Builders starting in three weeks - please talk to me about builder ettiquette!!

[cakeforbrains]

We have work starting on our two storey extension in three weeks time. The build is scheduled to take 10-12 weeks, and we will be living in the house the whole time.

What I'm wondering is how to manage the relationship with the builders. I'm on maternity leave at the moment, so I will be in the house during the day when work is taking place.

So, what are your tips on keeping the builders happy, while also making sure that they do not end up taking us for granted or making erronous assumptions? (I've been reading Pavlov's nightmare thread!!). I was thinking of providing a kettle, mugs, tea and coffee, milk and a tin of biscuits. Are bacon sandwiches essential to a good client-builder relationship? (I hope not because I'm veggie!). Should I stay out of the way as much as possible, or should I keep popping my head round the door to see what they are doing? Will I look an idiot if I ask them to be mindful of the cats' welfare? Can I ask them for quiet when I need to get DS2 off to sleep?

Any tips and suggestions would be appreciated!

TIA!

I've spent the afternoon buttering up the neighbours by delivering chocolates and wine as a sort of thank you and sorry for the noise type approach. They seem happy at the moment at least!

i was thinking of doing that to the neighbours on our right that we like other one we will just warn builders to not encroach on her land. Our builder rang tonight and asked if he could call round wed or thurs night - i feel a bit nervous - hope he not pulling out on us or thinking he cant do for the price - sure imoverthinking it and he probs wants to go through house rules. DH said thursday grrrr men are such pains!

Sure you are just overthinking - our builder has been round a few times in the last couple of weeks to check details and so on. He's bought people like the plumber round so they can see what needs to be done.

Tomorrow!!!!! I'm so excited

you wont sleep tonight!

Won't sleep for trying to get jobs done!!! In the middle of an argument constructive discussion with DH about whether we can leave stuff in the garage when one of the walls will be demolished in the next few days. DH thinks that its fine, I think everything will be covered in dust. Men!!

was it good? we got our permission today - rang the builder andhe confirmed he ust coming to talk through the process and will start next week..........

When he comes tomorow night do you have any dying pieces of advice = did you resolve your toilet dilemma?

Yay! Congratulations on planning permission! And next week is so soon.

Work started today. 5 people on site including two plumbers. Central heating broke down this morning - great timing. So far they have knocked down a couple of walls and moved the boiler, the digger arrives tomorrow to do the foundations. Feels like its moving very fast at the moment.

Builders are using the downstairs wc . I even think one did a no2 in there I feel pretty grossed out by that so I'm refusing to use it myself, but then I am pretty OCD about public loos and stuff like that.

Only advice would be to buy loads of tea bags and sugar. We don't normally use sugar in drinks. Everyone wanted tea with 2 sugars - I had to use caster sugar because that was all I could find. They also demolished a whole tin of biscuits.

oooooooo a digger - i cant wait till a digger arrives! I think were going to give them a side entry key so they have access to utility with bog and kitchen as i said to dh they might want to warm ther lunch up in the microwave! urghhh i might put up a sign saying no chods allowed

Keeping an eye on this thread, we are planning an extension next year, I am due DC4 in May so sometime after that.

We have something similar to you cakeforbrains, livingroom/dining room and samll kitchen downstairs want to block off living room and open up kitchen/dining room, playroom at the back and a utility room. Upstairs we need the boxroom extending and another bedroom, we already have 3 toilets so ok there.

Thing is our house is detached but it doesn't sit evenly on the plot, we have the width of our driveway to the left then neighbours fence, to the right we have a large chunk of garden BUT the thing is to the left would be really easy to extend would only be knocking through one door upstairs as the kitchen door would then be an internal door IYSWIM. To go to the right would mean creating a corridor through our bedroom and ensuite which would mean huge disruption and moving the ensuite etc loads of knocking down walls etc. We could go to the left then wrap it round the back but then we would be right up against the neighbours fence and it would look like semi detached with a huge bit of garden to the right, if only the house was the other way round would be so much easier.

I'm fretting about it already and we haven't even started the planning.

Hells Bells hes starting on Wednesday - coming with a digger and the lot ! i wont sleep for a week! Reassuring to hear when knocks through they going to stage it a room at a time so were not trashed all in one go and gonna get a room habitable before moves on to the next. He refused use of our facilities as doesnt like anyone touching the owners facilities - i insisted he took a back door key as it was getting cold and i know you need to go more in cold weather - i did say i would leave some bleach

Hows it going cake?

Hey, its all going ok thank you! Foundations have been dug out and concreted, and brickwork up to damp proof course level. They were supposed to be pouring the slab yesterday but with the weather they couldn't do anything. Barely slept last night because I could hear the wind and we have a missing garage wall and only half of a garage roof so pretty scarey.
How has your first week been?
I've just seen the other thread so I'll head over there

great stuff - i wont pratle on here then....