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!

Similar speed here @RunAwayNow and bricks up to new floor level half done today

Wow, I genuinely had no clue they could move so quick! Best get on with moving out now...

@mrssunshinexxx we only bought early 2022 after over a year of being unable to find the right house so always knew it would need work.

we’re moving back on next Sat though won’t be finished then and have to move back out briefly (will stay at MIL’s) for part of the weekend after as they will be laying the UFH in hallway/loo and need to let screed dry

Well our architect received an email from our neighbours architect stating that they know that access needs to be facilitated to render the wall but they want us to deposit €1500 into their solicitors bank account until a satisfactory joint final inspection is completed after the rendering to ensure that our neighbour feels confident in allowing access.

No details as to what a satisfactory joint inspection would encompass or who adjudicates in a disagreement etc. Nor an indication as to how they came up with a figure of €1500.

So frustrating. Our architect will respond saying the above but im not sure how it is gonna work out.

@sickofbuilders did you get back into the house?

Well we’re off.

Day 1 today. The builders arrived at 8.30 am and were straight into digging. Slight hiccough when they found the mains water pipe comes into the house in a totally different place than expected, which means it will have to be redirected before the foundations go in.

I’ve been spent the day in the back bedroom with the dog, so dh can work at the front of the house downstairs where it’s slightly quieter. Surprisingly, despite the noise, it’s actually been ok. I needed the break after spending all weekend packing and shifting things to the storage unit. In between short walks up to the park, because the dog can’t go in the garden, I’ve been able to catch up on some emails and watch a bit of rubbish television.

Note to self: take the big torch when the dog goes out for his night wee or we could both end up in a big hole!

@sickofbuilders hope you got back in your house?

My groundwork is nearing completion at last - all seems to be progressing really well - haven't seen it for over a week as we went away, so it was exciting to see no internal walls at all!

How is everyone else getting on?

@Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon @pashmina696 yes!!! But it was a bloody slog. Things still upside down for a while as only one working loo on 3rd floor which is an issue given how many times I need a wee! Still loads for them to do but we are in so no longer paying rent!

@Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon soery your neighbours are being difficult - hope it resolves soon

@pashmina696 keep us updated!

Apocalyptic style rain has stopped our groundworks. The new drainage and mains water feed were supposed to be going in today, but the trenches were just filling up with water and the site became so slippy it was dangerous.

Fingers crossed for better weather the rest of the week.

Battering on here builder said first floor will be built and finished tomorrow we are about 3 weeks ahead of schedule so hope it continues like this

2 weeks in and our ground floor extension brickwork is all up, the scaffolding has gone up for dormers upstairs and all sorts of walls have now been ripped out or stripped back. There's definitely no going back now, although we're happy with how fast the builders appear to be motoring through it all.

Wow, @mrssunshinexxx @RunAwayNow your builds are really moving at a pace.

We are only 3 days in and bad weather has slowed things down a bit. Praying for a dry day tomorrow so they can catch up a bit.

@Driverpicksthemusic I know, so exciting ! The weather defo causes issues could do with some nice spring weather now, good forecast where I am today after a good few wet days

Our builders have worked really hard and caught up the time they lost due to bad weather.

Building Control Officer came out today (a different one from last time, as apparently they job-share) and there was another disagreement re the routing of rainwater run-off. They agreed in the end, but it means they are going to have to dig up our side passage, which is a pain, as it means more time with no access to the back garden for the dog and obviously there is a cost implication as well.

The dog was enjoying his extra walks at first, but is now decidedly unimpressed at having to go out in all weathers and in the dark.

Foundations on track for the start of next week though, so can’t complain.

@Driverpicksthemusic that's a pain. It's so hard trying to keep everyone happy. I'm glad there is a solution and hopefully it will be sorted quickly.

We've had a breakthrough with one of the neighbours and she let the lads in to render her side yesterday, I called in last night to be sure she was happy and all had been cleaned up and sure she was only delighted with it. After all that. Neighbours on the other side are being awkward and changing their minds last minute about access for the plasterers. They said they could go in on Friday from 10-1 and 3.30-5 and then said no at 9pm Thursday, they could come Sat instead. They at 7pm last night said they could only come in 9-1 today so I'm not sure the job will get done.

Anyway after this we won't need anything from anyone so I cannot wait. The stress of the last few weeks has been unreal. Please god we are on the home stretch now.

@Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon how frustrating, just sort one neighbour out and the other one starts being awkward. Hope your plasterers managed to get in and get the job done.

Well we’ve started the week on a low. Yet another BCO came out this morning and contradicted everything the other two said. Their solution is more complicated, will cost more and take longer and they are insisting it’s the only way to do it.

They also complained, having arrived just after an extremely heavy rainstorm, that the trenches had water in the bottom, when there was clearly no time to get the pumps out after the rain before they arrived. They were so rude to the builder, I heard the argument from upstairs and went to tell dh the BCO was here and I thought he should go outside. He only arrived in time to introduce himself before the BCO left though. Builder practically had steam coming out of his ears and he is usually such a calm person.

Frustratingly, we only went with LA BC instead of private because our builder said he’d only had good experiences with them. Regretting not going private now.

We have foundations, blocks and two rows of bricks! Still have to agree how the foul water drainage will connect to the existing pipework with the BCO, but I’m sure they will reach an agreement somehow.

I have to say, my builders are great. They turn up on time, don’t take long lunch breaks, stay all day, clean up after themselves and make a huge efforts to facilitate our convenience while we are still in the house. They really are lovely guys.

@Driverpicksthemusic ours too ! There's two of them and my husband works away so it's actually really nice company!

@mrssunshinexxx same here. Dh works away a lot and when he’s home he’s still working long hours, so it’s a relief to be working with a team who are reliable and good people. I was so worried before we started.

@Driverpicksthemusic any sign of sorting things with bco? Sounds stressful

Our builders are so good. I really am so impressed with them, just straight up and onto us as soon as they come up against anything that needs a decision and advising on what they would do and if extra expense giving a decent estimate for us to be able to make an informed decision. We added approx 13k of extras to the build as in a full rewire instead of just new build and a full replumb but feel the house is generally much more sound now. I still have 2 bedrooms to renovate and get new wardrobes etc but the kids don't really care. They are getting their own rooms so that's all that's important now to them.

House is slowly but surely being put back together. Electricity will be back on on Tuesday, plumber arrives tomorrow, tiler on Friday, wooden floors next Monday, utilities and kitchen the following week and stone after that. Painting somewhere before or after kitchen and then we move back. Still in track for end May.

@Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon Unfortunately it’s still not sorted, but our builder decided to crack on with the rest of the build, just leaving that one small part of trench incomplete until it’s resolved. They have excavated all the significant areas of pipework though, so that they can have a more meaningful discussion when they meet again. Iirc, BCO is due back on Thursday, so hopefully we will have a plan agreed by the end of the week. (Depending which of the three BCO’s we have had so far turns up!)

I have been unwell this week, so not really able to be up and about and dh is away, but the builder is dealing with him via Whatsapp and sending a video/s of how far they are up to at the end of each day. They installed an outside tap and external electrics last week, so that they don’t have to bother us in the house for the time being. They are installing the upstairs loo/facilities next week, so that once the older two dcs have moved out this weekend, dh, dd and I can have upstairs as a sort of self-contained flat for a month.

You are so close to being finished now. It must be lovely to have the end in sight. Your plan sounds similar to ours, in that we also went for a full rewire and replumb and all three of my dcs need new bedroom furniture, with two needing beds as well. We will also need new flooring throughout the whole house, barring the kitchen, which has the original quarry tiles. Dh and I will have to come back to paint everywhere before we move back, as we are only paying for priming and mist coats to save a bit of money.

It’s going to be very strange not having my older two dcs here from this weekend. I’m feeling a bit tearful about it really, which I know is daft, especially as they are only going to be at my Mum’s house ten minutes away and I can see them any time. They are both young adults and both have disabilities. I’m used to always being there for them, so I suppose it’s a bit like temporary empty nest syndrome! We will all be back together when we house-sit for my PIL’s in July though, so it’s only for a few weeks.

Glad everyone is progressing well! My ground work is complete and the walls are going up! My only frustration is staying in a rented house! I can't wait to move back but it going to be October I think...

Skip number one has arrived and the house clear out has begun , looking forward to downsizing all the crap we have accumulated here over the last few years ! Everything we are keeping will be stored in crates in the shed and then we move into the mobile. Full steam ahead then hopefully

Building Inspector came today and approved the build to date (completed to dpc) but more importantly, he was the head guy and agreed with our builder’s initial plan for drainage, over-ruling the other two. He was here for ages, had a good look through the plans and building specs, had a cuppa and by the time he left everyone was happy. Phew!

He also said he’s happy to wait for the roof to have gone on before his next inspection. So, we’re good to go with stage two of the build.

@pashmina696 Sounds like your build is going well too. I’d much rather be in a rental than living on-site though. I have to keep reminding myself that the money we are saving means dh will have a dedicated home office and I can have nicer fittings/flooring.

@IWishIWasABaller good luck with the packing. Ours is ongoing, we’ve taken a massive load to the tip every weekend and four of the local charity shops are now on first name terms with us!

@Driverpicksthemusic that's great news with your building inspection! Our house isn't liveable at the moment so moving out wasn't a debate, our actual extension is very small we are re-jigging about 2/3 of the internal layout...

@IWishIWasABaller good luck with the sorting! I was offered a job at the tip I went so much (and knew where to put things...!)