Anyone starting an extension imminently?

[Karcheer]

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

Our builder said he actually prefers clients to be on site for that very reason. And I think it's pretty exciting to live thru. Remember to take lots of pics as the work progresses. It's amazing to think what out lovely house used to look like.

I was thinking of maybe writing a blog to document it, but figured insight tempt fate to it all going wrong eck!

Insight - I might

Ooh I am envious of you all!

We just got our architect's first draft plans for our house changes, and I am so excited! But we're not actually going to be doing anything until March / April next year, so I have a long time to wait before I see anything actually change.

I will watch this thread though and share your excitement if that's OK - I love a transformation!!

Ours started about 3 weeks ago and they seem to be doing quite well with the building so far. Having a side extension for new kitchen and man cave big storage area/workshop.

The upside is that we're keeping our old kitchen as a utility room so will always have use of a kitchen. The downside is that I cannot believe the mess that has been made of the front garden. Fence and drive destroyed, cement, bricks, otherstuff everywhere and it's been dry up to now so it will get even worse when it rains. Garden was crap anyway but I think we're going to have to do some serious landscaping and tidying up come next year in the unlikely event that we have any money left.

You spoke to soon Worktolive! Non stop rain today and our garden is swamped, poor ground workers were like drowned rats today so I made them extra hot drinks, I work from home a couple of days a week so can keep an eye on things.

I asked if they wanted to use our downstairs loo but our builder said they needed to bring a portaloo on site for health and safety reasons?

We are staying in, goodness knows how this is going to go but as it is still the honeymoon period feeling positive.

So after the torrential rain yesterday apart from dropping off equipment they didn't do much.
But today they've pulled up paving in the alleyway between the house and the garage and dug up some of the foul pipe work that needs to be moved. The council surveyor came to visit.
So tonight I'm shower less and washing machine less, but apparently these will be reinstated tomorrow...
How's everyone else doing?

The DC have a bath!!!we have only had a shower room for the last 18 mths. They have knocked thru so we can walk into the DC bedrooms too.
V excited in our house tonight

Very exciting as you start to see the big things happen like actually having a bath to use
We did some big renovations 5 years ago and started on the rest of the house a few weeks ago - we're having our loft converted, stairs adjusted, Crittall internal doors/flooring/decorating done and a 4.5m extension on the ground floor. Loft was going up super quickly but we had to stop due to planning issues for our back wall so the builders are now doing any other smaller jobs they can until we push the planning through. Frustrating but I've learnt to be relaxed over the things I can't control now.
The thing I'm finding the most difficult as others have mentioned is having to make super quick decisions with not much warning - I know the look I want to achieve and what I like, but it's the niggly little things like radiators/sockets/door knobs etc! We also have busy jobs so its hard to chat, decide then actually source and order things.
We are living onsite with our toddler and Great Dane which is SUPER fun but I'm so excited to be seeing it all come together gradually!

The dogs and cats enjoyed their first days of the build work today. The builders have had to create a wooden bridge for the cat from her cat flap to solid ground and the dogs got to use the garden on their leads so my rescue dog whose not entirely clean decided to poo in the hall rather than with me on the lead

We need to get some work done and I'm not sure how to go about it. Is it better to have a company come in and quote for the whole thing, or project manage it ourselves and find individual tradespeople? Presumably the latter is cheaper but then I'd need to get architect plans and planning permission myself? What we want done is very basic and not much choice so an architect feels like overkill but there's probably no other way to get the drawings? Is there an idiots guide to the process online that anyone can recommend?

Worktolive can I ask what the layout of your house is now/will be? DH wanted to make our existing kitchen into a utility, but I just can't get my head round it, even though we had the plans drawn up. We're a 3 bed Semi and not extending at the side, just the back.
I just have a real mental block with how it might work and so have vetoed it at the moment. The Builders are due to start very soon though, and it's niggling me. Don't want to regret not doing it at some point down the line, and I really would like a utility, just not right in the middle of the house.

Still waiting for a date for the builder to start. Just know I'm going to wake up one morning to scaffolding and a skip on the drive having had no warning.

We've had the diggers here today so very exciting! Huge piles of mud everywhere now.

Can I join. Tin hat scaffolding been going up for the last two days should be finishe'd tomorrow so the work can start on Monday.

We are having hip to gable and dormer loft conversion followed by a 2 story side and rear extension, so it the start of a very long build process.

Oh and I had one of those need to make a decision now situations this morning width of the pathway around the carport. I went for wider rather than narrower...

Ooh Mcbaby we're having a hip to gable too. People think I'm making it up! Don't know anyone else who's had one so will be very interested to see how you get on.

Karcheer I would have gone for wider too, if that helps at all. Do you have kids with bikes?

Can I join? Planning permission decision next week builder start date tbc next fri excited about our single rear extension to 3 bed semi. Turning our kitchen diner into kitchen/living/diner with big bifold doors and a window seat. Can't wait for it to be done but dreading the mess!

We are going from hip and flat roof to a half hip ;)

I think the builder already thinks I'm mad I was going on about wheelchairs (no one I know uses one...) he said it was good to think ahead...

Oh and apparently the builders have decided to get their own loo.

Our builders loo will be arriving next week, the massive skip came this week along with the massive amount of scaffolding I can just get the kids and buggy out the house.

Can I ask how much your extensions are costing? We are planning to move soon but the house will need an extension before we decorate and fit a new kitchen. I'd love an ensuite and master bedroom too but it will blow the budget!

Chimney is about to come down which makes me a bit nervous! It wasn't part of our plan but about 20 years ago our neighbours took their chimney stack and chimney breasts off the back of ours with out supporting the remaining stack so it has started to fall over. And is leaning against the roof.

My garden has huge trenches, looks as if a film about World War One is about to be filmed there!!

We are on our 6th skip!!!

At the moment we've a big truck that comes every day with a grabber and takes piles of earth away.
Apparently the holes are being filled with concrete tomorrow.