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.

Just a quick one. Went to Aldi, and got a wet and dry vacuum for £49.99. It's a repackaged Einhell one that costs £100 on Amazon. They do an ash vac as well, but this isn't right for building dust, so be careful!

Hope this is helpful for some of you all who may need one!

Tika we haven’t been too busy actually doing the work!
We’ve taken photos of everything though!

I’ve managed a mist coat on the whole of utility & mancave!

Electrician in tomorrow, DH got tomorrow & Wednesday to finish his fake wall & boxing in!

Our Worktops arriving tomorrow, then Thursday is plumber, electrician and plasterer!

A real big push not a twatchops imaginary one! All out to get ready for kitchen fitting next week!

We're just into week 8 now and were told 8-10 weeks. I think it will be around 10 weeks to be honest. They don't have other jobs going on at the same time and are here every day for 8 hours. We've been very lucky to have found this lot.

@Tika77 16 weeks seems ambitious I have to say!

I got home last night and the base units were in position, just not fitted. The Hague blue looks really nice. I may have said this before 😆 I’ll post pictures once it’s more visible (currently hiding under the wrapping).

believe it - ooooh, how lovely that you can see how it will look!! I'm genuinely feeling excited by proxy for you! Can't wait for pictures!

Plasterboarding is happening here today, ready for plastering to start soon (this IS happening before the windows, I must have got confused before!). Windows are probably coming late next week/early the following one, with most of the knock through happening as soon as they are in! The only thing is, I'm not sure whether they'll be able to fit the back door straight away, or if it will be delayed, so I might have a two-part knockthrough, which is slightly disappointing.

I'm hoping at least some of it is finished enough that I can do some painting and decorating over Christmas!

Bifolds going in today! Exciting!

Your house is stunning 😍😍😍😍😍
Wowsers!

tatlerer - your house, OMG, it's a PALACE!

Aw thanks guys. A pissing money pit of a palace right now though. Trying to keep my eye on the end prize!

Well, I hear Buckingham Palace takes some money in upkeep as well.

The end result is going to be all kinds of wonderful. How does your new, modern space work with the rest of your house, which looks gorgeously period? I ask because I think my house is around the same age (though about a million times less grand) and I'm figuring out how to blend the two eras together!

@TeamRick well done you with the mist coat - ours is going on this week and DP and I both commented at what slow progress was being made. I might even have uttered the words “I could have finished this in a day’!!
In my head I’m a DIY dynamo but in reality I’d blitz it for fifteen minutes then start complaining that my arms were tired and need a lie down. I know my limitations!

We’ve decided to go with Dulux Polished Pebble throughout the ground floor, as we’ve always just had basic white before and DP fancied a more dramatic colour (not that light grey is that dramatic!). Thinking of doing the utility in a ‘fun’ colour though.

Is anyone watching Best Laid Plans on C4 at the moment? It’s like a more accessible Grand Designs - have enjoyed seeing them go through the decision making process, it’s almost therapeutic!

Lol whisky!
I think this is where our architect was really good. He essentially designed a scheme where the old part of the house is renovated, keeping original features etc, and then the new bit is all anthracite and glass but with a nod to the old- eg the kitchen is solid wood shaker (albeit with the ubiquitous navy island!) and the paint palette is the same throughout.
I’ve just been round and the builder is wielding a terrifyingly large paint spraying machine (scared).

That sounds wonderful tatlerer - I'm so glad you kept the older features. It's a real shame when they are all stripped out, and the house looks so characterful. It sounds as though you've got a real marriage of two styles!

Tatlerer Your house looks really nice.

Namedy : we could he diy pals. I’m like you, very enthusiastic and give up quickly. (And apparently the end results are quite rubbish as well but I’m not sure I care.) I’ve realised over the weekend that I won’t be able to paint the whole house and asked builders to quote for that. Especially when I think about the 3 m ceiling in the living room, compared to my 1.6 m height and short arms... no way :-)

I wish I could post progress pictures too but it’s just mud, mud, mud...

More demolition in my house today. How much stuff can there be to knock down?

Welder number 3 arrives tomorrow, they had better not break this one! I want my columns in so the rest of the steels can go in. It is taking forever and even the lead builder said he was pissed off at progress today.

Hello! Room for a new one? We’re at the very beginnings of an extension project. Had one builder round so far and having trouble getting others to return emails/calls etc.

We’re doing a wraparound extension, 2 meters out on one side, and 2.5 at the other, so the total new area is around 30 square meters. Builder gave me a rough estimate of between 30- 40k, but has now come back with a quote of 61! Does this sound usual?

puppup - welcome!

What is the 61k for? Is it for the first fix shell, or second fix and finished? And is it single or double storey? People normally say around £1500 per sq metre for single storey, but things like premium glazing can really bump up the price. I'm paying £50k for my build to first fix, which is a similar size to yours, but there is a crap ton of glass involved and really high ceilings so costs like insulation are more. The second fix costs are nearly the same again, which has been hugely eye-opening. I am getting a new kitchen and utility, with new appliances, and a fair bit of big bespoke joinery, though.

I think building materials are quite expensive at the moment (esp Kingspan), and builders seem to be busy. There are more skips in my area than I've seen in ages! I think people might be deciding to stay put and renovate rather than to move house with the economic uncertainties of the current moment.

Can I ask you all an etiquette question?

How much chat do you have with builders? I'm writing this, peeping out of my front room curtain, and seeing my builder (who is on his own this week) eating his lunch by himself in his van. I feel a bit guilty. I work from home at lot, so I'm often here. It's not an issue when he has other people around, but on days when he's on his own, I worry he might feel, well... lonely.

I make cups of tea 4 times a day, but I tend to serve them, have a quick chat, then dash inside. Should I try to be more friendly? He's a really nice guy, but I am shy and tend to panic a bit when I have to make small talk with people I don't know (this is not an excuse, I know it is bad of me but I am rubbish at it). I've kept it very professional/work chat so far. Do you guys invite your builders in for lunch/tea - and how much social interaction do you have? What do you talk about? Am I being a rubbish client?

How much chat do you have with builders?

Very little because they should be working.

I say hello and we mostly just talk about work stuff. Mine don’t really have a lunch break, they are more likely to work through so they can finish at 4pm instead.

I don’t even make tea because they brought their own kettle with them!

Builders are busy but a lot of Eastern European builders are leaving due to brexit so the ones remaining have upped their prices. A reasonable standard finish (not just to shell) is now £2000+ per sqm. Ours was double that but we did have high end finishes and a lot of joinery.

Building costs are also going up as the pound is so weak. I think it’s going to get harder, both in finding a reliable builder and paying for it. Quick everyone, finish up!

You’re all right whisky. I didn’t really talk much with our builders either. They had the boot room to store their personal items. I provided a kettle, teabags, mugs etc. They had a chemical toilet outside at first, then used the downstairs loo when it was done. We just talked shop and that was about it.

Gosh whisky aren't you lovely! But please don't starting eating lunch with your builder, I'm sure he's perfectly fine on his own and probably prefers it. If you start having heart to hearts imagine how much harder it'll be to have tough conversations when things go wrong and he increases the budget by 10%!

Phew, I had a moment there where I just thought "Oh my GOD, am I being a colossal bitch here?" I am going to try to develop lines of (short) chat, I just need to plan things to talk about because otherwise I will freeze and then start jabbering about kangaroos or something else that is completely irrelevant and weird.

I totally understand/sympathize with/would insist on their need to have a break - I do a fair bit of gardening, so I know what it's like to be doing physical work all day, and it's tough on your body. The builder has often been here at 8 and not left til 6 (even after dark!) so he's not a slacker! It actually makes me feel a bit guilty as I sit in my nice warm house, doing my physically easy desk job, that I am not outside in the cold, working away.

Interesting that average costs are now £2000/sq m. I'm not that surprised.

Question for anyone who's getting Dulux paint, do you know what finish you're using in your kitchen? Is the Vinyl Matt enough, or should we go for Diamond Matt? Really want it to be washable / scrubbable. Same goes for the hallway...