Any help appreciated

[Ashy]

Hey, 

we are at the very start of our process. We have a plot. That’s about it. 
we have a very tight budget, looking around 200k (after plot) and looking at scotframe house. We will do as much ourselves as possible plus friends etc. Plan is 3/4 bedroom 1.5storey house. We also plan a separate large garage (3-4 cars) that will go up at the same time or after budget depending. 
we have absolutely no idea what we are doing to be honest and blind leading the blind. We are having meeting with scotframe on Wednesday to start drawings to submit for planning. 
Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Tips and tricks to keep budget down. 

[recoveringbuilder]

Is your plot serviced or have you had a quote for all your services? 
that’s a tight budget if it’s including the kit . 
Hopefully you can do most of the work yourself and really shop around for everything. Good luck 

[Jilly]

Have you got planning permission yet?

[Ashy]

We have pre-approval just waiting for the council to open up to allow us to put in form planning. We are expecting very little problems with planning. 

[Ashy]

34 minutes ago, recoveringbuilder said:

Is your plot serviced or have you had a quote for all your services? 
that’s a tight budget if it’s including the kit . 
Hopefully you can do most of the work yourself and really shop around for everything. Good luck 

Yeah, we plan to get it to wind and water tight and basic amenities to live in and then complete over time with decorations etc. we know it will be tight, but will take as long as needed. 

 

the plot has access to all the services, we will just need to get it all tapped into. The plot is in a ground of existing houses. We have no idea how to go about the next steps though. My in-laws have previously built their house (in a nearby field) and we are very much being lead by them. 
we need a dummies guide type thing for us to tick off what we need to do and what we have done already. 

[Ashy]

26 minutes ago, Jilly said:

Have you got planning permission yet?

We have pre-approval just waiting for the council to open up to allow us to put in form planning. We are expecting very little problems with planning once submitted 

[Thedreamer]

If budget is tight I would avoid going with a big company like Scotframe. Much cheaper to have a kit cut on site by joiners.

 

I considered Scotframe and a few others, but the problem is, you end of paying all their overheads and profit margin.

 

What are you expected costs for foundations and utilities?

[Ashy]

1 hour ago, Thedreamer said:

If budget is tight I would avoid going with a big company like Scotframe. Much cheaper to have a kit cut on site by joiners.

 

I considered Scotframe and a few others, but the problem is, you end of paying all their overheads and profit margin.

 

What are you expected costs for foundations and utilities?

Did you get an architect to make drawings then go to independent joiners? 
 

we have absolutely no idea… we sound so dumb but we have no idea how to start working out individual costs etc. I want to start a spreadsheet of costs etc but I don’t know where to start. 
 

when I say we only have the plot… I really mean we only have the plot. 
 

we need a dummies guide on where to start. 
I know we sound so nieve but it’s really why I’m on here! My in laws have done it a couple of times and will help but I want to be able to do it myself (with their help) rather than relying on them for everything. 

[saveasteading]

2 hours ago, Thedreamer said:

If budget is tight I would avoid going with a big company

Off-site manufacture (Modern Methods of Construction/ MMC)  has been marketed as good value for many years. In fact it is costly but justifiable if the client needs simplicity and speed,

You are paying for their factory and managers, plus a margin on everything.

 

You can probably half their price if you can manage efficiently, and of course find good workers with lots of skill. A very big set of IFs there.

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by saveasteading

[Ashy]

9 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

Off-site manufacture (Modern Methods of Construction/ MMC)  has been marketed as good value for many years. In fact it is costly but justifiable if the client needs simplicity and speed,

You are paying for their factory and managers, plus a margin on everything.

 

You can probably half their price if you can manage efficiently, and of course find good workers with lots of skill. A very big set of IFs there.

 

by the time we factor in costs of an architect etc, would that equate to the same sort of saving? 
I completely understand The overheads we are paying extra with the likes of scotframe but we are so so so lost with how else to do it. We have no idea what we are doing and now feeling totally out of our depth. 
this has stressed me out 

[Bonner]

9 hours ago, Ashy said:

we need a dummies guide type thing

 

Haynes Self Build Manual is not a bad place to start. Then start researching details on here and other on line resources. 

[saveasteading]

12 hours ago, Ashy said:

this has stressed me out 

So don't be stressed out as that doesn't help.

Even those of us who have extensive experience can get in a fuddle about all the options.

 

If you think you need an architect then you probably do, so start there. Get recommendations, contact a few who do this sort of work* and see who you like.

 

*  Architects generally take on any work but you need someone who can do it well and simply, with your budget in mind.

[Thedreamer]

13 hours ago, Ashy said:

Did you get an architect to make drawings then go to independent joiners? 

 

 

Designer/draftman & structural engineer combo. Then managed on a subcontractor basis. Two joiners made the kits from the materials I ordered. I had never order any building materials before I started.

 

13 hours ago, Ashy said:

we have absolutely no idea… we sound so dumb but we have no idea how to start working out individual costs etc. I want to start a spreadsheet of costs etc but I don’t know where to start. 

 

You are here asking questions, just a lot to learn. We all did at some point! Home builder bible is a worthwhile investment for a tenner, provides a good breakdown of what is required to build a house.

 

 

13 hours ago, Ashy said:

when I say we only have the plot… I really mean we only have the plot. 

 

My approach was to get the site serviced (utility, water, access) and have a clear idea of what foundations would be required. I then knew that unexpected major costs were eliminated.

 

 

13 hours ago, Ashy said:

we need a dummies guide on where to start. 

I know we sound so nieve but it’s really why I’m on here! My in laws have done it a couple of times and will help but I want to be able to do it myself (with their help) rather than relying on them for everything. 

 

See above on the book.

 

I've kept a blog here. I kept mine going from the start to end and have tried to be open and honest with costs.

 

But lots of others here if you are planning on other building styles.

 

 

[Roundtuit]

As above, get yourself a copy of Mark Brinkley's Housebuilders Bible to start getting your head around the process and cost implications of choices you might make in the early stages.

 

Hold tight....its a rollercoaster! ?

[redtop]

Get the risky stuff done first. Foundations obviously but services too. Then you have a budget to work to with an ability to manage costs. We stick built ours on site ourselves and saved a lot, also misjudged the time and cost to get from watertight to a, mainly, finished house.

[recoveringbuilder]

On 10/01/2022 at 21:15, Ashy said:

Yeah, we plan to get it to wind and water tight and basic amenities to live in and then complete over time with decorations etc. we know it will be tight, but will take as long as needed. 

 

the plot has access to all the services, we will just need to get it all tapped into. The plot is in a ground of existing houses. We have no idea how to go about the next steps though. My in-laws have previously built their house (in a nearby field) and we are very much being lead by them. 
we need a dummies guide type thing for us to tick off what we need to do and what we have done already. 

Just make sure the existing electric line is capable of taking another property, if they have to upgrade the line you’ll get a shocker of a quote.

 I also agree with others that Scot frame may be the most expensive route to go , depending on where you are there are other kit firms who are less expensive or an architect and a pair of good reliable joiners to stick build. You’ll definitely find a lot of good advice on here and every day’s a school day.