Weather Conditions and Your Extension Project
Any domestic construction project can be stressful and frustrating, especially when there are delays in your project construction. There are many reasons why a home or kitchen extension may be delayed, one of the main reasons being poor weather in the winter months. Both hot weather and cold weather can disrupt your extension project but our building teams will always discuss this with you.
The main issue for construction work is the temperature of the outside air. Some building materials and substances do not mix or set correctly if the temperature is below three degrees Celsius. In the winter months this can cause delays when laying brickwork or blockwork, which cannot be avoided or mitigated. If there is a bout of cold weather forecasted, your Project Manager will discuss whether they will be able to continue construction work at that point.
If you experience a period of stormy weather during your extension construction, you may face slight delays to your completion date. If your garden becomes incredibly saturated with water, it can make laying the foundations of your extension difficult, and in some cases unsafe. If the foundations cannot be set properly in the ground, then this can cause major issues further down the line. To prevent these issues from occurring, your Project Manager may wait for a couple of days for the soil to dry out slightly before laying the foundations. Unlike loft conversions, your extension will not need overhead cover to protect the interior from rain, as the moisture can pass through the materials or run off onto the ground easily.
In terms of weather, the only other situation that could cause minor delays could be extreme heat. In very hot temperatures it is unsafe for our building teams to be working in the sun for a full day, so sometimes the working hours will be slightly reduced or moved earlier in the day, to protect our workforce. We care about the wellbeing of both our clients and our workmen and will always endeavour to keep both parties safe during the construction process.
Finally, your extension could face delays for other reasons outside of the weather conditions. In periods of high demand there can be wait times on certain materials like steel and timber. Your Project Manager will keep you updated on estimated completion times and notify you if there is a delay or wait time for obtaining a specific material that is needed for your project. There can occasionally be unforeseen circumstances that can crop up with extensions, such as unmarked sewers or drainage pipes that block the laying of foundations. This can cause delays to your project and additional costs that are always best to budget for with a 10% buffer of your project cost during the construction phase.
If you are thinking about having an extension on your property, speak to a member of the Simply Extend team on 0800 917 7571 to arrange your free site survey.
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