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

aesops this sounds similar to what I'm thinking, are you having switches next to the bed for the main light too?
How many sockets are you having?

I'm really tempted to have wall lights in our room as well as a main light and spots lol there are some lovely lights out there.

Not having switches next to bed as I hate seeing them either as part of light fitting i.e. string pull or embedded switch and do not like the idea of mid height switches on that wall as we are having a feature headboard. So just having separate switch for them at entrance next to spots. I think we will use them purely for atmosphere when in the room in the evening, as having bedside lamps also which will be used for reading etc and can be turned off without getting up. Need to pick wall lights before bedside lamps so there is no clash in sizing/style

Re sockets, having 4 x double to bedrooms and just the shaver point to bathroom

Gnome that sounds exciting for you, your DH sounds amazing. Mine is useless at DIY (his words). Yes to calling it 'the extension' being very 70's, new rooms sounds even more 'Beverley' though

Spent the day building a stud wall. I was allowed to use DH's chop saw to cut the noggins (such a pleasing word!)

This wall will have the French doors from the kitchen. So much time spent getting everything perfectly vertical/horizontal that I did wonder if we should have aimed for something like this. I remember these plastic strip screens from my childhood. It would be in keeping with the 70s vibe!

I was allowed to use DH's chop saw to cut the noggins

I have no idea what this means, but I want to do it too!

We have the bones of a roof back on now, and you can see the dormer windows quite clearly at the back. There have been a few issues with extra steels needed, which means that dd's bedroom is out of action for a few weeks, but it is giving us a good reason to have a massive clear out.

We also have a minor issue with the head height in the ensuite in the loft. There isn't going to be as much of it as we thought. I'm thinking we can put the shower in the window (dormer) - anyone else done this?

Also wondering how well you all treat your builders? Ours are a lovely lot and I am currently providing all the hot drinks (though they make their own) and keep the biscuit tin well stocked. I have an urge to make them bacon butties at some point this week, but a friend suggested that's a bit over the top - what d'you all think?

Feel like I've missed a lot in a very short period of time!

Gnome when the builders were using a chop saw I kept thinking, I want to have a go with that so I am very jealous of you there.

Karcheer we have 6 double sockets in our bedroom, its a little excessive maybe but they're located so that we can have the furniture in a few different set ups.

Bill I've seen some pictures of people doing that on Pinterest I am sure. I try to treat ours as well as possible, I haven't made bacon sarnies but I keep the good tea/coffee/biscuits flowing. I would do bacon sarnies and I was going to but knowing them they would say no as they have most other things I've offered (homemade stuff - maybe they think I'm a bad cook). Sounds weird but I try to befriend them as I'm a believer in that if they see you more as a person than a customer then they will work harder.

Bill I started Bacon 'Butties' (are you northern ) as a once a month treat. That was 4 months ago when we had a kitchen! Today I gave them Hot Cross Buns with their 11.30am brew instead. Plate cleaned. Seriously. Offer it and if they refuse still serve it. An empty plate will inevitably return. I started out making 7/8 brews a day. Now it is one first thing (7am) then two more (around 11am and 3pm)

SHOCK ...Just discussed this subject with DH and he claims he has NEVER offered them a drink and on the days he is here without me they just use there own flasks/mugs/tea bags etc. Oh. The. Shame.

French door from kitchen to new sitting room is in. Screed floor either tomorrow or Wednesday then the builder is done.

We left tea/coffee makings and biscuits out for builder and his subbie but they were never touched. Builder would accept a tea if DH would make it for him. Subbie just wanted to crack on.

Aesops I'm pretty sure my dp doesn't offer our guys anything when they're here.

Friday our chasing in for the wiring is happening, the chimney breast, and a pointless bit of wall are coming out. I'm dreading it

Good day today so far. (Cannot believe how this stage is affecting my moods)

windows replaced and look much better. Tick

confirmed we are now having wet UFH to whole of downstairs. Tick

Independent tiler recommended by my neighbour been on site today and quoted a fitting whole £20 m2 cheaper. Over 90m2 that is a saving of £1,800 Tick.Tick.Tick.

Electrician has now completed first fix of all up and downstairs and plasterers came on site today to do check through before starting skimming on Thursday. Wow. Skimming already, I think that is fab. No matter what annoyances in my contractor, his workmen are here 7am to 4pm rain or shine every single weekday and work their socks off.

End of December we had a roof on. Today we have all rooms boarded, first fix electrician and plumb completed and all windows in (excl bi-folds)

Oh there was one very sad moment...

Brickie and Labourer now commonly known as 'my boys' are off site to another job for 10 days and will only be popping back for a few final jobs I told the contractor that I was feeling low about them going as they were with us from day one 17weeks ago and will miss them so much. His reply = "I can shut up the site for 2 weeks if you want Aesops until I get them back on site but your house will not be ready for end March" Bastard.

Aesops how dare they take your favourites away! Mine are back tomorrow (yipeee). Sounds like they're making tonnes of progress on the house though

The planning people were here today to take some pictures and put a sign outside. I am considering shrinking our extension to save money, can't decide if I will regret it or not. DP will never notice either way!

Quick update from me

We have a wooden box on the back of the house .... I'm starting to get a better idea of how BIG my kitchen is going to be.
Roof trusses arrive tomorrow so I am hoping the gale force wind and monsoon rain stops so they can get on with that.

I keep veering between "How exciting, it's really happening!" to "Oh my goodness what on earth was I thinking?? The mess! The mud!"
And the dawning realisation that they WILL be knocking a very big hole in the side of the house soon! (Which would be fine if it wasn't the wall where my sink and washing machine are currently plumbed in )

Nomore are you having a temp kitchen put in elsewhere?

We have been using temp kitchen for about 3 weeks now, already fed up with no grill/hotplate so going to buy one as kitchen not planned to be in until April.

It is not yet 9am and already I have had to make so many decisions

Type of downlights for kitchen - they showed me some plastic ones which I have said no to as want better quality so electrician has gone off site to source!
Changed WC type in bath due to new location of it meaning needs different side flow
Determined size of coffer for over island

Now I appreciate why they wanted us to stay onsite for job. It is critical that someone is here all the time at this stage.

The builder is now finished!

Screed floor went down today which means we are banned from the extension for a couple of days while it goes off.

It is a bit of a pain for the dog as we have to take him out into the garden through the front door and round the side of the house.

gnome that's great. I'm sure the dog won't mind too much, they'll be a lovely new floor to muddy up soon enough!

No temporary kitchen Aesops (well, not that I have thought of really) ... we have camping stoves and a microwave and a deep fat fryer which we can set up in the "old end" of the existing kitchen while the new bit is getting fitted out. I can also rearrange the lounge a bit and get the kitchen table in there (without the fryer )Then we'll take it from there.

The "wooden box" now has a roof!
The extension is only 3m x 4m but it looks massive

Eeek you guys are making me nervous, I thought putting in a new kitchen would take about a week not months of no cooking facilities.

I'm dreading getting home tonight, all the chasing is being done and the chimney breasts are coming out. Poor dog is going to be exhausted as he normally sleeps all day. Think we're going to the pub for dinner to hide from the mess, sleeping there tonight is not going to be pleasant.

One more wall to go after that though then messy works are done

Gnome and Mad Hope your dogs are coping with all the changes. Lack of sleep and escorted garden attendance.
V industrious here today. Joiner is battening the new kitchen ceiling. Plasterers are skimming bedrooms and bathroom. Electrician is away on another job, hence why it is quiet. The chap NEVER stops talking/singing/whistling.

They uncovered the inside of the roof lantern this morning, it looks so lovely. Bi-folds being fitted in 10 days. I cannot wait to see the final look of the new Kitchen/Family room with plaster board done and all windows in (then have to fit UFH) Tiler measured for tiles today 45m2!! Considering we are recent Empty Nesters there seems to be a lot more room here now our twins are off at Uni, they are quite miffed we are doing this AFTER they left home

Mine loves the builders gnome, thinks they're here to see him and any hassle is worth the extra visitors. Sounds like it's really coming along for you!

I keep finding more work to add to the list, but today on a rare sunny day I stood in the garden and appreciated how far we've come along with the house...then I walked in and saw the dust. Argh I could cry!

Hmmmm... sadly the dog is not impressed by anybody who doesnt belong in the house. We have had to keep the builder out of sight of the dog.

The builder is now paid off. He has taken away most of his kit. Just a lonely wheelbarrow is left behind.

The man from building control came and was satisfied however he want to see the extension finished. Not sure what that means exactly. Does he expect to see us sitting in it watching television?

Electrics now. This room is going to be our sitting room so nine double sockets plus various telephone/USB/data points.

Plasterboard arrives on Monday.

mad mine love the builder too, as does the cat...

gnome building control looked round our loft once carpet was in and everything internal was completed. Was the dog pleased to see the back of the builders?

karcheer I have to either trap the dog in a builder free area or take him everywhere I go or he wanders off to find them and get some attention

Just wondering when everyone's estimated finish date is? We are aiming for end March but kitchen is not going in until April.

Karcheer will not be long before you can start an 'Extension/Renovation Lessons Learned' thread

Have been working on the build budget today. We are over by 20% half of which is our changes/additions the other due to useless architect.

I've not dared to work out how over budget we are!

We don't have a finish date really, hoping by next Christmas we will be down to finishing touches!

aesops I'm actually not thinking about an end date, we've had loads of delays due to the architect/structural engineer/man who makes the steels not really being aligned, but they are all ordered and all happy now.
Had the electrician here doing first fix of bedroom three and ensuite today. Builder continued putting batons on roof for the tiles.

Karcheer, once the batons were on I was amazed at how quickly the tiles went up. A couple of days was all it took - mind ours was a simple roof.

DH is doing the first fix of the electrics now.

This morning we were watching a Tommy's Trade Secrets video on YouTube about fixing a plasterboard ceiling. 'Tis a voyage of discovery!