nod Posted Wednesday at 21:12 Share Posted Wednesday at 21:12 Prompted by a private message today We have just finished the house With just I say just the drive and patios to do As with our previous build I’ll put the cost m2 Excluding the purchase of the plots But including fees surveys Architects etc etc While I’ve a trade background and plenty of contacts There’s lots of aspects of building a house that where as new to me as they would be to most of you I’m 63 and my wife is 60 and both work full time Monday to Thursday From our previous build to this we’ve tried to do as much of the work ourselves as we possibly could The figures are to encourage Not to discourage and show that you can build a house far superior and much better insulated for less money than your average Persimmon home we are at 420 m2 and have spent Just short of 350k We expect to pay 12k for gates and allowed 20 k for materials for the drive and patios Which the 39k vat refund should cover The seller wouldn’t split the two plots Or the field So we may have another build in us 😁 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted Wednesday at 22:19 Share Posted Wednesday at 22:19 Well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted Thursday at 05:52 Share Posted Thursday at 05:52 8 hours ago, nod said: I’m 63 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nod Posted Thursday at 06:00 Author Share Posted Thursday at 06:00 7 hours ago, ProDave said: Well done. Thanks Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted Thursday at 10:12 Share Posted Thursday at 10:12 Awesome work again @nod 12 hours ago, nod said: The figures are to encourage Not to discourage and show that you can build a house far superior and much better insulated for less money than your average Persimmon home Your numbers are always amazing. I realise a lot of that is because of your trade contacts and experience, but I also know that you and your wife are insanely hardworking people, so kudos to you. Do you have one or two pieces of advice to people who've started (or are considering) a selfbuild and would like to keep costs under control, especially for those of us without trade contacts and experience? I can't remember whether it was you, but I remember one person saying that when they found someone whose work really impressed them, they asked them for recommendations for other trades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nod Posted Thursday at 10:48 Author Share Posted Thursday at 10:48 53 minutes ago, jack said: Awesome work again @nod Your numbers are always amazing. I realise a lot of that is because of your trade contacts and experience, but I also know that you and your wife are insanely hardworking people, so kudos to you. Do you have one or two pieces of advice to people who've started (or are considering) a selfbuild and would like to keep costs under control, especially for those of us without trade contacts and experience? I can't remember whether it was you, but I remember one person saying that when they found someone whose work really impressed them, they asked them for recommendations for other trades. Kind words Jack Thank you I’m often asked can I recommend a good roofer plumber etc I don’t like to recommend anyone that won’t do a good job at a reasonable rate and is reliable You tend to find that with most tradesmen So my massive list of contacts is quite small Bits of advise If you are using a main contractor or getting the trades in yourself Expect delays between trades Or your just going to get who’s available Be patient A few weeks delay in the grand scheme of things won’t make that much difference This is why mass produced houses are so bad Know what you want before you visit your Architect Don’t let fees rack up Get a good SE onboard We spent 800 -1500 on the SE Plus 500 for a Topo Familiarize yourselves with the drawings Then you can spot mistakes easily LA building control won’t be swayed by the builder that’s brought them in and are readily available and on anyone’s clock Most builders will tell you that LA BC are a pain in the arse and they are But at least there inspections don’t rely on Photos of YOUR house More so this time round Do all the buying in yourself Quotes for the same items can be double when going in to negotiate on tiles bathrooms etc Go in your scruffs and boots It’s common knowledge that all self builders have money to burn 🔥😁 The biggy Do as much as you can There’s lots of jobs that we have tackled that neither of us had any experience of So many things are a learning curve Oh Remember when you go into the merchants The chap selling the stuff probably only knows slightly more than you 😁 When dealing with trades There working for you not the other way round They are definitely not your mates Plenty will take advantage of your kindness The best way to earn respect is to have everything ready in front of them DON'T LET ANYONE OVERDRAW OR DRAW IN ADVANCE No exceptions Im sure there’s lots more feel free to ask 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravelld Posted Thursday at 10:55 Share Posted Thursday at 10:55 6 minutes ago, nod said: We spent 800 -1500 on the SE Plus 500 for a Topo Sorry - what does this mean? 😕 Thanks for the advice - some wise words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy_wafer Posted Thursday at 11:00 Share Posted Thursday at 11:00 SE - Structural Engineer Topo - Topographical survey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted Thursday at 11:00 Share Posted Thursday at 11:00 4 minutes ago, gravelld said: Sorry - what does this mean? 😕 Thanks for the advice - some wise words. TOPO IS topographical survey, this is a survey of the land. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilly Posted Thursday at 11:24 Share Posted Thursday at 11:24 Interesting comment about familiarising yourself with the drawings to spot mistakes. I know people are only human, but I found there could be teeny questions and mistakes each day, which if not put right, could be a big problem later. Course correction. As a general rule, if something looks wrong, it probably is, but I needed to research stuff (BH rabbit hole) in order to have a proper conversation about it and not appear like a whinging idiot. I think the reason @joe90 and @nod have had such a good experiences, besides choosing a great builder, was knowing what to look out for at every stage. Most self builders start from the other end and learn the hard way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canski Posted Thursday at 16:36 Share Posted Thursday at 16:36 5 hours ago, nod said: DON'T LET ANYONE OVERDRAW OR DRAW IN ADVANCE No exceptions Only one got me on this and it hurts. The tiler. Not much money but just the principle. Probably the best tiling I have seen and when he was there he was quick and tidy. He couldn't manage more than 5 hrs a day though and unbeknown to me when I met him had no license or vehicle so his visits were limited to when he could find a labourer with a vehicle. 🙂 I felt sorry for him I think because he had so much potential to get a thriving business going. I just gave him one advance too many which most likely went up his nose and I ended up finishing the last few return visit bits myself. DON'T PAY THE FERRYMAN. 5 hours ago, nod said: When dealing with trades There working for you not the other way round They are definitely not your mates Plenty will take advantage of your kindness The best way to earn respect is to have everything ready in front of them This is so true and if you are supplying the materials make sure they help you format the shopping list. It saves hold ups which invariably lead to bigger charges. I always do this with my brickwork customers and it saves me money. Also Nods sites are spotless. There is no better way to prevent chaos than not presenting trades with chaos. My advice is to take time out to plan ahead and keep some work that you can do yourself while the other trades are working. This way you can be on site when queries do arise. My back just loved 210 m2 of porcelain paving followed by fencing and landscaping. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted Thursday at 17:04 Share Posted Thursday at 17:04 6 hours ago, nod said: DON'T LET ANYONE OVERDRAW OR DRAW IN ADVANCE No exceptions However, my plasterer had his van re possessed after getting stiffed on payment for a job and told me he could not work as he had no transport. He was due to do my job in 3 weeks. I took a punt and paid him in advance so he could buy a cheap van and do his work, and mine. He has been loyal ever since, even working evenings for me to get me out of a jam. I am sure he was an exception but I trusted my gut. So never say never. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canski Posted Thursday at 17:55 Share Posted Thursday at 17:55 49 minutes ago, joe90 said: However, my plasterer had his van re possessed after getting stiffed on payment for a job and told me he could not work as he had no transport. He was due to do my job in 3 weeks. I took a punt and paid him in advance so he could buy a cheap van and do his work, and mine. He has been loyal ever since, even working evenings for me to get me out of a jam. I am sure he was an exception but I trusted my gut. So never say never. It always go one way or the other. They don't call me Mr Lucky for nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted Thursday at 18:29 Share Posted Thursday at 18:29 34 minutes ago, Canski said: They don't call me Mr Lucky for nothing. I believe we mostly make our own luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilly Posted Thursday at 19:07 Share Posted Thursday at 19:07 I go by instinct too. The main builder I used had a system whereby you paid every 2 weeks as things went along. I thought it was quite a good system for a small business for damage limitation on both sides. It meant they kept their cash flow if they had laid out for materials. Bills were manageable and if things had gone t*** up, it was only 2 weeks money to fall out over. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canski Posted Thursday at 22:30 Share Posted Thursday at 22:30 3 hours ago, joe90 said: I believe we mostly make our own luck. My ecologist certainly made his. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted Friday at 09:31 Share Posted Friday at 09:31 What I want to know from @nod is where he gets his enthusiasm for it all. im 6 years into this project and mine has completely disappeared, one house is nearly finished 😂😂and I’ve got 2 holiday let’s to fully refurbish in the spring. i sometimes wonder if I can be bothered to even start them. 😢 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nod Posted Friday at 10:09 Author Share Posted Friday at 10:09 36 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: What I want to know from @nod is where he gets his enthusiasm for it all. im 6 years into this project and mine has completely disappeared, one house is nearly finished 😂😂and I’ve got 2 holiday let’s to fully refurbish in the spring. i sometimes wonder if I can be bothered to even start them. 😢 mum always pretty positive and enjoyed both builds Except for the planning process 😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted Friday at 10:11 Share Posted Friday at 10:11 1 minute ago, nod said: mum always pretty positive and enjoyed both builds Except for the planning process 😁 That’s got to make a huge difference. Planning always a pain in the ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted Friday at 10:18 Share Posted Friday at 10:18 Ladies and gentlemen - I give you Lancashire's Whirling Dervish. @nod If someone gave him enough money, he'd solve the housing crisis on his own. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted Friday at 12:26 Share Posted Friday at 12:26 2 hours ago, ToughButterCup said: he'd solve the housing crisis on his own. To me, That's not a joke. I don't know Nod but a huge amount of increased efficiency is possible at any level with a few tweaks from an all-rounder. Joined up thinking. The main difficulty is the resistance from the powers that be. Systems in government ( necessary to some extent) , inertia, and as always the people doing fine as things are....landowners and developers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nod Posted Friday at 15:51 Author Share Posted Friday at 15:51 5 hours ago, ToughButterCup said: Ladies and gentlemen - I give you Lancashire's Whirling Dervish. @nod If someone gave him enough money, he'd solve the housing crisis on his own. Love it Ian Id certainly do things differently to what the big companies do For not a lot more money It all seems about box ticking 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now