Door bell timer using 555 IC?

[Aerodyne]

For the record, I used 555's for hundreds of circuit uses when teaching electronics at secondary school. Never had any trouble with them. Usually drove a transistor such as a BFY50/51 when operating an external device such as a relay. I found and still find the basic 555 timer to be a rugged and reliable chip, based upon personal experience and many years of witnessing schoolboy-harsh treatment. A PCB eases construction though, so if you prefer perforated board as your substrate, discretes are easier to build.
It is also simple to build monostables with logic chips, BTW.
The use of the BFY51 could be seen as overkill but these transistors are very hardy and reliable.
Tony