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?

Monkey the celotex was there already in the
Builders store my extension so we used that!

We bought the waterproof membrane from screwfix!

DH did pop in to the building supplies to ask about Celotex, in case we didn't have enough and apparently there has been a fire at the factory and there is a National shortage!

Hi I'm looking for advice and some insight etc.
We're getting a single storey extension done on our house, basically it's knocking a kitchen dining room and conservatory into one mult functional room with a utility and downstairs toilet too. We got our planning permission in July and we've chosen our builder, we've ordered our kitchen and all our appliances and put loads of stuff into storage ready to start by mid September as the builder told us he'd start then i.

So far nothing has happened apart from that the builder has dug a hole to check the state of the soil at the base of the conservatory and a building regs inspector came and looked at the solidity of the foundations then and said another hole needs to be dug to check again, so the builder sent his new apprentice to dig another one next day. Since then, there's not been a date for starting discussed although initially the builder told us early sept. Nor is there a plan of action and we're feeling frustrated and in limbo.

We texted him yday to try and pin down a start date and to ask him he is prepared to do the work or should we look for another builder, and all we got in reply was him blaming others for the delay and saying he was "acting in our best interests" We feel like we're being fobbed off and that he's probably overstretched himself with work, as the apprentice let slip that the house they're currently working on isn't finished at all yet. We are the stage of feeling like he's blowing a lot of hot air. Why can't he just say - look, I can't start it yet as I've not finished my current job off, and then we'd know where we stand. But as it is we feel like were in limbo and don't trust him.

We're thinking we might have to look for another builder, although our concern is that if they're any good they already have work booked in. We got as far as leaving a message for another builder that we had a quote from and liked to see if he had any availability and he texted us to say he's on holiday and will speak to us when he's back today - he didn't say he couldn't help us.

I commented on your original thread I think!

If you can't get a straight answer and you don't trust him then bin him off!

Honestly if he's not communicating well with you now it will be a disaster once he's started!

Ours was brilliant during the whole quoting process & the first 3 weeks of work then that was it! Sullen, defensive won't but his hands up for anything, it's like dealing with a 14 year old boy!

Cut your losses!

Run! Run run run!

I'm feeling like everything is on top of me again today. Huge snagging lists, like the never ending shit to go in a skip, painting the rendering, painting the external wood, clearing out stuff so floors can be prepped, the list just goes on and on. And our boiler has now decided to break and we've got a big leak under the old sink and

Oh Monkey that is shit I'm sorry!

DH has taken 3 loads of Twatchop's rubbish to the tip to try & get it clear enough for the skip to be taken! Doesn't feel like we've had a weekend, spent it all doing the builders work for him! 😡

I do actually feel better because something's have happened, even though it's because we've done it!

Nomore - don't join me & Monkey in the shit builders club- it's miserable!

My typing is getting worse! 😳

Hooray our scaffolding is finally up! Builder starts tomorrow! Bit excited but also dreading the intrusion. Fingers crossed that we are done before xmas!

Totally outing but look. I got my arse into gear at 4pm and started work.

I took down all the new guttering, unscrewed the clips, primed all the facias and soffits. Then I mist coated and second coated the masonry. I could only do the front and back faces, the side wall wasn't dry enough yet to paint.

But go me.

Monkey has a new career you and TeamRick will be able to start a company working for other mumsnetters at this rate!

Yah! Sisters are doing for it themselves this weekend! Go you!

Good luck Titsywoo hope all goes well!

Thanks for replay to my post. Yes you're right that if communication isn't good at this early stage what's it going to be like when the work gets underway.
How do you sacks builder?just tell him we've changed our mind about having him? We haven't signed anything or paid him anything yet. We'd need to find someone else - hoping the one we left a message with who was our almost first choice can help us.

B+++day predictive text!! I meant for replying

Not sure, although if mine doesn't turn up to do the screening in the morning I'll be able to tell you! 😬!

If you have no contract I'm sure just a telephone call would do it!

monkey awesome work!

monkey - you are amazing!! Great work

On builders, just to add a slightly different view: I have been waiting for my builder since January. No kidding. He told me he would start in March! I'm not gonna lie, the delay has been very frustrating and he hasn't always communicated well across it. There was a point where I considered starting again with a different guy. But I went out and saw some of the work this bloke has done, and it's really good. And I mean really good. So I decided it was better to wait for the guy who could give me the quality of finish I wanted (there are a lot of bad builders in my area) even if that meant facing an autumn build.

Will it turn out to have been a good decision? Not sure yet, but he's doing great so far.

Bl%dy f^^ing builder has rung us up this morning to tell us he can't do our extension - too much work on he said and it needs a lot of digging down to do the footings. After all his faffing and fobbing is off he's finally told us straight. DH is on phone as I type to try getting another builder. At least now we know where we stand

Bloody hell NOMORE that's awful! I hope you find someone else soon who is more reliable.

As I left this morning the tiles were starting to come off the roof - I wonder how much colder my house is going to be now?

The dog is not happy about all the noise - poor mite!

Nomore that is rubbish but at least he has come clean! I wish mine had done that rather than just turn up one day a week for 5 months!

They are here today thank goodness!
I am hold up in my bedroom, working from home with a stinking cold!

for you nomore.

I know the delay is frustrating, and I'm not minimising that - you deserve a big glass of this evening. But at least you have found out before the process properly started, rather than being left in the lurch half way through.

How do you 'go to tender' pls? Find builders in the first place? Our plans should be approved (hopefully) in a week or so. Thought I'd have quotes by now but struggling to find recommendations for builders. Any ideas please? It's a huge project!

Thanks everyone in many ways I'm glad we're not going with him as he seemed so full of himself and made out only he knew everything and everyone else was a fool compared to him. I think they (two brothers) knew they'd over committed themselves and had to find away to extricate themselves, so came up with the story about how digging the footings was going to be very difficult etc. Also had they started the work and then had to delay things they know we could complain could and slur their reputation as they are a local firm.
Fortunately the builder that we almost chose has been in touch and says he can start in a month and will get cracking on footings in a few weeks. He coming to look at the plans and to review things with us. He much nicer than the other one and more reliable - an "old school" type

nomore whilst extremely frustrating sounds as though you might be better off this way. Really feel for you though...
We have good news, planning approved! Neighbours being v obstructive regarding start date. Want the full party wall award and want us to wait over a week after the date on the party wall notice period so they can return from holiday to observe every ounce of earth that comes out if the ground...

Nomore it sounds like yo've dodged a bullet! Phew!

Whattodo that sounds a right pain! Makes me really grateful for my poor long suffering neighbours!

nomore sounds like a blessing in disguise if you ask me, as cra*p as it is right now!!

Well done Trick and Monkey!!!! I think it just goes to show how shit these builders are, when us ladies do better jobs of things ourselves. I finished our kitchen floor this weekend, and we cut our window sills from some reclaimed oak... although our builder turned up today and did a 10-1.30 day