Access to the property - sometimes no access available

Can we get into the property – I say no but Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house says it’s a driveway to paradise. What is paradise anyway? I wish I knew maybe I’m already there!!!n mmmmmmm I think not if you see the photos before and after it still leads to potential bog.

After the winter we have had in Victoria – boggy is underestimating the real earth moving status of the wet underlays. Like standing close to the water’s edge at the beach and stepping up and down, this sodden land we have to drive over, build on and wait for it to dry out.

The driveway has been on the list for over 2 years now. We bought a tractor with a bucket so Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house could do the driveway himself. We had a cheap quote a number of years ago and Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house’s brother was going to assist – even cheaper – But No!!! Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house wanted to do it.

We had a week off early this year and still no driveway. Heading into winter I suggested Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house could order some driveway mix. Well the last day of the holidays Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house rang and ordered 1 truck load of the cheapest gravel mix you can get. I was around on the Monday for the delivery and the truck driver suggested he could not come back until Christmas. Of course Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house thought I was joking given he never hears the responses I get from the workman.

Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house continues to think his ute is a 4wd and has been bogged at least 3 times that I know of in the house paddock. Yes even I have been bogged trying to rescue him. My family car does not cut the mustard in the slippery areas nor does it like the driveway. It bottoms out every time I drive up to our potential abode. I must admit that the ute is getting bogged further up the property.

Well I now know the quarry workers by name and number of the truck. They also recognise my voice and like pizza delivery in the city they do not have to ask me the address.

A winter to remember.

Never put off today what you think can be done in 2 years time.

Trenches

About 18 months ago we started on the getting set up with amenities for the temporary site. Mr I want to build a straw bale house thought he might start the process by hiring a dingo. The trench had to be at least 200 metres from the electricity supply to the shed. Instead of going in a straight line, Mr I want to build a straw bale house created a trench that had at least 2 right angles to run along the house fence line. Well for a 900mm trench and the cost of $315 hire for the dingo it took a day to sort of dig the trench. At one of the right angles there was so much rock that there is no way the trench was an adequate depth to pass standards.
We had the electrician already set up to lay the cable the next weekend. Mr I want to build a straw bale house was ill and was unable to finish the trench to the depth that was required. The day the electrician came Mr I want to build a straw bale house had been to the doctors, who suggested he needed to go to hospital for intravenous antibiotics. Before going to hospital we waited for the electrician who was concerned about being paid. Driving out of the property taking Mr I want to build a straw bale house to the hospital, I assured the electrician that I would return with cash. Mind you the electrician did travel at least 50km to get to our place and he was not keen to come back. Mr I want to build a straw bale house was admitted and in between the hospital and picking up my step daughter (14 years of age) from a party 90km away, I managed to get cash to the electrician.
Given my faith in Mr I want to build a straw bale house I guess because I love him, I also had arranged the phone guy to install cabling in the same trench 2 days after the electrician had laid his cables. – We did not get the okay from the electrician for the depth of the trench was inconsistent and did not meet the standards.
We then had two cables to work around. Mr I want to build a straw bale house hired the digger again and laid the cables to the side of the trench while he got stuck many times and tipped the dingo over at least twice. I think it was more than that but the diplopic Mr I want to build a straw bale house
suggested more than once.
Of course the cows had been investigating the trench and there were a number of cow pats that Mr I want to build a straw bale house found inches from his body when the dingo fell over / fell in the trench. After another day attempting to dig the right depth Mr I want to build a straw bale house returned the digger a little worse for wear but still got the deposit back.
Third time lucky - we paid an excavator $300 and the job was done. The electrician returned to complete the paper work (after at least 4 phone calls pleading by the 4^th). The electricity company came and went. They did not pass it for the trench was not filled in – nobody told us we thought they would want to inspect the depth. Oh no – I got on the phone and gave them a couple of verbs I am unable to put in writing and arranged for the company to come back and connect the power.

I write this as an observer for I purposefully distanced myself from the hands on action trench digging for I have always an opinion.
The power was connected in June this year. You may think I am a patient women – I do not think so. I have lost it many a time but my glory with the trench was set by the cost of the excavator being the same cost of the hire of the dingo. It ended up 1/3 of the cost to get the trench completed to regulation.


It is good to find out a quote prior to doing it yourself. – Got to love professionals!!!