Live self-Builds - mod warning in post no. 1

just do it

Villain wrote: »

Every morning I open the door to the kitchen/living/dining space below I get a smile at we have built, I love the light!g

And rightfully so Villain, looks fantastic. What a way to start the day.

P.S. The nerd in me is looking forward to the performance updates

coastcooler

Well the nerd in me to is defo interested in knowing having a HRV system in place and supped up insulation how the house is performing!! It's like music to my ears when a house may need minimal heating or fires on!! How sustainable.

darragh_haven

I havent posted during my build, but im nearly 2 and a half years at it. A baby, taking over the farm and my real work taking me to northern Ireland every week strung out the build . Doing loads of it myself but all the finishing touchs are being done buy the pros.
Kitchen arrived yesterday and painting is nearly completed. I finished the footpaths 2 weeks ago, but the rest of the site is like a bomb hit it. We plan to move in around the middle of October.
Cant wait to have the same feeling as villian has "this is ours"

ht9zni1gs28crp

Site commencement notice is being issued today for our build!

Aiming for passive certified with the majority of the build done by myself....

here is to a pain filled year or so!

fclauson

Good luck - be maniacle on detail and accept nothing but perfect

we are in the house a year - the combination of PV and HP means I'll have ZERO operating cost for my heating and h/w so I might starve but will never be cold and freshly showered

ht9zni1gs28crp

fclauson wrote: »

Good luck - be maniacle on detail and accept nothing but perfect

we are in the house a year - the combination of PV and HP means I'll have ZERO operating cost for my heating and h/w so I might starve but will never be cold and freshly showered

Think we will be in the same boat!

Hopefully by doing the majority myself I can be manical about the detailing and not be put under pressure, pressurized decisions 9/10 I feel lead to wrong decisions!

just do it

Phillip Mammoth Jury wrote: »

Think we will be in the same boat!

Hopefully by doing the majority myself I can be manical about the detailing and not be put under pressure, pressurized decisions 9/10 I feel lead to wrong decisions!

What type of foundation and wall are you going for?

ht9zni1gs28crp

just do it wrote: »

What type of foundation and wall are you going for?

wide cavity block.

BarneyMc

I meant to get something posted here earlier but only getting round to it now. Anyway the house has gotten out of the ground - I'm off!

April 8th, 9th & 10th - Site clearance and lane made
Sep 3rd - Foundations dug & poured
Week starting Sep 9th - house dead build
Week starting Sep 16th - garage dead build

The garage dead build should be finished today so will be ready for the ground floor slab soon.

I've a very experienced and very particular local man looking after everything for me so it's a great weight off my mind. I'm very glad I went this route and has already paid dividends.

Anyway I'm really glad to see the build started and ready for a year of ups and downs!

just do it

Best of luck Barney, looking good so far

mfceiling

Lovely site barney......best of luck moving forward.

Cavanjack

BarneyMc wrote: »

I meant to get something posted here earlier but only getting round to it now. Anyway the house has gotten out of the ground - I'm off!

April 8th, 9th & 10th - Site clearance and lane made
Sep 3rd - Foundations dug & poured
Week starting Sep 9th - house dead build
Week starting Sep 16th - garage dead build

The garage dead build should be finished today so will be ready for the ground floor slab soon.

I've a very experienced and very particular local man looking after everything for me so it's a great weight off my mind. I'm very glad I went this route and has already paid dividends.

Anyway I'm really glad to see the build started and ready for a year of ups and downs!

Looks good Barney. What size of a cavity did you go for in the end?

BarneyMc

Will be going with a 250mm cavity Jack like yourself (I think) and quite a few other posters. I was going to use low conductivity wall ties but the price of these is just too high so it will be stainless steel.

I have to go with ground floor slabs which will add to the costs but no way around that. Anyway really glad to see things happen!

BryanF

BarneyMc wrote: »

Will be going with a 250mm cavity Jack like yourself (I think) and quite a few other posters. I was going to use low conductivity wall ties but the price of these is just too high so it will be stainless steel.

I have to go with ground floor slabs which will add to the costs but no way around that. Anyway really glad to see things happen!

hey Barney did you ever do the phpp after? how are you dealing with the thermal bridge at the rising walls/ floor slab?

BarneyMc

BryanF wrote: »

hey Barney did you ever do the phpp after? how are you dealing with the thermal bridge at the rising walls/ floor slab?

I didn't go the PHPP route but did get detailed drawings done up. However, these were for a poured floor. Was thinking of using a lite block for the first course on the inner leaf and all rising walls (that will sit on the precast ground floor slab).

hexosan

BryanF wrote: »

hey Barney did you ever do the phpp after? how are you dealing with the thermal bridge at the rising walls/ floor slab?

The solution I came up with for my build which incorporates a basement was to shutter a 250mm RC wall (soil retention) then a 200mm cavity and I'm building an internal 100mm block wall. The Hollowcore slabs will sit on the 100mm blocks. The cavity will be fully pumped with bead insulation.

At ground level my wall make-up is 100mm block, 250mm pumped cavity, 100mm block.

The exterior leaf of block will sit on the RC wall from the basement & my interior leaf will continue on top of the hollowcore which sits on the 100mm wall from the basement.

BarneyMc

My structure will look something like this. The block on the inner leaf that spans the slab, insulation and screed will be a "lite" block.

lownhard

hexosan wrote: »

The solution I came up with for my build which incorporates a basement was to shutter a 250mm RC wall (soil retention) then a 200mm cavity and I'm building an internal 100mm block wall. The Hollowcore slabs will sit on the 100mm blocks. The cavity will be fully pumped with bead insulation.

At ground level my wall make-up is 100mm block, 250mm pumped cavity, 100mm block.

The exterior leaf of block will sit on the RC wall from the basement & my interior leaf will continue on top of the hollowcore which sits on the 100mm wall from the basement.

Have you got an engineer to give the OK to hollowcore on 100mm inner leaf?

I've read some debate here as to whether it should be done or not...some day min 150mm, some say 215mm...others say 100mm is fine.

BarneyMc

lownhard wrote: »

Have you got an engineer to give the OK to hollowcore on 100mm inner leaf?

I've read some debate here as to whether it should be done or not...some day min 150mm, some say 215mm...others say 100mm is fine.

I'm building with a 250mm cavity and one engineer was happy to sign off on 100mm inner leaf even with hollowcore at 1st floor level. The engineer I'm actually using has specified 150mm inner leaf. I'm obviously going with 150mm!

This will depend on many things though so is not a blanket rule (I'm guessing). I believe these structural discussions are against forum rules so I'll leave it at that.

hexosan

lownhard wrote: »

Have you got an engineer to give the OK to hollowcore on 100mm inner leaf?

I've read some debate here as to whether it should be done or not...some day min 150mm, some say 215mm...others say 100mm is fine.

Yes I have an engineer on board and he's happy to sign off on this. I've also read the posts you mention. There are two spine walls in centre of the house which are block on the flat (215mm) and they'll take the weight where any of the Hollowcore meet.

BarneyMc

Dead build for house and garage was completed earlier this week... next up is the ground floor slabs which I hope will be there in a few weeks.

bouli73

Would be grateful for advice.

Debating in my mind whether to go the direct labout route v contractor. Proposed house is 2,800sq fee in Munster. Quotes coming in at around 225,000 to builders finish.

based on your experience, what would be the duration of direct labour build? I know there are a huge amount of variables, but a general idea. Is 12 months realistic?

Also, what would you consider the savings to be percentage wise versus contractor?

Thanks in advance

BarneyMc

bouli73 wrote: »

Would be grateful for advice.

Debating in my mind whether to go the direct labout route v contractor. Proposed house is 2,800sq fee in Munster. Quotes coming in at around 225,000 to builders finish.

based on your experience, what would be the duration of direct labour build? I know there are a huge amount of variables, but a general idea. Is 12 months realistic?

Also, what would you consider the savings to be percentage wise versus contractor?

Thanks in advance

There is another hybrid approach where you get someone to project manage your build. I suppose it's really a direct labour route but instead of you organising everything, you hire someone to do it for you. Ultimately you will have final say on who you hire for each job and where you buy the materials from. I'm going this route and my project manager hopes to have completed my block house (2,700 sq feet plus 1,300 sq feet garage) in about 9-10 months.

BarneyMc

The slabs arrived last Friday and all laid in a few hours. Hoping to get the garage floor poured this week and walls of the house later this week or early next week

just do it

BarneyMc wrote: »

The slabs arrived last Friday and all laid in a few hours. Hoping to get the garage floor poured this week and walls of the house later this week or early next week

Hi Barney, all looking good. What made you go for the flour slabs rather than a poured floor? Have you considered the floor wall junction with regard to airtightness?

BarneyMc

The height of the dead build meant a poured floor might not have been stable - it would have been sitting on too much hardcore.

I'm not sure about this junction, how would it differ from a poured floor?

just do it

I don't have the answer to that I'm afraid. For hollowcore at first floor level air tight membrane is wrapped around the edge.

How does it compare cost wise?

BarneyMc

Yes I'll be wrapping the slabs at 1st floor level. I'll ask my project manager about the ground floor details.

I had to go the slabs route compared with the poured floor so there was no point in comparing prices - the slabs are more expensive and that I'm sure of!

just do it

BarneyMc wrote: »

Yes I'll be wrapping the slabs at 1st floor level. I'll ask my project manager about the ground floor details.

I had to go the slabs route compared with the poured floor so there was no point in comparing prices - the slabs are more expensive and that I'm sure of!

I must talk to my engineer about it. I'm building on a slope with a split level therefore plenty different levels involved.

BarneyMc

just do it wrote: »

I must talk to my engineer about it. I'm building on a slope with a split level therefore plenty different levels involved.

Well then the slabs would seem like a good (or only) option for you then. If you've any questions about how I get on with the details then just shout!