As I predicted earlier, nothing much has happened over the past days and will not until the third week in January. That's OK - what we expected.
Last night, "Sleek Geeks" was about colour; how colours absorb and emit differently. (I won't get too technical here - because I can't!) However, there was one really interesting experiment where colours were observed firstly under incandescent (heat), then flurescent and lastly under led (light emitting diodes) conditions. The colours ranged in intensities from natural/yellowish, to more bluie-ish and then to white-ish. I thought this will be interesting when considering colour intensity on our walls as downstairs is fluro and upstairs in led. Anyway, I will have weeks to ponder this...
Have a lovely Christmas everyone and a cheer-ful New Years. I will be back when things start moving again on gracelands.
The conversion of 59 Hunter St
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
21st December
As Christmas nears I know that Steve and the boys have another job to finish and I am not expecting too much to happen over the next days. Today, however, more of the kitchen was assembled. One piece has had to be returned because apparently it has been scratched or knocked in some way. I am relieved that the colour of the cupboards is fine, if a bit wishywashy. Depending on the light, it does look white sometimes but to the discerning eye, there is a definite tone of greeny/grey! I like the handles too. Phew!
The metal vertical suports have been modified since I was last there. These are the steel frames which would allow the building to be raised many storeys. These frames exist in the first sky scrapers e.g. the Chrysler Building. Anyway, we have just shortened these by 10 cm so they can fit underneath the floor boards. There must have been oxy torches in use, (something like that is the technical term), in here last week to cut them off.
And on the home front, we are doing many "last time in Stocko..." things. The last Christmas. The last New Year. The twelfth last walk out the Breakwall etc. So I took some pics of Lester's last crop of agapanthus. I swear he has names for them all and will miss them dearly. The bees did not like the intrusion though!
The metal vertical suports have been modified since I was last there. These are the steel frames which would allow the building to be raised many storeys. These frames exist in the first sky scrapers e.g. the Chrysler Building. Anyway, we have just shortened these by 10 cm so they can fit underneath the floor boards. There must have been oxy torches in use, (something like that is the technical term), in here last week to cut them off.
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| The purpose built ladder cupboard. |
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| Pull-out ironing board |
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| Metal frames have been "modified". |
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| "Can you stop now. There are bees in my face!" |
Monday, December 20, 2010
20th December
I've had a few calls today asking why the blog has not been updated. Well, turns out...
Things did not go quite to plan with the new roof last week and consequently nothing much happened on the place on Thursday and Friday, apart from some tidying up of cables by John before the rendered appears later this week. Apparently this rendered has a propensity to cover anything and everything up with cement and John wanted to make sure which bits were to remain exposed. I didn't photograph neat cables. It is those messy ones which make interesting images. Other things have happened though.
On Saturday, the scaffold was removed from the back of our place. The patch up paint job was fine. Greg is not bad with the old paint brush! Actually the back of the building has never been a priority. We have decided to leave some unused pipes in situ and there is all manner of mechanisms attached to the rear wall; air conditioner, exhaust, water and something else I can't quite fathom.
Last week, when we saw the crane arriving and leaving so quickly from the Stockton side, we didn't realise that the crane had arrived extra early - so early in fact that it left before the truck which arrived with the new roofing materials was unable to organise that the crane lift the metal on to the roof. This had nothing to do with Steve. It was the deal arranged between the roofer and the company doing the AMP wall (taking away their scaffold.) Seems they did not liaise very well! So, our new roof did not go on that day.
Another crane was ordered for today. This crane dropped the roofing material, the gyprock and the hot water system onto our roof garden in one swooop, at 7 am this morning.
The roof did, in fact, go on today which was a relief as on Friday there had been the most dreadful storm and many buckets had to be strategically placed to deal with th influx of water.
The solar hot water system was delivered today but not installed because the frame on which to sit it somehow managed not to arrive on the truck!
Progress happened today on the stairs - the temporary rails were removed in readiness for the glass bannisters. And more of the kitchen went in. Lester sent photos home of the truck in the street with the cupboard doors on it. These had been sent away to be "two-packed" - i.e. painted and cooked. I am a bit apprehensive that those hours of choosing colours might turn out to be fatally wrong - i.e. too dark - too green or too blue. You may remember that I was avoiding a black and white kitchen and spent hours trawling through shades of grey. Anyway, turns out (fav word for tonight) that really, there is no way the chosen colour is too dark. It looks pretty "white" after all. The top shelving is in place now and without a human in the photos, the dimensions are not quite apparent. These shelves were designed to be reached by ladder. They are very high but will serve as seldom-visited storage.
Things did not go quite to plan with the new roof last week and consequently nothing much happened on the place on Thursday and Friday, apart from some tidying up of cables by John before the rendered appears later this week. Apparently this rendered has a propensity to cover anything and everything up with cement and John wanted to make sure which bits were to remain exposed. I didn't photograph neat cables. It is those messy ones which make interesting images. Other things have happened though.
On Saturday, the scaffold was removed from the back of our place. The patch up paint job was fine. Greg is not bad with the old paint brush! Actually the back of the building has never been a priority. We have decided to leave some unused pipes in situ and there is all manner of mechanisms attached to the rear wall; air conditioner, exhaust, water and something else I can't quite fathom.
Last week, when we saw the crane arriving and leaving so quickly from the Stockton side, we didn't realise that the crane had arrived extra early - so early in fact that it left before the truck which arrived with the new roofing materials was unable to organise that the crane lift the metal on to the roof. This had nothing to do with Steve. It was the deal arranged between the roofer and the company doing the AMP wall (taking away their scaffold.) Seems they did not liaise very well! So, our new roof did not go on that day.
Another crane was ordered for today. This crane dropped the roofing material, the gyprock and the hot water system onto our roof garden in one swooop, at 7 am this morning.
The roof did, in fact, go on today which was a relief as on Friday there had been the most dreadful storm and many buckets had to be strategically placed to deal with th influx of water.
The solar hot water system was delivered today but not installed because the frame on which to sit it somehow managed not to arrive on the truck!
Progress happened today on the stairs - the temporary rails were removed in readiness for the glass bannisters. And more of the kitchen went in. Lester sent photos home of the truck in the street with the cupboard doors on it. These had been sent away to be "two-packed" - i.e. painted and cooked. I am a bit apprehensive that those hours of choosing colours might turn out to be fatally wrong - i.e. too dark - too green or too blue. You may remember that I was avoiding a black and white kitchen and spent hours trawling through shades of grey. Anyway, turns out (fav word for tonight) that really, there is no way the chosen colour is too dark. It looks pretty "white" after all. The top shelving is in place now and without a human in the photos, the dimensions are not quite apparent. These shelves were designed to be reached by ladder. They are very high but will serve as seldom-visited storage.
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| Scaffold down. Patched up wall doesn't look too bad - considering... |
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| Exhaust, a/c and other attachments |
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| Ritcho directing traffic as crane lifts gyprock and roofing gear from truck |
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| View from further down the street |
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| Western wall of kitchen |
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| Eastern wall of kitchen |
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| Centre bench - the doors look fairly light in these photos. |
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| The kitchen doors arrive. It is really annoying that someone has parked in the construction zone parking spot. Luckily nothing dropped from the crane!! |
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
15th December - Afternoon
Well, the new roof is on but I don't have any photographic evidence as yet. Lester popped in after work and two big developments have occurred. Bob has obvioiusly been busy because some of the kitchen is in place AND the stairs have arrived. I am feeling quite pleased with the choice of the blue gum flooring but I am holding my breath about the colours of the cupboard doors. Building began roughly ten weeks ago and it looks like some big developments will happen before the Christmas break.
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| Two pull-out pantries and the vertical storage space for oven trays and baking dishes etc. |
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
15th December - Cranes On The Skyline.
At 6.15 a.m. Lester and I noticed, as we looked out the bathroom window from Stockton, that "our" crane was already on site over in Hunter Street. Work was starting early as the crane had to be gone from the carpark around th back by 8 am. The plan is for it to take the scaffolding and old metal from the AMP wall and the old roofing from our roof, then unload the new roofing for our place. Our new roof should be done in one day. (This is greatly different from the roof we put on at Stockton a couple of years ago which took over a week to complete.) I don't know if all has gone to plan. Within ten minutes, enough time for us to scramble downstairs and grab the camera and take a few shots, the crane was lowered and gone. It was a strange sensation to realise that of the three cranes working over town, this morning, one of them was ours! Once again I can only say, so much for our "little renovation"!
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| View from Stockton |
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| Three cranes on the skyline. "ours" is the little one! |
Monday, December 13, 2010
13th December
The enormity of what was supposedly a "simple renovation" is dawning on me. How do people build complicated buildings like sky scrapers and shopping centres? 59 Hunter Street is really only a fit-out of two (albeit large) rooms: one downstairs and one upstairs. I will attach a scribbled plan to help you sort out the things I keep talking about. I know Rowan is getting nervous that there will be no room for him when he comes back to Oz. There will be heaps of room - it just isn't divided into rooms! Btw...the leaking AMP wall is the one on the right hand side of the drawings.
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| Air-conditioning unit in kitchen |
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| Front door - 7.00pm |
Friday, December 10, 2010
11th December
Since my last post, progress has not been all "moving forward". Things have not exactly gone backwards but more in a sideways direction.
The roofers finished cladding the AMP wall (in an interesting colour!) and were just finishing off the flashing against our roof when it became apparent that where the workmen had been treading on the roof, sections were rotted out underneath. It turns out, that the lead flashing used between the buildings has corroded the metal of the roofing underneath it, thus contributing to the water's entering our place. After many phone calls we have decided to replace all the metal on out roof too, in Colourbond which will conveniently match the colour up the AMP wall. We were going to do a patch-up job but the contractor was keen to do our roof, next week, as it means that he can then finish off the AMP properly. So, since it does not hold up our progress by much, although it did mean postponing the craning-up and installation of the solar hot water system yesterday, we decided to go ahead. A new roof - not in the plans but not a bad thing!
On Thursday night there was a huge storm in the night. The whole site was nearly flooded and all the investigations on the roof have opened up more leaks which most efficiently encouraged water to gush in upstairs, fill John's tool box to the rim and leave puddles everywhere.
Meanwhile, Greg, Richo, Regis, John and the new on-site labourer, Ian, worked away all day. Ian has toiled for three days, with his friend David, his computer, and his new buddy from Foxtel, who came to check out reception and antenna positioning. All is now "ready to go".
The roofers finished cladding the AMP wall (in an interesting colour!) and were just finishing off the flashing against our roof when it became apparent that where the workmen had been treading on the roof, sections were rotted out underneath. It turns out, that the lead flashing used between the buildings has corroded the metal of the roofing underneath it, thus contributing to the water's entering our place. After many phone calls we have decided to replace all the metal on out roof too, in Colourbond which will conveniently match the colour up the AMP wall. We were going to do a patch-up job but the contractor was keen to do our roof, next week, as it means that he can then finish off the AMP properly. So, since it does not hold up our progress by much, although it did mean postponing the craning-up and installation of the solar hot water system yesterday, we decided to go ahead. A new roof - not in the plans but not a bad thing!
On Thursday night there was a huge storm in the night. The whole site was nearly flooded and all the investigations on the roof have opened up more leaks which most efficiently encouraged water to gush in upstairs, fill John's tool box to the rim and leave puddles everywhere.
Meanwhile, Greg, Richo, Regis, John and the new on-site labourer, Ian, worked away all day. Ian has toiled for three days, with his friend David, his computer, and his new buddy from Foxtel, who came to check out reception and antenna positioning. All is now "ready to go".
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| Roof corrosion |
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| more corrosion |
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| Even more corrosion |
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| Roof view - taken by Greg |
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| Ian's antenna holder |
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| New site helper-outer- Ian |
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| Richo - hard at it |
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| AMP wall completed. The colour looks ok here. |
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| Effects of flooding in toolbox |
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| John is such a clever guy he can evacuate with his trousers on! |
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Upstairs beams which need strengthening. Water damage. |
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| Chasing and rendering in the kitchen |
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| Regis contemplating his pipes out on the scaffold |
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| Giant nail gun - arty shot by Greg! He has taken most of these photos today. |
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
8th December
Workmen everywhere today! Some "roofing guys" were accessing the AMP wall through our place and Greg, Richo, John and Regis moved things along for us. We had to do a bit of juggling to find a time when the water could be cut off in the surgery, which eventually worked, conveniently, into Lester's lunch break. This followed some anxious moments when we thought we would have to find and fill buckets for the surgery loo.
Greg and Richo were doing something with the ceiling upstairs. I can't wait for the stairs to go in so I can access the upstairs and see what is actually happening up there. The plumber, has done great things with water pipes, overflow drains and kitchen plumbing. The electrician, has organised more cables, lights, front door attachments and exhaust fans.
It looks like the AMP wall is nearly finished and that scaffold should be down by the end of this week. We still have to render and paint the back wall, attach an air conditoning unit and some TV antennae before the end of the next week, when our scaffold will come down.
I had another fraught morning helping out in the surgery. (I have decided dealing with the public is really hard. Working with a room full of Year 10 boys is preferable. Even better still would be a job with a dog and a computer!) I managed to look up once, in between accidentally hanging up on someone for the third time - I think it was Katy who surely now knows she has the duddest aunty in the world, and saw a group of mature lycra-clad specimens across the road who were intently looking up at the roof. It crossed my mind that this was an odd thing for a group of cyclists, out on their Wednesday morning ride, to be doing. Turns out, it was Ian explaining to his mates where his latest cable network project was taking place.
Greg and Richo were doing something with the ceiling upstairs. I can't wait for the stairs to go in so I can access the upstairs and see what is actually happening up there. The plumber, has done great things with water pipes, overflow drains and kitchen plumbing. The electrician, has organised more cables, lights, front door attachments and exhaust fans.
It looks like the AMP wall is nearly finished and that scaffold should be down by the end of this week. We still have to render and paint the back wall, attach an air conditoning unit and some TV antennae before the end of the next week, when our scaffold will come down.
I had another fraught morning helping out in the surgery. (I have decided dealing with the public is really hard. Working with a room full of Year 10 boys is preferable. Even better still would be a job with a dog and a computer!) I managed to look up once, in between accidentally hanging up on someone for the third time - I think it was Katy who surely now knows she has the duddest aunty in the world, and saw a group of mature lycra-clad specimens across the road who were intently looking up at the roof. It crossed my mind that this was an odd thing for a group of cyclists, out on their Wednesday morning ride, to be doing. Turns out, it was Ian explaining to his mates where his latest cable network project was taking place.
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| Action man! Kitchen water pipes in place. |
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| Action men! Pipes and cables galore. |
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| The new AMP wall is almost finished in two days! |
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| Arty shot..reflection of one bank on another, at the corner. |
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| Arty shot #2 (sorry). This always spins me out in the afternoon light. |
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
7th December
Another BIG day.
Well, big for me because it was the first day I have worked (at any job) for an entire day, since my retirement (four years). Lester and I arrived over town by seven o'clock and I had initial decision-making conversations with Steve and Greg before eight. We discussed important things like sound-proofing toilets, waste water outlets, telephone outlets and the fact that we had heard nothing from the building company who were supposed to be fixing the AMP wall.
However, on the dot of eight, a huge crane backed up the lane, (blocking all the commuters coming to work), followed by a crew of scaffolders who set about unloading and erecting the aluminium scaffolding onto our roof, against the offending wall. I was delighted that there was "action" happening but also a little concerned that no-one had seen hide-nor-hair of the engineer who was apparently going to "sign off" that our roof could support this scaffold. (It turned out that "their" engineer and "our" engineer are the same bloke and he was happy to let it all happen because he knew we, (Greg) had put up those three steel beams on the top floor which, apparently can withhold any amount of weight. So - all good. By about midday everything was in place and I had a chance to slip out and photograph events. The men erecting the scaffold - are they called gangers??- even gave a wave at the sight of a camera.
Meanwhile, my Big Day continued for many more hours. I "held the fort" at the front desk of the surgery; answering phones, scanning documents and trying to give the appearance that I knew what I was doing. Can't fool these patients. They sussed something was up as their beloved Rosemary and Carol were not there to greet them, as they have done for years. One old chap announced to the waiting room that he has known "Rosemary and Carol for thirty years!!" I could read his thoughts..."and who the heck are you???" All went well-ish until mid-afternoon when one man was so put-out that his verbal abuse over the phone, consisted of something akin to sexual harrassment, which was actually pretty upsetting. I must be getting prudish in my old age but I was shocked (and even a bit crushed) by his implications and language. Got to meet him face-to-face tomorrow. Give me thirty kids any day. They aren't half as scary as one unmedicated adult.
In the middle of all this I held conversations with multiple builders and tradesmen several times, sometimes simultaneously in the waiting room much to the interest of all present. It is quite advantageous to be on site so that I can liaise between construction workers. One bizarre conversation was about how long scaffolding was staying in place. Now that there are two lots of scaffolding on the same site the conversation became quite skewed - now, which bit of scaffolding are you talking about?
Meanwhile, Rowan and Samantha sent messages about their trip through Vietnam. They were on yet another slow and overcrowded bus heading for Hoi An. Sounded nice.
Well, big for me because it was the first day I have worked (at any job) for an entire day, since my retirement (four years). Lester and I arrived over town by seven o'clock and I had initial decision-making conversations with Steve and Greg before eight. We discussed important things like sound-proofing toilets, waste water outlets, telephone outlets and the fact that we had heard nothing from the building company who were supposed to be fixing the AMP wall.
However, on the dot of eight, a huge crane backed up the lane, (blocking all the commuters coming to work), followed by a crew of scaffolders who set about unloading and erecting the aluminium scaffolding onto our roof, against the offending wall. I was delighted that there was "action" happening but also a little concerned that no-one had seen hide-nor-hair of the engineer who was apparently going to "sign off" that our roof could support this scaffold. (It turned out that "their" engineer and "our" engineer are the same bloke and he was happy to let it all happen because he knew we, (Greg) had put up those three steel beams on the top floor which, apparently can withhold any amount of weight. So - all good. By about midday everything was in place and I had a chance to slip out and photograph events. The men erecting the scaffold - are they called gangers??- even gave a wave at the sight of a camera.
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| from the rear - two differeent scaffolds |
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| Front view |
In the middle of all this I held conversations with multiple builders and tradesmen several times, sometimes simultaneously in the waiting room much to the interest of all present. It is quite advantageous to be on site so that I can liaise between construction workers. One bizarre conversation was about how long scaffolding was staying in place. Now that there are two lots of scaffolding on the same site the conversation became quite skewed - now, which bit of scaffolding are you talking about?
Meanwhile, Rowan and Samantha sent messages about their trip through Vietnam. They were on yet another slow and overcrowded bus heading for Hoi An. Sounded nice.
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