Insert major update here

So much has happened since my last update towards the end of June.

The major items are:

• we got a puppy (28 July)

• Glen got the deck stained (10 August)

• new driveway put in (3 September)

Next on the task list is to get a roof over the deck.  All booked in for 4 November!!  Then we should be at least be able to have our deck party at the end of November to welcome in the summer!

Insullation, 5th electricity refund and general update

Well well well, here's a little update on what has been going on recently.

First up - we got another 2 rooms painted.  The entry and the front TV room.  We bought some different looking curtains for the front room (see pic below).  We think it will give the room a little colour.  Still need to borrow the sewing machine off mum and hem them so they aren't hung yet.

We are still painting the back rooms that got new walls - the bathroom, toilet and laundry.  Mind you we were away on holidays for 2 weeks this month so we are just back and ready to tackle things.

Got our 5th electricity bill and the refund from the solar is a little disappointing this time.  Only got $195.36 back compared to over $350 refund for all the previous bills.  I'm still trying to work out what is going on there.  We also just got a notice that the rates are going up GREAT!

We are going to have a little edition to the family......we are getting a puppy.  He will be with us in 4 weeks.  Time to puppy proof the house and fences in our yard.

Oh yeah, and we also got insullation put in our roof yesterday.  It does actually make a difference.  It cost us about $1300 but I think it is worth every cent so far.  We didn't need to put the oil heater on last night so maybe that will help us saving on our electricity bills.

Will update next when I have completed photos of something.  Busy busy!!

We have windows!!!

BUT the builder didn't get everything finished.  Almost done...

Here is what the louvres look like.  AMAZING!!!!  (oh, & you can see our new toilet too!)

Will the builder be finished today?

Just another quick one to update everyone.  I was too busy at work to post an update yesterday about all the work that was done over the weekend.  The laundry cupboards finally got built and the bathroom cupboards got hung on the wall ready for the plumber to come Monday.  Glen took a few pictures of the bathroom.

We wanted to start undercoating the bathroom ceiling but without the window we couldn't because all the bugs were coming in and sitting near the light!

The builder said to me this morning that he wanted to finish everything off today.  Our louvres arrived yesterday so he wanted to get them fitted.  He was also finishing off all the skirting and the doors today too.

I really hope to update you with final pictures tomorrow...

Getting there!!!

When we opened the front door yesterday we saw our amazing new tiles.......

Then we walked down to see the bathroom & it looks even more amazing......

The front of the bath still needs to be finished off & the grout is still to go in today.  When we get home tonight things should be looking really really amazing!  Eeeeeek......can't wait!  BUT I can wait for the weekend of painting that lays ahead of me  ;)

No work day - & 4th electricity bill refund

Well now, today there is no work happening on our place.  The tiler wrote us down in his diary on the wrong day (Thursday instead of Wednesday).  According to him, he will still have the job complete on Friday anyway so no big deal really.  Our builder is actually not feeling well today so he wasn't able to make it up to Brisbane - I've told him that the tiler will be there tomorrow so it's probably not that great if he comes tomorrow either.  Hope he feels better soon.

The plasterer was there this morning to finish off sanding for the tiler.  I guess we need to go home and start the painting tonight - fun fun fun!!  We need to have the cupboards installed in the bathroom and the laundry this weekend so our plumber can come back Monday to finish everything off for us.  It's so exciting!

On an upside, we got our 4th electricity refund.  $369.17 this quarter compared to $388.07.  It's $18.90 less than last time but at least it is still over $350 & that is a good thing.  It sucks having to call AGL each time to get the refund and then I also need to check that the refund makes it into our account because the last few times it hadn't and I forgot about it and then another month had gone on and we finally got our money.

It's weird - our usage is actually lower this month (683kWh) compared to last month (726kWh) but we got less of a refund this month.  I wonder if our solar panels didn't produce as much electricity as last month?  Yep - 1025kWh this month compared to 1074kWh last month.  So, that is where our difference is because our rate with AGL is $0.52 per kWh we give them.  So the difference is 49kWh or $25.48.  With GST and all the other charges etc etc it probably works out to $18.90 difference.  Not worth calling them and arguing about that's for sure.

Link to March 2013 AGL bill

Bye for now & till next time something is done on our house.

Sheeting done - ready for tiling

Just a quick update.  Just before the end of last week the sheets went up on the walls.  The first of the waterproofing got done on Sunday (handy having a nextdoor neighbour in the business).  The plasterer came Monday plus the second green layer of the waterproofing got done too.  Today (Tuesday) the builder was going to put on the door surrounds and finish everything else off for the tiler to come tomorrow.

Here are some photos I took really quickly this morning.  After tomorrow it will start to look a lot more like a bathroom...