Kitchen ripped out/ new kitchen support thread

[Elsanore]

Work here starts on Monday. We are trying to empty the kitchen today and set up make shift kitchen in living room for next few weeks.

Got to go away overnight tonight for a wedding do, with dc, and DH and I both have work to do for our jobs sometime this weekend.

DH grumpily moving stuff around and getting very frustrated already. He has been very effective though and he's the main cook in the house and very good at this kind of thing.

First thing that was supposed to happen.. skip was meant to be here today for noon but it didn't come. Give me strength.

A thread for anyone going through the same, anyone with advice or anyone who wants to hear about my chaos life for the next few weeks.

Talk very nicely to your friends.

😁 Good plan!

I had another horrible shock this week when the kitchen supplier told us our kitchen, which I was chasing up cos as far as I was concerned it was 2 weeks late being delivered, hadn't even been ordered... turns out it had and it is sitting in a warehouse ready to be delivered but not being released until the builders clear their debts with the kitchen company! Which he is trying to do but his bank account was/ is currently frozen. Also I asked him about the horrible fraud and conman accusations we saw about him online. It was malicious and supposedly had been taken down by the police but had popped up to horrify me last week 😮😣

It probably sounds naive but we do believe the builder and faith is restored. They did more work yesterday and now the kitchen just needs to be delivered and fit. What could go wrong?????

After three weeks we ran out of clean clothes so I spent a day sat in the local laundrette!

We asked our builder to leave it in place. It has had to be moved a couple of times but we have been without a washing machine for 3 days in total.

Fortunately I have a very local sister!!

Thank you to PPs for sharing your washing machine arrangements!

@Elsanore , I hope everything goes smoothly from now on for you. Your lovely new kitchen will make it all feel worthwhile, I’m sure.

My tumble dryer went into storage today but the washing machine is staying. If they cant work around it i'll be taking washing to friends and family as the launderette burnt down! I'm hoping they can work round it. The fridge freezer is in the living room and I'm hoping we manage ok with the instant pot, toaster and microwave. Sounds positive @Elsanore I wish you luck!

End of our third week here but nearly done, had a washing machine until this morning when the flooring guy arrived. Local designer, supplier and fitter and mostly pretty smooth so far despite a worktop delay and knock on effects.

We're planning for an extension next year that involves ripping out and moving the kitchen (including the boiler) as part of it. Expected to take 3-4 months and we have a toddler, I'm dreading it 🙈 builder has suggested we be out of the house for the worst month! Will take any and all tips to survive it!

Week 7 begins. The shell of the room is pretty much ready. Considering most of it has been taken right back to brick a lot has been done

Supposedly the kitchen is getting delivered today and will be quick to fit they say, they measure up and order the quartz worktop which is "3 to four days". I am trying not to have any expectations as so far everything has taken longer.

I definitely agree with the advice @MrsRL to try to move out for the worst of it! We've had 2 short stints in Airbnbs (one was a disaster and cut short) and I've taken DC away for a few days now over half term.

It's definitely easier if you're not living there as they can just get on with it, and there's no need to make sure things like power and water are available overnight. But our whole house is being gutted so no choice!

It is hideously expensive though - we're in rental - but I'm not sure how much time it will save by not living there so that reduces some cost?

We're now into the 6th day of a 4 day job to lay the flooring.
I am using the boiling water tap and the cutlery drawer. Otherwise we are still camping in the utility room (which doesn't have cupboard doors yet).
What's the saying? 'I thought I saw the light at the end of the tunnel but it was some bastard with a torch bringing more problems' I paraphrase of course, but the sentiment is correct.

I’m into week 6 and really down to finishing touches, skirtings went on today, and doors to the living and utility rooms went back on. The tiler’s starting the bathroom tomorrow, and all the prep plumbing work has been done so 🤞🏼I think once it’s tiled it should be a case Of slotting things on, and there’s mention of the painter maybe starting next week

We’ve been doing a whole house reno and have struck absolute gold with our builders-absolutely brilliant guys

Aw this is reassuring @JudgeRindersMinder we're whole house reno too and still unsure how long to expect. They're almost two weeks in now and it looked like good progress when I last saw it at 1.5 weeks in.

Me again... the OP... We have been messed around by magnet now with our delivery. I ended up paying £6.5k (part of £12k overall kitchen price after builder discount) direct to magnet to release our kitchen from their warehouse- they were holding it hostage saying the builder hadn't paid for it- he swore he had and then his bank accounts were frozen (he's a very disorganised man). Obviously knocking that £6.5k off builder's final bill!

It's now here (minus any handles for cupboards or drawers.. but with a bonus unwanted tap 🤦🏽‍♀️) and probably now about a quarter fitted. More cross words with builder yesterday when they went off to do another job and left ours.

They are supposed to be fitting it today and the granite man coming to measure up on Monday.

We cooked our tea on the new cooker last night though which worked.

Off to in laws again this weekend.

Give me strength.

We finalised design last week and paid for it to get the sale price. Then realised the designer had left off the under unit lights and changed our minds about the colour of the utility room cupboard doors!

We currently have the contents of the kitchen spread according the entire ground floor of the house. In the last week it’s been replastered, first fix electrics done and the new floor laid. Fitting the new kitchen starts on Monday. Washing up in a plastic bowl in the bath gets old very quickly!

Across not bloody according!

Week 3 tomorrow here. External doorway has been bricked up, partial first fix electrics. They couldn't finish because the builders hadn't sorted the ceiling. First fix plumbing done. No washing machine for a week which is the worst bit! Hoping the window will go in and they can get insulation and plasterboard on this week. I'm finding it really hard work with the toddler, 4 year old no bother but there isn't a toddler proof room in the house at the moment!

Will you hate me if I say mine is finished? Painter starts tomorrow, and we still have plastering to be done elsewhere in the house, but the “big” part of our job is finished now-I have a lovely shiny new kitchen, utility and living room!

I won’t hate you if you post some pictures😊

Same. I’d love to see how it looks, it will cheer me up immensely as I lug the washing up bowl upstairs yet again!

Oooh that is exciting @JudgeRindersMinder and gives me hope we might get there one day too!

And, yes, would love to see some pics!

@JudgeRindersMinder I'd love to see pictures too! It makes me focus on the end goal when I see the after photos. It will be absolutely worth it when we're done. There will only be our bedroom and the hall and landing to do to finish the house when we've saved up again. Bracing myself for a frustrating chat with the builder in the morning. Good luck all!