Home extensions 2017- the one where all builders are dickheads.

[monkeyfacegrace]

Link to the old thread.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/2847599-Home-Extensions-2017-come-along-on-the-journey

As you were ladies.

We have integrated blinds (SE facing) and need to use them first thing in the morning to we can eat breakfast without sunglasses.

If it's not too late, check which side the mechanism is on any panels with door handles. We didn't and the predictable happened...

Our builders have installed a fancy zip up tent material door to the bit they are working on now. Previously there was just a tarp pinned up. It has made a huge difference to the temperature downstairs. I just unzipped it to have a nosey and was hit by an icy blast. Zipped it back up and no more draughts.

Hopefully it will contain the dust too.

My new door!

We are officially at the horrible stage. We have no kitchen, no heating, boarding over windows/newly formed holes. We’ve moved out until Thursday but I’m dreading going back!
We’ll have a lovely new boiler by then and hopefully windows fitted. They haven’t even broken into the extension downstairs yet 😂 they’ve knocked through upstairs and have knocked down our old rear extensions and knocked our kitchen /diner wall down!
How do I stay sane?!

Peanuts: how about these lights:

www.heals.com/olson-globe-pendant-2.html

Saw them at the weekend and they looked amazing.

They had silver too but I can't find them on the website.

Oh I love those lights!

Me & DH had a day off work today and ended up having lunch in a garden centre, it was full of beautiful Christmas decorations! I wanted to buy loads but we're still in so much chaos I really couldn't!

I hope I can go back before Christmas & get some! 🎄

Hello. I have been reading this thread for a few weeks but today seems like the day to join. We are building a single storey extension across the back of the house. Work started at the end of August. The structure is all up and the roof on we are just waiting on the bifold doors to make it weather proof. The dining room is knocked through to the extension and the kitchen will be knocked through this week so true chaos is about to hit! Tonight we ordered our kitchen from DIY Kitchens (Norton Mussel), we have spent weeks and weeks designing it so I hope we don’t have any regrets when it becomes real. Best case is that by Christmas we will have the kitchen fitted including the quartz worktop, with just some decorating needed and the engineered wood floor and wood burner to go in. The builder says he will be ready for the kitchen to be fitted but we don’t fully believe him at the moment! Our next thing to plan out is the lighting, but I’m not sure where to start. Oh and I still need to decide on a tap, splash back and which shade of white to paint the walls!

dust - wine fridge! Love your prioritisation!! It sounds wonderful. I am really, really interested by your temporary doors as I will need something similar. Do you have any idea where they are from? They look really sturdy compared to some of the ones I have seen on ebay.

rick - I think once you have lighting outside it really brings the outdoors in!

Plumber is here putting in the underfloor heating. I'm intrigued to see how this works!

@Humptynumpty02 I’m getting light jitters now and like those heals ones more

Welcome @GladitsFfriday

I’ll ask the builder for you whisky, I know he said lots of the doors you can get are rubbish so he ordered these in.

I have to say, they did a good job with heat, but judging by the haze in the air downstairs they are no match for dust. They are currently drilling into the walls to fix the steel columns in and I think my house is going to be covered again. I have thrown duvets over the furniture in the living room to protect them!

Also welcome Glad.sounds like you are well into it already. Lighting confuses me too, my electrician is good though and makes suggestions.

I am waiting on a sample of a splash back to check I like it. I want bright colours so thinking of this: icon-glass.co.uk/shop/designer-glass-splashbacks/diagonal-orange-glass-splashback/

Thanks dust I'd really appreciate that. I don't think there's anything other than super-expensive dust extraction (of the kind used in museums during construction) that will work 100% but it sounds like the doors are doing a decent job for you!

Hi there @GladitsFfriday! You're very nearly there, it sounds like! Hope it all comes together in time for Christmas. And please let me know what shade of white you go for, this thread is my main source of inspiration since I officially hit the point of decision fatigue.

I'm hoping I'll have a watertight and semi-plastered kitchen by the time I get home from work. I have the option of working from home most days but had to run away from all the banging and dust this morning. It's also absolutely freezing!

We are going for a white - just the trade white matt. Our bedrooms are painted thiscolour and it’s a good backdrop as we bring colour with feature walls and furnishes.

The walls have been painted (where plastered) which made quite a difference! I’m going to order lights probably tonight or tomorrow.

Kitchen is being delivered on Friday or Saturday. Installed next week

dust that link to the splash backs was really useful, if been debating what to do and like this as an option.

I’m getting so frustsrated with builder no longer replying to texts and r haven’t even started yet-does not bode well! Meeting another builder on Friday...

I’ve started buying light fittings from eBay am I crazy? I’m blissfully unaware technically but have bought some pretty things!!!

whisky it’s a Dustguard from Screwfix or B&Q. Builder says they have only just come out and it’s the only place you can get them. Having said the dust was still getting through, it does not look anywhere near as bad this afternoon. I think it was the really fine particles coming through and not the thick stuff that coats everything.

I’m glad it was helpful WhatToDo. They are sending me a sample of the one I like as they have a sample available. I will let you know my impressions.

I’m keen on having glass so I don’t have to clean grouting.

Thank you so much dust!! I've found them on the website - will pop in and get some! Glad to hear they are reasonably effective; nothing is going to hold back everything I guess!

My floor screed is going down either today or tomorrow! How long should I expect it to take to dry, oh ye wise ones who are finished or nearly so? It will be open to the elements (though sheeted off) for a couple of weeks before glazing comes.

Humptynumpty: these lights are exactly what I had in mind!!! You're amazing. Thank you so much.

Padstones for steels in today and floor to loft, starting to look as though it's coming back together.

I went to Grand Designs in the summer and some beautiful glass spashbacks which could be colour matched/ etched etc. Really showed off the kitchen.

We have windows and first fix electrics! Plus we have officially broken through 😍😍😍

Yah Bax sounds good!

Love the orange splash back Dust!

DS saw Twatchops on a drive by today but he left when he saw him outside, DH said if only he'd shown so much interest in our house when he was actually working for us! 😬

DH has installed the back gate & nailed it shut, stop him heading round the back again for any reason!

Well. Tiles are done and finished in the kitchen. Handles are being put on next week while I'm away again , then that's it.

Downstairs is done.

Upstairs just needs attic room celotexing, plasterboarding and skimming. And an end suite fitted. But that can all be done in Jan/Feb.

So, I'm raising a G&T to you all.

rick, sacking my extwatchops was the best move ever. Initially it was awful, and I'm still mega angry about being £3k out of pocket. But, having my house back and having decent tradesmen to finish off was priceless.

Fucksticks I wanted to add a pic of my tiles.

Love those tiles! It looks great, you must be so relieved.

Wonderful tiles monkey! You really are on the home straight now!