canalsiderenovation

Yep you're right so I'm best just having a standard hob then and finding a big fan to put on an outside wall somewhere to satisfy building regs which we will probably never use and likely disconnect after.

Oh really ☹️

So do you have to add some form of grille bar to the plinth?

So, I spent last night using a kitchen planner on DIY Kitchens to play around with kitchen layouts. Knowing we have to have some kind of mechanical kitchen ventilation but we can't have a hood without putting in some form of fake ceiling as the bungalow kitchen will have a high ceiling/glazed gable I was looking at the hobs with built in inductions. The hob will be on in the middle of the kitchen similar to an island with no walls. As I've never used one in any kitchen I've ever had I'm not too bothered about the specs as such just getting something that meets building regs and at a reasonable cost, such as this. Can anyone explain to me in simple terms how these work if the pipe won't extract to outside. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cookology-Induction-Built-Downdraft-Extractor/dp/B07K8QDHX2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=induction+hob+extractor&qid=1588009723&sr=8-3 Also, does anyone have any other recommendations of something similar at a reasonable cost.

We did look at composite doors and infact designed one online and of course with the extra fancy handle, colour and design it was the top end of £1k. For the extra we got this one for I think it was worth it. We will have a composite stable door.

No the one with the mirror on is the inside.

Not sure what RRP but thought likely a bit more. You're very warm - bit lower.

We thought so, a bit different. We never thought we could afford an Internorm door let alone one with a fingerprint sensor.

Excited is not the word! Secured an Internorm front door ex-display with fingerprint sensor, all instruction manual etc absolutely dirt cheap and I'm so bl**dy excited. Do you all like it? Inside it has a mirror inside. Just need to get a new barrel/lock which I'm hoping I can get whoever supplies our Internorm windows to throw in as part of my negotiation.

Thanks I've emailed them now with all the docs.

Hi Our architects have approached the structural engineer they know for steel calculations and we are waiting for prices which should be tomorrow. I think it would be wise to approach a couple of other places but our architects have said: The drawings and specification are attached for you if you would like to send them out for another quotation. Please be aware though. that they may not use our survey and may want to survey the existing property again if they have not worked with us previously. Anyone have any ideas if this is correct and any online places we could approach.

Now although I don't like wasps, up until I was stung about 10 years ago they didn't really bother me and I won't go crazy seeing one (obviously a potential nest of them is a whole other issue). Cockroaches however, major fear triggered by my first holiday abroad to Fuerteventura when I was 20. I've travelled over 70 countries since and been lucky to only see one dead one. For anyone wanting to avoid bugs in home and abroad I always take a peppermint and citroenella essential oil mix and spray around any rooms or places we stay. Bugs and critters hate the smell (ok not keen myself but it does the trick).

I've found some parts where it flakes off if you hit it hard. OH says when it had ivy on it when we peeled it off and she has the pressure washer on it some came off then so if we used the pressure washer the rest may come off.

Thanks all. I'm not too keen to give it a go but I'm glad it's more than likely to be empty. Perhaps if I'm feeling brave at the weekend I'll try and hit it away with a brush or something.

I tried chipping some off. It's impossible! I'll have another go.

So I'm trying to work out if we already have existing render (we will be krendering the whole existing and new extension) and if it needs taking off but to me this doesn't look like render rather just a sort of thick masonry textured paint. You can see the bricks under it. Anyone know?

@nod it wouldn't be so bad but I really, really hate wasps. Traumatic experience when I grabbed a t-shirt off the line and shoved it straight on (without a bra) and there was a wasp inside!

If that's the case I'll leave it and hope the builders will remove it when they deal with the roof.

Just been up loft to discover this.... I think it's wasps, or could it be bees? It could be from last year when we had major issues with wasps which we put down to the fruit trees. I was walking around the loft and didn't see any wasps there but did a hasty exist. If they were there last year will it be more likely they will come back again to the same nest? Any good advice on how to get rid of it?

Here you go. It may be better to rip the whole thing out and start again though I don't think there is any issues with it as such as the guy who sweeps our chimney and checked it over last year said all was fine. Think I've also found a bit of a wasps nest, though this could explain last year's wasps! Didn't see any as I walked in the loft though. Wasp advice also welcome.

I've just noticed something on our plans that may need changing. I'm attaching pics of our existing fireplace (excuse the mess) and the side which goes into the kitchen and a snapshot of the plan. We are keeping the stove and don't have any issues with its current location as such but need to sort all the brickwork out as it's just too big and spans the whole living room wall and we would prefer something more modern. The issue I'm having is that on the plans the back of the fireplace seems to back into the kitchen currently (shown on the pic) and in our new kitchen we need the wall to be flat for kitchen units/oven etc but I don't know if there is a way to do this without literally having the whole existing chimney taken our and rebuilt.

Thank you @Archer. I do think perhaps asking them both to quote for EWI would be helpful as well.

Do we need to take out any additional insurance though for work being done to our house? It seems though if we have just standard buildings and contents it is void if we are having work done.

Our buildings & contents insurance is up for renewal. We will be starting work by June/July on our bungalow (Covid and builder dependent) renovation/extension which is likely to take 6 months and living in it as long as we can but ultimately we will have to move out at some point. Do we just look for standard buildings insurance or should we be looking for more specific insurance. Can anyone point me in the direction of sites to use and if there is a comparison site as such. Cheers

I think both builders are competent. We have seen both of their work mid build, spoke to current customers and found previous customers via social media too. Both are local (within 3 miles) and have completed lots of different properties ranging from extensions to working on complete builds from scratch. Both are familiar with our architect, which isn't difficult given he also lives less than 3 miles away) so everyone is local. One is about 15 years younger so the detailed software, spreadsheets etc, to town on on the detail, younger team, quite a few trainees (the initial quote we had was done by a trainee QS has since been revised resulting in a second quote (which has come down massively but still a fair bit different). The older one I don't think has the range of office staff etc. Re the IWI, interesting re the dot and dab and the effectiveness re battons. This is the exact information that is useful to know. I need to understand which is the better system to then go back to them both and price for the same spec. I wonder if they both picked IWI as it is cheaper.....