Prepaint clean up and fences...

On Saturday 12 people joined in for a good day. The inside of the house was cleaned out ready for the painters to make a start. The boxing was removed from the great paths and two fences were erected ready to receive Richard's well made gates. Even though the weather turned cooler and wet, the tough crew kept going and completed the tasks. Well done. We have set the opening date as 20th December... we will do it! 

The most intelligent event of the day? We were just about to pour concrete for the last post on the front fence. The posts and rails were all set up. Someone asked the question, "What about the trailer?" We had the trailer on the wrong side of the fence. Once the fence was built we would never have got it out onto the road.

Photos:

Mike and Christine with Martin at the end of the day.

Noel and Mike dig fence post holes... Funny way of measuring the depth Noel!

Mike, Jane and Christine (with the nail gun) put on the palings.

The trailer behind the fence??? Oh well, you can't be expected to work and think too.

The end is nigh!

There are discussions underway to have the dedication/opening of the house just before Christmas. There is a target in site. Tomorrow there will be cleaning up getting ready for painting. There will also be fences and gates to do.

The paths are done and shower linings are in. Watch out! The end is nigh.

Saturday 14th

A whole lot of sanding and finishing off was done inside. The boxing was done for paths and patio. 

Week day work.

There has been progress on the house during the week. The drains have gone in, the main wires to the house have been installed and the section has been roughly shaped. Mike has been working away on the gib stopping and we hope it will be ready for painting in around a week.

Generous Builders.

Richard rang around some of his builder mates and with Dave, Martin and Richard there was a heap of skirting and gib went on on Thursday night. There is still the skirting in the main room to do and a couple of little bits of Gib. 

On Saturday...

We will finish off what needs to be done inside and also box up the outside patio and paths. 

If the weather is doubtful ring 4774848 and see if there is a cancellation on the answer phone.

Its looking good.

All the Gib up!

On Saturday we finished putting all the gib on the walls and Mike was well underway with the stopping. We cut the hedge, two loads of rubbish and a big load of pallets were taken away. Christine fixed a hole in the fence, the temporary drain was opened up and water to the kitchen container disconnected so that the container could be moved. Some skirting board was installed. Derek worked on the bathroom walls to straighten them up to fit the bath, and Ray removed concrete for the bath waste. 

It felt like we have turned the corner toward the home straight. The new Dunedin Habitat Chairman, Colin McLeod, came to make sure we were all working. During this week ditches for the drains will be dug, some earth moving will happen and Mike is taking a day off to do gib-stopping. 

Thanks to all who were there this week. There is a determined group who want to make sure the house is well occupied by Christmas. We will do it! 

Photos:

1. Derek does the ceiling in a bathroom.
2. Excess gib-board gets loaded to go away... I knew 182 sheets were too many!
3. Colin McLeod and Christine wreck an old fence.
4. The pallets get taken back on Paul's very handy truck. 

Near the end of the gibbing...

Saturday saw a good group of people doing the remaining bits of gibbing. Walls were covered in the laundry area, a couple of bathrooms and nearly all the ceilings were completed. It has been quite a big job to get all the gib done, but we should finish this week. What we had done was passed by the building inspectors during the week. A visit to the house on Monday showed that Mike had been at work on the Gib Stopping. We are getting there! It is starting to feel like a long process, but we have done so well. We'll keep up the good work. 

A nice day all around...

There were not as many on site today with it being Labour Weekend, but those who were had a good day. We finished gibbing hall walls and wardrobe ceilings and a bedroom ceiling. Nearly all the walls in the main living area were completed. Some extra top up painting was done outside and a "person hole" framed out. There was a nice "feel" to the day with some new people among the faithful "old hands". We even had Richard there.

Photos:

(1) Christine is now a non-smoker and Don returned from lunch with a bunch of flowers to congratulate her.

(2) The house without scaffold looks quite neat. Notice our picnic lunch setting.

(3) Don, Derek (A new builder bloke!) and Mike making like they are working.

(4) The ladies sort out some painting blues.

(5) Noel came all the way from America to play with Gib ... or "Drywall" as he calls it.