New house build - Luxembourg
Discussion
Thanks guys. 
Handover was all properly done and legally signed. The funds previously held in escrow by the builder's bank will be released to them.
The house interior was SPOTLESSLY cleaned, even the garage.
I knew one of the interior doors had been damaged and repaired, as the friendly sparks had shown me one Saturday when he was there, so that's going to be replaced FOC, which is good as the doors were rather pricey.
Another small issue resolved today by the decorators was silicon residue around the spotlight cut outs. That's all been removed and repainted this afternoon. (They have to seal off holes in the ceilings for the blower test for the efficiency rating confirmation).
We received a very neat folder of all the plans, electrical layouts, underfloor heating layout, all guarantees, supplier contacts list, instructions, etc., for future reference, and we've a 10 year guarantee with a dedicated 'service aprés vente' contact.
The best bit: the underfloor heating's not even switched on yet and the house was 21C inside. Apparently the house at the other end haven't haven't used their heating yet as it's been warm enough without. That must bode well for the winter and future electricity bills.
LOADS to do this week now, but it's a real change from being in the office or travelling for work, and a loads off my mind already today.
Craikeybaby: get thyself to the hotel's rooftop bar. It's a good place to start the evening.
There's another good outdoor above ground terrace at the Novotel on Times Sq., Broadway and 52nd, IIRC. Stayed there last month.
Handover was all properly done and legally signed. The funds previously held in escrow by the builder's bank will be released to them.
The house interior was SPOTLESSLY cleaned, even the garage.
I knew one of the interior doors had been damaged and repaired, as the friendly sparks had shown me one Saturday when he was there, so that's going to be replaced FOC, which is good as the doors were rather pricey.
Another small issue resolved today by the decorators was silicon residue around the spotlight cut outs. That's all been removed and repainted this afternoon. (They have to seal off holes in the ceilings for the blower test for the efficiency rating confirmation).
We received a very neat folder of all the plans, electrical layouts, underfloor heating layout, all guarantees, supplier contacts list, instructions, etc., for future reference, and we've a 10 year guarantee with a dedicated 'service aprés vente' contact.
The best bit: the underfloor heating's not even switched on yet and the house was 21C inside. Apparently the house at the other end haven't haven't used their heating yet as it's been warm enough without. That must bode well for the winter and future electricity bills.
LOADS to do this week now, but it's a real change from being in the office or travelling for work, and a loads off my mind already today.
Craikeybaby: get thyself to the hotel's rooftop bar. It's a good place to start the evening.
There's another good outdoor above ground terrace at the Novotel on Times Sq., Broadway and 52nd, IIRC. Stayed there last month.
Well, true to their expected delivery times, Moebel Martin trucks arrived yesterday before 0830.
First truck was all the kitchen cabinets and appliances. Took 2 guys 4 1/2 hours to install everything they had....more on that in a moment.
New couch was delivered and fitted together by another team from Moebel Martin.
Granite suppliers arrived today with their funky 3D CAD measurement system, which creates the most accurate measurements for the granite - work tops, window sill, large panel between base and wall cabinets and the on the island. They'll deliver that on 16th December, which means they'll install the induction hob, sink, taps, etc.
Auchan Luxembourg delivered the 'Murrican fridge freezer today, LG for us, which was some €500 cheaper than anywhere else in the surrounding countries.
In between all of this, I've been installing ZEP1 lights and then working out how I should wire the LED strips - white under cabinet task lighting and RGB above the cabinets, and in my daughters' bedrooms above their wardrobes.
Other than that, we've also been busy moving boxes, boxes and more boxes of the previously unpacked stuff.
On another note, Lux Post, are proving themselves to be the dictionary definition of "a shower of s
te" as they can't move our phone or Internet until 6th Jan!!! The s.
They fked us around when we moved in August, no phone or Internet access despite many weeks notice, and then I spent 6 hours on hold during calls over 4 days.... Pity we lack credible competition here or many word fk off elsewhere. Ho, hum. So, no home phone nor internet over Christmas and the New Year - just when you want to Skype/FaceTime family around the world - unless we move to the current rental house during that period. FFS!!!
Right, onwards and upwards, McDuff!
First truck was all the kitchen cabinets and appliances. Took 2 guys 4 1/2 hours to install everything they had....more on that in a moment.
New couch was delivered and fitted together by another team from Moebel Martin.
Granite suppliers arrived today with their funky 3D CAD measurement system, which creates the most accurate measurements for the granite - work tops, window sill, large panel between base and wall cabinets and the on the island. They'll deliver that on 16th December, which means they'll install the induction hob, sink, taps, etc.
Auchan Luxembourg delivered the 'Murrican fridge freezer today, LG for us, which was some €500 cheaper than anywhere else in the surrounding countries.
In between all of this, I've been installing ZEP1 lights and then working out how I should wire the LED strips - white under cabinet task lighting and RGB above the cabinets, and in my daughters' bedrooms above their wardrobes.
Other than that, we've also been busy moving boxes, boxes and more boxes of the previously unpacked stuff.
On another note, Lux Post, are proving themselves to be the dictionary definition of "a shower of s
te" as they can't move our phone or Internet until 6th Jan!!! The s. They f
ked us around when we moved in August, no phone or Internet access despite many weeks notice, and then I spent 6 hours on hold during calls over 4 days.... Pity we lack credible competition here or many word fk off elsewhere. Ho, hum. So, no home phone nor internet over Christmas and the New Year - just when you want to Skype/FaceTime family around the world - unless we move to the current rental house during that period. FFS!!!Right, onwards and upwards, McDuff!
5potTurbo said:
Thanks guys.
Handover was all properly done and legally signed. The funds previously held in escrow by the builder's bank will be released to them.
The house interior was SPOTLESSLY cleaned, even the garage.
I knew one of the interior doors had been damaged and repaired, as the friendly sparks had shown me one Saturday when he was there, so that's going to be replaced FOC, which is good as the doors were rather pricey.
Another small issue resolved today by the decorators was silicon residue around the spotlight cut outs. That's all been removed and repainted this afternoon. (They have to seal off holes in the ceilings for the blower test for the efficiency rating confirmation).
We received a very neat folder of all the plans, electrical layouts, underfloor heating layout, all guarantees, supplier contacts list, instructions, etc., for future reference, and we've a 10 year guarantee with a dedicated 'service aprés vente' contact.
The best bit: the underfloor heating's not even switched on yet and the house was 21C inside. Apparently the house at the other end haven't haven't used their heating yet as it's been warm enough without. That must bode well for the winter and future electricity bills.
LOADS to do this week now, but it's a real change from being in the office or travelling for work, and a loads off my mind already today.
Craikeybaby: get thyself to the hotel's rooftop bar. It's a good place to start the evening.
There's another good outdoor above ground terrace at the Novotel on Times Sq., Broadway and 52nd, IIRC. Stayed there last month.
Retention on house building? That's how it should be done here. Is there a defects period, too, with some of the funds still to be released at the end of it?Handover was all properly done and legally signed. The funds previously held in escrow by the builder's bank will be released to them.
The house interior was SPOTLESSLY cleaned, even the garage.
I knew one of the interior doors had been damaged and repaired, as the friendly sparks had shown me one Saturday when he was there, so that's going to be replaced FOC, which is good as the doors were rather pricey.
Another small issue resolved today by the decorators was silicon residue around the spotlight cut outs. That's all been removed and repainted this afternoon. (They have to seal off holes in the ceilings for the blower test for the efficiency rating confirmation).
We received a very neat folder of all the plans, electrical layouts, underfloor heating layout, all guarantees, supplier contacts list, instructions, etc., for future reference, and we've a 10 year guarantee with a dedicated 'service aprés vente' contact.
The best bit: the underfloor heating's not even switched on yet and the house was 21C inside. Apparently the house at the other end haven't haven't used their heating yet as it's been warm enough without. That must bode well for the winter and future electricity bills.
LOADS to do this week now, but it's a real change from being in the office or travelling for work, and a loads off my mind already today.
Craikeybaby: get thyself to the hotel's rooftop bar. It's a good place to start the evening.
There's another good outdoor above ground terrace at the Novotel on Times Sq., Broadway and 52nd, IIRC. Stayed there last month.
I stand by my comment much earlier in this thread - UK housebuilders should be willing to build something other than the twee s
te we're stuck with. Luckily passivehaus / passive house principles are starting to creep in, but they're still wrapped up in twee envelopes. We can blame Charlie for that. Anyway, it's a great looking house. Love it.
I passed your details on, btw.
We've now settled all the invoices to get the keys. The construction site lives on, I'll get some more pics so you can see - the firm will be there for some time. Keys were handed over to our 2 other neighbours this morning, so that's the block of 4 done. I saw another house has also been moved in to on the other side of the site.
We have a 1 year guarantee on fixtures and fittings, e.g. Tiles becoming dislodged, and a 10 year construction guarantee. The Weishaupt heating system has a 2year guarantee. I've noticed a couple of small snagging items to be fixed, but the guys are on site to take care of that too.
I've been fitting more lights today and I can't believe how quiet the house is, given all the insulation and triple glazing. It's also lovely and warm in there too, unlike the rental. Brrrrrr.
In terms of British house builders, no-one wants to pay the premium. I've a mate who's a land director for a major house builder, and their budgets/margins on construction are quite tight. It's the land they're making more £ on.
We've now settled all the invoices to get the keys. The construction site lives on, I'll get some more pics so you can see - the firm will be there for some time. Keys were handed over to our 2 other neighbours this morning, so that's the block of 4 done. I saw another house has also been moved in to on the other side of the site.
We have a 1 year guarantee on fixtures and fittings, e.g. Tiles becoming dislodged, and a 10 year construction guarantee. The Weishaupt heating system has a 2year guarantee. I've noticed a couple of small snagging items to be fixed, but the guys are on site to take care of that too.
I've been fitting more lights today and I can't believe how quiet the house is, given all the insulation and triple glazing. It's also lovely and warm in there too, unlike the rental. Brrrrrr.
In terms of British house builders, no-one wants to pay the premium. I've a mate who's a land director for a major house builder, and their budgets/margins on construction are quite tight. It's the land they're making more £ on.
Edited by 5potTurbo on Thursday 5th December 12:25
120 fking packages from pIkea yesterday... >1,300kg of the flat packed st to build! :-(
Just as well I hired a tail lift box Sprinter. 8 trolley loads, all heavily laden, in the back of the truck. It was even worse, though, to move most of that from the truck to the 1st and 2nd floors of the house. Fortunately, though, I had help from a couple of buddies today to move and then build a quite a bit already. My wife's also worked her butt off building stuff too. Another couple of unsuspecting individuals are lined up to help us tomorrow.
I did make a boo-boo on the long pIkea shopping list - forgetting to buy the wardrobe doors for CostCentre#1, so another quick trip to pIkea awaits me for Monday.
Most of the EcoLED spots are already installed - by me - its a wonder they work!
Another 15/40 to install this week!
I'm working again W/T/F, but I'll then be off 'til 30/12 - but not before a roadtrip to my hometown of Bormuff on 19/12 - 2 days after we move.... Eek!
It WILL all be ready beforehand.
king packages from pIkea yesterday... >1,300kg of the flat packed st to build! :-(Just as well I hired a tail lift box Sprinter. 8 trolley loads, all heavily laden, in the back of the truck. It was even worse, though, to move most of that from the truck to the 1st and 2nd floors of the house. Fortunately, though, I had help from a couple of buddies today to move and then build a quite a bit already. My wife's also worked her butt off building stuff too. Another couple of unsuspecting individuals are lined up to help us tomorrow.
I did make a boo-boo on the long pIkea shopping list - forgetting to buy the wardrobe doors for CostCentre#1, so another quick trip to pIkea awaits me for Monday.
Most of the EcoLED spots are already installed - by me - its a wonder they work!
Another 15/40 to install this week!I'm working again W/T/F, but I'll then be off 'til 30/12 - but not before a roadtrip to my hometown of Bormuff on 19/12 - 2 days after we move.... Eek!
It WILL all be ready beforehand.
Edited by 5potTurbo on Saturday 7th December 20:20
Muncher, I will.... when it's tidier.
Richtea: "quick" in that I had created an online shopping list, which notes exact warehouse locations of each box needed, so you don't waste time in the showroom, but loading trolleys directly in the warehouse. Ikea Arlon, Belgium, is right in the Lux border, a 30 min drive for us. It was 3 1/2 hours still - me, wife and 11 year old daughter!
QROPS: where have you been?
And yes, something like 130,000 "frontalieres" cross the borders daily, 70% from France, 20% from Belgium and 10% from Germany.
Can you guess what I'm doing today?.....
Richtea: "quick" in that I had created an online shopping list, which notes exact warehouse locations of each box needed, so you don't waste time in the showroom, but loading trolleys directly in the warehouse. Ikea Arlon, Belgium, is right in the Lux border, a 30 min drive for us. It was 3 1/2 hours still - me, wife and 11 year old daughter!
QROPS: where have you been?
And yes, something like 130,000 "frontalieres" cross the borders daily, 70% from France, 20% from Belgium and 10% from Germany.
Can you guess what I'm doing today?.....
not been about much on here but great to see you've made it Russel, I can feeeel the adrenaline & excitement coming through the monitor, I do not envy you the flat pack journey whatsoever.
only one pic i'd like to see, everyone enjoying a nice christmas dinner round the new table in the new house using it as a family home, well done matey
only one pic i'd like to see, everyone enjoying a nice christmas dinner round the new table in the new house using it as a family home, well done matey
QROPS: not sure I'd want to be in Bangkok at the moment, although its pretty bloody parky in Lux....sprinklings of snow around. Hope all is well?
Nick, thanks! Had a couple of English mates from work help us today. All the living & dining furniture's in place (per-assembled from Henders and Hazel) and 7 of Ikea's finest Pax carcasses were built so I can then get on with hanging to the doors and sorting interior fitments. It's really great progress With the help we've had.
Another couple of days to get on with stuff, then working W/T/F this week, and another mate's helping me next weekend.
9 days and we'll be in the new house full time.
Nick, thanks! Had a couple of English mates from work help us today. All the living & dining furniture's in place (per-assembled from Henders and Hazel) and 7 of Ikea's finest Pax carcasses were built so I can then get on with hanging to the doors and sorting interior fitments. It's really great progress With the help we've had.
Another couple of days to get on with stuff, then working W/T/F this week, and another mate's helping me next weekend.
9 days and we'll be in the new house full time.
Edited by 5potTurbo on Sunday 8th December 20:57
The RGB LED strips above the kitchen cabinets and my daughters' wardrobes have been fitted, as has the white LED under kitchen cabinet 'task light' with a dimmer, so the RGB can run without the white light being on too.
The remaining LED spotlights are fitted today, so they're all done.
In the last week we've also built,
- 9 x double Ikea PAX wardrobes
- a desk
- 4 bedside cabinets
- 2 x 6 drawer units
- 2 x 4 drawer units
- 1 king size bed
- 1 single bed.....
.....and a partridge in a pear tree!
Tomorrow the granite fitters will be in the kitchen in the afternoon for the work tops, hob fitting and large wall panel to be fitted, so I'll take some pictures and will post them up tomorrow night.
Loads of little jobs left to do tomorrow, but a shame the recycling centre's not open on Mondays.... I've a massive stack of stuff to get rid of again.
TUESDAY'S MOVING DAY!
Our daughters will be at school and the removals guys will be here to move the little amount of what's left. We'll finally be in a warm house!
Sorting day on Weds then I've the *ahem* short (460 mile) drive to Bormuff on Thur..... Looking forward to that! :-/
The remaining LED spotlights are fitted today, so they're all done.
In the last week we've also built,
- 9 x double Ikea PAX wardrobes
- a desk
- 4 bedside cabinets
- 2 x 6 drawer units
- 2 x 4 drawer units
- 1 king size bed
- 1 single bed.....
.....and a partridge in a pear tree!
Tomorrow the granite fitters will be in the kitchen in the afternoon for the work tops, hob fitting and large wall panel to be fitted, so I'll take some pictures and will post them up tomorrow night.
Loads of little jobs left to do tomorrow, but a shame the recycling centre's not open on Mondays.... I've a massive stack of stuff to get rid of again.
TUESDAY'S MOVING DAY!
Our daughters will be at school and the removals guys will be here to move the little amount of what's left. We'll finally be in a warm house!
Sorting day on Weds then I've the *ahem* short (460 mile) drive to Bormuff on Thur..... Looking forward to that! :-/
A brief update as we're still not online in the new house.... but I'm at work.
The granite fitters arrived as expected, and promptly broke a 2.5m long run piece of granite - 1 day before moving in. It transpired the suppliers hadn't strengthened one side of the sink cut-out, so when it was lifted off the trolley it broke!
It's been fitted, temporarily, and Moebel Martin already contacted me to sort a replacement piece. It wasn't the fitters fault, but a problem we could have done without and will be done in the next couple of weeks.
We've since come to an agreement that when M.M. fit the new piece of granite it will also have a new sink, fitted under the granite (as we thought that's what we'd ordered anyway!) and the drainage channels in the granite too, which weren't specced, as they should have been, when we ordered waaaay back in October 2012.
We've also had a problem with the extensive cabling for the satellite system which the sparks partially fixed the Fri before Christmas, (but I was in the UK!) but they've to come back again next week as there's only a signal to some wall outputs, despite the large distribution/amp in the garage. We've 4 new Humax Freesat recorders in place, but only 1 works with signals to both tuners - and that's in my eldest daughter's bedroom!
We did have an error message pop up on the solar panel controls in the laundry room where the heating system also lives, which was corrected quickly by Sanichaufer, but the heat pump seems to not heat the water to the expected 55c it's set at, being more like 40C. They'll be back next week to have a look.
Overall, though, we're very happy in our lovely warm, very quiet house, but we already know we need to have a sliding door, at least, fitted to the large opening from the lounge into the hallway, which is a shame. The TV noise goes straight up the staircase to the 2nd floor, and that's before I've added a Sonos soundbar and sub!
( )
As soon as we're online properly (P&T coming next Monday morning, finally!), and we're devoid of Christmas decorations, I'll post up some pics.
BTW, Guy, those black/gold up/down lighters look ubercool!
The granite fitters arrived as expected, and promptly broke a 2.5m long run piece of granite - 1 day before moving in. It transpired the suppliers hadn't strengthened one side of the sink cut-out, so when it was lifted off the trolley it broke!
It's been fitted, temporarily, and Moebel Martin already contacted me to sort a replacement piece. It wasn't the fitters fault, but a problem we could have done without and will be done in the next couple of weeks.
We've since come to an agreement that when M.M. fit the new piece of granite it will also have a new sink, fitted under the granite (as we thought that's what we'd ordered anyway!) and the drainage channels in the granite too, which weren't specced, as they should have been, when we ordered waaaay back in October 2012.
We've also had a problem with the extensive cabling for the satellite system which the sparks partially fixed the Fri before Christmas, (but I was in the UK!) but they've to come back again next week as there's only a signal to some wall outputs, despite the large distribution/amp in the garage. We've 4 new Humax Freesat recorders in place, but only 1 works with signals to both tuners - and that's in my eldest daughter's bedroom!
We did have an error message pop up on the solar panel controls in the laundry room where the heating system also lives, which was corrected quickly by Sanichaufer, but the heat pump seems to not heat the water to the expected 55c it's set at, being more like 40C. They'll be back next week to have a look.
Overall, though, we're very happy in our lovely warm, very quiet house, but we already know we need to have a sliding door, at least, fitted to the large opening from the lounge into the hallway, which is a shame. The TV noise goes straight up the staircase to the 2nd floor, and that's before I've added a Sonos soundbar and sub!
(
) As soon as we're online properly (P&T coming next Monday morning, finally!), and we're devoid of Christmas decorations, I'll post up some pics.
BTW, Guy, those black/gold up/down lighters look ubercool!
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