48sqm kitchen extension. £30k all in

[Keithmac]

What and excellent project!, I'd be over the moon with that.

Amazing how easy it looks in pictures, I bet it was back breaking in reality!.

Great to see you didn't cut corners and it all looks high end professionally finish.

Keep mulling over a kitchen extension for ours but don't have the balls to do it myself, maybe one day..

 

[LondonLad21]

What and excellent project!, I'd be over the moon with that.

Amazing how easy it looks in pictures, I bet it was back breaking in reality!.

Great to see you didn't cut corners and it all looks high end professionally finish.

Keep mulling over a kitchen extension for ours but don't have the balls to do it myself, maybe one day..

I am in the same boat, this is a cracking piece of work, and great that shared on here too. Is good motivation for us that are tempted.

 

[pilsbury]

My reply to Keithmac and Goaty1 is to seriously consider it depending on your situation. I had a pot of money, a fair pot, but not really by extension standards, especially when kitchens are involved. But I do have a decent amount of time. I work shifts (4 on, 4 off) but couldn’t imagine doing this on a Monday-Friday 9-5 set up. Simply too much time off the job.

If I had the money, say £70k (guessing an all in figure), would I have paid a builder to do it? Probably not. I mentioned early on that I’m a skin flint and I hate what I consider to be wasting money paying someone for their time. My time is free.

If your a good DIYer and have a practical head and a can do attitude, that’s all you need. No previous experience necessary. Just spend time researching so you don’t bugger bits up. That’s going to cost you.

 

[LondonLad21]

I think 60-70 is a fair sum up of what that would have been.

I have a mate who built a two storey extension, garage, two bedrooms, utility to make existing kitchen bigger for around 22k. He was 63 at the time, and I just helped him shift all the roof tiles up the scaffolding (took me a full 8 hours). Hoping he may give me a hand, but I do long days so would have to pay for help on some bits.

 

[HERTS P&D]

But I do have a decent amount of time. I work shifts (4 on, 4 off)

Fireman?

Andy

 

[pilsbury]

Fireman

 

[Keithmac]

It would be nights and weekends for me so may drag on a fair while!.

 

[pilsbury]

It would be nights and weekends for me so may drag on a fair while!.

Then you're a brave man. Even with my 4 days off i had to do school runs etc which didn't help the days flow but always felt a fit frustrated with lack of time. But I suppose it's the nature of the DIY beast.

 

[pilsbury]

So I've rendered the front. Got the Weberpral M on but finished at about 4pm. The sides had gone off after 6 hours so were ready to be scratched back but the front was still wet as was the last to go on. I was in a bit of a dilema. The pack said ready to scratch between 5-16 hours depending on weather. As it was fairly warm it was ready on the lower end of the scale so I was too scared to leave it till the next day in case I found it rock solid. This meant setting up a worklight and doing it in the dark. A right PITA as shadows made it very hard to see what I was doing. Nervously went out next morning to admire my handiwork. Not too bad. Not perfect but still a fair effort. Really smartens it up. Now for some lights.

 

[Keithmac]

Looks really nice and finishes it off well .

 

[pilsbury]

It's actually lightening up a bit which is good. When I've had a tidy up out front I'll take a pic of the whole house and it matches the top magnolia part of the house pretty well. So glad I didn't go pebble dash route now. Would have ended in tears.

 

[trevorbayliss]

Great read and i must try and create the same blog as i have been doing exactly the same. The back of the house and roof has been off now since 30th July. I have been working every day for 9-10h's to try get all the block work done where the old bifolds were and then get the oak joists in and the roof on top.

I have nearly finished the roof to a semi water tight stage. I will finish adding the 100mm celotex sheets tomorrow and on monday will finish it off with 18mm OSB. Then i will throw some plastic on it and wait for my metal roof from tata steel. This should come end sep i reckon.

Been making out the sides on the 3 roof windows today. Fiddly, but i think i am there.

Will be ordering my glass for the roof windows once i get my up stands made.

Mine is also a 40sqm extension, but more simple as just a mono pitch roof at 12 degrees. So far i am think i am on target to do it for £25k, but i am sure that will go up. Anyway when i get time to relax a bit more i will post a blog like yours.

 

[pilsbury]

Christ I hate digging! Just dug the hole for the soakaway. Trenches for the drainage pipe tomorrow. Total of 13m needed. Then do the same out the back. Bloody BC and their “no new water down the drains”. Beer time.

 

[pilsbury]

Guttering and downpipes done today. Thought I’d spare you those photos! Next job is the soakaway out the back...... digging..... b0llocks.

 

[pilsbury]

Soak away out the back now done, BC came round to take a look. Just need to fire proof a socket in the garage, fire resistant loft hatch in the garage and install the toilet in the downstairs loo. Then send him photos and he’ll sign off.

Just put a long term temporary patio out the back with some free 2x2 council slabs. Nice not to be treading on mud.