How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

Perla and Black Steel Doors came back most competitively for a project I worked on last year.

That’s right baby.

0.8w/m2k or go home.

Have a look at Fabco. We use them often for work... they are pretty good to work with and relatively good quality for what they are. That said, what they are is thermally unbroken steel frames that heavily rely on mastic for sealing so there's that to consider.

0.7 pls.

Yes, the spenny ones were Raynaers.
the UK decent value ones were Aluk Optio and Sheerline, both of these are uk designed/made extrusions and one of them had their own unique way of doing the corner joins. they also do stepped and putty line profiles.

aluminiumtradesupply.co.uk is a good source of info, you can go down a research rabbit hole of profile PDF’s and working out who is using who’s profile and charging more.

Edit, smart systems and Origin were others i looked at.

When i got somebody out to quote/measure they said that half the products they were using were now unavailable as they would be illegal to fit.

RE windows/doors, I'm sure I didn't do anything like the research being implied above, but having sourced multiple quotes for the same items (one door and one decent size window) in 'crittal-style' aluminium, Colins Sash Windows were significantly cheaper than anyone else who quoted and I'm very happy so far with the products.

Pics here: https://www.lfgss.com/comments/16559074/

Thanks for sharing, seems pricey!

it gets pricy if you are after slimline because you either want the look or to try and get them passed for a conservation area, particular building restrictions or a listed building.

Your windows are nice and ‘steel look’ but would not be allowed as a direct replacement for steel in all cases.

Ah, yeah, they are not considerations I had to contend with!

Loft fun begins.

Builder has no concept of project management.

Crazy neighbour is crazy - "You said you'd send a third party agreement in your email! It takes three months!"
Checks email - no mention of anything called a "third party agreement".
She prob means Party wall, but defo don't need an extra level of shit.

Crazies should have badges.

Mine has just finished today and scaffolding down. Good luck dude and remember all the tips I've given you!

@chrisbmx116 yes! They have arrived. We went for surface mount and they feel lovely. Can't compare them to much other than our more traditional kitchen taps but they feel really well made.

Getting installed on Monday/Tuesday so I'll let you know how they feel then too.

WAHOOO, send some pics and some learnings?

Yeah maybe I am worrying too much, but his project management and communication are non existent.

One of my neighbours is a loon, and she is going to be problematic, and already is, so I want everything done to the book as much as possible, I have asked three times now if the plans have been submitted for approval (or if they have been updated to be at least close to correct) and nothing more than "oh don't worry, we don't follow the plans anyway" back.

Party wall stuff should have been kicked off at the start of the month but I had to chase him to get his waiver letter so we are already behind.

You get what you pay for I guess, he is 12K less than Bespoke.

Nice nice nice! Send some pics yeah?

This self-levelling stuff is making me think we should have gone for polished concrete floors! Now the room is closer to completion I can feel the impending dread of having to lay the wooden flooring...

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We laid the self levelling stuff in a gallery a few years ago and it dont go super hard which was surprising.

Yeah - it's more like compacted sediment/chalk. I just like the plain grey look!

Will be much nicer with the wood down though.

has she agreed you can do the work and shell sign the party wall notice without the need for a party wall award?

Get a quote for polished concrete for that size space and it will soon change your mind!

Nope.
As per last time (extension) she will descent to the work and appoint her own surveyor (at our expense), she's just a loon, absolute crackers.

I was a bit pissed off when this happened to me but in hindsight I think it's fair enough. You're doing work that's only got downsides for them, there's no upside. Trying to protect themselves from those downsides is understandable.

Saying that, I was pissed off when one of the fuckers that was employed charged me double what the other side or my own surveyor (who was obviously doing most of the work) charged.

Yeah I can understand it, kinda, but the whole getting her own surveyor is a bit much and its more the fact she is a loon who can not communicate, she's mad, her understanding of the way the world works is unlike others, fruit cake, which makes my life harder.

I wouldn't expect anyone to not want some sort of agreement drawn up officially, it protects me as well as them, but work that doesn't even require planning permission isn't something you should be descending against.

I would honestly be more happy if she said "I don't trust your surveyor and I'm getting my own", but no, she runs away and makes things up like "third party agreements" and claims they take three months.

When we had the extension done we shared everything with her, took her through the plans and got the architects to do extra renders just for her, and she pretended to be fine with it until another surveyors letter dropped through our letter box.

I called round for her and asked why she had after all our convos and she replied "is that what you've heard?" to which I replied "No, its what the letter you sent says..." as she ran away.

Absolute fucking loon.

Sounds like a total clown with too much time on her hands

Sounds frustrating, but getting your own surveyor is smart/typical. Did you serve a Party Wall Notice? It's still needed under permitted development and usually requires one month's notice, maybe that's where that complaint came from?

Typically you'd have the informal chat (well before drawing anything), then you'd follow up with drawings and the official notice, then they have 14 days to respond (assent/dissent).