Extension Thread 2022....plaster, panic and pics

[Callmejudith]

Slightly naff title but I haven't had enough coffee yet

@BlueMooMoo I am confused - what is tin and not wood?!

[quote NewHouseNewMe]@BlueMooMoo I am confused - what is tin and not wood?![/quote]
Sorry it was clearly a bad joke! Wedding anniversaries for 5 and 10 years are wood and tin respectively so I was joking about how our 5year anniversary with the house is wood (building) and hoping the 10year wouldn't be!

Ha I get it now!
I’m being a bit dumb but the problem with renovations is that i frequently feel like that so now expect that!

First of two skylights went in today (dining area that leads to garden). 2m x 1m so should let in a decent amount of light when both installed.
Haven't been able to see it fully as builders have the area cordoned off but can view it from top of house and it's quite exciting. Used a builder that came recommended from decorator..... pricier than I wanted but the service and work so far has been faultless. Fingers crossed it looks how envisioned!

@BlueMooMoo the man in the latest showroom I went to was both the fabricator and in charge of the after sales. He said not to go bigger than 1m panels (even though they can do 1.2) as they get really heavy to operate. No idea if that's true though.

I hate our builder. Actually hate him. Like poison. I'm at the point of wishing I'd never met him.

We have had a kitchen for 10 days but no oven or heating. Everything is 80% finished but none of the sub contractors ever turn up. Or do half a job when they do. I've had no cooking facilities since Christmas and my house is still freezing and filthy, with toddlers in one room. He gets moody when asked, never tells us if someone isn't coming and the plumber who has finally turned up says he can't do the oven without the other builder who hasn't turned up. It all feels deliberate now. I hate him, and I'm looking forward to leaving Facebook reviews when this fucking shot show is over.

I have cried and cried this week. Our doors are here but the fitters haven't shown.

@RinklyRomaine and for you, sounds terrible. I know you've probably already tried but is it worth sitting down with him with a list and scheduling it in together? You could badge it as getting out of his hair?
Our news, we’ve had a lovely drawing from the White Kitchen Company, only to be told if we don’t order before 1 April prices are going up by 12% on average! We aren’t booked in for the build until August so really can’t commit to the kitchen yet. On the bright side it is a lovely design, just waiting on costings and design from another couple of firms before we decide.

We've tried all of that @Martinisarebetterdirty but it feels malicious now. DH is contemplating throwing a bribe of some description at him but I feel it's deliberate. Having some massive issues with DDs school at the same time so it's just like a massive pressure cooker at the moment.

So sorry to hear that - it’s crap when everything gets on top of you at once. Can you get rid of him and get someone else in? (Assuming you don’t pay in full until completion?)

@Romaine that sounds horrendous. Not sure about the heating as that could be a big job, but fitting/installing an oven could maybe be done by your local appliance repair shop? Ours would charge 85 for the callout and it would probably be done within that 1hr.

That’s really shabby @RinklyRomaine. I don’t know what to suggest really as I had a similar problem with a floor guy who had me waiting 3 weeks to finish a 2 day job. Nothing worked - not threats about reviews or anything.

We have an oven! No splash back, and plugged into an extension lead trailing across the floor because the spark keeps refusing to turn up and then staying an hour when he does, but it's a mover. It mean the plumber spent all day he was supposed to be doing the rads on it but i don't care. Not quite as simple as plumbing it in, the gas supply had to be moved.

Spark turned up at 5.40. Had been told today or he would be sacked. Did not finish. Obvs. Half the sockets don't work, or the pendant or cooker hood. Doors are allegedly going in tomorrow but there is a tonne of patching to do. Bloody builder turned up like the prodigal son, all pleased he managed to get the oven sorted (he did not, my DH stood and begged the plumber to ignore him and do this one thing for me) and how close we are to them finishing. Bit of gall when we still have a gaping hole on the downstairs toilet wall. 🤬🤬🤬

An oven. Not a mover.

BUILDING REGs
Just wanted to give everyone a bit of a warning. I've just spent the morning trying to help out a client on a job. I wasn't the project manager just did the design and construction drawings. She felt she could save money getting and managing the contractor herself although she still paid me for advice every now and then.
Well it all went to shit despite my best attempts to get them to do everything right.
The contractor was responsible for getting the building regulations approval and as it was a fairly simple job this shouldn't have been an issue. They fell out with the builder (his fault, I suspect because he was overstretched and then lied) and it turns out he didn't submit anything for building regulations so they are having to get retrospective approval - expensive and a right PITA.
So please please please make sure your project has been notified to building control (this needs to be before it starts but can be a council or private inspector), take photos of key stages (lintels going in, foundations etc), check that inspections are taking place and get copies of paperwork throughout the process. Keep records - it's better to have too much and throw it out afterwards than find stuff is missing at the end.
Basically make sure you are covered in case anything goes wrong as it makes it much easier to sort out.
We will sort it out and the project is beautiful but if I can save somebody else from the stress, hassle and expense she's been through I would be very happy.
I used a private inspector for my extension and he was great but going through retrospective with the council on hers is really not much fun.

Thanks so much for the advice, wonkylegs.

Follow up question for you - when doing construction drawings, would you normally advise clients on whether buildover agreements are needed as part of your scope (or at least give them the information they need to work out if they need to submit an application)? I've found it really difficult to know whose responsibility that should be.

Our architect advised an independent inspector to approve first and we have had no major issues.

Our doors have gone in. 14w after ordering. No glass yet but today hopefully. Not as grand as a lot of your projects but they are what we wanted and I do rather love them.

@HouseyHouse21
It depends on the scope of your agreement with your architect really.
Personally I structure my work so that for most jobs I would flag up what is potentially needed on a project - Planning, BRegs, party wall agreement, checking covenants, listed / conservation, sap calcs, etc etc at the beginning and then we would confirm what is required as we get further along with stages and then if it's something I can't do myself I point them in the right direction of who can help them.
I must admit buildover agreements rarely come up just due to the types of projects I end up doing but when they do I would advise clients they need to obtain them and signpost them for that.
I do provide a very much hand holding approach to jobs though and structure my fees accordingly. Plenty of architects just produce the drawings and submit for planning so structure their fees to reflect that.

@RinklyRomaine that's my favoured approach and what I did myself because it gives the most certainty.
It doesn't always suit all projects though.
I love the doors they look great.

Shame my beautiful garden now looks like a bombsite but that's a worry for another day!

@RinklyRomaine

Our architect advised an independent inspector to approve first and we have had no major issues.

Our doors have gone in. 14w after ordering. No glass yet but today hopefully. Not as grand as a lot of your projects but they are what we wanted and I do rather love them.

They look very smart. Is this the extension part of the house or refurbing the existing?

We are in the relentless drilling phase this week. I feel like I'm dreaming the noise when I go to bed!

Love those doors!

The sodding builder is asking for some of his final payment before completion. Not all of it, and we are close to the end but any goodwill I had has utterly evaporated. The spark hasn't turned up for the 6th time this week, we still don't have rads plumbed in, and there's is still a hole in the bathroom wall. AIBU to say fuck the fuck off?

Thank you, @GardensandGrandDesigns

@RinklyRomaine

The sodding builder is asking for some of his final payment before completion. Not all of it, and we are close to the end but any goodwill I had has utterly evaporated. The spark hasn't turned up for the 6th time this week, we still don't have rads plumbed in, and there's is still a hole in the bathroom wall. AIBU to say fuck the fuck off?

Definitely not. From the sounds of things it would be wise to not pay a penny more until you see progress and no completion payment until he is complete.