Inspiring others to call in the builders and diy-not.
2 year DIY **** hole
- Thread starter Ian H
- Start date
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The biggest job of all was a new roof and loft conversion.
We chose a local guy to draw the plans and deal with the council, his office was near where our kids were having guitar lessons and he was listed as a partner on the councils website. What a big mistake it was hiring him, he was absolutely useless.
Our brief was simple, we wanted the loft stairs over the existing stairs, hipped end extending over a flat roofed extension, an on-suite and a dormer. No problem he said. He then designed a dormer that was too big so the council knocked it back and asked him to reduce the size to fit in with their guidance. He then sent us plans with a smaller dormer and the council plans with no dormer.
So the plans pass and he sends us copies with no dormer, not even a velux, we ask him where is the dormer? And he says he removed it as per the plans he sent us. I send him a copy of the plans he sent us with the smaller dormer and he turns nasty.
To cut a long story short we had to give him an extra £250 to add on a dormer that fitted the councils rules that he said we needed a Certificate of Lawfulness, then he goes and designs it at 55cu/mtrs (including the roof extension) when the limit is 50cu/mtrs and it gets knocked back. He then tells us just to build it anyway because you don't need the certificate.
So in the 12 or so months he was trying to get permission we went ahead and fitted the loft floor and staircase
And then in November me and my missus took the old roof off and built up with side extension ready for someone called PB Construction to put on a new one
And just before Christmas the scaffold came down to reveal this
We chose a local guy to draw the plans and deal with the council, his office was near where our kids were having guitar lessons and he was listed as a partner on the councils website. What a big mistake it was hiring him, he was absolutely useless.
Our brief was simple, we wanted the loft stairs over the existing stairs, hipped end extending over a flat roofed extension, an on-suite and a dormer. No problem he said. He then designed a dormer that was too big so the council knocked it back and asked him to reduce the size to fit in with their guidance. He then sent us plans with a smaller dormer and the council plans with no dormer.
So the plans pass and he sends us copies with no dormer, not even a velux, we ask him where is the dormer? And he says he removed it as per the plans he sent us. I send him a copy of the plans he sent us with the smaller dormer and he turns nasty.
To cut a long story short we had to give him an extra £250 to add on a dormer that fitted the councils rules that he said we needed a Certificate of Lawfulness, then he goes and designs it at 55cu/mtrs (including the roof extension) when the limit is 50cu/mtrs and it gets knocked back. He then tells us just to build it anyway because you don't need the certificate.
So in the 12 or so months he was trying to get permission we went ahead and fitted the loft floor and staircase
And then in November me and my missus took the old roof off and built up with side extension ready for someone called PB Construction to put on a new one
And just before Christmas the scaffold came down to reveal this
Once the roof was on me, my missus and our daughter insulated it, built the stud walls and boarded all ready for the plaster to skim it. We left the chimney and roof support exposed and attempted a sound proof wall in the alcoves.
It just needs doors and the onsuite now, we decided to have the onsuite as a wardrobe and hipped end as a bathroom
It just needs doors and the onsuite now, we decided to have the onsuite as a wardrobe and hipped end as a bathroom
Hey there Ian, home straight now. Must be feeling that sense of relief with light at the end of the tunnel. Looking good.
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Great work. A lovely family home truly put together with the help of each family member, love it!
Nice to see your other half and family chipping in!.
My wife always gets stuck in as well, just done our fence (66 meters and 40 posts worth!) and she's been a godsend helping with the lifting and levelling posts etc.
Roof looks like a nice job.
Nothing better than a night off and surveying a your hard work over a pint or glass of wine!.
My wife always gets stuck in as well, just done our fence (66 meters and 40 posts worth!) and she's been a godsend helping with the lifting and levelling posts etc.
Roof looks like a nice job.
Nothing better than a night off and surveying a your hard work over a pint or glass of wine!.
Phenomenal project and well played sir - you have huge cajones taking that on with a young family. Enjoy living in the results of your labour.
Thanks, I'd just had a week off and build a dry retaining wall about half the size and half the neatness of yours.
The garden sloped up so I built it maybe 500mm high at the bottom of the garden after leaving enough room for a patio.
Then I chopped down a few trees, dug out 2 smaller retaining walls from further up, made them into a ramp and reused the stone and soil to level off nearer the house:
I'm not sure if the turf on the ramp will take, if it doesn't I'll see about building another wall or some big steps.
I have the whole left side of the garden and the patio still to do.
The garden sloped up so I built it maybe 500mm high at the bottom of the garden after leaving enough room for a patio.
Then I chopped down a few trees, dug out 2 smaller retaining walls from further up, made them into a ramp and reused the stone and soil to level off nearer the house:
I'm not sure if the turf on the ramp will take, if it doesn't I'll see about building another wall or some big steps.
I have the whole left side of the garden and the patio still to do.
Hats off to you. Well done.
Sorry, just noticed, looking at the pictures your wife seems to have done all the work. Well done to her!
Sorry, just noticed, looking at the pictures your wife seems to have done all the work. Well done to her!
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