New build newbie signing on

[MortarThePoint]

Hello everyone. I can't believe I have only just discovered this forum, I've clearly been looking in the wrong places.

 

We have permission to take down some ex-commercial buildings and replace with a house which is very exciting, if it took a while to get. It's been a long road already (looking for ~4 years, then permissions etc) but we are now starting the exciting bits. I fill my weekends with dismantling the largest of the buildings which is a well insulated kit type barn. That's been going well and hopefully next year things will be going up rather than down.

 

I want to be as hands on a possible including laying the bricks/blocks etc. I'm not in the building trade, but am practical and (hopefully) good at taking advice. As always, the challenge is to know what things you don't know that you should (the unknown unknowns).

[joe90]

Welcome to THE forum about self building. Read some of the blogs attached fir full stories about individuals builds ( @JSHarrisespecially ). Remember there is no such thing as a stupid question, stupid is not asking!,!. I was very hands on with my build, gained shed loads of invaluable info from here and thoroughly enjoyed the journey.

[MortarThePoint]

Thanks joe90

 

Quote

Remember there is no such thing as a stupid question, stupid is not asking!,!.

 

it's difficult to know where to turn sometimes and so I am please to hear that ?

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, MortarThePoint said:

[...]

I want to be as hands on a possible including laying the bricks/blocks etc. I'm not in the building trade,

[...]

 

Welcome.

Getting the blend right in terms of sleeves rolled up and working with trades is / can be difficult. 

I mean its bad enough when wives turn up on site in high heels and snarl

' Don't tell me what to do mate' ,

rapidly followed by

'How does this tape measure work?'

 

I'm off to look for a stone to crawl under for quite a while .... where's me coat??

[MortarThePoint]

You are right AnonymousBosch, it's a hard balance but hopefully I'll get it somewhere near right

[Gone West]

Hi and welcome to the forum. There are quite a few of us on here who have done a lot of the build themselves. It's a steep learning curve but well worth it for the challenge.

[Conor]

Welcome. You're in a similar position to me. 2 years of planning, and I've started the slow demolition process. I've realised how tough it is, so I'm limiting myself to internal demolition (wall linings, ceilings, M&E, kitchen etc) and leaving the heavy work to the ground works contractor.

[MortarThePoint]

Quote

It's a steep learning curve but well worth it for the challenge.

 

It wouldn't be rewarding if it was easy, that's what I have to keep telling myself when it get's hard. It's also important to appreciate my limitations though so I will be getting the ground works contractor to do the major demo work that is beyond unbolting.

 

 

[joe90]

I always want to do everything myself but realise it will take forever if I do, I am also older so leave the really heavy stuff to younger fitter people. I try to do the work I know I am good at, and enjoy, and that makes the build more enjoyable. It is also dependant on finance how much you can pay others to do.