Home Extensions 2017 - come along on the journey

[RedRobin1]

Hi just wondered if anyone has recently started or about to start a home extension. Haven’t seen a 2017 thread so starting one here.

Our two-storey extension is due to start on 1st March and we have just started packing boxes. The planning and research has been ongoing for 2-3 years. Had planning permission approved a few years back and completed all the research around what we would like in our new extended and how we would like to design it all - extending the kitchen / dining area downstairs to create an open plan living, dining and kitchen space and an extra bedroom upstairs.

Have two DCs under 4 and need help / advice / tips and general hand holding.

Is anyone else starting theirs soon?

Thanks Crumbelina, I'll check them out.

So, another day another delay. Building control have come back with queries re the steel calculations which should hopefully be resolved but can't get hold of the architect as it came through at nearly 5pm. Then I've checked their website and the domain is no longer active 😨 Will ring them tomorrow to find out if they're even still in business.

Furthermore, I'm annoyed at DH as he said that we had approval from building control subject to conditions which he seems to think is fine for the builder to sort. On checking these conditions, turns out that actually we need to go back to the architect and get a SAP calculation because we want so much glass. The architect hasn't done this - and it's a bit of a bloody oversight because it's clear our glazing is more than 25%.

Raging on so many levels.

It's a good thing, yes. A very expensive good thing

Well we are on the home ward straight . Finally sorted out the gas safe certificate last week after major tantrums and final snagging this week (if the builder turns up!) . Cannot wait to finally give the house a good clean (and for it to stay that way) , to actually have some disposal cash at the end of the month which is not earmarked for some tradesman oh and to finally enjoy my new kitchen and new family room (the enjoyment of which has been lost lately due to the stress of dealing with the builders). For everyone still drowning in dust keep going, the end result will definatley be worth it .

Hooray Tween! So good to see a positive outcome! Gives me hope!

I have come to post something positive for a change! They managed to take. Out the rest of my external wall but leave the cupboards and plumbing until the units get ripped out for new kitchen!

I am Beyoncé pleased that I can still use my sink, washing machine & dishwasher!

Sorry for the typos, obviously past myself with excitement! 🙄

TeamRick I love the expression 'Beyoncé pleased' and I intend to use it from this day forwards forever more!

I quite like it myself! Tatlerer! I don't know where my phone got that from!

"Drowning in dust' is very accurate. It is everywhere. I am fed up of feeling filthy after going into the room that has been extended. The dog looks as if she has changed colour and is trying to stay out of there as much as possible! How do you get rid of it from the room they are extending without constant sweeping?

We are approaching the end though. All of a sudden it seemed to really make progress. The steels went in last week ( which wasn't easy at almost 7m's long- and we had to have 2 side by side). The knock through is complete. We have light fittings, radiators etc.

So just the final plaster boarding to be done around the steels, before that is plastered and the old walls skimmed where they have changed a window and moved sockets etc.

We have a couple of days off now whilst they do a small job. Then they will be back. They reckon they will be done by the end of next week. I don't think that includes digging out around the outside though so that it is the required depth below the damp course.

Now I can start picking wall colours and trying to persuade my dd that she doesn't have the majority vote, just because we didn't pick the light fitting she preferred

Hello extenders. We are impatiently waiting for the start of our single storey rear extension. It has been forever in the planning for various reasons. Not least our complete inability to get actual quotes off builders. I had so many come and look and promise a quote that never materialised even after chasing. It drove me crazy. We had everything they needed to quote, but they just never came back.

Anyway, we have builders now who I am hoping will be as good as the reviews promise and they are ready to start. But the bloody utilities company is digging up the road outside our house. So we can't place a skip and we can't start. Some prelim work has begun, but without the skip we are on hold. They are due to finish this week according to the signs outside, except I haven't seen anyone working all week.

I just want to start! Luckily the builders were delayed starting another job so are focusing on that. But they would have split the crew and started demolition on ours had they been able to.

Exciting sushi queen! Looks great.

Good luck on the start, hopefully the utilities will shift soon x

That's an amazing space Sushi! I'm very jealous!

God the dust, I come downstairs ready for work, by the time I reach the front door I'm covered in it! Very annoying!

We've had a good week, first electrical fix done, steel in and the plumber is coming tomorrow! He's our plumber so confident that he will deliver!
The electrician was provided by the builder but he was brilliant! Rang every evening to confirm what he had done, ask anything he needed to know, worked 8-6! Really showed how rubbish our builder has been!

Brilliant news teamrick! I'm so pleased that it's finally going to plan

I posted a month or so ago about our loft conversion which was supposed to be starting early to mid Oct but the builder is ahead so is now starting on 15th Sept! We did a large extension 2 years ago and have only recently gotten over that but this is the final phase and DH got a big payout from his company sale so we thought what the hell lets get it all over and done with . The extension was very stressful but we had builders do a shell and we did the rest with the help of a few contractors and some skilled friends. It saved us a lot of money but this time one builder is doing the lot - I can't take the stress again and would rather pay the money! Scaffolding (including top hat) goes up on 6th Sept so will be back here once things get started!

Similar titsywoo we went it trade by trade for our previous building work and it nearly killed us so our current extension is being done by one firm - who we found at the school gates! Going well so far.. No stress at all, even with extensive digging as we're built into a hill.

Very exciting seeing the pictures! Sushiqueen, that looks like great progress!

We've had the steels delivered so should go in next week - roof needs going up. Not sure when they knock through. The builder said they'll put up a plywood wall to block off the first bit. Then they knock the interior wall down.

I'm thinking of getting plastic curtains for the hallway door to keep the dust contained..... is this worth considering?

Unfortunatelybelieve dust will get through everything ...though I would still do that !!
We covered most things and we found the dust everywhere !!

Believe we put a plastic sheet over the door - it did stop a lot of the initial dust. We found though that after we had to use the door the dust started settling in the next room a couple of days later. It seems to hang in the air and every time you walk around it stirs it up.

Team rick sounds as if you are really starting to make progress now after all your delays. Hope it carries on for you and you can see real progress soon.

Brandnewhouse the room is now 7.4m by 7.6m not sure which way round. I think the Steels across measure 6.6m - which meant due to access problems they had to get them cut in half and then bolt them back together before they raised them.
It has given us a nice space for what will be a lounge, diner, study area.

'Doing a happy little dance' the plumber came yesterday and did all he needs to do, bad news it's back to the builder to put the celex down before he can do the underfloor heating!
My new kitchen is stacked up in the side of the extension & a recommended kitchen fitter is popping round tomorrow! Feeling much more positive!

Can I ask you all about lighting? Was having 2 big lights over my island but the island is mostly under the vaulted ceiling so I'm looking for ideas! Was going to start a new thread but figured I'd try you lot first! 😀

I am also interested in the vaulted ceiling/lighting as we will eventually have similar! I've seen some pictures online where the lights just hang from the vaulted bit.

We've cleared out two of the rooms ready for putting the steels in this week

Our builder has asked us to check with the architect about the steels as he's got them in such that there will be a visible ridge in the ceiling

Our extension area is vaulted (though not massively). We ended up with a hanging lights at either end ( we have velux windows in the middle). We weren't sure what to do and the builder suggested various options.
I like it though with hanging lights. I think it was easier for us as it is a lounge/dining area so we can use lamps to get other lighting effects. We have removed all the pre-existing wall lights in the old lounge area.

Sushiqueen I'd love to see pics when it's done as ours will be similar 😊

Our extension will be vaulted with two velux and some tie beams higher than what would have been the ceiling height. I'm planning to have pendant lights over what will be the dining table area. it's not a massive room, about 5x4 when finished, but our house is an end terrace cottage and long so it'll be the access to the garden and I need to have a through-route preserved without the dining table interfering.