi-fold door arrives!


The bi-fold doors in all their glory!




Rosi and I were finally trusted with a job other than removing nails from old bits of timber or pulling out the staples from the old floor....we were entrusted with the task of putting installation into the walls....lucky us! Actually, we quite enjoyed doing out bit to get the place ready for the gyprockers.



The makeshift kitchen till our new one arrives in 4 weeks.


The gyprockers arrive...they're the ones that make the place look all new!


View from our bedroom back towards the kitchen/dining area.


View from our bedroom...this time you get to see the walk-in wardrobe as well (very country!).


Standing where the kitchen will be and looking back towards the hallway to our bedroom.


Standing where the kitchen will be and looking at the dining room area. Finally, we have space for dinner parties!

The vision unfolds - part two

These photos are from week six. Now that the structure for the extensions is in place - Vern and Aaron start putting the walls and windows in.

In the photo below, the window to the left (with the pink material around it) is our new kitchen window. The space to the right of this window is for the bi fold doors (you'll see photos of these in week seven). The guys have moved one of the old window 90 degrees so that it now runs along the western deck....in total, this room has now extended north by a couple of metres.

Taking measure before they knock it down! This wall has to go as it's now in the middle of where the new kitchen and dining room will be.




I can see clearly now! New windows go in for the kitchen and bathroom.


Out with the old.....we've packed up the kitchen and stored everything in the loungeroom or our bedroom or in the study. A little cramped but it kind of feels like we're camping!

This is how we left the place on Thursday 16th October. The sparkie was there all day doing his thing and the kitchen guy had been up to do their measure check (or check measure...I always forget which way round it goes!). It was all action stations today...and then we waved the guys goodbye as we headed to town for a few days.

The vision unfolds!

We're into week seven of the BBY Beautification and it's all starting to feel very real now. Not that what's happened to date hasn't been amazing - it's just that when the work actually starts to take place within four walls and you have to pack things up and everything gets covered in dust...that's when you know you truly are renovating!

But I'm getting ahead of myself....plenty of changes took place outside during week five AND we were delighted to be able to share these in person with our wonderful friends, Greg, Cathy and Harry Kerr (yes, can you believe it, they came to visit us during the renovations AND they put in a hard day's work getting the retaining wall up and on it's way). We hope you enjoy these pics taken over that time.....more to come soon!

Love Megs, Rosi, Sidd, Viny and Adi


That's Aaron up there showing off his muscles and then we have Aaron and Vern proving they are in no way scared of heights....you wouldn't find me up there for quids! And here's a pic of how it looks from the driveway now the deck has a roof over it.


The great wall of West Bulga begins! Rosi tracked down a (relatively) local supplier and 55 sleepers were soon delivered. Rosi and Greg had a preliminery meeting (with beer in hand) to come up with a cunning plan. Vern threw in a few useful tips and set up the string line (now that's a handy piece of equipment!) and we were ready to get started.


Getting the foundations right. Greg, Cathy and Rosi get the posts in place and line up the bottom sleepers all the way round.


Megs and Harry mix up some more cement for the posts.


You start to get the idea.


Rosi and Megs go it alone after the Kerr's left for Newcastle and then home to Sydney. We've pretty much finished it now - though wet weather over the last week has prevented us from putting the steps in leading up to the back door. Fingers crossed we'll be able to get into it again soon.

More photos from the first month

PHOTOS FROM WEEK THREE

The beginnings of the new bedroom & ensuite and laundry (hooray, a laundry.....what a treat!)

This part of the extension is on the south side of the house.

And next come the walls.

The view of the house from up on West Bulga Road.

The walls are up and the deck is down...just the way it's meant to be!

And to prove there's more going up here than just renovations, here's a photo of the vegie patch and also the stone fruit. Spring has definitely sprung up here and everythings growing like crazy.

PHOTOS FROM WEEK FOUR

The guys have moved around to the north side of the house and the extension of the kitchen and dining room and the new deck are underway.

Goodbye old deck - we'll use the old wood to build a gardening table and shelves for Megs and for firewood next winter.

The extension for the kitchen and dining room takes shape and we are now reassured that the space will be big enough...well, actually Megs is reassured....Rosi always knew it would be fine.


The boys turned up at 6.45am on Wednesday 1st Oct with the aim of getting the deck done - and they did....by 3pm! What champions...and thanks for working so hard on your birthday Aaron!

Megs starts oiling the new deck.....now, with over 70 square metres of deck to oil, this job seems thankless at the time, but when it's all done, it really does looks amazing!