30th October

Today we had our first uninvited visitor to 59 Hunter St. Lester and I opened the door and heard sounds of frantic movement, which was slighlty alarming. Warily, we peeked over the bannister and spotted a pigeon which had found its way in, (probably through the mystery window) and had obviously spent the night trying to get out. With flapping arms and nose dives over mounds of scaffolding and paint tins - that's us, not the stupid bird-  we were able to capture the poor thing and liberate it.

This is our first room! It is the wall of the bathroom/ensuite. Not quite as large as we are used to, but then that's the whole idea.

Greg spent  much of yesterday preparing these vertical, structural metal beams to be trimmed to floor level. These steel frames are the old fashioned way of making sky scrapers but we are not that ambitious! It was noisy work and the tenant downstairs had the nerve to ring me up and tell me how noisy it was. So I told him...get back to work so we can pay the bloke who is making the noise. I hate to think of the noise the angle grinder will make as it trims these beams.

Bernie, this is for you. You were asking me to describe the detail of the beam and the joist. I hope this answers your query adequately.

Streets and Lanes? Hopscotch? Innovative floor design? No, just the battons in place for the floor boards to be laid.

29th October

I spent yesterday battling the traffic to Cardiff to choose floorboards at Marshall's. There was a distinct atmosphere of gloom about the place as old Mr Marshall had died the previous day and floral tributes abounded. I felt quite frivolous concerning myself with the attributes of ironbark vs blackbutt and trying to remember old forest varieties so as not to support "immoral" industrial practises. I eventually settled on blue gum which is, ironically, red in colour.

I also spent hours at Roverts, choosing light fittings. I was completely out of my depth in the wattage department (too many numbers) but finally decided on a simple industrial style. The lights will be so unobtrusive that they will not be noticed which made me wonder why I had spent so much deciding on them! The problem had been providing light for such a large area so it came down to continuous fluros  for downstairs and led downlights for upstairs. And of course, Kristina K reduced the solar energy subsidy yesterday so we will have a re-think about our panel and hot water roof installations. I imagine we will still go ahead with it - as a matter of principle.

We watched Grand Designs Australia last night. A young couple built a very small and tall house in Surrey Hills. Apart from the fact that their budget blew out by about $400,000 (that won't be us!),  we had a few laughs at similarities to our build; the large kitchen bench, downgrading on taps to afford the tree on the roof garden, black frames on windows and doors and internal sliding room dividers. We are just such trend-setters - or perhaps that's trend-followers! I am sure they were all my ideas!

The parking problem continues. The official Works Zone signs have been in place for a couple of weeks and still people continue to park in the spots much to the ire of Steve and Greg. A hapless tourist mini-bus, whose occupants were off having a nice coffee, was caught there by Steve yesterday. As he pulled out his mobile to phone through the rego to the rangers, a burly driver ran up, explaining that they were the Federal Police on a trip from W.A. -  where Federal Police can park where they like. Undeterred, an inflamed Steve told him that he didn't care who they were and what they can do over the other side of the country, that he has paid thousands of dollars for that park and that they should get back on their bus etc. etc..(in builders' language of course.)  Off they went...!  Warning: Steve can be pretty scarry - rabid bulldog - if you park in his work zones!

27th October

Lots of action, noise and decision making today.  Early in the morning two Genie Lifts arrived and were manoeuvred upstairs by Greg and Richo in order to raise the three steel beams. By the end of the day that awful job was completed, with help from Steve who happened to arrive just in time for the installation of the largest one and before his appointment with the physio.

I have been concerned that we are not doing enough with the roof garden area. We initially thought we could figure out that space ourselves but since the room has opened up with the demolition it has become apparent that this will become a really important living area and needs specialist thinking. So we have called in David (landscape architect) who is very familiar with the vagaries of the building. Today we all met on site, with his concept and discussed the features of fake grass and soft-fall rubbers, planter boxes and Porters Paints (which are particularly lovely ...and of course expensive!)

We have stepped up our campaign to get the neighbouring/ adjoining wall repaired by the owners with the aid of a solicitor's letter. I have tried to photographically capture some of the rusty and loose bits of the wall which threaten to fall.

This evening I bumped into our new neighbours and old friends in the street, (indeed one of them is soon turning 55 and will be elegible to move into a retirement village as of next week) - Ann and David. Couldn't join them for a quick pasta tonight at a local eatery but assured them that we will be keen to do so once we have moved in.

 I tried to capture some of the detail of the rubble on camera today and tries to get a bit arty...

 The beam lifter

 Three beams in place by the afternoon

ARTY SHOTS

 Richo and Greg hard at it

Bits from the neighbouring wall

Here are two of the 3D models of the garden. (That's Lester in the cool street wear at the barbie and I am the buxom young wench on the deck, admiring the view!)

25th October

More demolition occurred today. The old industrial air-conditioner looks about to depart. More timber has arrived and the steel beams are  ready to  be placed into position. There is a problem with a young woman who lives in a flat further down the road who keeps parking in the Construction Zone ( "Oh I forgot!") and impeding the unloading and loading of materials. Greg's patience isn't infinite. I hope she starts remembering soon!

Ian, our friendly "Cable Guy" has researched a wireless system called Sonos. It looks terrific. Being able to be "cable-less" will be a definite advantage. Ian is rearing to go with things like dish and antenna placement too.

I sent off some of my hierloom chairs (from Gosford) to be rejuvenated and re-upholstered today so they will look snazzy in the new environment.

Lester is back at work today. I told him not to bother to complain to the landlord about noise disturbance. She would only tell him to get back to work and earn the money to pay for it!

Once this wall goes and the air-conditioning duct is removed, this whole area will open up significantly.

The three beams ready to be lifted into place.

A mysterious little window has appeared through the tiles in the old shower recess upstairs. Unlike the other windows which were entombed within a wall, this one opens out into the big wide world, overlooking the car park out the back. This place is full of surprises!

24th October

Well, we are back from our road trip north, to Bundaberg and Fraser Island, bearing the welts of many bites - not from dingoes or crocodiles, but from pesky March Flies! Modern communications made it possible for us to field complaints from irate neighbours in Hunter Street who found the drilling and jack-hammering work being carried out industriously by Steve, Greg and co. to be uncomfortable! These neighbours had been informed of the building activity and that Council forbids work to be carried out after hours in a residential area.  Not a good start with the neighbours and our dispute with them over the ownership of the party wall has continued per iPhone during the week. (Our solicitor has advised on several points about easements and shared walls and will notify them of these directly.) Brendan suggested that - if it is our wall - then we should sell it out for advertising space! Maybe we could run our own campaigns: Save the Murray-Darling! It's Time for a Republic!  etc. Charlotte (yes, we all met up in  Ortiga in Brizzy), questioned if we were able to "own the air" above our building.  David has forwarded  ideas for the roof garden: what should grow up there and the lighting plan is complete - just need to make some decisions about styles of lights. I hope this won't be as hard as taps. I am feeling more guilty than ever about my choice of kitchen tap. Rowan and Samantha have been working in an orphanage in Cambodia lately and I can't help but wonder how many khymer-speaking teachers my tap could have bought for those kids.

Obviously not deterred by neighbours' complaints much progress was made. Greg took photos while we were away...

Carpet has been removed

                                          The beams have been craned in.

Progress

Yesterday we did of Mexican two-step, (why Mexican??). Two steps forward and one step backwards! Regis checked out the plumbing problems with inimitable calmness. Bobby stepped-out the kitchen in detail and I arranged for our appliances to be sent to his workshop. Steve researched the workings of ethanol heaters and, most importantly, organised the parking for the workmen with Council. A "Construction Zone" has been set up out the front. I spent a little time chatting to the neighbours, (Bali Corner and the Surf Shop) giving them a "heads-up" about the possibility of noise and mess in the future. Encouragingly, the woman in Bali Corner was more concerned that we should be putting a Bali-style garden on the roof, with water features and a buddha.

Now for the backsteps: The engineer has decided that we need three beams upstairs because the structure will need more bracing. Looks like we will have to crane them up, along with the machinery needed to lift them into place. There is also a bow in one of the beams which will need fixing. The top floor was not a part of the original structure and, of course,  not designed to hold the weight of solar panels and hot water tank!

David went upstairs to do some measuring for the garden design and discovered that the waterproofing skin on the deck, is, in fact, leaking. We had hoped that it was sound and would not need replacing. However, the reverse is the case.
I wonder if it isn't actually, two steps backwards and one step forward?

Too late now...

Day 3: More demolition

When Lester got into work this morning there was movement at the station! He joyously texted saying that there was lots of "good noise" happening upstairs. It is surprising how much clearing out has to be done and Greg is certainly making short work of it.

the old bathroom which will become the new "ensuite"

The other old bathroom which will become the new bedroom

 Meanwhile, I am awaiting, with some eagerness, the plan for the roof garden being prepared by David, the landscape architect and the lighting plan by Natalie, from Roverts. I am also trying to overcome distinctive feelings of guilt for having bought a kitchen tap which cost as much as would  be needed to feed half of India.

Back in Stockton, I did some "sorting" of books but most of the day was taken up shredding thirty years of bank statements which Lester has diligently kept. This will NOT become an issue in the "city-pad" as storage will be minimal and records will be kept electronically!!

About one quarter of the (useless) shredded documents. 

Another good thing happened today. The landlord rang! He promised not to kick us out in the street in mid-December.

Developments and Revelations

 Here is a photograph of the block in Hunter Street taken from the Post Office before the P&O building was an actuality

The old P & O Building was built in the  1930's. It has a steel frame (like the Chrysler Building in NY) and we think there may have been plans for it to go further skyward. P&O was at that time one of the principal shipping companies in the port, and for that matter, the world. The walk-in safe in the surgery probably indicates some of the wealth that needed protecting!  . (It is the gap next to the AMP Building.) The style of the building shows "inter-war classic revival characteristics" and the facade is made from Wunderlich glazed tiles and retains a Wunderlich  metal sign ; "P&O Building" above the awning. 

Two interesting features of this 1920's building have recently been revealed. The ceiling on the top floor actually appears to be a floor! It is made up of wide tongue-and-groove floorboards. There is a layer of metal above that, which will be, hopefully, strong enough to support our solar panels.It is unfortunate that the rain is presently leaking through these boards.

Floorboards in the ceiling!

The other interesting revelation is the set of steels windows which were packed in the wall. It seems that these windows used to open into the light well in the AMP windows. In 1997 the well was bricked in and the windows were enclosed within the wall. Interesting!!

Windows inside the wall!

Greg and John spent Friday pulling out the old wiring and data cables in readiness for the jackhammering to start on Thursday. (We are heading off to Qld on Thursday leaving them - and the neighbours- to it!!)

 One of the steel frames supporting the building.

buildinggracelands : the conversion of 59 Hunter St

Day I :  8th October

Actual physical work has begun on the two floors of 59 Hunter St. Despite the fact that I can hardly get through the front door because it has a hideous lock and despite the fact that there is still some dispute between us and the owners of the seven storey building next door (AMP Strata) who claim that  repairing the wall is not their responsibility because it is a party wall  (therefore, we "own" the  0.23 of the surface of the entire wall) - work has started on our new abode. Our solicitor is presently working on this!!! Owing to the rain, more water is leaking into the top floor. It is pretty stuffy up there and I can't wait to have those fake 80's windows knocked out so we can get some air flow through the place. Mr Parsons and the NCC might not be happy that we are "destroying the fabric of the streetscape", but the removal of those windows will make all the difference.

It has been fun to meet up with the "old team": Steve, whose gammy hip makes him grit his teeth every time he walks through the front door and climbs those stairs; Greg, claiming he is "old" at 30 but still showing great form in demolishing  unwanted  gyprock; John (Perc) who finds hard jobs interesting but wishes they were all easier; Bobby who patiently listens while I hum-and-ha about the positioning of the tea towel hanger. Haven't seen Regis yet but there are plenty of pipe problems awaiting him!. It feels really comfortable and there are lots of laughs.

We have bought most of the "appliances" which are sitting in warehouses around the country. Today we ordered a custom made table from a really interesting tradesman at Eraring. The table will be made from Tasmanian Blackwood and will have pedestal legs which will allow it to be placed  against the wall. It is an interesting design: wait until you see it! Meanwhile, I am sort of sorting stuff at Stockton. (Does anyone want a 2004 Subaru station wagon - 4 brand new tyres?)

It has taken nearly twelve months to get to this stage. Luckily, we were able to rent-back the Stocko house but the lease runs out on 15th December. So, by anyone's calculations, we are cutting things fine. We are hopeful that out landlords won't mind if we have to extend the lease but I have been awaiting a reply for a couple of weeks now. EeeeK!!