How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

Cheers. They need some hyperlinks in that building regs document.

So I think the running order is:

1. Look on planning portal for ideas
   
2. Stalk planning addresses on Right move historic listings
   
3. Contact an all in one jobbie
   
4. Get distracted by life
   
5. See where we get to in June and post more questions here
   

Yeah cutting into bedroom 3 as others have said could do it stair wise.

The way I am doing a loft...

1. Look up every loft plan on the planning portal for E17
   
2. Do 10000000 plans myself based on previous architects drawings
   
3. Research cladding for 4 months.
   
4. Create extensive Figma and Notion files.
   
5. Find cheapest builder
   
6. Spend 6 months trying to get blood from a stone (aka an email reply)
   
7. Bin off said builder who is a prick to the cost of £2K
   
8. Find a more expensive builder thats a grown up that I should have chosen in the first place
   
9. Another 6 months deciding on window size and shape.
   
10. Get party wall going as neighbours always object to any work getting done because they can.
    
11. Get plans redrawn by grown up (actual architect, not draftsman as per loft companies us).
    
12. Melt.
    
    

I'd prob do it slightly differently to the above to be honest, just make sure you don't end up with PVC windows and you'll be fine.

Also everything @Sheppz said.

Also 2.5 Ask a few neighbours if you can look at their lofts. We did this and people would also refer us to other neighbours with good lofts (!) so we ended up plugged into a sort of loft network :-/ Used to bring cake to thank neighbours (and @aggi) for letting complete strangers nose round their house.

One person no one else seemed to know but she had the best layout on the planning portal so I resorted to introducing myself one day when I saw her in her garden and asking if I could come and see her loft.

Cheers. Found someone on the other end of our close, so will have a nose around and then maybe hit them up.

Will mos definitely have upvc windows.

Yep, as above. Also if you have any neighbourhood forums, whatsapp, etc then it's surprising how many people will let you have a look around their loft and chat about how they found the builder.

The loft companies will probably also be able to put you in touch with a few people as well.

The first draft the architect from my all-in-one place came up with was terrible. I ended up sending them links to 3 or 4 approved ones of the planning portal and saying "do something like that" which they did.

I'm the opposite end of the scale from chrisbmx116 though and had no issues with a bog standard box being plonked on the roof.

1.5 use Google maps satellite view to find all the local conversions and help in the planning search?

An honest question here. For finding builders, does anyone bother with checking bodies such as the federation of master builders, as a sort of quality mark?

Its all talk babes, champagne taste but lemonade budget, will be uPVC windows and tiles all round.

TBF I didn't.
I checked their sites, Google reviews, and any personal recs.
The federation of master builders isn't something I have much knowledge of so would be hard to gauge standards?

So it looks like the other end of the close has trimmed bedroom 3 and moved the door.

"Keeps" bedroom 3 as a "bedroom" in estate agent language, but turns a small but usable bedroom, into the short straw in a student house share.

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Anyone looking for a cheap steel bath tub and bath screen? Just renovate my place and need rid.

£50 for bath tub (1700 x 700) and £20 for screen (780 x 1400).

Collection only at east London.

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it's surprising how many people will let you have a look around their loft and chat about how they found the builder

I have actually knocked on people's doors and been shown around when I have asked.

I didn't even murder anyone.

Worth remembering that plans aren't always stick to - places will sometimes not follow the ones that were approved (and may get to building control either).

This 100%. The builder I just binned off only used the plans for building control or whatever, he had no intention in following them and they were nowhere near what we had asked for design wise. We were not comfortable with that approach.

@chrisbmx116 what windows did you have in your gf extension?

Apparently our big rear window weighs 300kg 🫣

Max light, the most expensive possible and a bit bigger than yours.

Lol

That’s ours done for this year - start back again on the 3rd. Maxlight rear window (not as big as Chris’) arrives on the 16th so should have glazing done by end of that week, same as electrics.
Should get a decent amount of storage under those stairs and downstairs shower room and utility are small but adequate.

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The Ekenaset is great quality - solid beech and will last forever

Yep, we've got two of the armchairs and they're great quality.

Snobishness would be the only reason to avoid them tbh.

Are u new to this forum

This is truly looking epic. Really looking forward to seeing it finished.

We have flip-flopped over the past few months. Bathroom reno is on hold, kitchen is full steam ahead. I had originally wanted wooden worktops (affordable, look nice), but our builder (who has correctly pegged us as lazy homeowners who lack the discipline to maintain things) has suggested we reconsider.

I quite like the look of durat/poured concrete/recycled glass or plastic - the problem is that I can't find ballpark figures for any of these materials. We need 5-6m and I'm reluctant to pay more than £200/sqm. Am I delusional? I guess that price will only buy laminate or wood (or maybe concrete)?

Recommendations for cheap, ok-looking, maintenance-free worktops?

Eta - mistral (acrylic) looks ok too. I've found a semi-local company with ok prices. No idea how painful installation is, though.

Cheers dude! Heading down on Tuesday to check it out and finalise electrical plans. Then again the following Wednesday as that should be when most of the glazing installed. Will post some more pics

We went for 12mm solid laminate.

Was surprised how tough it is, gives a good edge, given that it came from a Howdens it was a bit of a shock...

https://www.howdens.com/kitchens/kitchen-surfaces/worktops/howdens-3m-x-125mm-square-edge-caldeira-compact-laminate-worktop-wht7060

Wee timber delivery this morning

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