Architect Self Build

[Will_OB]

Hiya, I’m Will. 

My wife and I have been looking at houses for a first-time purchase next year. However, I am always disappointed by the size, configuration and value of properties on the market for our budget. Every home i ‘favourite’ needs a new layout and extensions, which requires even more money. 

 

I am an architect of 15 years and currently provide Design Manager services. I have a small architectural practice and small consultancy company providing services to home owners and developers. 
 

This experience and the knowledge I’ve gained over the years puts me in a unique position to be able to design and build a home for my family with relative ease. 
 

So I thought I’d check out the possibilities of self build. In particular, we have a small amount for deposit and are going to start researching a 95% Adance Self-Build mortgage. 
 

I hope I gain valuable experience on here to and hopefully fortunate enough to help other forum members. 

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by Will_OB

[SteamyTea]

Welcome.

Don't be put off by the anti-architect stance on here, it is a self build forum after all and a lot of the people feel the same about what is available on the housing market.

As for cost, we'll not paying an architect/PM 20% is going to help.

And you can be a rare architect/builder and exceed the building regs.

Edited December 10, 2023 by SteamyTea

[markc]

Hi and welcome

[Will_OB]

Hey @SteamyTea,

 

Yes, I understand people’s frustration with architects as I too experience this in my role as a Design Manager working on the behalf of developers. 
 

I think there are a number of factors which give architects a less then favourable reputation. 
 

The construction process has been radically changed over the last 50 years from Traditional Procurement (architect doing absolutely everything) to Deaign & Build (architects just design). In my experience, this, more often then not, leaves architects with a knowledge gap which is plugged by the main contractor. 
 

I would go so far as to say that the cost saving exercise by clients to appoint architects to ‘just’ design is more costly over the lifetime of the project as the main contractor will add variations to the contract as the works are ongoing leading to higher then budgeted costs. 
 

Another consideration is the nature or architecture as a profession in general. Architects ‘practice’ just like doctors, there are numerous variables on every project. Not every architect will have sight of all the variables every time. 

[Jilly]

Hello! You will have many advantages over many of us first timers who have learnt as we went along. I suffered from the ‘design by builder’ error on a few occasions because of the teeth sucking at my suggestions. 
The only thing that worries me is your intention to borrow so much. It could put you in a financially risky position in these volatile times. Build-as-you-earn and live on site is the slow/lower risk way forward (but also has some draw backs). 

[joe90]

1 hour ago, Will_OB said:

I think there are a number of factors which give architects a less then favourable reputation. 

Welcome, interesting that you, as an architect, say this. I suffered the same but as a builder!!,!, but got all my work on reputation and recommendation. You have a head start as an architect now you need a plot and a good builder. Lots of really good advice here from people that have done the same 👍

[Will_OB]

Thank @Jilly for the words of caution. 
 

I am cautious in nature and risk adverse when it comes to designing and building. 
 

My wife and I have a small child so will want to rent a house during construction. I’m used to working two jobs so can do the day job plus architecting at night to reduce any unpaid time. 
 

My vision to carry out a self build is to secure a mortgage, design for off site manufacture, then install over a few weeks to weather tight, with 1st and 2nd fix taking an additional two months max. This will reduce site management and bring all the detailing forwards in the programme. 

 

Edit: Rates are crazy now and I don’t see any signs of them dropping significantly in the next decade, but we are building a family home, not an investment, so it is worth it to us.

However, We will switch from self built mortgage to a regular mortgage asap once PC is achieved. 
 

The best-laid plans of mice and men….

Edited December 10, 2023 by Will_OB

[Will_OB]

Thanks at @joe90, the only architects I am friends with also bad mouth ‘architects’ 😉

[eandg]

4 hours ago, Will_OB said:

Thank @Jilly for the words of caution. 
 

I am cautious in nature and risk adverse when it comes to designing and building. 
 

My wife and I have a small child so will want to rent a house during construction. I’m used to working two jobs so can do the day job plus architecting at night to reduce any unpaid time. 
 

My vision to carry out a self build is to secure a mortgage, design for off site manufacture, then install over a few weeks to weather tight, with 1st and 2nd fix taking an additional two months max. This will reduce site management and bring all the detailing forwards in the programme. 

 

Edit: Rates are crazy now and I don’t see any signs of them dropping significantly in the next decade, but we are building a family home, not an investment, so it is worth it to us.

However, We will switch from self built mortgage to a regular mortgage asap once PC is achieved. 
 

The best-laid plans of mice and men….

I think you'd be doing exceptionally well to go from weather tight to complete in two months max unless you have access to a large supply of subbies like your developer clients do - particularly if you are reliant on finance and getting staged payments following valuation to allow you to progress. I'd recommend being prudent and budgeting for 6-9 months; also note that most self build lenders lock you in for two years so factor that into your budgeting - even if you think you'll be complete in a matter of months you're on the hook for the extra cost of financing through a self build lender. 

[Kelvin]

Agreed. I don’t see how you could complete in two months from weather tight. Have you been involved in a client self-build that has been done that quickly? 

[Mattg4321]

Typical architect 🤨🤣

 

 

Sorry mate, I’m only pulling your chain. 2 months probably isn’t realistic in the vast majority of cases. 
 

You’d need to flood the site with labour and unless they’re all really good and used to working alongside eachother then it’s going to go pear shaped very quickly. If you’ve got the contacts I suppose it could just about work, but why?

[ToughButterCup]

Welcome @Will_OB.

 

You have one key advantage. An established network of contacts in the trades and professions. And a track record of working with them. 

 

Priceless.

[cherryfountain]

Our modular build from Meisterstuck Haus was weathertight in 10days😄

[Kelvin]

14 minutes ago, cherryfountain said:

Our modular build from Meisterstuck Haus was weathertight in 10days😄

So were we but weathertight to completion is the time consuming bit. 

[cherryfountain]

Yes that’s right ,we moved in after 1 year another 9 months before being signed off. Still some bits to finish.

Doing the self build bit on your own takes time.The good thing about getting the build weathertight quickly all the timber stays dry you get no cracks on all the joints on the walls and ceiling.

[Kelvin]

Wife’s uncle built a Hauf Haus and it very nearly was 2 months to complete the whole house 😂 

[cherryfountain]

Yes turnkey is the way to go if you have a big bank balance 👍

[SteamyTea]

1 hour ago, Kelvin said:

Wife’s uncle built a Hauf Haus and it very nearly was 2 months to complete the whole house

Several weeks in the factory and probably 2 months for ground works.

And then they are finished like the room in Midnight Express.

[Kelvin]

The only bit the Brits did was the foundation and they got that wrong because they couldn’t read the plan. The kitchen was also hand made in the UK by a local cabinet maker although he was Polish. The plant room is especially impressive but they do a proper HVAC routing type design so they know where every bit of pipe is going etc. and optimise the layout. 

[Will_OB]

Yes, thanks @eandg  for the advice. 
 

I have been building working relationships with sub contractors we work with and that I would trust to work on my home. 
 

Two years is good for the self-build mortgage lock in, I was planning on 3 years. 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Will_OB

[Will_OB]

I appreciate that the typical experience is that sub contractors can be inconsistent and not necessarily able to complete a job in the time they sign up. 
 

I believe (and have experience of) that if the drawing package is drafted to communicate what and how to build from the tender stage onwards the tradesmen can build without issue. 
 

The subbies I would like to work with are able to dedicate a team of tradesmen to complete each fix in weeks not months. 
 

What’s the rush? Less money spent on interim rent, less uncertainty for me and my family and last but not least, the excitement of moving into a home I’ve designed and built. 

[Kelvin]

Great that you will be able to line everyone up and have them all on-site at the right times and actually follow the construction drawings. I did mine as discrete work packages too. However everything overlaps one way or another and very few of my work packages have been fully completed in one go as it requires something else to happen before that piece of work can be completed. I’ve found getting people back to finish something off a real trial. I look forward to reading about your progress. Will be a short thread unlike mine 😂 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Kelvin

[eandg]

16 hours ago, Will_OB said:

I appreciate that the typical experience is that sub contractors can be inconsistent and not necessarily able to complete a job in the time they sign up. 
 

I believe (and have experience of) that if the drawing package is drafted to communicate what and how to build from the tender stage onwards the tradesmen can build without issue. 
 

The subbies I would like to work with are able to dedicate a team of tradesmen to complete each fix in weeks not months. 
 

What’s the rush? Less money spent on interim rent, less uncertainty for me and my family and last but not least, the excitement of moving into a home I’ve designed and built. 

I'd get a commitment from them that they'd do that for your build in that case - huge difference in being a client with a regular stream of work (like a big contractor/developer) and a one-off house builder with little prospect of repeat work. Chances are you'll be very much viewed as the latter and you'll need to accept that in most cases subbies will go where the money is and you'll not always be at the front of the queue. Do that, keep healthy communications with your trades with a bit of come and go, and have a ready supply of caffeine and some decent biscuits and you'll generally be fine - but you'll never complete in two months. Or get a main contractor in and have penalty clauses in your contract if you're wedded to that timetable. 

[ToughButterCup]

On 10/12/2023 at 20:53, Will_OB said:

...

My vision to carry out a self build is  ...  install over a few weeks to weather tight, with 1st and 2nd fix taking an additional two months max. This will reduce site management and bring all the detailing forwards in the programme. 

...

 

Reading the entire thread I started to wonder how much work you have done  (or had done)  for a, or as a Domestic Client under CDM 2015?

 

As far as many trades people go, Domestic Clients are second class citizens (customers) for a whole host of understandable reasons. On your own project - as a Domestic Client -  you will not have the 'clout' that a company has.

Unless you are like Gary ( @nod ) who  can be as blunt as he wants because he's worked directly with and for people who have been good   mates for years.  And knowing him, he has a good handful of favours in his back pocket. OK, he makes the odd error like lettinng his OH go into a tile shop unsupervised. But .... 2 months....  have a look at Robin Clevis on YT, and the build of his own house. Even he didn't manage that time frame.

 

I would love you to be right though. 

[Alan Ambrose]

Actually, I'm going to disagree with eandg - I'm sure you know how to give the impression to subcontractors and suppliers that there's potentially a nice future stream of work coming from you if they do a good job on your own build.

 

And I think that you've got a fighting chance of a fast time-to-watertight speed with the right off-site factory. So, I'm prepared to be impressed