Home Extension Thread 2019 - The Extension

[TheFatberg]

Only a few posts left on the first thread of 2019, so here's a new one to get us started.

@WhereDoesThisToiletGo kitchen looks great from those photos. I still think we'll go for Alusplash but I did read that it can scratch quite easily during fitting. I suppose we need a fitter who has installed it before. Does it come cut to size?

We're going to be losing our current kitchen over the next couple of days, so I've done an Asda order for microwave meals and things like salad that don't need cooking. Better buy some paper plates too otherwise I'll be washing dishes in the bathroom.

Oh and we have no washing machine now as the utility room is gone (it's becoming a downstairs bathroom) so I'd better find a launderette.

Feel like this week will be the worst week, but by the end of next week, we should be almost there.

We are so far behind you lot. It's good to see progress you're all making. We were promised plans yesterday but they didn't come.

We have kitchen and window appointments on Saturday which will be hopeless without plans. They have promised we'll have them!

Tidied up the under stairs cupboard though so meters can be accessed easily when the time comes. Progress of sorts ?

Tidying up meter cupboard counts!
I'm having a purge of kitchen cupboards - and the rest of the house!

What are those with new kitchens doing with the old one?
I'm putting three wall units in the Utilty (which is not being replaced.
We have a length of laminate worktop over the washer and dryer which is I am planning to replace with a slightly longer length of granite from the kitchen.
Old but still working appliances will be passed on to a local charity that helps victims of abuse set up in a new home.

Doesn't really leave enough for anyone to want to take what's left, even for free. But might take off all the handles and Freecycle them.
What can I do with a 100 x 120cm piece of granite from island?

Our current kitchen must be at least 30 years old so I think honestly it's time for the dump. The doors are solid wood but there's not many and they are all 50cm ones so I doubt anyone would want them.

We reused our old kitchen units in the utility room. Old appliances we left on the drive/pavement with a sign saying 'for scrap' and they were gone that day!
You will be surprised what people will collect for free if you Facebook or Gumtree them.
During our build, we had 3 people knock on the door and ask if they could go through the skip on the drive!!

I'm quite happy for skip hunters to take what they want but we live at the end of a cul the sac off another cul de sac so there is Nil passing traffic.
I will post on local FB page.
I asked there for a "Man with a Van" to take old rotten shed to Dump and a lovely bloke came, took the bits, offered me money for them (said no) then sent me photos of what he had made using the wood.

'One mans rubbish is another mans treasure' as they say!
What had he made using the wood!!??

More loft pics!!! Just been ordering all sorts of bathroom stuff this morning - it’s hard to make a final decision and not think I’ve made the wrong one!!

@WorrisomeHeart Lovely. Explain what's up there... The studs facing? the window - are they dividing room from stairs or bathroom? Is the ladder outside the window the only way up?!

Lol at the moment, yes!!!

The room with The Windows and the insulation board is the bedroom. Then looking into the eaves you have the walk in wardrobe on the far left and then the bathroom and then the stairs come up on the far right (out of the picture). Then there’s storage space under the eaves - there will be a hatch through from both the bathroom and the wardrobe.

Here’s the plan - we’ve shifted walls slightly to make a larger bedroom but it gives the general gist.

Very nice indeed.
I'm desperate to get started!

Ooh worrisomeheart, that looks nice!

That's going to be a great bedroom @WorrisomeHeart. Is it going to be yours? I hope so!

Today I am mostly angry at the architect. We've had our spray foam insulation done. That bit went really well. Roofer came to finish off and now he's saying that the velux are too high up as because of the recessed dormer solution to the roof pitch issue it causes water to slip under the lead flashing. I am sooo mad! The roofer has a solution involving welding and a 2nd flashing to go over first set but says architect should've known the size of the flashing etc.

I think when it's all done I might get New Dad Builder to do me a letter stating all the bits that were wrong on the initial design and how much extra labour and materials were needed to solve it. Then I will be writing a complaint to the architectural designer and ask for a refund of part of his fees!!

This roof is a pain in the butt!!!

The plans are in! A few minor adjustments and we will talk to the neighbours.

Designing the kitchen on sat and looking at doors. Big decisions.

Has anyone chosen sliding /frameless ?
Do you like them ?

@soakedat3 the whole point of employing an expert designer /architect is to AVOID stuff like that. I agree, if you're going to have to rejig things on the fly, what have you paid him for?
@lightlypoached You happy with your plans?

Amazing @WorrisomeHeart it's going to be fantastic!!

@soakedat3 I'm so angry at your architect!!' That sounds so absolutely frustrating!! I hope you get something off the architect cause that is not acceptable! Will it add a lot of time to the build?

Oh @soakedat3 that is seriously rubbish. Your plan to get some money back is a good one, thank goodness your builder is confident to put things right! I’ve been flabbergasted at the contrast between trades - not only the SEng issues we’ve had, but the builder was around to look at the kitchen plans today and is very sceptical about some of the drawings for the red cedar overhang of the roof by our doors. He is going to call the architect direct but there was a lot of muttering about style over substance.
And yes that is DEFINITELY our bedroom 😂

lightlypoached
Do you mean sliding doors instead of bifolds? We are, we’re having triple track sliding doors. Not quite frameless but pretty slimline. We’re getting Air doors.

@lightlypoached we're having slimline sliding too. There were some amazing ones that were nearly frameless but for an extra £5k I thought I can live with a bit of frame!

Sorry can't remember who was asking about showers, I think the key is a mega flow system. That said we have just changed ours over & definitely have lost a bit of pressure moving from an old-fashioned loft & tank system. Think we're going to try and get them to put the pump back in to see if it helps.

Our rooflight got fitted today, doors coming from 5-12 July.

@avocuddl, I am not sure as we are already frustrated this week due to road closures due to resurfacing - we have one way in and out of the estate only! Silver lining is that the solution is "solid" says both the roofer and roofers mate who came to pick him up. Downside is it involves a person who he called a arse but does good welding. These little bits cheer me up! :D

I've been quite impressed with all the (manual) trades so far as they've been very willing to discuss the work being done...I'm that kind of anal person who just needs to know exactly what the steps are. It helps me be more confident in the work being done.

Glad everyone is progressing well and you got your plans @lightlypoached. Hopefully it'll be fun to design the kitchen and I second the plan to print and laminate so you know what the end goal is. I'm off to look at mine and remind myself of the wonder of 1000 larders and why this all needs to be done!

p.s. @WorrisomeHeart - red ceder overhang sounds very Grand Designs. I hope the builder finds a way to get it done for you and we can see pics!

Still on kitchens... with my green matt slab doors do we think upstand or splashback. I dont want to introduce another colour so not keen on the coloured glass splashback etc
I can't decide whether an upstand is a bit dated and it might be better to make more of a statement with the wood all the way up.
Thoughts?

I hope an upstand won't look dated (I'm having one!) but I really like the wood worktop all the way up as in your photo. I looked into a wood effect back splash but conversely I decided I needed to introduce colour into my white kitchen

I think perhaps because my gran had one I associate it differently!

I'm most probably the same age as your gran!