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.

Hi @Italianna we planned to re-purpose our worktop and cabinets too but after the builders had moved them around a bit we decided to treat ourselves to new ones from Ikea! So keep them safe if you want to keep them. The builders seemed much happier when I said we were buying new ones.

Our builder provided a quote for fitting the kitchen and we asked the independent kitchen shop if they thought it reasonable, they did, so we went with the builder.

Hi @thehousethat, I can imagine it's much easier for them yes!! My mum has just had hers moved to her utility, but they were the original original kitchen units and clearly made to last!!

Hi everyone. Welcome to those of you just starting on this rollercoaster!

We are in the middle of an extension and complete renovation of the downstairs of the house. We are currently living upstairs!!

My top tip is to make sure that the spec is as detailed as possible. We used our architect to help us do ours, but it meant that the drawings and spec that the builders quoted on had everything in (tiles, Bathroom suites, wood flooring, paving). This has meant that the price is locked down far more than if we were later choosing stuff. There are always unexpected things. We had a 10% contingency (£10k) and so far have had to spend about £2k on extra damp proofing that wasn't expected.

Our build is generally going ok. The Builder thinks that we are about 2 weeks behind schedule, but we should be in for end Nov.

The rafters are going on the extension this week and plastering is starting in some of the downstairs rooms!
How's everyone else getting on?

Hi @Threesocks it sounds like you are making good progress and fingers crossed the remaining £8k of your contingency isn't required!

So, silly question alert: I think the idea of fully spec'ed quote is a great one. How do the builders know which tiles etc? Do you have to select literally everything beforehand from floor tiles and grout to light switches and loo roll holder and give all that detail to the builders up front?

TIA

@Italianna we literally have a finishes schedule and a product selector document that details every material and product that is to be included in the quote. This covered where we were going to be providing materials ourselves and what we wanted the builder to supply and hence include in the quote.

Our architect helped us put it together to ensure we covered everything.

@Threesocks hmmmm, thank you. So useful! Our architect is going to manage the tender process so this should be included. I'll double check. I also have a kitchen designer coming round this week so that any kitchen requirements can be incorporated into the design. This bit is probably the calm before the storm!!

italianna I, too, had high hopes for reusing some of our old units and worktop, thought maybe even the sink. But it's just been too hard to keep it all on site or clean enough. We will be reusing some of the old units in the utility room and I"m hoping our old oak worktops can be chopped up and used as shelving instead.
Our quote I thought was very detailed but it's things like the doors - our builder allowed £80 per door - but considering we need mostly fire doors, and I want 1930 style doors, the cheapest I have found is £160 odd. So check things like that and either tell him to remove that and your an source yourself, or get him to allow enough for nice doors.
It's so hard to know if you have covered everything, and if what's covered is the spec you want. I had no idea how much doors were so presumed his costings would be sufficient.
linguaphile your hallway is looking amazing, as is that lovely bathroom. Are you pleased with how it's all progressing?
Things are mooching along here, albeit slightly slowly. Life in the lounge is getting a bit tedious now BUT I have ordered the kitchen today!!! YAY! Although it won't be arriving until the week of nov 5th. Hey ho. Probably wise as there's still a fair chunk to be done downstairs.
I have a list of appliances ready in baskets to click on...I don't want to order too early as we'll have nowhere to keep them.
Does anyone else have about 30 different tabs open on their internet with various bits that either need researching ( bathroom floor tiles, kitchen sinks, taps, etc ) or with baskets ready for checkout when the time comes? I'd be so lost if anyone shut down those tabs. Thinking about it I probably ought to screen shot a lot of them just in case!
Hang on in there everyone ( think I need to remind myself to do that! )...it'll be worth it in the end!!!

bobkate currently have 21 browsers open-everything from blinds to floor stains to bunk beds 😂 sounds like you’re making great progress though. I ordered my appliances months ago and they are storing then for me with a holding deposit and no charge. Kitchen is sat in the living room and won’t go in until the end of October!

Hello all!

So we’re supposed to get the keys on Monday so our painters can get the inside and do the house and also install the rest of our bathroom things and put in light fixtures, but no word from the building manager in weeks. He isn’t responding to my messages or calls. Feel at my wits end! Work is progressing on the house, so it’s not like he’s just left, but the lack of communication is terrifying as I worry something is wrong. It still isn’t exactly ready to be painted with bits of plaster unfinished etc. Also no railings inside, which according to code literally means they can’t let us have the house. Infuriating and worrying. Trying not to have a panic attack.

I can sympathise with the lack of communication! I am never quite sure if anyone is coming on a particular day or not.

Our build seems to have slowed right down - roof has still not been finished and windows/doors have not been ordered yet (apparently these cannot be ordered until the sills are in - and those are not in yet!). Kids bathroom has started to be fitted so I am hoping that soon the (to be made) redundant soil pipes can be closed off and the house will stop smelling of drains... If it's not finished by Christmas I will be a tad annoyed.

Our builder has just written in budget he’s allowed for things eg. Door £100. He sourced everything for shower he put in and we’re happy so pretty much letting him get on with it. He’s away till Monday and am worried about the tarp and wind. We’re attemptin* to move mattress in a minute,

Our budget is minuscule for the work so am trying to reuse everything. Have picked apart old blinds as like the fabric, found free slate tiles on gumtree for a hearth plus a solid oak fire surround for £15 which will either be used as is or slightly modified . After so,e kitchen units and work top for utility next, hoping something comes up.

I have been away from this thread since July, when we got our planning permission. Our architect had a heart attack, so we are still waiting for detailed drawings. Hopefully they will come in the next couple of weeks.

We have had one quote through from a builder who came with his estimator and looked in detail at what we wanted. Depressingly their quote is about £100,000 more than we can afford! We have £150,000 available for a 2 storey extension, rendering the whole house and replacing all roof tiles. They have quoted £250,000 but this cost includes kitchen units, 3 bathrooms, all flooring and replacing the boiler and hot water tank. I think I will ask them for a quote without these items so that I can get a better idea of what the actual build cost is. Does that seem sensible?

I will get quotes from 2 other builders, once I have the detailed drawings. Has anyone had massive variations in quotes?

Not posted in ages as not much has been happening since we appointed our builder, but am excited to say we now have a start date! Mid Oct there will be a digger in the back garden Am now a mixture of excited and terrified at the thought of spending all our savings... We're just having a single storey extension for kitchen/diner with old kitchen converted to utility and downstairs toilet, so small compared to some of you, but am prepared for chaos!

Like bobkate and whattodo I have a billion tabs open on my browser and multiple spreadsheets. Budget is pretty much sorted but have just realised the floor tiles I wanted are distinctly over budget, so back to square one there, sigh... Also, does anyone have any websites to recommend for radiators? Kitchen plan is pretty much finalised, just a few more questions to bug DIY Kitchens with

Great to hear about progress from everyone, hope you get the keys sorted Linguaphile, but progress looked great from your pics. Postnotinhaste, sounds like you're doing a great job of keeping the budget down. We're trying to reuse what we can, but unfortunately a few things I hoped to reuse just aren't going to work, was hoping to reuse wooden worktop for the utility but none of the sections are the right size!

Sorry, cross-posted Lieinrequired! Sorry to hear about your architect. We didn't have much variation in our quotes, but we're in the £45,000 ballpark so maybe more variation in bigger projects? I'd definitely get them to break down the quote for you. Good luck!

@LieInRequired definitely shop around I found our quotes varied greatly

@SpaceBergerac good luck with a start date!

We had a prospective builder come round today. He's been very professional and seems enthusiastic about the job. He even had a few ideas that we hadn't thought of. I'm desperately hoping that he comes back with a decent quote

Will keep everything crossed for you 4years that sounds promising!! Let's hope he's The One!!!

We’ve got the foundations and some mini brick walls up. This week it’s all about drainage and putting a floor in... I’m hopeful that the brickies will be appearing at the end of the week to start on the walls again, but I’m not holdumy breath

Good progress BirdyandBee.! We took DD’s stuff to her at Her new flat and after a long day came back to a very wet old living room. Couldn’t see last night but went in this morning and there’s water pouring in where it’s collected between 2 tarps so my new long coat and wellies have been put to good use this morning as has the carpet cleaner to suck the water up,

On a break at the moment but next job to see if we can stop it coming in but failing that we need to see if can get water pump going to empty plastic containers. Builder been off for two weeks and thankfully back tomorrow.

Hi all , we have permission etc and hope to start next March . Any recommendations for kitchens ? I'm not looking for high end because to add value to need to be strict with the budget but obvs I want it to look high end .!! It's a new build so I was thinking something sleek and smooth. 🤔

Hendricksy have you looked at Ikea’s Voxtorp kitchen? It’s a nice modern handleless style and looks really nice actually, especially if you want to warm it up with wood worktops or go more sleek with quartz (which they also have).

Our place is also modern. I’ve ordered a Next 125 kitchen (one of Schüller’s ranges) as I wanted a quality German kitchen but didn’t want to waste money on anything designer!

Our kitchen is coming from diy-kitchens. It is arriving on Friday - very excited.
This week the rafters having been going on the extension (hampered a bit by the high winds and rain) and plastering has started inside on the existing house ... a few more weeks and we should be water tight .. keeping our fingers crossed that the weather stays ok until then!

4years,
Good luck. Hope this builder comes with reasonable quote. Our architect has given draft version of drawing and now builder is saying it is a very complex extension and giving All sorts of excuses to increase quote. I will try to reach other builders now.

Great progress @Threesocks !

@mum2015 and others. Big sigh of relief. Quote was sent first thing this morning and is really reasonable and with the exception of if the foundations need to be deeper, it's a fixed quote. Start date February. I'm toying with starting later but the weather is unpredictable all year round 🤷🏽‍♀️

That's great news 4years, what a relief!

Lovely to see progress threesocks and birdyandbee

Hendricksy - we're using DIY Kitchens too, the Luca Gloss handleless in dove grey, almost ready to place our order!

Has anyone used Mister marble for worktops? Am v tempted by their quote for quartz and they've been very helpful with my questions, but good to hear of any recent experiences?

SpaceBergerac; will let you know in 4 weeks when they come to fit our quartz worktop!