The Ups and Downs of Building Renovation Work

[baby_clothes_online]

Hi all, I have been absent from these boards for quite a while but thought I would venture back with this. A few years ago I was moving house and gained a lot of support from a thread on here called 'The Ups and Downs of Moving House' - do any of you remember it? It was started by Mary Scotty Dog, lovely lady.

As you may have guessed I am now facing up to having a major renovation project on the house. The idea of this thread is to share experiences with others who are going through similar. Any takers?

[fishpieface]

Hellooooo!  How's you?  We're not, so I'm hijacking your thread really, but I just wanted to

say hi!

[baby_clothes_online]

Hello - all OK here ta. My eldest is due GCSE results on Thursday and turns 16 the following week! Middle on is 13 going on 30 and youngest is 11 and starts high school this year! How are you all?

[bitsnknots]

My Goddaughter's 2 year old is 62 in the head.  Same age as her mother in the head.

[chickengrandma-2008]

I've been in the middle of renovations and extensions many times!  We've done something in that line on every house we've ever had.  Some were done by us and some we got builders in to do.  My one tip is, it's just not worth trying to keep the place clean.  It's a losing battle and just makes you tired and frustrated.  As long as your beds and bathroom are clean, and your cooking and eating area, everything else can wait.  Good luck.  

[the-ginger-ninja]

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@chickengrandma-2008 wrote:

I've been in the middle of renovations and extensions many times!  We've done something in that line on every house we've ever had.  Some were done by us and some we got builders in to do.  My one tip is, it's just not worth trying to keep the place clean.  It's a losing battle and just makes you tired and frustrated.  As long as your beds and bathroom are clean, and your cooking and eating area, everything else can wait.  Good luck.  

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Bought a house as a DIY project for late husband. He never got the chance to start it and I cannot afford to move elsewhere.

As CG says don't try to keep it clean, you will go nuts. Keep it tidy and organised I put a lot away  in boxes and some into storage. Get used to brick dust everywhere.

Oh and don't mix up your coffee cup and paint pot. It makes a mess 

[ginap.123]

Don't remind me.....major remodelling going to be taking place here soon, I'm dreading it (& trying to figure out how we've accumlated so much stuff that needs shifting). Still trying to figure out in what order the jobs should be done so as not to impact on the others.

[baby_clothes_online]

Thanks for the replies.
We have lived through a couple of major projects already. A few years ago the huge Victorian retaining wall in our garde decided to lurch towards us. The stone mason was fab, it was a joy to watch him work. But I found it very stressful, could not use our garden all summer.
A couple of years ago we had to evacuate our extension and have it acrow propped as the rood was giving way. Another major trauma as the RSJs were made of wood, we got into trouble with planning authority - it's a listed building 😞 - and again it was terribly stressful and expensive. We had to re-roof, alter angle of roof and had to manage without access to three rooms for nearly a year. The builder was very unreliable, used to go weeks off site, I was worried he would not finish it and indeed some small areas of external plastering were not done. He has since gone bankrupt, divorced and had a mental breakdown.
Our project this time is to virtually rebuild the front wall of the main cottage. It is a cob wall with concrete block and concrete render facing. It is badly cracked to the extent they have closed the road as the traffic was shaking the render off. We have a new builder who we know and trust but the same planning officer as last time. Just hearing his voice sets my anxiety off. We have acrow props in all rooms along the frontage and some external props. At the moment the builder is all set to start but we need confirmation from this council official and he is on holiday. The survey he insisted we have has taken 3 weeks to complete and it just feels like nothing is happening. Phew, what a rant but feel better gettingvit out.

[ed_blackadder_1]

Phew don't envy you, we built a wall in the back garden once, that was bad enough, kept telling hubby it wasn't straight, he argued it was, when it was finished he looked at it and ranted at me why didn't you tell me it wasn't straight  aargh! men!

[baby_clothes_online]

To say I am not looking forward to it would be the understatement of the century. It has to be done and it has to be done how they tell us. It's so frustrating and time consuming. The builder is very very calm and experienced, he knows what to do but can't start yet. Cannot believe it is nearly September and it's not properly started let alone finished.

[baby_clothes_online]

Oh my - someone has just moved the rtoad blocks sand driven a huge road digger truck through- these are not meant to come through here anyway - and he stopped right outside with engine on. How stupid is that.

[baby_clothes_online]

OMG. Just had the police here regarding the road closure. Apparently residents of other streets in the village are struggling with traffic including lorries and buses now going down their roads. How bloody selfish. And I told the police that as well.