Extension thread 2021 - countdown to Christmas

[Callmejudith]

New thread for continued celebrating, moaning and commiserating

@Indecisivelurcher ah okay, I thought she was the one trying to claim it's okay to have a ridge. From bitter experience i would listen to her though as it took about 2 years for the hairline fracture to show and another 3 for a visible break. That's not a long time for a very expensive floor.

@PoshWatchShitShoes that seems super stingy though maybe £1.4K handles are on the high side. They sound amazing though!

No-one much here today, so put my table out to have a cup of coffee and pretend its done - who needs a sky lantern, electrics, flooring or heating anyway?!

Oh, or half a kitchen 🤔

Hoping for sparkies later.

Missed a few days but jealous of all the progress.

After the rain, the boss guy decided they really needed to spend some time putting up a better barrier across the back and over the lantern hole. So I have a back wall of sorts now.

Plumber is here laying pipe work, electricians are done for now, gas pipe ready to connect once the current kitchen floor comes up. Data cables laid for internet/tv. Alarm cables run for cameras.

Some plasterboard has arrived, they’re hoping to board the top half of the walls next week to give them something to do before hopefully the glasswork comes the week after, then screed, then crack on with other stuff.

Need the kitchen guy to come soon for actual measurements. And for the utility bits too. Also need to decide on some lights and sockets for them to get me some samples to see in RL.

Floor tiles on hold til prob january now. But I’m feeling more zen about it all, this week anyway!

Why are husbands/alternative so annoying! In the first fix the sparkies assumed we were keeping a socket that actually we don't need, dh wants to keep it as its there now. I say why?! There is nothing we can think of that we'd want to plug in there, there are 2 other sockets on the same stretch of wall, 2 on the wall opposite, more in the utility, and more just into the kitchen, why ruin a nice smooth bit of wall?!

Sexy Italian plumber here today so that’s a bonus listening to him chat on the phone . He’s fitting the WC bits and hopefully plumbing the dishwasher

Worktop got templated this morning. Have to say I’m super impressed with Wren. I think it’s 10 working days to wait now.

Second fix electrics also in progress. I am going to be delighted if I can run the dishwasher this weekend and wash some clothes in my utility room. And have a wee in the wc!

@Indecisivelurcher it's a great space. Might as well just leave it as it is ;)

Ahh @callmejudith I thought you were on my side 😉

Always!

Hello everyone
I'm not extending but renovating while living here. We started second week of September with my (the main as my daughter has the loft en suite) bathroom. Three weeks without a toilet was a nightmare, I get up twice a night, but we have a loo off the extension so that was a relief (🤣).
Kitchen was next now 90 % done - Howdens, ok it's really your fitter that counts. Worktops from elsewhere and finally had the sink and essential Quooker tap plumbed in yesterday - now just tiling of splash back and other side of peninsula. Guest bedroom got bump in from expanded hall cupboard to house stacked washer and dryer (not in yet), so custom wardrobes to square off the space (guy dropping off stuff right now, and I confess to a bit of a crush - his voice is like treacle)! Then that will be papered with wall mural, carpeted. Then daughters en-suite next, adding bath, moving door...
My bedroom and living room needs new cupboards/wardrobes (yes crush will do all that). But my absolute favourite feature is I've put brick slips on the extension walls! I LOVE it! Still needs pointing but has instantly warmed up the space and added character. He has even lined them up with the outside bricks making it look seamless.
I think the spare bedroom and loft bathroom will be done, kitchen and dining area done by Xmas (crittal style doors will have to wait until I see final cost in everything else). But my bedroom and living room and hall carpets will probably wait til after the holidays. We need a break! Everything is dusty though the guys have been great at tidying up every day. But this is a small terraced house and my 'office' (box room) is full of boxes so no place to work except in the living room, which is open plan to the kitchen. Im getting air purifiers as I heard that helps?

@Callmejudith I'm having plumber envy now! Ours is the complete opposite of sexy. He's fairly canny but I constantly worry he will drop down with a heart attack whenever he's here.

Some really good budgeting tips here. We are so tight until 3/4s of the way through will be doing a fair amount on a shoestring. Lots of compromises on finish but hopefully it will be worth it.

Planning permission has finally been granted after a massive delay at validation. Waiting on the builder to confirm start date so I can start getting stuff in storage and ordering. Eek.

@maofteens that looks very cool!
Mine is an renovation/extension, the actual extension part is only 2x3m, replaced conservatory with brick extension. The renos are took down 2 walls and put 1 up in a different place to section off a small utility and wc, and having half a new kitchen on the other side of it.

I really hope everyone will share photos when they're all decorated and furnished! 😁

No sparkies today in the end, fingers crossed Monday. Couldn't paint as not fully dry STILL. But have used my day off to clean up a Heck tonne of dust, it is so much better! And have been able to get in the part-kitchen to cook an random Friday roast dinner! So feel like I'm winning. Dh can even keep the stupid plug socket.

Good to hear people feeling they are making progress; we've had a positive few days too! Quite a few areas have moved on considerably and I do feel that I can see some light at the end of this long dark tunnel. .........at last!
Have a good weekend everyone.

We have had lots of progress this week despite ongoing delays with the bloody doors and windows.
The patio is done, but they ran out of the extremely expensive jointing resin slop from Germany. I've ordered more. We need about 2kg and they only come in pails of 25kg. So that will be £100 down the drain.
Finally they sealed our internal stone floor in the kitchen and utility. So now I just need to paint and appliances can go in. That should cheer me up.
Tiling has been done in the shower room, grouting still to be finished but he says he wants to cut the poo pipe out before cleaning up. Its raining next week so I'm hoping they come inside to deal finish that room and fit the toilet etc.
Architraves are on doorways and skirtings started. They really make the room look like home!
The one advantage to all the delays is they are working their way through the snagging. Maybe someday soon, it will all be finished....

Lots of good progress! Welcome @maofteens I love that brick wall.

So I now have a sink, toilet, washing machine and tumble working. So happy. All sockets done in the kitchen. Dishwasher and temporary sink not done.

I took up all the black protective stuff off the floor in the hallway. So much better. Builders seem to have forgotten they left a Henry hoover here so I’m taking full advantage.

Tomorrow we’re going to the Pro Cook outlet store, could be very dangerous.

@maofteens I have wall envy!

We finished fitting the island today though we discovered when unpacking that the wine rack was damaged so replacement is coming tues/weds. Quartz company called this afternoon asking if they could move our templating appointment forward to Tuesday as they had a cancellation, explained about damaged unit but they said as it doesn't affect perimeter of island for measuring will be OK, that's good as it relieves us of pressure to cut and fit back/side panels over weekend. Bought wine cooler and dishwasher this morning and picking up tomorrow as they couldn't deliver until Tuesday.

Got our plumber coming in morning to finish our pipework for UFH manifold so we can starting fitting the boards and pipes next week. DH keeps getting frustrated with kitchen fitting but he's a terrible perfectionist which is a bonus in someways but I get the full brunt of his frustrations and he always self-doubts his ability....don't think we'll be doing anything like this again, at least not together!

Wow the island is fab!

@RebelGeek76 that island looks amazing! What size is it?

Thanks for the island love, I wasn't sure about the oak carcasses when we started fitting as that's all you could see as doors/drawers were still covered but now we have side panels on it makes a huge difference. @MissFritton65 it's 2.4 x 1.2m.

@RebelGeek76 your new kitchen looks fabulous. Love the island and colours you've chosen 🤩

We have a roof at last! No sign of all of the other things the builder claimed would be finished this week but a roof is something!
They claim 2 more weeks until they finish but I don’t believe them.

@Terracedtardis yey for a roof!

We had a great time at pro cook. DH has picked his saucepan set and I’ve got my eye on a ton of gadgets. I want to fill all the drawers now but he said we should wait for the proper worktop boring boring but he is right really.

I’ve just hoovered the screed