The Move

The last 3 days have been spent packing, shifting boxes,equipment and stock and assembling furniture. I have popeye arms and what we have called 'tow bar shin' ... if I walk into the tow bar on the van again I just might scream! Are we going to be ready to open on Wednesday? erm it's going to be tight there are a heap of tasks that need to be finished on site and until then we can't really unpack and set up not to mention that the new dental chair is on a airplane somewhere. At this stage we have no computer system, no telephones, no fences, half-laid vinyl, a partially installed dental chair, no plants, no signage, no door handles, painting to finish inside and out, all those boxes to unpack and sort, oh and the electricity isn't hooked up yet! It will be a mad dash to get everything completed but with all hands on deck and a lot of optimism I'm certain we will be up and running, in a fashion, on time even if this means seeing patients whilst jobs get finished. I can't wait!!
Best wishes,
Rachel
Rachel Hall and the Team at Evolve

The Finishing Touches

Only a week until the big move and I am filled with excitement, nerves and a sense of is it really happening. Every spare moment at work is spent going through the logistics of what needs to happen to ensure a smooth transition from one practice to the other, packing up everything that we can and double checking that no details have been overlooked. I think it is all under control but things like getting the phone lines changed over and electric organised always seem to be more complicated and unpredictable than expected....all I can do is remember to breath and hope come move date it all falls in to place.
Up on site it has been another massive week with the return of the concrete trucks pouring tonnes of concrete over 2 days to make the car parks, paths and new driveway. The backyard looks like a huge sea of grey so I'm sure there will be plenty of room for everyone to park thus ending the difficulties we have had finding a spot at our current practice. Only plants, fences and exterior lighting to go. However with only  a week left there is still a way to go inside but like magic I know it will come together as all of a sudden the toilets and sinks are plumbed in, the reception desk is installed, the painters are on the final coat of paint, door handles go on and the finishing touches are being taken care of. At last the place no longer resembles a building site and the dental practice I pictured is becoming a reality.
Over this final week  the carpet and vinyl are to be fitted followed by the dental equipment and chairs. So I guess that's it for the building work apart from all the last minute tweeks and little details. A massive thank you to Charlie and his team at Lyons Projects Qld, this could not have happened with out your expertise, vision and determination. The boys have been amazing, even working weekends to bring the project in on time and on budget (I hope!!!).
It's then up to me, my wonderful family and team to have the place ready for opening. It will be all hands on deck over the weekend moving in, setting up, assembling furniture, cleaning and making the place look beautiful ready to welcome you. We can't wait for you to visit and see what we have done with the place!

Almost There



Roof Half Cleaned

 Wow! So much has happened in the last couple of weeks.
The roof has been cleaned and painted and if I may say so it looks brilliant. Actually the roof is so nice that one of the neighbours came over to ask what colour it was. Seems we are winning them over at last! (By the way it is colourbond woodland grey if you're interested.)
The diggers returned last week to landscape the garden with beautiful sandstone rocks creating garden beds and steps from the carpark at the back of the house. I can't wait to see what it looks like once the plants go in.




Back garden and carpark steps





Front garden bed



The painters have been super busy on site applying primers, undercoats and final colours, even working weekends to get the whole place inside and out looking fantastic. Thanks boys.
So what else has happened? .. Light fittings are in, the toilets are being tiled, my cabinets and work benches are starting to be installed. Post holes for fences are being dug, doors have been hung, skirtingboards are on, new windows have been fitted and Council granted approval for an advertisng sign to be erected without making me jump through hoops .... quite incredible.
It feels like the marathon is reaching the end and there is only the last exhausting but exhilarating lap of the track to go. The finish line is in sight, yippee! but it seems like an uphill sprint will need to happen to bring everything together on time. Fingers crossed.

Walls Doors and Windows

Things are happening really fast on site now. The trees have come down, retaining walls have gone up and my version of the Great Dividing Range has been levelled to make the beginings of a garden.


Front door and window



Retaining Wall for Car Park

Structurally the building looks more like a house again as there is a roof on the extension and all the new doors and windows have been fitted. 




Blue sheeting wrapped up tight

  





Cladded

  It looks fantastic! The timber for the windows is just beautiful even the tradesmen have had to stop to admire them. The house gets wrapped in blue insulation sheeting followed by the VJ boards outside and gyprock walls inside giving us defined rooms for the first time. Everyone on site is working frantically to keep to schedule, sometimes there are so many tradesmen inside it's hard not to fall over each other.


Apparently this is now the fun stage of the build as I get to choose paint colours and source bathroom accesories, tiles, carpets, vinyl, furniture, window treatments, soft furnishings and the list goes on and on.....brilliant!
But ... finally, I feel like we are on schedule and my hopes to be moving in by August could  be realised. 

Its Taking Shape

The building work to convert the surgery house into a new dental practice is approximately at the halfway mark.
It is all hands on deck as the installtion work continues; plumbing and electrics are coming along well with the air conditioning ducting traversing the roof spaces like some outlandish multi-limbed beast.
 

aircon electrics installation


   


Light Points and Reception Room?!

 




Are these pipes right?

 If I'm not drilling teeth at the moment I seem to be sourcing materials, going over floor plans or having site meetings to ensure that everything is just right and that there will be adequate lighting and power sockets. The most important phase (for me anyway) was deciding exactly where the dental chairs should sit. After much head scratching and measuring followed by remeasuring the final position of the dental units was agreed upon and the boys got busy laying the pipework that holds all the clever gizmos that allow the chars to move and operate. It's complicated stuff and there is no changing my mind once the concrete goes down so I hope I've worked out the dimensions of the rooms correctly!

"Concrete Truck's here"



 


Pouring Concrete

 










The next day the concrete trucks arrived to pour the footings and slab for the treatment rooms and carpark. The concreting team swarm over the freshly pumped mix, tapping, prodding and smoothing until it is just right.The slab looks funny with all the plumbing work sticking out the top and again I get that hmm do you think the rooms are big enough feelng.   



Smooth



The Slab

Framed Surgery Rooms


The concrete is barely dry and before you know it the timber frame work is up and ta da there are two surgeries. Yes they are a long way off being the finished product but after dealing with Council for so long this is massive leap forward. 


The Builders Are In



Construction Site



At last construction of the new practice is finally well underway …... Or should that be deconstruction because at this stage it’s all dust and dirt as internal walls, doors, ceilings, bathroom and kitchen get demolished and stripped out to leave a blank canvas from which we can launch Evolve Dental Healing II.



Going Open Plan?



Nice Kitchen



Walls come down



            

 As the stud walls begin to go in and the layout takes shape I am anxious the space will be too small and that people will have to sit on each others knees whilst waiting in reception, however, Charlie (my project manager) reassures me “it’s huge”. A few days and a few more rooms later, I now have better sense of the layout and can feel how well the new surgery will work and flow as a dental practice. And yes we should be able to get more than two chairs in the waiting room, phew seating arrangements solved!

Immense excitement this week as the diggers have been in carving out the earth to make space for the car park and the extension which will house the two treatment rooms.

Digger

Excitement soon turned to panic mode when a freak thunderstorm flashed through late one afternoon, apparently rain is not what you want when in the middle of excavations. I had images of tonnes of soil washing down into the yard behind us and turning my neighbour’s swimming pool in to a record breaking mud pie but fortunately the new drainage system seems to work quite well. I guess it was a good opportunity to test it out before the concrete arrives.

The next stage is installation of plumbing and electrics so I’d better go and choose some toilets and basins and decide where the power points, lights and services need to go….

Where It All Began

Evolve Dental Healing A Relocation Story

After nearly five years in our current premises we have decided that the time has come to move into a more spacious, functional, light and airy location in Kenmore. The new practice is only a short distance from our present site and can easily be reached by car or public transport. It will have designated off street parking for your convenience which should put an end to the difficulties we all have experienced when it has come to securing a parking spot out the front.
 The New Practice Site fondly known as “The Surgery House”
Following a year long, nerve wracking struggle with Council regulations, town planning issues, and numerous complaints from the neighbours we were finally granted approval to commence building and renovation works on site earlier this year. So I am pleased to announce, much to my relief, that building work commences in earnest shortly after Easter.
The upcoming move to our new practice marks an exciting new phase for Evolve Dental Healing that will enable us to not only expand and move forward but to uphold our commitment to provide you with the best of dental care and holistic services.
Your continuing support and confidence in our practice is appreciated and we look forward to seeing you in our new home.