How Long Did yer Build take?

newbie2013

Planning 8 weeks
Site cleared/raft foundations 1 week
Block work 6 weeks later
Plastered outside next without roof and windows in. Reason being, had free labour from family for a week. All I needed was to keep their bellies full and alcohol.
Trusses and tiles on 4 months later, 1 roofer and family helped again.
Windows in few weeks later.
Year later(if I remember correctly) first fix electric plumbing. I did plumbing and helped with electrics. Also insulated before plastering
Few months later plastered inside.
Few months later screed floors.
Every few months 2nd fix electrics/plumbing got installed. Bought all bathrooms on sale or slightly damaged (small scrap on bath)
Bought 8k solid wood display kitchen for 1k, nothing wrong with it.
Wooden floors/tiles/doors/skirting all done by me a year later.


2400sqft dormer bungalow for about 70k euro including site( money from parents/wages/savings/dole and loan and change from small car loan).I managed this because got help whole way through the build from family friends for free. Bought everything on sale or slightly damaged (not damaged in my eyes, scrap or boxes where torn etc..). I was also given alot of free stuff from family/friends or jobs i or family/friends worked on, ie- plumbing fittings, drains, PVC pipe etc...skim, cement, Paint and left over materials on some sites. I played 4 builders yards off each other and managed to save a small fortune. An example would be quoted for trusses locally for €10000 but got them across the border for £2500.

Took me 5 years, was difficult at times but now im mortgage free because of the help and materials I received from others. If I had to pay going rate at the time for materials and labour, I'd probably be still sitting with half a house now.

blue star

thanks newbie 2013....

that's exactlyhow we plan on doing it..getting things in sales and getting family members to help..!!

My uncle is a block layer but is on the dole at the moment...does anyone know is there any way he can build our home with these new regs that came in march...????

BryanF

blue star wrote: »

thanks newbie 2013....

that's exactlyhow we plan on doing it..getting things in sales and getting family members to help..!!

My uncle is a block layer but is on the dole at the moment...does anyone know is there any way he can build our home with these new regs that came in march...????

is he a director of a ltd building company willing to take on the role of main contractor?

sydthebeat

blue star wrote: »

thanks newbie 2013....

that's exactlyhow we plan on doing it..getting things in sales and getting family members to help..!!

My uncle is a block layer but is on the dole at the moment...does anyone know is there any way he can build our home with these new regs that came in march...????

good luck getting a certifier on board using:

1. damaged or out of warantee products (CPR)
2. no main contactor
3. building schedule lasting 5 years.....
4. ever changing specification

blue star

bryan f

no he did work for a builder...but was let go awhile back. so hes on dole now...! can he come of the dole for the 6 weeks or so to build it..he has the qualification etc working over 20years in the business! etc etc we would like to do the build in stages can that be still done anymore?

BryanF

blue star wrote: »

bryan f

no he did work for a builder...but was let go awhile back. so hes on dole now...! can he come of the dole for the 6 weeks or so to build it..he has the qualification etc working over 20years in the business! etc etc we would like to do the build in stages can that be still done anymore?

not likely

take note of sydthebeat's post above and read this

newbie2013

sydthebeat wrote: »

good luck getting a certifier on board using:

1. damaged or out of warantee products (CPR)
2. no main contactor
3. building schedule lasting 5 years.....
4. ever changing specification

There ain't nothing wrong with a bath that has a scrap or 2, a display kitchen or even something that the box was torn, tiles which don't get made anymore. Anyone who wouldn't sign of a house with goods like this is a first class w4nker. I'm sorry if this isvout of forum character but it makes my blood boil when stuff like this goes on. It just shows how a fcuked up world we live in.

sydthebeat

newbie2013 wrote: »

There ain't nothing wrong with a bath that has a scrap or 2, a display kitchen or even something that the box was torn, tiles which don't get made anymore. Anyone who wouldn't sign of a house with goods like this is a first class w4nker. I'm sorry if this isvout of forum character but it makes my blood boil when stuff like this goes on. It just shows how a fcuked up world we live in.

The point I'm making is that the rules are now so incredibly tight and restrictive on the certifier that they simply cannot take the risk that "its good in my eye".

Basically the rules have changed so much that what you did has become all but impossible unless the self builder is also the certifier.

newbie2013

sydthebeat wrote: »

The point I'm making is that the rules are now so incredibly tight and restrictive on the certifier that they simply cannot take the risk that "its good in my eye".

Basically the rules have changed so much that what you did has become all but impossible unless the self builder is also the certifier.

Yes I understand that one can't do his own work anymore but are you telling me one can't put in items like I mention above.

And what about if I find an engineer who took on my last build, he knows me and family/friends are capable of building to the regs, is it possible he would sign of my work again or is it a no-no now

newbie2013

And another note! How can this be changed and if it does get changed, what would be best for this industry