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...

I am low today. DH is super anxious about the money and thinks two of the quotes are unnecessarily high, and the other one is in the right range but has too much uncertainty. We actually have enough accessible cash savings to go ahead and get us to second fix, but he doesn't like the idea that we will have zero savings at the end of it, because his job could go if there is a serious recession and then we won't be able to rebuild savings as well as doing all the decorating and finishing. I am much less worried about money than he is but I don't think I'm unrealistic. And now we're into the point in the year where the most invasive bit of work might happen when stormy autumn weather rolls in. The three builders we're talking to have got availability at the end of August (and two have yet to quote).

I am now depressed because our house as it is will be a nightmare in the winter whether it is cold or just wet. We have single glazed doors to the back, and a single skin shitty kitchen extension done to no standards at all in the 1980s/90s. The drains overflow regularly and flood the garden. We can hear our neighbours through the party wall and they have regular shouty sweary arguments. Our consumer unit is more than 40 years old and the garage wall is sagging away from the house. We have lived like this since spring 2019 and I just want to get on with it and get it fixed.

@Cchris1984 beautiful photos! I love the built in shelves in the dining area, that's a lovely touch. What are the long slim white bits with black borders on what I assume is a boxed in steel?

Thanks @birdbrained and @intheningnangnong the fireplace is a log burner from Spartherm. The glass front slides up into the chimney breast, so it can be used as an open fire. Love it!

@tentative3 the white boxes are ‘light boxes’ that we designed to be recessed into the downstand for the steel beam and waste pipe. The frame around them looks black in the photos, but they are the same Hague Blue colour as the chimney wall and bookshelves. They have Philips Hue light strips inside. The colour of the light changes throughout the day (natural white to mimic sunlight in the morning, a soft blue light around lunch time, and then a lovely burnt orange colour on an evening). The photos don’t really do them justice, they look great in real life!

@TyneFilth sorry to hear it, I hope you get things sorted. I noticed in a previous post your budget was around £170k... could reducing the scope of the work help with money/savings worries?

@Cchris1984 what an interesting idea, I love the idea of evening light. I remember seeing it on grand designs or building the dream or similar.

Is your fireplace one of the cassettes from spartherm? We are investigating options to go in a support column and this looks like it could work. Can I also ask a really cheeky question? Any chance of a better pic of the built in shelves?

@tentative3 the fire isn’t one of the cassettes, it’s called a Spartherm Premium V-2L-80h. Photo attached of the whole unit before it was boxed in.

I looked for ages to find somewhere that sold recessed bookshelves that we liked. In the end, the bookshelves were designed by us and the drawings were sent to a carpenter 100s of miles away to be built (felt a little bit risky!) they arrived on site and were perfect! The panels under the shelves are to hide and provide access to all the bits and bobs for the underfloor heating.

On a night, we usually have all the lights off except the light boxes and the lamp on the bookshelves (also Philips Hue bulb and connected to the light boxes). It just gives the room a lovely warm orange glow.

@Cchris1984 you've done a great job of all the little details, they make all the difference but I've often thought of them too late.

@tentative3 thanks! I think you’re right, you have to think of the little details really early on. It would have been very difficult to retrofit some of the features we built in. I think we were in a lucky position as we’ve done lots of similar projects and just took all the best bits from them to include on this project.

Even basic things like having all the cables for the TV and sound system hidden can easily be overlooked. We designed it so that none of the cables or ugly things like sky box, router, amp etc can be seen, and all the surround sound speakers are hidden flush with the ceiling, instead of taking space up in the corner of the room.

Oh @Cchris1984 I thought those light boxes were frosted clerestory windows!

Thank you for sympathising. We already descoped from doing a loft room and second staircase, and from having a level change down to the rear extension for even more ceiling height wow. There's not much more we can take out without deciding not to do an entire section, really. We haven't got landscaping or decorating or anything unnecessary in that price. But we will use the green homes grant when details come out, and I am fairly confident that the house overall will be worth what we've spent on it (plus we're going to be here for 10 years at least).

I'm going to go back through the threads and look for things which can crop up as nasty surprises now! That'll be cheery.

Sorry I stalk this thread ready for our new house. Your fireplace is divine!

@birdbrained I like the patterned tiles - we opted not to have them in a bathroom though as if the wife dropped an earring etc then we'd never see it until it got stuck in a foot! We have them in the utility instead.

@TyneFilth If it helps, we have zero saving left now and I'm just at the last stages of decorating but theres still a bucket of things to finish. I'm a contractor and all of my projects disappeared overnight when covid hit, I haven't worked since March! It is very stressful indeed not knowing where some cash is going to come from but having to make the best of it and at least try to get bits finished off. I at least have the time if not the resources!
Can you split the works and get some done at least? Garage wall would be a worry for me...

@TyneFilth it's really tough. We've waited five years to do our extension and have put up with lots of things in the interim. But still I wasn't so convinced about the financial gamble. We are spending a huge amount, more than the value we will add. I hate the thought of being 'stuck' here. I'm also super stressed at the moment because we have over spent so using credit cards to finish things off. There won't be any savings left, just debt.

But... it is also going to transform our everyday lives and ultimately we decided it was worth the risk. I'm so glad we did it now though so we can enjoy it rather than putting up with things for another five years.

Good luck!!

Folks not only do we have windows but some of them have even been installed! 😱

Ultimately the windows were always a compromise. We couldn't afford wood or aluminium. So went with slightly fancier uPVC (flush sash). And... I don't mind them. I find the bulky ness of the frames on the smaller windows a bit annoying. But nothing I can't live with. We're still waiting on the massive windows for our bedroom though...

@birdbrained

Folks not only do we have windows but some of them have even been installed! 😱

Ultimately the windows were always a compromise. We couldn't afford wood or aluminium. So went with slightly fancier uPVC (flush sash). And... I don't mind them. I find the bulky ness of the frames on the smaller windows a bit annoying. But nothing I can't live with. We're still waiting on the massive windows for our bedroom though...

We had to skip the aluminium frames too and to be honest, I quite like the anthracite upvc windows. Still got ali bifolds though

The second level of our scaffolding went up yesterday which is exciting as it means next week they will be starting the roof structure.

Also, we have had a very kind offer from some people we know who are going to let us stay in their house locally while they're on holiday. It coincides perfectly with the dates when the builders want to knock the extension through to the main house (including the removal of our staircase). VERY thankful that we don't have to stay in the house during that, although I'm sure relocating for the week will also have its challenges with 3 kids in tow...

What a relief to have somewhere else to stay @babyguffingtonstrikesagain we've been very lucky not to be living in during our build.

All go at ours. Kitchen delivered. Windows mostly in. Doors in. Plastering nearly finished. Electrics been finished. Still loads to do of course and still missing big rear window and patio doors.

Have attached a picture for uPVC skeptics like me - this is our new porch window and I'm very happy with it!

@birdbrained those flush upvc look very decent! When are you moving in?!
Last couple of days I've been looking at the garden; there's a big level difference from front to back so I've been digging and moving earth to start that off. I have 11 tonnes of soil arriving tomorrow! In the interim I've been breaking up concrete and finding as much hardcore as i can on site to get ready for the patio. Easy life lol

@Baxdream hello! I too stalk this thread in the hopes of joining it when we eventually move. But like @birdbrained, we might have to wait a few years to be able to afford to do the work as we have borrowed close to the limits of our affordability to enable the move. In the meantime, we might probably cheaply re-do the kitchen as we are bringing our own washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, cooker and fridge. Half of the appliances are not in existence in the house we are moving to so cupboards will have to be removed to accommodate them which I suspect might call for a re-jig of the whole room so we might as well replace the kitchen. For example the cooker is currently set up right next to the kitchen sink. I wish we could save the money instead but I really don't wish to stay in the house for years with the way it is currently especially if our situation changes and it takes even longer to do the extension.

@Notyetthere hi! I was a member a few years ago with our extension. We've borrowed extra to work on our new house straight away!
We've got an appointment with an architect at the new house in September!

Topsoil arrived! I'm always impressed at how someone can reverse an 18 tonne vehicle up a very narrow lane with a kink in it. True skill.
I now get to wheel it from front to back, level out the garden and seed it...

I’m wondering if our scaffolders are working.... a bit windy! Last week was too wet, now it’s windy. Feels like we’ll never have our tin hat on.

Just wondering after first fix how long did everyones' kitchen extensions take to complete fully?

Ours feels like it has been going on forever. We started in February and knocked through 2 months ago. We are finally at the plastering, tiling, decorating, kitchen fitting stage but completion still seems a long way off.

Hello all ! I am soo close now. Bathroom finally being plumbed in on Monday!

I am sleeping in the new loft room now though - bed is superking and so comfy - and have curtains !

Oops pics

@missfliss I love that any finished bedrooms invariably have a dog or cat sprawled on the newly installed bed.
I'm also pleased to see another member of the "2 single duvets on one big bed for marital harmony Club"