About to start a 6-month extension build...

[AppropriateAdult]

... and moving in with the in-laws for the duration. Come join me on this wild ride!

Urgh! Windows and french doors went in today. Just received the photos and I HATE my arched kitchen windows. Nothing we can do about it now, but the proportions are all wrong.

I didn’t realise the builder had aligned the window sills with all the other windows along the side of the house. I understand why, but there was no need, seeing as no-one can actually stand back far enough to see them all at the same time. To me, it was more important that the two arched windows in my new kitchen looked right from the inside and sat comfortably just above the worktops.

We have ended up with large transoms and smaller top hinged openings underneath. I knew the window would be transom plus hinged top opener below (I insisted on them opening, as for some reason the builder thought we didn’t need opening windows in a kitchen!) but I just assumed they would be balanced in height. My fault, I should know never to make assumptions with anything to do with the build/reno. One is replacing an existing arched doorway, the other is being created to match, so they could have been literally any height, anywhere from the floor up. Personally I would have gone with worktop up and an equal split transom to opener.

Too late now, it would cost us too much to put it right and we are planning on replacing them with stained glass in the next couple of years anyway, so it will just have to wait. I am gutted though, as they are a feature of the room and will now just look odd until we can replace them. We’re going over tomorrow, so maybe I will be pleasantly surprised when I see them in the flesh, as it were, but I seriously doubt it.

@Driverpicksthemusic how out are they? It might not be difficult to change them. We had to make a change to ours, and it was about £200 to change the brickwork for our tall door. Depends what lintels they have put it and how difficult it is to lower them I think. I'm sure they don't look bad though.

@CountryCob I haven't, I've let it go. We need them to come back and finish some bits (they were just doing to plaster shell finish, we have new builders in now for the interior) and they've broadly been good compared to a lot of horror stories I've heard. Have you? What did they say if so?

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 There is no lintel, because it’s brickwork arches. The problem is that the window frames themselves have been made too short, because the builder assumed we would want all the windows on the side elevation to line up along their window ledges. To me lining them up is irrelevant as unless next door are up a ladder, no one can see them all at the same time anyway. It was more important to make sure they looked right from inside the kitchen.

I made the stupid mistake of assuming the windows would be proportional, ie the half-moon top/transom section the same height as the opening window below, but instead we have a decent size transom with an opening window half the height underneath, that just looks wrong. They fitted them yesterday, so it would be a faff, hold things up and cost more to have them changed now. We are desperate to get finished and move back in now, as my oldest two dc are starting to struggle with being away from dh, dd and I for so long (they both have disabilities).

Dh and I always planned to have the windows converted to stained glass (that he has designed) at some point, so I will just have to suck it up and wait until then to correct the window sizes.

Dh ended up going over without me this morning. He thinks that was probably for the best, as I am feeling quite fragile and apparently it’s all a bit overwhelming where the kitchen is being opened up the extension and walls are half down. He thinks seeing it would most likely have pushed me over the edge and it’s better for me to wait until the space has been fully cleared. He’s probably right!

Apparently upstairs is looking great though and our roof tiles are finally going on early next week. There was a delay with the materials, so they only arrived on Friday. Once that is done and the rest of the walls are down that’s pretty much all the structural work done - oh apart from them opening up the chimney breast to accommodate the cooker and extractor. Apparently they started to do the same next door, but gave up when they saw how thick it was, so the builder is really not looking forward to doing it in ours. For me it was non-negotiable, as it’s the only way to make the kitchen space work.

We’ve given our list of bathroom and en-suite fittings to the builder too, as he thinks he may be able to get discounts on some of it. Hopefully we’ll have it all ordered by the end of next week. Nothing we’ve chosen has a long lead-time, thankfully.

We have been asked if we want them to box in our steelwork or would we prefer to drop the ceiling two brick’s depth and conceal all of them behind a suspended ceiling. I’m not sure. Dropping the ceiling would look neater I suppose, but the rest of the house has relatively high ceilings (think picture rails in all the rooms) so I’m thinking it might look a bit odd if the kitchen’s is lower, even if it’s not by much. Need to make up our minds asap, but I’m really not sure. Might go and do some Pinterest searches and see if that helps.

@Driverpicksthemusic I'm so sorry that's so disappointing that the actual windows aren't how you envisaged them. I bet they'll look lovely when it's all painted and decorated with other focal points to the room in. We've noticed that - things I hated look better once the plaster is in and the flooring finished etc. And at least you can rectify the proportions a bit when you put stained glass in.

Steels - sigh. We had a conundrum about this also. We only had two of ours protruding down slightly (about 4 inches). We decided not to box them in or lower the ceiling (also have picture rails in the adjoining rooms) and instead left them bare and are painting them with intumescent paint in the same colour as the ceiling. Hopefully they will blend in. We didn't want different ceiling heights, and the boxing and plastering was going to add some width and a couple of inches which I was worried might make them look bigger

Well we've got back off holiday after the biiider saying it would be pretty much done and it really isn't . The decorator has also spent 3 days doing one medium room ( all white ) feeling really fed up we are absolutely haemorrhaging cash and my husband is the bread winner I'm a sahm so it just feels pretty stressful all round. He's going to have a word with builder on Monday morn and give him 2 weeks to finish

@Driverpicksthemusic that is so aggravating! I hope they'll look better once plaster etc is done and the room is more finished. I completely sympathise with the feeling of not being able to go to the house. Stained glass sounds amazing though! Is it an old house?

We've definitely learned the hard way to question and double check absolutely everything with the builders. I've nearly thrown my toys out of the pram a few times now but I think we're on the home straight. Progress comes in the form of our amazing tiler who has nearly finished our tiny en suite. Think we'll have upstairs done soon then can seal it off for the final push downstairs.

@RunAwayNow it was built in 1930, so not really old, but it’s quite quirky for a house of it’s age. Also, we decided we were going to do it all our way, as we have no intention of ever moving again.

The arched windows came about as we were having to brick up one external arched doorway to create the kitchen space. The architect initially designed it enlarging the window next to it, but keeping it rectangular and it just looked weird. It’s much better, more in keeping with the house style and more balanced, with the two arches.

Our neighbour had an arched window put in there when our builder did their renovation and that area became their utility room, There’s just a side alley rather than a nice view or outlook on the other side, so we thought stained glass would be a nice feature, instead of obscured glass. For now it will be just frosted, but eventually dh’s friend has said he can create dh’s design and it won’t be too expensive, we just can’t do it this year, on top of the build costs.

That tiling looks amazing! Beautifully done.

@mrssunshinexxx Oh no! I was really hoping they would have it all done ready for you to come home to. Three days to paint one room, I wouldn’t be happy with that either! Hopefully there will be a final rush to get it all finished now you are back. Things definitely moved faster on our house when we were on site.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 l understand picking your battles and let some stuff go, mostly with our most difficult tradesman as just wanted him to finish and leave. Builders were in our house every day for over a year as did loads, the days when loads of trades came in as well were obviously the messiest and people stopped feeling accountable/ couldn't see who the culprit was. We did have 2/3 stop causing such a mess conversions as they got very comfortable in that time and were naturally messy/ didn't really see what they were doing. The work was very good in the main. My husband led the stop making such a mess conversion usually after I had had a melt down. We lived there for all the time bar 4 months when drains were relayed. It was obviously horrible doing that but as we are quite rural and had the school run and animals here anywhere else would have been hard too as needed to be back here at least twice a day. And we kept an eye on things. The conversations did go OK, you have to be on otherwise good terms and just really mean it. Otherwise everything gets trashed - eg brand new bath upstairs, otherwise great plasterer decided to try to fill scratchy dusty bucket in that bath and did scratch it a bit rather than go downstairs for water. We had a portaloo but people kept on trying to use our brand new downstairs loo instead when covered in dust etc as they had wrecked the portaloo despite taking our stuff in there as I was not cleaning it for them. Went through mounds of toilet roll in general, helped themselves to everything - hide your brand new shark vac otherwise it will be used and wrecked. I really really hated it and at one point told them I wouldn't take throwing lunch wrappers on the floor from a child. I don't think the builders realise how damaging it is as I have a contact looking for a builder who didn't want a quote from them purely on the mess basis but the work was great and not extortionate. It's a really dysfunctional industry. I was massively helped by the fact DP runs building projects for a living but that by no means stopped us having issues just made them easier to manage as used to it. We are getting wardrobes tomorrow after over a year of no proper clothes arrangements. Really looking forward to the end result but not the week, especially as there are no real plans just discussions and quotes and rough drawings plus I need to coordinate with the electrician for lighting etc. Clearing out the rooms for that today and setting up DD's room. Hoping for 2 years start to finish bar rebuilding a garage and setting up the garden. Been painting every day for months and need some furniture still out of every decreasing budget. House is amazing but I am never never ever doing this again...m

Went up to loft to see how the insulation is coming along. Looks all good, or so I thought.
I noticed the following:
-Insulation has wiring coming through it. Hazard?

-ceiling insulation is between rafters but the celotex logo is not facing me, they've put the foil writing side the other way. Does this make a difference?

-pitched roof they haven't put insulation between rafters, instead they've placed 100mm insulation beneath the rafters!

The above is frustrating me but can anyone shed any light if this is fine?

@CountryCob I completely understand, we had some similar issues. Stone sink all damaged from stuff poured down it while we were away. Hoping we can buff it out. But they weren't even meant to be in that side of the house.

Plastering over our brand new kitchen with no covers over it. It had been stored behind a ply wall which they pulled down without telling us. It is like they forget it's your house and these are new things you have bought and don't want ruined and covered in shit.

Really well done for living in it through it. And glad it's close to being completed!

@CountryCob it will feel SO amazing when you have proper storage in and the bedrooms all finished. So exciting!

Thanks @A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 went back to carpet shop and ended up going with some remnants save us hundreds. Should be fitted this week so I can get sorted with a bed!

We've moved back home. Sat on the couch last night watching footie and Coldplay at Glasto and was delighted with life.

Currently sleeping on a mattress in the kitchen as no curtains up anywhere so need to get them sorted too but....WE ARE HOME!!!!!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 @CountryCob I feel for you both but it's comforting to know that's it's not just me getting pissed with the situation and others feel the same. My main thing is coming into have lunch at our dining table and basically treating it as if it's his own home! My husband's gunna have a word this morning but this should be the last week of them inside so half of me thinks should o suck it up but then they have 2 weeks outside and if he doesn't say anything they'll just keep coming in then

@mrssunshinexxx can you set him up in the garage with some garden furniture or similar? It is annoying and I think you are right that it will carry on if not mentioned. @A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 I hope your stone sink recovers I can't really see the bath scratches anymore. Fingers crossed today goes well with the carpenter and electrican working together, the most personable electrician in the firm is coming out but the carpenter is quite old fashioned and I don't think a fan of incorporating electrics which won't have been an idea for most of his career I'm fairness. I will offer lots of hot drinks and smiles! It should be OK but I think we all know by now it doesn't always run smoothly. Will be so amazing to have a proper wardrobe as at the moment my clothes are in airing cupboard and floor of study which does make looking presentable quite hard. Did some painting yesterday and lots of flat pack making up etc. Hope all our building goes OK today ladies!

@CountryCob for some unknown reason they didn't come inside today. I got me and my husband and 2 girls lunch on the table asap so think maybe he saw that when he came into make drinks and realised and got the hint !
I have made them loads of brews which lets be fair coffee isn't exactly cheap these days, have a full stash of biscuits for them every week, usually bake weekly , bacon sandwiches sometimes. They have said they'll be ok outside by Thursday so I'm just gunna grit my teeth

@mrssunshinexxx masterfully dealt with, our wardrobes seem to be going well now so fingers crossed....

We have a little issue with squirrels emptying the skip and stealing the builders tea bags! Sooner the windows are in the better! My roof is soon to be water tight and they are starting to do the flooring upstairs and the electrics are starting on Monday upstairs - pretty much a full rewire is happening - so sockets switches and light fittings are next on my list! Any suggestions??'

Thanks @CountryCob

@pashmina696 that's so cute! Hmm from previous renovation, where I splurged on both switches AND sockets, I'd say get budget sockets as they can barely be seen, and spend the money on switches. Highly recommend dimmer switches, if you weren't considering them anyway. What type of look are you going for? We've used both the dowsing and reynolds and Pooky dimmer switches, Corston are amazing also. But we have a period house and have done matte brass

For the sockets, we got a matching finish, but spent about £5 per socket instead of the £40 you could spend

Thanks @A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 I have been looking at those companies - I want a black/bronze finish I think but yes I think we will stick with basic sockets where they can't be seen it's a good tip and maybe plurge on the ones in the lounge and hallway and the switches.

I didn't find these until after I'd part wired the house, but these are black/bronze with paintable backings so it blends which is an interesting idea www.corston.com/collections/paintable-bronze-black-inserts

Haven't had their switches but have had a few of their lights, and they're lovely. About to order their handles for the kitchen

Thank you - these are gorgeous!

Couple of weeks and we should be ready to decorate the extension. Builder is on holiday from 19th for 2 weeks so will start on the kitchen when he returns.