Hi All,

It’s been a challenging year for us all in Canterbury! The anniversary of the 4th of September 2010 earthquake is only a few days away, and it’s the eve of moving back into my house ~15 weeks after repairs commenced. Over the past few weeks the house has been fully painted inside and out, carpet and pvc planks are down, kitchen, bathroom and toilet are in and driveway has been poured.

There is still some touch up work to be done, clean up outside/gardens and my office in the garage needs to be gib stopped and painted.

There are a heap of people to thank for making this process and situation easier to deal with and work through - Many thanks to:

Falcon Construction (Project Managers and Builders – No job was too small or a hassle, Great builders on the ground and many laughs), Lumley Insurance (My Insurers – Rachel!), Mainland Claims Management (Lost Adjusters – James!),  Ireland Group,
Westpac (My Bank – Andrea!), Campbell Electric (Fully re-writing the house - Keith and Jason), Laser Plumbing (Fully re-plumbing the house - Drainage, Plumbing),  Simple Solutions – (Painting inside and out), Faulks Investments (Concrete Removal, new driveway etc), 
Placemakers (Supplying all the bits and Ben for his help with the kitchen design), Carpet Plus (Carpet and PVC Planks), Heritage House
Re-levellers (Re-piling the house, safely lifting it up an down ), My personal interior
design co-ordinator , Murray Cameron (Cabling advice, your patience and a heap of termination ) and the Earthquake
Commission (Kimberley in Wellington, you rock!)

So I guess this brings my commentary to a conclusion. For me the purpose of documenting was to help others and hopefully put minds at ease – There are so many people in the Christchurch area who will venture down a similar path to restoration – It’s the friends and family around you that get you through this, offering places of refuge, a coffee and a laugh. I also must thank the many friends online who have followed the progress and of course the outstanding support from employer and work colleagues.

The New Adventure – Update 04 #EQC #CHCH

The New Adventure – Update 03 #EQC #CHCH

The New Adventure – Update 02 #EQC #CHCH

Video - Lowering house onto the new ring foundation and piles

The New Adventure – Update 01

Fight or flight – Christchurch #eqnz

More photos are available here.

Hi All,

I’m not sure how many of you have seen the movie Pay It Forward, I enjoyed the movie and the concept. Last Thursday I was heading out to the Speight’s Ale House to catch-up with some friends for a drink. I parked the car and as I walked towards the bar I was approached by a middle aged guy who was asking for some help. He and his wife had finished dinner, went to pay and couldn’t find their bank cards (left them at home), however they have enough cash to cover the meals. The next predicament was that they had very little gas in their car, and they lived in Hororata which is about 25 mins out of Christchurch. I popped into a local store and offered $40 to assist – I would like to think that if I found myself in a similar situation someone would help me out too.

Christchurch has been through alot in the past 12 or so months, and as a community it’s had a profound impact on people and the way we interact. People are talking to and checking up on neighbours, the friendly nod/smile on the street etc., which is probably typical of Christchurch of old. I didn’t really think twice about offering to help and at the end of the day it wasn’t a large amount of money. He was most grateful and said he’d be in contact to sort out paying me back.

A week has past now, and clearly as I’m commenting on this I haven’t heard anything from the couple that drove a flash BMW . I’m a little disappointed more than anything else, and if I find myself in the same situation I will always help and hope that someone's word means something .

Nick.

Hi All,

It’s been eleven weeks since the restoration of my place started, I’m on the home stretch! I’ve just returned from the US for work and a heap has happened including a heavy snow in Christchurch.

Gib stopping is completed - new internal doors/frames, skirtings and doors are done and the second coat of paint inside is completed.

The driveway has been pulled up, compacted and ready for the new driveway to be laid. Trenches dug, conduit and cables have been pulled between the house and the garage for networking and power.

The roof has been fixed (tiles moved and cracked plaster etc.) and it is now ready for painting.

The ring foundation has been plastered and the main stairs have been boxed and concrete poured.

Both front and rear decks are completed and work has begun on the painting of the exterior of the house.

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So the next few weeks should see the house fully painted inside and out, new door handles and locks installed, new kitchen, bathroom, laundry and toilets areas installed, flooring installed, power/Cat6/Satellite/UHF cabling terminated, garage office gib stopped and painted, drainage ‘stuff’ and reconnection of power to the house done, and the driveway/paths re-poured. (I’m sure my simplistic view is … simplistic.. )

None the less, great progress and the end is in sight!

Previous Posts

The New Adventure – Update 03 #EQC #CHCH

The New Adventure – Update 02 #EQC #CHCH

The New Adventure – Update 01

Fight or flight – Christchurch #eqnz

More photos are available here.