How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

Anyone used Resi/Arkiplan or the like for their extension plans etc. Any positive experiences? Ta

4 deep column rads probably should have feet anyway - fair play to them for not just leaving it and hoping it's all ok.

user @amey used Resi and I think liked them

my sister used Arkiplan and didn't get much out of them
She then used thetwoarchitects.com (via a @dbr recommendation) and was really pleased with them

in her case, they had a small loft extension that was constrained by being in a conservation area, and Arkiplan I think knocked out a cookie cutter design, whereas TTA tweaked stair placement a little, looked at pocket doors at the foot of the stair rather than the top to give the room at the top a more open feel, positioned another discreet skylight to get some light through the rest of the house etc.
basically TTA seemed to come up with a tailored plan and arkiplan seemed to just click on the 'small loft' template and forward that on

Thanks, that's really helpful. I'm looking at something fairly straightforward (he says) - a box off the back, and half the width second storey - very tight budget, so trying to keep it simple, but would definitely appreciate a personal touch...

Bringing the kitchen chat to the kitchen thread - do you have any after pics for us (we, me, really) please.

You end up needing feet with all these as they start to get heavy really fast especially if its not fixed to a brick wall.

yeah - I will get some soon. Splashback hasn't been tiled yet but you'll get the idea.

Thanks.

How do you think it compared in price to the equivalent Howdens / High St. 40k kitchen shop price?

I guess you needed to bring your own builder / kitchen person in to do the putting together.

Just keeping it in thread - the kitchen we had in our last place was Howdens. No difference in quality tbh, at least to my untrained eye. All 3 of the guys fitting current kitchen said they thought the unit quality was very good.

Hinges/runners all smooth etc. Good range of unit types etc. No downside really, unless you're not willing or able to think about your own design.

And yeah - get your own fitter.

I've started undoing the general bodgery and hackery carried out by the person who fitted my kitchen, who is from Tuesday officially sacked from the job. I think this is my favourite so far. Structural shims installed with silicone sealant because the noggins installed to mount the radiator brackets to weren't fitted flush with the studs. Yes, they're bits of cardboard.

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It’s a brick wall and only 2 bar.

That’s well shitty.
Closest thing I found was an upturned plastic paint kettle as a flue support in some boxing in but cardboard when you know there’s a rad hanging off it? FFS.

That was for the top radiator brackets. The bottom ones were held in place by innovative floating noggins, where one end is attached to a stud, and the other one is held in place by thin air, hope and expectation.

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Sorry bud that's really shit.

How did you find these people? I hope they weren't recommended by a friend because this is friendship-ending stuff.

potential plot-twist, they were recommended by a #user

(in which case #user velocio would have to condemn)

Recommended by multiple friends. Annoyingly, I know they can do a good job, as I've seen examples of their work elsewhere, and it's quality work. It appears to just be with me that they're half-arsing and bodging it. I'm trying not to take it personally.

trades are a funny lot sometimes. The guy i'm using now has pointed stuff out to me (that i'd have likely not noticed) and done little things that weren't in spec but nonetheless are really nice touches.

I've also found that he can miss glaringly obvious errors. It's quite hard to figure out whether these are genuine oversights or just that he doesn't want the extra faff/expenditure with fixing it.

One down, three to go. Note the lack of cardboard.

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Over a year after getting the plans drawn up, it looks like we might be starting next month - foundations and concrete at least, and then actual building from March.

Though I think the need to demolish the garage before the foundations can be dug might end up pushing it all back. By this time next year, we might have an acceptable kitchen.

Perhaps I'll miss the faux-cork floor and the faux-wood cabinets, but having storage space might be a gamechanger.

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oh wow, my childhood kitchen had the same cork tiles and cupboard doors. Wasn't expecting to see them here

You must be hyped!

Can we see the plans?

Also looking forward to seeing the finished project :)

It's nothing revolutionary - flat roof extension with new kitchen, living area and utility:

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Granite came yesterday, fitters were great, super clean and bang on with everything.

Wanted a flat induction for so long, very happy.

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