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

Oh thanks! I didn't mean the comment for compliments purely that I accept that it's quite common now. I absolutely love it too

Kitchens both look fabulous, where did you get the Walnut worktop from?

Wood was from the kitchen supplier, we weren’t clever enough to source stuff from elsewhere!

Can I please ask where your tiles are from Dust? They are gorgeous

We got the yellow kitchen tiles and our bathroom floor tiles from tilesdirect.com. You can get samples posted to you before you order properly. The bathroom wall tiles are Topps.

Thanks Dust, it was the bathroom floor ones that I really need. just useless at tagging people and comments!

We should be able to properly move out of our temporary kitchen this weekend. Then next week the builders can dismantle the temporary one and my living room can return to normality!

I am now trying to find a dining table that won’t compete too much with the island. I think plain & table clothed might be the way to go. Or painted rather than natural wood. We did think about making it out of a spare bit of the same worktop our Builder has, but it would just be too much having both.

Hello all! I'm really enjoying seeing everyone's progress! I posted a little while ago. Still at the planning stages but starting to get recommendations for builders. Can I ask how your builds are being managed? Do you just have a main contractor that's going to give you a finished job or have you self managed and organised the separate trades people yourself? Would be great to hear your experiences.

Hi muchtodo we are using a main contractor just because less hassle and with a young family we don't have the time to organise all that and want job done as quickly as possible. Although appreciate we will pay more doing it that way. We are also just submitting our planning (although have picked our kitchen already !)

We are using an all in one building firm. They do everything except electrics, but have an electrician who comes and works for them when needed. I couldn’t face trying to find people separately, wouldn’t have known where to start.

We have a builder doing the shell. He also works regularly with the plumber, plasterer & screed floor guy, but won't recommend an electrician as the one he used to use has let him down. I'm sure he'll help, but we'll be managing most of it. He was the best builder we'd spoken to and we feel we could trust him. Some other builders came in lower but the only other builder we liked were too expensive

We are using one builder who coordinates everything. He said he preferred doing it that way as then he is not waiting around for you to organise other trades.

Thank you for the replies. Have you found that quotes/the cost have come back as expected? Ie similar to what online extension cost calculators suggest will be the cost?

muchto I'd probably double what you found online.

Had fallen off thread, we are currently three weeks behind 5 weeks into our schedule 🙄 Bc want more steel so back to structural engineer, hoping to get something in this week but need a proper chat with builder this week... it’s never straight forward is it?

Why the need for more steel? Surely the structural engineer should have added everything needed?

We're 3 weeks into our 16 week project and our builders are flying, nearly all steels (12 of them) for our ground floor are now in just 1 left for the French doors. Noticed the builder has built the opening for the French doors so that it's going to be a squeeze nit to interfere with the kitchen units, the doors need to be built 10 or 20 cm to the left. Tbf it's the architects fault, but we may just be in time to save it.

Otherwise windows and sliding doors are now on order, flooring has been picked, half the bathrooms have been purchased, kitchen purchased. Got to pick internal doors next week, quite enjoying this project atm. Hope it continues.

Hello all! Just popping in to say I'm still alive. First fix plumbing is done and nearly ready to sign off on our electric plans before they start first fix with that. Sadly think we're having to lose the dimmer switches in our bathrooms as they're just way too much. :( Otherwise seems okay budget wise, thankfully! Also just finalised our tile choice today for the entryway, stairs, bathrooms and utility. Decided to go for a warm grey veined stone look. What do you think? I quite like the colour of the walls pictured with it for the entryway!

That looks really nice Linguaphile. I’m glad to hear things are going well.

It’s all decorating here. Today the burgundy staircase is being put out of its misery. The dust from sanding burgundy paint is quite something! And I did move my kitchen over the weekend. It was glorious emptying everything into my new cupboards. There is so much space!

More gushing about my kitchen! It is so nice to cook in. The big hob was a great idea, even just using 2 pans I felt I had so much more space. And I am glad I put it in the island as I like the openness. Our old kitchen had looming cupboards and little accessible workspace. Cooking is so much more pleasurable now.

And everything is nearby. We used to have to trek to the utility room for the fridge. Now it is a few steps away. The sink is behind me so draining pasta is just a case of turning around. I love it!

Ooh sounds brilliant Dust! Our kitchen will be similar, hob on the island and sink right behind. So excited for all the space!! Feels like ages till we’ll get to enjoy it though, it’s another 2 months before they’re even going to be able to get in and measure properly. :(

Question: did your kitchen company do your backsplash? It’s just occurred to me that if we do our own, I’m not sure what I’m going to do re plug sockets because they’ll be on the back wall where the backsplash is supposed to be. Can we tile around plug sockets??

Dustandrubble,
That sounds so nice. Your kitchen looks so lovely and it is great functioning as well. Please share your kitchen plan.

My architect is so slow.... 6 weeks and no sign of amended drawings..... I am already fedup and thinking may be I should just buy a bigger house with bigger garden. But there aren't any good ones for sale in our budget. I have put my place for sale now, hopefully something good will come in market around Easter time.

Hello from a new person who is waiting to hear back about our planning permission. This thread is great for inspiration and a realistic discussion about what's involved with extending.

You can tile around plug sockets, we have. I think the electrician had the basic plate on and then the cover went on after the tiling. But I am not entirely sure about that. I’ll take a picture of what it looks like for you.

Here you go. The base plate of the socket was in place and tiled round, then the cover on top. And the tiles cut where needed.

Or if you get a glass splashback they cut the socket holes in advance.