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...

@SheriffCallie my brother is an architect and he drew up our initial plans. We gave him a budget and he thought it would be within that.

However we got a massive reality check once we started getting builders quotes. The cheapest was still close to double our original budget.

It was a really tough decision whether to go ahead. Financially it doesn't make sense. But we also haven't seen anything else we could afford that ticked all the boxes.

We went back and forth with the builder on options that would save money. But in the end we decided we would be disappointed if we didn't go all out.

There's no easy choice I think. If you can do things in stages that might be an option. For example, building a ground floor that is strong enough to take a second floor later.

Bird, thanks for sharing your experience. That’s how we feel, we’ve seen ‘the vision’ and feel like anything less would be a disappointment. But it’s just so much money, about double what we hoped to spend. We did tell him to do what he thought would work best though so this situation is totally our own fault.

Staging the build would be tricky, given the design, but doable I think. Although I don’t think I’d want to be inconvenienced twice :(
And it would def be more expensive to buy an equivalent house were we to move, and this work would make the house amazing so I doubt we ever would.

@ SheriffCallie ours has been a long drawn-out process with lots of amendments to the original plan.

Plan A (2017) was to build on top of the current downstairs extension. We had some structural investigations done which ascertained that the foundations wouldn't support the addition of a first- floor bedroom.

Plan B (2018) was to have a extension to the rear. An architect drew up some plans but then some groundwork investigations revealed we had a meter of concrete under our patio and so the excavations required would take us way over-budget.

Plan C (2019) was to have a side extension. We had a quote from a builder who drew up some unofficial plans. He then spotted a rogue drain and a drain survey revealed that our plan went right across the drain which wouldn't be allowed.

Plan D (2020) was drawn up by the builder to get around the drain problem and was completely different (and better) than anything we had thought of ourselves. Way more expensive too but by this time we had 3 extra years of savings under our belts and we are now SO pleased that we didn't go with the original plan.

Has anyone else had problems with their neighbours?

Our neighbour was fine with the plans (we made a point of going round and explaining it fully to her before we submitted for planning permission) and we have previously had a good relationship with her.

Since the work started though, she is becoming more difficult. She hated the noise during the excavation stage and kicked up a big stink, saying she didn't realise it was 2-storey. She called the surveyor to have a rant and has now decided that our builders are awful, loud, inconsiderate etc. She has been shouting at them in the street about one of them using her driveway to turn around (fair enough complaint but she did not go about it in a reasonable manner) and also about them parking on the pavement outside her house. She's now put a No Parking sign up. She also got the manager's phone number from their board and called him to complain about their radio and their loud talking.

At first I did feel for her as she is a lady on her own, never leaves the house and this is obviously a big disruption for her. But as time goes on, the way she is dealing with it is making me less sympathetic.

We took flowers round after her first complaint about the excavation noise and we're not really sure where to go from here.

Any experience or advice?

I think her complaint about their radio is valid. I didn't want to listen to my builder's radio so why should I want to listen to the builders next door.
I specified NO radio outside

@Pashazade

Just wondering if anyone has successfully sold their old kitchen on eBay? If so any tips, nowhere near ready to sell it yet, I'm currently waiting for plaster to dry in the new one, but feel like I need to be thinking about stuff as I can't actually do that much that is practical right now.

I sold mine for £600 on Facebook marketplace. 20 year old generic cheap new build kitchen albeit with granite worktops. I took lots of photos before it was removed, listed it on local selling group (then was able to also post it on a couple of other sites in area plus nation Marketplace with a click of the mouse) Do it on a day when you can spend all day online dealing with some real interest and a load of time wasters.

Yes, I also understand her complaint about the radio. I just don't understand why she can't speak to them about it in a reasonable manner rather than yelling down the phone at their boss.
I do sympathise with her position but I guess I'm prone to taking a much less confrontational approach!

@babyguffingtonstrikesagain are you living in? Our neighbour has been very very difficult from the start, but I’m leaving the builder to deal with her. He is being reasonable and seems to manage her by giving a little (no radio, privacy screening), but trying not to pander to her. She’s made life quite stressful (whipping the neighbours up too), but I ignore her. As long as we are safe, legal, and reasonable, some disruption must be expected.

Yes we are living in but making the most of the summer hols at the moment and going away to stay with family for alternate weeks.

We're also letting the builders deal with her at the moment as we don't want a sour relationship with her going forwards.

@drownininplaymobil, that’s been such a drawn out process. I havent even though about ours not being possible, just about it being unaffordable. Glad you got there in the end though.

I've done a large extension and have lived through the experience. It is vile (but worth it!)

My neighbours house is currently being renovated. I'm sat in my garden, having worked all weekend and not enjoyed any sun until today. I am having to listen to a tile cutter/banging/dust coming over etc.
I gain nothing out of this so of course it's annoying!
Don't underestimate how irritating it is as a neighbour. The builders next door are great- no radio/swearing etc. I wouldn't complain as they're doing nothing wrong but it's so annoying to live with!

I have been dropping of gifts ( biscuits, some homemade chutney, beer etc. ) to my neighbours through the process generally with thank you scrawled across, I do this the day after what I feel is an "Armageddon" day , chasing electrics in party wall, or an internal wall coming out. They have been lovely on both sides and very understanding. Me and neighbour to one side are combining apples off our trees this year to try and make cider. In short I have got very lucky. Once it's done it will be forgotten about but lots of understanding along the way helps.

Uggggh flooring just been delayed until mid September.... That means kitchen needs to be pushed back. FFS hope you are all having better luck than me today.

Hello all! Late to this thread but we're a few months in and (hopefully!) about 6 weeks away from the end of our project. Single storey rear ground floor extension with an internal wall coming down to make an open-plan living space - plus complete re-wire and re-plumb of the house, with new plastering, new bathrooms and kitchen, new (reclaimed) doors and replacing the windows too for good measure!

We started digging the foundations and building the extension walls while we were still living there. We've got a toddler though so once they needed to disconnect the toilets we moved out! We were due to go but lockdown happened so had a few months delay - luckily it was all still liveable except for our building-site back garden!

The worst thing has been supplier delays so @Slightlydustcovered I feel your pain about the floor (and am so sorry to hear). We've had some luck being demanding and have also managed to source some 'out of stock' items from other suppliers and claim refunds from our original sellers... But it's definitely added extra grey hairs to the process.

At this point we have got the extension roof on and are (from my non-expert viewpoint) turning the corner from demolition to construction! Which feels good. Best of luck to you all!

Hi all, been very busy so have not posted for a while but things are coming along here.

We got our upstairs beam moved up so it is no longer in eye line and are now waiting for the windows. Our builders are focussing on the downstairs now so we can have a kitchen again. First fix electrics this week then floor screeding and underfloor heating.

You definitely are my build twin slightlydustcovered. I found out today that the floor tiles we had planned are out of stock until September too. I am not delaying our kitchen again though as it has already been delayed 3 times. We will either use different tiles or tile after the kitchen is installed.

Our integrated hot extraction went in today (black pipe in middle of floor). It is looking very futuristic!

I should really get round to posting some pics of my project, will do soon promise! All I managed recently was to bury the virgin media cable in a trench!
Those of you with issues with builders noise and or neighbours - we set up a whatsapp group so if any big deliveries or something annoying was about to happen the builders let everyone know. All the neighbours here have been pretty decent about the whole thing. Im amazed frankly as any delivery completely blocks the single lane!

Builder has asked if we can move out next week 🤦🏼‍♀️ so they can crack on with knock through as will loose what's left of the bathroom so no toilet or bathing provision. A bit more notice would have been good but he's super laid back... now to flutter my eyelashes at family 🙈

Thanks Wheredoes I hadn't considered the being available to field info requests bit!

Hi all been watching this post for ages. I'm nearly a year into our double storey rear extention and single on the side. The rest of the house has been stripped back and nothing of the old house remains. With covid there was a period of 4 months were no builders were on site. Just getting the second fix done on the plumbing and electrics. I now feel this is the most stressful time making decisions on the final look. Who'd have thought weather white, chrome or brushed steel sockets could give you sleepless nights lol. The latest dilemma is I want white glossed skirting to go with the prefinshed oak doors that we have chosen but the dear wife wants pre finished skirting too to match. What are your thoughts? Thank.

Still no builders.
But I got flooring, radiators and toilet stuff delivered (Victorian plumbing, finally).

I know which tiles I want for the toilet, but can't really make my mind up for the kitchen backsplash. The kitchen doors are an off white shaker style and the worktop is an oak laminate. Flooring is engineered wide board oak. Our table is a dark brown.

The galley kitchen before had light green tiles and I absolutely loved them. But not sure if I'm brave enough to pick them for the big kitchen diner lounge. We might want to paint the snug part and the colour might clash with the green tiles?

White or grey maybe? Just to be safe????? (and boring)

We completed and collected keys last Friday for out new house, first time buyers... 3 bed semi had carpets, a kitchen and could have been lived in but need updating... DH has been in there 5 days and done this.... we are building back extension for kitchen/diner... should be finished in 4 weeks

He is also rewiring, moving walls and ceilings and doing loads of other stuff! I leave him to it.... looking forward to finish!

@Maddogdav77

Hi all been watching this post for ages. I'm nearly a year into our double storey rear extention and single on the side. The rest of the house has been stripped back and nothing of the old house remains. With covid there was a period of 4 months were no builders were on site. Just getting the second fix done on the plumbing and electrics. I now feel this is the most stressful time making decisions on the final look. Who'd have thought weather white, chrome or brushed steel sockets could give you sleepless nights lol. The latest dilemma is I want white glossed skirting to go with the prefinshed oak doors that we have chosen but the dear wife wants pre finished skirting too to match. What are your thoughts? Thank.

That's a long project! Pre-finished oak doors will be presumably oak finish rather than gloss white? Solid or veneered? Don't get veneered skirting as the veneer is thinner than thin and as soon as that vacuum cable runs across the corner it will peel back... I have oak veneered doors, finished myself with Osmo oil and the skirting is bog standard mdf, pre-primed and finished in eggshell white

@Pashazade

Thanks Wheredoes I hadn't considered the being available to field info requests bit!

@Pashazade definitely need to be 100% focused for the day advert goes live! I got a lot of generic "is this still available" which is the FB default reply. I replied to the ones first who actually wrote something else as i guessed they were more likely to be genuinely interested. You have to ready for some very rude or pushy people. I had one who just sent ???? to me as I hadn't managed to answer his first message within 20 minutes (I was trying to field queries from 3 others at same time who had actually bothered to make proper inquiries about the kitchen). I just told him it was sold to get rid of him.

I just wanted the old kitchen out of my garage and avoid having to pay for an extra skip to dispose of it, so getting some decent money was a pleasant surprise

Phew felt sorry for the builders today. Far too hot.

Some good progress this week with doors, skirting boards and plumbing. Really love the skirting boards - not sure I want them painted!

Bath installed today and couldn't resist putting the bath panel and tiles alongside.

Finally got our Victoria Plumbing delivery too - after I asked to cancel they were suddenly able to offer next day delivery!

Someone asked where our shower tray was from. I only found two options in the 1200x1200 one. An expensive metal
One and a much cheaper stone reason one by 'Mx Elements'. opted for the cheaper one and it looks fine. Was a bit of a struggle to find it in stock anywhere though so do order in advance.

Big week next week. Hopefully the plaster will be finished and fingers and toes crossed the windows will arrive next Thursday/Friday.

Hope everyone else had good weeks!