selfbuildaberdeen

Thanks Ferdinand, Was more looking for a standard break down for a kit on standard strip/pad foundations which I could then adjust for certain aspect of our own plan which might come in more expensive in certain areas. For example should the kit price (closed kit with triple glazed external windows and doors included), supply only, equal about 25%, 50% or 75% of the overall build budget?

Defiantly some good advice there. The time spent scrimping and saving pennies sometimes is not worth it (even when they all add up) especially when you consider how much money you could earn working that time instead. The money saved on bigger ticket items is often more substantial but I suppose the caution there is ensuring the quality/customer service is up to scratch still as you say.

Hi, Thanks for the tips! We are certainly up for finding a bargain and would always buy ex display/ decent second hand before new even now. The auction houses in Edinburgh and Wales have some amazing finds for ex display stock from up market stores/show homes. For the internals, plaster boarding, plastering, second fix, tilling, internal joinery etc are all things we are used to doing from previous renos so no problem there. And we actually enjoy it as sad as that may be. We have practiced our skills and made plenty of mistakes on what we have then sold on to others. Hopefully our skills are now up to scratch! Agree it takes so much longer tho. I believe we lived with a toilet balancing on a square of MDF at the far side of the bathroom for about a week.... balancing across the joists to reach it in teh middle of the night was interesting.... and yes it was our only toilet haha. Wouldn't be as brave as you to put the whole kit up tho. Feel much more satisfaction from the little fiddly jobs anyway

Always open to recommendations!

When we went to visit a few newly completed self builds (all by different contractors) we weren't really impressed with any of their finishing tbh. I think if you do it yourself your standard is so much higher and it really shows in the end product. Doing what you can yourself is defiantly the way forward like you say. We have what the structural engineer has classed as 'standard ground' requiring a strip/pad foundation. Electricity is coming in at 6k. Water is private (servitude rights already bought) so we just need to purchase a treatment plant for around 1k and have the plumber connect and install. Connection point is already on site. I have not included any service connections in my build budget tho and have kept them separate along with all professional fees, application fees, warranty and insurances.

Thanks folks, Is it maybe better to then ask what % of the build cost is spent after 1st fix? Is there a general rule of thumb accepted for % cost at each stage ie - foundations x%, frame up x%, wind/water tight x%, 1st fix an plaster x%, 2nd fix to completion x%- It is a timber frame, 100% timber clad, slate and sarnafil roof. Inside will not be mega high spec but still good quality- just no gimmicks.

this makes total sense john!

Thanks Christine, Its all things we have done before in other renovations so feel its achievable to do this again ourselves. I think the worry is these are the areas where the main contractor would get the biggest profit from so if we tell him from the start we are doing these things he will just over charge on other parts of the project instead or am I just being skeptical?

Hi Folks, Rather than ask how much something would cost to build, I'm keen to find out how much we can potentially save by doing certain things ourselves. If we were to do the following how much are we likely to save off a turn key price from a main contractor for example? We are based in Aberdeenshire Scotland if that helps at all. House is approx 195m2 internally. - supply and labour for all decorating. -painting and fitting of all internal skirting, facings and doors- supply will be included within kit price. -supply and fit and kitchen/utility and bathrooms second fix. - supply and fit all tiling/flooring. - supply and fit externally all decorative landscaping, paths, decking. Even if we can just get an idea on what % we are likely to save would help.

Perfect thank you so very much!

Like you say tho you pay for these professionals because it is their job and they should be well... professional! Where about is it you are building? Sounds like you are at the same stage as us.

I lost all faith in ours when i looked at his report and realised he hadn't even been able to count the number of toilets on the plan correctly.... apparently I have 2 toilets I know nothing about....that's pretty worrying.

We went with the QS recommended by our architect.... then discovered he charges a % of predicted build costs.... obviously he then predicts them high! Same reason you dont choose an architect who charges on % of build costs as they have no incentive to keep your costs low. If i had known this to start with I may not have bothered. I feel your pain on this one!

Hi lizzie thank you very much, what made you choose one over the other then as sounds like you didn't find much difference? Is yours over a larger area and how has it held up over time?

Hi folks, We have a large flat roof as part of our design and spec from the architect is for sarnafil rubber. Does anyone have any experience of this product, good or bad to share? How it performs over time, problems with installation, how it compares to similar products etc Thanks

Yes that was one thing I did notice in the houses to! Much better for allergy suffers I imagine. Looking at trickle vents on the windows, extractors in the kitchen/bathrooms etc

I will greatly appreciate a change in topic!! Thank you very much for letting me know. VAT I am lead to believe is a mine field and something I am not very clued up on so this sounds good ?

Yeah as I have already mentioned we did have one specd in, visited multiple builds with one, felt the difference as soon as we walked in and then still removed it from our plans. Its just not for us im afraid.

Very useful advice thank you very much!

Hello! We are building not far from yourself and will be going to tender soon. Are there any contractors you have used you would recommend? Or even some you have used and would avoid again! Thanks

For a post that wasn't even about MVHR or asking any advice I feel I have ruffled a few feathers... How did you go about getting your trade account if you dont mind me asking?

The stove is chosen already so I am going to leave it well alone...I dare not bring up another topic

Totally agree with this! Self building attracts the type of people that dont like what everyone else has. We would all live in very boring houses if this was the case

Haha, I wish i never said anything! I never realized we were building something so controversial!

Thats exactly it, everyone's priorities/needs/wishes are different Is that not the reason we all self build after all