Support thread for those crazy enough to be extending their homes this year!

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Hiya, after hijacking another thread about massive extensions (not massive erections LOL) there seems to be a few of us who are about to embark on building projects this year. So if you are one of them come join in so we can share all the excitement, nervousness and bewilderment at everything that needs done!

We are currently awaiting quotes from builders for a two storey side extension plus a single storey at the rear. We had our first quote in today which is £64k. Not sure if this is good or bad, it will be interesting to compare the quotes when they are all in. We are also awaiting planning permission but should get it fine as our house already has planning for the extension that came with the sale of the house (but we had to resubmit as we have changed it a bit). Awaiting a building warrant too.

I'm very excited but frankly crapping it re the costs as we are going to have to remortgage plus DS2 will start nursery so we will have 2 lots of chilcare costs too.

ARGH!!!

So I for one need my hand held throughout all this process I just keep thinking of the end product and hoping it will all be fine.

What's everyone else doing and when?

[KoalaSar]

I was going to reply on the other thread but I see you've moved!

Yes, reclamation means exactly that. I would suspect somebody would buy everything you have mentioned but I'm not sure who exactly. I might ask my FIL where he used to weigh in the taps etc (will see him on Easter Sunday - will try to remember!).

The bricks and tiles will be valauble if they are old. Our roof tiles were "clay rosemarys" which can be cleaned up - people will pay a premium for these because it means they can extend the roof of an old house without affecting the look of it.

Our naighbours have just extended. They have two girls and they rented out a cottage for a few weeks while the worst of it was being done. The worst bit is when they "knock through" and living without a kitchen is horrible. I men, yes, you can microwave, but you end up doing the washing up in the bath. Nothing worse that seeing a bit of broccoli float past when you're having a soak....

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Our house was built in the 80's I think so the materials aren't that old, so not sure how valuable they will be? Do you know how we could get money for the scrap though? I was thinking the demolished bits would just be put in a skip and taken away by the builders so I'm not that keen on having to keep it all or take it to a scrapyard ourselves. I wonder if we could get something for the front door though as it's a really heavy door in good nick (but hanging the wrong way for us to keep it).

I'm hoping our kitchen won't be affected too much as we are extending from the end that just has a wall and we aren't replacing the kitchen to save on costs. So all the appliances, worktops etc are up the end that won't be touched. However we need to temporarily plumb in the washing machine somewhere as that currently sits in the utility room which will be flattened. We will be without the tumble dryer though which I use all the time, just hoping we will have a hot summer to dry all the clothes outside!

[rebl]

I'm going to join if you don't mind. ilikeyoursleeves your extension sounds similar to ours and the estimate is similar to ours.
We're expecting to hear about planning any day now. The deadline for finding out is 12th April which isn't long to wait now.
koalasar lol at watching broccoli float past whilst having a bath.

[Mumof]

May I join please

[gonaenodaethat]

I'd like to join. Just marking my spot though as DH is waiting to watch 24. Will be back tomorrow.

[annh]

Ooh, I'm joining too! Although I will only be in the baby section as we are only having a "simple" kitchen extension, but have done the whole two-storey jobby before. Our kitchen designer is coming this p.m. with ideas and we are awaiting a quote from a builder, hopefully before Easter. We got planning some time ago but now that we are actually about to commit some money to it, i am paralyzed with indecision about what kind of kitchen we actually want.

[KoalaSar]

We have a big eat-in kitchen and we put the table in the centre, which I regret - we are always walking around it.

I wish we'd put the table at one end of the room (sadly now too late due to layout).

Also, we have two sinks - one for dirty and one for washing veggies etc (nearer the cooker) - its great.

Wish I'd never bought a two-oven range (we never use the second oven). Would prefer an eye-level oven now.

[ImSoNotTelling]

Hello! Two story side and one story at rear as well - we should get planning through in the next week with any luck and then we're going to get the building regs approved so that will be anotehr long wait.

We have had some quotes and they are a whole lot more than the ones on here! We are in London though maybe other people are in other areas? Dunno. We are also having the whole back of the house knocked down and through into one big room, so are having loads of external walls out.

I am just wanting to get going now, the planning permission hit unforeseen complications so has been held up by a month in the planning office

[Freezingmyarseoff]

I would like to join also...
We're doing a one/two story extension - two storey part to create another bedroom (+ en-suite) and one storey part to extend the kitchen, if that all makes sense. We're going to knock through our dining room to make a big eat in kitchen.
Have already got planning permission. Now waiting for quotes from builders. Had one already and its terrifying - much more than mentioned here.

Hoping to start building in the next couple of months, but then we started this whole process at the beginning of 2009 with the view to complete by end of 2009. How naive we were, it took us almost a year to decide on the plans!

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Great to see so many people in the same boat! (or rather, house).

ImSonottelling what have your quotes been? How many sq metres are you extending? Weare in Scotland so that's no doubt a lot cheaper than London. We are having one external wall knocked through although I have been umming and ehhing about whether to do it. If we do knock through we will end up with a big L shaped kitchen diner / living area, but if we don't knock through we will still have a small diner / living area and also wont have to move the consumer unit (£££) or knock the wall down (£££ + mess). I think we will knock it down but still not 100% as we are on an ultra tight budget and I am crapping it if we go over it because we can't borrow any more money! What do people think? Knock through or not? I kind of think though if we going to the hassle of extending we might as well do it properly IYKWIM.

Rebl what quotes have you had (if you don't mind me being nosy) and what is your meter sqaured area?

[said]

Signing in as well. May lurk if it gets too traumatic. Has everyone used an architect? If not, who has done your drawings?

[Elibean]

Another one signing in!

We're only waiting on party wall award (only ) to start digging foundations for a full-width rear extension to house kitchen and family room. And a few other bits while we're at it, ie cupboard and loo knocked through to make loo/cloakroom, two fireplaces opened up and turned into hole-in-the-wall ones, old garage door on converted garage room removed and brick put in its place, etc.

We're under permitted development, and have had it for weeks, but have had a very slow party wall process (had a whole thread about it) on one side! Our neighbour still thinks she's got a right to appeal (she doens't like the idea of seeing a bit of brick wall from one spot of her sitting room bay window), and is refusing to cooperate with surveyors. So another few days and we can go ahead with a party wall award without having gained access to survey anything.

At which point, I shall join in building-y convos with pleasure

[Elibean]

Said, we used an architect, but got the name of a young just-set-up-business one (recommended by older, established one) who is a fair bit cheaper than local counterparts.

Imsonottelling, we're in London too - definitely makes a difference on cost, I think!

[ilikeyoursleeves]

We used an architect too. Our house had planning permission to extend when we bought it in 2007 but because we are adding a single storey at the rear in addition to the 2 storey that was passed in planning, we had to resubmit. I just called the architect who originally did the plans and he revamped them and did the detailed plans for the building warrant. He is self employed and great, and a lot cheaper than some companies we got quotes from.

Elibean I hope your party wall thing gets sorted out soon, what a PITA!

[vonnyh]

Can i join? We're having a loft conversion and single storey side extension. The side extension will give us a downstairs loo, utility, and study. The loft will give us a much needed extra bedroom and en-suite. the scaffolding went up today, so I'm v excited! signing off now, as I've got to go and watch the footy!

[Lexilicious]

Hi. Am hoping to do something like Elibean's. Nearly full width single storey extension (permitted development) at rear - a dining/play/sun room open plan with the kitchen, knocking through the kitchen window and opening it all out. A new (f)utility room where the back door currently is. Am just outside Watford so I'm worried lots of things are going to be expensive.

Stage one tomorrow - boiler service and removal of a gas fire in the front room. Will buttonhole him to see about a quote for moving lots of plumbing around.

I've done my own drawings but I need it properly surveyed so I can get a builder's plans done properly. I have had one scary quote from an architect (about £7k+VAT but that did include project managing).

I don't actually know what to do next.

[sweetkitty]

Oh can I join (Ilikeyoursleeves I remember you too from another thread)

We are still at the drawing up the plans stage using an architect and in Scotland as well.

Plans are a double storey L shaped extension to side and rear. Upstairs knocking through box room to create hallway/access to 3 bedrooms, one double, two singles. Downstairs - currently have living/dining room closing this off so living room only, knocking through wall so kitchen/diner, small office to front of side extension, utility and playroom to rear.

Have already asked on MN as we can either knock down existing external kitchen wall and have huge kitchen/dining room but this means redoing whole kitchen/more disruption and mess or having a large playroom, consensus is large kitchen.

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Sweetkitty I was reading that post earlier and I say go with the large kitchen. I am in a similar dilemma re knocking down V not knocking our kitchen wall but I think that if we are doing the work we'd be as well doing it properly and the way we really want it (ie knock through).

Have you applied for planning & BW yet?

Lexilicious £7k is a lot! I really don't think basic house extensions need project managing unless it's a Grand Designs type of job. I had a few scary quotes too from architects who said they would project manage (were about £4 - 5k I think) but a few also said that was tosh and for a simple extension like ours we wouldn't need the architect out all the time. We have paid £1650 for the guy we went with, not sure if that's good but it's a lot cheaper than our first quotes.

[Elibean]

We're lucky enough to have my brother project managing for us - we're not living in the house yet (bought whilst in a rental, and decided to rent for an extra couple of months while the worst of the kitchen-less-ness gets sorted, before moving in) and its a bit of a handfull organizing everyone concerned from another place.

So we didn't pay our architect that much, either

Lexi, have you got your cert. of permitted development already?

[LittlePushka]

Sleeves! LOL also at massive erection thread possibility!!

Mine: 2 storey ext at rear of stone built two bed farmhouse. Will end up with very large third bedrrom and large kitchen, and upstairs bathroom and an indoor laundry room - and a hall for all the wellies etc!

Got planning permission sorted (bar a non-material amendment), got building regs approval, got finance approved.

Would highly recommend using architect to do the initial design and a building regs chap (ours used to work for the planning authority - gave us superb advice). I think that is why our planning an BRegs approval sailed through a notoriously dificult authority. Lexilicious :Cost of both combined was less than £1,500 - architect not involved post design though.

Just waiting the nod on the non=material amendment and then will negotiate contract with chosen builder. ( Anyone have experience of JCT Minor Works contract disputes?)

Due to start early in June & living in house during whole thing (16 week build estimate)

[LittlePushka]

Sleeves...forgot to say - IMHO keeping the kitchen away from the main living/sitting room would be best. Smells and noise from kitchen are really irritating - even just making a cuppa is a real PITA. Don't knock through

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Pushka we will still have our current sitting room so if we do knock through it won't be the only place to sit! Plus our house is teensy so even if we don't knock through we will still hear / smell cooking, which I don't mind anyway.

Going to phone Mr Builder today to try and figure out exactly what his quote comprises as his letter was just full of jargon. Like WTF is a dwang?!

[ImSoNotTelling]

Lexi we saw about 5 architects and drawing people before we chose ours. One came in at £7k just for the planning permission plans with no project management That was a friend of a friend

We went to the RIBA website you can put your postcode in and what the project is and they send you details of 4 or 5 local people who do those projects, we contacted them and a couple of recommendations.

Bloke we ended up with is about £1.5K for planning plans and £1.5K for building regs.

BTW ours is going to be two stories on the side and one story across the whole new width, we will get huge kitchen/living space at back, plus utility, then upstairs additional bedroom and ensuite for us.

The new room on the back will be about 7m x 7m which seems huge, we will be knocking out 2 external walls, I wonder if that's why our quotes have been so high I'm scared to mention them

[ilikeyoursleeves]

I called Builder #1 and he said that his quote also includes under floor heating and a velux window- these weren't included in our plans but he thought they might be good to add. I like the idea of the velux window but said no to UFH since it's £££££.

He would also do lots that I thought we'd need to do ourselves first, like moving the consumer unit, removing shrubs and tree roots etc, so his quote is looking quite good. He is also currently building our friends extension (that's how we got his name) and he has been fab so far there. Builder #2 said he will get back to us by tomorrow with his quote, will be interesting to compare.

imsonottelling you are living up to your MN name!!!