grumble thread for those having work done

[clairewitchproject]

We are currently ten days over on a 4 week kitchen project. The building works were completed without drama within the 2 weeks assigned. The kitchen fitting bit has been a series of problems. The kitchen company delivered one incorrect unit on 6th July and the correct one won't arrive until 10 th August. They also delivered exactly the correct length of plinths for the room - assuming there is no wastage from having to cut the lengths to fit. So again we are waiting on plinth, to be delieverd 10th August. The floor tiles I chose were out of stock in the shop the builder recommended so had to be ordered online - causing 2 days delay. The painters arrived on the correct day a week after scheuled works should have been finished and then we had to delay tiler and plumber as they couldn't all work together in the space. The splashback tiling was due to be completed today but the tiler's van has allegedly broken down. So I fully expect not to see him today. And the worktops from 'worktop express' (!) are being incredibly slow - so much that the builder cancelled the order for 3 of the simpler lengths and had them deliver uncut worktops which he cut and fitted himself. However we have to wait on for one length which is a non standard size and needs curved corners. The worktop company wouldn't even less us pay extra for their super fast service as they are so busy. I am sick of this eating in to the kids' holiday when the whole plan was that it should be finished on 17th July before they broke up.

It will be beautiful when it is finished but I am so pissed off with the whole thing at the moment, I could happily take an axe to it.

Feel free to add your own rantings.

And breathe....

We're into week eight of our kitchen project. It was meant to be done in four. For the summer. The floor turned to dust when the tiles came up, so had to be dug out and replaced. The plumber is a master of passive aggression and keeps asking us to make decisions about stuff that he doesn't explain. The lights flicker. The costs keep rising, and yesterday I found a tiny chip on one of the appliances, which I keep looking at even though I know that way madness lies. I feel your pain!

My kitchens sat in the garage. It's been there since January.

All I have to cook with is a halogen oven and rice cooker. I wash up in the bath.

The builders stuff keeps tripping the electric. Usually when I'm in the shower.

Should be finished by September

When I had my kitchen re-done about ten years ago, the kitchen fitters broke the window lock by trying to open it without unlocking it first, then fitted a wall unit which overhung the window, allowed so much space for the tray space between the sink unit and the dishwasher that you couldn't get round the door to the utility room without contorting yourself and the tiler ruined the newly fitted high gloss worktop by piling all the tiles up on it while he was working without putting anything on it to protect it. The guy sent to replace the worktop said it was 'like a skating rink'. Oh and then the electrician among the pair of fitters suggested I should get a burglar alarm fitted. By him. This felt vaguely threatening and uncomfortable.

I am feeling the pain, but at least I only washed up in the bathroom for 5 weeks! Today the tiler, who never showed yesterday, was definitely going to be here by 10, 10:30 at the very latest. It's now midday and no, not here yet.

Not kitchen just bathroom. Grouting. Window has condensation inside the panes. The constant dust. The wall waiting to be lined and have new skirting put on. It's a chore even going in there it's been months now since starting. Ceiling needs replastered now as the faulty window has somehow caused damp spots to appear on the ceiling above it.

We're having the bathroom done at the moment - there was a bit of a stand off over whether or not to put a false ceiling in (we didn't want one) and one wall was taken back to brick when it became clear that squaring it up using plasterboard took too much off the width of the room. An old school plasterer had to come in and restore the curved edges to the ceiling.

Anyway, it's taking shape (slowly) and over the weekend we took the hardboard off the panelled door and I've filled, primed and painted and am stripping years of paint off the door furniture.

Glad you mentioned the door. I just talked about my original bathroom door on the thread about mid century houses. Never occurred to me I could restore it. How did you strip it? Mine has 50 years worth of gloss on the bloody thing.

Notasinglefuck, that sounds a real pain about the plastering. Clairewitch - what frustrates me is that if I didn't turn up to work one day without a good explanation, then was awol the next day, I'd be in pretty big trouble! But when you're having work done on your house it feels like you have to suck it up a lot of the time to keep the peace.

My latest is the decorator asking casually if we can return a 5 litre tin of paint if it turns out we don't need it. Said decorator had insisted we bought the extra tin, which we had to get mixed so can't return. As a one off issue it's ok, but cumulatively it all adds up.

fili and deep breaths when dealing with your painters you wonder why you started, don't you?

Thanks notasinglefuck! I felt quite smug buying a period house that needed a bit of work - so much character, I thought to myself. Now I gaze enviously at new builds! I know they aren't without their problems, but at the moment the grass feels greener!

Totally agree fili. I could have had a new build but NO. I was buying a cheap house I could personalise, don'tchaknow? Final push now, if I can stay sane til winter....

Soooooo glad I am not the only one!! We are into week 7 of our extension and kitchen knock-through and the builder told me yesterday we are still 3 weeks away from the kitchen being able to go in. Before they started they said 5-6 weeks for the shell and another 2 weeks for finishing the kitchen. According to the neighbours, they are gone by 3pm each day. Every time I ring him, he seems to be out 'getting some supplies' i.e. not at the house. The one time that I actually asked him to be at the house at 8.30 one morning because the kitchen designer was coming for a measure-up and wanted to speak to him, he didn't show. He keeps moaning about the issues with the floor and getting everything level between new and old - it's an Edwardian house, what did you expect?

They said 'you'll probably have to wash up in your bath for a few days' - it's been 3 weeks now. They said 'you'll be without a full kitchen for about a week' - they ripped our old kitchen out on day one without warning. Our microwave packed up that evening as we were heating up some leftovers.

I don't doubt the work being done is absolutely fine but their communication and management of expectations is shocking.

Am sick of hearing the microwave ping and breaking my back over the bath to wash up plates - why is it so painful???

Plus at the weekend I went to order the lovely new Bosch ovens that I have picked out after weeks of time wasted on the internet meticulous research and was told they're not available until 'September'.

IT WILL ALL BE WORTH IT IN THE END!!

Notasingle - DP removed the rimlock then used a chisel and hammer to loosen the hardboard and tacks which went all round the door. It then came off quite easily, despite being glued to the raised areas of the panelling. We haven't stripped the paint off the door as all the other internal doors in the house are painted. Instead I've filled the tack holes and other dodgy bits then used Zissner BIN primer and white satinwood paint. Need to give the door another coat this evening. Our NDN has had his internal doors dipped and stripped. We haven't bothered because the doors were not intended to be bare wood.

For the lock, keep and door knobs I've used Nitromors gel paint remover as it's the easiest way of getting layers of old gloss paint off. It also means you don't get dust particles which potentially contain lead when removing the paint. I will spray the metal lock and keep with black Hammerite. I've restored nearly all the other rimlocks in the house in the same way. The paint stripper is horrible stuff though - you need chemical resistant gloves and good ventilation when using it. I use Colron wood dye to stain the door knobs the same colour as the bannisters and spindles then put two coats of matt varnish on.

Thanks. I may have to dump it. It's just old paint straight onto the door. Shame as it's so quirky! Hadn't seen bubbled glass in years. Yours sounds gorgeous. Pics when finished please?

Swillows - the Bosch delay is apparently because the company that supplies their internal oven shelving has gone bust. We cut our losses in the end and went with another brand. Did I mention that my kitchen renovation has also turned me into the most boring person ever!!

I'll join in. We haven't actually started work yet, that's still 4 weeks away. Going to be converting the loft but on a tight schedule as DS2 is due mid-October.

Current drama is the neighbours not signing the party wall agreeement. Every two or three years, they put in a totally insane planning application, get lots of objections, and get it knocked back (except the time they got it approved but let it lapse before starting work).

So now the husband is saying he wants to look at what work he can have done at the same time (I think he wants us to pay for it, sigh) - fine to investigate, we say, but that is separate to signing the PWA (and he is over the deadline for both agreeing the PWA and putting in counter-notice for works). He won't listen. Going to appoint surveyors shortly I think, but could do without the extra cost!

Still, better than further delays I guess. Give me strength.

Can I join in the whinge? We are in week 20 of an extension and new kitchen. Been without a proper kitchen since week 12 :(. We are 6 weeks overdue. I am getting so fed up at sucking it up and not having a sink downstairs is becoming a total pain. Kitchen should be in this week but I'm not holding my breath. I just hope it will all be worth it. It's taking up all evenings and weekends and the children are generally being ignored as we have so much to do to save money on the build - which has gone unsurprisingly over budget :(. It is starting to look lovely but there's still so much to do and fix all the snagging problems :(

filigree2015 I am putting in an order and am prepared to wait - I haven't seen anything else that I like within budget. I initially picked AEG stuff, went to look at it in John Lewis and it just felt really flimsy compared to Bosch e.g. opening and closing oven doors. If the kitchen refit is running over by weeks, I don't mind sitting with holes for the ovens for another month!!

God. Guy was just out measuring up for the new central heating system. More disruption. Must. Not. Bang. Head. On. Wall.

Notasingle photos as requested. Unfortunately I can't get the bloody door to shut now! When we took the keep off it had been at a weird angle, but the issue is actually that the door needs chiselling out a bit to accommodate the edge of the lock and probably a bit of a shave on the open edge as it doesn't fit flush in the frame. The lock was sitting further out before due to the hardboard.

That looks amazing! Love the door handle! It's like seeing childhood it looks brand new! You just can't buy a solid wood beautiful door like that anymore. It's worth the effort.

Thanks! I was just thinking I put up with those door knobs coated in peeling old gloss paint for years. I might have to sort out the last remaining painted one in the house now...

Really lovely, wow.

Why does all this having work done have to be so ghastly and slow? I feel sexist to be having this thought, but I'm having it anyway. Would it be this endlessly protracted and chaotic if women were doing it?!

All I know is every time a workman opens his gob it costs me money