Support thread for those crazy enough to be extending their homes this year!

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Hiya, after hijacking another thread about massive extensions (not massive erections LOL) there seems to be a few of us who are about to embark on building projects this year. So if you are one of them come join in so we can share all the excitement, nervousness and bewilderment at everything that needs done!

We are currently awaiting quotes from builders for a two storey side extension plus a single storey at the rear. We had our first quote in today which is £64k. Not sure if this is good or bad, it will be interesting to compare the quotes when they are all in. We are also awaiting planning permission but should get it fine as our house already has planning for the extension that came with the sale of the house (but we had to resubmit as we have changed it a bit). Awaiting a building warrant too.

I'm very excited but frankly crapping it re the costs as we are going to have to remortgage plus DS2 will start nursery so we will have 2 lots of chilcare costs too.

ARGH!!!

So I for one need my hand held throughout all this process I just keep thinking of the end product and hoping it will all be fine.

What's everyone else doing and when?

Elibean Thats really horrible, can't believe you were in the house at the time as well. Great that you are nearly ready to move out of there though.

We have footings poured . Bricky starts tomorrow.

OMG Elibean how scary! Bet you can't wait to move into your home now! You will need to post some photos of the lovely finished product...

rebl sounds like you are making good progress

FMAO sorry to see you are still having party wall issues, you must be so frustrated that it's all been delayed, hopefully you will be able to start everything fairly soon.

lexi well done on the building control approval! Good luck with your last quote.

Things aren't really happening here just now, thought the labourer would continue filling the skip today but he wasn't here today. Hopefully he will be here tomorrow! I am just itching for the actual work to start and looking forward to getting our french doors next week, it will make such a difference to the light coming into the kitchen.

Thanks Feel much better after talking to nice PC, nice forensics lady (nasty little fingerprints coming down from the top window, final proof), nice Burglary Squad man. They all say its very unlikely to happen again in the near future - 99% sure it won't, so I'm reassured. The whole thing has been a motivator for moving, as well as a kick up the backside for dh who never worries about open windows

Freezing, we're moving on 1st September! I can't wait. Really excited now. I will post photos as soon as I have time.

Party wall delays...oh goodness, that brings it all back. So frustrating. I hope your neighbours stay as nice as they sound, Lexi, am sure they will but if they're ok with signing a basic letter - so much the better I suppose!

We're now thinking of delaying the loft for a year, mostly because we can't face the Party Wall issues all over again with the neighbour. dh thinks it would be sensible to give them, and us, a year off from building stress and just settle in...I think he may be right...

Sleeves Hope that someone turned up today.

Elibean I think your dh is right with waiting for a bit. Its hardwork for everyone when work is being done and a break will probably help neighbourly relations.

We started to get the block work done today. Then there was a bit of a hitch. One minute the footings were dry with blocks being laid quickly, next minute the bricky was vaulting out and getting rather wet. There was a rather large failure in the communal drain (the one that had a small leak in it). They have spent all day sorting it. Turned out that although we had the massive amount of water that was only because that was the easiest place for the water to go. The drain was blocked downstream from us under our neighbours property and it was backing up and because we've got the inspection chamber which is currently being rebuilt so not at full height etc we got the waste water. Never seen anyone move so fast!! Anyway, its all sorted so hopefully thats all the drain problems dealt with. Having a weekend of kitchen planning, oh joy. I don't like that! Rang Benchmarx and they are going to call me back and do a far amount of the design over email and phone before I go in when we're next down in Birmingham which is nice of them.

Yikes, rebl! Glad its all sorted.

Crikey Rebl, that sounds like it was pretty scary! At least they knew what they were doing and got it all sorted quickly.

No-one turned up here on Friday either- I am hoping it is just cos the next bit relies on the joiner and he isn't back at work til tomorrow. Although I did think they'd clear the rest of the garage bricks into the skip but DH thinks they might be keeping some bricks by to use in the foundations or something...?

Anyhoo, I am hoping for some builder action tomorrow (oo-er that sounds saucy)...

Im.so.not.telling here! Have namechanged

Has been ages since I was last here and can't believe how much has been going on with you all!

We have just got building regs approval so are good to go

builder coming around tonight with final quote, we have a couple to compare but we pretty much know who we're going with. So we need to pin down how we pay him and all of that and make sure we've got everything covered but basically hoping to start any minute - he doesn't need any notice (he gets teh subcontractors in and organises it all). Blimey!

We are on our last official week of the build! The kitchen floor was grouted today and looks great. We still have to do the hallway off the kitchen and the study and I can't walk on the floor until tomorrow so I don't feel I can really enjoy it yet. The kitchen arrives tomorrow and will be stored in the kitchen until assembly starts Monday - I hope I will be able to resist tearing it out of the wrapping to have a look!

Sadly the sliding doors were not ordered in time so the stud wall between living room and kitchen won't be going in for two weeks which means it will be done after the kitchen has been assembled. Still, things could be worse. Hopefully the worktops will be installed around the same time and we'll finally see an end to the mess! I have the window cleaner, carpet cleaner and agency cleaners on speed dial ready to go!

Great news ISNT!!! Are you excited? When do you think you will start?

annh it all sounds great at your pad, that seems quite quick since you started, or was it? Can't seem to keep up with everyone!

The joiner and brickie came here today and installed our French Doors . We have loads more light in our kitchen now and it feels good that things are finally moving and being built rather than just being demolished. Tomorrow they will knock down our steps at the back of the house and then start demolishing the bit of the house where the extension will be going, yippeee!

PS meant to ask, what is the etiquette re biscuits and tea? I keep offering but they never want it and they didn't even open the packet of biccies I gave them today...

Sleeves, we started on 24 May so to me it feels like we have been going for ever but given how long some people's builds are, I think it's probably pretty good. The kitchen units arrived this morning, I just want to tear them out of the wrapping to have a good look but have contented myself with peering through a few holes in the plastic. Roll on next week! There's absolutely tons of it so I trust it will all fit and the builders will be able to get on with bits and pieces around it this week.

Re tea and biscuits, I made it clear in a nice way on day 1 that I wasn't going to do tea but I pointed them towards the garage where they were welcome to use a kettle, fridge etc. It's not that I wouldn't make tea but I am often not around and they could get very dehydrated if they were waiting for me every day! I also wouldn't know exactly when was convenient to make it if they are in the middle of something. I do provide a couple of packs of biscuits every few days, have offered them the occasional icecream on very hot days etc. Anything to keep the wheels of industry moving!

Just dashing in to say we've finally got our PWA and access ishoos sorted out, and builders have confirmed 16 Aug as start. Yay it feels like we're going again.

Will catch up properly in the next few days but very at Annh for (nearly) finishing.

FMAO fab news!

annh yes I think 2 months is quite short, well compared with my estimated 4 months!!!

I came home to a pile of bricks in the garden from the demolition of our back steps, and a temporary huge timber step thing so we can access our (lovely) new French Doors (our house is slightly elevated so need about 7 steps up to the door). They have also blocked off our hall which will be flattened, it actually seems fine, not as cramped as I feared!

On another note- OMG a lot of the workies are quite hot . I am hoping we will get a heatwave soon!

Anyone else got hot builder tottie?

ISNT our carpenter was a bit of alright.....and he's got to come back to lay some flooring, and fit some worktop in the utility room room, which will be nice....!

Only just spotted this thread!

We're in the middle of a kitchen extension. Will be lovely when it's done with nearly 9 metres of worktop, a 7-ring range and huge American style fridge freezer.

We're in week 4 and the roof should be on by the end of the week!

I've had a quick scan of the last page of the thread - seems like we're all at different stages with different builds.
As for hot tottie builders, none here but lovely and friendly.

Oh and just to give you a bit more info about me, I work pt (4days a week), DH and I have a 14mo DS and we're in our first month of ttc#2!
It's all go in the SES household

annh I'm of you nearly finished and getting your kitchen fitted. I want to be at that point.

sleeves You lucky thing, having hot totties there. No such luck here although my dd thinks one is going to be her husband and spends the time fluttering her eye lashes at him. She's 4!!

SES Welcome to the thread. Wow, a roof . Another one who I'm at! And 9m of worktop and a 7 ring range .

We're in week 3 now. Not entirely sure whats going on but no skip exchange so no work done yesterday because they have nowhere to put what they're digging out. These skip problems are starting to piss me off tbh as we've now lost 2 days due to them. Anyway, they're digging out the old concrete paths and old room bases at the moment in preparation to laying the new floor and getting the dpc in. We have small walls, 3 courses, which is encouraging. My god our family room is going to be MASSIVE!!!!!! Apparently its going to look even bigger when the walls go up and the roof goes on and then even bigger again when its plastered. It looks massive now!!

Been a delay with our bifolding doors, not entirely sure what but they're now being delivered a week late which is a PITA because right now we're only a couple of days behind and they hope to make that up.

Whoo hoooo, a skip has just turned up, only 24hrs late!

Well today I rang the builder and said yes please build our extension

He was more expensive than the other one, but he knows these houses and his quote was really exact ie the roofer he uses has actually been and had a look etc. The other quote (we only managed to get another one) was going through the motions really and luckily it was ball-park so we are happy with what we've decided.

Other thing is that all of this paying in arrears and a massive chunk held back doesn't seem to be how it works in RL, no matter what the internet guides say. But we literally know where he lives so not much chance of him doing a bunk (fingers crossed!!!).

He's going to talk to the excavator people and we'll be kicking off as soon as they are free - maybe next week....

OMG

Now we have to empty the garage and find places in teh house for all the stuff as the first thing they're doing is knocking that down, then we get a shed up and it's going to be hell. We have to have the cooker and stuff moved to the other side of the kitchen and patched in as one of the first things they have to do is put some kind of post through teh corner of the kitchen or something...

Really it's going to be hell. (Still excited though )

Welcome SES, sounds like you are quite a bit of the way through your kitchen extension, hope it all goes well (as well as TTC #2!).

Re skips I feel your pain rebl- ours was about a day late too and now it's all full up I am fearing another hold up as the builder wants to get rid of that one for a smaller one nearer the house so they can just chuck the bricks from the demolition straight into it. Also they won't be able to use a digger on the house as the skip we have is totally HUGE and blocks the entrance to the house.

ISNT woooooooooooooooo exciting! We had to empty our garage and also our only storage cupboard and utiliy room too. It's doable, we have the washer plumbed into the floor beside the kitchen wall that is getting pulled down, the floor will be replaced anyway. The tumble drier is in the living room and the hoover, ironing board, ladders etc are dotted about various walls! It's actually better than I thought it would be though and we don't feel too cramped.

I've not found it hell at all (yet). Quite the contrary- I am soooo excited each day coming home from work to see what they have done that day Today our roof has gone from the side part of the house being demolished, it will probably all be away by the end of the week and then we can finally get the foundations started!

Thanks for the welcomes

sleeves - I'm exactly the same in that I look forward each day to seeing what they've managed.

ISNT - sounds like you've made a good decision re builders.
Ours is someone DH knows through work. I was a bit to begin with incase something went wrong but he's been great so far and is also going to fit the new kitchen units.

rebl - LOL at your DD fluttering her eyelashes at the builder

Right! Think I might head off to bed as DH is watching a rubbish film and DS will have us up about 5.30 in the morning and then a day of work! Just think of what progress I'll come home to in the evening!

Hello essence, another welcome from me! And lots of luck with the ttc

Very exciting to see all the action after a few days offline! Annh, can you believe you're nearly done? Funny how it seems to have gone so quickly (yours) when the one closer to home (ours) seems to have been going on forever

ISNT, hurrah for starting - I think the actual build part is the most exciting, never fails to impress me how a bunch of blokes (hot or not - not, in our case, but very very nice) can turn a hole in the ground into a bit of house in such a short time.

We're so nearly there now...the extension is done, only the splashback to go up in the kitchen next week. Fireplaces, done. Patio and front wall (old garage door to be replaced with brick) both half done, and the dds rooms painted. Curtains up next week, shutters already in downstairs, and a few electrical bits to polish off.

Old chaise longue been carted off for upholstery (was my Dad's when he was little), new sofa ordered, and carpenter going to add coat cupboard in for us while we're on holiday. I think thats it: now I can try and let go and fast-pack a suitcase because we're off to Norfolk tomorrow for 2 weeks - will be soooo hard not to see what they're doing on a daily basis, back home!!

Good luck with everything for next 2 weeks, all of you, look forward to catching up with where you've got to on return.

FMAO, forgot - major cheer from me for resolving PWA issues! How'd it pan out, in the end?

I'm new! Really new, this is my first post on mumsnet

I have a 9 month old baby girl and now that she's crawling I've decided we need more space. Have worked on husband and he's finally agreed to do a side return.

The plan is to start work at easter next year, giving us plenty of time to research, get plans drawn, sort PP, find a builder etc etc

So, firstly anyone recommend a decent builder in south west london (we're in clapham)

Secondly, is it a good idea?! Slightly worried that we wont cope with all the decisions/ chaos. Any tips to stay sane?

Help!

veryvintage - hello I only joined the thread yesterday but everyone on here is very friendly.
Congrats on your first Mumsnet post! Be warned though, it's very addictive!

As for tips for staying sane, I'd say set your expectations of what it's going to be like with respect to chaos, dust, etc and take it a day at a time!
It is balanced out by the excitement of seeing the progress

Our roof tiles go on tomorrow!

Elibean - sounds like you're v close! Will you put some photos on your profile?

elibean well done on being nearly there! You deserve your well earned break

veryvintage welcome to the thread and welcome to mumsnet! You picked a good place for your 1st post I am in Scotland so no help on the builder front. We have 2 DS's under 3 years old and that's what has prompted us to extend- I say go for it! We have just started it (as in the building work) and it's not been that chaotic at all (as in the building work...!). Saw the architect way back in Nov so I'd get your skates on now if you want to start work early next year. We had a close shave with a potentially crappy builder too so I'd recommend doing some investigations.

SES wooooo roof tiles! Our roof is completely off now (and so are front and back doors!) so I will be wetting myself when we get to the stage you are at LOL.

Our garden and skip and full of rubble so I hope the skip is replaced tomorrow so they can get the garden clear for the digger thing to come in to clear the last bit to be demolished and to start the foundations next week.

Someone please tell me to breathe and that this build will be finished within a sensible timeframe. My lovely PM is still away, I still only have 1 labourer on site and he's now chucked in the towel complaining that he should have a workmate and that there should be skip exchanges that haven't been happening and that he can't get hold of the boss so doesn't know what he's meant to be doing really. DH can't get hold of the boss of the construction company, phone just ringing out. DH has rung the skip company to discover that no order has even been made for an exchange so he's ordered one. He says that if they manage to do it today he'll clear the mountain of rubble the labourer has been having to pile up. DH is also go and buy some scaffolding planks so we can get into our garden, something we asked the boss for at the beginning of the week but haven't materialised.

I'm so . We're 3 weeks in and just have a very big deep hole all round our house. According to the schedule given to us we should have the DPC in by now and the roof should be going on next monday. Absolutely no way is that happening. The bricky can't get the walls higher than DPC level because the retaining wall hasn't been proped and moved. The labourer that was here said that if he had to do that job by himself it was a 4 day job. But he's not even able to get us to DPC as he can't finish clearing the site because he's by himself and because there are no dammed skips.

Please tell me that this will get better.