Final stages???

The scoria is spread, and painting starts - a stark white base coat...

and Andrew Teer returns with our specially crafted house number...

The painting continues - three more coats matching the house colour...the number included so it is clear in relief. Then the letterbox face is added.

All simple, effective, classy - like the rest of the house (if not the owners)...

We are mighty pleased, and ready to get our hands dirty with some landscaping...

Mik has already planted some ivy to grow up the side of his house, so that eventually our eastern side will be green, now we do our bit:

A weekend of extra levelling and rubble removal, then Monday deliveries of lawn underlay and turf then lots of hard yakka (and help from neighbour Mik ) and by the end of Monday we had lawn.

The rest of the week; good soil, cow manure and more hard yakka - and in go the roses along the front fence and the Bacopa along the entry way, followed by a weekend of mulching and lots of watering...

The next weekend and there's a bit more planting...Plum surprise along the border with number 18, 

and a sprinkler system to boot.

Getting there!

Andrew Teer finally had a clear run and finished the wall and columns. He is a real craftsman and his work is legendary...and receiving many many compliments from passers by.

Then along came the man to drill holes in his wonderful work...a necessity for the fencing...

Following closely behind were Snow Contractors - the structural steel specialists to fit the fencing:

First craning the pieces in,

then fine tuning to fit!















(and the pathway scoria was delivered during the process too - it's all happening)


Then finally the gates...

Then at last, the security fencing is taken away from the front of the house and we can see the building in all its spleandour (even if the front still looks rather like a building site)!

 We're not sure exactly how long this building had been hidden behind security fencing, but we have evidence that says at least 15 years, and others are of the opinion that it is 20 years or more!!

The postman is pleased he now has easy access to a REAL postbox, even though our post is redirected so he doesn't have too much work to do...

Now for next steps - 

House number, painting and gardening!

Raindrops kept falling

It seems to have taken an eternity....

Rain delay after rain delay, and the need to cure hard plaster at each stage, has certainly caused a few issues.


But now the north wall west side has been coated and rounded off:
















 - and the columns -

Nearly done:

 and final stage:

Looking pretty impressive! Thanks to Andrew Teer, solid plastering!

Now the entrance way, steps, levelling pathways, painting, fencing and gates.
Then landscaping...

Column curing

After what seems like an interminable time (with lots of pesky rain), Andrew Teer our heritage hard plaster expert is on site and steadfastly recreating the columns of yesteryear.

Lots of measuring and templating and then finally visible changes!!

Following the engineering requirements for modern construction and the instructions to 'reinstate, with remnant railings remaining, new ones to be on the same line' things begin to take shape:

.

 (I must remember to take pictures from directly in front to give the real impression!)

















Closer up it's easier to see the work involved...and in case you are wondering about the title, it's to do with the plaster needing to cure.



This pic was taken just before the ritual watering of the columns over the first few days - and then a waiting period of a couple of weeks as they cure well, ready for the next stage of development!

A few weeks still to go. We can hardly wait for the wrought iron fencing and gates to be installed...and the celebratory removal of the security fencing!...then landscaping!

Don't fence me in

The final stage of the 'build'.

The columns and fencing...underway...

...the first column... 

and the wall to counter the slope of the land

They will look a little different when completed, and then we can landscape!

A short post as ... 'rain has stopped play'!!

Going, going...

It's the scaffolding...

 It's going...

It's gone from around the house...

It's going on the back of a truck...

and it's gone!!

and for the next trick - a skip to arrive, a clean up to do then the next stage...

It's looking magnificent.
People are stopping to stare and comment and congratulate.

Thanks GTS Construction.

We are proud!!

We have done Newcastle and the Heritage Council proud...

Back on deck

Back on deck (HA HA) after Christmas. more blustrading, more painting.

The balustrading went up to check the fit and do the cut and paste, then it went down - for rustproofing and painting, then it went up and was refitted - a rather large and heavy jigsaw puzzle.

and it was repainted. along with the columns...















but WOW...it's coming together!

....and then there was the key frieze to go through the whole process too....


The last piece of key frieze slots into place

Completed!!!

Looking good at least from this side.
From the other side - not so good yet - the scaffolding needs to go and the site needs to be tidied and then we can move onto the next stage!!!