How to choose a builder

As mentioned earlier in this blog, the whole purpose of Viktoria making the lightning round-trip to Tasmania last week was to meet with, and hopefully choose, a builder. Neal-the-architect recommended that we get a builder involved in the project earlier on, due to the remote location and type of build.
As neither Viktoria nor the Android knew of any builders in Tasmania, Neal had short-listed three builders who were happy (or crazy enough) to agree to building on our site. This was a hugely wonderful thing for him to do, as a lot of the due diligence had already been carried out by the time Viktoria sat down with them. Again, we are running out of words to express our gratitude for all Neal has done.
Viktoria and the Android researched the three builders as much as possible from three States and a large stretch of water away, and decided that, much like choosing an architect, choosing a builder largely came down to who Viktoria thought she could get along with. And, as it would most likely be Viktoria and not the Android that the builder would be dealing with, it would also need to be the person that Viktoria thought would best be able to get along with her.

TIP: After researching previous projects & company history, choosing a builder is much like choosing an architect - it comes down to who you think you will be able to get along with when things go wrong.

Neal arranged for Viktoria and the builders to attend the JAWSarchitects offices in Battery Point. Donning his best "impartial mediator" guise, Neal would attend while Viktoria attempted to channel the universe to provide her with insight enough to make the correct decision.
Over two days, Viktoria met the builders, made lots of notes, and kept the Android updated. However, we knew it wasn't going to be a quick process, and we would have to sit down together before a decision was made. The process was drawn out because the Android had band rehearsals, Viktoria had to visit relatives, and both of us had to work.
Eventually, after many cups of tea and disjointed discussion, we picked Michael Lane from Cordwell Lane Building Pty Ltd, because:

• they had done a lot of block work before
• they had their own joiners
• they had their own glaziers
• they had worked on remote sites before

Viktoria also liked that Michael started thinking about how a revolving bookcase-secret doorway could be built, and didn't just make clever remarks about it.
So Corwell Lane Building it is. We have put together some pics of a few of their previous builds for you...

Cargo Bar; Paul Kelly Interior Design; Cordwell Lane Building

Basement; Preston Lane Architects; Cordwell Lane Building

Mt Pleasant addition; Cordwell Lane Building

Shearers' Quarters; John Wardle Architects; Cordwell Lane Building

The next things we need to do are:

• the Android needs to sort out getting the electricity connected to the site
• Viktoria will arrange for the geotec who did the initial soil tests to contact Neal to organise for some further testing on the final site
• we will collate our feedback on the second round of sketch designs for Neal (we will put these in the next post)
• Neal will arrange for the structural engineer to provide us with an idea of timing and costing for creating a rough driveway to the site

And that is where we are currently up to. When we have gathered our collective thoughts together, we will let you know how the house design is progressing and will post the latest sketch designs.

Visiting the house site with the architect

Viktoria has been to and returned from her whirlwind trip to Tasmania, during which she visited the new house site, met three builders, went to a French wine tasting, got sung at by a fellow guest at the B&B she stayed at, managed to run late for seemingly every engagement and ate some marvellous food.
First... the site visit (more on the other bits later).
Tasmania had turned on absolutely glorious weather, rendering most of the cold-weather clothing Viktoria had packed fairly useless. Which is partly the reason why a trip to the bush saw Viktoria attired in stockings, a black lace-and-boucle dress and calf-length Victorian knickers... and partly because one must never substitute practicality for sartorial excellence...
Between meetings, Neal-the-architect drove Viktoria out to the house site in the Huon Valley. While Viktoria was mentally congratulating herself for her forethought in bringing a pair of sneakers (the red suede platform heels she had started the day in could have been a little dangerous in the mud) Neal-the-architect deemed said sneakers unworthy, and thoughtfully provided her with a sturdy pair of wellingtons in which to march through the undergrowth.
Two things became rapidly obvious... firstly, Neal-the-architect is at least a foot taller than Viktoria and secondly, those sturdy wellingtons were about two sizes too big. So while Neal easily stepped over moss-covered fallen trees and waded through knee-high bracken, Viktoria rapidly lost ground to him as she followed with all the poise and grace of a new-born gazelle on roller-skates. Which also makes her sound like a completely ungrateful snot.
But we digress.
The following photos are taken relative to the position of the 'reference gum' noted on the site survey below. The 'reference gum' is about 50m from the road, and about 40m from the edge of the cliff (where the survey lines stop).

This first pic was taken standing around the middle of the site - the reference gum is the one in the centre of the image in the distance. This is roughly where the top level of the house (where the carport is likely to be) will be situated.

For this next photo, Viktoria turned 180 degrees - showing the position of the future-carport, looking up to the road. It was partially taken as evidence that the sun did in fact shine on the block, and once the undergrowth is cleared will actually be quite pleasant.

Having battled \the undergrowth to the edge of the cliff, this next pic shows the view back up the site from near the cliff to the reference gum (which is the tree in mid-image with the dark hollow near the base).

And finally, here is a rather blurry image of the cliff itself. The rock structure was one of three in close proximity to each other - they were about 10m in diameter, easily 20-30m high and almost perfectly cylindrical - looking like some Atlantian columns that had been forced from the depths.

Apart from a startled pademelon and twittering birds, the only sound was the rush of the waterfall in the distance. And Viktoria swearing as she stepped out of her wellington for the hundredth time.

Next we'll let you know how we went with choosing a builder, but for the time being we would appreciate hearing what you think.

Oh, and the feline hoard are all returned to health with Miss Daintyfeet and Captain Greatpants both back on deck (to the scarcely disguised disappointment of Mistress Surly).

Giving feedback to the architect

In relation to Neal-the-Architect's request for feedback on his initial designs (reproduced in our last post) a, Viktoria and the Android sat down with their crayons and their thinking caps, and this is the feedback we provided to him...

Hi Neal

As promised the committee has had many conversations, sometimes involving coloured pencils, about the floorplans etc and have put our collective heads together with some feedback.

Basically, the general consensus is that we are overall very happy with it:

• we love the interaction of the lines of the structure with landscape, and think it makes a very interesting and inspiring space to move through
• we love the stairs descending into the landscape, and are quite ok with the fact that it's not covered
• we also love the light garden

But because Viktoria is super-cautious and wants to make sure everything will fit, she has drawn your sketch onto graph paper, and filled it with furniture of equivalent size to that which we own. We make no apologies for its complete lack of architectural or graphic merit. Making a big assumption that Viktoria has interpreted the scale of your drawings correctly, attached is a picture of the scale floorplan with furniture added. From doing that exercise, we came up with some feedback / ideas / conversations. 

Essentially, what we discussed was:

1. Entry - we have seen several 'cold climate' houses that have a kind of "entry portal" (or airlock, if it was a spaceship) where you can leave coats, muddy boots. We looked at bringing the entry forward to have a small enclosed 'porch' before the main door.
2. This would mean that the coat storage could be removed, and instead the office desk & computer could be located in its space (it is highly likely that Viktoria at least will still be working , albeit remotely, and will need an office space which needs to be separate from her studio).
3. The pantry, kitchen/dining and living areas are fine the way they are
4. Viktoria's studio - doesn't really 'work' as a rectangle. I need a 'zone' with a desk where I do my design work, and another 'zone' where I can do painting. While I may not have as much sexy equipment as the Android, this is actually what I plan to be doing full-time when we move, so this space is pretty important to me.... I just don't take up as much room as the Android. We thought a solution may be that, because we aren't so prudish that the loo needs to be separate, we have moved the loo into the bathroom, included the ex-loo area into Viktoria's studio so that the studio is a letter "L" shape, and enclosed the former entry passage to the toilet so that it becomes storage for Viktoria's studio. Which means that the entry to Viktoria's studio will need to be through the wall that faces into the kitchen / dining. And Viktoria will be much happier .
5. The slightly crazy but "yes we really are serious" idea of having a secret entry into Viktoria's room through a bookcase (like in an old English stately home) we think will probably need to be discussed, rather than attempt an explanation via email...
6. The bathroom & light garden remain unchanged (except that the bathroom / laundry now has a loo, and there will need to be a cat door into the light garden).  
7. Now this is where all the changes actually come in.... neither of us were completely comfortable with having the Android's studio being next to our bedroom because:
• even with sound-proofing Viktoria can still hear him
• he gets sick of Viktoria whining about it being 3am and when is he going to turn the noise off
• it's a fair distance for him to have to cart equipment (potentially through rain & snow) if he is playing live
8. So, our initial thoughts at how this might be addressed were that the Android's studio is moved up onto the same level as the carport - this way he doesn't have to carry his equipment very far; and it doesn't have to be carried through the rain or snow; and Viktoria won't whinge at him (as much)
9. The space which was the Android's studio becomes the guest bedroom
10. the wardrobe space is made bigger (taking over some of the floor space from the now guest bedroom)
11. the main bedroom stays where it is but with a bigger wardrobe

Of course, all this means that we have just increased the footprint by 16m2, and also the cost.

And we have no idea whether it is feasible/workable and/or destroys the integrity of your design.

We just didn't want to come back to you and say "this doesn't work for us, fix it" and not at least have some suggestions (which either help or hinder)!

Similarly, if we have completely wrecked your design with all of the above, feel free to tell us off, complain bitterly about how difficult we are, and then do something different

We look forward to catching up with you.

Neal had a better suggestion of having the guest bedroom in place of the Android's music studio, but raise the music studio so that it is on top of the guest bedroom.
And he was quite comfortable with Viktoria's desire to have a pivoting bookcase "doorway" into her studio. You really know you have picked the right person when they don't baulk at increasingly nutty suggestions.
When we have some revised drawings, we will post them for you to see.
In the meantime, next week Viktoria is commandeering the shuttle to go down to Tasmania to (a) catch up with Neal and (b) meet with three builders (courtesy of Neal again) to see if any of them are just mad enough to take on our project...

The first house concept designs from the architect

The first concept designs are now in!

Reproduced below is Neal-the-Architect's email, together with the initital designs.

"We have had a first go at distilling your briefing requirements and our conversations into something a bit more tangible.
Integral to this is a considered response to the qualities of place that make the site so special to you.
This is to get the conversation going, so don’t hold back with comments if you think something doesn’t fit with your thoughts.

SITE CONCEPT

The first drawing is very conceptual and seeks to convey an overall strategy for placing the house on the site and how you might move across and experience the landscape in which it is located.

Even though it is a bit blurry, I hope you can see (just)how movement is guided over and down between two wings of the house in order to capture a sense of living within the cliff face and moving between the rock formations.

The main idea is that the house is tucked into the hillside and almost becomes incidental in the experience of the landscape, with the roof forms the only sign of habitation from above.

FLOOR PLANS
The next 2 drawings are less abstract and are a first attempt at synthesizing the essential character of the site concept into something vaguely buildable; Consider them more as diagrams though, rather than a building.
Apart from thinking about whether the site strategy works for you, can you please also consider if the room relationships are generally ok.
The house is set on two levels, with the upper level forming an entry court containing a carport.
Passing by an open light court, a stair negotiates a crevice between two forms to reach a terrace on the lower level which leads to the front door.
The obvious downside to this strategy is that there is no continuous covered path from carport to the front door, but it does set up an intriguing entry sequence.
Entering from behind, the main living pavilion contains Lounge, Kitchen and Dining spaces and faces north-east. Studios and wet areas are tucked into the hillside either side of the light court, which can also be used as a contained cat run J.
The Bedroom faces down the site and is separated from The Android's studio by the walk-in-robe. Room sizes are not strictly accurate, but close enough to see if we are on the right track.

The design tries to deal with the bushfire management issues by placing defensive walls towards the likely fire fronts where possible.

We will need to discuss further where it might be best to consider fire-shutters or toughened glass windows.
Mindful of cost issues, now would be a good time to consider further the merits of negotiating with one builder against tendering to a number of builders.
I think it is important to get a better feel now for how the relative remoteness of the site and access difficulties might impact on likely costs before progressing the design too much further.
It would obviously be good to talk to you both together to go over the drawings. Can you consider how this can best be achieved and get back to me please.

Regards

NEAL MACKINTOSH

MANAGING DIRECTOR

JAWSARCHITECTS"

What do you think??!

Interlude: tristis tempora feles

The good ship Terra Nova (Viktoria and the Android's time machine, in case you hadn't guessed) has experienced a bout of mysterious illnesses which have struck down two of the ship's cats in as many weeks.
Poor Captain Greatpants...

...had rapid onset bladder blockage with some weird protein-matrix. He has been hospitalised this past week with a catheter stitched into place and an IV in his arm.

He was due to have the catheter removed today but, despite sporting a fashionable plastic Elizabethan collar, managed to pull it out himself during the night (no doubt trying to save his mum and dad the cost of yet another anaesthetic).

And Miss Daintyfeet...

... has had acute pancreatitis which required blood tests, antibiotics and pain relief. Fortunately, her added girth saved her as she lost half her body weight in two days.
Naturally, there is no known cause for either condition. Why would cats make anything simple for their human servants? So we have no idea what we can do to prevent any recurrence. The only thing we can do is remain vigilant, which is what saved their lives in the first place.
Which leaves Mistress Surly at the helm while the others recover....

We hope Captain Greatpants and Miss Daintyfeet are feeling better real soon.

The finalised building site

Last week, Neal-the-Architect sent us the latest survey report.
At 5:30pm on a Friday.
This is a little snapshot of the survey:

The whole survey represents only a very small part of our 57acres.

• The house site is a little to the north of the "Reference Gum" - a Tasmanian Blue Gum with a diametre of at over 60cm and about 30metres tall - the house will be cut into the small ledge you can see delinated by the survey lines
• The dog-legged straight lines show the gravel road 43.57metres and 38.26meters on either side of the surveyed plot
• Where the survey lines end is the edge of the cliff. It is much higher than our initial choice of building location, but still comprised of the same amazing Jurassic dolerite rock formations:

All this means that (all things going to plan) Neal-the-Architect has spent the past few days sketching out the initial schematic designs.

We are trying very hard to not pre-empt what the design will look like....

The second hurdle... still pleasing the experts

We are beginning to creep forward, inch by inch...which is still an improvement of 2 steps forward and 3 steps back.
Following on from Neal-the-Architect's second meeting with the bushfire consultant, we now have tentative agreement to let us build on the cliff. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Neal's friend Mark, who also attended the meeting with his experience in Tasmanian Fire Service in his armoury.
So what the bushfire consultant has said is that if we build to Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) 40 with clearing around the building envelop to the level of BAL-29, then we should be able to do it.
However, we noticed that his assessment was based on a building envelope of 400m2... and given that we are only looking at a building envelope one quarter that size, his estimate may be overconservative.
So... we are back to getting further land surveying done.
Once John has the results of the further land surveys, we will be able to finalise a building site.
When a building site is decided on.... Neal can actually start designing!!!!!
And THEN, once we have a basic design, Neal can take this back to the bushfire consultant a third time to confirm the appropriate clearance and construction requirements in line with the relevant BAL for a house of that size.
The Android is already looking frowny... he is concerned about his potential inability to envisage a finished building from initial designs...

Viktoria doesn't think the Android's visualisation capabilities are as limited as he thinks. Still... this could be the next phase of our own personal development on the journey...