Fast self-build projects - how to do it? - Duplicate post: Admin please delete

[RedRhino]

It was one year ago that we started our house build, and we moved in 4.5 months later on July 3rd. 

Well, that's the headline to catch attention, but there needs to be some qualification. A year ago we started building above ground. Before that, we had 3 months of asbestos removal, demolition, site clearance, excavation, concrete slab, drains and scaffold. 

But still, 19 weeks to build everything above ground is good. 

Our method:

MBC completed the timber frame in 8 working days - that was a great head start.

We had a fixed price contract with a general builder for all the external finishes. This meant we could leave him to manage that whilst we concentrated on the interior. 

We had plumbing, electrical and carpentry trades working on site in parallel.  The house was big enough to have separate working areas. We (the client) were always present to create the culture of collaboration and courtesy.

Me and the Mrs worked full time on the build without employment to distract us.

One of us would be on site before 8am to open up whilst the other was doing desk work: chasing quotes / delivery / documentation etc. We had very few times when the site was unsupervised by one or other of us. 

We were disciplined in making decisions in the right order and not changing our minds. 

We lived a 5 min cycle away in a rented house. Cycling is ideal because you don't take up parking space on site, and you can come and go without asking trade vans to move. Our builder saw the advantage and started cycling too. 

We had Travis Perkins, Screwfix and the electrical wholesaler all within a 10 minute drive. I could collect ad hoc materials before 8am with an estate car + roof rack so the trades weren't waiting for materials. 

Our builders merchants is a favoured supplier for kitchens / bathrooms etc based 100 miles away. We worked closely with them to keep their supply of materials ahead of the trades. 

I did three months of carpentry assisting the proper carpenter. If I wasn't supervising deliveries, doing a site induction for new workers, cleaning up, moving materials then I was doing carpentry. 

The site was always clean and tidy with waste promptly taken off site.

The site was working 5 days a week, every week but typically not weekends. 
And when we moved in, there was another 6 weeks to completion and then the landscaping after that. 

Photographs attached from one year ago

Build photos here: https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/45435-project-finished-mbc-timber-frame-self-build-220m2-over-three-floors/#comment-634389

 

Edited 9 hours ago by RedRhino

[Russell griffiths]

Large house builders in Australia will have you in your house in 14 weeks from start or they promise to pay your rent. 
it can be done easily with good organisation and a pre ordered materials list and trades lined up. 
well done you proved it can be achieved. 

[Iceverge]

Well done, I assume you have managing experience or previous self builds ? 

[saveasteading]

6 hours ago, RedRhino said:

decisions in the right order and not changing our minds. 

That's the moral to the tale.

To which add the onsite management.

 

Was it a fairly standard ( off the shelf) geometry? 

Bravo.

[RedRhino]

1 minute ago, saveasteading said:

That's the moral to the tale.

To which add the onsite management.

 

Was it a fairly standard ( off the shelf) geometry? 

Bravo.

 

Unfortunately it wasn't standard - "no flat roofs!" is our mantra and yet we ended up with three (four if you include the porch).
And a member of our extended family lives in a house with windows facing only east and west. Does it matter not seeing the sun at midday? Yes!
So we have an elaborate H shaped footprint to get midday sun into the centre of the house. 

[RedRhino]

53 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

Well done, I assume you have managing experience or previous self builds ? 

Yes, this is our sixth house build (never renovation), three for us and three for other people.
Although it doesn't feel like we have any particular knowledge I guess it must count for something. 
One insight would be: being present and getting involved. We had a neighbour who had a major remodelling of their house. "Tell me when it's over". They couldn't stand the sight of their home ripped apart so the builder was left alone to do as he saw fit. Not good for either party. 

[Oz07]

4 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Large house builders in Australia will have you in your house in 14 weeks from start or they promise to pay your rent. 
it can be done easily with good organisation and a pre ordered materials list and trades lined up. 
well done you proved it can be achieved. 

What do you think to how they do it though. Can be very basic in some areas yet surprisingly robust in other areas. Certified tanking to wet rooms. 

[saveasteading]

2 hours ago, RedRhino said:

our sixth house build (never renovation)

Renovation/conversion usually includes lots of surprises.