TomCat's new digs!

[blackcat20]

Been knocking over a few small tasks the last few days.

Sealed the grout in our shower. Still need to patch some missing grout in the niche.

Got fed up with the shoddy paintwork in the ensuite so I bought a roller and painted over it. Looks a million times better.

Weeded the front garden. Getting it ready for a heap of summer flowers (dahlias, zinnia, echinacea, sunflowers). We got the planter box done back in July. It has a couple of roses in it at the moment, and an agave. Daffodils are flowering.

 

[Denali]

Next year Bub is going to love toddling around the yard, smelling & picking flowers

 

[blackcat20]

Next year Bub is going to love toddling around the yard, smelling & picking flowers

It’s going to be great. Hoping to plant a heap more daffodils next year too.

Hoping my crepe myrtle actually flowers this summer, it’s had a tough few years in a pot.

 

[blackcat20]

Builder came back today to sort out a few things. Creaking ensuite floor is on notice and will be checked again over summer. Then it will be fixed if it hasn't settled.

Painter coming back to sort out all the nail pops in the ceiling. And go over patches that were missed before handover.

Finally sorting out the missing remotes/wall controller for the garage door.

And getting me a plug for the bath! Tried to use it for the first time last week (to bath the Little Miss) and discovered they hadn't given us a plug

 

[RAM]

Builder came back today to sort out a few things. Creaking ensuite floor is on notice and will be checked again over summer. Then it will be fixed if it hasn't settled.

Painter coming back to sort out all the nail pops in the ceiling. And go over patches that were missed before handover.

Finally sorting out the missing remotes/wall controller for the garage door.

And getting me a plug for the bath! Tried to use it for the first time last week (to bath the Little Miss) and discovered they hadn't given us a plug

Is the ensuite floor bare wooden planks or chipboard/yellow tongue sheets?

If sheets then time of year makes no difference - missing the bearers with the nail gun does.

If wooden planks then likely similar situation. Luckily with our renovations I could access under floors for down stairs - and took pictures of beuatifully straight row of nails about 4 cm parallel to the beam - oops!

With hidden nailing (not what the proper name is) they fix the planks/boards through the groove at an angle of about 50 degrees. Good operators have string lines rigged up to ensure they exactly follow the beams/bearers when nailing - most rely on 'experience'. Technically they should be able to see the beam/bearer in front of where they're nailing but some installers appear to have a sheet that they stand on and a helper or two who move it and place the next plank/board then push the sheeting up against it...

That's what happened with our place. GREAT expense to take up the new wood (brushbox) and nail it correctly. Roughly $1,800 cost just for the aged timber.

Being out by a degree or two at the start soon leads to missing the beam/bearer.

The explanation of 'wait to summer' sounds as though it should be translated as 'if we keep putting them off they'll get use to it and we won't have to pull up the floor boards etc etc'.

If sheeting - similar issues as need to take up floor covering AND if laid in quick and nasty fashion aka no more nails instead of more expensive correct fixing system - may need to replace the floor covering.

DO NOT GIVE IN. Doing some research years back I discovered that too often if the floor is not close to level that small wedges (not purpose made ones but circular saw quickies) often get used to force sections up. As use and vibrations occur - these wedges can slip out...

Good luck!

 

[blackcat20]

Is the ensuite floor bare wooden planks or chipboard/yellow tongue sheets?

If sheets then time of year makes no difference - missing the bearers with the nail gun does.

If wooden planks then likely similar situation. Luckily with our renovations I could access under floors for down stairs - and took pictures of beuatifully straight row of nails about 4 cm parallel to the beam - oops!

With hidden nailing (not what the proper name is) they fix the planks/boards through the groove at an angle of about 50 degrees. Good operators have string lines rigged up to ensure they exactly follow the beams/bearers when nailing - most rely on 'experience'. Technically they should be able to see the beam/bearer in front of where they're nailing but some installers appear to have a sheet that they stand on and a helper or two who move it and place the next plank/board then push the sheeting up against it...

That's what happened with our place. GREAT expense to take up the new wood (brushbox) and nail it correctly. Roughly $1,800 cost just for the aged timber.

Being out by a degree or two at the start soon leads to missing the beam/bearer.

The explanation of 'wait to summer' sounds as though it should be translated as 'if we keep putting them off they'll get use to it and we won't have to pull up the floor boards etc etc'.

If sheeting - similar issues as need to take up floor covering AND if laid in quick and nasty fashion aka no more nails instead of more expensive correct fixing system - may need to replace the floor covering.

DO NOT GIVE IN. Doing some research years back I discovered that too often if the floor is not close to level that small wedges (not purpose made ones but circular saw quickies) often get used to force sections up. As use and vibrations occur - these wedges can slip out...

Good luck!

Oh I wont be giving in. It seems to be a joist between the two levels that's see-sawing back and forth. Its definitely less creaky at the moment but comes and goes. It doesnt sound like there will be any issue with them fixing it. Not sure what the flooring is under the tiles but it seems the problem is below that.

 

[Pushka]

DO NOT GIVE IN. Doing some research years back I discovered that too often if the floor is not close to level that small wedges (not purpose made ones but circular saw quickies) often get used to force sections up. As use and vibrations occur - these wedges can slip out...

Good luck!

Ha. You haven’t met blackcat20 have you!

 

[RAM]

Oh I wont be giving in. It seems to be a joist between the two levels that's see-sawing back and forth. Its definitely less creaky at the moment but comes and goes. It doesnt sound like there will be any issue with them fixing it. Not sure what the flooring is under the tiles but it seems the problem is below that.

'Under the tiles' = big cost.

If the floor is moving/creaking then odds on the waterproofing of the ensuite is at risk and may already have been ruined - which you will only find out the first time you have a decent water spill/accident.

The membranes are designed to cope with minor movement not see-sawing of beams/bearers. So it is a bit like metal fatgiue - bending metal backwards and forward until it breaks - potentially major repair which is why they don't want to touch it.

If I were you I'd go to a tilecraft or some similar tile chain/bathroom renovator and say you think the water proof membrane has been damaged under the tiles and wondered how expensive it could be to repair for an ensuite that is X by Y - say you're just after a rough idea +/- not spot on - just to get an idea of how much to put aside to fix it up as a project.

I think you may be unpleasantly surprised as to properly fix the membrane would mean taking out toilet, bath, shower basin, cabinets etc etc. BIG DEAL. Basically it needs to be done wall to wall and then a short distance up the wall.

Our upstairs bathroom had to be done twice as they ran out of the material - installer's calculation was wrong and you must lay it all at same time, cannot even have 15 minute gap between application. So they had to wait 5 days (I think it was) for it to cure, then they completely recovered the 90%+ that had been done and applied a thicker amount over the uncovered area. BIG argument between builder and installer over who had to pay.

 

[blackcat20]

Even if it's a big job it's not at our cost, it's a warranty issue.

 

[RAM]

Even if it's a big job it's not at our cost, it's a warranty issue.

Absolutely correct just make sure you document everything aka send confirmatory emails relating what was discussed over the phone or face-to-face.

 

[blackcat20]

Study fitout tomorrow. Looking forward to getting organised again.

 

[blackcat20]

Before


After

 

[JessicaTam]

Before
View attachment 185398

After
View attachment 185397

It looks terrific. Was it part of the original build/design or a later addition?

 

[blackcat20]

It looks terrific. Was it part of the original build/design or a later addition?

Just got a local cabinet maker to do it. We were going to DIY but it's hard to get a desk top that long.

 

[love_the_life]

Just got a local cabinet maker to do it. We were going to DIY but it's hard to get a desk top that long.

Looks fabulous

 

[QF WP]

Side by side desks so you can both be viewing AFF at the same time - that's love for you

 

[Hvr]

Side by side desks so you can both be viewing AFF at the same time - that's love for you

So who sits on what side? And is it the same side as you sleep in bed?

 

[blackcat20]

Who says the second spot isn’t for Miss TC?

The centre support is there purely due to the length of the bench top. It would bow otherwise.

 

[blackcat20]

Front garden looking good

 

[Denali]

Great! Maybe a couple of giant spiders or skeletons climbing the gray balcony next year - I say this because I would like to do it but I dont have the right type of house to be able to do that.