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.

Thanks Hippo I’ll contact them tomorrow

This week has felt a little slow as we have been waiting for the concrete to arrive to finish the foundations - but it's now here and full steam ahead with blockwork next week.

The steels have been ordered and are going to cost £3.5k. Ouch.

We've been to look at external doors and garage doors. Ouch, ouch, ouch! A Hormann front door we saw cost £8k. Who on earth pays £8k for a front door?

I think the aluminium windows have gone out the window now, and we can make do with PVC....

beachsandy you have a pretty good eye! Yep, it is about 4m out. It's a bit of a strange one as there was a funny long side bit so we've kind of just squared it off from there. I think the 2nd floor is about 3.8m or something. We had a small galley kitchen with the lounge next to it, so we've knocked out that wall, then taken the back of the house off and extended out. So essentially we'll end up with about a room that's about 10m x 6m ish. The kitchen will be at the end that's away from the doors, with the dining table and sofa area either side down nearer the doors.
Above, we're using the teeny box room to create a corridor to the new back room which will be ours, making the landing a little bigger and stealing a bit for the shower of our en suite.
Then we'll have the loft room above which we're planning on being a guest room/sleepover zone/hang out zone for when the kids want to disappear with mates. We're going from 2 decent double and one teeny box room to 4 good sized doubles, 2 with en suites. My DDs are so excited about the prospect of a room each!
We've been saving like crazy and thinking about it for the last 8 years. I can't believe it's all actually happening now!

Bobkate,
That would make a lovely big home. Would you share around how much it is going to cost and what was builders quote for shell finish?

We’re getting architect drawings now, but our proposed project is quite modest. Downstairs extension. We’re having the kitchen re-jigged in anticipation next week 😬

mum2015 I think it's going to come in at about 180k. But that is everything, flooring, new boiler, rewire, etc. All decorated,etc. Not sure what the basic she'll cost would be but our steels came out at 17k 😔 builders said it was total overkill but had to go with what the structural engineers said. It will be our home for many years to come and our builders are fantastic so we think it's worth the eye watering costs!

bobkate your new space sounds incredible. Does the total include VAT?
Well my semi rant at builder went ok, still not seen much progress but hopeful (ever hopeful!) of seeing some movement on the project next week. My kitchen is due for delivery on Tuesday (despite being nothing like ready for it) I keep asking whether they want the date moved but builder insistent it will be useful to have on site to see how it interfaces with steels.
More costs anticipated following review of our boundary wall which doesn’t look structurally sound... hmmm spiralling and I don’t know how to pull some of these costs back... think I’m going to have to start decorating myself...

Bobkate, you have got good quote and builder. It will be all worth it.

whattodowithaminute yes, that is including VAT. It's very eye watering but will be worth it.
I really need to start a 'help me with my kitchen' thread but will get onto that in the week. It's just the things like colour, where do you use knobs/handles...it seems that knobs and cup handles are the thing to use, but which cupboards use what?!
It's lovely seeing the progress the builders make in the week, but the weekends are bliss without them!

bobkate wow that's an epic project! It will be so amazing when it's all done.

whattodo I hope your builders do some work this week.

We are at a boring standstill again - architect was due to send rear elevations at the end of last week, so I reckon I might, if I'm very very lucky, see them by a Thursday this week. We've booked the wildlife survey, having accepted there was no way round it, so I look forward to spending £230 for someone to stare at my garden for 20 seconds next week. Still hoping to apply for planning in the first week of July, but if there's any issues with the rear elevations that will be the end of that dream.

Hoping to get some wisdom and info off this thread re glazing. We've just had planning permission to replace our rear french doors with extended glazing - french doors with glazing either side and a triangular piece of glazing above.

Does anyone have any recommendations for companies to approach for this or any ideas on where I can find info on costs?

tentative3 is there anyone locally that has done a similar thing? If so, I'd suggest asking them. If not, do you have a local town/village facebook page? Amidst the moaning about dog poo/horse poo/pavement blockers there are sometimes gems of advice that crop up on ours!

Thanks hopefully and bobkate met the builder today to line out bathrooms layouts and actually saw other building folk on site looking purposeful!! Neighbours called complaining about a range of things that are upsetting them... quite dreary...
Feeling hopeful and optimistic about the coming weeks... so glad I have somewhere to share the highs and lows. Good luck for progress this week all. Thinking about your wildlife survey hopefully my DS would love to think that was happening in our garden!

What to do, I actually really hate my neighbour. He is doing anything and everything to speak to the builders daily and just generally being a nuisance. None of it in his interest either, he’s just delaying it for all of us, and being difficult about them trying to give a good finish on his side of the wall. It’s totally making my blood boil.
I told my husband last night if we win the lottery I’m buying the house on the other side and doing mirror building work just to pose him off. In all seriousness the house is for sale and needs loads of work so it’s likely that this will happen anyway!

We got our drawings done by a technician that our initial builder recommended. After going out to for bids and choosing a different builder based on personal recommendations, we've been told the drawings and calculations don't go into enough details (I've checked and he's right about the missing elements). Builder has suggested a structural engineer that also does private building control to project manage it. His concern is mainly because we're removing the single storey back of the house so the steels need to support 10m of house. It sounds sensible but it's £700 that I wasn't expecting to pay, I'm hoping this isn't going to be a trend!

Hi all
Hope you're all well and managing okay in the chaos that is building works!
We findid our final snagging this weekend. Bits of painting where we scuffed the walls bringing in furniture - not sure if it's normal to want to keep it so nice 😂
We had an estate agent round to get it valued and it's worth more than we spent which is a win in my eyes! We even had a little thought about moving and doing it again 😱

Anyway we are still loving our space, bifolds are open most days and are totally worth it!
Oh and we've ordered a hottub!

Bax,

Really nice to see you here. Enjoy your lovely house and summer

4years we used a technician as well if it makes you feel better. We too have had to pay some extras on the drawings front but still nothing like the cost of an architect. Occasionally I wobble about whether it has been the right decision but I think that happens about most decisions in a building process doesn’t it?
Glad you are enjoying it bax!

@Whattodowithaminute you're right, I hadn't thought of it that way! Plus I hadn't paid the £200 to the tech to submit to Building Control and I wanted to make some changes anyway

Bax, you're living the dream! I keep saying 'this time next year we'll have the bifolds open' It'll be worth it I'm sure

Would any of you mind telling me how your payment to builders etc is organised?? We are due to have extensive building work in our kitchen with walls being knocked down and then obviously new kitchen fitted etc? We are using a local company to do all the work but they want 50% as a deposit. I am really worried about a relatively small company taking a large sum of money when they can’t start for 15 weeks. I appreciate they can’t take on all the risk but is 50% normal???

We’ve been paying in instalments with nothing up front. Work stopped for a while and so did the payments. I’d be really cautious (wouldn’t do it) about 50% deposit.

Yes there is a contract but that wouldn’t be worth much if they were to go under??!!

We're only paying instalments as work is completed. If they're a limited company they can fold and have no liability. I've seen a few horror stories on here.