Page 26 | Extension Thread 2021.....aka "where's the bloody builder?"

whataboutbob · 18/12/2021 16:21

@Callmejudith I can well understand your irritation. In a few weeks when the kitchen is finished please kick back with a glass of wine ( other drinks are available) and have a joke about it with DH. It’s the kind of klutzy thing my DH would do.
Welcome @TigerPurple. You have my sympathies re the kitchen orders. I have had to spend over £1000 at IKEA because they sent about 3 dozen wrong items for my kitchen refurb, and consequently didn’t send about 3 dozen required items. Full disclosure, I haven’t been able to face the 7 th circle of hell that is IKEA customer services to start the return and refund process.
It seems that between us we have solved the perennial mumsnet riddle of what’s better- IKEA or Howdens. They are both incompetent at sending the right items!

Original poster

Callmejudith · 18/12/2021 16:28

@TigerPurple welcome to the club! We can all relate, it’s so frustrating isn’t it.

OP posts:

MissFritton65 · 18/12/2021 18:56

@TigerPurple we are all just "hanging in there" and massively frustrated. I've had 18 hours of cleaning today to make our {building site} house decent for Christmas! My cleaners were brilliant and added quite a few issues to my snagging list; money well spent!

MissFritton65 · 18/12/2021 19:30

It's getting there!

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

StretchyOne · 18/12/2021 19:51

@MissFritton65

It's getting there!

Thats looking really nice, loving the combination of the blue doors with the oak cupboards !

MissFritton65 · 18/12/2021 20:10

@StretchyOne we have navy blue quartz arriving on Monday for the island.

JustLikeJasper · 18/12/2021 21:50

This thread is making me not want to start ours but the house just won't work without the extension 😭.
If i hear "it will be worth it in the end" one more time I'm going to include whoever says it in the foundations!!

MissFritton65 · 18/12/2021 22:10

@JustLikeJasper just chill; It'll get worth it! I'm 10 months in and it's a f**k comment when you start in it, but true!

Sewfrickinamazeballs · 19/12/2021 09:56

Has anyone put lighting in their kitchen that's not spots or pendants. I'm looking at LED strips that sit flush in the ceiling as an alternative to spots for task lighting over the island, and potentially elsewhere as lights over the dining table will be awkward to due to roof light positions. I'm just sure if they are going to be bright enough.

Sewfrickinamazeballs · 19/12/2021 10:06

Meant to say....Not sure if they will be bright enough

Original poster

Callmejudith · 19/12/2021 12:43

@Sewfrickinamazeballs my neighbours have and it’s definitely bright enough. There’s is a bit OTT though and the way it’s configured it’s either all on or not at all so be careful with that. One of my favourite things about our lighting is the way I zoned it all

OP posts:

Sewfrickinamazeballs · 19/12/2021 13:37

[quote Callmejudith]@Sewfrickinamazeballs my neighbours have and it’s definitely bright enough. There’s is a bit OTT though and the way it’s configured it’s either all on or not at all so be careful with that. One of my favourite things about our lighting is the way I zoned it all[/quote]

Thank you @Callmejudith that's good to know. I was thinking of zoning the kitchen/island, dining table and living area separately, and hopefully all on dimmers too so I can soften it. Will chat to the electrician about possibilities.

PoshWatchShitShoes · 19/12/2021 21:19

@Sewfrickinamazeballs it sounds a bit grand, but I had a consultation with a lighting designer. Just a few hours and it wasn't very expensive. I couldn't decide on position of spotlights etc for the kitchen and he helped enormously.

Mine was a friend of my BIL's, but I'm sure you could find similar on Fiverr.

PoshWatchShitShoes · 19/12/2021 21:37

Christmas week... What's on everyone's to do list?

I've got wood floor varnishing Monday to Wednesday.

Plumbers and decorators and joiners Monday to Friday.

Curtains poles and blind tracks are going back up tomorrow.

New fireplace and log burner is being fitted on Tuesday.

New front door locks on Wednesday.

I've moved carpet fitting to early January when hopefully the builders will be gone!!

Christ knows what's happening with the missing plasterer.

I've just remembered that I'm supposed be having our furniture delivered from storage on Wednesday. I need to move it to early January!!

Wishing everyone a good week with trades turning up. Not even thinking about a lock down 🙏

PoshWatchShitShoes · 20/12/2021 10:10

Oh goodness, I'm on site and the staircase finish is abysmal. It looked lovely and now they've painted it on site 😭

They've slapped on a load of gloss on the oak and it looks dreadful 😭

I could have done better myself!!! Picasso did a fantastic job on the kitchen and these staircase company clowns have totally fucked up the painting of the stairs 🤦🏼‍♀️

What can I do??! Definitely not pay them anymore money, but is it salvageable?

whataboutbob · 20/12/2021 10:26

Oh dear @PoshWatchShitShoes how annoying. I did look into painting over gloss
As there are some hideous gloss doors at the rental flat ( much worse than your bannisters). IIRC you have to rough up the surface by sanding, apply primer then repaint. Quite a hassle!

Sewfrickinamazeballs · 20/12/2021 11:01

@PoshWatchShitShoes

Oh goodness, I'm on site and the staircase finish is abysmal. It looked lovely and now they've painted it on site 😭

They've slapped on a load of gloss on the oak and it looks dreadful 😭

I could have done better myself!!! Picasso did a fantastic job on the kitchen and these staircase company clowns have totally fucked up the painting of the stairs 🤦🏼‍♀️

What can I do??! Definitely not pay them anymore money, but is it salvageable?

That's pretty shoddy. Looks like they were rushing to finish. Drip marks are a nightmare. Nothing for it but to sand back and repaint. Could you get them to refund the painting costs and get Picasso to do it instead?

JustLikeJasper · 20/12/2021 13:34

@PoshWatchShitShoes

Oh goodness, I'm on site and the staircase finish is abysmal. It looked lovely and now they've painted it on site 😭

They've slapped on a load of gloss on the oak and it looks dreadful 😭

I could have done better myself!!! Picasso did a fantastic job on the kitchen and these staircase company clowns have totally fucked up the painting of the stairs 🤦🏼‍♀️

What can I do??! Definitely not pay them anymore money, but is it salvageable?

Oh gosh that doesn't look too good at all! I hope it can be rectified for you asap!

Original poster

Callmejudith · 20/12/2021 14:45

Oh shit @PoshWatchShitShoes that’s really shoddy. Hope you can get it resolved

Painter here again, he’s great and the kitchen is looking fab but I am just sooooo sick of having people in the house

OP posts:

MissFritton65 · 20/12/2021 15:00

Definitely a step backwards day! The quartz has arrived for the worktop and they have drilled the tap hole in the wrong place!! They admit it's their fault but it's come from the US so will be February before they can replace it! Thankfully they are leaving it in place until it's replaced.
And I've tested positive so now isolating in the bedroom for 10 days so there goes Christmas. At least I don't have to worry about being ready for the children now as they can't come😪😪

Original poster

Callmejudith · 20/12/2021 15:40

Oh no MrsF! How disappointing but thank goodness they’re replacing it.

Sorry about the covid too

OP posts:

LivingInaBuildingSite · 20/12/2021 15:48

Oh about covid, worktop and badly painted stairs!

This week I’m at work all week (started a new job in a care home, it’s good but exhausting and I don’t know so much!).

Builders plan:
Finish insulating living room area floor, lay pipes for underfloor heating, put back some kind of flooring over them, replace furniture.
Also, take out old radiator.
Put new kitchen appliance in place. There had been talk of wiring and plumbing but think that’s now not happening.

Then we can at least move the table and chairs into the back extension area and out of the front room.
After Christmas we have to move out of the old kitchen into the new so they can take it all out but that’s dependant on the wiring and plumbing stuff getting done at some point.

The carpenter is stopping after Wednesday. Not sure if anyone is going to be here Thursday/Friday.

Hoping I can find a space for a Christmas tree by Friday evening!

whataboutbob · 20/12/2021 18:14

Oh no MissF. That sucks. I have a feeling others on here will join you in the Covid club, it’s so rampant atm.
My kitchen fitter reckons he’s recovered and is planning on going to the flat on Wednesday 🤞🤞. I shifted about 12 builders bags full of rubbish and rubble plus the old kitchen units to the tip on Friday and felt very pleased with myself!

GardensandGrandDesigns · 20/12/2021 18:34

Our final builder came round with his quote today and what a refreshing surprise. It was so detailed listing everything on a spreadsheet. Then there were extra documents like windows and electrics again listing every element. £50,000 over budget but we have discussed which elements we will remove to get back on budget. Clear winner though. Preliminary start date of 1st March! Extended deadline for planners is tomorrow so really hope they approve it! I want to get our structural and building reg plans so I can start looking around kitchen showrooms!

whataboutbob · 20/12/2021 19:29

Sounds good @GardensandGrandDesigns fingers crossed he turns out the be The One!