Lunch at Gripps Cafe

16th August 2008

While waiting for the land transport department to open, I had a quick lunch at Gripps cafe (one of Syafi and Safiya's favorite restaurant). We usually had our favorite menu, Sea food wet noddles, Manggo Cheese cake and Bubble milk tea...Yummy. Normally, we ask for Bubble Milk Tea with coconut jelly. To my wife, Sorry for showing off the menu's picture, we'll go to Gripps Cafe after you all come back in December...

Telephone cable with Telbru contractor

16th August 2008

This morning at 8am, I had a meeting with Telbru Contractor for discussing the best way for installing the telephone cable with my electrician. The outcome of the meeting was that the Telbru contractor will carry out the work connecting the telephone cable from the main supply and conceal the cable underground rather than using an overhang. I am still waiting for the total cost and still not sure how much it will cost me. At the site too, I managed to discuss with my electrician for some extra sockets and wall lamps outside the house wall.

The Telbru contractors measuring the distance of the existing telephone pole from my house

Installing the Window Frame

15th August 2008

After the Appreciation and Prize giving ceremony of the Brunei SPE National Student Paper Contest 2008 at the Empire Hotel and Country Club, I went to the site to look at the progress of the house construction. I was pleased to see that some of the window frame has arrived and had been installed at some of the area. The roof truss work had also been started as the roof installer (only 2 of them from Thailand) had arrived at the site since yesterday.

Notice the moon during sunset

The window frame for the formal living room

The window frame being applied with cement

The window at one of the kid's bedroom at the back of the house

Measuring the height of the window in the Master bathroom in front of the Jacuzzi bathtub

Measuring the height of the window in the master bath behind the toilet area

Measuring the width of the window in Safiya's bathroom. The window frame in her bedroom has been installed.

Measuring the aluminum swing door in the study area leading to the balcony

Detail work in the informal living

The brick work for the electrical meter from the reception foyer. This space will be covered with cupboard.

The initial roof truss work above Syafi's bedroom

My amateur phone camera

11 August 2008

Yesterday, amidst my hectic schedule at the hospital, I had some time to visit the site. After all the delay, I notice that plastering works has commenced, especially at the reception foyer with the high ceiling. Most walls on the first floor has now been plastered as well.

I guess, the next major work would be constructing the roof truss, and I'm almost certain that the roofing work will take a while, since we're using roof tile and the huge area will also definitely add to the lengthy process. Thankfully though, the roof design is simple without extrinsic or elaborate details.

Anyway, like I said, equipped only with my almost outdated phone camera, I took some pictures. Oh well, here goes...

The house as at yesterday, 10 August 2008.

The view from the top of the double staircases. Right underneath at that circular floor design, we plan to put custom-designed tiles. The design ... still to be finalised.

The high wall at the reception foyer completely plastered. I just can't describe how beautiful it looks in reality...

The master bathroom ... the toilet and shower areas.

From the master bathroom overlooking through to the audio-visual room.

Outdoor view. Wood for the roof truss all ready for work.

By the way, congratulations to my sister Hasrina and her husband, Hadanan for the safe birth of their first child (after 3 years of marriage) today. At last, you are now blessed with your own bundle of joy...

Why the delay...?

10 August 2008

Apparently, it has been almost two weeks after I arrive from Brisbane. You might be wondering about my delay in updating the blog until now.. Well, here's why:

1. Silly me, I left the camera battery recharger back in Brisbane. My wife sent it by post but I haven't received it yet.
2. I have also been busy with on-site office works and I had to work midnights too.
3. This weekend, my time is filled with anticipation for my sister who has been hospitalised since she is due to give birth soon (her first time).

So I guess patience would be the right word for now... hehehe... I might take some pictures with my mobile phone, but the pictures won't be as clear or crisp as usual.. We'll see how it goes. For now, patience guys!

Progress over the weekend

3rd August 2008

Yesterday, I had the opportunity of meeting up with Mr. Lai (my 2nd architect from Amir PP) at Batu Besurat for getting his blessing of some of the fixtures that I bought from Brisbane. He was quite impressed with some of the stuffs that I got for the house. We also managed to discuss the design of the balcony and the cabinets of the dry kitchen. After the meeting, we had lunch at Soon Lee's restaurant as I was craving for chicken rice.

This morning however, I managed to go to a lighting shop at Jangsak for a quotation of the chandeliers and down lights. In total, there were around 116 down lights for the whole house but I am still not pretty sure whether to use warm lights with dimmer or energy saver warm lights or energy saver white lights without dimmer. The cost difference between the energy saver warm or white lights and a normal warm lights with dimmer is huge i.e. $3 each for normal warm lights and $12 each for any energy saver lights with a transformer. At the moment, I had decided to use the energy saver white lights in all the bathrooms (not sure whether thats a good choice), energy saver lights at all the high ceiling down lights - inside and outside the house, and the normal warm lights at all over the rooms with dimmer. I may need further consultations regarding the correct lighting to use.

In the afternoon I went to my dad's house at Sungai Liang (Belait district) for a baby shower's ceremony for my sister who had delivered a baby boy sometimes in May. After the ceremony, I went to the site for some updates on the progress of the house. Here's some of the pictures...

Hazim (my brother in law) standing at the Audio Visual room next to the Master bedroom. The picture was taken from the entrance to the Master Suites walk in closet and Bathroom.

Hazim looking at Syafi's walk in closet. The ceiling is pretty high indeed.

These are the windows in Syafi's bedroom

Hazim standing in one of the kid's bedroom at the back of the house

These are some of the woods for the roof truss. At the moment, the roof truss is yet to be installed as we were still waiting for all of the materials to be delivered at the site.

1 day after touchdown in Brunei

31st July 2008

Exactly 24 hours after I arrived in Brunei from Brisbane, I eagerly went to the site to look at the progress of the day. To date, most of the aircon conduit and piping has been installed apart from 3 specific areas that need further consideration by the supplier. Tomorrow afternoon, I will met with the aircon supplier to discuss on the best alternative of the position for those aircons. The workers on the other had started plastering the wall in the Master bedroom. Today I took the opportunity to take the whole overview of the house from different angle. Overall, I am very satisfy with the progress so far...

The whole overview

At the side towards Syafi's bedroom

The door from the Study room to the balcony

The balcony

Plastering work in the Master suites

Outside the Master suites

The Study room adjacent the walk in closet