Bobbo completely renovates and extends his tired 1950s bungalow

We "let our architect go" due to chronic poor communication on a lot of levels plus a few other things.
He got quite irritated when we asked for the CAD files however finally sent them to us.

https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/knowledge-landing-page/understanding-what-your-clients-really-want

LFGSS has changed a lot, six years since I last posted.
Begining of March 2020 we bought a house cash privately to rebuild.
That sentence sounds very grand, but I was 60...redundant...no pension, and it cost almost everything I had.
It was super cheap, and you'd never had got a mortgage on it. Still I went ahead, then started ####ing it.
Anyway. Reading your posts, it's incredible to hear how different your experience has been.
I used a builder that came highly recommended, and he basically bulldozed his way through the whole planning process. I literally couldn't sleep as he went on with the work. But his confidence paid off. Basically there was no reason why a full width x five metre extension and a loft conversion couldn't go ahead. I even had a sewer about 2.5 metres out the back of the house, he said they'd get permission to move it and they did.
I know your build is a million miles from mine, but finding what was essentially a team of tradesmen and architects really helped.
The picture shows how far we got before planning. Foundation trench dug, steel put in to support loft extension, waste and sewer moved to side of house.

And the upside of being redundant, was that I could do all the donkey work. I had been an electrician, but obviously I had no current qualifications. But I could dig foundations, chase walls, run pipework, dig a trench to get gas to the house all sorts.

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You're teasing us...How's it looking now?

I wanted to keep it 1920s, but it was shot

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What a transformation! 2 years well spent :)

It was completed between march and December 2020. I had no money for the garden, so used reclaimed 70s slabs for the steps and path. And the turf was free as it was so late in the year.
Re wired, re plumbed, gas brought in, rendered, every wall and ceiling plastered. internal wood work renovated, all new D/G, three new bathrooms, new kitchen, wood burner installed, fully floored and decorated all in budget. Left me debt free and 50p in the bank!

that's lovely! Where are you based?

Brighton