Lofty, complete with mirror ball, got a workout this morning lifting the recycled laminated hardwood joists for denailing. Oliver is very excited to be pulling out nails again and Eoin denailing too and ensuring the nails are straight, for possible reuse.














Waterproofing membranes and drainage cells are installed to front entry area as well as physical termite barrier.
Photos by Miki and Emma

River level blocks begin

Marty's block walls are growing fast.

River terrace slab

After delays due to forecast storms, the rear lower slab was finally poured using the Magnesium Oxide. The additional aggregate for the final terrazzo-like finish made the mix a challenge to pump. In the end, human power prevailed. The slab has been sealed and won't be ground and polished until it is well protected by the floor above.

Blockwork walls to the front have been core-filled with magnesium oxide concrete mix. Blockwork walls to the lower level will begin today.

















Once approval from our clients is given for the varied colours of bluestone, sourced from Yatala, the stone walls will start.

Blockwork to the front is almost complete and once the steel beams have been fabricated, the recycled hardwood framing can start above.

The carpet python has returned to the site much to the consternation of the local birds.

First walls up

The building is starting to take shape as the blockwork goes up - Garage and Plant Room (greywater treatment, energy monitoring hub, water switching controls) and Entry.

Rather than fill in the cutting to the back, excavated for 25,000L of modular underground storage and temporary access to the rear, this space will become a Cellar and contain one of the greywater treatment tanks.

Super concrete? the waiting game

Blockwork is going up at the front of the house and the formwork and reinforcing to the rear is ready and waiting for the all-clear from our concrete suppliers to include the reactive magnesia additive. This extra ingredient, in use in NSW and Victoria, reduces the production of carbon dioxide in the cement manufacturing process and can reabsorb CO2 during the carbonation process, reducing the carbon footprint. Additionally the result is a harder, higher quality product.

Finer and doubled up reinforcement was necessary for the polished concrete floors - fortunately the steel is over 95% recycled content.

One neighbour's house is safely supported by a new retaining wall, soon to be faced with local bluestone. Recycled concrete aggregate has been used for backfill to the wall and for the substrate to the next, lower concrete slab. A mass concrete and bluestone wall to the east will ensure the timber house continues to stand.

The First Pour

The first slab pour occurred this morning before a light sprinkling from the sky. High flyash content cement in the mix but we are hoping to incorporate crushed, recycled concrete in the next two slab pours if a concrete supplier will come to the party. This is being used in Victoria but has not yet caught on in Queensland.














Coloured aggregate has been sprinkled along the entry slab to tie in with the future polished internal and pool terrace slabs.

Blockwork by a small, local manufacturer is taking shape, forming the platform for the river terrace slab and small plunge pool.