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...

Hmmm sounds like I was being spun a line. Possibly they get less commission than on the curtain rails or the curtain rails are just easier to fit!!

Hello Everyone , we have structural drawings in place and planning rear extension , house refurb and loft conversion . Please can we get an idea what is the cost of standard 4m extension for 1930 semi with new kitchen & diner. We have got 3 quotes but they are mind boggling to compare. We just want high level figures for

1. rear extension with new kitchen bifold doors & new porch
2. first floor refurb - ie new family bathroom - plastering new radiator electrical and plumbing with new boiler
3. standard loft conversion with en-suite.

The other issue is spending all that money doesn't even guarantee recovery given the market value of similar extended properties on our street.
We are very confused . Please need some
Advise

Rough rule to a plaster finish, £2k per sq m at ground floor only. Add kitchen, flooring, decoration

The other issue is spending all that money doesn't even guarantee recovery given the market value of similar extended properties on our street No not always. You do it to use not as an investment.

Excited - we have a start date now of 2nd November!

Can anyone recommend a floor planner app that will let me design and furnish/fit out our new space - I'm rubbish at visualising things in my head so I need to be able to see what various kitchen unit and floor combinations actually look like, and I'm planning to use it to help plan the decor for the rest of the house too. I'm happy to pay for one if it's good. Anyone had any success with these?

@UptownFunkYouUp

Excited - we have a start date now of 2nd November!

Can anyone recommend a floor planner app that will let me design and furnish/fit out our new space - I'm rubbish at visualising things in my head so I need to be able to see what various kitchen unit and floor combinations actually look like, and I'm planning to use it to help plan the decor for the rest of the house too. I'm happy to pay for one if it's good. Anyone had any success with these?

I used an app called roomsketcher on my computer. It worked for me as it contains a library of things like furniture that you can pick and place as well as customise the sizes to play around with. The free version doesn't allow you to print you plans. I just took screenshots.

So floor is down, needs sanding on joints and sealing with Matt wax oil. But hoorah it's starting to feel like a house at last.

That must be a nice feeling. The floor looks really lovely.

That looks lovely slightlydustcovered. We are at a similar stage and having our floor tiled this week. Our kitchen is being installed on monday after 8 months of waiting. So excited although there is lots to finish first including the windows which have been promised on friday.

@Nina4881 it depends where you are?

I'm currently working on a similar size extension in London. Plus the whole ground floor is to be refurbished and rearranged. We are also putting in a small mezzanine level in the roof. The three tenders came in at £90-£100k.

You also need to take into account any planning fees / partiwall agreements.

One way to save is to do the kitchen separately, most stores have 0% credit.

The figures above is without VAT and design fees.

For those of you who remember our sliders for dwarves, 2 months later and after a shift upwards of the beam we have finally got the replacement ones. So happy we are finally watertight upstairs and downstairs. It has been a long 8 months.

Great news @weepingwillow22 that is an amazing view. So glad you managed to get it sorted!

That looks fab. Glad it was sorted @weepingwillow22

@Slightlydustcovered that floor is going to look the mutts nuts when finished! Bit jealous actually.
@weepingwillow22 well that's MUCH better! :)

@Nina4881 you say a 4m extension but 4m x what? What have you asked to be included / excluded?

@UptownFunkYouUp for the kitchen it would have to be the DIY kitchens designer, never needed a designer for anywhere else, sorry :(

There's an extension being done very close to me by a company called A-line contractors (or something similar) and they are moving REALLY fast! Looks to be a fantastic job too for anyone in the Woking / Pyrford area

@loofah01 I couldn't get the DIY Kitchen planner to work when I tried and then I saw a few posts on here saying they'd removed it and you could only access it if you had an account previously. I'll check again. I have signed up to Floorplanner and am having some success with that though I've only sketched out the floor plans so far, I haven't gotten round to the fun part of furnishing and fittings yet.

On a related note, after reading about both DIY Kitchens and Karen at OnePlan on here we are going visiting them next week and have a slot booked with Karen in October for our kitchen/diner and bathroom and en-suite designs. Cannot wait to see what we come up with!

Oh I remember that annoyance with DIY now, sorry.

All good fun with the designing - I found kitting the place out cost almost as much as the build!

@weepingwillow22 that is fabulous, I admire your patience.
@Loofah01 thanks, will look darker once sealed but it's coming up ok and I have done the maths and it's working out at £32 per M2 so that's not been too bad. Plus we are going to use the left overs for shelving.
@UptownFunkYouUp good luck with the kitchen design remember to share any gems of insight.

I have the hump a little here, just noticed that my husband changed the circuit the wall lights should have been on in the kitchen diner. So now they cannot be put on independently. They will only turn on with the others. I am not best pleased but have quietly gone off to sulk here rather than argue with him about it. Text to electrician confirm its not an easy swap as they are on that ring. Too far into bother to change so I will just have to buy a lamp and live with it.. bugger !
Kitchen has also been delayed so that's another week without that. Uuuugh right I'm going to run the kids a bath and try to stop being grumpy about the stupid wall lights

Could you install Alexa type bulbs and have them operating separately from the others with voice controls?

@Slightlydustcovered whyyyyyyyyyy did he do that?!

Oh god, get it changed. It’ll grind your gears for years to come! Call it his early Xmas present

I have no idea what possessed him. Chatting to the electrician it will be a pain and will mean chasing all the new walls. I don't have it left in me to be honest neither in energy or ££. I will wait for it to all be connected up and see what we are dealing with.
I have 2 plans
plan a, reduce the wattage in some of the bulbs, angle 2 up in to the skylight and thus all lights feel like they should be on together. Buy expensive Anglepoise lamp I covert for husband for Christmas and put it in kitchen for me.

Plan b, point out to husband what a plonker he has been and use it to take control of every remaining decision in the build.

Luckily 3 out of 4 lights can be turned on and off on the fixture so I should be able to make it work anyway it's just extra effort to get it set up.

Honestly it's a good job he has been pretty fabulous partner for the last 20 years, otherwise he would be toast.

@UptownFunkYouUp Karen did a lovely job for me design wise and really made me rethink my fixed ideas, to my benefit. It's fun too.....only 10 days to worktops and the finish line (hopefully) 🤞🏻

I do sympathise slightlydustcovered. You just get to the stage where you just want it all done and are willing to live with the consequences.

One of our kitchen cabinets was damaged but it would have been a 4 week wait to replace it and after 3 months without a kitchen I just don't have the patience. We are just going to get it repaired instead, hopefully it will not annoy me too much.

Hi all, hope everyone is doing well. Update this end we're nearing the end thank god!
Been living with family for 8 weeks so can't wait to get back. Kitchen going in next week, bathroom the week after so we're madly decorating on an evening after work.

Had first of the flooring quotes back, £2750 for 30sqm of LVT. They'd need to put a floating floor on about half of it but I wasn't expecting quite that much 😳 Am I being naive? I work in property maintenance so I've been on the same wavelength with most things during the build but it's always budget lino and carpets I deal with for work 🙈 The actual flooring itself is only £23.99 per ms2! Hopefully quote 2 and 3 will be slightly better!