Of Welding, and Various Problems

Just to keep you all fully informed, this is what the electrowelding unit looks like. It is in the middle of a weld here. The weld just to the right of the current one has already been done. If you enlarge the picture, you might be able to make out the little yellow tab that has popped up between the contacts to indicate that the welding is complete.


In the past week, we've also had the load-bearing steel beam put in to hold the roof up -- the builders installed it before we were even ready for school last Monday morning. When we asked how they'd managed it, they told us they'd had some strong men in who'd had lots of Weet-Bix for breakfast. Or maybe it was a chain block.


Then the concrete edge needed trimming.


Next came plumbing and gasfitting. Here is the gas bayonet for our barbecue. We won't be slinging gas bottles around!


And here is my new garden tap. The line to the old one was leaking. This tap will be out of sight from the patio but because it is at the end of our future garden bed, it will be handy for watering anywhere in the yard, as well as being close to the barbecue.


The drainage trenches are gradually being filled in, and we have talked about surface preparation for painting the interior. Unfortunately, the house was painted in cheap acrylic with no proper preparation of the surface, which was in poor condition to begin with. Beware the house that is "freshly painted" for sale!

Of problems we have a few. The Hereford Bronze brick we selected is no longer available as the clay colours have changed. We understand that Austral Bricks staff are physically going through a similar colour brick to find those that are a close match to the Hereford Bronze (but a bit darker) to fill existing orders, and we may or may not get some of those.

Secondly, we have been having trouble with our bank. Our builder is still waiting for his first two progress payments, and is now talking about charging us interest for lateness. I will keep you posted.