Lockup!

Sunday 27th February 2011

Woo!!

We have finally reached LOCKUP stage!

I received an email while in Singapore last week to inform me that the house is now in the 'lockup' stage and I punched my fist through the air and hissed 'Yes!' while standing at the MRT station.

I couldn't wait to get back and take some photos!

The windows and doors have all been installed, except the garage door. So, now I can't go inside to take photos!

But, I noticed that some of the windows were ajar so I was able to stick my arm through with the camera and take a few photos of the inside.


Wednesday 23rd February 2011


I was worried about the choice of colour for the rendering to the front of the house. It's so difficult to look at little tiny squares of different coloured paints and decide which one of the thousands of colours you want for your house to be. Everyone is going to see it but most importantly, it needs to be a good colour choice since I'll be looking at it everyday when I leave home and arrive home.

As I approached the house, I couldn't help but squeal in delight. I am very happy with the choice in colour. My friends know that purple is my favourite colour but I didn't want to go full on purple because that would have looked weird. I chose this colour because I hoped that it was look more mauve and compliment the roof tiles. I think it does! Couldn't be happier!


The plastering has been completed! I will need to paint the walls myself though.


The laundry sink is in!


The tiles for the bathrooms and laundry have been delivered.


I was amused that my nails match the rendering!


I've been told that from the lockup date, it is usually ten weeks to completion but apparently my house is making quick progress and at this stage it is two weeks ahead of schedule. Sweet!

Plaster Faster!

Sunday 27th February 2011

The day that I was due to fly out to Singapore, I received an email while I was out buying last minute things for the trip. It was from the builders to inform me that one of the colours of the laminate I had selected for some of the cupboards in the kitchen was now discontinued. You could either perceive this as good timing or bad timing. Good timing because they reached me before I fly overseas, or bad timing because I'm about to fly overseas!

I rushed to the tiles centre, which is on the way home via a slight detour, and started looking for alternative colours. However, since it's been a while since I chose the colours for the kitchen, I couldn't be sure what the other colours I had chosen were. I had to wait for my construction supervisor to return my call while agonising over about ten different shades of white.

I think I sort of struck it lucky. When I saw that my neighbours have gone with a predominantly white kitchen, I thought it does help to make the area seem more spacious and you can play around with white much more than you can with the colour resembling metallic copper I had chosen. Not unhappy, Jan.

Anyhow, here are some photos of the house!


Monday 7th February 2011


The rendering to the front of the house is done!
It just needs to be painted.



The concrete has been applied to the internal walls.


The ceilings have been done too.
They just need to be finished off and painted.


Wednesday 9th February 2011


The showers and taps have been marked out in my ensuite.


The second bathroom also has the taps all marked out.


This is where the kitchen bench is going!


Today was the first time my Dad has seen my house since he's been working away alot. He wasn't impressed with the graffiti that we found on what will one day be my dining room wall.

Making Progress!

Tuesday 1st February 2011

Yes, it is now the first day of February, 2011, and I have finally gotten around to posting an update. It's getting quite exciting and I can't help squealing with delight each time I approach the house and spot something new.


Tuesday 4th January 2011


Wooden roof rafters for the roof frame have been delivered to the site.


Friday 14th January 2011




The rafters for the roof are up!


The alfresco covering is up too!


Wednesday 19th January 2011

It looks like they've tidied some of the mess out the front.


It's really starting to look like a house now! With the roof starting to go up, I can now get a better feeling for the space inside. I can start picturing where the furniture is going to go.


Saturday 22nd January 2011




The roof tiles have been delivered! Originally, I had chosen an orangey/terracotta colour to match the bricks, but I later changed my mind because I've always pictured my home to have a charcoal coloured roof. The colour I have settled on is 'Monsoon'.


The fascia has been installed.




The electricians appear to have made a visit.


Thursday 27th January 2011


"There's a house with floor, with a floor, with a floor
There's a house with a wall, with a wall, with a wall
There's a house with a roof, with a roof, with a roof..."

The roof tiles have been installed!! Aside from the lack of windows and door, it looks like a house!


We have downpipes, which I assume means the guttering is probably done too.


I have a tap!


This must be where the hot water system will be installed.


I've been in touch with the builders to see if they can give me an estimated date of completion but they reckon it's still too early to tell.

*squeals in delight*