Renovations in time for the wedding

Its a busy time of year, much busier than last year. On top of heavy workloads and planning for the wedding (Sunshine :), we've been trying to get some finishing touches on renovations done before our big day. We have the kitchen in, complete with our $60 dishwasher! :) man, its great to have a dishwasher. Mike helped us put in a window last weekend, now its just a little bit of plastering and painting before our open plan living space is complete. We're hoping to put in some glass doors onto a deck before the wedding. Richard is over here 2 weeks prior and has a lot of experience building such things... time to see the bank? More updates on the renovations here.

nice idea for hanging doors

From Matts blog



ANd with it comes links to a whole range of handy vids on DIY. Thanks Matt

Window in

Have been working on a new kitchen for a while - details coming, but have just installed a window over the sink. Was pretty straight forward actually.

1. Pulled the Gib away to expose the studs.
2. Cut half the studs away to install a lintel beam across the top so as to support the studs to be removed for the window
3. Drill out the corners of the window through the external wall
4. Cut the hole for the window in the external
5. Place another lintel across the top, chipping the outside of the studs (actually, Mike and I decided to just take out the studs and put the beams in - not need for chipping)
6. Cut out the studs allowing for a cross nog to support the base of the window
7. Insert window from outside, pack and check level
8. Flashing was as per original way (scribes etc) as this window sits under an eve and get now weather. Used treated H3 clear timber.
9. Sealed the scribes etc with exterior no-more-gaps
10. Gib up interior, ready for frame, sill and painting.

Something like that anyway. Thanks Mike for manual help and Dave for advice.

Sunshine gets a car

We should have done this sooner. Its sad but true, we 2 need 2 cars!! Public transport in this town is a bit of a joke, and riding the bike can't be done most of the time (force winds, rain, snow, mad cars, cold, shopping, dog, all the excuses). So Sunshine bought herself a small car. (Actually, the bank owns most of it - interest free overdraft while she's a student). I don't drive the big van around anymore, so we save a lot of petrol there, and Sunshine has access to a car she can drive. Now, why do we have the van again?