Builder starting in 8 days - panic! Advice please!

[succulentlove]

Hi all, we have agreed with our preferred builders that we will renovation work on 1 March. No extension but pretty big piece of work otherwise- taking out chimneys, moving kitchen, underfloor heating, etc.. the work to first fix is expected to take 3 months.

However, I am now anxious that we haven't sorted out the following - please can I check people's experience if these are issues we can sort if we act ASAP, or whether we need to delay the build work?

1. kitchen - we are hoping to go for either IKEA or DIY kitchens. Have design plans drawn up but not ordered it yet. What are the typical delivery times for these companies at the moment?

2. Glass - sliding doors (maybe 10m in total across 3 walls) and 2 x skylights - builder has advised the glass company will need to measure the space accurately further down the build project anyway (when the existing bricks / windows are removed), so we've been quite relaxed - but are we wrong?

Thank you from a clueless first time renovator!

Kitchen...you need to check but you are pushing your luck based on my experience

Measure down the line....isn't there any plans or spec? How did the builder quote without specifications of windows and doors?

All the best but this sounds like a project ripe to go over budget as you don't have a tight spec and plans

If you don't find out these details then you're looking at a gap between starting demolishing and waiting for your kitchen & glass and living in a building site until they are free to fully complete. You definitely do not want this to go beyond the summer. Build work always takes longer than they say. You need to dedicate this week to finding out solid kitchen delivery times and exact delivery times of similar size glass before allowing the work to start. It's better to delay the start than live with a missing kitchen and unsecured home.

Doors and windows have HUGE lead time. In 2019 ours took 12-16 weeks. Have you really only just looked into this?!!!

For both these things you need to ask the company supplying the parts, only they can tell you accurate information, anything else is a guess from people on here.

I think our kitchen was 16 weeks - go on diy kitchens and it will tell you, or call them up. It depends which range you are going for and if it is a standard or bespoke colour. I would make it a priority to get it ordered up this week though! Assume you have finalised the design?

Sorry but you will not get a custom-made kitchen ordered and delivered by 1st March; that's just over a week away! You might be able to get away with pre-made IKEA units and try and fit it in.

I went with Wren for mine and I think it took about 12 weeks.

Get a Howdens kitchen. Off the shelf.

We’ve just ordered doors amd windows and the firm we use is currently saying 6 to 8 weeks.

Our IKEA kitchen took 2-3 weeks to be delivered. It's normal for them to want to measure up before ordering glass but it does mean a wait for the glass

My friends ikea kitchen took several weeks as various parts out of stock so took a while for everything to come together. Looks gorgeous though now it’s done!

To be fair, it sounds like you don't need the kitchen for several weeks while other work is done...

My new windows took 13 weeks.
My new kitchen last year took 12 weeks.

Howdens carcasses and then either their doors or one of your choice

two window manufacturers that I use are two weeks from order to delivery

windows will be sized on the drawings but will be best measured once openings have been established providing lead time works to your schedule

You won't need the kitchen until towards the end of the build if you're having it moved, UFH put in etc, but you should order it asap. Likewise the glass. Do you have plans from a structural engineer you can work from? If you're having an entire back wall knocked down to accommodate doors you must be having RSJs inserted for support and the plans should tell you the gap that's going to be left for them.

Are you moving out? Don’t try to live around it, it will be horrible and will slow down the job

Our DIY kitchen order took about five weeks, but they have their current delivery times on their website. It currently says delivery for 20th March if you ordered today, but that depends on the type of kitchen and whether it’s a bespoke colour. I have no idea about glass, sorry!

Check your house insurance too - ours only covered minor renovations up to a certain value and we had to find new insurers for the duration of the works.

We had our renovations through Covid so things might have been different then, however four panel bifold doors weren't finally measured until the opening had been created.
An approximate measurement had been taken for the quote but the final one was done when all windows and door openings were completed.

The glass company was aware of the job prior to final measurements being taken so the job was booked in their calendar.

You need to delay. Just ordering our wooden floors, the materials have had a three month delay on them. We were supposed to be starting a bathroom refurb at end of March but the builder has said it's unlikely he'll be able to start then as he still can't get hold of anything.

Kitchen usually 8-24 weeks in my experience

From recent experience

Kitchen - roughly 14-18 weeks.
Doors window. - anyones guess. I was quoted 14 weeks, ended up being well over 20 weeks because of delays.

The glass itself will be on a 2-4 week lead time. For an assembled door or window it will be 6-14 weeks depending how busy the manufacturer is.

Kitchens, no idea but I'd imagine 6 weeks minimum if any of it is made to measure. IKEA etc. Probably much quicker.

Your builder is correct about the windows and doors. The window company will come out and take acccurate measurements once the holes are built. Be prepared for a decent wait for them to arrive. My neighbour has been waiting about 6 weeks now and they still haven't arrived yet.

Diy show the delivery week on their website. When I looked yesterday it was 20th March

If you are living in while renovating be aware that the dust gets everywhere. Move everything you can into rooms that aren't being touched and then create a double layer of airtight dust sheet seals to prevent the dust coming through. You can get plastic sheets with zips in that you can tape over doorways. Tape up all round the edges and don't open any windows in the "clean" area while they are smashing things up or the dust will be drawn through.