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?

Hi all, we're now in the middle of our works, extension is all built and new roof just about finished but internally the house is pretty much completely gutted. Me, DH and 2 preschool age kids crammed into a 3m x 4m room with sofa, TV, table, fridge freezer, microwave and entire contents of former kitchen in boxes piled around us. No washing machine, no cooker, no running water downstairs. It's only been a week and is driving me insane! But, I keep wandering into the new kitchen/dining/living space and although its mostly got no floor and only the bare bones of the walls I am already getting a sense of the space. I think it will be worth it! Please if anyone else had been though this I'd appreciate some tips for living in this mess and chaos - what and how to cook especially, I'm already sick of slow cooker and microwave meals!

Wow granny, sorry no advice but hats off to you for surviving that. Must be so nice to see it taking shape though?

Out of nosiness where are you all sleeping? Are your bedrooms affected?

We move into a studio flat next week- me, DH, toddler and baby and worrying about the sleeping arrangements!!

GrannyRoberts I wonder if an InstantPot electric pressure cooker would help? Love mine, much quicker than a slow cooker. Also I have a little 650 watt Tristar campimg cooker in my kitchen that I often use instead of the big oven and used to have a induction hot plate which was good.

The Instantpot is big but mostly tall and footprint same as slow cooker so could replace that plus gives you the equivalent of a hob as you can sauté in it plus steam etc. The induction hob could sit on the microwave and the camping oven is smaller than a microwave but you can roast bits of chicken, fish etc plus small pizza. We rarely use our big oven these days.

If you search there is an Instantpot thread . even DH is now a convert and he had bad memories of his Mum's old give top one.

Inneed, luckily we are still sleeping in our own beds, it's just an obstacle course to get to them due to all the stuff from other rooms piled up everywhere. Main problem apart from the cooking arrangement is there is just no floorspace for the kids to play. Studio flat sounds a good idea, wish we could have done that. You may find yourself spending your evenings in the bathroom drinking wine out of a mug but at least things should be relatively clean and not covered in builders dust! Good luck!

Mirabelle great tips thanks, I'll look into those, reckon the instapot could be something we might use after this is all over so certainly worth a look!

That actually sounds fun granny. Old school family bonding!

Now, someone talk sense into me. The mortgage completed today so I have lots and lots and lots of ££££ in my bank.

Laura Ashley have 40% off everything this weekend.

How early is too early to buy wallpaper and bed linen? Considering building hasn't even started yet

joining , if I can. Kitchen extension and slim side for shower room. permitted development - just got building regs agreed so tendering next. neighbour just started huge double storey so will be watching and grilling them for tips

We have had our mortgage approval confirmed today which is a relief. Hopefully money won't be too long, may have to get my husband to keep hold of it so I can't spend it all before the actual build starts!

Oh monkey step away from the wallpaper! 40% off is good though. I'm too worried about unforseen bills on the build to start spending on accessories.

Granny- This will be exactly us in about a months time. Im dreading it!

We have a final meeting with the builder tomorrow to go over everything and access etc which is exciting.

Spent today clearing out the garage ect in there as one of the walls is being knocked through into the new utility room and clearing the patio of my 1000's plant pots ready for it to be dug up for foundations. Exhausted but exciting now its getting so close to starting. 2 weeks to go!

Monkey- I saw a fab sofa super cheap that would be fab in the new kitchen diner but DH wouldnt let me buy it yet :( Of course he's right as we literally have no where to store it and will be living out of one room downstairs but didnt stop me having a sulk! :)

Hi! We have permission to demolish our kitchen which the previous owners fit into a single skin side house, it used to be old wash house/coal store. It's tiny & freezing & we hate it. It will be replaced by a 4x7m double storey side extension. Downstairs will be a utility, loo, new kitchen. Current external side wall part demolished to make it an open plan kitchen diner. The current front & back reception rooms will be knocked into one. Upstairs of the extension will be a master bedroom with En suite & walk in wardrobe. We're just getting builder's quotes. I believe we're to give our neighbours 8 weeks notice in writing before starting. Imagine nothing's happening before June. . We'll be living in it with 7 & 9 Year old. I have bought a toilet & sink for downstairs from b&q sale & ordered kitchen in DIY kitchen's sale 😂😂😂

We've picked up keys to a council garage we're renting to use for storage while the building happens!
It's brilliant only round the corner, first thing is to empty the shed which is situated in what will be my utility room!
Exciting times! I have a lock up!

Teamrick did you ever see yourself excited by such a thing?

We had a toddler free morning courtesy of the in laws and used it to clear junk from our garage ( to make room for the junk from our house!). Never did I think I'd make such tragic use of babysitting 😞

Absolutely not!
As well as clearing out the shed, we have to take the 12 year old decking up, I'm not looking to that!

Thanks for the advise Ruby! I'm itching to batter the hell out of something but I know I'll regret it!

Although I'm 5 minutes away from bashing my DH! I hope this project doesn't signal the end of us. We've got very very different personalities - in all bish bash bosh get stuck in making plans and he's all laid back and let's think about it for eleventybillion years until it's too late to do anything.

5 minutes into Real Homes magazine, I suggest that we go to the Homebuilding & Renovating Show in Glasgow in May. Just to get some ideas, get inspired, speak to some experts etc. No no no. We're nowhere near ready for that. He's talking about starting the process in a year! A year! So I've already thrown my first flounce

Hi. We are starting a single storey extension plus internal modifications next month. We plan to stay here (gulp) to save money & are hoping it won't be 'too bad'. Fingers crossed!!

Fab to hear of progress with garage clearing/finding lock-ups etc! It must make it all seem very real. Purple that must be frustrating- keep flouncing I say!
Had another builder round on Sat- really liked this one and unlike the others that have quoted, for whom we would be a relatively small fry project, for this one I think we'd be his biggest contract so far. Just hope that translates into a better/more realistic quote! He's building up a brilliant reputation locally and DH and I both felt confident he'd do a good job.

We have just had new plans for our single storey extension approved (although they've removed permitted dev rights on property which screws us slightly as leaves us with no shed) and need to get building control drawings done. Also in process of sorting finances with bank.... hoping to start April ish time. Going to be fun living there with a 1 year old!!

Hello sorry we have had a crazy few weeks packing and clearing out the garage. Never thought I'd use a child free morning to clear out a garage - what a waste of baby sitting but it looks much better and we have space to store the crap from our kitchen and pantry in there now!

Also builders are finally starting after postponing due to rain (excuses!) but they are not even planning on doing any digging week 1. Could I ask what your builders did in the first week or first day of being on site? Ours is a two storey extension and builder said the first few days will be just 'prepping' and laying sheets on the drive to protect! I mean how long will that take?!? 15mins to lay a sheet on the drive what will they do after that?

We have an existing patio, brick store shed and rockery at the back which will all need knocking out...I really hope they just get on with it and not take forever to do the 'prepping' or whatever it is they do the first week

I should add that I only found out that the builder will be working two jobs - ours and another extension near us. Was really disappointed to hear that. Had hoped he would focus on one build at a time so his team is dedicated to our job. We didn't check at the time of quoting. Do all builders operate this way?

inneedofaliein looks like we have had an identical weekend

Prep was 1 day for us which was demolish and dispose of deck, Mark out extension plus dig up some slabs. Day 2 was digger in and foundations excavated plus 2 visits from building control. Day 3 was 2 x grab lorries to take waste, Day 4 was concrete lorry to pour foundations.

Our outside builders do juggle jobs but I said at start I was happy for that and they are only going to plate level, inside builder just one guy but he does only one job at a time.

Our week 1 (last week) was quite active: first day they pulled down he conservatory to brick wall level and stripped out the entire kitchen and flooring. Day 2 they didn't work but that was our issue due to paperwork with the freeholder holding things up. The rest of the week was spent taking down the conservatory brickwork (which they are saving) and digging foundations for two extensions. The foundations needed to be done by hand as there is no access for a digger. This is week two and they are pouring concrete by hand into the foundations today, having had sign off from building control this morning. We have two guys on site working each day, plus the head builder and two other foremen who come and go. The company is working on multiple builds over seen by the head guy. The two foremen on our site are over seeing a very local site too. It all seems to work fine. We have set up a WhatsApp chat group with all involved so everyone sees all our questions and responses. We are not living on site for the build.

We are on day 1 here right now ...😊 So far they be prepped the drive put the scaffolding up and nearly dug out the foundations for our extension! Just waiting for building control now to come and check ... they have been here since 8 as well . I would agree that most builder s have a few jobs on the go . The project manager came this morning, set the guys up and has been back a few times since .

Oh there's a thread. our 2 storey 4 room extension started on Jan 3rd.
We now have
Roof finished
exterior plastering drying
plaster inside done
first coats of paint on upstairs bedroom and bathroom
tiling 90% done in bathroom.
Kitchen removed and plastered.
doors on.

It's a mess, the builders are great but I'm stressed having had 3 weeks with no kitchen and new one won't be complete for 2-3 weeks. eating out too expensive so ready meals microwaved in living room (smelly) washing up in bath (annoying) are stressing me out.

the build was 70% funded by my inheritance but we have needed to apply for additional mortgage too which is taking a long time!
I'm getting a little tired of people telling me it'll be worth the dust (everywhere and annoying my lungs as I have asthma), money and inconvenience in the long term.

I'm most excited for me extra wide bathtub and bathroom tv . I may never leave the bathroom!

Are people interested in pictures?