AliG Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 Had meeting with architect and builder this morning. Airbnb booked until February. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 19 hours ago, AliG said: Had meeting with architect and builder this morning. Airbnb booked until February. Ok, I'll be the one to say it.........so that means your not in then ? ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 Come on.......say something. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 14 hours ago, Nickfromwales said: Come on.......say something. . They are in and the architect and builder came for Christmas drinkies ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 14 hours ago, Ferdinand said: They are in and the architect and builder came for Christmas drinkies ? Dead man walking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdf27 Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 34 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said: Dead man walking Wife has moved in and he's hiding in AirBNB for his own safety? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted December 21, 2017 Author Share Posted December 21, 2017 (edited) Haha, so nearly. Yeah we're not in, they just couldn't get enough done. The electrics in particular weren't finished and the smoke alarms. Also I don't think they were going to manage to get any doors in. Another week and it might have worked. Temporary stair finally went in onTuesday. Can finally use the front door. Master bedroom plastered and ready to decorate. Sofa delivery, just had to leave them wrapped up for the moment. This en suite we hoped to be using by today. Kitchen will be finished tomorrow I think. Two ensuites made it in white and grey. Really pleased with the floors and the skirting boards. Edited December 21, 2017 by AliG 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichS Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 (edited) Got to say that what is finished looks very nice, but what isn't finished has a fair way to go, and by the photo's I don' think there was ever a hope of being in for Chrimbo. Just more to look forward to next year Edited December 21, 2017 by RichS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 13 hours ago, RichS said: Got to say that what is finished looks very nice, but what isn't finished has a fair way to go, and by the photo's I don' think there was ever a hope of being in for Chrimbo. Just more to look forward to next year Yup Someone didn't have the basic decency to just tell you it wasn't happening. . Now, the positive bits . The ensuites look really nice, and if your happy with something as simple as floors and skirting, I sincerely wish I had more customers like you ! Tbh it's best to let things take natural progression, as pushing doesn't give any decent trade the opportunity to do their thing. That kind of compromise will haunt you later when you see the detail isn't there. Enjoy xmas, do as I've done and say "fack it", and eat as much damn turkey as is humanly possible. "Tomorrow is another day" . Forget the build and enjoy the festivities, as the build will be there when you decide to pick it back up. It's your build after all. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted December 21, 2017 Author Share Posted December 21, 2017 3 hours ago, Nickfromwales said: Tbh it's best to let things take natural progression, as pushing doesn't give any decent trade the opportunity to do their thing. That kind of compromise will haunt you later when you see the detail isn't there. This is pretty much what I said to the builder. It isn't going to happen so go back to doing things in the right order not rushing them. Actually I have been impressed by the trades continuing to do things right, protecting floors and so on even though they were hurrying. TBH it's amazing how much got done in the last two weeks, if only they had sped up a few weeks ago. The main issue was not having the heating on earlier to dry out the plaster. Everyone has calmed down today. I have asked the movers to bring our stuff to the house tomorrow, and will just store it in the two rooms where the floor is down so that it's not in the way. That way we will have our stuff over Christmas and New Year. We had packed away the vast majority of our clothes, even some Christmas presents expecting to get them back a few weeks later. I have booked a place to stay until early February. They literally were just finishing off the type 1 on the drive at 5pm today so that the movers can get in and I can take the new car up to the garage to charge. 3 hours ago, Nickfromwales said: The ensuites look really nice, and if your happy with something as simple as floors and skirting, I sincerely wish I had more customers like you ! I am pretty easy going as long as people are making an effort and being nice! I was really pleased with the floors as I ordered 470 square metres of it on the basis of a single sample less than a foot long from a company on the internet. It was £39 a square metre including underlay, I saw some stuff twice the price that wasn't any nicer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 A calm customer reaps his rewards. I worked for one idiot and he pushed me to 105% on everything. He heard me talking to his neighbour about a bathroom job, and I had said "as long as I've got a beating heart you've got a warranty on labour". Said idiot pulled me at the end of the job and asked me for a written copy of my warranty policy, to which I laughed. He re quoted me and I said his warranty had run out as the end of the original contract had expired by 90 days. When he protested I just said if you hadn't been such an akward prick I'd have shown you the same courtesy. Everyone that saw the job said it was above showroom standard and he simply paid me my final bill and we parted company. I even turned down his request of a maintenance contract, instead sending him to the manufacturers (aka the most expensive route ). Sounds like you have a good crew, so take them all for a breakfast ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 Love the ensuites @AliG I think ive decided grey and white is they way I’m going with mine, clean and simple. Are those sinks the Roca ones? I’m sure I’ve looked at something similar. Flooring is lovely too in the dark shade. I’ve got a pile of samples sat on the coffee table in front of me and I’m underwelmed by all of them at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiehamy Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 Our plasterer was great - although he had to delay for a week or so on the second round, which didn't really bother me. Anyway, I wanted the master bathroom ceiling plastered before Christmas to let me finish it and I asked if there was any way he could help me out. He came yesterday on his last day (with two other jobs that day) and did it for me. When I asked him how much I owed him, he told me he couldn't think of a good housewarming gift so that was it! He was there a good 4 hours! So yes, it pays dividends to take it easy on squeezed tradesmen! The landscaping turned into a 4 month saga but at the end of it, they made me a special plinth for the phone box and did a lot of other wee bits for no charge to make up for the delay. All looking great, the delay will be forgotten as soon as you're in! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oz07 Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 Is the floor a click or glue system? Presume it's floating of underlay been mentioned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 Yes your rooms look great, we ( she)has gone for the same grey / white combination and are very pleased with the result. I am very laid back with my builder and he has been brilliant, I know if something gets delayed it’s not a real problem and can be sorted and because of that attitude my builder bends over backwards to accommodate me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted December 22, 2017 Author Share Posted December 22, 2017 5 hours ago, Oz07 said: Is the floor a click or glue system? Presume it's floating of underlay been mentioned Unusually the floor is a glue system. The builders were quite surprised to see that on an engineered board. It is this flooring https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk/150mm-american-black-engineered-lacquered-walnut-wood-flooring-15-4mm-thick.html I had a company I had used before in Edinburgh quote me on Walnut and their samples were either quite flat and disappointing or very expensive. I would have had more grey in the bathrooms, but the wife is not a fan. She likes then to "glow". On the other hand we have gone for grey walls and furniture in the lounge and dining room. On a positive note I managed to use the Tesla charger at the house for the first time today. I am sure @Nickfromwales you get a lot of unreasonable requests. I try to be very accommodating. I try not to rush people as time is pretty much free. Unfortunately this time our old house is sold so it is now very expensive to not be in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted December 23, 2017 Author Share Posted December 23, 2017 23 hours ago, Barney12 said: Love the ensuites @AliG I think ive decided grey and white is they way I’m going with mine, clean and simple. Are those sinks the Roca ones? I’m sure I’ve looked at something similar. The sink is Porcelanosa, all the tiles and bathrooms came from them. There are a couple of places where I could probably have got a better price or different item, but it made like a lot easier to order everything from one place and they have been very good. All the other sinks are reconstituted stone, I am excited to see them up. The builders are a bit scared as they are ridiculously heavy and wall mounted onto metal frames. The single ones are 69kg and there is also a double one. I have decided to fit it tiled in as I am worried it will sag over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted December 23, 2017 Author Share Posted December 23, 2017 I can use the car charger if I back about a foot into the garage. I put a piece of wood in the door tracks so it can't come down on the car. Neither door is working properly. We will need to investigate next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 Kitchen almost finished 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizzie Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 That looks lovely. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Yup. Not toooooo shabby . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted January 14, 2018 Author Share Posted January 14, 2018 Thanks, getting there, decided to redesign our en suite, for the second time today, luckily no major plumbing changes, but some stud work down and new studs up. Finally think we have it right. It has been painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 (edited) I am trying to hold off pictures until we are finished, but I think this is useful for other members. We bought a light from Aliexpress for $760, the same light at Restoration Hardware in the US is $3896 for a member or $5195 for a non member. It looks the same to me! The lower picture is from Restoration Hardware, the upper is our light and table just delivered today. Oh and most importantly on Valentine's Day, my wife likes it and the table, she was particularly unsure about the table. Edited February 14, 2018 by AliG 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 That’s some saving. How did you go about finding a match? Was it simply a case of image searching? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 Originally I searched for crystal chandeliers and used images on Google. However, I now know that some people list them as RH style chandeliers. Once you find one, you can find others from the list of similar products in the search. I got around $20,000 of lights for $5,000. We also got hall lights which are Moooi style lights. The originals would be £20,000, we paid about £2500. The original price is a joke, the are just stainless steel frames with LEDs. I don't see any real element of design in all these lights to say that you are breaking copyright, many companies make similar looking lights. All this tells me is that the markup on nice lights must be ridiculous. These prices include shipping from China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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