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Monday, June 21, 2010

PERM it



Unlike Deirdre from Corrie's perm its not all been a complete disaster......

Finally after months and months of anticipation the building permit has been issued, I am now ready to build. Let the digging commence and may my pretty little block turn into a quagmire, some people might say that a perm is a bad thing but as far as I am concerned there is no such thing as a bad Perm especially when it is followed by an IT.... let the circus begin

Getting Tanked




So as I wait patiently for my building permit to happen I have started to investigate all the “extra bits” that I will need to add to the house, one of those includes a rain water tank.

As per the roof I wanted them to be galvanised just like the roof, unlike 30 years ago galvanised is not “standard” surprise surprise I have chosen another product that is difficult. I found a great place just outside Bendigo that makes them to order in any shape or size but well the price is slightly out of my league. I can’t quite get my head around a giant plastic tank just yet……some more investigation is in order

Thursday, June 17, 2010



Ok so the council are just rude....to put it politely, today we found out that they have already specified that the roof needs to be of a "muted tone" of either "grey, green, brown or other specified"

Sadly my plans did not specify a galvanised roof and the building surveyor will not sign off on the roof being galvanised as it conflicts with the council’s specification.

I now have to lodge another application or amendment (costing another $100) to have it changed so it specifies that galvanised is acceptable even tho every other house in the mount Alexander shire has a bloody gal roof.....

Just another bump in the road, I tell you what tho this is a rather bumpy road to a very small simple house.

The name game

So I have been toying with the idea of naming my new house which seems to be a rather challenging task, what do I call it? Do I make the name part location part history? I just haven’t been sure.

I even pondered with the idea of merging the heritage of the area and came up with "Maine Diggs" or even "gold diggers cottage" but thought it too cliché.....

It suddenly dawned on me..... "Grey Gardens" what a name, maybe I won't be as spectacular as either of the Edie's but I sure can try....






Tuesday, June 15, 2010

View from the wrong side of the track




The view from the old goal in Castlemaine

The Project

I started dreaming about this project about 10 months ago and with a little prompting I made the decision to make it a reality. This project has grown and developed as time has gone on, with a few hold ups, heartaches and torrential rain pour I have made it mid way through the tunnel and I think I can see the light… hopefully it not just a torch light of the rescue team.

A little grand designs project of my own (but with tasteful furnishings at the end)

Just outside Castlemaine in a small town called Chewton I am building a slice of country pie, you might think me the regular Martha Stuart but I prefer Martha Gardener. Resourceful, thrifty and downright determined.

5 months to go…..let the counting begin

Where it all began







So here is the block and where it all began....late spring early summer, Mum and I went for a drive up to Castlemaine to check out some blocks of land a month after missing out on the most perfect plot (but that’s another story) this was the second block we looked at that day... Maybe it was the blossom maybe it was the beautiful spring day either way I think I was sold on the spot.

Here I am 6 months on and looking at these pics I can’t wait to be sitting in my new house this spring admiring the blossom from my warm little nook in front of my fire.

Monday, June 14, 2010

6 weeks ago I found out that I had to have a planning permit to build as my block of land had a planning overlay on it, as I had done all my research way in advance so that planning would not hold me up I was very surprised.

It turned out that the council had changed the planning laws in February and apparently didn't have to notify me, the planning overlay is a "wild fire management overlay" basically the CFA wants to see that where you are building on your land is a suitable location for bush fire protection.

So after a 6 week long wait I finally have a planning permit from the Mount Alexander shire council its a stock standard print out and each of the drawings have been stamped and signed.

6 weeks wait and $500 late we can start building......Finally