R2OK!

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

Today is concrete-pouring day. It's taken two-weeks to trench-out the foundations and complete the other ground-work. I've arranged ladies that lunch here at home today - so we can watch the concrete going in. yesterday I was allowed to have a go in a little mini JCB digger thing- it was cool-beans! Only two-weeks in out of 24: so far (I'm counting)I've made 120 cups of tea and they've gone through 8 packs of chunky choccy hob-nobs, 6 packs of mini Danish Pastries and 30 sausage rolls.

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

Blimey, they'll be wasting away on those rations.
Where's the all-day-breakfast butties and blueberry muffins?
120 cups of tea? Hopefully not the best china.
_________________
Ron

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Sorry if I've missed it elsewhere but what are the builders doing Rachel?

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Toggy · Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239

We have this 'pleasure' to come soon, we are having our kitchen refitted, oh the joy! Confused

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

We're having an extension, Helen... it's a little disruptive and messy... but fun at the moment. A few pictures of the very rare moments so far, when the builders aren't drinking tea, leaning on shovels, talking about the football, eating pasties, playing with our dog, having a proper tea break/ lunch break or sat in their hut because it's raining.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Ah I see! What a lovely looking house you have Rachel. Is it a kitchen extension? How long have they estimated?

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

Cor, a proper building site, though it looks quite tidy.
I bet the neighbours are pleased Very Happy

_________________
Ron

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Wow that is some extension, but I'm sure it will be worth it. Have you lived there long?

I'd love to redesign the upstairs of our house!

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

We've been here 10 years, Helen- this is the second major work we've had done, when we moved in ( I was just a lodger then), it was all 1950s - exactly as it had been built: the kitchen had those angled sliding glass doors on the cupboards: the previous owners were the first and only people before us to have lived here. They died here too- which is exactly what we plan to do- although I'd like to postpone that for say, 50 years or so. A very pleasant death-row. It's such a lovely spot, no one ever leaves this road while they're still alive.
We redid the kitchen, bathrooms, all the windows, the garage roof, the block paving and more recently the chimney had to be rebuilt so we could have a log burning stove. Most of the work we did ten years ago is all coming out. The entire house was done with woodchip painted with numerous layers of gloss paint- it took us three years to get it all off- replaster and redecorate. Of course I was working full time away from home back then and we did it all ourselves- cos we were young.

The extension will give us 110 square metres of extra space and there's about 40- square meters being remodelled inside the existing house.
It's not so bad at the moment cos the builders haven't needed to come inside yet, well, only to ask for more tea.

PS first brick .. well it's a block that won't actually ever be seen cos it will be underground has now been laid by moi.. Smile

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

Well Rach that's certainly what I call major works and I think perhaps you need to start buying teabags in bulk if the builders are going to be around so long Smile

And to think I've been worrying about the fact that the whole of my house is in need of a new dampcourse and work is starting next month which involves taking off the skirting boards and hacking off all plaster on the ground floor walls to a height of one metre and then replastering and complete redecoration and probably carpeting - and the problem is that I'm not going to be around for much of that time in order to keep an eye on what is going on - I just hope these people know what they're doing Crying or Very sad

_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

Toggy · Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239

Toggy · Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239

They are starting tomorrow! wish me luck Very Happy

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Will think of you Toggy!

As you say it's the clearing out that takes the time. You don't realise how much you accumulate over the years.

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Toggy · Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239

The story so far, old floor ripped out, cupboards removed, floor levelled ready to be tiled. there were only 2 of them, goodness me they are grafters.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

How is the kitchen looking now Toggy?

Wonder how Rachel is managing with her builders as well?

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Toggy · Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239

It was finished last week and it looks fabulous, will post a couple of pictures shortly.

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

It's all on schedule, Helen, even though the little JCB they were using caused havoc with our services, water, electricty, gas and broadband all cut off. We had to move out for a few weeks while it was all sorted out.
They started to build the walls last week after what seems like a lifetime doing the drains and other underground stuff.

latest progress picture is here...

http://rachel-h.wikispaces.com/file/view/DSCN0745.JPG/355854388/DSCN0745.JPG

The evil machine - twas quite cute really.

http://rachel-h.wikispaces.com/file/view/DSCN0612.JPG/355854350/DSCN0612.JPG

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Looking forward to seeing them Toggy!

It's looking good Rachel, that machine looks like it meant business........

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Toggy · Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239

Here you go, quite an improvement from the last set of photos. Very Happy

ColinB · Guest

Fabulous. I love the wood on the kitchen cabinets.

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

Like it. Love the cooker too.

We had the kitchen guy around last night: in my head it takes "a few days to fit a kitchen" when we'd chosen everything, he explained how it works with paying him... 25% deposit when we place the order, another 50% at the end of the first week of fitting... at this point , I interjected- "The first WEEK?!" How many weeks does it take? ... Oh a good two maybe three he said. .. No wonder the blooming thing is costing so much..... Three weeks! When we did it ourselves last time , it took two days. Humph!

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Toggy it looks fantastic! Love the wood as well. Did you change the layout very much?

I was thinking about cookers at the weekend and we looked at some similar to yours. I want an electric hob though which I think is possible but we didn't see any.

Rachel my present kitchen took 4 weeks and I was demented at the end of it! There were problems with the design then the joiner and the provider fell out and he 'worked to rule' starting at 11 am every day............ I'm convinced it's the nightmare of it all 20 years ago which keeps putting me off this time round! The 2 people we've had recently quoted a week to 10 days which is better.

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

ColinB · Guest

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Ah but you were able to take your time Colin and I bet the whole place wasn't completely disrupted for all of that time!

No one can believe it took so long for mine to be done as it's not that huge, 16ft x 10ft and has a table down one of the long walls. It was the guy not doing a full day's work that caused it but you feel you've got to tread carefully or they'll just walk out and leave the job unfinished!

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

ColinB · Guest

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

After all that I'm surprised you're still married Colin!

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

ColinB · Guest

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

It's about the same with us!

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

SantaFefan · Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2012 1:23 pm Post subject:

Yes, I think I need to get to grips with my own kitchen.... it could do with sorting out... Laughing

It's just a store at the moment... priorities dear... priorities... Rolling Eyes

_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

Our builders are on holiday this week- it's so quiet. Although the scaffolders are coming on Wednesday and another kitchen chap is coming on Thursday. New kitchens are a bit of a nightmare- it's a complete minefield... they are just chipboard boxes with nice doors aren't they? Blimey- some of the prices are just bonkers... one lot wanted £30K!!! Blimey- I could buy a new Lotus for that! Another lot wanted £18K for the what looks like the same thing...let me just show you to the door sweetheart... thank you. Kitchen unit budget is £12K and we would like some change. We've found another two kitchen places to try, if Thursday's chap is another non-starter. B & Q sell units that look similar to the ones we like for about £4K to fill our kitchen- do they just make the price up? I'm stressed and we've not even looked at the three bathrooms yet, or tiles or paint or anything really!!!! Aggggghhhhhh. Shouldn't our Architect be doing all this?

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Have you tried Howdens Rachel? http://www.howdens.com/

You need to have a builder joiner already but they are reasonable as far as units go.

Did you get your architect to design your kitchen? I've given up with kitchen planners as they all seem to forget that doors have to be opened etc and that is doesn't just have to look nice...........

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

Thanks Helen, they are the people coming on Thursday: our builder organised it after our last meeting , they seem, if you count the 50% discount for trade, about the same as B & Q prices but of a much better build quality we're told. The problem with brochures is that they are fiendishly clever at making things look much better in the brochure than they really are – so you have to go and see the stuff : the £30K stuff looked fantastic in the book but in the showroom it looked quite ordinary , in fact, I would go as far to say that our old MFI ( Hygena) kitchen is just as good, if not better. We could just re-jig and move around what we have already, fit new worktops and sink, maybe some new cornice and pelmet, and bob’s your uncle.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

I've been to their local showroom and the cupboards looked good, so hope they come up trumps for you.

I know what you mean about just re-jigging what you have, the thought has crossed my mind more than once! The hinges on our doors are going, we've used up all the spares, they don't make any that would fit and I need at a couple of new base units as we had a flood a while back. We have too many doors and the window is in the wrong place for a good design to work! I think I'll start again with the design though and maybe just go for it!

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

SantaFefan · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 6:55 pm Post subject:

Our kitchen will probably be from Howdens in the end... they gaurantee they will beat B&Q's price although I have another firm eager to quote too - Wren Kitchens.
The original price including Walnut worktops was £11k from B&Q but with my Trade account, I've got it down to about £7k now...

_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Santa,

That looks terrific! Wren Kitchens are the old MFI and I read bad reports when I googled them a few months ago.

H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

SantaFefan · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:57 pm Post subject:

I didn't know that Helen... our chippy said he had recently fitted a couple of Wren kitchens and their price was below Howdens who we would normally use. He said the quality and phone help he received during the installations was excellent.
Unless there's a big price difference though, I'll probably stick to Howdens.
Those round doors and the Walnut tops pump the price up a lot but they do look nice in the gloss cream finish...
_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

We're a little way from needing to have our new kitchen installed- so we have lots of time to shop around.... as you can see the buildres have a way to go yet.......

Scaffolding tomorrow- looking forward to that: especially if it's the two hunks that came to do the survey....
Lintels and first floor beams next week, then second storey brick and blockwork the week after, then the new roof ( it's a sawn crown roof with a code 6 lead top... whatever that means...I'm just reading the map).... then the fun starts with all the inside work and cutting through from new to existing.......[/img]

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire