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

[Callmejudith]

New thread!

[WhereDoesThisToiletGo]

My builders tended to get here around 7 to avoid the traffic, had brekkie in van then came in at 7.30. Did quiet stuff until 8 then got the jackhammers our

[wonkylegs]

@OBface
The actual builders turned up about 8.15 and finished between 3. And 4 depending if they were on school pick up or not
The other trades were different
Plasterer/decorator 9/10 but would stay til 6/7 and came on weekends
Electrician 9-5/6
Solar installers 10-5
Joiner 8.45/9 - 6
Tiler 9-5
Small breaks for all of them inc lunch
On very cold or hot days sometimes they worked shorter days.
I haven't paid a day rate for anyone except the decorator.

[nomoneytree]

@LimpLettice and @OBface I'm hoping to join you with the builders in very soon. Our planning is due 10 February and I'm hoping to get the builders in by the start of April.

@PoshWatchShitShoes I ordered the kitchen!! The were booking for October so I went for it!!

[GardensandGrandDesigns]

[quote nomoneytree]**@LimpLettice* and @OBface* I'm hoping to join you with the builders in very soon. Our planning is due 10 February and I'm hoping to get the builders in by the start of April.

@PoshWatchShitShoes I ordered the kitchen!! The were booking for October so I went for it!! [/quote]
We start in April too! Good luck with your planning

[LimpLettice]

I've come home to find the dining room ceiling down. Not planned but it appears to have been held up by anaglypta and best wishes. Builder entirely unflustered, just drafted in a couple of extra lads and started redoing it. Oh dear.

[sluj]

Oh no @limplettice. Hope there wasn't too much mess and dust

[wonkylegs]

@LimpLettice that happens more often than you think so not surprised your builder wasn't that fazed.
I once had a chimney stack fall down behind me when doing a site meeting, it wasn't supposed to and I was very glad I had my hard hat on!

[sluj]

I remember a few years ago in a different house, my DH rang me at work one day to ask where I wanted the windows in the Victorian back addition bedroom.
Now - when I went to work there were two windows in place and he was meant to be repairing the roof. Apparently when he started to remove the roof the wall fell out too so he was building it all back up. He never blinked an eye but I was a little shocked 😲
I did take advantage and move one of the windows over a bit to make wall space for a wardrobe.
The joys of building work 🤣

[GardensandGrandDesigns]

I am loving all of these building war stories! It is giving me very interesting insight on what to expect!

[whataboutbob]

Anyone read Open House by Jane Christmas, a hardened renovator, about her addiction to doing houses up? Worth a read and maybe quite comforting because despite her experience, she got really screwed over by an outrageously incompetent builder in her last project. www.waterstones.com/book/open-house/jane-christmas/9781443458764

[Callmejudith]

Oops @LimpLettice glad the builder just got on with it!

Sneak peek of beautiful floor in the hallway and the lovely new rad. Ignore the walls

[OBface]

Thanks that's all really helpful!

@nomoneytree hope planning comes through quickly.

Blimey @LimpLettice sounds like your builders have it under control though.

So we have asbestos in the ceiling of the extension being pulled down. Day 2 and already £700 not accounted for!

[OBface]

@Callmejudith I love that radiator. Where did you buy?

[GardensandGrandDesigns]

@OBface

Thanks that's all really helpful!

*@nomoneytree* hope planning comes through quickly.

Blimey *@LimpLettice* sounds like your builders have it under control though.

So we have asbestos in the ceiling of the extension being pulled down. Day 2 and already £700 not accounted for!

Ok you've set the record on earliest of going over budget! Hopefully no other unaccounted issues crop up! Out of interest, how over budget are you to the ones who are close to the end?

[Callmejudith]

@OBface it’s from best heating called Milano Windsor - Anthracite 600mm Traditional Horizontal Triple Column Radiator. You can get a range of sizes this one is 740mm I think

[wonkylegs]

@Callmejudith
I used those on a fab project for a client last year she liked them so much we changed them all through the house to match.

[nomoneytree]

@Callmejudith rad looks lovely. We had the acova anthracite ones and they have chipped really really badly within a year to show white plastic underneath. The white ones were fine and didn't chip at all though. I managed to lose my receipt for them and they (acova) weren't interested at all so really
Interested in the quality of yours.

[Callmejudith]

@wonkylegs yes I love it - feels very sophisticated

[nomoneytree]

@PoshWatchShitShoes I think you said you were ordering hmkc larders to use as wardrobes. Are you just going for a rail or are they able to do any fittings? I'm thinking about using them for my boot room as if I've priced it correctly (before painting) it's not much more than IKEA which I would need to get built in. I've got my heart set on lots of shoe storage to accommodate my husband's secret compulsive trainer purchasing habit........

[Callmejudith]

@nomoneytree if any family are going to chip a radiator it's ours so I'll report back!

[Callmejudith]

Also spoke to floor guy about putting in a cupboard in the bathroom to hide the boiler. He suggested looking at options for PAX wardrobes from ikea and seeing if something would fit and then he can make some fancy bits around it and we can save a ton

[LimpLettice]

Major works today. The kitchen roof is partially down, the timber is up, the old dining room is open to the elements apart from plastic. The house is freezing but our snug with its new wall is surprisingly warm. Hoping to have a roof and be closed up again by the weekend. Brrrr! It's a bit overwhelming today to be honest, but I keep holding on to the plan and closing my eyes!

Love the rads. The plumber was in yesterday routing all the new ones but I've told the builder vertical, black, otherwise I don't mind. Easily pleased!

[whataboutbob]

Good to see things are back on track @Callmejudith. What do you think made them come back and do the work?
Hang in there limplettuce! It will be worth it in the end.

[PoshWatchShitShoes]

Gorgeous floor and radiator @Callmejudith 👏

@OBface I've got the same radiators as @Callmejudith. They're lovely quality. I got my builder to set up a trade acct with Best Heating and saved 15% that way.

[PoshWatchShitShoes]

Sounds cold @LimpLettice!! Hope everything gets water tight and warm soon!!

@nomoneytree yup, I've got 4 double larder units being delivered in 2 weeks. I'm having them fitted as wardrobes. I've put internal drawers in 2 of the larders and then I'll buy 2 hanging rails elsewhere. It's not cheap at £5.3k for the units/cornice/plinths/delivery, then another £1.1k for painting, probably £600 to fit, then £250 on knobs. So £7.2k for a 4m run of 4 doubles wardrobes. But I think I'd be paying around £10k for similar if I ordered them as actual wardrobes from a joiner 😊