Extension / loft conversion thread 2020

[missfliss]

Hello,

Thought I'd start a thread for 2020 extenders and converters.

Might be good for us each time say a bit about what works we have planned / are in the midst of if folks are happy to share some / al details.

Current house:
1970s semi with 2.5 (!) bedrooms on South Coast ( Sussex).
Single storey extension ( large kitchen / diner with bifolds) was completed in 2013.

Planned works
Loft conversion with full width rear dormer and small front dormer to create a new master bedroom with large bathroom.

Stage
Planning permission received, builder appointed to start in March

Costs
Build is £60k including VAT. Bathroom / decor extra.
It is a double dormer with aluminium sliding doors to rear and lots of pipe work due to siting the new bathroom at the opposite end to the existing bathroom below.
It's more than expected but we have non-standard plans and are doing the work to stay in the house for years as opposed to maximising profit to sell.

Reasons for doing work
An adult space to hide away and relax!
Also our son has additional needs and we may need to use au pairs in the future ( new room needed). As our son gets older he may need to live with us into adulthood

Plans
Attached

Next steps
Party wall agreement
Deciding on bathroom fittings / flooring within budget

I think I remember your knurled knobs (mainly because I had to Google knurled)

My builders are back! Whoop whoop!

So we've run out of finishing plaster already... Supply once again difficult lol

Ah we have the materials but the plasterers didn't turn up. Will be here tomorrow or Thursday apparently 🙄. Have been so excited for this day too. Will just need to wait a little longer

We have a roof going on!

@missfliss To the roooof!

@Rhica That might be my fault - I had 3 extra plasterers today...

Our builder back on site yesterday. Block work almost done. Not sure about roof materials and windows. Anyone heard if window manufacturers are opening up yet?

Feel very lucky not to be living in a building site like some folks, but our ghastly landlords have just sent notice of a 20% rent rise! So really really need to get out of here by mid July if at all possible.

Scaled the scaffolding for some pics!

Nice vanity @missfliss!

Thanks @birdbrained - your landlord sounds dreadful. 20% ??? What's his justification?

I'm happy today. The front of the roof is nearly done and the Velux windows are in. The rear roof / dormer needs to be tiled this week too, and the stairs are going in on Tuesday.

Hoping for plaster w/c 18th - order book for plaster opening next week apparently.

Stairs will be amazing - will start to feel like part of the house then - at which point scaffolding can come down too

No justification @missfliss just that they think they have us over a barrel. They are deeply unpleasant - they want to put the house on the market (fine by us) but were determined we should allow views regardless of Coronavirus...(er not fine by us).

So our builder is hoping to finish end of August which wouldn't be a complete disaster. Probably a 2 month delay all in... but of course still contingent on supplies!

@birdbrained have they sent you the section 13 notice required for rent increase? 20% is silly and you can challenge it

There are rumours that window manufacturing has started back up but I can't find a source... I'm getting regular calls now on the position of fixings and other 'toward the end stage' things. It's both annoying and pleasant at the same time lol

Apparently Pilkington is still manufacturing but their merchant operations are closed...
British Glass has a statement which is vague and unhelpful...
Clayton Glass has paused but looking to re-open very soon.

General outlook is that as manufacturing is not on the enforced closure list they can re-open with safeguards so expect those not currently producing to start up very soon.

Our builders are coming back on Monday!

Thank goodness as I'm starting to be concerned about the knock on effect on cost. We're in rented and each month is adding expense. We are now going to be 6 weeks behind, totally understandable, but still worrying on the build front.

@birdbrained I'd be tempted to counter this with a requested reduction. Cheeky bastards

Our aluminium windows are now being made, the factory opened on the 27th. We also got a date on when our kitchen will arrive in the UK from Germany in July. We have been waiting on steels for the roof but they are now being installed on monday so we are started to feel we might actually get our extension completed this summer.

We are still wondering what to do about knock through though and whether to move out. What are others doing? There seem to be some quite good airbnb deals at the moment if you book for at least a month.

Airbnb depends on lockdown regs. I'm not sure it would come under the exemption of Moving house.
But obviously things may change in the next week or so.

We moved into an airbnb just for a week while they were jackhammering up the concrete floor. We had this arranged in their schedule but they started on the floor the day before we left which made me very glad I wasn't staying!

They did indeed @loofah01 I think they've also stuffed it up because it's starting halfway though a rental month rather than at the start. I have every intention of challenging it - but going to wait till the last minute as I think once a tribunal claim is in you keep paying the old rent, and then they won't have time to respond or terminate the tenancy... I'm hoping we will be out by the end of August anyway.

@Bristolbitsandbobs now there's an idea. Honestly the whole experience of renting has reminded me of how shit it is for tenants.

Thanks for the window intel everyone, keeping fingers and toes crossed.

Meanwhile I'm knee deep in tile samples as it's the one thing I can do during lockdown!

@birdbrained such a small sample size lol Where are you getting yours from? I've looked at quite a few suppliers but really getting samples from tile mountain, tile giant, porcelain superstore...

@loofah01 this is just a small selection have also got quite a few from Mandarin Stone, Artisans of Devizes and clay brook studio.

Current choice for the entrance hall is this one:

Ah my plan for the hallway has hit a snag. Old floorboards; OK condition but not OK enough for installting wood flooring on top of. I can either ply and screed on top or replace with sturdier boards...

Hard finding the 'right' tile for anywhere isn't it!!

@birdbrained Love the choice for hall. Great modern twist on a traditional tile floor.

@Loofah01 think we will have a similar dilemma with our living room. Slight hodgepodge of old pine floorboards. We suggested to the builder we might just keep them and he just gave us that 'look' of being slightly disappointed in us.

We were thinking lvt for the new bit of the extension... I'm waiting on samples. But it feels a bit criminal covering up real wood with vinyl...

Now that we have builders back I've finally started thinking about bits again! Can anyone recommend a nice corner sink, new downstairs loo won't be huge but want to maximise space &storage. Also want a sink that will fit both hands properly (allowing you to properly wash them without dowsing the rest of the room in water) current sink just about allows one hand over/in the sink at a time.

Braved it up the ladder yesterday - stairs are going in on Monday. Can actually see the rooms for real now.
Just one bedroom and one large bathroom.
Small landing.
Husband and son popped up too.