Day 19: Last day's work for 2013

Builders put in a full day and we can really see the shape of the rebuilt back end. The framing has been changed for the last section of the brick wall, lowering it to minimise the overshadowing of our neighbour's yard. Here are the last photos for 2013.
Looking in...

 ... and looking out.

Days 16-18: More framing

Bricklaying finished for the year on Monday. We are waiting for an answer from the architect on whether our parapet wall can drop down at the end of the neighbour's building, in order to given him more light. It will all get resolved next year.
The sound of saw and nail gun continued on Tuesday and Wednesday as the more detailed framing was done: eaves, gutters, etc. Discovered that the architect hadn't allowed for the width of the box gutter and that the skylights will therefore have to be smaller. Decided that the room will still look OK with one larger skylight in the kitchen area and two smaller ones in the living/dining. They will not line up, but we think it will all still work. This kind of issue at least justifies our decision to be on hand as the building went up.
Heat stopped play on Thursday.

Day 15: Framing nearly done

Both walls (ours and the neighbour's) are up to head height, and the scaffold is up to take them higher on Monday. (They have to go up considerably further because our neighbour is having a 12' ceiling in his extension, and we have decided to match our wall to his so that they can be capped together, rather than flashing ours to his.)

With most of the framing in place we are getting a real sense of what it will look like -

both from the inside, looking out...









...and from the outside, looking in.

Day 14: It's all happening now

Bricks arrived, and the brickies. By the end of the day, our wall is up to a bit above head height. Meanwhile, the carpenters were working away on the roof, and Tony made an appearance to weld the roof truss.

Day 13: the house takes shape

Despite rain every other day, the house is beginning to take shape. at last. Now that we can tell where the new back door is going to be, I have had to take the shears to the plants along the side of the house in a big way, so that when there is a door, we will be able to get out it. Think the builders will be grateful that they no longer have to fight their way past hibiscus and bougainvillea branches.

Day 12: Steel!

Big steel frames start arriving...

Day 11: Framing continues

Rain limited the amount of outdoor work, but there was some progress.

Day 10: Framing up begins

Wooden frames now standing on both sides - so good to see something going up at last.

Most of the time, nothing happens...

Builders made a cameo appearance this week on Tuesday morning to measure up for the steel. Otherwise, we have had peaceful mornings.