Day 1 - Pre-Contract Meeting & bye-bye kitty

Well, actually it's nearer to Day 700!  Today we agreed to start work next week on our extension to our Grade II listed Victorian Lodge House and this blog will chart the highs and lows of the build.

The things that have struck both Emma and I already are how long stuff takes to get done in this business, how expensive it is and how unreliable people can be.

The project was conceived in the late Summer of 2010 when we decided that our two boys were growing up rapidly and that we needed some more space - we have two big bedrooms and a small one, so an extra large bedroom would be much fairer.  We really enjoy entertaining and really wanted a big dining room, finally we've had enough of just one bathroom/lavatory in the house so additional facilities are long overdue!  We love the location that we're in and have no desire to move - ever.  With these requirements in mind we consulted a local firm of Architects, Kirby Cove. Nearly 2 years later and without a brick laid we have destroyed a forest with the paperwork generated and spent almost £19,000 on:

• Architects design and get approvals (£4,700)
• Historic Building Appraisal to get Listed Building Consent, (£1,800)
• Architects prepare construction package for building regulations and tenders (£7,020) 
• VAT Consultant to advise how little VAT we should pay (£1,000)
• Structural Engineers (£3,600)
• Soil Survey (£700)
• East Hertfordshire District Council Building Regulations and Listed Building application (£150) 

That said, we have a beautiful plan that is entirely in keeping with the original property that really delivers what we asked for and we're very excited at the prospect of our new home.


So at today's meeting we me our building supervisor, Martin, who seemed like a nice guy - he plays golf, so he must be OK, right? Simon, our architect, ran us through the agenda - everyone seems very happy and confident....long may it continue.

We have a start date confirmed .....Tues 10th July electricians and plumbers to terminate services, Weds 11th July demolition of the old conservatory starts let the fun and games commence!

One further complication is that with the demolition of the conservatory, the cats Mowgli, Maddie and Harry have lost their home / holding area for mice, squirrels, birds etc for the next 6 months and with our work patterns in all day, or out all day wouldn't work.  So...Mowgli and Maddie have been dispatched to Grandma in Little Hallingbury and Harry is at Granny's in Brookmans Park - the house seems emptier without them.