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.

Went with betterkitchens. The reviews on trust pilot are really good.
I'm in a pesky location and it took a bit of wriggling to organise delivery but the guys sorted it all out. Any time I've called to add on/query the guys couldn't have been more helpful.
I've not had the actual kitchen yet but so far I'm impressed. All the kitchen cabinets came to 3800. I had to pay 400 delivery but I'm highlands and that's fairly standard. Still far cheaper than magnet/wren etc

That was an L-shape arrangement... drawer unit, sink unit, 3 drawer cupboard, bin unit, pull out, corner unit, 3 wall Units, tall larder, fridge freezer tall unit and oven tall unit. Plus doors for appliances.

@TheFatberg - our DIY kitchen arrived this week and was pleasantly surprised, after expecting lots wrong with it. A few ends missing but nothing that is required urgently - I have raised a ticket so hopefully they will arrive soon?!? Paint work looks good and units are beautiful so overall very pleased.

Does anyone else ever worry they’re doing the wrong thing and they should be moving instead of extending?

Our plan when we bought this house was always to extend. This was the only house we could have afforded and we really do love it.

Just spoke to our mortgage adviser because our deal is almost up and he’s asked if we should be moving instead of extending and I just know when he sees the house he will think we are mad. We’re in the position now we could afford a much bigger and better house but I just love it here and love that our mortgage is tiny and even when we’ve extended we’ll probably still be paying a really small mortgage, the council tax is cheap etc but there’s no taking away from the fact we could probably afford another class of house now and I just worry that’s what we should be doing.

Is it normal to feel this way?

Hello all, been awol in Paris for the weekend but have RTFT. Last week they broke through the kitchen and finished that wall coming down while I was away. Did I mention that we had a visit from the planners? They didn't say but we know that one of the neighbors had complained about the rear extension. Anyway we are fully compliant so hopefully they will back off now (no chance of an apology I guess).

Bonus pic of me in Paris while Mr Northern was sorting kitchen out and cleaning (I do know how to pick a weekend to be away!)

Joiners are here replacing soffits and fascias and then they will be putting the stud work in for the bathroom upstairs - we go away on the 20th for two weeks so the plumber is coming then to fit one of the bathrooms, I need to decide on layout and tiles etc!

@northernruth is that your old kitchen in that photo?

Lovely pic of you @northernruth !! Boooo to the neighbours! Progress sounds good though!

@TheFatberg hoping everything turned up and you're not waiting till 10pm!!

Sorry I've also been AWOL, life has just been crazy.

Got a call from the builders last week to say they will start August instead of September, okay fine still lots of time to declutter/pack up. Call today, they can start in 2 weeks! Which only leaves this weekend to pack everything up as we are away next week!! I'm so excited to start but equally panicking and freaking out!!! Tell me everything will be okay?!

Also loving everyone's progress! Looks fab!

Everything will be ok @avocuddl... I say this with no bricks or windows! :D But still, that's exciting news.

@northernruth, did your builders break through before the new windows are in? Mine are saying they'd rather not and for the sake of a few days I am ok with letting them do the soffits and facias while we wait.

Actually the soffits and facias make it start to look nearly done for some reason. Even though we don't have any facing brick yet! Wish they would do the gutters soon though. Another heavy rain forecast!

@Needtomovemore, there is a lot to be said about having a small mortgage and loving your house. Don't move if you love your house!

We can also afford to move but don't like any other areas as much... mind you a house around the corner has come up which has already had a huge amount of work done but it's ££££ and in the end doesn't have the back garden gate we love so much about our house. After we've finished our extension our house might not be as big but I will love it (even more).

We could have a much fancier house. We could also potentially have moved to a bigger house for around the same as the extension... but I love my garden and my neighbours and there's a lot to be said for being familiar and comfortable

Sometimes I wish I'd moved when I'm getting sick of this extension but we like this area and would probably have to do up a new house the way we wanted it anyway. I don't like the idea of packing and unpacking so I'll just stay here forever!

The kitchen arrived! We think one thing might be damaged and there's a worktop missing and one end panel. Not too bad though, the worktop is for the utility room which won't be done first anyway.

Thanks all.

I feel secure in our decision most of the time and I think some people just don’t understand why you’d ever want to do something like this especially not when it’s not a house we’ve outgrown - it’s never been big enough and always needed this.

Definitely better the devil you know at times and we’d only be able to afford a three bed whereas we’re going to end up with a 4/5 here.

Great news your kitchen arrived you must be so excited to get it in!

Whoo hoo @TheFatberg! Glad to hear DIYKitchens are getting it back together (mostly).

Yay so glad the kitchen arrived!!

@Needtomovemore We are doing the same- we could definitely now afford a 'normal' nice detatched house now (with a hefty mortgage ofc) but we're extending our slightly quirky semi instead because we don't need to have a big fancy house and extending will get us what we want without a monster mortgage (we're remortgaging but for a lot less than an upgrade house would be). Knowing that we'll be financially more flexible in the future is a comfort.

It's hard when you look at houses that you could afford and are beautiful though, I have also had a few wobbles!

And this is our current progress!

Oops need to attach the picture..

Ugh, sorry for double post..

Builder says that he's going to try and get the new half done as much as possible before trashing the old half so in theory we can just move between them... The new half will have 2 bedrooms and the kitchen in it so it's just bathrooms that might be a problem!

Thanks Shrugs. It is reassuring to hear it’s normal to have wobbles. It’s the age old move or improve isn’t it? There’s pros and cons to both.

Yours is looking fab! How big is it? Single or double story?

@Needtomovemore it's double, adding about 50% extra onto the side of the house so not a small build! When we bought it 8 years ago it had a conservatory where we're putting the extension and people always commented on doing a side extension.

When we've had estate agents, architects etc they've all said to max profit they'd sell our side garden seperately and build a whole new house on it but I think that'd be a shame- it happens a lot here because prices are so high. Too late now!

Once you start seeing it...

Disappointments all round here. Windows and doors delayed to Tues now. :( Builder just getting on with gutters etc but I do wonder how much more before he runs out...

Hilti all around! :D

Oh no Soaked! So frustrating. Looking good @shrugs

Things are HAPPENING here this week.

We have our DIY Kitchen unit coming at 9 tonight. We ordered our kitchen last night and it’s coming on Sunday. I have bought a remnant for the en-suite today for £50.

Fridge, oven & dishwasher arrive on Monday and carpets are being laid on Monday too. 🤪