Building Our Oslo 29

It took a bloody long time for the land to thaw...

September
Roads being laid...

Mary and I do cartwheels and handstands...

Deposit Paid Oct. 2014
Title transferred Feb. 2016
Start date 27 Feb. 2016

1/12

Building our Future...

Current state of play (as of then...)

27 May, 2016

12 May, 2016

2 June, 2016

26 May, 2016

Let's

be specific

Still

under construction...

How long will it take?

February 11

The title has been handed over.

February 12

As the fences were down, I decided to take Mary for our first "on the block" photo.

Great, mate! The borers had already been ~ soil tests.

February 16

Ouch! A stressful hiccup

Jessica calls ~ Results of the ground survey have resulted in the realisation that our planned Oslo 29 (with larger outdoor living area) takes up 61.3% of the lot. According to ResCode standards no building can cover more than 60% of the block. Hmmm! What to do? We could take the issue to council. But, this will take up to four weeks; with a "No" answer.

February 25

Action Stations! No, false start...

Go to our block to paint our 'sign' (Name & lot number).

Notice that the security fence is around Lot 106 (opposite us on McAuliffe Drive).

It's the first lot to show signs of action. Congratulations!

Also, there are now two signs by True Design Homes ~ on lots 8 and 14, Casey Boulevard.

But, alas, it was all huff-n-puff. A real no-show on lot 100...

March

Comes.... and looks like going...

Jessica, ever tactful, says that they are all ready to hit the button; just awaiting word from the developer...

But, alas, ...

March 18

Jessica advises... They are awaiting "The Word" from the developer that our application has been approved and that we can proceed...

Apparently they have a backlog of applications. Surprise! Surprise!

March 24

Yes!

Jessica sends the email we have been waiting for. Thanks, Jessica!

The developers have accepted our plans. Now, it's just a matter of getting the building permit.

And then.

And, then..

And, then...

And, then along came...

March 29

Ye gods and little fishes.... It's almost bloody April....

Time is beginning to drag and frustration is settling in...

Mary and I spend a lot of time taking Magic for walks (daily), going to the gym (thrice weekly), going for swims, to the movies and restaurants. I spend too much time on the computer or watching TV; anything to forestall depression...

Timeline:

2014, June Decide to move to a smaller house
Aug. Paid deposit on Gen Fyansford lot
2015, June Sold our house, moved into a rental property and began with Boutique Homes
2016, Feb. Property title transferred
Aug. Anticipated 'move-in' date Phew!!!! (2 years after deposit paid on land)

April 5

Boutique have begun work on levelling the block on which their display home will be located (Lot 26)

We still haven't heard a word as to how our application for a building permit is proceeding (Lodged 24 March)

April 7

Oh, no!

Received an email - further clarification from Developer is required in relation to our cross-over.

Yet another hoop to squeeze through... Getting very frustrating. We need some positive feedback.

I am rapidly exhausting all distraction avenues...

Indeed, I think we are in a log-jam...

Hmmm! I owe someone an apology.

But, there again...

I think our increasing state of depression is, perhaps, understandable...

Though it was our decision to go down this path in the first place at my age (currently 72), twelve months of extra waiting-time is a big chunk or percentage of my expected remaining active life...

The problerm as I see it:

Boutique were going to apply for our building permit last week (Monday) and we were expecting to hear that everything was now on track.

Wednesday night we get an email from Boutique saying they were in discussions with the Developer re a problem with our crossover.

I was absolutely fuming...

I sent of an email first thing next morning reminding Boutique that I had long ago forwarded approval of the crossover which, in fact, had already been installed.

On Thursday night just as Magic and I had arrived on our block I receive a telephone call explaining the problem; one Boutique had never come across before.

It was normal practice for the Council 'envelope' to be automatically flipped on approval of the resited crossover. But, Council records did not show this had been done.

I immediately go around to the office of the Developer on the estate to speak with Brett. But, the office was closed (as all land had been sold).

I contact Brett and inform him of the problem. He said "Leave it with me, John". Brett, a man of action, got back within 15 minutes.

The Developer had also never experienced this problem (it could only happen to Mary and I - again the problem was beyond our control. Grrr....).

But, I was assured they'd sort it out and that I would hear tomorrow, Friday. Yep! Brett duly forwarded a paper trail of emails (which I then forwarded to Boutique).

Result: This did not solve the problem as the 'envelope' still had not been 'flipped'. Boutique couldn't proceed with applying for the Building permit or ordering materials.

Grrrr!!!!

April 7

Great, mate!

Seems like we are 'back on track'...

Under the leadership of Boutique's Senior Prestart Consultant and our very own Prestart Consultant,

a meeting was called at Boutique HQ in Docklands.

With the invaluable help of Boutique's Drafting Manager we resurrected 'Project Oslo 29'.

Thank God! And, thanks, Rolinka, Jessica and, above all, Paul...

Mary and I can't wait for things to now start happening...