Anyone with work starting soon want a chat thread?

[thenewaveragebear1983]

We were quoted in February, and have been patiently waiting… builder is Dh’s mate so worth waiting for. Finally got the 2-3 weeks call last week, so starting in 2 (ish) and I cannot wait!

we aren’t building any footprint, but are knocking into our garage to make a small living room for the kids/playroom; taking down a stud wall to make a large living room on the back; installing a wall and double doors to split a through room, and having our bathroom split into 2 to make a smaller family bathroom and a separate shower room.

we’ve never done anything like this at all so feel very nervous/excited! I’ve not really allowed myself to get excited yet so as not to be disappointed but it does seem like he’s nearly due to start!

would love a chat thread, estimate our work will take 10-12 weeks.

How is everyone getting on? Hope the weather isn’t causing too much delay for those who are mid work! We are a wee from starting, I’m so excited! I’m going to order my sofa tomorrow as it has an 11 week lead time on it. I need to pack up the downstairs room as well to limit the dust damage!

what’s everyone going to do about their Christmas decs? I am considering getting a small real tree this year so i can just dispose of it afterwards if it gets covered in dust.

A Week from starting, not wee 🤦‍♀️

Can I join? We haven’t started and probably won’t until spring next year but we did just get our planning permission through so it feels realer than it has before! We are planning back and side single storey extensions and a full house renovation. We’ll see in the next month or two if we can afford any of that!!

@HopelessOptimistism wow that sounds like a big project! Hope you can do what you want.

How exciting @thenewaveragebear1983
Pleased to hear you're nearly at the start line. The weather held over the weekend only for an absolute deluge today. The garden is like a mud bath as we have no gutters. I dont think the roof tiles are on but the membrane is 🙈
We normally get a big ish real tree but I'm considering just putting up the little light tree so I can wipe it down, I'll probably decide nearer the time.
We changed the plans but having spoken to the builder today have another 60cm to play with, it doesn't sound much but might give us the original bathroom design back with a storage cupboard. I'm speaking with the builder in the morning to sort the first fix of plumbing and electrics. Fingers crossed for you

We've basically finished our garage conversion although the kitchen doesn't arrive until next year. But we are waiting on our bifolds to arrive and the radiators to be fitted. As far as stress levels, this has been easy compared to our previous house but my house is so cold! I just want the doors to arrive!

Hope you don't mind me popping back in. Having so many panics over this but one of the issues is my builders are talking about starting works in January. What do others thing about an attic conversion in January?

If you’re planning on remaining in the property be prepared for cold!

I'd agree! Mine is freezing at the moment due to a boarded up hole in my back wall! I'd see if you can start in March?

I’m worried about having 2 days “open” while they put a skylight in…. I’m not sure I could cope with the whole roof off!

We’re also - hopefully - starting a loft conversion in January but we won’t be living at the property while it’s done.

So far it's been manageable with us living here but it has been mild and the builders have been exceptionally tidy. If you stay in the house be prepared for it to be cold. It's not just whilst the roof is off (they were hoping that part would take 4/5 days but have been slowed up with the weather) there was also a spell we were without insulation as this came out the Thursday or Friday before the build started. Maybe talk through the likely timescales and plan to haemorrhage heating. Also be prepared to shift around if it gets very cold, DD(2) has ended up with me some nights. Her room was the coldest before the work started and is being the most disrupted so shouldn't have been entirely unexpected. Ours is a hip to gable/double dormer if that helps. A friend hasn't been as fortunate and ended up with rain coming through into a bedroom/the landing one evening. They will be putting it all right but obviously inconvenient. That said, I wouldn't want to lose a spot that would push it too far back, apart from anything else the fear of the cost of materials going up again would have potentially made it impossible. Sorry for the essay x

Can I join? Contracts signed and builders on site next week.
We are doing a loft extension incl en-suite, garage conversion, knocking through an internal wall and modernisation throughout. Our contract says 12-16 weeks for everything so keep my fingers crossed.

How is everyone getting on now we've got to another weekend? We still have no roof, fingers crossed for Monday.

Our builders arrived on Wednesday to prep the site, put up their boards, leave tools and clear the house- the build stats on Monday . I'm excited and scared at the same time. So glad I have people to vent with.

We still haven’t heard from our builder with a definite date for next week he send end of the month but I imagine it really means 5th Dec ish as start of the next week. I’ll get dh to ring him over the weekend. We trust him, he’s a good mate of dh’s. I’m so excited to start that I almost cannot bear to think about it because of not wanting to be disappointed!

@reno22 welcome, you’re sounds similar to ours, knocking down a few walls and converting the garage - it will make such a massive difference to the way we use our space
@Hall84 oh no, no roof! Is it freezing?

The thermostat in the hall has us at 15° but it feels colder as the house just isn't holding any heat atm. Fortunately it's just me tonight so I've had the fire on rather than heating the whole house.

@thenewaveragebear1983 I'm hoping so. We've not lived in the house yet but the flow will work better for our little family especially when I return from maternity leave.

So far my first floor ceiling/loft floor has been removed. It's so scary because we've basically gone backwards in order to go forwards.

That’s exactly why we are doing ours, we have an ‘L’ shaped lounge/diner and a garage that make a big square and it’s our only living space except kitchen. We put a stud wall in 6 years ago to make a playroom and left a rectangle lounge diner, which meant my lounge is a corridor to the playroom and the diner was literally never used. Our work will see the garage converted to a playroom and the reconfiguring the L shape up make a dining room (current lounge) and then the lounge will be a large room across the back of the house (currently diner and playroom). It will make such a difference to the whole feel of the house, and my lounge will be the last room (we can’t avoid this rooms leading off rooms scenario unfortunately).

I just want him start already, he’s finishing a kitchen and we are next but Oh My Days I’m getting bloody impatient now 😡

I totally empathise with the impatience. We had our offer accepted back in February but with conveyancing and planning delays the builder is only just on site.

Question- this is my first renovation. Do house items (radiators, roof lights, velux windows etc) get good (any) Sale discounts?

Not sure about velux etc but we have found that there are always sales on ‘fixtures’ eg flooring, baths, tiles, radiators etc at any given time. As long as you aren’t dead set on one particular thing, you’ll get something at a reduced price.

That's great to know. We're definitely going to need them 🫣

Gosh the cold!!! I can definitely sympathise, however the ds' are wandering around the house in shorts and t shirts and Ive got three layers on 🥶! We've have had some windows and doors taking out and about to start using a temporary kitchen. We are only 4 weeks in and I'm already panicking about spiralling costs! Will definitely be looking at things in the sale and discounted items 🤑

They've broken through onto the hall yesterday and after a couple of days in the warm after the roof went on we're back to very chilly as the insulation hasn't all been fitted yet. We've also woken up to a broken boiler and no hot water after the plumber was here yesterday. Although it's a pain they've been really good and keep everything tidy. It's also reminded me why we chose to have an electric shower up there!

We've had our certificate of lawful development through today! I'm really pleased it's back as it confirms we (just) fall under permitted development. Not totally necessary but the architect was very twitchy after some recent behaviour from the council. We're £130 ish down but means all the paperwork is there as and when the house gets sold.