For anyone building their first home it is an experience of highs and lows, as well as relief and frustration.

From start to finish it can be a bit of a roller coaster ride, as each stage comes and goes. It begins with finding the right house, or plan, and the right block of land to build it on.

In our case it was a situation whereas the house was designed specifically for a particular corner block in the suburb of 'Dunlop', in Canberra, Australia.

At the time we were still without a full deposit, but had the minimum AU$1,000 required to secure the block, and with six months to get the balance we set the wheels in motion on the biggest purchase we are ever likely to make in our lives.

With Christmas 2000 approaching we were making huge advances in having our minimum deposit ahead of schedule and decided to apply for the loan. The bank had no problem and all approvals were finalised in pretty quick time.

February 2001 saw the final approval of the plans take place and activity then began.

At first we had the surprise of seeing the chalk outline for the digging of the foundation trenches. When we initially saw these on the bare block we immediately thought the house looked small, but once the brickwork had commenced it was obvious we were on the small-large-small merry go round.

One thing we hadn't counted on was the slope of the land and the fact that, although the front of the house was going to be at ground level the back would not. It became apparent the indecision on whether to lay down a concrete pad, or build a timber deck entertainment area, at the back would be settled by the 1 metre drop from the doors at the rear of the house. A timber deck would be the only way to go, money-wise.

With the end of February upon us a slab has been laid for our new home. It seems to have taken an eternity, but the slab has finally been poured.

With the advent of March things began to shift into a higher gear, with the frames being commenced and completed in around a week. This included installation of front and back doors, as well as, windows. By March 7 only the garage remained the only major construction below the roofline.

That was soon to change and the place really took on the appearance of becoming our home.

The series of photos below was taken between March 12 and March 20, showing just how quickly it is now coming together.

By March 31 the gutters and facias had been completed and the roof tiling commenced. Things seem to be dragging o, but it is getting there. We also noticed that the sliding door cavities had been installed.

Another change is the built-in wardrobe in the master bedroom, that seemed a bit smaller than expected. The framework for that has now been removed to make way for a larger one.

This brings us to April 16 and our new home is advancing in leaps and bounds. Electricals are done, interior walls are finished ceilings are up. The kitchen is due to be commenced tomorrow, with the deck to be finished and other areas completed prior to painting.