Parts of the build that can be done yourself with min training/max savings

[craig]

8 hours ago, saveasteading said:

I knew that, but was underplaying. I'd be interested to know where you got that idea @craig

That a CSCS card is not a legal requirement?

 

https://www.cscs.uk.com/about/

[markc]

CSCS is not a legal requirement, it is like an Ipaf card for mewp operators, many will say it’s mandatory or a legal requirement but they are only required if a site says so.

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by markc

[saveasteading]

CSCS cards provide proof that individuals working on construction sites have the appropriate training and qualifications for the job they do on site.

Well, cscs would say that.

 

But it is no true. It only means you got a card.

 

Nobody in my company was required to have one, and no client ever asked.

 

i looked through a training book for a test, and some questions were laughable. It shocked me that our apprentice struggled with some of it though.

 

Hired  a forklift driver through an agency once, who had a card for a telehandler. He couldn't operate it and we sent him home and the digger driver (no card)  had to unload our deliveries.

 

[Pocster]

Even I work without a Cscs card - and I’m a pro 👍

[markocosic]

IMO olumbing, electrics, kitchen fitting - anything that you can take your time on (without racing against 

 materials drying); requires measuring with tools (rather than skilled eyeballs); and has to fit around other works (where you'd otherwise be calling somebody in multiple times to work unproductively doing part says)

[Ajn]

On 09/03/2023 at 09:29, saveasteading said:

who had a card for a telehandler. He couldn't operate it and we sent him home

We have a licence for our telehandler. It maybe a TV licence but it seems quite effective.

[Ajn]

On 07/03/2023 at 07:08, Dave Jones said:

A man in a digger is peanuts to hire

I asked ours if he wanted salted or dry roast..... I still have the limp.

[Pocster]

16 hours ago, markocosic said:

IMO olumbing, electrics, kitchen fitting - anything that you can take your time on (without racing against 

 materials drying); requires measuring with tools (rather than skilled eyeballs); and has to fit around other works (where you'd otherwise be calling somebody in multiple times to work unproductively doing part says)

Or ….

 

Have no knowledge so no fear . No understanding of what’s required . No knowledge of how to do it . No skill .

Then you just do it yourself 

[ToughButterCup]

On 07/03/2023 at 00:56, miike said:

....

This brings me onto the question of what other elements of the build offer the biggest opportunities for savings relative to the time needed to learn how to do it? 

...

 

Site tidying up: every day at least one hour. Nobody else is going to give a stuff

 

Site security: every day something. Nobody else is going to give a stuff

 

Site admin: every day something. Nobody else is going to give a stuff

 

VAT return: every day something . Nobody else is going to give a stuff

 

Catching dropped bollocks. Every single damn day. Nobody else is going to give a stuff

 

Waste disposal. Most days. Nobody else is going to give a stuff

 

Planning, re-planning, re-re-planning. Nobody else is going to give a stuff

 

Talking to tradesfolk - listening - watching : being a good customer. They do give a stuff.

 

 

[Kelvin]

@ToughButterCup couldn’t agree more. I followed the advice from @saveasteading so no skip. We don’t really have the room anyway. I’ve done one tip run so far as the garage had a lot of waste with it. Plus it seemed to come with extra everything which I’ve kept. Every night I’ve been tidying up, re-stacking stuff, picking up nails and screws, putting tools away in the garage, re-stocking tea bags/coffee/biscuits/water, cleaning up the rest area etc and writing up my notes on work done, still to do,  problems and subsequent actions and then take a bunch of pictures and video before locking up. 

[ToughButterCup]

2 hours ago, Kelvin said:

..... then take a bunch of pictures and video before locking up. 

 

sometimes I  was just too tired to do that. How often have I wished I'd taken more photos and then tagged them properly

[TerryE]

On 19/04/2023 at 20:32, markocosic said:

IMO plumbing, electrics, kitchen fitting - anything that you can take your time on (without racing against materials drying); requires measuring with tools (rather than skilled eyeballs); and has to fit around other works (where you'd otherwise be calling somebody in multiple times to work unproductively doing part says)

 

I broadly agree with Mark except with one caveat: for some things, you really do need to do what you are doing because lack of knowledge and experience can endanger your home and it's occupants.  For example, I wouldn't plumb an Unvented Cylinder because doing this is yourself is against BRegs, and because getting this wrong can be dangerous.  I did rewire my last house, but that was before current regulatory requirements and the IEE wiring regs were at Rev 15 and it's now at Rev 18! 

 

You really need a qualified electrician to certify all mains wiring and register the certificate for your BInsp to sign off the work.  Some electrician might be willing to allow you so do some first fix, but we just subcontracted a decent electrician to do ours.  To be honest doing all woodworking, the plumbing, MVHR, all bathroom and kitchen fitting, project management, procurement, house and CH control, etc. was enough for us.  

Edited April 25, 2023 by TerryE

[Kelvin]

On 20/04/2023 at 16:22, ToughButterCup said:

 

sometimes I  was just too tired to do that. How often have I wished I'd taken more photos and then tagged them properly

Yeah I might not keep it up. 😂 

[Dave Jones]

On 08/03/2023 at 10:12, craig said:

 

There is actually no legal requirement for them on any site 😉

 

no there really isnt.

[Dave Jones]

On 09/03/2023 at 09:29, saveasteading said:

CSCS cards provide proof that individuals working on construction sites have the appropriate training and qualifications for the job they do on site.

Well, cscs would say that.

 

But it is no true. It only means you got a card.

 

Nobody in my company was required to have one, and no client ever asked.

 

i looked through a training book for a test, and some questions were laughable. It shocked me that our apprentice struggled with some of it though.

 

Hired  a forklift driver through an agency once, who had a card for a telehandler. He couldn't operate it and we sent him home and the digger driver (no card)  had to unload our deliveries.

 

 

exactly this.

 

All the card schemes do is shift responsibilty for the health and safetry of the operator from the employer to the card scheme's liability insurance.

[saveasteading]

3 hours ago, TerryE said:

Yoi really need a qualified electrician to certify all mains wiring and register the certificate for your BInsp to sign off the work.  Some electrician might be willing to allow you so do some first fix,

Yes. It can sometimes be worth finding what they would rather not have to do. Builders work basically.

So holes in joists,  ducts, patching up after.

For example, we were doing a daughter's grott kitchen up. 

Electrician quoted £1500 and refused to chase the walls or work in the ceiling. So I chased the walls and fed wires through the joists, cut holes for downlighters  and got a different electrician to join up and connect( £300)

It took me several days.

 

On new build there is much less advantage, but you could ask. 

[TerryE]

On 20/04/2023 at 13:23, ToughButterCup said:

Site tidying up: every day at least one hour. Nobody else is going to give a stuff ...

 

IMO, one the best things that we did was to provide regular Tea and biscuits, plus morning bacon sandwiches.  IMO, tradesmen are good people in general, but with natural biases:  they will tend to try to do a better job if they like you and feel that you respect them and their work.

 

And yes, Ian has a point.  Many aren't too tidy, but keeping the site ship-shape and making sure that nothing that you are directly or indirectly responsible for impedes their work can help.

Edited April 25, 2023 by TerryE

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, TerryE said:

Many aren't too tidy

I always thought electricians were surprisingly untidy, for people doing precise work.

Then I discovered CK automatic wire strippers. When all these buttons fall from ceiling height into someone else's mess, then who is going to sweep it up?

[saveasteading]

Not buttons. That would be wierd..

all those bits of wire....

[Alan Ambrose]

>>> refused to chase the walls or work in the ceiling.

 

And IMO they're generally not too good / careful / skilled at the things not involving wire / connections / testing. That was probably a 'I don't really want to do this job price'.

[ProDave]

10 minutes ago, Alan Ambrose said:

>>> refused to chase the walls or work in the ceiling.

 

And IMO they're generally not too good / careful / skilled at the things not involving wire / connections / testing. That was probably a 'I don't really want to do this job price'.

That would be me.  Leaving SE England where "plastered on the hard" walls is the normal and moving to Scotland where timber frame and plasterboard was the normal, was a revalation.

 

I never want to chase cables into a "plastered on the hard" wall ever again.  What an utterly stupid and inflexible way to build houses.

[Alan Ambrose]

>>> What an utterly stupid and inflexible way to build houses.

 

Yeah I agree. Proper services void, cavity etc with or without some European ducting is the way forward IMO.

[Iceverge]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

never want to chase cables into a "plastered on the hard" wall ever again.  What an utterly stupid and inflexible way to build houses

 

I did ours with a 9" grinder. It should be reserved an alternative to hardened criminals facing "the chair". I think most would choose death .