Home Extension Thread 2019

[4yearsnosleep]

Time to start another extension thread. 2019 for lots of newcomers and hopefully lots of finishers too!

We're Day 5 of builders on site and have a roof framed. V excited about the big velux

@WorrisomeHeart are you me, posting under a different name?!
Your layout is near identical to mine (swap hob and sink) and I am counting the days until I get a very similar larder!
Designer suggested we have wooden lower drawers but I like the functionality of those grey ones.
We are planning to replace the lower main shelf with matching worktop to add to the larderiness (if that's not a word, it should be!)

@soakedat3 I think they used to always separate ovens and fridges but these days both applicances are much better insulated.

Oh that’s so funny!! I am so so pleased and relieved and excited again!!

soaked I had the same concern but the designer thought it wouldn’t be an issue so we’ve gone for it. The only thing I’m a little unsure about is the corner - he’s designed it so that the L shape wall unit sits forwards because otherwise you’d not be able to open it properly in that awkward corner. I do understand the rationale but am a little unsure about having a gap at the back of it. Even if it’s one I will never see or even remember it’s there.

And I am totally, totally in love with the pantry. Plus so far the Wickes designer has been very communicative. I am ignoring the fact that the worktops are almost as much as the cabinets with the beautiful waterfall ends. Has to be a good excuse for taking up their 1 year interest free deal 😂

Not sure if this will help but Wickes are on Quidco.

I think we have to pay in store but I will take a look, thanks!

Ooh yes, I’ve been making use of Quidco for purchases too!

We have been turned down for an extra loan today. So we’re having to work out where we will be able to save some money. Ah well. I think we will try again in a year.

Worrying to hear about DIYK and delays.
We have an order in with them via our architect and he was initially told that there would be a 3 week delay but as far as I can make out, has somehow sorted it and we're back on schedule. Sounds like it's a 'Believe it when I see it' situation.

Anyway, I ought to introduce myself - I've been lurking for a while and feel a bit of a fraud as technically we're not having an extension. That was our original plan until our architect visited, walked round the house and instead suggested knocking down internal walls in our annex to create a large kitchen diner. It had never occurred to us, but as soon as we thought about it, it seemed the obvious thing to do. So, although we're not actually extending, we have loads of building work going on with doors and windows being filled in, expanded, created etc as well as walls coming down.

We're currently trying to finalise work surfaces and think we're going to go for Silestone Arden Blue but this part has definitely been the hardest part of all the decision making process. Has anyone else used/ got photos of Arden Blue (we're having Shaker Alabaster units)?

You're definitely not a fraud Green - although we did extend, the knocking down and rebuilding of walls and doorways in other areas of the house was equally disruptive and messy!

We found the worktop choosing very difficult - especially as the one we wanted was £1000 more than the other choices 🙈. In the end we decided it was worth it... and it was definitely the right decision. Go with what you love I say!

Here's ours - you can just about make out it is Quartz with a marble effect.

I've just Googled silestone arden blue and got a decent selection of photos of finished under images.
I had tried googling the colour I wanted and got nada.

Hoppa your downstands are so great!

I have slight quartz envy today but we're going with minerva in a marble. Initially dh was set on granite in black (we'd had it before but that was without kids... ) which I wasn't sure of but new dad builder had a larger sample of minerva for us and actually we both really like it. I really need the sample to remind me though as quartz is in all the showrooms! I thought minerva would feel and look plasticy but the large sample doesn't. It's cool to the touch and has a good clink when glasses are set down. We did a test with lots of spices and even a marker pen and it all wiped off with minimal effort. Turmeric is the worse!

New builder is pleased as he can install it himself. Dh is pleased because its cheaper than granite and I am pleased as it's not black like dh wanted .

Oh, and it meant I could do a replica downstand like Hoppa!

What's Minerva made from?
The website is a bit vague, I assume its like quartz but not quartz!

@WorrisomeHeart re our identical layouts-
Our designer produced a layout identical to your run with stacked ovens and our existing American FF built in, but he also gave us the option of replacing FF with a new integrated fridge and separate freezer. This is what we have gone for.
The problem is our existing FF is an odd size so building it in would result in either big gaps round it or loads of filler panels. Then the darn thing would be guaranteed to break down 2 years from now and we'd have to choose a new one that could fit the space, which could be limiting.

Thanks - the kitchen fitter was here the other day doing some last bits and we were reminiscing over all the difficult island decisions we had to make, including size and downstands - really pleased we went for it all in the end even though we've had to borrow loads more money to pay for it all! 🙈

I haven't heard of Minerva, but it all sounds good from what you describe!

Minerva is moulded resin and quartz but its solid all the way through so can still undermount sinks. This blog and the bigger sample helped a lot.

www.swoonworthy.co.uk/2017/11/minerva-worktops-review.html/

(I am also copying the blog kitchen and using marble tiles :D )

I do love the look of those waterfall /goalpost worktops but we are already at the top of our budget so I don't want to start eating into the contingency fund before we even start!
Also the short end of our island will face the dining / living area and doing a waterfall would hide the contrast colour of the island, so I've convinced myself that that is a good reason not to do them (rather than can't afford it!)

@WorrisomeHeart check with Benchmarx they're Wickes kitchens but not flat pack so miles cheaper to fit and our fitter said they're often 1/2 the price of Wickes. Exactly the same x

We do have that issue a bit whereis - the dining area looks at the White marble downstand and white units on the wall, so can't see the blue/black island units. I think we're going to put some colour on the wall by adding tiles behind the sink, although the white is all lovely to look at too 😆

Not sure if getting a kitchen this way is an option to any of you, but our builder recommended a kitchen fitter - The fitter organised everything for us, (including the quartz). He came out to us, discussed the plans, designed it (and adapted plans as needed), ordered everything, fitted it and came back to fit little details after the FF went in. I know I can phone him if we have any problems and he'll come out. This was much better than our previous experience with a big kitchen store - definitely more personal and not more expensive.

Oh I’ll take a look! Although with the current 50% sale on cabinets and a further 20% of the whole order that we’ve been offered, it’s all coming in around the £9k mark (units, worktops and splashback). The units price is cheaper than DIYK was for the same layout.

@Hoppahouse
Im having a wobble about the contrast island colour.
Currently I've chosen navy (but not as dark as Hague Blue), but I'm dithering if it is going to date - trends that have lasted forever tend to go out of fashion the moment I choose them!
Flip flopping between charcoal grey (see above - grey will go out of trend if I have a grey island) or a mid blue

Dont for a different colour island. All the same is more classic and won't date .

It's a hard decision 😬.

I've got to say I do love our island contrast colour - it's called charcoal, but is more like dark dark blue. I don't think it'll date, but who knows!

This thread helped us to decide on our island colour and we decided to go darker.
https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3418544-REALLY-Panicking-about-new-blue-kitchen?pg=2

Photos of sunny side of our island and darker side.

If anything, I'd make all our base units the dark colour too!

Our kitchen is really dark so we're planning white units on 3 sides, but all white could look a bit Science Lab