6 February 2013
You’re on your third, maybe your fourth, self build endeavour? It’s likely that you’ve encountered the pitfalls and the promise of what building your own home can bring.
Come in as a novice…, and you’re more than likely to learn the hard way!
But it doesn’t have to be as such. We’ve asked some seasoned self builders for their views on the big DOs and DON’Ts for would-be self builders.
{TEASER}
DO…
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…ensure you have a 10%+ contingency fund in place when budgeting.
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…be realistic about your personal skills and employ professionals where required.
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…decide what you are prepared to compromise on – is it time, budget or quality? You probably can’t have all three!
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…your homework. Visit self build shows, talk to the experts who often give consultations and visit other self build projects near you.
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…set up a builders’ merchant account if you are managing the building work. Negotiate a good discount rate and order/purchase materials yourself – leave the builder to build.
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…select your bathroom and kitchen fittings well in advance of time needed. Trying to select these in a rush when the site is very busy will be a challenge.
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…invest in the fabric of the house (to make it ultra-insulated, triple rather than double glazed, etc) first, rather than install ‘eco-bling’ (e.g., windmills and heat pumps).
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…keep the plumbing simple – fancy taps and push-touch cistern flush systems are a nightmare that regularly go wrong. Simple, reliable proven plumbing kit will work better and save you money.
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…invest in decent quality metal guttering – plastic ones are cheaper, but crack as they heat up and cool down, and are more prone to leaking.
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…keep the site (and surroundings) clean and tidy – a clean site will encourage clean work with better quality.
DON’T…
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…undertake/commission detailed designs for your home until you have identified a site and met with the planners.
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…underestimate how much storage space you will need – inside and outside your house. You will probably need twice the amount you initially think.
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…hire anyone – consultant or tradesman – via the ‘Yellow Pages’ or similar trade directory. Find other self builders and ask them who they would recommend (and who they wouldn’t). Then check them again and visit projects they have worked on.
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…try to do the project management yourself if you don’t really have the time to do it – you can’t expect to achieve this just in the evenings and weekends.
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…assume that your builders will automatically things. Be very clear and get your expectations battened down in writing.
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…rush the whole process – it’s better to spend two years planning, researching and fine tuning everything (so the build phase runs smoothly) rather than rushing into it (in which case the project may cost a lot more, take even longer and not really deliver what you hoped).
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…keep changing your mind throughout the build – it can cause delays and massively increase costs.
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…try and pull the wool over Building Control’s eyes – generally they have seen all the corners that can be cut and look out for them.
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…overpay for work completed. Keep a retention back to make it worthwhile for the contractor to finish works.
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…give up!
Are you experienced in self building? What are your key DOs and DON’Ts? HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW, or by exploring and contributing to our Forum…
