Monday, December 19, 2011

Day 150: We've completed Lock-Up, yay!!! but ...

Lock-Up Stage Complete - 12/12/2011

You know that Metricon has completed a stage when you receive the invoice from them ... 3 ways:
1- via SMS;
2- via email as an attachment; and
3- the original invoice in the mail

Hmmmm ... should we only request the bank for the drawdown once we receive the original invoice via Aus Post or should we print the email attachment now?

We received the good news from Metricon via SMS and email last Monday that they have completed the lock-up stage.  They have been delayed for more than 3 weeks and this was sort of the news that we're anticipating to receive prior to Christmas (and their 3-week Christmas work shutdown).  We kinda not like the idea of going thru the Christmas break with the lock-up not completed.  It's a good thing that my new Site Manager have persevered in getting the outstanding roofings (outdoor room, dining and garage) to be done and the rear external cladding to be completed and get thru their Pre-Plaster Quality Inspection.  We've arranged to meet Friday as we were hoping that they would also have started plastering late last week, as been planned previously.

So what's the going rate for a kilogram of copper (scientific name Cuprum or Cupremianticia, scientific symbol is Cu) these days?

When we met our Site Manager last Friday, he did confirm that they have completed the "Lock-Up" stage as of Monday, but they haven't started plastering. Why not? Apparently, the previous day or night, some low lives (my description, not the SS, pardon me) have broken in the site and have ripped and cut the electrical cables and took them away?!?!  The plasterers apparently came that morning to commence hanging the plasterboards, but with the electrical cabling either gone or cut, they can't do anything.  OM*, I heard about copper tubings (plumbing) being taken, and train electrical cablings, but domestic electrical wires?!?!?  How much would they get? $60? $100? $1000? I just hope that this is covered by the builder's insurance, and I'm hoping that we're not going to cop the cost, or do we?

Anyways, to cut this story short,  I guess, we just had our first experience of a construction site burglary or theft.  Though, I heard it's a common occurrence amongst new homes being built, we do hope and pray this is also the last one.  Just can't afford any more delays and inconvenience.  We do also hope that the electrical cablings that these people have taken away have provided them the much needed Christmas cheer that they seek.

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and a blessed and prosperous New Year ahead of us.

 

2 comments:

  1. Congratulations on lockup! A long awaited milestone, you must be very relieved. Glad it happened before Christmas too - nothing like a theft as motivation for the builder to speed up the works to get things secure! Hope you don't see any more thefts in future, although the builder covers it, you are still impacted by the delay it causes.

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  2. Thanks, Nat. Though a lot of people are saying this is not an isolated incident (read - common practice) in the home building industry, and the builder covers it, you still have that weird, sinking feeling that it can happen again. Heard stories of ovens/dishwashers/microwaves being ripped out a week before handover, and hope it won't happen to us, you, or anyone who's building their dream home. But hey, it's the festive season, and let's all have a Merry Christmas and a safe, blessed, prosperous new year ahead.

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