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.

Brilliant news @BarrenFieldofFucks!!

I was just reading a horror story about people being conned by builders. Paying money (thousands) and not getting the work started or half finished! For those of you who have started or completed works what have you done to protect yourself? Should I be looking at contracts? How much can I do to protect myself?

Ask me in 6 months time...

No idea tbh
My builder has done a fair bit of work and I've given him 20k. He seems a decent guy and I know his daughter. We also live in a small town where reputation is important so I'm not worried.

@whyisitsodifficult this happened to my colleague. Paid 15k and a few days later filed for bankruptcy. Awful for her. And added to my already large list of worries about extending.

My builder works on a work done first and then paid basis. We are paying 2k upfront as a good intention deposit and then everything after at stages and each stage requiring building regs signoff. Made me feel more reassured this way but obviously still worried about it as it's so much money

@whyisitsodifficult, I know what you mean as there have been stages in the build where things were almost at a standstill and I was so worried! And as we've still no windows almost a week after expecting them I'm worried again! Yes to payment agreement for stages even though that still worries me as what if they decide to stop after x stage??

I think there's only so much you can do as if limited company goes bust (or pretend bust ) you can't get money back from the actual person. The debt is to the company.

At the end of the day there is a leap of faith... New dad builder better be chasing windows man or I'll be bad mouthing him to everyone and we are his parents neighbours!!

rhica that’s the scenario that scares me, your poor colleague! Did they get any money back? I’ve read you can get some protection from using a credit card? Do builders take credit cards? What else can you do though it’s a fingers crossed and hope situation isn’t it!

The bigger firms might take credit cards.

Our build has completely stalled now. Monday for the windows and doors. Sigh. A week late. Builder and I not happy.

soakedat3 I think I’d quite like it if I found a builder with relatives next door to me, surely he’s not going to piss you off! We’re waiting for quotes and all local type builders so can’t imagine any of them take credit cards.

This was my fear too. We have a contract and we are paying for works done. However there is no way of costing works done eg I don't know how much scaffolding cost, skip hire, removing wall and flooring etc

You do take a leap of faith and trust though. I knew one group of builders who did a fantastic job for one friend but left another one stranded

chopc did you arrange the contract or is something your builder does? Did you pay anything upfront?

@Whyisitsodifficult he did his official contract and schedule of payment. However I outlined exactly what is to be done. Paid just under 10% deposit before we started and a further 22% after the first week. He said the first few weeks will be the most active and a lot of money will be needed. I don't know really but as he had done the work as per payment schedule we made the payment as per schedule

Its tricky. My dad is quite old fashioned and used to be a tradesman. He was adamant that builders get 4 weeks to pay for materials from suppliers and I should on no account pay anything upfront etc. As it was my builder asked for first installment 2 weeks in... they had done work already but I've no idea what it would be valued at but I paid it as I couldn't see how else to do it. It is a bit of a leap of faith but I'm really impressed with their work so far!

@whyisitsodifficult, yes, he knows he's being watched by people walking past who have lived near his parents for years. Our extension has turned into a very local affair. Electrician and one of the staff of kitchen supply company went to school with builder... which just happens to be the school OH went to albeit 10 years ahead of them all! Roofer lives a few streets away. Fingers crossed it is a good decision. I don't want to have to move to avoid him and family if it all goes sour!!

All go today at Chez Noroof. Walls knocked down... window knocked into patio door.... scaffold up. Amazing progress considering it's only been 2 weeks

I still can’t get over the speed either @Noroof. We are on Day 4 of the kitchen and they have dug and poured foundations, built the first couple of rows of block work, put the steel in, knocked the new doorway and window and completed the first electric fix in the old part of the build! DH said it was like DIY SOS here today, just swarms of them. He said he’s worried he has a tragic past that he’s not aware of and Nick Knowles is about to turn up with a rumpled purple T-shirt 😂

On a less positive note, I realised today that we’d over estimated the amount paid so far to the builder so we’re about £6k shy of the overall budget. Blergh.

Plans finalised.

Have talked to neighbours and have a proper chat on sat re party wall stuff (we need to reuse the party wall as it straddles the boundary). Hoping they will agree without fuss (or fees!). Anyone got experience of this?

Then PD application, then wait and see. It's very tight for time as we are supposed to start last week in August ...! It'll never happen.

Kitchen design finalised and if we order now can save 10% off the price. Gamble worth taking? It's an £800 saving....!

Re floors: is there anyone out there having u/f heating and parquet? Did you get one trader to do it all or one each for the heating g and floor laying.

Builders are quoting £3800 just to fit heating bit (that's £85 psqm)
Flooring people saying £100psqm for fitting parquet.
Then the parquet is £40 Psqm minimum

I know we are london but £225 psqm sounds an awful lot doesn't it ? Or am I being unrealistic?

Lightly poached- re planning ours took a long time but it depends on your council however it has to be advertised locallly and responses analysed, our council is also short staffed so it took longer than the recommended time.

With regard to parquet we've been told we shouldn't use parquet and underfloor heating ( we have parquet we are taking up). I think you have to think of the 2 costs separately they are not both a flooring cost one is heating and one is flooring.

Our build is progressing well - came home to a conveyor belt to the second lift on the scaffold yesterday the blazing sun has slowed things down a bit as the guys are just too hot but rain today may change that! ( Pics are last week!) Just trying to find windows that have a straight minimal profile( so look like aluminium without the cost!)

Here’s yesterday’s photo - I am now slightly worried we’ve not gone big enough 😂😂😂

@MoreHairyThanScary we have flat upvc frames, they are gorgeous. Not sure you can really see them in this photo but I will try and take a better one.

I'm sure everyone will think we are mad as we are spending a lot on the World's Smallest Extension! I suspect for not much more, we could have pushed the entire back of the house out. But honestly we've got enough space downstairs already apart from this weird room off the kitchen. We certainly won't increase the value of the house by what we will spend.

But hopefully we will enjoy the result!

We are GO!

Beardy Builder rang yesterday to see if it would be convenient if he started the footings early as his team are idle at present.
So we start on Monday!
I don't think the whole build is being brought forward, just the external foundation dig and pour

How exciting @wheredoes!! What’s the weather due to be like next week for you? It’s pouring with rain here today so I’m glad they got the digging done earlier in the week.

Pissing with rain at the moment (good as the rock solid ground could do with softening up) then dry the weekend. Then SCORCHIO from Monday onwards. I hope the builders are fit cos is definitely shirts off weather

😂😂😂😂😂

:D :D @ fit builders!! And good news that you are starting. Good luck!