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!

Joining- 6months into a 1 year full house reno, including kitchen extension, only have 100k will not go over that, everything seems on track atm.

we live in the property with 2 kids, hopefully the worst half is over with the main structural work done during autumn/winter and can’t wait for spring/summer to get this finished.

we do 50% of the work ourselves to save money, this is our 3rd reno now so we know what we are doing (kind of)

hope everyone is getting through the Reno journey, mental health intact, just remember there is an end!

We are on week 2 - demolition - grounds work has started and internals are being stripped and walls are coming down.. all very exciting!

For insurance, during the loft conversion, our insurer covered us for most things but we weren't insured for storm damage and break ins. We had to inform them when we were weather tight.

Can I join? Albeit I'm a but early. Starting single storey extension and downstairs reno in June. Can live in the house whilst it's being done.

@Notyetthere thanks - I have managed to sort the insurance seem to be covered for most things as not all my roof is affected so the items I am leaving are totally weather tight.

Hi all! Great to have more renovators on board  Our build got off to a flying start but seems to have slowed down a bit in the last week or two, I think they're waiting on steels and the engineer to come back again and other boring bits like that. We've settled on our windows/doors and are looking at options for flooring - would love to have engineered wood throughout but I just don't think we can afford it, we're considering a good quality laminate instead. Have picked an IKEA kitchen which we really like.
Sorry to hear about your neighbours, @Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon - what a ridiculous and unnecessary extra stress on you all! It's not like there isn't oodles of time to object at the planning stage

@AppropriateAdult we're getting evocore natural oak (premium range). Completely waterproof and really good quality flooring (we have it elsewhere in the house). Might be worth looking to see if they do something like the flooring you're looking for.

Gosh @Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon can't believe you made all these adjustments and they still aren't talking to you - one of my neighbours made a huge complaint at planning stage, delayed our project by months as we decided to re-design and get an expensive sunlight study done etc to appease then he sold before we even started...!

We are using a wood effect tile for flooring downstairs as plan to have underfloor heating

We are looking at properties that will need renovating. We would want to do a kitchen extension. I would be grateful if you guys could let me know the amount you are extending by/dimensions and the cost to first fix please! Would really help us with costings re offering on homes so we can price that into offers

Our single storey has been quoted as 38k plus vat in South West. 6m x 3m

@Toooldtoworry thank you - have they said how long that would take?

If the high was the same in your planning plans . You would of not had to take the high down !! .. you sound very entitled .. don't you think you extension plans are as stressful on your neighbours

11 weeks, but the timeline includes putting in a new kitchen and utility, not sure of the exact breakdown and it's weather dependent. Although once the extension is water tight the rest in 99% internal.

If you read the original post it was the height of the plans.

Yes extensions, and many other works, can be stressful on neighbours but they've been given notice, time to object and they choose build time to be difficult.

@Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon we are doing ours under permitted development and I need to get next door to sign a party wall this month. Am dreading it! Although she works in planning so hoping she sees sense and isn't difficult for the sake of being difficult.

Oh my god. All that effort and he was moving anyway I'd be fuming!

I didnt have to take it down or reduce the height. I tried to compromise so that I could help the neighbours. I could have instructed it stayed the same and builder and architect both wanted to leave that but I wanted to try to appease them. I understand it is also a big change for them. I think you've picked up the wrong tone from the message. I know it is stressful for all.

But my neighbour shut the door in my face, when I was there at their bequest. To help them. That's what I am upset about.

I gave up on the party wall agreement in the end. It was too stressful. And my architect said that she could sign it and then still complain that she didn't realise it was going to be that height and take a case and it could stop the whole process and then where would we be. We build just inside the boundary in the end.

We are in Ireland though so may be different rules.

Good luck with it.

@Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon yes really pissed off with him - though the delay allowed us to save more, we are happy with the compromise and it will cost us less... and he was a bad neighbour to everyone not just us so we are all happy he has moved!

Outcome not so bad overall then. But delay could easily have end up costing more. Thankfully it didn't in your case.

@Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon yes thankfully it was all at planning stage - so far the digging has uncovered nothing too terrible in terms of ground conditions so things are happening quickly now

Joining. But we are further along. Started last August and moving back in next month! Plastering and painting at the moment.
Carpet, sofa and bed shopping this pm! I’m so decision fatigued and mentally tired from never just not thinking and deciding 😬🙈 Builders have been amazing and couldn’t fault them. Can’t wait to get back in!!

Just to say we aren’t plastering and painting ourselves. I don’t know how people do it all. The planning and decisions are a full time job in themselves!

Take out an all risks renovation insurance policy

@Ilovemyshed thanks it took ages but I have something like this in place now