House Progress and Garden Regress

Teak wood, there is nothing like the real thing and they can last you a lifetime. Teak is always my favourite and they are really pleasant to the eyes and feet.

 

Thanks for the responses you two.

I did some research believe it or not of all the Australian, and European as well as American tests conducted on floor coverings - the BAMBOO scores the highest hardness rate.
Apparently it is measured in JANKA and Bamboo scores a whopping 14,5 while TEAK - (Natural and beautiful and all) scores 6.4 only. Even OAK only scored 6.0
But then you must get the strandwoven Bamboo because of the way it is woven from the raw product, it is stronger. Not natural bamboo (either vertical or horizontally woven - these two scored only 6.2 JANKA each.)

However, Like KKnG says, there is nothing like real wood underfoot.

tut tut - think - think

WIll be kind to the environment - will go for Strandwoven bamboo!!!

Yep - Strandwoven Bamboo it will be. In the natural colur, not stained by heat to make it look like caramel, or coffee color.

 

Oh yes Sjoerd - it is Clivia, I used to have them in a container and planted them out about two seasons ago. They were just getting settled and probably would have bloomed in September this year. I wonder if they will survive the onslaught.


Clivia hybrid ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )



This is what it used to look like in 2009.

 

Beautiful Clivia, Palmpie! I have never seen one that colour. It is quite pretty.

Thanks for your update about the flooring choice. It will be lovely in its natural; colour.

Well, lately I have been wondering how the progress is going along. I hope that the guys can get the job complete before the REAL summer sets in there.

I don't know how I missed this last posting of yours, but forgive me for not responding.

I am not only interested in hearing about the progress, but I am interestred in seeing it too. Have you any piccies that you can show?

I am especially interested to hear if your roof is back on and in tact.
Tot gauw.

 

Looking good so far Palm Tree. I'm glad you chose the Bamboo floors. Can't wait to see it all done.

 

OOps/AiAIAi A thousand apologies.

Been through the mill and back and still not done with the house improvements.
So sorry that I only show my face now, but life has been totally hectic. I promise to provide loads more details in the days and weeks to come as I find the time. At least I can connect to the Internet now for STew purposes. I have been without electricity for so long that I might as well have lived in the previous century.

I hope to upload all the progress photos and show you all what has been hapening.
Till later. Once again - apologies for the longggg absence.

 

Oh, I was just thinking of you the other day and wondering how things were going in your part of the world. I hope you will soon be back into your house and it will be beautiful. I hope your garden is surviving the whole process. We missed you!
dooley

 

Hi Palmtree
Wow, we have missed you! I can't wait to see your photo's. I hope things calm down for you soon

 

Hi Palmtree from a newbie. I to can't wait to see the home improvement pic's. Went threw something similar back in 2005. But not quite as extensive as your project. Hope you post some soon. Bye for now.

 

Many many apologies -

But as promised - some photos of the renovations.
They may not be in sequence from my last (whenever that was)posts - but here goes.
I finally managed to upload some of the photos from several peoples' cameras, etc. sizing them down to small web size, etc.



The crane ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )



This is the crane station in the yard where my old carport used to be.




Reinforcement1 ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )



Some reinforcement had to be put into place before the slab could be placed on the walls.



Reinforcement ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )



Some more reinforcements -steel beams should do the job.



Guiding 1 ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )






Guiding 2 ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )



My hat's off to the guys who had to guide the pre-cast slabs onto the walls into its approrpriate place.
Some nerve-wracking moments was experienced during this phase since the trees (on the sidewalk in front of my house is not be be cut down - it is enough that I have to sacrifice the from garden and most of the back lawn.) Those trees sure proved to be a headache to the crane operator.



Crane action 1 ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )



Some of the crane action as seen from the side entrance from the garage.



Crane action ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )



Some more crane action.

ANd finally the slab was placed on the walls.



The slab ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )


The floor slab as seen from the old lounge.



Balcony ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )



The cantilever balcony as seen from underneath.

 

Here are some more images of the house progress/improvements/enlargements:



Bricklaying on slab ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )

Visible here is the first course of bricks on the outerlayer of the walls - my first floor/second storey in the making.




Slab on top of walls ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )

Here you can see the precast slab as it was placed on the walls - this is prior to that bricklaying mentioned in the previous photo.





Pillar and beams ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )

This is a view of the pillar that was posted in an earlier (much earlier) post and the beams that supports the pre-cast slabs.




Raw slab ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )

A view of the raw-unfinished ceiling of the ground floor rooms.




Raw slab1 ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )



Filling in so that there are no gaps in the plaster of the walls on the ground floor.


Raw slab2 ( photo / image / picture from Palm Tree's Garden )

Another view of the inside of the ground floor showing the underside of the floor slab/groundfloor ceiling.

After that it was a major job to get the house habitable.

 

My goodness, you have had a project! Can't wait to see the finished product (wish we could throw you a house-warming party here on the Stew).
Thanks for the update!

 

Hi there Marlin gardener

Believe it or not - the project is still ongoing. A house-warming party certainly sounds like a fantastic idea (wink-wink)

 

Looks like the pieces are getting into their places! A house warming party would be great!!