Anyone in the middle of major building works?

[bellissimiaow]

I've managed for almost 10 weeks so far but this week it's all got too much for me. Has anyone got any advice for living in a house that is undergoing fairly major works?

We live in a small converted bungalow, with a kitchen, lounge, bathroom and 2 bedrooms downstairs and one large room in the attic (previously our bedroom)

We are extending out the full width at the back to create a large open plan area for lounge, kitchen and dining room. And we're also creating a large dormer extension upstairs to create 2 bedrooms and another bathroom up there.

We're 10 weeks in and the downstairs extension is almost built, bar the bi-folds and they've started building the dormer. They've not knocked through downstairs yet so we've still got the use of the kitchen for now. But upstairs is now out of bounds and they've knocked half the roof out now.

We're a family of 4 and now only have one bedroom, the living room, the kitchen and the bathroom as usable rooms. Luckily the kids (18 & 14) can spend more time at their dads so me and my partner are now sleeping in the one bedroom.

Kids and partner are out most of the day now but I'm wfh and also running a business around that. I've run out of any space to put a desk so have to work with the laptop on my knee which is killing my neck.

I've spoken to work who have said I can work from the office if I need to so I've been going in to get away from the noise and sit on a proper chair. But I know very soon the kitchen at home will be unusable and at the point I'm really not sure how we're going to manage.

I could stay at my mum and dads but they're quite vulnerable and cases in my own town are going up so I'm worried about that plus my business means I need to be physically near home daily plus I'm taking and collecting my son from school become I dont want him to go on the bus.

Anyone else in a similar situation? I'm currently sitting in Starbucks trying to decide how to get through the next couple of months. It will be worth it! (I keep telling myself!)

[bellissimiaow]

Anyone else living on a building site?

[Mamette]

I am. I don’t know when they started, I think it was the end of July ish. I can’t keep track of dates or weeks, otherwise I will go on a mad rampage and potentially alienate the builders which wouldn’t be a good idea.

Ours is built, has the first fix electrics in, and the windows obviously. The wall was knocked through about 6 or 7 weeks ago (you have that to look forward to- possibly go away for a couple of days during that?) so there is a plywood wall in the dining room which I am sick and tired of at this point.

We still have to:
Get the plumbing in and external drains etc
Insulation slabbed out
Plastering inside and out
Second fix electrics and plumbing
Get the kitchen installed
Turn the existing kitchen into a loo and utility

No one here today 😐

[PragmaticWench]

We're a little further on but I'm finding this part is dragging, mainly as I just want it DONE! We started in January, stopped for lockdown then it's been slow as we've had fewer people onsite at once.

We have windows (as of this week and not correct ), plaster, doors, some paint, some electrics and lights.

The difficult parts have been the noise, endless mountains of dust and filth and that we're crammed in. The people we've had working here though have just about all been delightful, so that's a positive!

[bellissimiaow]

I feel your pain, it's very difficult isn't it? Our builders actually knocked through the entire back wall within the first week of starting which took me by surprise as I thought that would be much later on. They put temporary plywood walls in straight away so we've had those in the kitchen and my son's (downstairs) bedroom for a couple of months. Not sure what the logic is but it hasn't been too bad and has still kept all the outside work separate.

Still to do for us is -

Exterior dormer walls
Interior bedroom walls upstairs
New shower, basin & toilet upstairs.
Fit bi-folds
Knock through interior wall downstairs
Remove temporary walls.
Move stairs
Build utility room and move boiler
Install kitchen
Flooring
Decorating

So much still to do! The builders are brilliant though, here every single day since July from 8 till gone 5 so can't complain. They're cracking on with it at a great pace.

What are you both having done?

[weepingwillow22]

I feel your pain. We started our 2 storey kitchen and bedroom extension pre covid in february and it has been horrible. Our builders built the shell and then knocked through in June so we have 'only' been without a kitchen for 3 months.

Our new kitchen is being delivered this friday but we are still waiting for some of the windows.

I underestimated the disruption and the amount of questions and liason between the different trades especially as we are getting nearer to the end of the build.

I just want it all to be over, even our neighbours are getting annoyed. One keyed our car last week and I am sure it is all the disruption getting to them. We have 5 vans on site today.

[weepingwillow22]

There is an extension support thread here if you would like to join us
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/3980672-extension-2020-part-2-pandemics-plaster-plumbing

[Inabarunderthesea]

Yep. Side extension so disruption to existing house has been more minimal thankfully, but working from home through the whole thing is beginning to test my patience slightly. Started early July, now mid plastering although still missing the fancy windows and doors. And unfortunately dealing with a terrible bathroom company who have failed to deliver most of the elements of the downstairs loo despite my ordering weeks ago 🙄

The actual builders have been good though, I just have building work fatigue! Should be all done and dusted late October (provided I get my loo sink!)

[Bigsighall]

Yep but we are just coming out the other end of it and now starting the fun stuff. It’ll be worth it, hang on in there!

[Slightlydustcovered]

Waves, yup us. Wrap around 2 story extension (70m2 ish) but with a redesign of the old house 2. Been without a kitchen for weeks and weeks now, 2 young kids and more noise and dust than you can imagine. Started first week of March but coming to the end now thankfully. Floors and woodwork going in and we should be starting the stuff we have planned doing in the next week or so.. I like my builders but really looking forward to seeing the back of them now.

[bellissimiaow]

It's not having anywhere to get any peace and quiet that's getting me down. In the evenings I just go and sit in my bedroom but it feels like I'm living in a hotel now.

I've got 3 cats as well who are just generally being idiots. The builders relocated their cat flap into the temporary wall so they can still get in and out, but I keep getting up to find they've been playing in all the debris outside and then tramped it all over the kitchen worktops on their feet. One of them keeps going up to the loft where there's floorboards out and massive holes everywhere and just messing about up there like it's all a big game. Then drags even more dirt and dust back with her and sits on my pillow

The kids are coping fine really, and my partner seems to be ok with it all. Just me and the cats having problems! Another cats refuses point blank to come inside if 'the men's are here, but if he happens to be inside when they arrive he refuses to go out

I'm seriously thinking of checking in to a hotel for a few nights.

[Abracadabra12345]

I bet your neighbours would love to check in to a hotel too! Don’t forget, it’s almost as noisy and disruptive for them as it is for you without the reward at the end, or escape to an office now and again if they’re retired or wfh. So just something to bear in mind - you’re not alone in your suffering!

How much longer is it expected to last? A long time by the sound of it? Hopefully you’re keeping them in the picture since they’d not have been able to enjoy any sunny days in their gardens.

At least they’ll know you’re having to endure it too, which does go down better. When you say the builders come every single day, I guess you mean during the week?

Hopefully you’ll get more sympathy and helpful advice from other pps, I just wanted to say you’re not the only one suffering.,,,

[bellissimiaow]

I know, I feel awful for the neighbours and thankfully they're being brilliant about it as they had something similar a few years ago. I have actually offered to pay for them to go to a hotel for a few nights but they wont hear of it. I'm very aware how it must be for them and am keeping them informed.

I dont know what else I can do really, I was going to suggest taking them out for a meal just to thank them but our town is almost in lockdown again and one of the neighbours is on the very vulnerable list so can't really even do that.