Is there a 2021 extension thread?

[Yellownotblue]

Just that really, I found it very informative (and exhilarating and at times heart breaking!) to read the 2020 extension threads. I couldn’t find a 2021 extension thread. Please can you direct me, or if there isn’t one, let’s start it! All welcome.

As for us - we’re awaiting PP for our extension and our architect said the work might start as early as March (ha! I’ll believe it when I see it). It’s a large extension and we will need to move out for about 9 months so I’m a bit flustered at the thought of moving out in 7 weeks’ time. We’re extending over the garage, in the garden and in the loft, and doing a shedload of other stuff from electrics to roofing and redecorating everything. We’re in SW London.

...too early.

I need to step away from the keyboard

@perenniallymessy

Well we have progress. The foundations have been dug out successfully. There was A LOT of large and heavy rocks in there, which we were expecting due to what was found when next door did their extension.

We have one large rock in the corner, but building control are happy for it to stay there and the concrete to be poured over it as it is not budging. Builders are unable to use a large mechanical digger on it as it would shake our house and next door too much. Our builders and building control already had it all planned what they would do if they found rock and the Party Wall surveyor is happy with that too.

Ooooh it is great seeing people's projects starting. Good start that BR have passed it around the large rock. It is really just like aggregate but just a bigger than your stones that you would have in the concrete mix.

Very exciting day as the trench got filled with concrete! Building will start next week.

@perenniallymessy

Very exciting day as the trench got filled with concrete! Building will start next week.

Coming along nicely. I would also be very excited.

Can you remind me of what you are intending to build? Sorry there is a few of us and I have forgotten some of them. We are completing a loft conversion first and then a ground floor extension at the back in 3-5 years when finances allow. Our planning application covers both though. We plan to start loft some time in the last quarter of this year.

A very small progress on our side, we have received a structural engineer quote of £850+VAT and £250+VAT for the site visit. Does this sound about right or is it too high? We are in a 2 bed semi detached bungalow in Kent.

It all depends on how much he’s doing/ has to do? We paid £250 for steel calculations but he did them off the drawing and didn’t need a site visit.

@Chumleymouse

It all depends on how much he’s doing/ has to do? We paid £250 for steel calculations but he did them off the drawing and didn’t need a site visit.

Thank you for your response.

I have just re-read the invoice and I think I misunderstood the first time. The quote is actually £850+VAT which includes the site visit, calculations, drawings for BR submission and marking up architectural plans with structural information. The quote then goes on to say that it is based on the drawings provided and past similar projects and that if on visiting site they find that our proposal is not achievable due to build cost or existing structure then they would only charge for the site visit at £250+VAT.

Based on the above, I'm actually ok with the quote of £850.

@Notyetthere ours is a double storey extension to the side. Not adding any bedrooms, just decided to make the existing ones bigger and add an ensuite to one of them.

Downstairs will add a utility and downstairs toilet, plus the current playroom will become a larger L shape room with room for a cosy TV area, plenty of bookshelves and a desk and seating area (both of us likely to be working from home most of the time).

We paid £600+VAT for our structural calculations, which was to knock through into four walls (three into rooms that are being enlarged plus into an existing cloakroom to create a cupboard). So your quote doesn't sound too bad. We are Bristol so it's probably similar to Kent prices.

We have been told by our builders that they may be able up start earlier than expected. (July instead of September) We are still waiting for plans etc so who knows whether that will happen. However, we now realise how many decisions we have to make and it could all be a lot closer than expected.
So.... I really like the HKOC but my husband thinks they look a faff as you have to paint them. How do you go about finding someone to paint them? What about designing them? Can anyone give me a rough idea of cost compared to a high street company like Howdens? Thanks.

For HKOC you get a painter/decorator who specialises in kitchens.
I can't say about pricing but it'll definitely last better than Howdens. They're very different products. Howdens are good but it's like comparing New Look to Hobbs.
If you're thinking about them, I reserved a spot earlier this month and the earliest was August delivery.

We have our first quote!

I now see why you wait until structural plans to get quotes., it's 8 pages of intricate details. It's about what we thought so isn't too bad.

We're finding the quotes are taking a while to come through, this one has taken 3 weeks!

Hi. Joining this thread properly now. Have read all the other posts and previous threads and it’s been really useful. We are in a 3 bed semi with a detached garage. Planning to knock down the garage, extend to the side and out the back (further extending a previous poorly thought out extension from the 70s), and extending out the first floor to the back and side. Moving front door, staircase, main bathroom.....not one room will be left untouched. Whole house needs rewiring and replumbing. Also hoping to stay put for as much of it as possible. Planning through, architect just finishing the BR drawings and will get the SE calls, then onto quotes. Dreading that to be honest.

For those getting or have already got quotes, how did you ask the builders to quote so you can compare. I’m tempted to ask for a 1st fix quote and then one for the rest. No idea if this would be a pain for them though. Any advice?

That's great news if the quotes are in line with what you expected, Baxdream! I'm nervous that mine will end up wildly out of my price range. Have an architect coming round to do the initial site survey next week so I'm a while away from that stage. Doesn't stop me obsessing over every little detail when I should be working though!

Hi our work started in feb. 2 bedrooms and a kitchen in the rear, all walls and roof complete already.

Would like to add that we are still in the house while work going on. We only moving out when bathroom and kitchen will be ripped out.

How’s everyone getting on with the extensions? Our builders are currently building the walls. The steels have arrived on site and look a bit scary- they are huge! Not looking forward to the knock through! Feel like we should be doing more about the kitchen and flooring but am waiting to measure the space properly before ordering. Have a kitchen in mind but don’t know what to do about flooring yet. Would love to hear about other peoples progress

We're still getting quotes! Our favourite builder is getting back to us today so hoping it's not too bad.
Has anyone fully project managed? We've got a quote just to build the shell (no roof/windows/plaster etc). How difficult is it? We've had an extension before so we have a vague idea of the process.

@newyorky09

How’s everyone getting on with the extensions? Our builders are currently building the walls. The steels have arrived on site and look a bit scary- they are huge! Not looking forward to the knock through! Feel like we should be doing more about the kitchen and flooring but am waiting to measure the space properly before ordering. Have a kitchen in mind but don’t know what to do about flooring yet. Would love to hear about other peoples progress

We are still waiting for planning permission. Then on to building regs drawings and quotes from builders. In the meantime, we start our application for funding next week with the bank.

With regards to the flooring, we are looking at LVT flooring for the downstairs and carpeted stairs and loft bedrooms. We are having the same dilemma with the tiles for the loft bathroom. We like many but it is still difficult to picture the space and how it will all be configured so we might have to make that decision closer to the time.

The walls are going up! All going to plan so far. I'm pretty sure we'll find asbestos in the soffits that need to come off but builder says they have a good company they use, and we can get it removed from our boiler cupboard at the same time.

Only problem so far is that the building supplies company sold our roof tiles to someone else- builder ordered early as apparently there are supply issues with roof tiles at the moment. Plenty of time to get new ones though so shouldn't be a problem.

They are going to check floor levels this week for the upstairs and scaffolding will be up soon.

We are finally back in the game!! Just confirmed our builder to start in July. We are doing a side return extension with crown roof. We've waited 12 years to do this so I'm excited about also terrified of getting something drastically wrong.

@Callmejudith

We are finally back in the game!! Just confirmed our builder to start in July. We are doing a side return extension with crown roof. We've waited 12 years to do this so I'm excited about also terrified of getting something drastically wrong.

Exciting to finally start. 12 years is a long time, well done. Is the side return going to be your new kitchen diner space? We moved into our bungalow last October and hope to do complete the loft conversion this year and like you, it will be years before we are able to do the downstairs but at least we shall have the required number of bedrooms.

It will be yes, very traditional victorian terrace extension so pretty standard stuff. We did our loft 5 years ago and it made a huge difference to our lives and was great to have more bedrooms but the living space desperately now needs the same treatment!

Really loving the progress pics!

That looks fabulous! what a great space

@LittleOverwhelmed looks impressive! We started last November. I mainly posted in the 2020 thread. But ours are similar in terms of progress. We have plastered, doors are supposed to be in on 15th April and the flooring the week after. It’s the doors slowing us down too.

Are you having the flooring before the kitchen? We are doing kitchen first as it has big bits to build and tweak and we don’t want the floor damaged in the process.