Extension thread 2022 part II...demolition, delays and decisions, decisions, decisions

[Sewfrickinamazeballs]

Hi! New thread!

Yes just need to seek that style out. I've had a few days off this week and one of my jobs has been going around worktop places!

Sounds like you're nearly there and I'm sure you will love your new beautiful kitchen!

The kitchen company is coming to measure up this morning and I’m beyond excited! Then it’s a long wait for it to be made and delivered so we are likely to be back living at home before it’s installed. We have been lucky not living through this renovation so it seems a small thing.
Otherwise I’ve now got the paint scheme chosen having cheated with help as it is too big for me alone with everything else going on.
The roofers are still there, finally cementing after 20K tiles!

What did you chose in the end @NewHouseNewMe ? Paint colours chosen must be a weight off your mind. Congrats on the roof!!!

@GardensandGrandDesigns looks stunning. Love the deep veining.

Budgeting done ✔ 8k over at the moment with around 10k left to spend

Fed Up Friday here - when I know nothing will progress for two whole days.

and when they seem to have hardly done anything the last two days either. A couple of doors hung, skirting started but it’s taking the bloke ages and I’m not even that happy with what he’s done so far - touching the wall in places and not in others, I know you can whack some sealant in there but I don’t like it being wonky.

will start on Fizzy Friday soon 🥂

Fed up Friday here too. Just booked the first 2 weeks at the Travelodge and Premier Inn and having major regret. I don't think I can do it but I don't have a choice!

Lack of progress is so frustrating, especially when you have loads still to do. Regarding the skirting, it might be the walls that are not straight. We have had to do loads of caulking here and it because of the plastering (Misty on existing walls).

Yep, that's a toughy, but it will be worth it. Much better than being on-site if it's at a really messy stage. When we were out of the house, we did have a small kitchen but not enough to have a few days worth of food in so found a few pubs who delivered food. Made a change from stodgy takeaways.

How long will you be out for? Are you going to continue the air bnb hunt or is the travelodge the only viable option?

We are booked between Travelodge and Premier Inn for next 6 weeks! Airbnb was extortionate and just not an option. The budget hotels work out at £1600 for 6 weeks which is more than enough!

Travel Lodge and Premier Inn are very nice, definitely nicer to be able to get away. We were looking for short term rent in the area so that our kids still be able to keep their arrangements and its almost £5000/month for a 2 bed flat, the same to airbnb and even though, they dont have the facilities we have at home(that we could cook and sit down for family meals). We have been living in for 4 months now, a large open plan kitchen extension and 2 living rooms, we sleep all in 1 room(a large room). We are lucky that there is a garage so plenty of space for storage stuffs. It still hasnt been that easy, for now, its all the way up to the loft for the only available bathroom/toilet.
Extremely slow progress from us here too as no trade the last couple of days. We still have the porch build, 2nd fix, carpenter, decoration.

<waves frantically > hello all! I was away for a few days for a wedding abroad, but I’ve caught up with the thread and am fully ready to join the fed up Friday crew. 🍷

Builders have fixed the ceiling that was 200mm too low - we’ll never know what the problem was, as the builders immediately put up their hand and said they’d fix it. At least now the PM is on his guard and triple checking everything. Still... we had a site meeting today and I pointed out the scullery wall is 30cm off. That’s very easy to correct, but I feel bad having the guys build stuff and then immediately undo their hard work.

Internal and external walls are still being built. First fix starting next week. Then roofing and cladding. I’m told plaster boarding should start in 2-3 weeks. We still haven’t ordered glazing and doors, all of which are bespoke and will take forever. If we move back in November as planned, I will eat an olive. I hate olives.

We’re trying to progress joinery in a zillion rooms. It’s lots of different suppliers, joiners, IKEA, plykea, superfront, dyi kitchens etc. Thankfully the PM is happy to help coordinate them all. He’s even found a place that will spray paint IKEA Pax wardrobes in any colour, so we can have something that looks bespoke, at an IKEA-ish price point.

I went to the Chelsea design centre yesterday, and was quoted 60k for a kitchen (excluding appliances, worktop and VAT), so I just turned around and ran. 😁 Had another design meeting this morning with a German kitchen company and it seemed a lot more humanely priced, but the designer was a bit bland and uninspiring. Now waiting for a firm quote and hoping for the best.

Good look everyone with cramped surroundings, tiny babies, lazy builders, inadequate tiles etc. It will be worth it in the end...

Glad the walls being fixed. I also had to get our builders to tweak stuff after they had built them (mainly roof window placement), it does seem a shame but usually easily resolved and best to get sorted whilst it's accessible rather than plastered up.

£60k + for a kitchen Were the units solid marble!

We are close to end here. Patio and driveway should be finished next week. Plumbers had a family emergency so still waiting for all the radiators to be plumbed in. Don't mind this so much as it has given us more time to paint the walls (so so many of them). The electrician also has a few minor jobs to do like putting up the massive light in the stairwell, putting in an external socket etc. Builder then just has a few snags, not many and all really minor which is good.

Budget wise, we have spent everything! Have enough to get through these last few bits and then have a few thousand to help with some finishing stuff like curtain poles etc. The next year for us will be saving like mad again to build up our reserves as it's all gone

My job today is putting up all the towel rails and toilet roll holders (lack of these has been annoying me this week), and put up the TV in the kitchen, then cleaning everything as there are paint splatters all over the floors.

Splashback went in yesterday. Took some advice from here and went with a grey mirror. Thanks! It looks amazing. So pleased with it, especially as it reflects the green wall opposite.

Got an invoice for £15k for scaffolding yesterday. I paid £3.5k last week. Its a massive tin hat job but seriously so so much money. More than im spending on the bifolds. Money is flying out at pace here and im feeling a bit sick about it.

In positive news the tiles are off my roof ready for the roofer to reroof old and roof new starting Monday. The new roof frame is all built and the vaulted ceiling in the new bedrooms looks amazing. And even better i had to pay for the tiles when i ordered them 3 months ago.

Builder says we should dryline the new build and skim the old. Im guessing the windows need to be in for that.

I've bought 4 wall hung toilets (duravit) on line and on sale and they have all arrived safely and are now in the container. Im going to make shower trays my next purchase!

Underfloor heating is all down and screeded. Im panicking slightly as i can't see that they have put a waste in for the downstairs toilet.

Wow what an absolute wow kitchen. It is absolutely stunning! Well done for getting to the end too!!

15k for scaffolding!!! I had no idea it cost that much! Yikes. I dread every invoice!

We had a big tin hat as well it didnt cost that much, has the price gone up so much the last 4 months. Ours was with AF scaffolding.
@Sewfrickinamazeballs stunning kitchen. I would need to save few years for kitchen, garage etc. too.

@Sewfrickinamazeballs So pleased for you, your kitchen looks absolutely stunning! Have you cooked a meal yet?

Also, where is your tap from, please?

It's from Blanco (I think). Saw it in the kitchen showroom and knew it was the one.

Looks very smart @Sewfrickinamazeballs you are providing inspiration for us behind you to keep plugging away!

A thank you to a former poster @callmejudith Who recommended lipgloss by valspar - it's a beautiful colour and perfect for an unobtrusive but still interesting offwhite.

What are everyone's jobs this week?
Mine are a bit bitty and not much I can think of as delays meant the team are now out of alignment
Delivery of large furniture
Carpet samples
Finish bathrooms plastering

We have 2painters today but no idea what they are going to do as we have been waiting on plasterers for the last week.
September feels a long way off. Really want to get a bedroom back which was meant to be 2weeks ago and the door supply delay has affected all the following work and caused a longer delay.

@Sewfrickinamazeballs house is
looking fab. So jealous!

Apparently the other quote for scaffold was over £18k. So much money.

I just ordered my fridge freezer. It felt cheap comparitively.

I need to get on andorder shpwer trays. What did everyone go for. Are the ones you tile over any good?

It’s great to see the progress everyone is
making. I’m still lurking, the prep is happening slowly here so I suspect that we will be moving on to the next thread before our work starts.
We’ve had 3 quotes in (out of 7 builders approached), and borrowing approved. Just trying to chose between two, and one of the builders is coming out to chat to us again today. They are well known locally, with great reviews, and have been excellent with communication. The other is connected to our architect, slightly more expensive (but not much), and would be the ‘easier’ option.
We didn’t think we would start this year but both are able to start late aug/early sept, which means we’ve quickly had to start planning our kitchen so that it can be ordered in time. Holy crap, it’s a bit more than we had hoped! But thankfully cheaper than Yellows £60k quote 😂. @Sewfrickinamazeballs, it’s quite similar in style to yours, so it’s great to see it in real life.
@AwkwardPaws27 , I remember your plans being a similar scale and stage to ours, although you’ve managed to get going whereas we took an age to get building control approval and quotes. Is it coming in around budget so far?

@nomoneytreehere we went with kudos www.kudosshowers.co.uk/kstone-shower-trays/
Not sure where they sit on the brand/price scale but I liked the fact they are made in the UK and come with a lifetime guarantee.

As someone who tries to be eco friendly I have found the building process hard at times to be as responsible and ethical as possible both in terms of sourcing items but also disposal.

Thanks @BlueMooMoo are they in yet? Do you like them? Do they feel solid? What did you do for screens.

Im trying to decide whether to go budget for the kids en suites or if thats a false economy (goven most of the cost is in fitting really).

I also struggle with the eco side of things, when yet another skip disappears off to somewhere.
The house overall will be much better insulated, the new appliances will all be better eco rated (although I still have a couple of older ones). So hope it works out in the end.

im trying and failing not to be too grumpy when I get in from work and see minimal progress.
the worktop has gone in the pantry and looks great but I was a bit - is that it for today?
some more skirting has gone in, some architraves around doors but nothing major.
there was a deadline of the start of the school holidays….🤔