Selecting a Demolisher
Carter Grange gave me some names and I also did my own research. I first went to Rafferty's as they'd come recommended by two friends - that was a no go as they have since stopped doing domestic demolitions and are only doing commercial. They recommended a company so we got their quote - $21K. I'd been expecting $10K - $ 11K so that was considerably higher and I was going to have to re-assess my budget. Another quote came in at $12.5 K so that looked good. Followed up with them to give them the go ahead only to find they'd underquoted and couldn't possibly do it for less than $17K. Then got a quote from Victorian Demolitions based in Rowville for a little less, and decided to go with them. Another quote for the same demolition was over $25K!!!
Finding a Rental
Well that turned out to be quite a chore. Five weekends spent checking out all the 4-5 bedrooms houses on a bus route to Brentwood Sec College, working out the times they were open for inspection - 15 mins each - and a few were at the same time so Garry and one daughter went to that and other daughter and I went to the other. Four weeks in a row of not getting our preferred property. Then finally success -a 5 bedroom with polished boards in my price range and available 9/9! we were successful so now we had a date by when we could move out of the house, and demolition could start. Packing then started with scrounging of boxes and newspapers doing the trick.
Tree Removal
We are in the city of Monash and under a vegetation protection overlay meaning that we would have to get a permit to remove any trees over 10m. We called an arborist who advised that we didn't have any, so we went ahead with the removal around 10th September. The irony was our lounge and dining rooms now had so much more light! but I did miss our lovely patio roses, pale blue hydrangea and bank of camellias that hid our garage wall.
Service Abolition
We got the one solitary key 9/9 (not exactly useful when there are 4 of us), with the big stuff being moved Saturday 14/9 thanks to the help of some very kind friends. So in the week or two prior to that, I contacted the power and gas companies re service abolition, and scanned and emailed the appropriate forms advising abolition could start 16/9. Both Multinet and Red came back with 3-4 week lead times, which I'd already known about. So I was expecting demolition could start around 16/10.
To my outright surprise both gas and power were abolished by the end of that week - namely 20/9!!!
Demolition
it started with the asbestos removal on 27/9. All homes built prior to 1986 had it, and we had more given the eaves we had. Anyway, it was all gone that day, and the demolition could begin the following Monday 30/9. Troy from VD said it'd be all down by Thursday, but this ended up only being a delayed a day due to inclement weather. So by Friday 5/10 our former home was all gone. Only one small surprise - a septic tank under the house that we didn't even know was there, so that had to be removed at a small extra charge to us. They did a fabulous job and Carter Grange must have agreed as they said they'd now recommend them to future CG clients! Thanks heaps to Troy, Kirsty and gang!
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