Your ladder/gardens kitchen

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Permalink Reply by David Thomas on April 18, 2015 at 10:12

Just about to start the process [Monday] of knocking through to the utility room[ take down wall, remove chimney breast, swap backdoor and rear window around] then fit new floor and ceiling finally install new kitchen! should take 4 to 5 weeks of microwave / take-aways/ eating out.

Expensive? building work and fitting about £10000, flooring£3000, kitchen units £8000, worktops [ quartz] £3000, new appliances £3000 . so yes although all relative. 

Worth it? - let you know. we're on Umfreville Road, welcome to come and see.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on April 22, 2015 at 5:57

David, we had work that sounds very similar to yours carried out last year. All went well until it came to taking out the chimney breast. The builder had wanted to put in gallows brackets to support the chimney breast in the room above but Haringey Building Control wouldn't agree to this as it doesn't comply with current London building regulations. Instead they wanted a massive support beam installed across the width of the kitchen. In the end we left the chimney breast as is and had the old fireplace opened up which gave us a large shelving area.
The whole thing took 3 months and the cost was similar to yours.

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Permalink Reply by David Thomas on April 22, 2015 at 7:35

Ouch! Will mention this to Radek ( builder) this morning! He seems to be aware of local building regs / controls tough they evolve frequently. Hope to god it doesn't take that long, my alternative plan was to open it up as you have and put the hob / extractor there. Thanks for heads up Michael.

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on April 22, 2015 at 8:57

Definitely don't consider leaving the chimney breast supported in a way that doesn't comply with building regs. It will cause an issue when you come to sell.

We just dealt with a chimney stack removal in a property we bought in Enfield. In that borough you can use gallow brackets in a terraced house as long as the full stack is still in place in the neighbouring house. 

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Permalink Reply by David Thomas on April 22, 2015 at 9:18

Thanks Hugh, you're absolutely right - having enough nightmares about it all as it is so definitely want the " seal of approval" from building inspectors. Fortunately Radek the builder is equally keen

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Permalink Reply by Joanna on April 21, 2015 at 22:29

Hi,

I had my ladder kitchen extended  5 years ago though not out into the garden but rather to the side to fill in the "L-shape" with a side return extension.  The north east outside space to the side of my old kitchen was pretty much unusable because it never got any light but now it is inside with sky lights it is part of a bright spacious kitchen.  It was expensive but worth every penny - I have children and so spend a lot of time in the kitchen!  Think twice about skylights if you are south facing though - they can make a kitchen unbearably hot.   I would recommend finding a builder who has done similar work and ask them if you can visit a couple of houses they have worked on. I got some great "I really wish we had done this' style tips from people.  Mine took 7 weeks. 

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by SG on July 10, 2015 at 9:56

How did the work go David? We are considering knocking through the utility/downstairs loo and boiler cupboard to open up the kitchen so we can see the garden. Interested to know if yours all went to plan, on time and ended up as per your initial cost expectations.... And if you would recommend your team.. Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Mavic Starfish on July 10, 2015 at 10:30

This webiste has a great gallery, I just used one of the photos as a guide for our builder 

http://www.londonkitchenextensions.co.uk/gallery.htm

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Permalink Reply by SG on July 10, 2015 at 11:59

lovely thanks. I know this company as I used to live in Earlsfield. Was hoping to use someone more local for our work, so if you have any recommendations...

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Permalink Reply by Mavic Starfish on July 10, 2015 at 13:32

Couldn't possibly recommend our builder as he didn't finish the job. The one bit of advice I would give is get a schedule and pay them in quarterly installments, no additional money till each quarter is done.  Luckily I stuck to this advice - ironically from the same guy who initially did the plans, then got the build job - and when he asked for an early payment of last installment I just said no.  At which point he lost interest.  Managed to find someone else to finish off although most of it had been done, and all the regulations passed by the council.  Just very annoying, and double the initial 12 week schedule.  Still well worth doing but I guess you pay for what you get, especially if they are competent and have good reviews.  Good luck, I'm sure there is another thread somewhere with advice on the same question

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Permalink Reply by David Thomas on July 10, 2015 at 14:46

Hi, kitchen work completed nearly on time, delay was worktops not the builder ( radek - more about him and his team later).
The planned work went ahead very rapidly with sometimes 6 guys on site and over 17 tons of material taken out! But, as is so often the case with these houses, the work revealed new problems. The floor was rebuilt from the soil up ( brick piers and timber with lots of ventilation duly approved by building inspector as were the gallows brackets after removal of the chimney breast). Removal of the ceiling prior to replastering / light and extraction installation revealed joists that needed replacing. With a new floor ,new ceiling and walls taken back and re plastered, a door that became a window and a window that became doubl doors, there was a lot of work before we even started fitting the units and worktops. Even so the work was completed within seven weeks and Goan excellent standard.
Yes , it generated a lot of mess and dust but the team did there best to minimise it but careful planning / moving/ covering in advance is essential.
The work was carried out by Radek Tober and his team who work to exacting standards, we also utilised his link with Klynstone for flooring, units and wonderful worktop.
Radek Canberra contacted on:
Radoslaw Tober : 07912891266
I'll try to insert some before and after pic's tho' I think Radek may already have them in his Facebook gallery!

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Permalink Reply by SG on July 10, 2015 at 16:22

These things are never straightforward are they, but sounds like a great end result. Thanks for sharing David. Will check out radek as he sounds like he couldn't come more highly recommended.

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