Extension thread 2022 part III.. celebrations, crises and will it be finished for Christmas?!

[NewHouseNewMe]

3rd thread of 2022 - can't believe I'm still here!

Sounds like some brilliant progress this week, fingers crossed for building control, dry screen and windows (and for everything else going on for us all too)!

@Martinisarebetterdirty , that looks amazing!

@Yellownotblue , crossing fingers for you! Hope you’re able to move on schedule.

Our builders have gone elusive on us again after a flurry of activity last week. The worktops are in so we need the hob connecting. We have skirting to fit in the downstairs loo, woodwork to paint, and a ceiling airer to fit, and then we’re onto snagging. We also have a rather large hole into a void to one side of a door so need them to sort that out so it can actually be filled. But, I mean, responding to my WhatsApp messages would help….🙄

What are people doing with painting and radiators? Are you getting them on and then getting the decorator to work around it?
Or keeping the radiators off until it's decorated?

@Yellownotblue beautiful window but what a nasty shock. I'm so glad that no one was hurt and it's now been secured safely.
@Martinisarebetterdirty beautiful bath!
@plumstone seems like things are getting finished and how nic

How nice*

@Baxdream we had them taken off. But we used a largish building firm so had a staff plumber on site to take on and off again as and when needed.

Well done to those making progress and keep going to those at the low points.

We are officially finished with the big build and now in the 4month snagging period. 2 independent jobs still need to be done but that will have to be after Christmas at least or possibly Easter.

For those interested from an original scoped budget of 180k (2017) to an 250k tendered quote, to a 290k adjusted (material and labour prices as we had waited over a year for the builder) quote, we finally came in at 330k plus probably another 10k for final projects and then 20k for hard/soft landscaping to be done over the next 5years.

I’ve given up on money tbh, it’s all just a ever growing hole from this money pit of a house.

painter here this week, I would have said just to finish off snagging stuff but near the end of day 3 and he hasn’t made it to the understairs shelves that were assembled on Friday. He does seem to be a perfectionist which is good as the last guys left having said they were finished when they weren’t by a long shot - the boss guy said he wasn’t going to pay them, which is out of my hands but was somewhat justified.

need to find my to do list but p:

only the understairs shelves have been built, but not yet painted so not really completed.

have paid for the parts for the glass railings which should arrive this week, not sure when they will install them. Then final measurements for the glass to be ordered.

no sign of my old window coming back yet.

front door still has old green paint on it

new doors still not oiled

other stuff still not done….

The floor is dry!! Flooring goes down on Friday 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
Just need to source some liquid DPM now.

@Martinisarebetterdirty bath looks amazing

We are no further forward - structural engineer has not signed off new work so everything has slowed down. Probably biggest issue with our build has been the surveyors/engineers slow response time. It is costing us weeks at a time.

Can't really do anything till roof sorted. I will chase everyone today.

Our electrician has unfortunately had some sort of arm/shoulder trauma where his arm is now in a sling so not sure when he will be back on site.

Elusive carpenters not turned up again.

Utility was finished yesterday and I love it even though my husband will be in there more than me 😊

DH took yesterday off and mist coated our master bedroom and then painted more of the new extension room last night. I did bring him a cuppa in bed this morning, what a trooper!

Floor tomorrow 😁😁😁😁

We've ordered our ovens! We had neff at the old house but there's no way I can afford them now (the same model is £600 more!) we have got the John Lewis one (no1 on which), it's currently discounted and I got 4.5% off through my work reward scheme.
I'm now on the hunt for an American fridge freezer and integrated hood..

Sorry to hear about poor progress. Our last builder always had some sort of drama- car crash, divorce, van broke down etc etc. This one is very reliable and we should be finished in 2 weeks so I can't see it changing

Can I join in?

My renovation started yesterday with scaffolding going up and even more today! Costs escalating already as our quite was 18 months ago. Probably a 4-6 month job so I'm expecting at least 6 months. Builder comes highly recommended.
We've moved into rental property as we won't have a kitchen for most of it. I keep telling myself it will all be worth it in the end, especially when I see some of the pictures on here.

Just looked into work reward schemes and it appears we can access the civil service one. Is it worth it then for the discounts?

I think so. John Lewis is 4.5% which is good for me, especially during a build where you end up spending so much!

@GardensandGrandDesigns Congrats on the floor!!

SO the joiner came in yesterday, and the window is sorted, and the shelves up in the kitchen, Kitchen is now finished - thank god.

Todo list is now:

replace window
ensure the venting hob is all correct
shelves in kitchen
Silicon the shower room
Hooks on the back of the utility room door
Pictures up in office and spare bedroom
Shower room suite plumbed in
Bath plumbed in

Spoke to the plumber this morning and he will be here tomorrow just after 8am Thank goodness, as I have people in over the weekend, and really need a downstairs loo functioning.

Not sure if i'm a glutton for punishment, however booked the painters for March 2023 for the living room. Feel that taking the winter off is only going to be fine, as long as I keep the momentum up and know what's happening going into Spring.

Good to see so much progress, and welcome newbies 👋

have possibly the worlds most thorough painter here atm 🙄😂 I mean the finish is excellent but it’s. So. Slow.

he’s finished the ceilings, and one coat on the understairs shelves, and some walls, I think. I’ve been out most of the day and he’s just tidying up now.

this is all after a couple of painters were meant to have done all of this months ago, barring some changes like I’ve added coving, ceiling roses and dado rail bits.

He’s not here tomorrow but back next week, hopefully to finish the shelves, walls, front door paint stripping and oiling new doors.

amazing how much chaos one painter can cause though, stuff moved around everywhere and I don’t know what’s truly ‘done’ for me to move anything back.

extra bits needed for cat flap have arrived so hopefully that can be fixed properly to the wall next week.

bits for glass railing haven’t arrived yet, due this week.
no news on old window….

Today was floor day and it is good bye building site, hello new home! What a transformation, they are back tomorrow too. I was not really bothered about floor in the early days but it is absolutely beautiful and I love it!

Oh that is lovely @GardensandGrandDesigns which one is it? It looks similar to one we were looking at

Thanks it is Ted Todd Calico.

Hello, joining here as we are finally having our extension begin in the new year! Two story extension to the side and single storey to the back, knocking kitchen and dining room into one plus utility, bootroom and downstairs bathroom. Upstairs the 4th bedroom will be extended to become a double bedroom and bathroom extended to become a family bathroom with separate bath and walk in shower (it's tiny at the moment).

This has been 2 years in the making and now I'm pregnant and due just a few weeks after the work is scheduled to be completed! Minus fitting the bathroom and kitchen though... We are moving into rented accommodation for 6 months. I don't know whether to be terrified or excited. Builders we've got seem really organised and will pay us £300 for every week they go over schedule! Contract seems good. Fingers crossed!

That all sounds very exciting! Welcome to the gang. Having a baby too, wow it's going to be an incredibly exciting year for you!

Has anyone had experience of completing all the internal works incl stairs to a loft extension but delaying the dormer/hip to gable external works?

My neighbour has just decided not to agree and now wants a survey etc. They are in their rights to do so - I'm thinking can our builders continue then do the externals incl plumbing an en-suite at the end.

Welcome @thedust. Hopefully you keep to timeline and get in before little one arrives. An exciting time for you!
reno, that sounds tricky. I’ve no idea what can be done in the circumstances, we are detached so no party wall issues to deal with luckily. I hope you get it resolved.

Gardens, the flooring looks beautiful. I imagine it’s glorious to see it all come together. I’m having a weekend of browsing flooring and ordering samples. Me and DD have covid so I can’t do much else atm, unfortunately.
Our internal walls are starting to come down, but it’s now all stopped after the builder discovered a supporting beam that wasn’t noted on the original survey. Had to get the structural engineer up to run some calculations for the various options to work around it. Await their feedback. It’s very frustrating as we paid a good chunk of money for a detailed survey for the architect to work off, with the aim of avoiding surprises like this. So we will wait and see how much extra this will cost us before going back to complain, and possibly ask for money back.

@thedust welcome to the thread and good luck! We are in the final throes of a similar project (two storey side extension plus single storey back extension, pod extension on the second floor outrigger and garden room). I hope you manage to get it all down in time for your baby’s arrival. How exciting!

Our project will have taken just over ten months in total. Most of it has run relatively smoothly, but some things have been a nightmare and are delaying everything else. We still have glazing issues, which means we can’t get the scaffolding down. This isn’t the builder’s fault, as they’re not supplying the glass - so that won’t trigger the liquidated damages clause.

I’m hoping to move back in a month. This seems laughable right now, as the bathrooms, kitchen, utility, scullery, joinery, second fix and all the decorating still needs to be done, as well as landscaping and fencing. But the builders seem to think they can pull it off. Fingers crossed…

Welcome @thedust

i typed a long post and it disappeared Grrr.

@reno22 depends where your stairs go I think

tumble dryer vent not working so utility getting ‘sweaty’ needs looking at.

hopes for the week?

painting finished
understairs shelves complete
fixings for railings arrived and installed
cat flap fixed

maybe:
doors oiled
front door stripped and oiled

welcome @thedust

those following my drama, inspectors came and said everything was fine and they will close the complaint. So relieved. Was confident but you never know.

moved out to rental this weekend. Omg am
so tired and flat is a bomb-site with blown electrics and all our crap everywhere. Few odds and sods still to clear out of house tomorrow, despite 4 men, 2 vans and a million trips in the car.