Extensions - short term accom & general tips

[kmini]

We are beginning an rear extension in the early new year. We should be able stay for the 1st 4 weeks, but after that we will need to move out.

Two queries:

• any short term accom recommendations. I've seen some short term accom websites but never anything available close by.
• what are your tips for surviving living in a construction site.

Thanks!

[Bowlersarm]

Holiday let?

Tips on living on a construction site? - it is stressful, try not to get stressed! It's temporary and you'll have a shiny new house at the end of it. Looker at the bigger picture and just look to survive the experience.

I hated it, but some people probably cope well with it.

[MummytoMog]

Keep one room sacrosanct, and retreat into it. Do you definitely have to move out? Try and find a holiday let, should be cheaper out of season and some of them shut down completely and will be glad to do a short term let over the winter. We're having a massive extension and only have to sod off for a couple of weeks (although I am titting freezing in my plywood walled living room). We're going to Center Parcs for one week of our time away. Check your insurance as well, ours would not have been happy if we moved out for an extended period.

[digerd]

Hope you are detached and the extension does not stand on the boundary. Neighbours are the worst problem.

[NotCitrus]

Why do you have to move out? Could they board off the extension area and could you move your vital appliances elsewhere temporarily?

I've spent the last 3 months with no kitchen, boards over the doorway to it, and sink, washer and dishwasher in the dining room plumbed into the basin of the downstairs loo. Makes it a bit cramped for cooking and have lost spare room also, but much easier than moving out with small children. Buying more ready meals, an electric hot plate, going out more on days when I'm in and the builders are really noisy is much cheaper than even one month's rent.

[kmini]

Notcitrus, its a flat & we are basically ripping off the vack...so b'room & kitchen

[kmini]

Sorry fat finger, submitted too early.

Notcitrus, its a flat & we are basically ripping off the back & extend into the garden...so no heating, b'room & kitchen! Arghh dreading already!

Digerd...do you have any party wall notice suggestions/advice. We are abt to send them off.

[digerd]

OP
Sorry, but have no knowledge of ground floor flats. Generally if you have party walls which will be affected by building works you have to notify the neighbours informing them of your plans and date of start and approx finish of the works.
I would look up the Party Wall Act on Google for full info as your neighbours' foundations may also be affected.

[InsertUsernameHere]

Really depends on how long you need to be out. We looked at holiday lets but over about 10 weeks it was cheaper to get a standard let. If you are going the holiday let option especially in the new year - make them an offer rather than pay the list price.
Second what somebody said about checking insurance. We weren't covered by our standard insurance if we were out for more than 90 days. You can get specialist empty house insurance but it ain't cheap (but insurance is likely to be a condition of your mortgage). Check the exclusions - many forbade any boarded up windows or doors???!!! Or had quite low limits on the value of the work being done.

[kmini]

Thank you for the insurance info, that hadn't evem occurred to us!

Also we are in sw London, what did other MNers do?