Home extension 2019 the Third thread- Drowning in Dust

[WhereDoesThisToiletGo]

And we're off again

Did any of you guys use DIY kitchens? I hear good things but most people I know in rl have used Howdens?

Would @soakedat3 and@WorrisomeHeart like to add some comments about their Minerva and Alusplash on the Tips thread?
They are both materials that a lot of people won't have heard of, and considerably cheaper than the equivalent quartz or glass

@bananabunch119 sort to unduly worry you, nothing wrong with a January start date other than we missed that slot with our preferred builder so I'm annoyed!!! Our architect was pointing out a few benefits of a later start that relate to our BC firm which are too boring to inflict on you. We are also moving the boiler so the "warmer" the month(s) without one the better!!

@Slightlysurviving love the hedgehog friend 🦔!

I've heard great things (admittedly all on here) about DIYKITCHENS however the Which? Review of them didn't rate them as well as many of the bigger companies. A friend used Classic Kitchens Direct and their kitchen is gorgeous, great quality and fabulous value. We're looking at The Shaker Kitchen Co which I see hasn't had always glowing reports on here but friends have used and been v pleased with. Plus v reasonable for wooden in-frame. Might look at Classic Kitchen Co too however.

Yep I think those are the ones I had too. Make sure you get decent masking tape to hold them up - I found the Robert Dyas tape was good but the B&Q tape was terrible.

Great thought about the Alusplash for the tips Thread, I’ll pop over there soon.

@Slightlysurviving we had planned to use DIY Kitchens (I even took a trip up to the showroom) but when I was looking at ordering they were having the absolute nightmare of delivery and couldn’t offer the bespoke paint colour we wanted. So we went for Wickes which ended up being the best choice for us for three reasons:

1. They were having a massive sale which meant we got our units for cheaper than they would have been through DIYK.
2. We were able to make use of their finance package which helped with the overall budget.
3. The larder cupboard is AMAZING and better than any standard option I’d seen at DIYK.
4. Oh and because I had been planning using the DIYK site for months beforehand, I was able to work quickly with the Wickes designer to recreate it with their ranges. He was then able to give advice and make tweaks that I wouldn’t have thought of.

Ok that’s 4 good reasons 😂. What I would say is that Benchmarx is the same as the Wickes kitchens but not flat pack and I think Howdens might be similar.

@wheredoesthistoiletgo, Yup. I will go put something on the tips thread. :)

@Italianna, thanks! No, it's not a bespoke colour. Called "Dust Grey" from Loch Anna Kitchen range but I have seen lots very like it in other places. Kitchen suppliers know the grey trend is still going strong lol!

@ladybird69 OMG! That sounds horrible!! I know ours was stop start and delayed but that sounds rubbish. Do they not care about word of mouth?!? Have you paid them? I would be tempted to cut them loose and find someone else by now.

I'd thoroughly recommend Betterkitchens. Similar set up to DIY. I also went to DIY showroom but I was scared off by recent awful reviews.
We got a large kitchen from Betterkitchens and there wasnt a single bit of damage or missing piece. Fantastic service and price.

@soaked well today was the last day I’d given them! He’d said last Sunday the 1st but I gave him to the end of the week. They didn’t finish the job as one of the doors they were fitting turned up damaged!!!! Let alone going through the long snagging list. All they got to do is fit doors and snagging. What can I do now? Is it trading standards? The builders guild he belongs to? He’s not going to get a penny until I’m happy. My friends want me to name and shame him on Facebook! I really cannot believe that this is happening. Over 3 months for a teeny conservatory and house and garden trashed.

Thanks @spider I can’t believe that this guy is still in business tbh.

@slightly I’ve always used Howdens for kitchens and always been happy with the product and the service. B and Q was the worst.

How's everyone getting on? We're up to walls about head height, builder reckons everything will be done in 4 weeks but I think that's way ambitious. How long did it take you guys from this point?

I think that's when we stalled due to the roof angle. Builder time is not like real time. Prep yourself for 5 to 6!

Spoke to new dad today. He agreed we have a few days work left. I'm thinking it'll take them a week to do it all. Fingers crossed!

We have about a meter of floor tiling to go.
Splashback.
In larder drawers to be built.
Soffits and outside window ledges
Drain pipes
Slabs to go back down around extension (half done)
Plus what feels like a long list of tiny adjustments.

As we seem to have adopted them, we have also asked for an additional velux into old utility area as it's quite dark now. Oh and a patio over the ruined grass. If that's done in a month I think I'll be singing!

We used DIY Kitchens - quality is great, but we had a few issues with delivery dates which meant things got delayed and we were without a kitchen for a few weeks. Also, we've just had one final part delivered (for the yet to be completed utility room). In their defence, they knocked money off for the error. I would still recommend them because of the quality and the fact they admitted that the error was theirs and reimbursed us.

You're in the final stretch now Soaked! Hope your list doesn't take too long to do!

I honestly think they'll still be here in 8. As long as they're done by Christmas I'll be happy. I'd like to have my dd's birthday party here which is at the beginning of December. Still just cannot imagine getting to that right now though!

We have at most 2 weeks left of the builders. Doors in on Tuesday, boiler, final rendering on Wed and then hopefully final electrics and plumbing done by Friday. The flooring is done the following week and then we take a breath and try and find some pound coins down the back of the sofa for some decorating 🙄

@avocuddl ours moved very fast for the first 4 weeks and now has slowed. It is possible but I think really depends on what other jobs the teams are working on.

Our team have commitments elsewhere so we’ve not seen the plumber since we’ve moved back. My BIL has come over in the evenings and connected the electrics for the kitchen.

DH has been pulling the ceiling down in bed 3 so we can get that going ASAP with plastering.

We’re living oddly with a sofa in the kitchen without running drinking water inside the house.

A mix of good progress and infuriating stalling on here. I'm loving the pantry cupboards.

We hear about planning /PD on Monday but have had to plough on with prep as we both have no time in the week. We have a loft and garden room already on PD, which we told the architects about, and that are plain to see when the council visited but I have this niggling feeling they will say no to PD and ask for full planning.

We spent all of yesterday packing up the kitchen to leave only the basics.
Kitchen fitter comes to take out the kitchen on Friday and then we get a temp kitchen fitted the following Monday, when the work starts.

Today will be digging up plants near the house that I want to save.

We bought a beautiful dining table last weekend and have started to look at lighting. Keen to get going now the disruption has already started.

Am very nervous about the build -we had a nightmare with our loft (took 3 lots of stairs before they got it right, and they had to take down and rebuild the steels as it wasn't sturdy enough), and have just heard that very near neighbours have had a huge cock up with their loft: a BC chap, checking something else, spotted that the loft structure looked way too big. Builders had built accurately to spec but the architects plans -apparently approved by the council- were too big. Now a huge row as to who is going to pay the costs to remove and rebuild. Sounds terrible and they are in a house with no roof. We are using the same planning department fingers x

@ladybird69 - put it all in writing (again!?) copy to the guild and call them on Monday too to see how they can help. Attach photos and copies of any paperwork the contract times.

Call trading standards and see what they can offer. I'd also be getting quotes from a landscaper for reasonable remedial works. See how much that is and look at small claims court to get it covered.

In other words throw the book at him. No more niceLadybird.

You could think of doing a local newspaper story (one of those ghastly sad face to camera stories), which might do the trick but tbh I bet you just want your house back?

I'm getting worried about about speed of our build.
I was told we could arrange with kitchen supplier/installer that we would be ready for them beginning of week seven.
I actually arranged it for week 8.
Builder started ahead of schedule, just cos he had team sitting idle, but we had a lot of No Progress days.
Tomorrow is start of week 4 from the official start date and I can't see it being ready in time.
We want the floor fully tiled before kitchen goes in and I'm sure that's a week's work alone.

@MyNameIsJane, no drinking water inside sounds horrible!! How are you coping?

@WhereDoesThisToiletGo, yes I would say tiling is a good weeks worth of work including prep. Fingers crossed it all aligns for you.

I've been scrubbing grout haze from the floor tiles and general start of getting rid of the dust and dirt in the kitchen area today. I picked up some vinegar spray from Aldi that seems to do quite well. Stinks!

We moved the FF into the kitchen today. Quietly relieved that it fits in as there was a concern that the doors would not have enough room to open properly.

Larder drawers still not built so no larder porn today!

I'm annoyed because I KNOW builder will say to install the kitchen first and tile afterwards so he gains a week, but I really wanted a fully tiled floor not a "just under the plinth" tile job.

Your kitchen units are just SO lovely @soakedat3 you must be really pleased!

Wheredoes that's really annoying 😔 will you insist on doing the tiles first? I would

What stage are you at now wheredoes?