Home Extension thread 2018

[Baxdream]

Thought we should get the new thread ready!
Our front door is in. Long story but it arrived damaged 😫 it's in and lovely but it's going to be replaced!
Our fencing has started today, the short ones are new, the others are getting ripped out

Our build started this week, what a week to begin! My builder has already reached legendary status, his team have been in all week digging foundations turning up at 8ak and leaving at 6pm. No moaning, no skiving, just getting on with the job. I told him it was crazy them being here today given how cold it is but he was having none of it. I hope the remaining 15 weeks are as impressive.

Contrast this with a friend of ours was over earlier, they said their neighbour is having work done and their builder hasn't been seen all week.

This weather certainly separates the boys and the men.

Humpty, we had groundworkers like that, seriously humbling to see how hard they worked. Current ones are chippies, they're VIP. (from same company)
They arrive at 8, have a tea until about 9, breakfast from 10, one hour lunch break, all packed up before 4.

Very humbling and also very refreshing. I just went to the house at 5pm and they were still there, I told them enough is enough and sent them home. I swear if it wasn't for the fact the sun has to go down once a day they'd work for 24 hours straight. It's astonishing.

Well our foundations are now dug, bilding control have signed off and concrete is being poured on Tuesday. This can't come sooner as we have major party wall issues with our neighbour and I just need this phase of the project complete ASAP.

Humpty we’ve had similar with our neighbour he hates us! We only got the planning through on appeal, but they said we should of had it since the beginning, it’s very draining!
We are waiting for the award so we can actually get going!
I’m just spending hours looking at our budget and working out where I’m prepared to compromise and where I can save money. It’s so difficult!

humpty we sound like we are at a similar point to you also with awful and angry neighbours, it’s about to get worse though with BC wanting the ring steel as this will need to penetrate the party wall which wasn’t in original plans...

Whattodo, I sympathise, my view is these people know this is happening so instead of making a fuss and delaying it and prolonging the agony for both parties why not embrace it and get it over with as quickly as possible. I think my neighbours are now hoping it will finish quickly as we demolished our party wall (party fence wall technically) completely and waiting for the concrete to be poured on Tuesday before we can build it again!

Hi just wondered what you guys all did for Home insurance while you did your extension work. Normal home insurance doesn't normally cover you for structural work?
Thanks

We phone yhe insurance company who said we were actually covered for works (we must have some ridiculously expensive policy), and paid some extra £70 or so in case anything goes missing. I guess the fact we live in it might make a difference, not too sure about that.
I looked at proper site insurance, would have cost over 1000 if I remember well, my jaw dropped. Plus builders have their own insurance.

Thankyou rang them today !

I don’t think our insurers were overly bothered either.

I am getting revenge on my builders with my bathroom tiles. The hexagon patterned floor took careful work and lots longer than a simple tile. And for the walls I chose tiles with a reverse bevel, that apparently are going to take some grouting. (Pic attached) I did show the lead guy both to check they were fine so he only has himself to blame.

Who has everyone used for worktops?

We got ours through the kitchen supplier. I am hoping I will not come to regret going for pale granite!

We've gone for Roann. Not fitted yet, but a good reputation on here. We're having River White granite and I'm so excited about it! We had tonnes of pale granite in a rented house in the USA and it never marked.

I still can't decide whether to clad our extension as a contrast to the Cotswold stone, or to just match to the main house 🤷🏽‍♀️

We got our quartz from Yes Granite in Northants. They were really good. Good range of stone and loads in stock so you can see big slabs - one of our favourites was instantly crossed off the list when we saw the large slab instead of the small sample we'd seen in the office.

I really want pale wood work tops but we are not careful with hot pans etc and hate the black mold round sinks.
The kitchen is soft grey shaker style with burnished rose gold knobs on doors. Nit sure of tiles or splash back of stand up thing yet
Anything you lovely ladies (and maybe gents) would suggest?

We have a soft grey shaker style and are going for a yellow tiled splash back to bring colour in. These ones: www.tiles-direct.com/wall-tiles-c26/inmetro-tiles-c1338/inmetro-amber-gloss-7-5cm-x-15cm-wall-tile-p2403

Have you got a pic of your rose gold knobs? They sound lovely. I have gone off our door handles a bit now they are all in. DH likes them and I think I will like them more once the whole thing is complete. We went for quite big bars though and I slightly wish I had either chosen something smaller or a mixture. Mind you, I specifically didn’t want knobs as I find them hard to get a proper grip on.

Love your yellow tiles Dust!

I love the yellow tiles.. What colour is your work top dust?

It’s a grey/white granite with purple in it. Pics attached.

The grey is lighter than it looks in that picture, we have no natural light in the room at the moment, it is much softer in daylight.

I've been a bit quiet recently. So I've discovered that the snagging part is the toughest part. We are so ready to say goodbye to our builders now.
We are so nearly done but it's the rendering that's taking forever. Last week certainly didn't help!
Our lovely dining table arrives this Friday finally so it'll be nice to finally have a family meal. Photo is it in a smaller size but ours is 175cm 😬
Our worktops are light and no stains at all and absolutely no regrets

That table looks very nice. From where did you get it.
Yesterday night i saw in my dream that builders have convinced DH to buy glass dining table from them and charged us 4k for it! Such a weird dream and we dont even have a quote and start date yet!