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.

I've been out on our new flat roof securing the tarp where the roof lantern should be. Having waited 4 months for an installation date, the window people went bust the week before they said they would fit it
Fortunately we hadn't paid for the windows and have managed to find an alternative source but I am feeling a bit frustrated by the delay and inactivity . Still, the expedition on to the flat roof in the howling wind and rain was exciting 😀

@Sewfrickinamazeballs

Our plans are now with the local council for building control approval (full plans I think). My question is do we need this signed off before getting quotes or will the plans we have now be ok?

I'm pulling a document together with the list of stuff we want beyond the obvious structural stuff. Soooooooo much to think about. Does anyone know of a list available to check off items that we need to consider?

Also, as we are doing loads to the original house. Would you structure the spec by room or by type (e.g internal doors).

Sorry for all the questions.

Everything I read at the moment is around escalating prices, materials shortages and huge wait lists. Almost convinced myself we won't be able to do what we need to do to the house, let alone the stuff we would like to have done. Really hope this crazy period settles down. We are in no rush but in the next year or two would be nice!

With regards to getting quotes, we had a couple of builders give us estimates based on the planning drawings but I understand that some builders really won't quote until you have more detailed drawings. To get more accurate quotes you really need to have the building regs drawings which will have a lot more detail. We didn't commission the BR drawings until we had planning approval; basically you don't want your architect and structural engineer to prepare calculations and drawings for a design that might be declined planning approval.

As for a list of the specifications, I'm keen to also see one for a loft conversion.

@notyetthere, thanks, good advice. We have planning and BR drawings, just a couple more weeks ana we should have the SE calls too.

I’m just being impatient! I keep hearing prices are rising and rising and want to get a builder locked in ASAP (prepared for this but to take many weeks anyway).

I’d gone back to my builder who gave me what seems like a really high quote for my extension and refurbishment and asked for a line by line breakdown. I’d asked for this a couple of times, so was a little frustrated that it came back as a global price.

I’ve had an email from him this morning saying that it’s not possible to break it down and it’s the lowest it can be. I’m sure I’m not being unreasonable or unrealistic asking for this? It’s £105k +VAT which is an enormous amount of money to me. It also excludes electrics, plumbing, windows and doors, the list goes on.

I’d like to use these builders but the pricing seems opaque and it’s so expensive. I’ve had another one man band builder recommended who has come round and has given me a line by line quote. Feeling a bit stuck.

Thanks @LittleOverwhelmed. I’m near Bristol and it’s a very hot market. I’ve used them before and they’re reliable and tidy, valuable qualities in a builder! I can’t get any other building firms to quote as they’re so busy. One wanted to charge me £250 before they would even come and look at it.

It’s £125k for about 43sq m and some refurbishment of my existing three bed and it does need about £8k worth of groundwork. But it excludes electrics, plumbing, structural engineers, steels, kitchen, bathrooms, windows and doors, rendering, landscaping... All in I would struggle to keep it at £200k.

But I think you’re right, it’s take it or leave it. The estate agent who sold me the house suggested I leave it as I wouldn’t necessarily get all the money back. Plus we’d need to move out for a month or two which we could avoid if we just refurbish.

Thanks @LittleOverwhelmed, it’s interesting to hear from someone who is most of the way through. I don’t think I have the budget to go over budget in the way you have and I think it’s always a high likelihood. My (current!) plan is to go with the one man band builder and then get individual trades in.

I’m not convinced building costs will go back down though. I think they’re more likely to level out. What I really notice is most builders and trades are people in their late 40s/50s who are wanting to wind down a bit. They seem happy to keep working, but don’t want to employ people and have the hassle of VAT returns etc. I think there’s going to be a longer term shortage of people who can do this so sort of work. I also think even once supply chains settle down, prices will stay where they are.

I'm in the same boat. Fingers crossed we will have enough money. . I'm Bristol. We need to extend desperately as have lots of children, 1 bathroom and a tiny kitchen. Our house is actually quite big, just in the wrong places!!! I'm going to go off and read the whole thread now.......

Has anyone come up with any clever ways of getting light into a double story extension. We want to go 2 storey across the rear. So far i have only come up with extending out further on the ground than the first floor. Very interested to see people's skylight/ lateen options too.

Anyone else getting quoted ridiculous lead times for items at the moment? We've just been told it'll be 12 weeks for Marley clay plain tiles for our roof. Just standard plan tiles really but apparently they're out of sock everywhere. It's completely thrown our schedule out of the window.

@Ecthelion looks like it’s not just you. www.theguardian.com/business/2021/may/08/cost-of-building-work-on-uk-homes-to-rise-as-price-of-materials-soars

Those who are building within their permitted development rights, are you just getting on with your projects with Building regs and starting work or are you actually also applying for a certificate of lawful development from your LC?

I am currently obsessed with the idea of tiling our breakfast bar. I am spending inordinate amounts of time thinking about tiny things and not the big bits.

We have just saved ourselves a nightmare of a builder! He came highly recommended by our designer who also built his loft conversion across the road so we even had sight of his work.

Anyway, I wanted to send dh a link to his website as he wanted to check out other builders including this one who had only responded well with quotes and even completed a site visit. His website wasn't working so I decided to do a little more digging. I checked his personal Facebook and something told me to look at his brothers page. Turns out he seems to have fallen out with his brother and they worked together. His brother has outed him out on Facebook on the local selling pages that he rips people off, and generally a nasty character. Several people then shared their stories too of others being ripped off or of poor workmanship. This was all just last month. He was in the front running with me as I rather liked him when I met him but whether any of this is true or not, we aren't taking any chances.

This has now made me very nervous about which one to pick. Are they all rip off merchants. Aaaahhhhh.

@Notyetthere that doesn’t sound good - I must admit that finding a builder is definitely the bit that’s bothering me most. It’s such a lot of money and you want to be sure that you’re getting the best possible job.

How is everyone choosing a builder? Our architect said he can recommend a couple and my friend said she would recommend the person she used. Does 3 quotes seem about right? I’m wary of just choosing from google, without any recommendations.

Be mindful that not all builders will quote. It all depends on how much they want your build.
We still haven't got a builder booked, it's hard work!

@Baxdream That is the other worry about not being able to find a Builder. Our designer actually tried to get estimates when he prepared the drawings with a spec and sent them to three builders. Only this one responded. He was highly recommended by our Designer.

There is another builder in the road next to ours who is currently completing a loft conversion on his bungalow. A couple of months ago he mentioned showing us round when he is close to finishing. However, he is one of those ne man band type builders/carpenter which made us nervous that he would take a long time. We noticed a few days ago that he had other people working on the loft so maybe he won't be too bad.

Another builder came as a recommendation from someone whose project I have been following on Instagram and also because she is quite local. I pmed her and asked her whether she was happy with them. These Builders did say they were happy to come out and quote for us so I will send them the BR drawings which we hope to receive today. Looking at their social media page though they seem to be very busy though so I don't know their availability yet.

Notyetthere sounds like you had a very lucky escape!

I actually found our builder through instagram. I asked on local FB pages for recommendations and one particular name kept coming up so I looked on instagram and contacted a couple of people who had tagged them. One lady has been so helpful about it all and we have ended up going with that builder. I liked him immediately and we also went to see some of their work.

It is looking like some of our projects might find some issues with procuring materials or if we can, they will cot so much more that we might not be ale afford the job even with a contingency.

www.theguardian.com/business/2021/may/15/building-crisis-looms-as-dwindling-supplies-bring-sites-grinding-to-a-halt

We were hoping to start our loft conversion in Sept but knowing how loft conversions are done, a lot of timber will be required and under permitted development the dormer is to be clad in concrete tiles to match existing; another material that is currently in short supply. Maybe we re-use the tiles we will have removed to accommodate the dormer and velux windows but we don't know whether we can actually re-use them as they are quite old so a conversation to have with our builder.

@Notyetthere when we were looking at builders our chosen one said they had some supply issues in the first lockdown so have no filled two massive units with supplies so I am really hoping we won't be affected.

We secured our flooring this weekend and our friend is fitting it for an amazing price. Also got some fancy handle samples which I love.

Now panicking about the fact that we have to clear the whole downstairs of our house. I'm not a hoarder at all but there is SO MUCH STUFF.

Callmejudith where did you get your handle samples from please? Trying to source some at the moment!