Weatherboarding, Fencing, Carpentry, Joinery but still no plaster!

The works continue! Still working hard to get it ready for plastering.. 

Most of the weatherboarding is done and the house is now weatherproof. I just really really hope to be in there by Christmas - the house should be liveable by then.

I was on the hunt for a fancy old Victorian front door, but in the end, it was easier to buy a new door from the very very cheap Tiling Importers in Oakleigh. It is solid timber so will hopefully keep the sound blocked out (or blocked in rather, what I'm more concerned about.)

My Dad then proceeded to slave on it for a week while I went off to work. He called it his work of art. Sanding, painting, sanding painting sanding zzzz.

My Mum had to put up with her indoor outdoor patio being turned in to a workshop. It has been easier for my Dad to do all this work in his own house than do it in Footscray.

Here is the door finished. My Dad peformed a magic trick - making the door look all fancy by putting beading around each rectangle things- totally transformed the door. Can't wait to paint it red!  

The back door frame was temporarily retired from the Waste of Money pile to be used to measure the new wooden back door frame.



Henry was whining to come out the front so I used the aluminium door frame as a pen and made him sit in it so he wouldn't be tempted to run off.  If he wanted to be where the action was, that was the deal.

Ta da, the front door frame pretty much finished. Now just needs the hinges routed in and that top cross piece finished. My Dad suggested I put some stained glass in the top to illuminate the hallway as it is North facing.

The old hallway arch has been taken down for repair.  How on earth are we to create A Perfect Circle without a giant compass or plate. Has anyone got a dinner plate this big?

Most of the weatherboarding has been done now. Here's a time lapse including a shot from when I purchased the property. 

All the walls had to be carefully straightened to line up for the weatherboards. I leave the engineering to Michael.

 Before the end nook was finished 

After the end nook was finished. Though there's still a tiny bit to go.  I now have a nice square finished looking section of the house! Next is to paint it... ANY TAKERS?

 My friend Chris very kindly helped me demolish the old side fence.

 Luckily Chris is a gym junkie so the sledgehammering was no effort for him. I'm surrounded by junkies!

 As always it turned out to be more difficult than first thought as there was bricks and concrete under the fence we had to smash up. 

My Dad then trimmed the neighbour's lemon tree back....

 .. and we did the all important string line to determine the exact location of the posts. 

Ta da! The fence is (mostly) done. Unfortunately it was done totally wrong, long story. The posts and crosspieces are round the wrong way..... ah well.

Try not to look at those posts on the wrong side of the fence...

 Trying to cut the old gate posts out with an angle grinder.

 The house is now pretty much sealed  and weatherproofed. No more wet windy insides.

My Dad has finished constructing the bedrooms walls and wardrobes.

Shot taken for Current Cam

 

 Securing each ceiling joist to the side to solidify everything. It's a long way up!

( The light at the end of the tunnel? )

Next job is to install the high hallway windows. I've started cutting the holes.

and to maintain your interest, here's the human element of the blog,....

My Auntie Sue, another big fan of my blog is visiting Melbourne and came for a Grand Tour of the house. Explaining it all to her made me realise how much has been done. 

 We then went to Kate and Nick's for dinner where Anneliese was her usual centre of attention all night.

The bunny was placed there to protect Anneliese's modesty

Kate's list of things to do on her own house. So cuuute. Note the "Girly Things to Do" section- the problem is there hasnt been very many girly things to do on my current stage of the reno. Kate and Nick are imminently selling their finished house.

I'm starting to have to think the tiles in the bathroom. I would kind of like something like this though it may be a bit "too radical"  and nothing ever ends up looking as good as these inspiration shots.  They used dark grey/ black tiles on The Block which is a good indicator of what sells.