Final roundup on costs

[nod]

11 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Well done @nod

 

You have shown if you are dilligent and do a lot yourself you can still self build for under £1000 per square metre.

Thanks Dave 

[nod]

5 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

Bloody love it @nod. Great job mate.

Thanks Jim

[BotusBuild]

Nice job sir.

[Alan Ambrose]

Congrats

[Gus Potter]

On 08/09/2025 at 12:49, nod said:

It’s taken a little while to get an exact figure

Well done NOD.

 

When I was younger I did a self build, I was a builder anyway at that time. We built roughly 180m sq of  1.5 story house. I built the garage first with a kitchen, shower room and we slept in a caravan so the planners did not boot us out. Wife went to work and I got up every day and built a bit of the house.

 

From memory I think I spent about 4000 man hours doing the house, garage excluded, septic tank, services went with the garage and so on. 

 

About 100 weeks on the tools went on the house if you base that on 40 hours a week ~ 2 years. But then I had to manage stuff / source material and at the end of the day it took about 2.5 - 3 years. 

 

Now all that labour was tax free. When we came to sell the house we made a tidy profit. 

 

In terms of your cost per sq metre have you an idea of a value for the time you spent and how many hours that has required.

 

If you take your figure of under 1.0k per sq metre then the idea of taking time off work to realise that, or doing extra hours outside the day job becomes very attractive. 

 

 

 

[Iceverge]

47 minutes ago, Gus Potter said:

In terms of your cost per sq metre have you an idea of a value for the time you spent and how many hours that has required.

 

The real question is how much Mrs Nod is worth. 

 

I seem to remember a pic of her slating the roof on Christmas morning.

[Gus Potter]

11 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

The real question is how much Mrs Nod is worth. 

 

I seem to remember a pic of her slating the roof on Christmas morning.

I'm sure Mrs Nod is more than capable. Seriously though, self building can make or break a relationship. It's not for the faint hearted. 

[nod]

Thanks Gus 

 

It was a standing joke on our build that if I had a side job stacking shelves at Aldi We would have more money in the pot than when we sell

Build cost including land 370k Sold 750k 820m2 from memory 

 

Most on here will know that I own and run a successful plastering and framing business Along with a render and tile company 

I made it a strict rule that no one from our company With the exception of our son would set foot on site till the house was built 

I’ve manage to stick to this on both builds Whenever our son has helped I’ve added £300 per day to the build cost Roughly what I pay him on site 

 

To get back to your question 

We both worked our day jobs Mon-Thursday I would arive at the build  each after work and do three hours 4-7 and 4-9 on a Thursdays Up and out to my day job Various building sites at 6am My wife and I would do 10 hours each on a Friday and Saturday and 8 on a Sunday No holidays Just Christmas Day and Boxing Day 

We would also have four weeks away from our day jobs and use these on site 

So you can see where the Aldi comment came from 😁

Our current build has been valued at 1.3 Who know to you actually sell 

Land and build just under 500k 

Still well worth doing Unless this government decides to tax us self builders Or starts with the vat reclaim

Who knows 

 

Apology's for the long winded reply Gus If you had asked me twelve months ago The answer would have been much shorter As I’d have been building a house Or thinking about building a house Or both 😁

 

Ill leave you to do the maths I’m guessing it will add up to far more hours than I think 

Each build took about 20 months Then a couple of months of leisurely finishing bits 

 

I’ve enjoyed every bit of the build 

Except the planning process 😁

[nod]

29 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

 

The real question is how much Mrs Nod is worth. 

 

I seem to remember a pic of her slating the roof on Christmas morning.

Her weight in gold Hospital administration by day But true self builder at heart 

When I broke my hand She slated the entire workshop with me only fit to carry the slates and cut 

[MikeSharp01]

Great work @nod and a great contributor to the forum, when will you actually be starting the next one?

[nod]

2 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Great work @nod and a great contributor to the forum, when will you actually be starting the next one?

Thanks Mike 

I have another plot at the side of ours 

We I send to build and move sideways 

Im 64 next month So need to get a move on 😁

[Gus Potter]

Hiya. 

17 minutes ago, nod said:

We would have more money in the pot than when we sell

Have commented, impartially of course. My view is that on many self builds now a days you don't make a massive, if any profit, if you value your time at market rates and go for say MBC / raft foundation  packages etc. But what you can't put a value on is building a home, a fortress for you and you family, you learn loads of skills that also compliment our day job. I think you have taken a completely different hands on approach which shows that self build is still more than viable and there is money to be made if prepared to work hard and put yourself through what can be an steep learning curve. 

 

From my experience doing this as a day job.. you often end up with a much better built and durable house, even if you are a bit crap at it compared with a lot of the rubbish build by developers. My logic is this.. if you have the where with all to raise the funds, buy a site, get planning and put some building plans together you can't be that stupid. 

23 minutes ago, nod said:

Most on here will know that I own and run a successful plastering and framing business

I do and have benefited from your advice, thanks. 

 

25 minutes ago, nod said:

Whenever our son has helped I’ve added £300 per day to the build cost Roughly what I pay him on site

This is an important figure and realistic in my view. If you have included this in you sq m price then it really makes your figures valid. I have Clients a bit like yourself and they also factor in a cost for their time. 

 

27 minutes ago, nod said:

To get back to your question 

We both worked our day jobs Mon-Thursday I would arive at the build  each after work and do three hours 4-7 and 4-9 on a Thursdays Up and out to my day job Various building sites at 6am My wife and I would do 10 hours each on a Friday and Saturday and 8 on a Sunday No holidays Just Christmas Day and Boxing Day 

We would also have four weeks away from our day jobs and use these on site 

This shows that if you are able and willing to work hard you will reap the rewards. Now Nod is not daft but at the same time he is probably just like you and I. Yes ok he has a contracting business and has a "trade advantage" but even if you say build for 1.5 k per sqm the first time that is still going to work out very well. 

 

35 minutes ago, nod said:

Ill leave you to do the maths

I don't need to as you have shown that self building is still viable and profitable. Well done sir!

[Big Jimbo]

I think One of the things that should not be under estimated here is Mrs Nod.

 

Over the years, i have known several people, including myself, who have bought run down houses, with a view to climbing up the ladder, providing a better house to live in for the family. The thing is, they have had to continue working the day job, in order to pay the mortgage, buy food etc.

Now, the respective Mrs, has always been keen. Bigger house, nicer area, better status. But, they expect it all to happen in 5 minutes.

Cue Three months later, when the new place is a mess. All the posh dresses, and handbags are covered in dust. The Mrs, who was keen, is now moaning about how long everything is taking. How all there stuff is being ruined. Now she is not doing this while mucking in an helping. She is doing this while sitting in the coffee shop with her friend, and that, after spending yet more money on yet another handbag, because all her existing Ones are getting ruined.

I'm the same age as @nod, and in my opinion have, like Nod been lucky. Very lucky.

I've been the Joe, John, Jim, etc since i got together with my wife. We would be sitting, of an evening talking about what wall we would need to knock, or chases that we needed in a room. Or floorboards pulled up to run pipes. Etc, Etc. I would toddle off to work the next morning, and when i got home, the accrows would be up. The wall down, and the rubbish cleared from the house into the skip. Our children would have been got up, fed, dressed, taken to school with a packed lunch. The dog walked, the washing done. The kids picked up. Helped with homework, etc, and my dinner on the table. And truth be told, even though it might be considered to be oversharing. Looking sexy as, even if she hadn't managed to get changed, and was still in her scruffy's. I never felt moaned at. Or underappreciated.The only pressure i felt was the pressure i put myself under.

Now, as the risk of sounding soppy. I could'nt have done it without her. I to, have been up the scaffolding,on Boxing day, in the freezing cold, with my wife up and down the ladder, delivering tiles to me, while i was roofing.

So, the Mrs Nod's and the Mrs Big Jimbo's, are what makes the difference. Without wishing to cast any aspertions, on anyone's selection of partner. In my opinion,you can't beat a bit of Northern stock. Sheffield. That's where Mrs Big Jimbo comes from. And she is as hard as the Steel they made up there.

I have no idea if Nod would agree with me, but, i bet he would not be where he is today without the help and support of Mrs Nod.

 

So i salute, the Mrs nod's and the Mrs Big Jimbo's out there. They really do make any sort of DIY, or renovatioins, Or housebuilding. As well as everything else. So much easier.

Edited Thursday at 08:44 by Big Jimbo

[nod]

1 hour ago, Big Jimbo said:

I think One of the things that should not be under estimated here is Mrs Nod.

 

Over the years, i have known several people, including myself, who have bought run down houses, with a view to climbing up the ladder, providing a better house to live in for the family. The thing is, they have had to continue working the day job, in order to pay the mortgage, buy food etc.

Now, the respective Mrs, has always been keen. Bigger house, nicer area, better status. But, they expect it all to happen in 5 minutes.

Cue Three months later, when the new place is a mess. All the posh dresses, and handbags are covered in dust. The Mrs, who was keen, is now moaning about how long everything is taking. How all there stuff is being ruined. Now she is not doing this while mucking in an helping. She is doing this while sitting in the coffee shop with her friend, and that, after spending yet more money on yet another handbag, because all her existing Ones are getting ruined.

I'm the same age as @nod, and in my opinion have, like Nod been lucky. Very lucky.

I've been the Joe, John, Jim, etc since i got together with my wife. We would be sitting, of an evening talking about what wall we would need to knock, or chases that we needed in a room. Or floorboards pulled up to run pipes. Etc, Etc. I would toddle off to work the next morning, and when i got home, the accrows would be up. The wall down, and the rubbish cleared from the house into the skip. Our children would have been got up, fed, dressed, taken to school with a packed lunch. The dog walked, the washing done. The kids picked up. Helped with homework, etc, and my dinner on the table. And truth be told, even though it might be considered to be oversharing. Looking sexy as, even if she hadn't managed to get changed, and was still in her scruffy's. I never felt moaned at. Or underappreciated.The only pressure i felt was the pressure i put myself under.

Now, as the risk of sounding soppy. I could'nt have done it without her. I to, have been up the scaffolding,on Boxing day, in the freezing cold, with my wife up and down the ladder, delivering tiles to me, while i was roofing.

So, the Mrs Nod's and the Mrs Big Jimbo's, are what makes the difference. Without wishing to cast any aspertions, on anyone's selection of partner. In my opinion,you can't beat a bit of Northern stock. Sheffield. That's where Mrs Big Jimbo comes from. And she is as hard as the Steel they made up there.

I have no idea if Nod would agree with me, but, i bet he would not be where he is today without the help and support of Mrs Nod.

 

So i salute, the Mrs nod's and the Mrs Big Jimbo's out there. They really do make any sort of DIY, or renovatioins, Or housebuilding. As well as everything else. So much easier.

Thanks Jim 

Its a case of picking your battles 

Some things are better left to others But most can be tackled quite easily 

If your quite a logical thinker 

[SBMS]

14 hours ago, nod said:

Ill leave you to do the maths I’m guessing it will add up to far more hours than I think 

Each build took about 20 months Then a couple of months of leisurely finishing bits 

 

Duration: 20 months ≈ 87 weeks.

Mon–Wed evenings: 3 h (4–7) — nod only → 3×3 = 9 h/wk

Thu evening: 5 h (4–9) — nod only → 5 h/wk

→ Weekday evenings total (nod): 14 h/wk

Fri & Sat: 10 h each per person → 20 h/day combined → 40 h/wk

Sun: 8 h per person → 16 h/wk
→ Weekend combined: 56 h/wk (28 h each)

Regular week combined: 14 (nod) + 56 (both) = 70 h/wk

4 weeks annual leave spent on site: assume both worked 10 h/day Mon–Thu as well as the usual Fri–Sun →
Per person in those weeks: 10×4 + 10 + 10 + 8 = 58 h/wk → 116 h/wk combined

No holidays except Christmas Day & Boxing Day: subtract 2 days ≈ 40 combined hours (10 h per person per day).

 

Calculation

Regular weeks: 87 − 4 = 83 weeks

Combined: 83 × 70 = 5,810 h

 

Annual-leave weeks: 4 × 116 = 464 h

Subtotal: 5,810 + 464 = 6,274 h

Less Christmas & Boxing Day (~40 h): ≈ 6,234 h combined

 

Split by person (after subtracting holidays)

 

Nod: (42 h/wk × 83) + (58 × 4) − 20 ≈ 3,698 h

Mrs Nod: (28 h/wk × 83) + (58 × 4) − 20 ≈ 2,536 h

 

Answer

Total hours on the build (both together): ~6,234 hours or around 890 days (assuming 7 hour day).

Roughly 3,700 h (nod) and 2,540 h (mrs nod)

 

Does this look right? If it is, on an average day rate of £225 it’s around £200,378 you’ve saved (£586k total - ~£1400 per sqm for an effective build cost). 

 

@nod - what did that cover out of interest? Was that all your materials, decoration, landscaping etc? Does the 420m2 include your garage?

 

Edited Thursday at 11:58 by SBMS

[nod]

18 minutes ago, SBMS said:

 

Duration: 20 months ≈ 87 weeks.

Mon–Wed evenings: 3 h (4–7) — nod only → 3×3 = 9 h/wk

Thu evening: 5 h (4–9) — nod only → 5 h/wk

→ Weekday evenings total (nod): 14 h/wk

Fri & Sat: 10 h each per person → 20 h/day combined → 40 h/wk

Sun: 8 h per person → 16 h/wk
→ Weekend combined: 56 h/wk (28 h each)

Regular week combined: 14 (nod) + 56 (both) = 70 h/wk

4 weeks annual leave spent on site: assume both worked 10 h/day Mon–Thu as well as the usual Fri–Sun →
Per person in those weeks: 10×4 + 10 + 10 + 8 = 58 h/wk → 116 h/wk combined

No holidays except Christmas Day & Boxing Day: subtract 2 days ≈ 40 combined hours (10 h per person per day).

 

Calculation

Regular weeks: 87 − 4 = 83 weeks

Combined: 83 × 70 = 5,810 h

 

Annual-leave weeks: 4 × 116 = 464 h

Subtotal: 5,810 + 464 = 6,274 h

Less Christmas & Boxing Day (~40 h): ≈ 6,234 h combined

 

Split by person (after subtracting holidays)

 

Nod: (42 h/wk × 83) + (58 × 4) − 20 ≈ 3,698 h

Mrs Nod: (28 h/wk × 83) + (58 × 4) − 20 ≈ 2,536 h

 

Answer

Total hours on the build (both together): ~6,234 hours or around 890 days (assuming 7 hour day).

Roughly 3,700 h (nod) and 2,540 h (mrs nod)

 

Does this look right? If it is, on an average day rate of £225 it’s around £200,378 you’ve saved (£586k total - ~£1400 per sqm for an effective build cost). 

 

@nod - what did that cover out of interest? Was that all your materials, decoration, landscaping etc? Does the 420m2 include your garage?

 

Yes It covered everything except the land Even blinds and curtains Carpets for the first floor Though they are not really build material’s