building an extn to a house , it will be a long post about the problems I came up against and a few laughs along the way . I ask if anyone is interested before posting or not
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I’m always interested in any construction projects … post away RS, post away.
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OK it will take solme time to do most of this evening
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I’m interested, I just like to see projects, might learn something.
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Hi realspeed
Post away,always interested in the highs and lows of a building project.
I love DIY and home builds/remodelling so please share Realspeed 
Sounds interesting realspeed, I seem to recall you renovated / improved a conservatory at one time, along with the interior of that house and also, if I recall correctly, didn’t that house have detached garages with two different sized doors? Always interesting to see what others have successfully turned their hand to so will await the thread.
I’m not.
Only kidding, RS. 
sorry about any spelling mistakes
Sue and I sold our first mid terraced house and bought a 3 bed semi so the start of climbing up the housing ladder.
Below is all my own work mainly
First issue I didn’t like was walking in the front door down the corridor into the kitchen with the back door straight ahead. A wind tunnel obviously so that had to change but how?
On the side wall of the kitchen was a stove with a chimney that had to go. . So first was to remove the chimney as luck had it there was a mantle to support above so an ideal place for a doorway.
Chimney down and a hole knocked ito the side wall for a new door. Looked funny with the original door and a big hole to the outside as well.
Next was fitting the new door and frame which then allowed to old door to be removed and bricked up and a new back widow as well.
OK now ready for the big build EXCEPT where I wanted to dig the wall footings next door had a 9 foot wall. Gulp. Again luck struck wimbledon cricket club were having a new clubhouse, now me being cheeky asked what they were doing with the old roof timbers. they said I could have them . Thank goodness my BT van had a roof rack , I shall say no more.
So now I had very long stout timbers to support next doors wall.
Prior to all this i did get planning permission and the inspector, young lad, was more than helpful
Nex thought is if i dig one trench 18 ft long be about 3 ft deep as required from front to back(butting onto the garage rear wall) across the back another 8ft wide and a return of about 8 foot to meet up with the house wall
another problem was how to get rid of the thick yellow london clay I would be digging out. Yet again lady luck struck, next door neighbour worked for the council and got me a commercial size huge skip free.
AS of yet no real idea of what i was doing but now the spade and wheelbarrow got well used. Digging out taking through the garage and hoisting into the skip. also 6 inches under the house as well
Problem after passing inspection how the hell do I alter the earthenware drain pipes and move? already got the new pipes and hepsleve joints after doing some research but how do I cut the pipe to the right length. Me I never thought of that.
By this time Sue to get to the back garden had to hop over 2 trenches so panick on my part started. This needed my pleading mode to switch on. Around the corner well a few roads away they were doing a new buildind site. so having marked to pipe I went up the the site foreman and asked his advice. What a great guy, he called over one of his men who cut if for me with a stone disc cutter.
OK home again now and new pipe layout done, time for inspector again. Great guy said if I bridge the pipe and pebble stone around he would pass it which he did on the next visit.
OK the skip left by next door the lorry could not pick up and had to have rear support laid to stop tipping up. Next door told me they were cursing be as they had to dig out the clay from the skip by hand
SO by now trenches dug waste pipes in now for the concrete for the new wall footings .I decided to use large breeze blocks against bricks as less work and quicker to build. Only problem was pebble dashing against next doors wall as i only had a gap of abour 6 inches, so had to do it with each block layer
Right all walls now up to window height , dimensions slightly off plan size but the inspector said ok as I was not a professional builder.
Now window and stable door frame in (the door facing across the back of the house on the short return wall).
Yet another inspection and what a helpfull guy. The roof timbers should have been attached to hangers on the house wall but the house cement course was like sand so no chance. He just said remove halve a brick and insert the joist. By this time long gone were the next door wall supports .
So roof trimbers in with furlings on top to give the slope and boards laid on the joists.
Here i had professionals to seal the roof with felt and tarmac
Windows now in and stable door as well looking good , new fire door to garage as well.
next was a damp proof membrain on the floor area and floor cemented, now looked more like a room. Had a radiator installed and the floor tiled and walls plastered b y my neighbours
Room finished and a big project but well worth it, house much warmer - 4 Afghan hounds had their own room with a long bench i built for them to lie on…
Hope I covered most of the construction Power and lighting I installed whch I missed out mentioning
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Any piccies Real ?
No sorry