CalvinHobbes Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 Feeling stressed, walked round the site this evening. Plastering has started, probably will move in end of November. I don't know what made me think we could do this, till it's signed off I guess we haven't. It's been way harder and more expensive than I thought. What about you, if it wasn't plain sailing, at what point did you feel it was worth it? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 (edited) The day we moved in, our 2yr old walked in through the front door, cried, turned around and said he wanted to go home. Now, with another wee man in tow, they are always happy and excited to walk in through that same front door. Only took 2 years lol. Edited September 4 by Conor 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMo Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 I enjoyed the whole process. But I rarely look back, just keep looking and moving forward. Did lots myself, when I had trades I spent all the time on site, clearing up, being on the spot to make the 1001 decision. We were in almost a year to the day from starting, but 3 years later my to do job list is nearly complete. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpmiller Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 still not finished, but every day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuerteStu Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 When the scaffolding came down and I could see it looked like I imagined it would.. Until that moment I had sleepless nights thinking it would look a mess, and stand out like a sore thumb on a nice little street 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted September 4 Share Posted September 4 1 hour ago, CalvinHobbes said: at what point did you feel it was worth it? As we got over the crest, which it sounds like you are just about to do. The stress I felt was unbearable, as we started demolishing the bungalow to begin the build I wonder what on earth I was doing (I had zero build experience). The stress increased as it became apparent that I didn’t know so very many things. I kept a close eye on the budget until it became apparent that we were going to go over budget then I stopped watching so closely, I couldn’t turn the clock back and it had to get finished. Now, 3 years after moving in I can recall how bad I was feeling during the build, it was painful but the pain has gone. I’m chuffed to bits with the end product, survived the budget overspend and rue the numerous errors made to get here. We now get on with enjoying life in a low energy home. It was most definitely worth the not insignificant effort. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 11 hours ago, CalvinHobbes said: What about you, if it wasn't plain sailing, at what point did you feel it was worth it? As soon as planning passed and my plot of land previously was worth 5k instantly was worth 500k . I was jamming like a mofo that day 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 It’s strange how most self builders suffer stress . Have no timescale and have no budget - no problems ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 (edited) We moved in on 7 July almost 3 years to the day we first stepped onto the gorse covered sloping field. Weirdly I felt very underwhelmed by it. That lasted a few weeks and now I love it and it feels like home. I’ve also started on my long list of stuff to finish which included moving 3 tonnes of gravel in the pissing rain yesterday. We’ve had loads of friends and family stay and their reaction is all the same which is wow it looks incredible or they are just being polite. 😂 Edited September 5 by Kelvin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canski Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 We moved in on 5th July this year 12 months on from the start of demolition of the old house. The main build flowed well ( its my day job) and we were waterproof on the two houses by last Christmas. Then the finishings started and things slowed down and we were unable to move in until July. Waking up and not having to travel to site made it all worth it. It rapidly turned into a home. I had gained an extra hour and a half a day to do all those tomorrow jobs. We are not finished by any means we just need :- Heating A driveway The garden office completed Sign off from BC and the warranty company Then a million finishing things. It's all quite relaxed at the moment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 It all became "worth it" in 2 stages, first when we moved in to the unfinished house (from the static caravan) and then 4 years later when the old house sold. Short version of story, we started in 2013 put our old house on the market in 2014 and it did not sell. 3 years it was on the market with no buyers, several other properties around us were the same, simply no buyers. That was the low point. Shell not even wind and water tight, no money to continue. Plan B was an offer to rent the old house with the intention to buy it later so we moved into the caravan and did that. We than had a slow "build as you earn" and completed nearly 2 years ago, and the old house finally sold to the tenant at the end of last year. Lessons from this be flexible with your build and financing plans. If you can't be flexible, don't even start until you have funds secured to at least get the house habitable. I cannot describe how demoralising it was to have an unsalable house and no funds to continue the build of the new one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 1 hour ago, Pocster said: Have no timescale and have no budget - no problems ! That's me and I'm constantly stressed and on edge.....except when I'm drunk. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 (edited) The other happy stressless moment was getting the animal runs built for the chickens and lamb lawn mowers which allowed me to move them from the farm. The lambs are very friendly and just yesterday I was sitting against the fence looking back at the house with one of the lambs standing on me nibbling my hair. That was a nice feeling. Edited September 5 by Kelvin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 (edited) 34 minutes ago, Kelvin said: The other happy stressless moment was getting the animal runs built for the chickens and lamb lawn mowers which allowed me to move them from the farm. The lambs are very friendly and just yesterday I was sitting against the fence looking back at the house with one of the lambs standing on me nibbling my hair. That was a nice feeling. I like lamb . Not in a field but on a kebab 😊 Edited September 5 by Pocster Because I’m a wanker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 I’ve been doing this one 6 years, it’s just like a full time job without any wages. 😂😂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted September 5 Share Posted September 5 7 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: I’ve been doing this one 6 years, it’s just like a full time job without any wages. 😂😂 Noob . Come and talk to the experienced guy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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