To think 'how the fuck will we manage'...

[WiddlinDiddlin]

Post relates to Disabled Facilities Grant.

Finally, I have a date for the start of our disabled facilities grant (DFG) funded kitchen and bathroom refurb... i have been waiting almost 7 years for this!

2nd of January.

They want to do both at the same time. The contractors are meant to be managed by someone else... but in reality, we're on site - we have to live here and we can't move out whilst the works are done, oh and I also have to work whilst the work is on-going, from home or I have no income.

Um...

This is going to be hell isn't it?

Practical suggestions - DP, myself and three dogs will be spending all day confined to livingroom and back yard, with contractors having to access upstairs, hall and kitchen via the front of the house.

I have space to have kettle and a tub with basic food stuff in here.

We will apparently have a working toilet by the end of each day.

Realistically... how long would one expect this to take. From childhood I recall a similar size kitchen and bathroom job being done by my two parents and some child labour in around four days each, I expect they'll have more people though.. but then I also suspect it benefits them if it takes longer... and they know that whilst I am the client, I am not the person they directly answer to (something I am not overly happy with but theres nothing I can do). I am worried about piss-taking...

Any ideas whatsoever to reduce stress... stress tends to trigger autonomic dysfunction and I am already pretty much buggered working 3 shifts a week (2 til 10, thats another issue, I sleep til 12, ill have to be up and downstairs by 8.30 I expect at the latest!)...

I wish I had a responsible adult do sort this out for me, I realllllllly do, but the only one there is is... me!

I am far too clumsy for paper plates by themselves, I need some structural integrity to my table-ware!

Bathrooms upstairs, stairlift will be happening, so hopefully bathroom won't be colder than it currently is.. it better not leak or I'll have indoor rain in the new kitchen!

It could be worth asking about underlay. While it might not be included, the actual cost and additional effort is not high, so they might be willing to include if you pay towards the underlay itself.

Merry Christmas!

Shall add to list of things to check - the one positive of having waited SO long for this is I have saved up a bit for 'added extras' (mostly for new appliances though), so hopefully thats within my means!

A thought has occurred (and is on the list for asking the contractors)...

At what point do I order new appliances - not sure anything will need to be specifically 'built in' though not sure about the combi microwave... and I have no space to store.

Need - dishwasher, combi microwave, portable hob. Any recommendations in the 'not quite budget but nearly' range? Dishwasher has to be slimline.

Ao.com and John Lewis is where I got my appliances.

I paid for a Which subscription for 3 months for £1 per month to get appliance reviews. We went for a different oven, in fact we got 2 ovens as they were less than half the price of the Miele one we were going to go for.

Yeah, a brief Which? sub seems a good idea!

Bit wary of Ao.com after a mega fuck up with their payment system a while back that saw me with TWO high end appliances when i required one, having to store one for bloody ages and wait a stupidly long time for a refund! Perhaps a one off... but not the sort of aggro I need right now!

Thought I'd update those kind enough to respond..

Builders have been here most of the week (bar Thursday when the area was flooded and only the most local chap could get here so he popped in to let us know no one could come).

It's going well, they're cracking on, it's nowhere NEAR as bad as I'd thought it would be... honestly apart from the dust everywhere, the worst thing is one of 'em sings very enthusiastically but very very badly to Radio 1... and I can absolutely live with that for an accessible bathroom and kitchen!!

They're saying 10 days, and at current speeds I think it wouldn't be much more as long as weather doesn't stop play, they're cheerful and polite and leave the place as tidy as its possible to leave it.

They also keep me updated as to whats going on now, what will happen next and the best thing, they have ABSOLUTELY respected my 'do not open this door lest dogs escape' rule. Not one single fuck up thus far. By day 2, my dogs gave up expecting to meet these loud strangers and have ignored them, so thats a huge relief!

Lie in tomorrow as I have neither builders nor work and then back to the daily grind (actual, literal grind!) on Monday - bathroom electrics! Exciting times... :)

Excellent update. I hope the rest of the time flies by for you!

Great update, really hope it is brilliant once finished !

Fantastic op! Excited for you for when it's all finished 😁

Great news. Seems true that the things we fear most are often not that bad. Hope you enjoy end result.

2 weeks minimum, I work for a kitchen/bathroom installer

Great update. Almost at the half way point now OP.

That's great news I'm so pleased it's going well
I've been following your thread as I'm just waiting for the contractor to start on my DFG funded wetroom now

Glad it’s going well!! Just read through and they sound a very efficient bunch. It will improve your life so much.

Well we still haven't died of too many builders, plaster dust or microwave food..

9 days in (1 day behind the promised 10 day schedule hahahaha)... I have some of a bathroom, fancy loo is in and plumbed but electrics not hooked up. Floor levelled, walls are tiled (not yet grouted) or plastered as appropriate, ceiling skimmed.
Sink to go in next week.

Kitchen was delivered before the old one ripped out so the poor kitchen chap has had less than idea working conditions. It isn't a big kitchen even when it isn't full of... a second kitchen!

We lost a day due to flooding so thats understandable, if they can't get here.. they can't.

No kitchen, but the old one is out and the electrics mostly done.

I think a realistic time frame is more like three/four weeks - it's ok, I snorted at 10 days when they said that so I wasn't expecting it done by now!

Last night was the worst, whilst we had a functioning toilet, the floor screed wasn't actually dry 'a few hours later' as promised... in fact it was still wet when they got here this morning so we couldn't use the loo til this evening (neither of us can levitate!), but we survived. I won't say how! They were VERY apologetic about that this morning!

Ho hum, its done when its done!

I already love the new loo, even without the fancy functions, the flush on it is incredible and it has a whirlpool type thing going on, the water comes in from the side not the back. Never thought I could be fascinated by a toilet flush! Possibly a sign of builder related insanity!

I'm so glad it's going well and that sounds the perfect attitude to me in getting through it!

I also have a list of people wanting to visit now to use my fancy new loo, once its fully operational!

I think you can guess the standard of friends I have from that HAHAHA!

Such a nice update OP
Hope you're soon able to use your fancy loo!

Fingers x it'll be up and running tomorrow.

Trying to sit on hands at the minute and stop myself buying accessories/storage and general tat for kitchen and bathroom - I can't yet anyway as I don't know exactly the spaces available and theres no where to put them, but ohhhhhhhh the window shopping!

Feel free to suggest 'must have' kitchen storage ideas, looking for a nice trolley on wheels and not the ones with tiny flimsy wheels either. Also do the absorbent dish drying mats wash well or do they hang on to nasty pongs.. so many thoughts! So much procrastination fodder - why yes, yes I do have a tax return to do!

@WiddlinDiddlin hope the chaos and dust has now settled and that you and DP are enjoying your new kitchen and bathroom complete with fancy new toilet!!

Mmm... nope still chaotic and dusty here. The bathroom is alllllllllmost done, a couple of finish snags to sort, but its useable and bloody wonderful quite honestly. Shower is ace, you can have it hot AND powerful, rather than luke warm and dribbly or cold and a bit less dribbly.

The room is warm too, looooooovely and the fancy toilet is amazing!

Kitchen nearly done, some final plumbing to do and some tidying up and Im having the hall floor done too (at my cost) so it matches nicely. Self levelling floor went down today so that should be finished soooooon! The end is in sight!

Brilliant update OP, I’m so pleased for you.
I can recommend the absorbent dish drying mats. I have two of them in our caravan, I wash them with tea towels, etc. and dry on the airer and they don’t pong.
As for a trolley, there are loads on Amazon from about 25.00 upwards. Some nice ones in the range of about 59.00.
I present the Hostess Trolley with the Mostest..Ta Da! I will admit it looks naff and is a tad expensive at £130.00 but it folds up, has sturdy wheels and it also comes in red and black!

Ahhhh, glad you say that about the mats, I've ordered two so theres always a fresh one to swap over to.

That trolly (whilst yes, hideous!) looks bloody useful and has proper wheels! All the things I have found so far have tiny poxy little wheels that will buckle as soon as I bash it or crash it into the edge of a rug or the door threshold. Function is most important!

Apparently, one more day left (Monday) for the last little bits and bobs!

A few photos for those who were interested enough to read and comment... (note, there are some unfinished bits as the builders can only paint areas they worked on/damaged/plastered etc so theres some old glosswork I need to do and a few bits of wall in need of emulsion. It's not them being sloppy!)...

It's been tough, they hilariously quoted 10 days and it's been a month...

But they've been a good laugh on the whole, done a good job, been polite and respectful as appropriate, been kind and considerate to the dogs (which was a huge worry as one is very old and two are very 'runny' and silly!).

This has made a huge difference to my life - I can use the loo by myself so DP can go out for longer than a couple of hours - I can make a cuppa without help, prep a full meal with very little help - clean my own kitchen and bathroom - sort my own laundry into the washer/from washer to dryer/dryer to basket, no more DP mixing loads or washing things in pockets!

All stuff most folk take totally for granted (and why wouldn't you! I know I did!) that make a huge dent in your independence once you can't do them.

So we're knackered and dusty and we need to replace a lot of tired, scruffy and broken kitchen equipment (why buy new when the kitchen its going in is broken and horrid?) - but very very happy!