Progress report, plus I bought some taps

We're getting there. Slowly, slowly, but surely.

The town planning permit was approved last week.

I hope to do a final review of the tender documents tomorrow, which will go out to the selected builders early next week for quotes.

Builders quotes should be back by mid-December, and we'll know how much we need to borrow from the bank. Hopefully, the increased value of this house will allow us to borrow against existing equity, rather that have to go for a costlier, more difficult construction loan.

The builders will have access to the site from the day after the Australia Day public holiday, and then it'll be about six months before we get back in, so hopefully early August.

I'm starting to look at rental properties for us to live in while the house in being renovated. Given we'll almost certainly have a minimum twelve month rental, it doesn't really matter when we start. JD's main requirements are that the rental has decent internet, and is as cheap as reasonably possible. I'm adding central heating and a gas stove as strongly preferred options. I'm initially looking for houses between here and the boys' school, which is also on a main route to the ring road, but preferably not on a main road itself.

In the meantime, after catching up with Nic yesterday, I have now bought:

Basin tap for ensuite

Shower mixer for ensuite

Basin tap for upstairs bathroom

Shower mixer for upstairs bathroom

I'm not completely sold on them (ie returnable), but these are the shower heads I've bought:

Dorf Tempus on the right, for upstairs; Flexispray two head (one fixed, one moveable) for ensuite 

I have also bought the drying rack for the laundry - the Daytek mini in iron grey

Mounting specs are on/in the box; erected size is 0.56m x 1.54m

and have chosen the tile, a mid-grey, for the laundry floor

The red is a stand-in for the pomegranate cupboard doors, and the white for the washing machine/dryer/freezer

I haven't bought it yet, but am presently leaning towards this tap (except that at 40cm high, it is higher than the raised bench, so I may need to rethink that).

Ikea Elverdam for the kitchen sink (Link)

Still to go: toilet suites, taps (bath and basin) for main bathroom, bathroom fittings (heated towel rails, hand towel rail, toilet roll holder)