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Anyone starting an extension imminently?

799 replies

Karcheer · 30/09/2015 18:38

Ours has been a long time coming, planning permission was granted 18months ago, but our builders finally start on Tuesday.
Would be great to have some build buddies Grin

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GnomeDePlume · 17/12/2015 12:41

Madblondedog you said £5k for kitchen. Is that for the cost of the units or with installation?

I am assuming the former.

If so where is it coming from? Builders like certain suppliers mainly because they do dual quoting ie ticket price for the client and discounted price for the builder. Builders also like people like Howdens because they deliver the cabinets ready constructed. So far as I am aware their quality is no better than anyone else's.

You are a handy diyer. What would the cost be if you got a flat packed kitchen and put the cabinets together yourself and just got the builder to hang them up?

Thing we have learned over the years is that custom costs, standard is cheap.

Madblondedog · 17/12/2015 12:54

Without install Gnome

I'm weighing up the options at the moment with where from - probably DIY-Kitchens, although BIL has a trade account at Howdens and has said we can just pay his cost if there is something we like there.

We're not planning to do the kitchen itself until next summer but I am trying to budget now

GnomeDePlume · 17/12/2015 16:09

If your BIL has a trade account at Howdens then would he (or does he already have) a trade account at Trade Point (B&Q/Screw Fix's trade identity)? They offer healthy trade discounts. They also do have quite a good range of kitchens both at the budget (my) level and also at the higher level.

They do have a planning tool which is okay. TBH I find spreadsheets easier to use though as the planning tool defaults a lot of stuff in which we will get elsewhere (taps! taps! far far cheaper from ebay shops)

Madblondedog · 17/12/2015 20:20

Unfortunately I don't think he does, although I will ask.

I am wondering how much we could do ourselves (obviously not the gas hob etc) but the units on the walls can't be too hard for me to do.

Wombat87 · 18/12/2015 18:27

Hallo all!! MASSIVE week for us this week!

Painters did the hallway. The loft has been painted (hoorah!!) by meeeee. The carpenter is in doing the last bits this evening. Carpet goes down at 8am tomorrow. That's the internal structure and decorating stuff done! Few more bits after Christmas to do - repaint the kitchen and some stuff outside, but no more.

Gnome it's sapphire blue, the dulux feature wall selection. That's the games room. It's the front bedroom but as we don't have guests often there's a sofa and fusball table going in!

How is everyone? All ready for Xmas?

Madblondedog · 18/12/2015 19:12

YIPPEEEEEE great news wombat.

The plumber is just finishing our bathroom as I type (met him for the first time today, blimey he's tasty). Not much left to do then - just carpets

AesopsMables · 18/12/2015 20:56

Wombat WELL DONE, I am so happy you will have it completed for Xmas! It looks so good from the photo's.

Madblonde will your carpets be done for Xmas too? Good that first phase is nearly complete for you.

Really good progress here too. Upstairs looks really ahead, i.e. new bathroom and back bedroom fully sealed off from the outside (windows not in but ordered) and first fix join done so we can now really appreciate the difference in size/shape of the main bath and Bed 2 I keep secretly going up there and planning conversations with friends/family when they see it for the first time??

AesopsMables · 18/12/2015 20:59

Lot's of 'really' statements above. Sorry, that seems to be my stock word at the mo Wink

Madblondedog · 18/12/2015 21:17

We will be upstairs for Christmas, DP is bouncing off the walls with excitement (luckily as it means he hasn't noticed me admiring the plumber!). He has been upstairs admiring it up there for the past hour.

aesops I did that too, thinking how impressed they would be. Are your builders having much time off over Xmas?

AesopsMables · 18/12/2015 22:20

Builders finished today and not back until Jan 4th Grin

Still on track for end March finish of build ,then floors, kitchen etc.

Roll on Springtime!!

AesopsMables · 19/12/2015 00:14

Just reading through thread from last week since I checked in. Congratulations Wombat How lovely, a Baby Wombat!!

Wombat87 · 19/12/2015 00:54

Aesop yes that was indeed a complete surprise. It's all very early days (6weeks ish) so I've not had the scan yet to see heartbeat etc. Mixed emotions at first, was kind of looking forward to a few benders and house parties. Getting used to the idea so I do hope it's successful. I've done 4 15 hour days working on this house. It's 95% there. The rest we're finishing after Xmas!

Mad I've spent 3 days with the Irish painter and decorator. Thankfully DP hasn't seen me blushing as he's not been there sounds like yours is going well also!!

GnomeDePlume · 19/12/2015 09:26

Madblondedog kitchens from the DIY sheds are designed to be put up by DIYers. Constructing the cabinets is easy. The first one you pour over the instructions. The second one is easier and by the time you get to the 4th one you are throwing them together.

Read all the instructions, measure twice, cut once.

Hanging wall cupboards takes time to get the levels right so dont rush.

For the work top to do proper joins you will need a big router, jig etc.

All the above is from DH. He doesnt have a high opinion of kitchen fitters and recommends that you get the worktop fitted by a carpenter rather than a kitchen fitter.

Madblondedog · 19/12/2015 09:56

aesops must be nice to have a builder free few weeks

wombat so glad it's not just me! He's also incredibly lovely which makes him more attractive! Although the Irish accent is amazing, so if you want to send your painter my way......

gnome thanks for the top tips - Im going to see what dp thinks (although I'm the DIYer of the two of us)

GnomeDePlume · 19/12/2015 11:20

Our builder is here today. Amazing progress has been made. The builder was talking about the brickwork being finished on Monday. I hardly dare hope!

AesopsMables · 19/12/2015 11:54

Ahem. Woke up this morning at 7.30am by banging in the back rooms.

Turns out the roofer is finishing the tiling today and tomorrow Confused

Had drinks at neighbours last night and informed them all they had a few weeks peace - oh dear

Isn't if funny how attached we are becoming to these workmen I came home on Tuesday and asked the labourer "where's Brickie?". Perhaps a little too concerned, he replied "don't worry Aesops he will be back on after Xmas for the downstairs knock through" DH would not be amused Wink

Madblondedog · 19/12/2015 15:10

7.30 on a Saturday, blimey that's a killer aesops

I've become very fond of most of them, one not so much but the rest of them are just lovely - I am genuinely going to miss them!

Fingers crossed for you Gnome

Wombat87 · 19/12/2015 21:20

We have carpet. But I'm fuming. I've killed myself the last week. 2 days off, working 16 hours on those days and every evening for the last 2 weeks. Friday the builder needed to come round, paint 2 beams with fireproof paint (30min job), fit a door, shave 3 doors 2mm and do the spindles. Turned up at 5.30pm from another job, worked till 11.30, thankfully the neighbours were out. Promised to return today to do doorframe. Showed up at 3pm, took the scaffolding from the front and left saying he was tired. He'd do it after Christmas. So now rather than pottering and emptying the big yellow storage lock up, we also have to do all the things he hasn't so we can close doors properly.

To say I'm angry is an understatement. I could kill!!

AesopsMables · 20/12/2015 08:29

Wombat ask him to consider sub contract that job out so you have it completed for Xmas. This may prompt him to turn up early next week to finish?

Try not to get stressed Flowers

Madblondedog · 20/12/2015 11:21

wombat that's terrible. Can you threaten to not pay or something?

Wombat87 · 20/12/2015 17:13

We've paid a lot already. We paid the overs that he occurred and pretty much have said he's not getting any more money off us (not to him obv).

We gave him money for the stairs, he couldn't get hold of the guy. He couldn't get hold of the beams for chimney support. We realised about 6weeks ago that he can find them, but because he got paid about £34k by June, and another £5000 in September, he's run out of money and can't afford it.

So we paid £1500 to him for a set of stairs, and then another for £1500 to a stair company when we had to source them ourselves. There's been a couple of bits like that which would have now covered any extra labour or work.. So he can whistle for it if he thinks he's getting any more money.

We already had to pay for his chippie to finish the job as he had no money, and then hire another one when he didn't finish and had to leave to go home. Because it's taken so long, we've had a painter in at the cost of £2k so we could finish and get carpet down. In total just for people and materials we've overspent by 10k.

We're just going to finish the rest of it ourselves and he can do the drain works outside when he's back after Christmas. Thankfully I wasn't in the house when he dropped the "I'm tired" bombshell. I'd have gone postal I think.

He's a very lovely man. But he just can't manage a business effectively and spreads himself too thin. Lesson learnt! Hire a building company who does all the structural, architectural and other shit all in one!!!

Can't even have a vodka to calm myself. Angry

Wombat87 · 20/12/2015 17:14

But look!! I feel better when I look at this! Ha!

Anyone starting an extension imminently?
Anyone starting an extension imminently?
Anyone starting an extension imminently?
Madblondedog · 20/12/2015 19:24

Wow its looking brilliant

Ours is SO nearly done, I am incredibly happy when I am up there.......then I come back down and see how much there still is to do.

Mum2KSS · 21/12/2015 14:30

wombat I love the colour of your carpet! looks gorgeous!! what make/colour is it please?

GnomeDePlume · 21/12/2015 19:58

Well done Wombat!

Subbie was here today. Window lintels are in. Unfortunately the extension wont be usable before Christmas. Hey ho, I know that we are lucky to have got this far before Christmas.

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