Having the rafters in place gives a clearer idea of the expanse of rainwater collection area to fill the 70,000L of underground water storage.
Rafters were lifted into place by hand rather than with a crane truck, resulting in both financial and environmental savings and a great team-building exercise.





Masonite bracing was used in preference to plywood as it is thinner and is composed of sawmill waste material. Most bracing plys used in Australia are 4mm, made from Asian rainforest timbers. Australian-timber bracing ply is much thicker (starting at 7mm).

Bracing up and roof framing going on

The great purchase of recycled laminated hardwood beams continues to supply materials. Lengths have been lifted into place on the front roof for rafters. Due to their random, rustic nature, the soffits and eaves will be lined to give a cleaner finish, in keeping with the design (and to simplify long-term maintenance).
























Masonite bracing gives more of a sense of the volumes of the spaces and with the s00n-to-be-installed roof, will give a better impression of the overall form.

Bluestone walls to the boundaries and front garden bed are now complete.

The tall gallery space, which will act as the lungs of the building, is taking shape.





























Now that all the floor framing is in, the remaining recycled, laminated hardwood is being used as lintels to the wide door and window openings.

Timber framing is almost complete and the hardwood support post to the River Terrace balcony (to right in first photo) is in place - one of the many timbers from the original house.

Roofing should be on by Easter, giving the building team welcome shade and giving the building more definite form.

With blue skies and drier conditions, the roof is getting closer.

Some of the pipework (in PVC-free Geberit poly) and one low-flush toilet cisterns have been installed. We are still trying to negotiate with council a way of reducing pipework currently required by the need for separate dual supplies of greywater and rainwater to each toilet cistern.

Bluestone retaining walls are almost complete.

The rear wing (main bedroom and living) is growing taller despite (or as a result of?) all the wet weather. Rooms are taking shape and the roof should give some shelter from sun and rain to the building team soon.






































The swimming pool's sprayed shell used the green cement mix (high recycled content) used elsewhere on the project.

Up and up

The top floor is now in place - ecoply on painted recycled hardwood joists supported by recycled hardwood stud walls. The timber from the old house, dismantled on site, is continually being used in the new construction; the 150x150 support post on the river terrace is the most recent example. Most of the 4x2 and major structural timber has been used.

Supplying the house with town, rain and recycled grey water does involve a lot more plumbing and we are trying to work out innovative ways of reducing the runs of poly pipe (not PVC) around the house. A meeting with council will hopefully allow us to do what we hope, with switching controls of water supply in the Plant Room rather than at every outlet.

The building team has snazzy new t-shirts with the company logo and appropriate colour (modelled by Eoin)!

Framing marching along

With the steel portal frame now in place, the hardwood framing is going up at a more rapid rate.