Home extension 2019 the Third thread- Drowning in Dust

[WhereDoesThisToiletGo]

And we're off again

No running utilities for us either yet today except a washing machine (so that's something at least) .. I do have a bloody good looking utility room though 👍👍

Finally moved the tumble dryer back into the utility room from the garage.
Then spent at least an hour reattaching the vent hose.

The window sills passed inspection. We need some more air flow vents though but that's it. Phew! Apparently it's a relatively easy job so hopefully builder will do it soon now we're talking again. He seemed a bit surprised that building control asked for more but happy that was all that came up.

OH used to tell me to stop worrying about the dust as if we asked

Pic of utility please @MiniCooperLover! I am still waiting until my dream utility becomes photogenic. It's still a dumping ground. GRR!

Here's a before and after @soakedat3 ... I'll miss the 'dumping ground' sink mind 😂

Mini - I'm so jealous of your units coming with plastic covering! Our cream units are so grubby from all the work going on around them
No running water for us yet either...am begging to have my washing machine plumbed in. It's getting desperate here
Where does - i don't think they care at all about the amount of dust they create! Although after seeing our zip up dust door, the boss man has ordered a load for all their other jobs. I should have offered to order them and asked for commission!
Things actually moving here a bit though. We have windows and doors in and my beautiful worktops. Although the actual price is nearly double the quote Apparently the actual quote should have included the utility and upstands(were written a long the top of the page bizarrely) so it's no longer the bargain we thought it was. Oh well, it'll be a frugal Christmas and I really love them!

Let's see your beautiful worktops @gleegeek.

Just waiting for Builder to arrange plumber to come back and sort out plumbing in the sink and associated gubbins, then kitchen is maybe usable, even without the fridge. I want to run every plate and utensil thru the dishwasher

Worktops and tiles are all being finished today, there are 3 people here so that's good. Builder has admitted he won't finish tofay but I could see that there's another day or two of finishing but apparently I should have a functioning working kitchen by days end ... we'll see but it's an optimistic hurrah ...

And I went to buy the paint today ... £86 for 5L of Little Greene ... why didn't I like any of the cheaper testers ?! 😂

Oooh! Lovely! Whats inside all your tall units @MiniCooperLover?

I tried to avoid testing expensive paints but got a free tester pot of F&B and was doomed. Thank goodness OH doesn't quite know how much they cost but I was worried that the monogrammed box they were delivered in might have given it away :D :D I will tell him they were on special offer...

@gleegeek - to think of all the future customers of your builders are benefiting from your dust door as a result of this thread is pretty cool :D

@soakedat3 that's hiding my stacked tumble drier and washing machine 😊

I knew the Little Greene would be pricey but phew... I have to say though the tester was amazing ... covered up all the other testers with no issue and lovely thick paint 👍

An almost fully working kitchen hurrah 👍👍 Only hob and hood aren't working and builder will be back Tuesday with electrician to do those and then the painting and we are done 👍👍

Oooh! Lovely @MiniCooperLover!! Love the double sinks. What colour are you going for on your walls? Ours are still white but I although I like the airiness of it I am finding all the smudging by kids (and OH!) very annoying.

I'm doing French Grey Mid by Little Greene. I've no idea how it'll look because the tester was grey in the kitchen but looked blue in the utility 🤷‍♀️ 😂

Not a happy bunny.

My replacement tall open shelving unit turned up late yesterday afternoon - the last item on the lorry - and it was wrong. Again.
I guess this is the downside of not buying standard off the shelf units, but if you are going to have a bespoke item, it really should be what you want.
I suggested that once order has been placed, someone in the factory actually speaks to ME before starting to make it up.

But the kickass TV is nice.

So inspiring to see finished (almost!) kitchens.

This is where we are at roof being finished off then floor goes on next week.

The garden is a mess.

We have now got used to the Romanian squabbling between the builders.

@WorrisomeHeart if I tell you little bits of frustration with our non English speaking builders you will feel better (severing our TV Aeriel wires, fitting fridge in the space meant for freezer, not being clear about positioning of fireplace and me having to fork out an additional £500 for them to come and move the fireplace)

@lightlypoached that is a massive extension - what will go in it?

Long time lurker here!
Hope you don't mind me asking a question or two?
Have an architect drawing up some initial plans, but probably looking at a single storey extension out the back (3 bed semi) and a tiny side extension, which hopefully will house a Wc, showroom and a storage/pantry room.
I'm not friends with my neighbours (my attached neighbours) as I don't really know them but I know they are thinking of possibly doing a similar extension sometime.
Are there any advantage to getting the work done at the same time with the same builder?
I can see some advantages- but only if everything goes smoothly!
Anyone done this?

Shower room, not showroom

Despite not being finished, tonight we cooked and ate in new kitchen, and are now sitting (on garden chairs) in the extension watching Strictly

@fastliving I can see the point in coordinating works on either side of a Party Wall, but if you use the same builder, you and your neighbour will both be wanting him to work on your side at the same time

@chopc it's not quite as big as it looks, we just have a small garden

It's 5m wide and adding 3m length to the kitchen. We'll have a kitchen , table, sofas and my piano. Plus hoardes of the kids' mates hanging out.

It's quite high but once the steps (2steps down) and doors are in I'm hoping it looks more in proportion

If not, we'll it's too late to change it.

gulp. the steels are in but we have found some big cracks in the bedrooms above and the windows in those rooms now won't open and shut properly . the lead builder will come tomorrow to take a look. seems like the wall may have sagged a bit.....! at least the giant steels will make sure that the house stays standing. But it does mean lots of disruption and repairs in rooms we expected to be untouched. Looking on the bright side at least we have some builders on site to fix it.

Gulp indeed.
@lightlypoached Take loads of photos.
And it might be worth getting an independent opinion, not just what your builder says.
Is he insured to cover this, or is it a non insurable risk?

Who is going to pay for the upstairs remedial work?

@WhereDoesThisToiletGo the contract says they are responsible for structural, us for cosmetic crack repairs. As the windows are affected I'd say that is structural. Having read more overnight it looks like a simple re-mortaring of the back wall between the steels and the upper windows should straighten it out. I will insist that both building control and the structural guys sign off on the remedial work. We've had subsidence in a previous house so have dealt with this before so it's not as scary as it could be. The loft was converted a few years back and has mega steels in it and seems unaffected.

The house is over 100 years old and the back wall original mortar is not in good condition. I think they failed to pack it properly when they put the steels in.

The head builder is here at 1 so let's see what he says. I'm just preying that next door is not affected.

What a pain. My poor house.

I'd forgotten that you were attached.

I was a bit worried that our builder kept 'popping upstairs to check' when our steels were going in, but you can understand why!
Hope it all gets sorted out quickly. Good call to get building control to check it.