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...

@missfliss the parquet looks lovely.

I'm sure we painted our new build in a combination of timeless and pure brilliant white when we moved in 10 years ago and I remember thinking there wasn't much difference between the two in the end.

I'm looking for some advice. We are at the quotation stage and are getting quotes from five builders. We have the first one back in and it's a lot lower than I was expecting. I really liked him and he has great reviews on Facebook and freeindex but the price is putting me off. I am waiting with interest to see what the other quotes come back at to see if they are in the same ballpark or whether he is at the low end which I strongly suspect he will be. I know the cheapest option is not usually the best option, but I was interested in whether anyone else had gone with the cheapest and ultimately been happy with their choice? Would love to hear others' experiences in this respect.

@UptownFunkYouUp we went with the cheapest because it was the only one we could (just about) afford! He's been great we feel very lucky to have had him, especially during Covid. He's quite old school and has his network of subcontractors which I suspect saves us a lot of money.

Worth going through exactly what the quote includes, including the spec of all the bits they will be putting in the house.

Can someone please advise on etiquette re offering teas/ coffees? When they are mainly working outside and are going to be here for months on end? Our builder has just arrived for the first day. I don’t know what to do! Advice welcome.....

@Thethingswedoforlove

Can someone please advise on etiquette re offering teas/ coffees? When they are mainly working outside and are going to be here for months on end? Our builder has just arrived for the first day. I don’t know what to do! Advice welcome.....

The easiest thing is to give them an old / cheap kettle and mugs and get them to make their own. Top tip - sugar lumps are less messy than loose sugar.

[quote UptownFunkYouUp]@missfliss the parquet looks lovely.

I'm sure we painted our new build in a combination of timeless and pure brilliant white when we moved in 10 years ago and I remember thinking there wasn't much difference between the two in the end.

I'm looking for some advice. We are at the quotation stage and are getting quotes from five builders. We have the first one back in and it's a lot lower than I was expecting. I really liked him and he has great reviews on Facebook and freeindex but the price is putting me off. I am waiting with interest to see what the other quotes come back at to see if they are in the same ballpark or whether he is at the low end which I strongly suspect he will be. I know the cheapest option is not usually the best option, but I was interested in whether anyone else had gone with the cheapest and ultimately been happy with their choice? Would love to hear others' experiences in this respect.[/quote]
Ask for a complete breakdown of what is included. Mine for example simply listed things like 'sanitary wares' which is very much open to interpretation as to what is included. A full breakdown was never received and I'm now thinking about beating him over the head with one of the many bricks left behind...
Another option is to get two quotes - one to first fix, so all building works, plumbing, electrics etc that will be covered by the next quote - finish. This latter should include the level of finish, 2nd fix of plumbing, joinery, decorating, fixings etc. Be VERY clear on the bathroom and kitchen and any optimistic interpretation is going to leave a sour taste so get the quotes as specific as you can. Also make sure anything not to be included is stated clearly meaning the remainder is included.
Often it's good to revisit the brief or scope you sent out to make sure it covers what you want.

@WhereDoesThisToiletGo

Thank you !

First builder in in over 4 weeks... He's sorting out lights and power sockets.
We were also promised a plumber for this week, but don't see this happening. Would be so nice to have running water downstairs...

For now we've just been painting everything white. We will decide on a colour once we live in, I find this easier.

Got the flooring in. I paid for the delivery and they only did kerb side delivery. It was raining, so I carried 65 m2 of engineered wood flooring in by myself. Meh.
Victorian plumbing finally delivered the ordered. Funnily enough also after I have cancelled the order. I've sent the cancellation email in the morning and in the afternoon I received an update that it's shipped. Can't be coincidence.

There is a delay on the dish washer as Miele still seems to catch up with orders since their factory closure in March. I really like a Miele dish washer, so I'll just wait. If I get too impatient I will have to buy the Ikea one. Meh.

Thinking about whether I should get a new washing machine. Ours moves like 4 inches around when spinning, so annoying. I just think it is easier to change now and replace it now. If I get on with it and it breaks in 2 months, it might scratch the flooring then we remove it. But so much money (also want a Miele one, so partially my fault haha).

@birdbrained and @Loofah01 thank you! Some useful tips there.

@UptownFunkYouUp our builder was 34% less than our top quote and still nearly 90k cheaper than the next one. He has been brilliant. Don’t be put off, but just ensure you get a tight list of what you want included and they sign a JCT listing it.

@Peachi82 is the washing machine just unbalanced? That certainlh makes them jump about

Hello, I'd like to join you all! I'm at the stage of getting final builder quotes in. We're hoping to keep it to 170k, but that won't include kitchen fitting, or any flooring, tiling, decorating. Such is Surrey pricing...

We live in a 30s semi, and have full planning (and a painful party wall award) for a two storey side extension which will knock down a 50s garage that's on its way out anyway, and a full width rear extension with a high but flat roof. We're hoping for some wow factor in the ceiling height, and the main house ceilings are higher than more modern houses anyway.

The current dining room is on the party wall and it will become the kitchen since it'll have the least natural light. We hear our neighbours' arguments through that wall so I've specified sound insulation grade plaster board there.

The side extension will give us a utility room the size of an average new build kitchen, and two bedrooms above. The current third bedroom is small so will become a second bathroom, well shower room.

I'll post some pictures when I can. I've been doing a lot in the garden and keep forgetting to do "before" pics, only "after".

@TyneFilth we had drop the ceiling in our extension to make space for a waste pipe and I took the opportunity to add in acoustic boarding as our 20 year old house has rubbish sound insulation.
The difference is brilliant! I no longer hear all the dreadful car chase films Mr WhereDoes watches after I go to bed!

@TyneFilth

Hello, I'd like to join you all! I'm at the stage of getting final builder quotes in. We're hoping to keep it to 170k, but that won't include kitchen fitting, or any flooring, tiling, decorating. Such is Surrey pricing...

We live in a 30s semi, and have full planning (and a painful party wall award) for a two storey side extension which will knock down a 50s garage that's on its way out anyway, and a full width rear extension with a high but flat roof. We're hoping for some wow factor in the ceiling height, and the main house ceilings are higher than more modern houses anyway.

The current dining room is on the party wall and it will become the kitchen since it'll have the least natural light. We hear our neighbours' arguments through that wall so I've specified sound insulation grade plaster board there.

The side extension will give us a utility room the size of an average new build kitchen, and two bedrooms above. The current third bedroom is small so will become a second bathroom, well shower room.

I'll post some pictures when I can. I've been doing a lot in the garden and keep forgetting to do "before" pics, only "after".

Have to love Surrey pricing don't you! Whereabouts? I'm over toward Woking and anything costs a mint

Just sharing more pics of our new and old staircases. All painted now and carpet laid today. Am very pleased !

Forgot to add pics

@Loofah01 very close! Am in a suburb of the Woking borough. Might even have talked to some of the same building firms as you?!

@TyneFilth I'm not far down the road Ascot way so I can sympathize. We are also doing a 2 story wrap around on a 1950s semi. Sounds very similar apart from no flat roof and only adding 1 bedroom + ensuite upstairs also knocked down an asbestos roofed garage. We are hoping to come in a bit under that but I am recycling / skip diving most stuff and doing alot of labour ourselves. We have plastering going on at the moment. Pic of what will be my new kitchen. The sink will be on a peninsula that sticks out from the wall in front of where I am standing.

Tiling is beautiful but slow going... taken three days to get this done...

Have all fingers and toes crossed that the windows come tomorrow. The builder was a bit pessimistic this morning. He also came bearing bad news about additional scaffolding costs due to the Covid delays. Sigh.

Fear has hit me that we need to move in in a month but there's still a lot to do...

Looks amazing @missfliss! Can't wait to get to that point.

It is great to see everyones progress. Your house is looking beautiful missfliss, I love your floor.

The herribone cetaintly looks like a labour of love birdbrained should look great when it is finished.

We are having underfloor heating put in at the moment. We also took the opportunity to have a chemical flush of our heating system at the same time but the plumber neglected to tell us before that this involves running our heating as much as possible over the next few days. So we have been sweltering inside in 30 degree heat with all tge radiators full blast in the middle of a heatwave!

He also came bearing bad news about additional scaffolding costs due to the Covid delays I’d negotiate that. They wouldn’t have been putting it up anywhere else. The cost, as a PP said, is in the erection/dismantling, don’t be giving too much!

[quote TyneFilth]@Loofah01 very close! Am in a suburb of the Woking borough. Might even have talked to some of the same building firms as you?![/quote]
Oh cool, send me a quick message if you like and I can tell you about the one we used.

@birdbrained

Tiling is beautiful but slow going... taken three days to get this done...

Have all fingers and toes crossed that the windows come tomorrow. The builder was a bit pessimistic this morning. He also came bearing bad news about additional scaffolding costs due to the Covid delays. Sigh.

Fear has hit me that we need to move in in a month but there's still a lot to do...

Looks amazing @missfliss! Can't wait to get to that point.

as long as its weather proof you'll be ok, its just not ideal really is it!

We started our single storey rear extension in March 2020. It’s been a bit of a nightmare due to COVID-19 but we luckily made the decision early on to buy as much of the materials as possible early on and store them in the garden! But one thing we forgot to get was the plaster and ended up paying about 4x the normal price!

Me and my partner have been ‘working’ from home since lockdown. This has meant we’ve been keeping a close eye on the builder and other tradesman. I think this has been both a blessing and a problem... part of me wishes I could have just let them get on with it and not interfered as much!

We’re almost finished the final few bits. The floor tiles are going down this week, and furniture will be next.

We run a design business so it was fun to be able to use all the experience and best bits from previous projects on our own house. Lovely built in bookcases, light features, garden kitchen, that sort of thing.

No idea how to post photos on here otherwise i’d be happy to share some ideas

Hope everyone’s projects are progressing well!

I've mentioned on here before about my love for havng two quotes - the first for up to first fix and the second for the finishing bits. My new idea for anyone about to start is to make sure there's a bit in the contract that stipulates the area around the house or used by builders must be reinstated for immediate use - dig over the compacted ground, remove the hardcore etc and turf. Been working on mine out the front and bugger me it's hard going!

@Loofah01 one other suggestion for 'beginners' is to discuss how much outside space the builders actually need. If you give them full access to your entire garden, they will fill it with stuff and trash it. Cordon off as much as possible. We were fortunate to have a large block paved area at the front which they used so the back and side garden escaped fairly unscathed