Another issue

Finally resolved the salinity issue, this week we have a new one. The builder has advised that due to the fall of the sewer, we need to raise the slab 200mm. Our tender did not  have any provision for this but it is also noted our site costs are subject to sewer requirements. Suprised to get this bit of news so late in the piece, but then better to know now than after the slab laid. Waiting on details from the  builder as to how they will raise the slab. Plans need to be redrawn and we'll be up for extra costs. Looking about another 4 weeks til we can start.

On another note, the pool people are ready to start the dig. But that is on hold too now til we find out details on how they are going to raise the slab level. Hopeing they might be able to use the soil from the pool dig to raise the land level for the higher slab. But I really don't know how that all works, so will have to try and find out more info.

Site start

Thanks to the well informed members of H1, the pegs are actually cut and fill pegs......that means we will have site start very soon! Need to contact our CSO tomorrow anyway, so hopefully will be given a start date. A little bit excited now, hopefully not long to wait til they scrape the site ready for construction.

We have pegs!

Hubby decided to get some firm quotes for a Geo Tech survey before we made a firm decision in relation to the salinity issue. Two quotes finally come in late this week, one $1,550 and the other $2,100. To upgrade the slab costs $3,000. We've decided due to the cost of the survey we'll just upgrade the slab and piering.

During the week I felt I had lost any excitment about our build due to the delays with council and now this salinity issue involving more costs. I was starting to wonder if we would ever get started.

A bit of a surprise today when I drove past the block and found 2 red pegs at the front and 2 pegs towards the back. I am guessing they are for the temporary fencing? A little bit of hope now that things will progress next week once we give the go ahead to upgrade the slab.

Salinity issue

Received notice that the council approved DA has indicated the block could have salinity issues. This would mean we need to upgrade the slab, have extra piering and upgrade the bricks to exposure grade.

We can get an independed report done to check this. Not sure how much this would cost but I would imagine a fair amount. The report could then come back and confirm salinity and we would need to upgrade the slab etc anyway. Or do we just do the upgrade without the report? Either way, it means more money spent. Haven't started the build yet and already extra costs.

Not happy to hear we needed to change the bricks to exposure grade, as we spent such a long time looking and deciding, then deciding on external colours. Wasn't too keen to go through the whole proccess again. So did a little surfing around the internet and found the product data sheet for the Austral Symmetry Asphalt bricks. Guess what? They are classed as "exposure grade". Thank goodness for that.

We were hoping the build would start mid June. If we decide to get the report first, I am sure that will delay the start of our build. Or do we just go ahead with the upgrade? CSO was not in on Friday, so hopefully we'll know some more details on Monday.