wanderingwombat

Hmmm, the window for Bed 4 may be better if moved to the other wall. At least it wont look up at a rock retaining wall with a fence above
There should be no extra cost for shifting the window, depending on bracing layout.

At least you wont need a ride-on mower

WW

Boomie

pmsl..... Believe me it is hard...... we have struggled for the best part of 10/11 months to be honest..... andy used to be a graphic designer for royal doulton in the potteries, stoke on trent..... (skill assessed Graphic pre press tradesperson) hes has tried his best to obtain work in advertising..... cuz no1 is after ceramic artists over here lol ..... besides advertising is a lot simpler....with 16 yrs working experience under his belt - piece ov cake he thought..... he has worked for four advertising companies over here..... but the money was so crap...... his last position he was on 441 per week..... and to bring up a family of seven..... that kinda money was no picnic! I have constantly badgered him to change his career options..... finally he did..... first he worked for minimovers...... on an as and when required basis...... every morning he had to ring them at 5am to see if he was needed for that day....... he prob. worked 3 days a week at that job...... but the wage was more like a full time job but 12/13 hrs a day shifts.......(wage around 550/600 a week - this begun to take a toll on him so we had to look at the full picture again...... we didnt want to struggle and be renting for eva..... we had to do something and pretty quick

What about me..... yeah I work..... In the uk I was a teaching aide..... so came over here with a view to keep to the same kinda work...... so I started working for cleveland state on a voluntary basis 4 days a week.....and did this for 8 months - Jobs in this field a so few and far between and to be honest they do need more ancilliary staff..... but they arnt prepared to pay out for any...... they love gud will do aussies!

Anyways...... we have 5 children as you may know..... so we did get financial assistance rather like the child benefit in the uk (please dont judge me regarding financial help - if ure entitled grab every penny!)..... initally we got it for 4 of the 5 children..... then when my second oldest turned 16..... we no longer got assistance for two of the children..... this was due to us not being in au for two years..... so we arent able to get youth allowance...... This came as quite a shock so I had to leave my job working at the school at try and get work myself..... I thought that this was going to be be a nitemare..... but within 2 weeks I was working..... Yay..... and now have a perm. job teaching in pre-school for ABC Learnining Centre so alls gud....

Anyways to cut the chase regarding Andy.....hes working for a tiling company at present, perm fulltime work...... and brings home just over a 1000 a week..... which to be honest a huge weight lifted from us..... we can enjoy life alot more..... Unfortunately we can no longer claim for any assistance cuz we earn too much between us..... but hey ya cant have ure cake and eat it can ya.....

SO if there is anyone out there trying to cope with it all..... there is light at the end of the tunnel..... you just need to support each other and all will be ok in the end....

boomie
xx

Boomie

no the aspect longterm will be ok im hoping to grow plants ontop of the wall and also trailing plants amongst the brickwork.....

boomie
xx

glittababe

I do remember all your early posts about how difficult it was Just glad you've stuck with it and made it all work.

Just about to go to work altho feeling a tad miserable! I think the house, moving etc is finally getting to me. There's certain things about aus I miss. Ah well we'll get there in the end hey?

wanderingwombat

Rockwork???

It may the room rather dark.

WW

Boomie

selling our home was more stressful than waiting for the visa..... I was so worked up not being able to validate ontime if things took longer than expected....its just so worrying at times...... I had a feeling of a lump in my throat...... i was so worked up over it..... I used to try and swallow semi chewed up food to try and dislodge what was there..... its gone now..... dr said it was stress.... as you say everything comes together in the long run.....

all the best - take care

boomie
xx

glittababe

we have to validate by May 12th! Its 6 mths away, but feels like next week! At this rate I'll need valium. We're so off organising everything its unreal. The house is our prob, if we could shift it then we'd be ok. We can't realistically drop the price anymore as we've already dropped 25k. Not sure what to do really. I find I can't really discuss it with anyone as basically, they're not interested! If mark and I do discuss it we just end up going over old ground. Its a case of just being patient I suppose.

Boomie

lol.... looking at the slab - the window will be nearly 2 metres away from the wall but to be honest with ya..... the bedroom curtains are closed most ov the time...to keep the rooms cooler....


boomie
x

Boomie

just had another look at the plan...... on the revised plan we have flipped the bathroom and laundry around..... and the reason why the builder has prob. put the window there is so i can have my washing line on the wall where u are suggesting the window should be.....

boomie
xx

wanderingwombat

Sorry, but Energex sprouts this crap about closing curtains to keep the house cooler (with or without air con). It does work in southern states to a certain extent where the humidity is not as high. Tried it in Canberra on a stinking hot day. Worked for a while then it became unbearable. Opened the curtains to get some air through and the house cooled down.

In Brisbane, you want cross ventilation to keep yourself (and the house) cool. It's the air movement across the skin that determines how cool you feel (coolth). Close the curtains now that it is summer and see how bearable it is. I think Energex would do better promoting the use of overhangs/awnings/hoods/etc to keep the sun off the glass and keep the heat gain down.

All those 'Tuscan' style houses of 5 years ago in Brisbane must be like living in a microwave. Eaves are good.

WW

If you are going to air condition the house it will help to close the curtains but then you have the lights on during the day.

jad n rich

Good advice and whatever you do, dont pick a black roof :scared: go for the lightest shade possible, (some councils wont let you have black anyway because it just makes the house too hot.

Windows on the west will have rooms like a furnace in the afternoon, best thing to put there is garages, toilets, laundries, never living areas.

wanderingwombat

Lightest roof colour in metal - yes but not tiles in QLD. The light coloured roofs get a blackish mould which discolours them over time. Many tiile roofs get repainted (unconvinced about process) to freshen them up.

As for windows, the eastern side is just as bad as the western side. The heat gain from the sun is the same through eastern windows as western windows. The only difference is the air and building temperature is higher in the afternoon which makes the room hotter.

WW

jad n rich

Eastern suns not great for bedrooms, although nowhere as intense as the afternoon sun :scared: the sun rises at around 4.30 am in summer, makes a lovely hot light bedroom, not what most people want.

Would never use tiles in qld anyway they smash in hail.

wanderingwombat

I've always wondered how the sun could be 'hotter' in the afternoon if it is at a constant temperature?

WW

Secretsquirral

Just wondered when you say he's working for a tiling company, would that
be laying,buying,selling,or making tiles ?

Thanks Steve (tiler)