extensions, anyone? can we share light at the end of the tunnel?

[MissWing]

Any one else in a world of extension pain (boring to go into it here but it has been protracted and painful) and hoping to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe if we share the little moments of progress that will be uplifting. Or maybe you built your extension years ago and still love it? Tell us about it (and how the pain recedes after the builders have gone) OK, I'll start.

Our single storey kitchen extension is watertight.
The rooflights look like things of beauty and let in so much beautiful light
The patio doors which delayed the project will be fitted mid Oct which is not far away
I have paid the deposit for a kitchen and the date for fitting is 10 November, which is a little bit far away, but it's going to be beautiful

Please share...

End of week 14 of 2 storey side extension, 2 bedrooms and a much bigger landing upstairs, study, utility, wc and playroom downstairs.

Dcs have been in their rooms upstairs for a few weeks, minus carpets and decorating.

This week will be second fix plumbing, doors on, flooring down, architraves, skirting boards and a massive old decorating job for me.

The playroom is the literal light at the end of the tunnel

Looking good! Are the DCs enjoying their rooms?
Ah yes, let the painting commence. I plan to harness the power of in-laws. Mine live far away so we don't get little and often support from them but MY can they decorate!

All the best, nearly there now!

Our single story extension was finished at the end of July after 16.5 weeks. We LOVE it Well worth all of the upheaval along the way. We have a lovely new kitchen/diner, snug, utility room and office. The spending hasn't stopped yet though as we are still furnishing it etc. our builders were really great though and I actually miss them, although not their mess Hang in there it will be worth it in the end!!

Dcs are loving having their own rooms. I wasn't convinced before we started that it would be worth it, now I completely am.

I was wondering about missing the builders as well but I thought that might be a bit odd.. Glad it's not just me!

Can I join?
We're in month 9 and still no finishing date.
I thought I'd love the process..floating about with colour charts and discussing the pros & cons of a wet room.
Instead the discussions seem to be about the thickness of a window pane & the dimensions of a fireplace.
When the (luckily lovely) tradesmen ask me to make decisions I feel like saying "do whatever you want".
Plus, I'm sick of being broke.
Sorry, gloomy post

The decisions are relentless, and absorb a lot of energy. Sure yours will be worth it too, Cross.

The theme seems to be that those with unfinished extensions feel horrendous. Those with finished extensions feel super. Hang in there tiger.

Can I ask some questions? We're planning an extension, and I'm hoping it will be a relatively simple process as all we're doing is adding one big long room across the back of the house to give us additional living space (workspace for DH, extra living/playroom for the DSs). How does it work, do you agree a price with your builders before they start and pay them in instalments, or do you pay half upfront and half when they finish? And what happens if they run into problems and it takes longer than they thought? I think we're going to be on a tight budget and I don't know what we'll do if it comes in at more!

I don't know what the norm is but the quote we ended up taking was made up of 7 staged payments, all laid out, to be paid as each part was completed. So deposit, completion of oversite, joists, roof etc.

We have ended up with "extras" which have taken the form of smaller quotations within the original one, mostly made up of extra jobs that we have requested during the build. Things like removal of an extra wall, reworking of bannisters, having the builder fit flooring Etc.

The only unavoidable extra we have hit has been additional labour and machinery hire charges for foundations as we discovered during week 1 that our old garage was on top of 6 feet of metal reinforced concrete. At just over 3% of the total budget we have been really pleased not to have gone too far into our contingency. We are close enough to finished now to be fairly certain there aren't any big hidden costs ready to pounce.

I don't know what happens re it taking longer, I suspect we have been lucky in the main to have a contractor who has done what he said he would when he said he would do it.

I have hated the decisions and we haven't even had many, I knew I would before we started though so it didn't come as a shock.

Single storey extension to get a bigger kitchen and downstairs loo/shower. 9 weeks in. Electrics and plumbing first fix completed last week. Plasterboard mostly up. Plastering starts this week. We lost the remains of the kitchen, so we're eating badly, washing up in the bath and using our lively neighbour's washing machine.

For the first time I can see the space as it is going to be. The builders have been great and at crucial moments have worked Saturdays and into the evening. Much as it is restrictive having them in the house each day, I'm so accustomed to them being there it will feel weird when they've gone. There still seems to be so much left to do and my brain cannot take any more decision making. I just hope it all comes together and looks good in the end.

lovely

Ihateparties do you mind asking how much your extension cost? I'm thinking of doing something similar. Thank you!

It's been a tough year, but our granny flat is done, and the kitchen extension is being used as a kitchen. MrNC is doing the dining room atm and installing underfloor heating - once that's done then it's just fitting flooring and installing a proper kitchen when we can afford it.

Mairzy get advice from the planning team at your council, probably an architect, and then quotes from 3 builders (this takes some chasing). Agree what will have been done before each payment, probably at least four but one paid up front - don't go for payments at set times. And require building control sign off as condition for payment.

I can now sit in my warm kitchen, no drafts or cracks, and enjoy sunshine. It's already a huge improvement over what I had before!

Today I have to choose door furniture. and there will be nothing left for bedroom furniture. I don't think 'I'm not bothered' was the right response.

I give you my "before" kitchen, yes, that was it, literally 4 base cupboards one of which was taken up with sink waste pipework so the gap on the left was the dishwasher (separate utility) and on the very right of the picture was the fridge freezer space. Totally out of proportion with the rest of the house.

We extended last year, on budget, with amazing builders. We paid the builder's merchant directly, builder invoiced us every week for his labour and we transferred money directly into his bank account.

So this is my lovely new kitchen. The children love the breakfast bar (we have a separate dining room but that doesn't have the swivel bar stools!) I love the induction hob and I do dance in it probably daily because I love it so much.

Focus on why you decided to extend and try to imagine what it will look like in the end. That should help you through.

Contented that is such a transformation. What a gorgeous kitchen

Bless you crossandcrosser, we knew it had to be done when we viewed the house, it's a 4 bed detached house with a double garage so this kitchen was ridiculous.

It is a cheap Ikea kitchen (before they changed to the new style one) units, doors and built in extractor cost £3.9k, appliances came from appliances online (we did spend a lot on the induction hob but the integrated dishwasher is a Beko) so another £3k, downlights £265, and £650 for worktops and upstands.

I researched it for a year, finding stuff we liked then trying to find it cheaper. When I thought it was the cheapest we bought it. I also have a boiling water tap that has changed my life, sad but true!

We had a kitchen/diner extension done using some money we inherited, and we couldn't be happier! It was a long and hard 4 months while the work was being done but well worth it.

I had my heart set on a limestone floor, and after lots of research I came across www.floorsofstone.com which have great range, great prices and a stunning showroom! Our kitchen was built and designed by some guys who work in our village and painted in farrow and ball clunch and we picked up furniture from antiques shops, markets and car boots...I love a bit of upcycling!!

It was so worth the hard slog as now we have a generously sized, useful family space where we can enjoy life together. Stick at it!!

Thanks all. This is heartening to hear. Contented, great to hear you dance daily. Cross, you and I will be dancing in our respective extensions soon!

If we haven't buried our DH's & builders under the limestone floor MissW.

My bathroom floors are going in this week then the fittings in the week after.
I'm looking for the cheapest possible units for the utility room. I can't be fagged to shop around too much, will Howden's be the most reasonable?

I got a quote from howdens for my utility but ended up going with b&q as much cheaper. Big mistake. I had builder booked in but b&q failed to deliver on the right day and had to let builder go. End result is fine but still wouldn't use them again.

Thanks marmite. We've got a local Howdens & I think my builder will pass on his discount. What did you think of the bargain range? I just want something very plain with a laminate worktop & SS sink.

Budget range seemed fine - that's what we were having. I had my builders account details so also got his discount but was still more than I was expecting. However would go with howdens if doing again.