How would you like to pay for that?

So we have had somewhat of a productive week with some ups and downs, nothing to serious though.

We had a meeting with PD on Wednesday at which we went through all the structural changes to the house and locked in anything we needed or didnt need or could or couldnt have in the house. For example we added in a couple of internal doors that didnt come standard, we added a niche to our ensuite shower that we didnt know we could have, but we had to take out a niche that we planned for the Lounge as structurally they could not put it in. This was a bummer, I was really loving my mirrored lounge niche but had to say goodbye to it.. oh well you win some you lose some!

We also went through the site costs and it came as a pleasant surprise to us that they were going to be a couple of grand cheaper than what we had budgeted for! Bonus! The slab and these costs also cover cementing our alfresco and front porch areas too, another bonus! This bonus was in turn spent on internal doors! Doors are so expensive! Why is that? Your looking at about $300 a pop! Crazy!!! *Shrug* Eh, what can you do?

Next thing was the payment. We are thankful as we have been able to put a cash deposit down on the house rather than out of the mortgage so we will actually own a good bit of the house ourselves... well maybe just one room I guess and most likely the smallest one in the house....which would be the toilet!

One other sad part of this week was that I found out that we couldnt have a pool! Boo hoo!

Why? I know your all asking, because you were so looking forward to spending summer at the Dunne Resort weren't you?

Well because when we looked at our plans in the first instance we were thinking of a plunge pool. All good till I found out they have to be so many meters away from an easement and we dont have that much space between the house and the easment to fit the pool. So the next option was to look at running a lap pool down the side of our house. It seemed like a great plan, then the bubble was burst!

Firstly, lap pools are waaay more expensive than plunge pools, like $30K more expensive! Secondly, the way we have to have our house on the land only leaves a space of 2.8 meters down the side we were planning. I wanted to have the pool 2 metres wide and have a meter wide of paving by it, there goes that.

Thirdly, because it would have been so close to the house they would need to put deeper supporting anchors under the house and pool so that they would not cave in, this would cost thousands, we dont have thousands for anchors.. So bye bye pool!

On the bright side of all this, we have decided that the Dunne Resort will still be open for business, but just with a smaller option of an above ground Jacuzzi. Something to this effect:

Please be aware that the view is not part of the package!

We have also locked in our facade which is the Ashmont. Although the picture below is incorrect as ours is the flipped version, making the garage and the entry are on the right side of the house not the left, but it will give you a rough idea anyway.

Our plans are all locked in now too, so no more changes to them.

Also the wrong way, they are flipped too.

This week we have appointments for our colours, tiles and electricals. I am in charge of colours and Derek is in charge of electricals and we both did the tiles.. The appointments take about 3-3 1/2 hours each so it will be another week that will be full on and full steam ahead!

They told us on Wednesday that they will have a start date for us very very soon! YAY!

We are getting ridiculously excited now!

Untill next time,

Sayonara and Arriverderci

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