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Original poster

Extension woes....

11 replies

bigbutsrus1 · 15/09/2014 13:19

Just a moan really....keep thinking wow we haven't spent too much - yet have loads to do still Hmm had an extension on the kitchen and end of house knocked though. It's all wearing a bit thin now. We started in Feb this year. We are water tight but still have makeshift kitchen/sink and no washing machine!!! Relying on family and very kind neighbours to let us borrow theirs. Had a but if an argument with DH as he works full time so can't do much to the build/finishing off and I do part time with young Kids. Just want it FINISHED! It's the dreaded ceilings coming down for electrics and pipe work and then plastering - let alone putting kitchen back in and painting it. We are doing it on a budget so I shouldn't complain as it will be lovely. Since the shell has been up we are using friends or 'evening' work at mates rates which is great but just never seems to move forward! Need some words or encouragement or wisdom to get me through! Confused

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DottyDot · 16/09/2014 08:21

eek! Reading this with a sense of horror as we're just starting on plans for our extension which sounds similar - across the end of the house and having a new kitchen...

Will it be done/nearly done by Christmas? Have you got a spreadsheet..?! Grin

Sounds like you need something to aim for in terms of a date and some targets/goals for each small task still to be done. Difficult when it involves friends but if you can bribe with wine and beer and try to get each individual task done on time, it might make you feel like you're more in control?

Meanwhile I'm going to carry on pretending thinking our extension will all be done within 3 months of work starting.... Grin

MaliceInWonderland78 · 16/09/2014 11:49

It'll be worth it in the end. My wife could have written your post. We're in much the same position (but with an 11 week old) and we'll be lucky to have the floor tiled, plastered throughout and the kitchen island installed before Christmas. This is 18 months and many many many many thousands of pounds after starting!

It will be worth it in the end, but my wife is starting to resent it now and is worried that she won't be able to enjoy the finished product because it's been so incremental. I'm going to send her away for the week whilst this last leg of work is done. Just to give her a bit of a "reveal"

You have my sympathy.

Original poster
bigbutsrus1 · 16/09/2014 17:49

It's moving again! Plasterer coming to 'view' the job Friday, and we have decided to pay someone to pull the ceilings down and re-board. Doing it in the evenings bit by bit is a good money saver but SO slow! Also actually for example a carpenter could to it really quickly and end end not costing 'too' much! Thanks for the sympathy! Think my friends and family are fed up with me moaning! Grin

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MissWing · 16/09/2014 18:56

We are also in a world of pain. Started in May, at the same time I had my 4th miscarriage and I ended up being signed off work with anxiety, which was only slightly helpful as with builders in the house I had no sanctuary in which to recover. I took my son to my parents for 3 weeks in August and I'm back in work now, feeling mostly well but I just want the pain to end!!!

Our big delays were due to a stupid supplier of patio doors. Never never use 7 day windows. They should be called 7 months or never windows. Also our builder has run into health problems slowing things down.

It is nearly finished though. Just needs the windows and a bit of plaster, floors and then they can fit a kitchen which will be so beautiful I will forget to cook and instead I'll just lie on a chaise longue and drink gin.

In order to stay well(don't want to end up getting I'll and signed off again, DH is now 100percent in charge of the build. I update the spreadsheet and make payments and choose colours. That's it.

Wonderland, you say you are worried that your wife won't enjoy the finished result. I've been thinking of this like childbirth. You wouldn't ask a woman in the most painful throes of labour whether it's worth having a baby. Also recomend fantasy decor escapism on Pinterest . all the best y'll. Soon it will be over.

concernedaboutheboy · 16/09/2014 19:01

Oh my god. 6 months- why?????? Tell me this isn't normal. We're just about to have same done Shock. Are they all lying when they say 12-14 wks till 1st fix?

MummytoMog · 16/09/2014 20:03

Over a year here - although to be fair the builders left in March, after only nine months of misery. Unfortunately we have been doing everything since first fix ourselves and I managed to get knocked up and am consequently much much slower at doing things. It took me three days to paint the damn living room, when pre-pregnancy I could have done it in a few hours :(

My saviour is the to do list. It's much much shorter than it used to be and I cross one thing off a day. Today, I crossed off two :)

Original poster
bigbutsrus1 · 16/09/2014 22:21

Ha! Yes LISTS! I lists everywhere! We are having the floor screed tomorrow - just trying to work out how to keep the cat off! I started to miss having people for dinner, so thought bugger it and had 'rustic' style dinner parties by candle light ! Think our friends like to see it stage by stage. Smile

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MaliceInWonderland78 · 17/09/2014 09:21

My wife took over with the list yesterday. It's useful to see it all written down, but she managed to miss a few things off the list (like running the water supply to the fridge freezer) and I didn't have the heart to tell her - unless she became overwhelmed by the whole thing.

It at least gives her a sense of control. Misswing Houzz, Pintrest, and all of those property shows just seem to depress her even more. That said, the builders are back at the end of this month and the rest of the plastering will be done by mid-October. Then it's tiling (40 sqm) and ordering the kitchen island; all in time for Christmas. The rest of the kitchen can wait!

Good luck everyone!

MaliceInWonderland78 · 17/09/2014 09:24

Bigbutrus1 Our cat walked right across the newly screeded floor. I could have wrung his neck! Put him in a cat cage, or lock him in the spare room!

MummytoMog · 17/09/2014 15:09

Grouted damn shower yesterday. Fitted new light fittings in bathroom today. Going to pack plumbing supplies away too as (fingers crossed) I have no more plumbing to do and I'm sick of having a crate of spanners, wrenches, compression fittings, off cuts of pipes etc lying around.

Original poster
bigbutsrus1 · 17/09/2014 18:36

Haha!! Just read the post of the cat walking across the screed floor......mine has done exactly the same!!! Got a litter tray and tried to keep her out, but DD accidentally let her in! She hasn't marked it though thank god. Trouble is my DS thinks if the cat can do it, so can he Shock two days of living in what feels like 1m squared!! Good job I have opened the wineSmile

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