Extension Thread 2021.....aka "where's the bloody builder?"

[Callmejudith]

New thread!

Good luck today everyone - for house stuff or covid tests. Have to remind the teens re masks.

Almost ready to start an AIBU - AIBU to be this excited about my kitchen delivery? I’m more excited than about Christmas! 😂

All go here today, negative Pcr so packing dc off to school, patio underway, worktop delivered already. Patio is needed so we can have a drain for the gutters and get signed off by building regs.

Morning all decorator just called to say he's tried again but the site is too cluttered and dusty so he'll just mist the ensuite ceiling and come back again in January! To be honest, I'm past caring and it also means I can put off choosing paint colours until the new year!

@MissFritton65 that's a shame but at least it takes the pressure off.
Plasterer has arrived and looks & sounds a lot healthier than he was on Saturday.
He says finished by tomorrow and he's already coordinated with the electrician (coming in next) & contractor so everyone knows where we are at. 🤞
Going to let him crack on as DH & I are going to the toy shop (rare morning off together) to get some presents and support a local business. I'm hoping we can also go to the really nice cake shop too.

Somebody say cake?! 🍰

Fridge freezer has landed, yey! Still in its box for now.

Makes me realise the passage of time, last one was before DD was born and the boys were small. They semi lived in the box in the garden for ages, decorating it, playing in it, etc. mine all too old to appreciate it now.

Got to love a good box.

Ahhhhh DS9 hasn't played with a box for ages but had hours of fun over the weekend with the massive sofa box, it was lovely.

@PoshWatchShitShoes how are you getting on today?

We are on a new deadline. Decorator came to have a look this morning and can start on the 13th. He's an old mate of DH and ridiculously cheap but we'll give him cash and a bonus. He is lovely too.

So before then we need the skirting, architrave, doors to utility, loo and under stairs. And I have to choose colours. Eek!

Kitchen is here! Actually thought it would be more exciting than a pile of stuff in the middle of the room lol.

No idea what the plan is now, kitchen fitting/attack the tv room area/side extension progress…missed regular Monday meeting with boss due to waiting for pcr results.

Painter sounds good Callmejudith

Whoop for the kitchen @LivingInABuildingSite! Exciting!

Lots of wrapped up bits!

Looking good!

Wow @LivingInABuildingSite, you are so close. Rooflight looks fabulous. And the kitchen is with you! How exciting.

Architect has been and gone. Think we have agreed the plan so will hopefully be submitting soon. He thinks I need to get a tree survey and go and speak to my neighbours. Apparently my local authority are taking 16 weeks at the moment though.....

Question, the builders have asked to be paid cash in hand for the patio. It's £3k. Does this mean they want it off the books? How do I even get £3k cash?! My bank doesn't have a branch in my town. Shall I just say no?!!

Tricky one, or ally you’re always told not to pay in cash, dodgy dealings, etc.

And tbh driveways and patios are probably higher stats than most at being dodgy - those who pass through an area and offer to do it on the cheap.

If you know them as an established business it should/could be ok. It may be saving them on paperwork of some sort, or they may be paying for the material in cash themselves.

You’d have to get out £500 a day for 6 days from a cash point if you’re bank is like mine though which will be fun!

@nomoneytree

Wow *@LivingInABuildingSite*, you are so close. Rooflight looks fabulous. And the kitchen is with you! How exciting.

Architect has been and gone. Think we have agreed the plan so will hopefully be submitting soon. He thinks I need to get a tree survey and go and speak to my neighbours. Apparently my local authority are taking 16 weeks at the moment though.....

16 weeks crikey!! Ours is 8-10 and I moaned that felt like ages! 😳

It's our builders who have done our while extension so not a dodgy company. But I don't think I'll actually be able to do it anyway then if that's the only way, they'll be done by end of week so don't have the time or will to make repeated withdrawals.

Evening all - thank you for being such a great supportive bunch during my meltdown yesterday 🥰 A much better day thanks @Callmejudith

Both kitchen and utility are fitted. Super happy with how it looks. Chimney breast is being constructed to house the extractor.

Worktops were templated today and are due to be fitted next Tuesday/Wednesday. Kitchen painting is coming along well. "Picasso" seems fairly happy with the chaos of the site 😂

Grouchy wood floor repair guy is complaining, but it's drifting over my head.

Builder guy is going to get the decorators to redo the shiny white gloss where they made a mistake on colour/finish 👏

Plumber is back tomorrow to start second fix on the bathrooms. I love how the T&G panelling looks in the guest and master bathrooms 👏

Also love my big new kitchen sink.

Tomorrow the French doors are apparently due!! I'm off to London, so it's all in the hands of others.

Oh and my curtain lady appeared on site this morning, which is fab. I need to get the fabrics all ordered.

I've reconciled myself to a not quite finished house for Christmas and it feels good not to have that pressure on myself now.

Hope everyone else has had a good day and negative results through for PCRs!!

@Indecisivelurcher my first question when I get a trade in nowadays or order something is "can I pay cash" 😂 I'd only do it if I trusted them though.

You can take out cash over the bank counter. For my bank, I just need my debit card and driving license. Anything up to £6k has been fine to just collect without notice. If it's higher, I call a day before to "order it". It's a hassle as the nearest branch is a bit of a trek, but it's worth it for the saving.

Can I just ask everyone having building work done, have your builders hiked up the price from original quotes due to the increasing cost of timber?

@Indecisivelurcher- this is just my take on it but I’d be wary because if there are any issues you will struggle to eg go through small claims court if you can’t prove you payed them. Also, they probably want to fiddle their taxes, which would irk me.

@PoshWatchShitShoes that's looking great! 😍 I, too, have realised that we aren't going to be anywhere near finished for Christmas but as long as I've a kitchen, a dining space and bedrooms for the children, we'll cope! I'm now hoping that I'll be able to some "bargain" soft furnishings in the January sales.

They might want cash so that they can get the money out quickly before Xmas. It might get swallowed up in overdraft for example.

@PoshWatchShitShoes - that is looking amazing, and almost nearly maybe done by Christmas-looking!

Painter here this morning aiming to finish the kitchen end of the extension then hopefully they might start what I think of as the kitchen jigsaw.

Boss guy and carpenter here later to discuss making some doors for the front of the side extension, have to get something bespoke as it’s a weird size (my fault as I made it bigger than planned).

Suddenly realised last night that it was going to be December today 🙄 guessing they won’t tackle the tv room area before Christmas then!

@PoshWatchShitShoes kitchen is looking absolutely gorgeous. Love that massive sink.

@nomoneytree exciting about submitting plans. 16 weeks is loooooong

@Indecisivelurcher we've paid cash for a few bits, I don't really mind. I know it's a bit dodgy though. I just go to the bank and take it out over the counter.

Builder says we are next in line for the joiner guy who needs to do the skirting, doors and architrave. He is fitting a kitchen at the moment but should be done today (which means next Wednesday in my builder language). Any ideas how long it takes to fit skirting and architrave?

I've also got sink envy! We haven't had to replace ours, but wish we did!

3 chaps doing the patio and 1 in the kitchen today, using very loud equipment while I am trying to reply to 20 Examiners questions on the environmental impacts of a £500m road scheme in the next room. Am a bit stressed. Need them all to finish and go now.