Extension and renovation thread 2026

[needmorespace2026]

Looks like we are finally starting building on our extension in Feb. I’ve been mentally planning it ever since we met bed in over 10 years ago, and first met our architect in autumn 2024 so it’s been a long time coming

Wondered if there are others out there who want a space to share the highs and lows? Ours is supposed to be an 8 month build so maybe done by Christmas (famous last words!)

Thought I'd update on this week. The landscaper is mostly done with the hard landscaping stuff. Area around parking needs replanting as looks a bit scarred but shed needs to go in first (end of March) or everything will just get trampled. Also discovered another bastard clump of bamboo which I'm hoping to get him to dig out for me. Hate that bastard stuff. It should be illegal :-)

Building inspector passed us on the structural work and we've made a lot of progress on the plumbing and first fix electrics. Discovered a few "not ideal" things which now need to be fixed (drain specialist builder coming to start digging on Monday) but it will tidy up and future proof the drainage a lot. I feel like next week we'll turn the corner and it'll start to come together.

The thing I wish I'd researched more before I started was "the order" in which things are done- like first fix electrics and plumbing, tiling, plastering, carpentry etc. as would make it easier to predict timings/ decisions. Also, that inevitably there will be some compromises- I might have to redo a couple of utility room cupboards that are on order because the plumbing work needs an extra tank - hoping the kitchen fitter might be able to reconfigure the one that comes but it probably wont look as nice as I hoped as it's now effectively a plant room.

@needmorespace2026 do you have a start date yet?

Just jumping in here to ask for advice & tips. We’re at earlier stages than most of you, we have planning & just starting to talk to builders. We’re doing a mix of a renovation plus extension, part single & part double storey. Never done anything to this size before so a little clueless as to the whole process, what to expect, contracts, when to spec out specifics particularly in terms of quality of materials (internal rather than building fabric as architect has done that of course) - @needmorespace2026your comment has got me wondering if I need to really start doing this now. We’ll also have various storage cupboards built, walk in wardrobe, utility etc & I was going to design the exact layout once I got a better handle on the size but again maybe I need to be doing this much earlier.
Any tips really appreciated

@AllJoyAndNoFunthat sounds like lots of visible progress, great news (so far we have little visible progress other than my efforts to prep).

is there a usual order for things or is it project dependent? I do kind of realise we need to choose electrical details quite early so the wiring can go in before plasterboard, but other than that rather vague on the timeline….

No formal start date yet, builder is keen to go but we need some docs from the architect first

i am finally feeling “mostly ready”- I still have to lift the patio slabs but dont want to do that before I have to as it will be a mud slide out there afterwards. This week I made some plywood fencing to defend my wisteria from builders and started building a bin store at the end of the garden- will Lose our side access but luckily back onto a car park. Today I took advantage of a rain free day to dig out a raised bed and start altering the fence. Next week have to install new gateposts and gate, wish me luck, never done postcrete before

@HereWeGoAgainTodaysomeone further along that I could probably advise you. Things likes storage can probably be better done once you have seen the space but if you want the price to stay stable it’s better to decide earlier I think. My experience of trying to get quotes was that some builders seem to do the whole things to a turnkey state and will lead you through the process for built in cupboards etc. others are more willing to just build the house itself (we went that route due to budget and wanting to plan once we see the space, plus I like to DIY as much as possible). So basically I think you probably want to choose the kind of builder who likes to do the interior fit out and they willl guide you on the process.

i am used to living in a very constrained space and planning every cm. Therefore to me, I needed to know what furniture I was having to decide where the wall would go. If you are not squished it’s tight site in the centre of an expensive city like us, you may be able to relax a little more on the planning :-)

@HereWeGoAgainToday I'd agree with @needmorespace2026 in that it kind of depends on who the builder is how comprehensive they will want to be and if they want to use own plumbers and electricians or if you can use your own. I chose to use my own plumber/ heating engineer as he understands the house and the electrician and tiler are linked to him but a lot of builders will just sort all that out for you and will then sort out all the timing as well. If you use your own they are a known quantity but you have to do more communicating/ anticipating between the various people so depends how much time you have to do that.

I'm a bit like you in that I need to see the shell before I can make decisions re cosmetics so I'm going to wait until the building is all done and then get a carpenter to do the fitted wardrobes/ shelves etc. At the moment I'm not even sure who is having what bedroom! First fix they just do the wires so so long as you know roughly what you want and the positions (eg 16 spots, socket by front door on the left) you can choose the lights and sockets later. I am sourcing my own bathroom stuff/ tiles and flooring etc. - it's a lot of decisions (not helped by DD's continually evolving inspo boards) but I use Pinterest to keep each room on a vague plan and a spreadsheet to manage spend/ to do list and purchasing lists. Just be aware of lead times as the kitchen had a 16 week lead time so I've had to do that as a leap of faith.

@needmorespace2026& @AllJoyAndNoFunthanks both these are helpful points. I’m reasonably good at visualising but I am finding it difficult with this, I always feel like architect’s drawings are approximate for the internal space. I did start Pinterest boards so need to revisit that. We want the builder to do everything, we don’t have time/bandwith to attempt to co-ordinate with other trades but we will be sourcing all tiles & bathroom fittings so a purchasing list is a great idea. I remember bathrooms having a long lead time a couple of years ago so that’ll be on an early sourcing list. Think I need to start an excel spreadsheet!

Our groundwork started yesterday for our garage conversion. Today , concrete goes in. Tomorrow brick work starts .

Oh wow- so you're ahead of schedule then (just scrolled back and you thought March initially). Hope it's going well.

If this was an episode of Grand Designs I'm in the bit where it all gets a bit chaotic and they start crying..... not quite but let's just say the "really simple" plumbing and drainage amendments are proving more complicated/ expensive/ time consuming than expected. The unbudggeted for mini excavator has arrived!! There are also a few things on really long lead times so there will be a long tail of tasks to the finish. Basically I've realised there is not gonna be a "Grand Designs" type reveal- it's gonna be 75% done and then the last 25% is gonna take months while we live with uncarpeted floors and bare plaster and no radiators.

I'm off to the bathroom merchant this afternoon as plumber reckons they can give me better prices using his account than online and I'd rather support local suppliers if possible. @HereWeGoAgainToday worth asking your builder if they have a trade account somewhere similar as you might get better prices to use that for your fittings- worth comparing anyway.

Hello!
Joining in as we had a meeting with a builder yesterday. He is going to give us a quote ASAP, and DH is in touch with another builder to get a comparison.

We have planning permission in place and first stage building warrant. Just need to get started once we have the quotes in and decision on builder made..

Extension is at the front and will make the kitchen bigger, giving us a utility room too, and by pushing out the front it means we can turn the downstairs toilet into a shower room and add an office too.

Cooking christmas dinner in a too-small kitchen for the second year in a row drove me bonkers. I am desperate for a bigger kitchen with work top space!

@AllJoyAndNoFun that’s a great tip! Once we’ve decided who to go with I’ll get onto this, meanwhile compiling my list of notes!

iv been very lucky with our builder , he’s currently not building anyone’s house until April , but is working on a extension so could fit us in sooner . We also go planning regs done a week early so we were good to go
out garage is going to be a shower room/boot room and utility .

Council inspector has been to see the foundations and he’s happy.

concrete went in this afternoon, bricky/electician/plumber tomorrow or Friday . Stripping out current utility and toilet and probably wanting to know where I need sockets and radiators .

Happy Monday fellow renovators! How is everyone getting on?

Start of Week 7 here and (touch wood) I feel like we're turning the corner although still got wet plaster and lifted floorboards everywhere. The unscheduled/ unbudgeted drainage work should finish this week and they've done the last of the knock throughs so hopefully the worst of the dust is past tense. Decorator has started stripping old wallpaper and wood chip ceiling paper and the carpenter is replacing the cracked panelling. Builders should be done by end of this week with just a few more bits to do over the next few weeks.

Main current stress: damp. It's an old house and without heating it's starting to get really wet - the roof leaks (known issue) but previously heating and ventilating has kept that at bay but now it all feels a bit clammy. Roof works start in 2 weeks but I'm currently running dehumidifiers everywhere. We have 3 consecutive dry weather days this week- amazing I know- so hoping that will help a bit. Just stop raining please!!!!!

Hi @AllJoyAndNoFunthat sounds exciting, if there is wet plaster there must be new walls!

Stressful week here finalising the contract for our build, several sleepless nights thinking it might all fall apart, but finally signed it now.

In the mean time I’ve been working on a new bin store at the end of our garden as the place where the bins live now will be in our utility room after the build.
Had a good day fencing now the kids are back at school. Dug the holes for two new gateposts and placed the posts but haven’t done concrete yet (that bit is new to me). Quite pleased with progress.

@needmorespace2026 I am very impressed by all your DIY. I am completely hopeless (wallpaper stripping at a push).

Hello renovation buddies. Update here, our build has officially started! Garage is now a pile of rubble and there is a digger parked in the back garden. 🎉

Hello, we are just starting to plan our large extension. The architect we are thinking of using said a rough estimate of cost is £2800 per sq metre (East Anglia). How does that compare with others on here?

That sounds a lot cheaper than anything we were quoted (but we are in an expensive city it the south east). Check if he means including or excluding vat.

Blimey, I was hoping that was too high! It’s cheaper to buy an extra house than to put a big extension on!

Well @Shaggylongcoatours is on the high side per square metre as we are doing a lot of reconfiguration, plus we live in an expensive city with bad traffic and builders cost that in

however it is generally agreed that building work is going up and up.i used to like the show “double your house for half the money” but the situation now is more “double your house if you like but it might cost more than moving “ - I’m sure ours will be loss making but we do t want to move anyway

It’s surprising that builders are still so busy at those prices

Hello!
I would like to join as we are in the middle of works (not major like any of you!). Just having a downstairs toilet put in the entrance hall, underfloor heating in the living room, and a loft ladder installed. We are also asking the builders to build a garden office and a car port once they are done!
I have 3 very small children and the house is a mess so I cannot imagine what it is like to have an extension done 😳

Hello @Suchardchoccythat sounds very disruptive but will be good when it is done, downstairs loo is one of the things we are looking forward to (the portaloo in The front garden doesn’t count!)

@Shaggylongcoatapparently part of the protos that there are fewer and fewer builders especially since Brexit- I saw a Panorama programme about it so it must be true. Anyway I hope yours won’t be as £££ as ours