Extension 2020 part 2: pandemics, plaster & plumbing

[birdbrained]

Original thread: Extension / loft conversion thread 2020 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/3783237-extension-loft-conversion-thread-2020

Hopefully during the course of this thread the plaster will be in abundance, the windows will arrive and houses will be put back together...

Thanks @Loofah01 - that's great to know! What brand did you use?

Cripes, no idea but they're all much the same. My Sparky picked them up from his wholesalers, cheap as chips too :)

Ah, that makes sense - think we'll probably do the same! Thanks!

@birdbrained looking amazing, you must be pleased. We won't have that moment either as we need to do loads of the finishing too.

Decided my sink is too small so I am going to order a new one. Total pain as on paper it's fine but in reality it just gets lost in the space. Conversely the shower looks too big ( 900*1500), but, it's going to be so nice to be in I am keeping it.

Ordered the kitchen from DIY kitchens this morning, being delivered in 4 weeks which is ok as we should be ready for it all being well.

I am just pleased it finally feels like we are getting towards the end.

Oh and my builder has advanced all delivery of remaining items, doors, suntube, timber incase there is a second wave and the supply chains are impacted again. This has worried me a little so this weekend I will be buying grout and paint just incase.

How exciting to order the kitchen @Slightlydustcovered ! Planning to use DIY too, but I don't think we'll be ready to order before the sale ends. What did you go for?

@Spidershuffle we have gone for the stanbury was initially set on Norton but decided stanbury + holiday for same price was fine

We have chosen Dakar. It's not what I would normally chose as it's quite gray but we liked it, and it has a matching carcass colour which I really like. its going with a reclaimed scafold board floor ( delivered tomorrow). And a patterned Formica topped beach ply wood worktop. One wall has units and the other I am planning to tile the entire wall for a splash back in an off white tile. The only things on this wall will be a extractor and wall light, can't decide on a shelf or not yet. In my head it comes together well... We will have to wait a few more weeks to see what happens in reality.
Just appliances to buy but as these are ££ I know what I want so am just waiting for someone ( looking at you John Lewis) to have an offer.

@Spidershuffle

How exciting to order the kitchen *@Slightlydustcovered* ! Planning to use DIY too, but I don't think we'll be ready to order before the sale ends. What did you go for?

You can always order it then change the delivery date as long as you're not past a certain threshold point.

We also got the Stanbury in charcoal and mussel (dark grey and dirty cream to everyone else) then got a worktop from somewhere else. Very happy with it all :)

@Slightlydustcovered have you looked at Appliance City? They do deal on bundles there, you just have to drop them a line with what you want; it worked out very well for us with a 110cm range plus hood plus huge fridge freezer

Our kitchen is also the Stanbury from DIY 😂. Builders thought quality was good but that DIY let itself down a bit by not including some of the smaller details like caps to cover screw holes. All looks good to me though.

Second Appliance City - bought dishwasher, range cooker and extractor and saved hundred off the 'list' price. I've used them before and found them good both times. Fair warning some appliances are in short supply!

Great tip @wheredoesthetoiletgo!

Good tip re ordering @Loofah01, thanks, will look into it!

Stanbury seems to be the way to go! We're looking at Norton for the kitchen (it's not that big) and Stanbury for the utility. Great to hear you're pleased with it, @Loofah01and @birdbrained - both of your kitchens look lovely, really like the dark colours too.

@Slightlydustcovered that all sounds amazing, can't wait to see a pic when it's done!

So this isn't related to the current build, but can anyone recommend curtailing solutions. We have two tall bays at the front of the house (Victorian) and currently have a track system that you open and close with the one side pull. The upstairs one is awful as we have black out fabric on the back of the curtains and they are really heavy so pulling the cord gives me blisters! Downstairs has just pulled off the wall at the corner where the mechanism is and the curtains are about as light as they can get! So any recommendations for alternatives or really good companies? Sadly I can't have shutters as we have non existent window sills and company who did the curtains (who also sold shutters) said they weren't deep enough.....

Looking forward to more pictures of these soon to be completed kitchens and extensions

@Pashazade I'm afraid track installation is outside my sphere of reference. Beyond always recommending that clients used decent quality metal tracks and never plastic. Silent Gliss are good. It sounds like you need to fix into a ceiling joist if possible. I feel your pain, the walls of my house hate curtain tracks!

@Pashazade

So this isn't related to the current build, but can anyone recommend curtailing solutions. We have two tall bays at the front of the house (Victorian) and currently have a track system that you open and close with the one side pull. The upstairs one is awful as we have black out fabric on the back of the curtains and they are really heavy so pulling the cord gives me blisters! Downstairs has just pulled off the wall at the corner where the mechanism is and the curtains are about as light as they can get! So any recommendations for alternatives or really good companies? Sadly I can't have shutters as we have non existent window sills and company who did the curtains (who also sold shutters) said they weren't deep enough.....

Swish, all the time. Their tracks are brilliant and easy to operate. Installation very simple too. If it goes round a bend then you just have to find something to bend it round (last time I used a gas bottle as it was about the right curvature).

Just an addition to the curtain tracks - make sure your fixings are right for the job. About 6-8" above the window opening to avoid the lintel, or into ceiling of a bay if its recessed/bay window type. Get proper expanding fixings for stud walls . dot and dab etc

If anyone is near the Woking area I have two samples of doors for the Stanbury in Carbon and Mussel from DIY Kitchens. Free to whomever

We went last night to look at our site and the whole roof is off, all the joists gone, and plaster off walls. I bloody hope our builder knows what he’s doing!

@Pashazade are you sure they couldn’t build out the window sills? I’d speak to another company. We used to have a box bay and the curtain situation drove me mad.

Thanks for the suggestions peeps. I did wonder about the window sills not being deep enough......

I HAVE A KITCHEN FLOOR! Beyond excited, only been delayed for 2 months!

@Slightlydustcovered so how will that get fixed and finished? Quite keen to see it to be honest, I love the idea :)

It's being glued and nailed, apart from under were the kitchen peninsula will go. That will be screwed down so we can always access pipework without having to rip anything up. It comes planed and sanded but we will need to go over any joins with a sander by hand to make it totally smooth. By it's nature it won't ever be perfect and there will be small gaps, but it's well insulated underneath. It will then be wax oiled with a matt finish. I fear it will be a labour of love. Fingers crossed 🤞

@Loofah01

If anyone is near the Woking area I have two samples of doors for the Stanbury in Carbon and Mussel from DIY Kitchens. Free to whomever

Ha I'm not too far but can add sage and Dakar to the collection, did you not return them with the kitchen? Do you want to return via me if possible?

Very kind but I doubt that I'd be able to return via anyone else. To be honest I competely forgot to do it plus I was off site that day so it was never going to happen. Was useful when going about looking at worktops when the kitchen had been started and I had a better idea of what would go with the room

@Pashazade we have essentially nothing in the way of window sills and have shutters no problem. We ordered online via california shutters (I think? I would need to check) and they were fitted by OH's uncle, ours fit outside the window surrounds rather than inside, if that makes sense.