Post Settlement - Week 2-3

Hey guys,

Sorry it's been a while since I last posted - things have started to slow down now. Week 1 is definitely the most hectic week you'll experience after handover!

In the past week and a half, we've gotten our Internet connected (yesterday is was completed) that took about 4 days. We ended up going with Telstra because we are so far from the exchange (4.5km) that we can't get ADSL2 and we are no longer getting the NBN in our area (GRR) so we have crappy ADSL and seeing as we are already with Telstra and anybody we went with would be renting the line off them anyway...we just stuck with them.

We bought a fancy router to put in the garage next to our ports for the wired areas in the house (TV/Leisure, Office and Theatre) and it should be strong enough for the whole house. It also does DLNA so I can plug our hard drive with our totally legal audio visual content that will play wirelessly (or over Ethernet) on our TV. It also has the new wireless spec 802.11ac which works with my mac pro so even faster yay! It's the Netgear AC1600. That's my geek-out quota for the day I think

The most exciting thing is that we have gotten our beautiful white basswood shutters installed! Oh how I love them so! They really shut out a lot of the light, it's been great to remove those ugly temp shutters too! Although it shuts out a lot of the light, the blades are quite wide and let a lot of light through when open. Also the 'whiteness' of them really brighten up the place.

So our shutters were done by BetterView blinds, whom were recommended by Wisdom Homes. I was weary at first, but the director, Dave, comes out himself with all the samples and goes through each window (we have 30 windows!) and makes sure we know what we are getting and how they'll look. There were a million whites to choose from it was ridiculous! Anyway, Michael came out to install the shutters over two days. A lot of work for one guy! He still has the pelmet of our bi-fold doors to the alfresco to go, and he needs to secure the top of the staircase panel (which he says is the largest one he's ever had to install haha) but they are useable until we can find a time to be home.

We highly recommend BetterView, their prices are competitive and they even beat a better price for me so they could get our business. Customer service is great too. I also had them tint (translucent) our bedroom balcony door and install the flyscreen door for our laundry which they did in our first week while we were still waiting for the shutters, they didn't wait to do them all together which I though was good customer service.

It was really easy with them because obviously they do a lot of Wisdom Homes - they also have the combination and a key to the house so you can get in to do the check-measure during construction. I also was able to get my initial quote by just sending my window schedule. The check-measure did not end up changing the amount other than the things we added on.

Hope you enjoy this weeks pics. I have a couple of things hung up on walls now which is nice.

Oh one thing we are finding annoying - the door! There's no lever, so the door always has to be locked or wide open. We want to get a levered/keyed handle for it now that we can unlock from the inside without a key, etc. Maybe something for anybody building with Wisdom to think about. Another alternative is obviously to install a flyscreen door in the front...

Cx

Leisure

Dining

Theatre

Powder Room

Bedroom 3/4

Bedroom 2 (front)

Main Bedroom

Ensuite

Ensuite W/C

Main Bedroom

Samantha Wills/Kelly Smith prints

My commissioned Vencent Ko artwork in entrance niche

Office

Better view of the Leisure shutters...no pun intended

Dining with bi-folds open

Front with shutters