Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Today's the day building work starts

55 replies

Reastie · 08/07/2013 07:43

I've been posting on here for months various questions ( Thanks for all your help btw) and today finally is start day for building works. We're having work done on the kitchen and dining room.

Spent the whole week end clearing out both rooms and we are now living in a make shift kitchen and dining room which is in the playroom.

I'm rubbish with people in my house and am feeling sick with nerves for the month or so ahead where it will be mayhem. I'm very fussy but also not very assertive.

I'm excited for the end product but not the work to get there!

Any tips to get this to go well? Anyone else having building work done and need some fellow hand holding?

OP posts:
Sushiqueen · 08/07/2013 08:10

We are having our kitchen done at the moment. it has been a week so far and also have a makeshift kitchen (except ours is in the garage). Just grateful that the weather has been ok so can have Bbq's especially as Dd won't eat ready meals.

It will be another 2 weeks until ours is finished and I can't wait to be able to put everything in its rightful place.

At least you have good weather for it Smile

Original poster
Reastie · 08/07/2013 08:13

You're right there sushi on the weather. I've made some frozen microwave meals we will be working our way through and have 2 microwaves to cook in! Our makeshift kitchen isn't so bad (although I'm terrified of ruining the playroom carpet which is quite new) it's just the dust and noise and intrusion of not having my own space IYKWIM. My 2 yo DD is terrified of loud noise. Utterly terrified. I don't know how she's going to cope with the noise Confused

OP posts:
Sushiqueen · 08/07/2013 08:22

I did frozen meals as well which has been a big help.

Are you able to block off the area at all - keep other doors shut which might lessen the noise a bit?

I can definitely relate to the own space bit. I work from home a few days a week and although the guys are great and don't expect anything, it is still someone in your house, causing you to change everything you do. I have been having to walk out the conservatory, outside the house, then come back in the utility room to get to the makeshift kitchen. Becomes a right pain after a while especially when you have a dog following you all the time.

I must admit though they have been fantastic at cleaning up every night and work long days to get the job done.

Hope it all goes well for you and your dd copes - few trips to the park might be needed!

Jacaqueen · 08/07/2013 09:24

I am about 6 weeks into a 14 week build. I still have use of my kitchen for another week or so but after that it is going to be chaos. They are building the new extension part first and then they will do the knock through. Kitchen and utility will go into the new extension, with a bedroom and ensuite above. Old kitchen gets extended out to provide dining and sitting space.

My builders are so nice and polite. Don't drink tea or coffee and try to be as unobtrusive as possible. One of them looks like Javier Bardem so that helps as well.

Not too bothered about the cooking but not sure how I will cope without the washing machine. Alcohol will probably help.

Original poster
Reastie · 08/07/2013 10:29

Well, builders have arrived and the 2 working today are really nice and polite and friendly (thank goodness). I might even buy them cakes later as they don't drink tea or coffee either. Hope they are the main ones who do most of the work and not just the initial remove everything people.

jaca your works sounds like you'll have an amazing house at the end Envy

sushi we will block off what we can and see how it goes. We're on holiday for a week next week thank goodness so at least will be out of their way and with a proper kitchen. I miss the dishwasher so much already! Having to wash up in the bath just is not fun.

OP posts:
MummytoMog · 08/07/2013 11:49

I'm starting today too. Feel sick as a dog about it all, we're starting at the top with a loft conversion, and working our way down to the bathroom and then the kitchen. Have a remortgage application going throught to fund the kitchen and bathroom, and terrified that is going to be rejected and we'll be stuck half done. I cleared the attics into the garage, which is going to be a pain when I have to clear the garage so it can be demolished...

Original poster
Reastie · 08/07/2013 15:14

mummy hope you get the remortgage, what an added worry on top of everything.

Well, kitchen has been completely cleared out ready for electrics tomorrow. I've got an IBS attack from the stress Confused there's no hope for me is there

OP posts:
Yorky · 08/07/2013 15:55

We have just about come to the end of 4 months of building work, you sound like me, know what you want but not great at teling other people. I'm ashamed to say I hid behind my husband a lot, he has no qualms with 'we're paying for this so they'll do it our way'
I did better than I expected with people in the house all the time (still nice that they aren't here as often now)
It did drag towards the end, for at least the last fortnight I just wanted it done, but I can still say, hand on heart,
It was SO totally worth it :)
You can do it, keep us updated and lots of pictures

Original poster
Reastie · 08/07/2013 16:02

Thanks yorky , will have to take daily picture updated won't I! What did you have done to take 4 months?

OP posts:
MmeLindor · 08/07/2013 16:27

We have just finished a project that was supposed to take 4 or 5 weeks and ended up taking 8 weeks.

I would say

  • prepare yourself for a delay. There will be somethign that goes wrong, or you haven't though of, or the builder forgets to order... Don't get upset and panicked about it. It will be worth it in the end
  • at the same time, don't cut corners, just to get finished earlier. We had option of going for a plainer wet wall for the shower, instead of waiting a week for the one we wanted. NO BRAINER. When you are waiting for it, you might think that the plain one will do, but later you will always regret not waiting that one week.
  • get assertive. You are spending a lot of money on this project, and you can only spend it once. If you don't like it, say so. Think about the time it took you to save (or to repay, if you have borrowed) to pay for the work.
  • Forget cleaning as you go along. Sweep occasionally to keep it in check, but don't waste your time.
  • Wait till all the work is done to put up fancy lamps. I had to climb a ladder today and clean ours again, cause it was manky.
Original poster
Reastie · 08/07/2013 16:37

mme 8 weeks for 4 week job? . This is due to be a 3 - 4 week job. I'm rubbish on the waiting for the right thing - I just want it finished and done but you are very right, I must get better at this.

OP posts:
MmeLindor · 08/07/2013 16:49

Well, to be fair. I wanted it to be a 4 week job. I think 6 weeks was realistic, and 8 weeks happened because of aforementioned wet wall.

It is all rather luffly so well worth it.

Original poster
Reastie · 08/07/2013 18:30

Care to share a picture of the work mme so I can drool and have hope for my hopefully lovely new kitchen?

OP posts:
Yorky · 09/07/2013 10:54

We turned a small single storey extension into a lovely long kitchen diner with 2 new bedrooms, and en suite and a utility room over :)
Pictures here
although not too many recent ones as my phone doesn't seem to want to upload any atm

It did take longer than we wanted, or maybe it just felt longer, but we survived living in the house with 4 DC (eldest aged 6) while walls were knocked out. The builders were great, our 3yr old misses them!

MummytoMog · 09/07/2013 11:07

Well we got off to a flying start - scaffolders were supposed to come first thing. They arrived mid afternoon, dumped their stuff and left. Have promised to come today and get scaffolding up. However, they did catch our neighbour in (shared drive of DOOM) and have agreed with him that they'll put the scaff up so that he can still get his car down to his garage/shed which is apparently VERY important to him. I offered to leave our car on the road, so he could park on our drive, but this was not acceptable, so I'm glad the scaffolders have worked something out. And that I don't have to have another incredibly frustrating conversation with him.

In other news, I also had a good conversation with our bank, who sound like they would be prepared to remortgage us if our current application fails, would just have to wait for the loft conversion to be completed, so we'd end up with a delay, but only a month or so and we could probably cover that ourselves. Would cost more (higher interest rate) but nice to know we have a fall back if it all goes tits up. And (due to the requirement for CRAZY expensive fire doors) I have been investigating reclaimed floors for the kitchen/diner. Not as hideously expensive as you might think. And I have three brothers. Brothers who owe me many many favours...

I really want to ogle your extension Yorky, but will have to wait until I'm home and can log in properly! Sounds similar to what we hope to do downstairs - I'm desperate to have a utility and a downstairs loo for the kids. Sick to death of the potty.

Original poster
Reastie · 09/07/2013 13:36

yorky that's a fab fb page

mummy great start Hmm but good news on the bank front.

We have electricians here today and then plastering tomorrow and Thursday.

OP posts:
MmeLindor · 09/07/2013 13:58

oooh, love the pics Yorky. Will see about putting some pics online. I have been meaning to but haven't got around to it.

Original poster
Reastie · 09/07/2013 15:18

Yes yes to sharing piccies. Have put a piccie of my lack of kitchen as it looks now on profile.

Work surface has arrived, looks fab Grin

OP posts:
MmeLindor · 09/07/2013 16:25

Oh, that brings back memories!

Started the blog

These are the before pics. Will put on some after pics when I have time

Sushiqueen · 09/07/2013 16:26

I have half a kitchen, most of the units are now in, most of the first fix electrics done (he needs to turn up to do the final part!! been waiting since last Friday),

Wprktops were templated today and get fixed in next week. Then the electrics can be connected up and the sink, plus the final units go in (but of course the kitchen fitter is on holiday after this weekend so we have to wait until end of July for those, plus the cornices etc.

Oh and the plinths aren't going down until the tiling is done, which can't be done until the other door in the kitchen is blocked in, so that the skirting board is all even. And god knows when that is being done.

But at least I should have a working kitchen again at the end of next week - well that is the plan at the moment.

Original poster
Reastie · 09/07/2013 16:28

mme we NEED after pics Grin

OP posts:
NeatFreak · 09/07/2013 16:33

We are just over 5 months into an extension ( very big one!) and have been without a kitchen for close to two months now. Build was meant to be finished before baby arrived but said baby is now three weeks old... Two older dc are still sharing a room (and arguing/ staying up late every sodding night) and we have only one working tap in the entire house, which is upstairs! However, the builders are lovely and are now starting to plaster etc and we have finally chosen a kitchen so we are on the final stretch and it will all be worth it!

MmeLindor · 09/07/2013 17:24

Reastie
Bathroom!

Will update more in the coming days. Still some bits and pieces to finish off.

Original poster
Reastie · 09/07/2013 18:19

wow mme that looks amazeballs. FWIW PIL have done the same thing re: no bath. You have to live in it so do what you would like/use IMO.

neat 5 months . I take it you're finding it hard from the nn Wink

OP posts:
MmeLindor · 09/07/2013 19:12

Neatfreak
I think I would have to leave the country. (except you can't while work is going on cause there are so many tiny details to be checked)