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?

So, have Aluminium windows thanks for the recommendations, found an online company called slide and fold and they seem ok so far. Not so many walls, not really any ceilings, it still looks like a bomb site and I think we have. At least a couple of months to go and yet, we have a tiled bathroom. Getting there, thank god

I'm having alu windows too flyfisher - using Smart Systems.

citroen - I would wait. Building work is SO messy and there may still be scaffolding and plant and dropping of stuff that could wreck a new patio. I am a bit at how builders just treat every surface other than the one they are working on like it's wreckable!

squiffy - Don't underestimate the cost of second fix, even with basic things fitted. My 6 x 4m extension is £50k to first fix (including lots of high end glazing) but that again for the second fix, though I am having a fair few bells and whistles, including a new kitchen + appliances, a smart heating system and relocation of the boiler for that, plus fairly high end materials/bespoke joinery.

They're only back again this morning! 👍

I'm at some of your costs.

I've had first floor extension over existing garage to make a 4th bedroom, a small walk in wardrobe and space for an en suite. Downstairs garage has been converted to kitchen/diner, wall has been knocked through to existing kitchen to make L shaped. Then the attic space above the new bedroom has been boarded and insulated to create a den for my son, with a little fridge, xbox, bean bags etc.

We got quoted £20,000. We've so far spent £35,000 but that includes a solid oak kitchen and new flooring/all new carpets etc.

I had a mega productive week. All masonry has had 4 coats of Sandtex, all facias and soffits have been 3 times painted. Guttering is up. I've requested scaffold to go tomorrow! That's so exciting, NO SCAFFOLDING!!

I've removed 30sqm of old tiles, old cloakroom toilet is removed, floor has been sanded and ready for us to start laying my new oak effect laminate this morning.

So so so close now. Kitchen should be ready w/c 9th Oct, and I have my best friend fitting it so I'm totally not stressed now!

Back again this morning! 🙌🎉

I've calmed down since yesterday - I think the strong words between dh and I have calmed me down somewhat. We had the builder over this morning and had a good chat.

The final steel is going in this morning and they're moving the plywood back to the sliding door (which will be aluminium) opening so we can see the size of the space and measure for a kitchen 😍

We are going with diy kitchens to keep costs down but somewhere else for the worktop. Hoping to come in cheaper than the £16k+ quotes we've had.

monkey, we've had a lot of costs relating to digging the foundations plus fitting windows etc. I suspect it would have been much cheaper if we a) sourced individual trades ourselves and b) didn't live in the SE

Monkey, we’re having very similar to you but nothing done downstairs. We’re paying way more than double....... And that’s without bathroom suite, tiles etc

You've done soooo well to get all that inside of £40k monkey! Especially a solid oak kitchen! How on earth have you done it!?!

Glazing is a huge part of my first fix cost. I'm having a lot of very large aluminium windows and a rooflight, but I'm also replacing the upstairs and side windows on the house to match (the box room is having a bay window added to increase the space by 1m, and the size of the actual glass by a whole lot -hopefully it'll feel a lot less poky as a result). We can't get out of any of our upstairs windows at present in the event of a fire, which bothers me, so this will solve that issue.

Arghh trying to coordinate builders and plumbers each is blaming the other for an immensely boring Cock-up. Meanwhile I have two builders swearing and looking into a hole with some pipes in, plumber awol. Honestly I might start calling weekly meetings between the two and take minutes!

Glazing hasn't cost me much at all.

For the garage conversion, I sourced these french doors with side windows off eBay. £200 delivered to my door.

Windows X2 upstairs, one in en suite was a spare from my dad's garage, one was £135 direct from manufacturer.

En suite is just an empty room, that will cost circ £2k but that can be done next year.

Kitchen is cost price of the timber, my best mates own Heartwood Design LTD and build bespoke kitchens and furniture. They are very useful best friends to have

We've not needed to change our boiler, and we've only had to add one radiator due to removing a couple of existing ones from the old garage space, so not much plumbing costs.

Ahhhh, you're so lucky to have such gifted (and generous) friends monkey! It will look stunning as well.

Impressed with your window bargain!

Bathroom tiling so nearly done. Despite the fact the rest is rubble. It feels that things might be worth the stress

Monkeyfacegrace I'm very cross about the cost of your french doors, and wondering why I've just paid x12 times that amount for mine!?!? Well done you though!

Flyfisherlady your bathroom tiles are lovely - am thinking of something very similar over here.

Some progress and some setbacks over here, but builder and PM have actually been very good at keeping us updated. Looks like we'll have to spend some of our contingency pot on some unforeseen structural stuff but hopefully it doesn't take us over budget.

I'm just glad I've finally ordered the kitchen (diy kitchens again) as that was taking up my every waking moment. I think I'm happy with my decision...

Looks like everyone is making more progress now, great news!

Just a small heads up that there are some severe weather warnings in force this weekend in various parts of the UK. The situation is very changeable so there may be some gale force winds or it cold just be a bit of rain.

Please keep this in mind and secure your building materials etc outside. We don't want your lovely new work to be damaged by flying debris!

We've had maybe 1 and a half days of work again this week. Promised he'd cone and finish off, spoke to him on weds and said he'd be there 100% Thursday. DH came home to find plasterer but dickface hasn't been there all day. Meant to both be back today, plasterer doesn't turn up and then dickface text me to say he's broken down. Not answering calls... FFS

Bathroom needs to have plastering finished and plumber needs to then fit everything. Kitchen still needs extractor installing (it's in place but needs ducting to outside), plus worktop fixed down, F/F fitted and plinths/cornice fitting plus other tiny finishing touches. Utility needs sink plumbed in and again worktop finished, plinth/cornice doing. Then there's there skirting and doors to be done. Plus we still have a pane of wood for a kitchen window. Oh and guttering needs attaching still, we now have black mould growing on one bit of wall inside where the outside wall is getting thoroughly soaked every time it rains and it must be soaking through to the inside now. Oh and the fire alarms need to be installed/wired in.

We are totally stuck. We've paid him virtually everything apart from the cost of doing the work upstairs (which he will not be let anywhere near). He told us it would be a 12 week job and we are now finishing week 24. We don't have anything in writing stating 12 weeks nor do we have a formal contract as such (we have written quotes breaking everything down, what work will be carried out etc etc) but that's it. Does anyone have any advice as to how to get him to actually finish the job?? It's just getting ridiculous and we are loath to fork out for someone else to come and do it when we've already paid him.

And I know, contracts, agreed payment schedules etc etc are the way forward, but we actually know the guy so trusted him. I do wonder if he is using that to suit him by taking advantage and prioritising his other projects tbh.

I don't know Spy we're almost in the same situation a lot of things not gone, not much left to pay!
DH has offered him a £2k cash payment on top of the quote to finish the list of jobs he's given him & specified building regs sign off!

It really sticks in both our throats after the way he's treated us & the job but we'd tried shouting pleading threatening

They've been here 4 days this week!

I think from googling and the citizens advice website you could engage someone else & try & claim the money back- not easy though !

These bloody builders arrgghhhh!

Monkey I love your doors! What a bargain!

Anyone bought full stave Oak Worktops for their kichan?

rick no, I looked at full stave but don't think I care enough to justify the extra cost. I've gone for standard oak worktops from worktop express.

Hello all, can I join? We're doing a rear extension and loft conversation plus a few bits and bobs.

We've had a slow start and a few nasty surprises but we're finally out of the ground at least. Here's some pictures of our concrete!

We're looking for windows at the moment. Torn between aluminum and upvc. I'm looking at Slide and Fold and Smart Systems as mentioned by some of you. Any other suggestions?

Alumninium windows are far better than upvc. More durable and allow for thinner frames. They should have insulating layer to improve thermal efficiency. Upvc is just plastic.

Thank you namedy it's a relief. The rest of the house is all dirt and breeze blocks

Yes aluminum is nicer but they are also twice the price and we need 9 (plus 2 replacement wooden sash windows for the original part of the house and 12 velux). We may not have enough money for aluminum because we're quite a bit over budget on the groundwork.

Talk to me about insurance please.
About to start a 6minth project to extend our house. I’ve done a bit of googling but getting conflicting advice. The sites promoting he need for site insuraance are not surprisingly also selling it.

Got a roughy quote of £1000 which seems crazt

Have you checked your builder's insurance?

Have you spoken to your home insurer? Ours is a much smaller project but our home insurer extended cover for the build without any extra cost (though we do have higher cover than normal as I knew this was coming up so decided to upgrade our insurance in preparation!)

Rick I've budgeted for full stave prime oak from Worktop Express - I read somewhere that it would need less maintenance than the standard stuff. Is that true? At that price, it's still a fraction of the cost of the quartz we're getting on the island, so I thought I might as well pay for the good stuff.