Hello from London (we just broke ground)

[bmj1]

Hi all,

 

Just wanted to say hi. Quick intro:

 

• We bought a house that needed all the works (loft extension, rear extension, side extension, garage conversion), essentially the cheapest and least developed detached house on the street
• We applied for planning permission to extend, taking footprint from ~2200 sq ft + integrated garage up to ~4000 sq ft.
• Then we got some advice from architects + builders, and everyone guided us to demolish and start again, partly due to VAT savings (first big surprise/learning)
• So we then applied for planning permission to demolish and rebuild, which we achieved about 9 months after we originally completed on the house.
• At our architects guidance, we hired their recommended QS, and conducted a tender. Costs came back eye-watering... (second learning: pick who runs your tender carefully and be comfortable they will ensure you get value for money, trust your gut!)
• So we re-tendered ourselves, selected a main contractor (who is local, and came by recommendation), and his team started on the foundations 6 weeks ago
• We're hoping to be out of the ground in the next couple of weeks

 

I just wanted to say hi, super excited by the project. And excited to learn from the group on here.

[Thorfun]

welcome and congratulations. all the fun stuffs starts now. we look forward to seeing how your project develops.

[Indy]

Welcome to the forum. Which part of London are you in, and if you don't mind me asking - what cost / m2 are you looking at having re-tendered?

[ToughButterCup]

On 10/06/2022 at 01:27, bmj1 said:

• ... (second learning: pick who runs your tender carefully and be comfortable they will ensure you get value for money, trust your gut!)...

 

Welcome.

Second learning eh? Hmmm... might want to extend that number by a good few hundred.

 

Trust your gut after having done too much Due Diligence . And you can't do enough Due Diligence. 

The trouble with this place (BH) is that we talk a good talk. And take absolutely zippppo responsibility for what we write : and the  Mods take care of that. (Thanks Mods) .

 

Its good to feel your fizz for your build. I'm at the other end of the process - may I offer the following

 

Persistence. Guts. Compromise. Budget.

Systems and people show themselves for what they really when the soft and smelly hits the fan: not when everything is ticking along just fine.

 

The systems and the people will test you.  Self-building hardens you off.