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

How are you all finding the plaster situation? We are still stuck on the lack of plaster front.

@FrownsAndDimples currently very smug about plaster...not so much on the windows. There's a huge demand on plaster at the moment but british gypsum have been up and running a month now so I expect the supply will be OK soon

Progress this week:

Last window
Gutters and fascias

Next week could be really good progress...

Positive indications for:

Plaster
Painted free standing bath
Marble topped vanity unit

Rang home insurance company to inform of works, they can't cover it. It is a single storey extension, property will be occupied. Any recommended contacts?

Hi @321pastamaker my home insurance wouldn't cover it either. Ended up going with Home Protect as they offered specialist cover for renovation/extension projects (and I couldn't find cover anywhere else!).

They were good and now my extension is nearly finished I'll be cancelling it in the next couple of weeks once the work is completed to go somewhere cheaper (as you do pay over the odds for this kind of home insurance) but I would recommend them. Hope that helps x

@321pastamaker when is your work starting or has it already started? I asked the same question on here a couple of months ago. My insurance was up for renewal anyway but most places were wanting to charge £350+ as the build was over £75k. Someone on here said Direct Line charged them nothing to change their policy so I change to them end of March. Rang up a few weeks ago to let them know work was starting and no charge 😊

@bez91 Wish I'd have seen that before!!! Starts next week, I've actually been in touch with direct line but I think because it is a new policy they have directed me towards another company - I haven't heard of them so I guess that makes me a little nervous!

Bit more painting for me this afternoon... Did a click and collect wickes shop on rollers so have plenty to get on with :)

Flooring contractor booked for 11th, kitchen is arriving monday so that will kick around for a couple of weeks while we wait for the floor to be installed. Architraves and skirtings can be fitted everywhere else while we wait and the windows should be in mid June.

That will have been me and the insurance! I may have been late telling them but hey ho..... now I'm trying to remember what I said would be the end date because we lost 6 weeks to lockdown. However we now have walls and the second (more invasive) bit of demo starts next week along with steels maybe arriving. So glad we've had such good weather these past few weeks. Oh and if you ever find a well on your property you're probably looking at an extra £1.5k in concrete to fill it in! Sadly it was right on the corner of our new foundation and the surveyor said no to just hardcore!

Not related to our building work, but this may just give you a laugh. Attempting to 'make over' our old UPVC front door... looking fairly disastrous just now to be honest ....

Perhaps it looks worse before it looks better? I'm sure it will be great after another few coats.

I finally found some plaster. Probably enough to tide us over for the next 2 weeks until supply normalises again. British gypsum are almost at 100% capacity but I'm not seeing that fed down the line at selco, wickes or b&q.

@FrownsAndDimples second coat a bit better already ...

Amazing! One more methinks.

Missfliss how’s the door?

Much better @intheningnangnong -

Gosh that’s amazing! Saved a fortune too

That’s great @missfliss! I’m tempted to do mine too.

Kitchen all arrived yesterday in good condition. Very pleased so far with DIY Kitchens although I haven't had a chance to unwrap anything (there's a lot!). Would highly recommend the platinum delivery service level
Last bit of plastering happening Thursday and I get to order the outstanding appliances later. Another 3k+ :(

Yikes. The figures do really add up don't they Loofah01

I'm getting slightly obsessed with what is happening on site. As we are living in an rental I'm desperate to go round every day and look, but obviously can't. It's driving me slightly crazy and meaning I'm not doing half as much work as I need to

@intheningnangnong I'm going round several times a week now (same situation as you, in a rental while the build happens), not really to check more too see how the last changes transform it from a wreck to a house :)
Painting ceilings now which is a cack job but takes it's part in making it look like we're in the final stretch. Have also started to move some plants in and need to water those (any excuse to go really lol)

We're lucky enough to basically be renting next door. So my daily routine is to pop over to inspect at 4:30 once the builders go home . Less happy about the proximity today as the roofing crew blast shit dance music out . Took all the neighbours a box of chocolates for their patience!

Very excited the roof is going on though!

@Loofah01 what kitchen did you go for? I have a design in the Stanbury mix of Cobham Blue and Dove Grey. Trying to decide whether to get our worktops through them. Cheaper than all our other quotes so far but reviews for worktop supplier a bit mixed.

Also went for the stanbury but in carbon (island) and mussel (all the rest). I wanted all carbon, wife wanted beige so we compromised and I'm not completely convinced but it's what we've got!
I'm using a more local quartz supplier for two reasons - the island is big and needs a solid slab (don;t want a join) and they do a templating, supply and fit service. It's a bit more pricey than some solid surface options but really not that much more and it will definitely fit!

One thing I am all at sea over is the bloody splashback. Tiles, stainless steel, some patterned thing, glass... ???