Have planning permission - builder we want could start in 2 weeks, are we crazy?

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

Ok, somebody slap some sense into me!

We have been umming and ahhing, going back and forth about doing an extension for months now. We bought this house with the intention of doing a big old single storey extension across the back of the house so got the plans drawn up and approved.

Then for some reason I got cold feet and panicked about spending all the money, wondered whether we should play with the space we have (knock through the kitchen, dining room and utility rather than building on) so we asked the builder to come and give us some idea of costs etc for THAT plan.

While he was here I couldn't help asking him for a quote for the original plan and it was so much less than I'd feared AND he said he can start in a couple of weeks

Madness right? We've no kitchen ordered (although I know what I want, and who is fitting it), and it's not the weather to be doing it.

No worries about the builder's quality of work or getting other quotes, he lives over the road from me, has built lots of houses/extensions for friends in my village and we trust and like his work which is very reassuring. He just happens to have a gap in his calendar.

Sorry for the essay but I feel all of a fluster!

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

Do it. We were in a similar situation, had gone out to tender and the prices were too high, we altered the plans a little bit and got some prices in, ummed and awwed about it, then a builder the architect knew phoned him looking for work, they quoted and said they'd give us a discount if they could start next week...

So we did it.

I think you'd feel all of a fluster even if you'd had lots of notice tbh, it's a very flustering thing...

Say yes and get yourself off to the kitchen showroom - it's the last weekend in January so the salespeople will have targets to make = bargains to be had.

[ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets]

I think it's meant to be!

It was much less than you thought AND he can start soon.

Do it! Can we have before, during and after pictures please

[Scarydinosaurs]

Do it!

[Turbinaria]

A builder with good quality work to recommend them and he wants a job in Feb - go for it. The weather is something the builder will be aware of and can work around if there are a run of bad days.

Near me a loft extension was put in in Nov/Dec, gale force winds, heavy rain, but it is all done now.

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

Go for it!

You'll be all done then when the weather is better, ready to enjoy the summer without this hanging over you. And yes to good discounts for kitchens etc atm too!

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

Yikes! You crazy people...you were meant to pat me on the head and tell me to stop being so daft!

Here's the plans, will be a big kitchen dining space, a snug to the side and a pantry. Think the dotty line is to show where the big steel needs to go as that will be open space. Don't know if we're going to have an island, need to get to a kitchen designer!

[ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets]

Have they started?

I keep thinking about your new kitchen. I have too much time on my hands obviously!

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

We start on Monday! Builder came round today to mark out where he needs to dig and the skips are coming in the morning.

Can't believe we were undecided about this 2 weeks ago!

[PixieGio]

Good luck. We are also starting a building project Monday - very nervous but we are by living in the house thankfully.

[NoMoreMissusNiceGuy]

Digging of our extension foundations started on 11th January. I only ordered my kitchen on Wednesday (9th Feb) .. the builder said to wait till I had some walls so they could give me more accurate measurements, so I did. Tomorrow they are coming to fit the second steel which will be the start of actual mess IN the house, everything else has been outside so far.

It's only now that I am getting the "oh my goodness, what were we thinking???" thoughts. Too late now. It's happening!

Good luck with it all, and what a PP said - builders are used to weather and can work round it. We've had monsoon rain, hurricane winds and extremes of temperatures and the builders have been here almost every week day since they started (and a Sunday to put the roof tiles on!).

[MrsJamin]

Kitchens from places like Howdens can be done a week or two before they're needed, surely you're a good few months off needing one? We started our digging about a year ago for single storey extension too, good time of year to start the outside work, only started interrupting the inside in April. Good luck!

[SecretNameTime]

Don't forget to take millions of photos especially of things that will get hidden such as electric wiring.

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

Yes builder confirmed that kitchen designer would come round once the walls are up to take measurements and do design. He reckons he will have external walls up in a week which I though sounded highly optimistic since we need 2 metre foundations and they need to clear patios and shrubbery away first!

I'm actually down in London for half term for a few days this week so am tasking DH with picture taking each morning. I'll be here tomorrow and Tuesday but then leaving the builder to it - DH can come back at lunchtime to check everything is going OK.

On the kitchen front, I'm really torn still between going for something like DeVol Shaker, a local company that makes handmade kitchens, or Benchmarx who our kitchen fitter does a great job of installing to look top notch. Any experiences anyone?

[MrsJamin]

We had howdens, I think a bit similar to Benchmarx. We had a great bespoke wooden worktop to make it look a bit more designer/exp. Are you having bifolds at the back?

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

Bifolds from the kitchen and French doors from the snug.

Also having an internal door fitted to garage and various other walls knocked around to give me my walk-in pantry of my dreams!

How long were people without kitchen facilities for? Have no real idea when the move from outside work to inside work will begin.

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

Amazing progress in one day - foundations dug to 2m, 3 skips full, garden a sea of mud!!

[SugarPlumTree]

I'm sending off the cheque for planning permission today but feeling a bit wobbly about it as worried about the money so we've been procrastinating for ages. Your post today has cheered me up !