Home Extension Thread 2018 - summer edition

[DustandRubble]

A thread to share the highs and lows of all things extension, loft conversion, renovation related. Bring your own dustpan and brush.

Whattodo I just went through the bathroom lighting issue a few months ago! After reading a ton of decor/lighting blogs, it seems the best way to light bathrooms is to layer it. Spots over key areas like toilet, tub, shower etc, then two lights at eye level flanking the mirror for optimum face lighting. We’ve gone for 5 spots (1 for shower, 2 over either end of the tub, 1 for loo, 1 for sink) and also have mirror lighting. Fingers crossed it’ll be okay. 😬🤞I’ve gone for full tile in large format size as that’s what I currently have and it’s soooo easy to keep looking smart and also to keep clean (less grout, etc). This is what our master bed ensuite looks like.

Anyone had bespoke laminate worktops with curved corners????? I am panicking now
Following with interest.

Structural engineer coming tomorrow, hoping to start buildin in Sept, just want to get on with it! I've started having building work/clearing out nightmares ...

Wow linga those tiles look fab!

We have laminate in our kitchen with curved ends, the kitchen fitter did it for us.

Still waiting for the painter to finish :( he has been on another job so past two days nobody here at all. Feel like we have stalled at the final hurdle! Painter meant to be in this p.m and all day tomorrow so hoping bedrooms will be done at least.

Carpet should be going down in bedrooms next week. I am too excited to spread out again and finally be able to find all my lovely baby things which are packed away.

We had wood effect laminate with a curve in our last house, they were from Wren.

Thanks lingua your bathroom is looking fab. We have decided on a large format tile but still think it may look a little heavy in full tile. Think we may do full tile around the bath/shower, floor and leave a wall painted white. Think you’re right as well spot lights look like the way forwards-I keep getting tempted by something more exciting but think if we do like you say with the layers it will be enough.

Thanks, I think I like them—I waffle back and forth on if they’re too busy, but it’s too late now and I think once the other bits are in place like loo and glossy white vanity and shower glass and fluffy white towels, it will hopefully look clean and sleek.

So our builders are officially on holiday for a month starting tomorrow. Sigh. I love the continental lifestyle except when it means NOTHING gets done for a whole month. 😭 Builder says though that the house will be finished (except interior doors) on Sept 25th, so at least that’s positive!

In other news, they painted the exterior last week. It looks a bit more yellow than anticipated, but can’t change it now and I think I’ll get used to it and will probably be happy to not be living in a gray house during the long cold wet winter months.

I find myself increasingly just resigning myself to things instead of freaking out when things aren’t what I want! Is that normal? It’s like I’ve got a bad case of building fatigue and just don’t care anymore!

A month!?! That's bonkers.

We're focusing on the fact that we can use the garden in the summer and bought a new paddling pool Still frustrated that we're delayed but there's nothing we can do so we'll make the most of the Summer and laugh every time something else falls off of the kitchen

We move in a week tomorrow and we still have alot to do! Still no sign of our sliding doors, 2 sets, which is leading to delays with the flooring being put down. Builder is coming back today to finish installing the kitchen, finally. Worktop to be fitted on Saturday. Electrician still needs to finish a fair few things. All bathrooms need siliconing. Need the plumber to install the water softener. Feels like we'll never get there, but have to.

Is anyone else looking forward to finishing, if not to be able to appreciate the value of money again?! When doing a large build money ends up being meaningless, 10k here, 30k there, 2k for this, 5k for that. I've lost all sense of reality! That said, a pint of milk will seem expensive when we are all finished as we will be totally skint

OMG yes. I was just looking at our budget today and we are going to feel absolutely LOADED once we’re not chucking thousands out the window for unexpected incidentals and doubling up on rent and mortgage. 😅

We have flooring and light switches in the loft apartment today! AND interior doors, which is an unexpected surprise. I’m a little disappointed with they way they laid the wood tile up there as the pattern gives away that it’s not real. AIBU? 🙈

I was going to say it looks perfectly fine from the first pic, but the pattern on the second pic looks a bit strange. How have they done it? It looks a bit all over the place but it may just be being on a tiny phone and the lighting on the pic.

In exciting news, our bifolds are going in! If the window has gone in too (I am on holiday) it means I could come back to no plywood on the back of the house and actual daylight!

That’s really exciting dust photos?!!

lingua I think the building dust on the floor is making it look odd but it will probably be ok?

So as suspected we are no where near ready lol.
However the upstairs is now painted so when the plumber comes tomorrow and fits the rads then it's just carpet!
Downstairs the guy is coming to finish laying the base of the floor on Monday then it's just finishing touches needed like the tiles and second fix electric. We are so close!
Not sure if we can afford to put any furniture in our new room but never mind lol.

The mad dash to the finish line continues, builder was back yesterday making good all the plastering around the new windows so most rooms will soon be finished. Our new front door (black aluminium) was fitted this week, and low and behold we have yet more problems, this time the door doesn't quite close properly and keeps catching on the frame so needs adjusting (it's causing damage to the paint so may need replacing). Sliding doors are still MIA, and so we have had a hole in the back of the house for 5 months now! Window company tell me they are due in this week, they need to be as we move in Friday. Kitchen worktop is finally getting fitted today and them the kitchen can be finished. I've still got 2 handmade kitchen larders to paint, and got to begin taking up the old carpet ready for the new one to be laid on Thursday. Somewhere amongst this have to find time to pack up our rental ready to move on Friday.

Sjnething tells me it's going to be a busy week.

Ooh exciting Dust!! Show us a pic!

You’re sooooo close Humpty. Not long! I’m jealous. Sooooo annoyed that nothing is happening till the end of August now. We’re off on holiday for the first two weeks of sept when they start up again, so I imagine they’ll be glad to not have me in their hair checking progress every day. 😬

Went back and looked at the tile again and it’s not so bad, I think it’s just the dust that was making it look weird.

Is anyone else living with a constant low to medium level anxiety? Anxiety about money, build quality, if the choices you’ve made are the right ones, etc? It keeps me awake at night. Some of the walls in the main living area got really wet after the plaster had been done (long story, not a recurring problem but a huge headache at the time) and it still really smells of damp and looks dodgy on the walls. The builders say it just needs time to dry (pigletjohn confirms this), but they aren’t really taking measures to make that happen!

I'm panicking a lot (subtly like a swan) about our builder. He was so worried about the steels then once I'd sorted them is delayed 12 weeks (justly due to an ill business partner). I'm paranoid he just doesn't want the job and that I'm 12 weeks time he'll finally say that or delay further to put it off

My plumber looked dubious today so I'm tempted to ask him for a recommendation 🤷🏽‍♀️

Oh I have massive anxiety Lingua. It honestly feels like ours will never end. I thought I might have seen more done this week. I can see they did a lot of clearing in the garden, excitingly we no longer have a skip outside our house! I expect it will be back in mid August.

I will do pics but currently the protective film is still over them so they don’t look like much.

4years our builder was really worried about steel too, we have had an external company install them and now our builder seems to be getting things moving. It’s so hard to know what’s best though... I was ready to get someone else in and he seems to be pulling it together-he actually called to ask me something today, normally I do all the calling and random questions.
DH and I had a chat tonight about what life would/will be like when we move, financially, logistically, just time to spend together without this massive thing looming over us. DH is broadly supportive but I’ve made all the decisions about the structure, aesthetics, what we are putting where-I feel very like I’m putting myself out there in the whole thing. DH hasn’t even been in the house this year...

@Whattodowithaminute that's effectively what I did; sourced a company to fabricate and install the steel. I'm the same, I don't think my OH would know where to start with it. I've run design decisions by him but it's all my work x

Hello can I join please we just got our money through for our kitchen diner extension and conversion of current kitchen into a bedroom (we are a bungalow)!
I am beyond excited but really bloody scared too!

Can I ask where everyone who has bifolds brought them from? We have a quote from Bifold express which comes in around £7/8k. Currently trying to fine another company but dp is pretty particular with a certain aspect of the doors which not all companies do but would like to shop around.

Love seeing everyone’s progress pictures

Our bifolds came from the Folding Sliding Door company, I know a few people who have had them so they came recommended.

Thanks Dust, it transpires that dp wants Schuco and I don’t think the company you recommended sells them but I will have a proper look later.

Where are you newkitchens? I looked at some schuco doors in Croydon, I really liked them but have decided to go for reynaurs as we are having sliding doors and they offer a lift and slide option which schuco don’t.

We are about 40 mins from Croydon - Sussex.
I haven’t heard of that brand, we had another quote in today which is cheaper than our original quote from Bi fold express and includes everything we need - we are having a glass gable end which wasn’t included in our first quote but is in this one.
Will take a look at Reynaurs too

The schuco ones I saw were at D G glass architectural, they stock reynaurs, schuco and smarts with some on display to have a feel of. I loved the solid feel of the schuco ones...