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...

@Loofah01

For those of you using a draughtsman rather than architect to do plans etc - what are they charging and where in the country are you? Having gone through the mill on the project I'm looking at starting it up myself. I've been learning the additional ins and outs of building regs and of course the software and not looking to tout myself as architect worthy but I need a new avenue for cashflow!

Where abouts in the country are you ?

@notreallydumb are the blinds internal or external to the windows? I'd recommend not having them internally as they can fail and dirt accumulates which is impossible to get rid of

@cheesecake864 SE, Woking / Guildford area

@Loofah01

I was looking at external ones hope to place in ceiling void so that they are hidden when not in use , we will def need some form of blind as we are overlooked by flats and in the evening with lights on we would appear to look like people in a tv

I always wanted to be on TV lol

We have ordered motorised blinds from the Appeal Group for our gable window. Due to the shape of the window we were limited on options and they had to be made to measure. Happy to post photos if helpful when they are fitted in a few weeks.

Aaaaah coming on here to rant because I am being a little unreasonable and don't want to in real life. We are currently fitting our kitchen, coming on really well. Until today when my husband has gone to do the under cabinet trim... He has cut all the small bits from the longest lengths so despite the fact I ordered spares we now have a collection of 4 pieces that dont quite fit the last long length needed... It's just such a silly thing to have done. So now I am going to have to try and order another length and pay delivery. I have pored a glass of wine and am trying to forget about it. I know I'm being unreasonable as he is working so hard ( we both are) and mistakes happen. Otherwise we are making progress, and my worktops finally arrived.

It's always the little things that set me off. Give me a nice big crisis anyday! Once the piece is ordered and fitted you'll forget all about it.

I've wasted a whole morning trying to get my network back up after an update. Bloody technology!

Also trying to gee myself up a bit to paint the walls around the kitchen cabinets, not looking forward to this amount of cutting in!

Hi all, newbie here, and finally ready to join in!

We are planning a fairly standard side return kitchen extension in our Victoria terrace. First draft of plans have come through and we have gone back with a request to add more skylights. We will probably use the same company for the build.

I am feeling pretty terrified about starting but also excited about planning things like plinth drawers!

@ Weepinwillow 22 pictures would be good we looked at Origin Blinds but cannot face having someone come and measure along with the hard sell so still looking
@Loofah01 big crisis can do without had my fill of those for a few years
good luck with the painting cutting in ....YUK hate that bit
@Callmejudith welcome to the mad world of extensions and renovations

We started today! kitchen is going tomorrow as we need to knock the old kitchen down. Don’t think we have prepared enough for this aspect despite the wait.

Thanks @Loofah01 feel better this morning and the DIY kitchens guys have sorted out a new bit coming for us just paying delivery as we had a previous issue which is being sorted. Actually really rate the company and pleased the service has actually lived up to expectations. Only downside is it won't be here until last week in December. Otherwise we are trying to motivate ourselves to decorate I have lots of tiling to complete but instead of that I am playing with the kids in the massive box fort we build from the kitchen boxes.

@Slightlydustcovered Aha! We have a constant stream of new forts / shops / dens with the boxes from moving day! So many of them that the kids can decorate and play in them (1 day) then wreck or not for as long as they like then we just repeat :) Great time filler in lockdown 1.

@mothergooseinnorthwest welcome on board and best of luck with the build! No kitchen will come as a shock to the system I'm sure but it's exciting to be underway. We are just getting out of the ground now after a weeklong delay with the bricks arriving. Garden and driveway are now stockpiled with all the materials for the next few weeks in the hope that will protect against any COVID supply related issues.

Me is such a happy bee today , after 8 months of pain and worry we have to underfloor heating in place , well nearly all the pipes are laid and plumber is pressure testing them or something all being well DH will organise the screed people to come in and cover the pipes, Is soooooo good to see things moving again

So glad to hear that notreallydumb. It really is great when the floor and heating is sorted out. We are loving our new underfloor heating which is still being slowly turned up 1 degree every few days. I think it is my favouite thing in the exension, especially when playing on the floor with children.
Did you get your windows sorted too?

@weepingwillow22 No still looking for blinds , hope to have bi-fold fitted by the 4th December so back is all boarded up. In the mean time I keep changing my mind on the kitchen not so much the style , but the colour of the doors and worktop . Am pretty sure we will go for a silstone work top and a wooden top for the island. But now worried that it might be too much wood with oak flooring DH says the wooden worktop for the island will add warmth. He has painted some MDF in the colours I was thinking off and we will place them on the wall at various heights and see how the light will affect the choice once the bifold is in place. No rush he thinks it will be middle to late Jan before we need to order

So nice to hear many of you love underfloor heating. We are going for it after upping the budget. For a while I was wondering if that would be worth it.
@UptownFunkYouUp your progress still sounds fast even after the delay and the deeper foundation. My builder just took some photo of our old bricks I think it’s so he can buy matching bricks. We need to do quite a bit of demolition and then rebuild. Had our first day in the half taken apart kitchen. Everything takes longer but as it’s early days, spirits are still high! Hope you won’t have any more surprises like the foundation from now on.

@mothergooseinnorthwest definitely go for the UFH, it's great and makes my kitchen and dining areas incredibly cosy. Only bad bit is when you step off it onto colder floor!

I've been getting all shouty with a snagging issue today. Having been told the fireplace is going to be actually used as a fireplace, they have made the opening using fireboard (which is fine) but held in place with wooden battens!! It seemed to come as a shock (more so that I checked than anything) that wood and fire might be a problem. Anyway, after a frank discussion with the lead fucktard they're now apparently going to sort it. I'll be watching...

@Loofah01Sometimes you think trades leave their brains at home when they come out ......Fire ...wood no problem
@mothergooseinnorthwest if you can afford it go for UFH yes expensive to install but you will not regret it no rads taking up wall space, no cold spots and cheaper to heat a big space in the long term .

Thursday we have screed being done DH has said a liquid screed will be better, more expensive but will end up with a level floor apparently. DH says that it will only take about half a day to do and be dry to walk on in 24hrs hope that he is right its a big area can't afford for him to be wrong

Our floor fitter insisted on a liquid / laytex screed before doing the bamboo flooring - can't say it made anything more level!

@Loofah01 @notreallydumb totally agree! I am so looking forward to it. Our old extended kitchen floor is ice cold in winter! I absolutely hate it. Glad that part of the house will be rebuilt. I don’t think there is any insulation there.

Our joiner just cracked a £500 induction hob into two when he set it up in the temporary kitchen. Poor guy went so pale when he told us. It came with the house and I had no idea it was that expensive! Determined not to get stressed about it though. Good excuse for take away tonight!

@Loofah01

Our floor fitter insisted on a liquid / laytex screed before doing the bamboo flooring - can't say it made anything more level!

Yes we had liquid screed done by our builders. We then had to spend another £500 for our tiler to latex it as it was completely out. That plus the ditra mat, insulation, tiles and fitting made for a very expensive floor.

@weepingwillow22 now I am worried , DH says screed company use a laser level and then set up markers or something to make sure its level apparently they guarantee that the final level will not be out by more than 3mm. Hope he is right as it's a massive area 18m X 7m

@mothergooseinnorthwest would have loved to have seen his face when he broke it

I have several arguments coming my way. Just caught the bloke sorting the fireplace measuring all the tiling. Why? Boss thinks he's not accounted for some of it. Reckons that although he told me up to 65m2 was in the quote (we're not anywhere near that) it was actually 42 so he wants to charge the extra, which he will have mis-measured.
I'll also have argument over needing to plaster the fireplace opening and painting it.
If the fucker had just given the required quote breakdown the tiling wouln't be an issue and ffs just do the job right !