Dummies guide to building your house

Vegeta

Hey all,

Reading this forum scares the be-jaysus out of me as it shows how little I know about attempting to build a house

I too am looking at building my own house. I will be doing direct labour with a lot of mates rates (my dad is a plasterer, brother's a plumber, cousin is a custom kitchen maker, uncle is a block layer etc etc)

I'm at the very early stage of site hunting and deciding on house design.

Does anyone have any books that outline what steps are involved in building your own house?

I am finding it a little difficult to get an overall picture and therefore come up with a realistic budget.

Like how does the whole process flow?

Pick suitable site
check if eligible in accordance with the County Development Plan
Go to bank and see how much they'll give you in exchange for soul
agree price with landowner
Get maps of site?
(when do you contact a solicitor in all of this, before or after planning permission is granted)
Draw up planning application.

I am very confused as to the order of things and fear I am going to get caught out with something.

So does anyone have a guide to this or any books I could read.

Any input would be greatly appreciated

smashey

Vegeta wrote: »

Does anyone have any books that outline what steps are involved in building your own house?

Try getting a copy of the Homebond manual.

The new edition is out in April.

Here's a good book for starters The housebuilders bible It's a british book but 95% is relevant to Irish building.

Slates

House Builders Bible is a good read

sydthebeat

smashey wrote: »

Try getting a copy of the Homebond manual.

The new edition is out in April.

x 2.....

this publication is an absolute must. and stick religiously to it.....

Vegeta

Thank you folks

I assume this can be picked up in Easons and the likes

smashey

Eason's will have it but I'd imagine demand is going to be quite high with this edition.

Housebuilders bible for the whole picture, Homebond manual for the nuts & bolts of construction.

Vegeta

Thanks folks, think i'll pick those both up then

Smashey, is that the 5th or 6th edition which is coming out in April, website says the 5th edition is published now

http://www.homebond.ie/house_building_manual.html

Mellor

The 6th edition is what is needed now,
the 5th edition updated Part B and C, (fire and worksmanship), the new edition will need to reference the new Part L (Energy)

Vegeta

Mellor wrote: »

The 6th edition is what is needed now,
the 5th edition updated Part B and C, (fire and worksmanship), the new edition will need to reference the new Part L (Energy)

Ahhh I see.

Very helpful as always lads, thanks

Smashey you mentioned high demand for the book, how high, will it be difficult to get do you think or should I try some form of pre-order

sinnerboy

whole thread is pants .

if you need a dummies guide to build your own house - then don't do it

why not learn to pull your own teeth out and/or self medicate ?

smashey

sinnerboy wrote: »

whole thread is pants .

if you need a dummies guide to build your own house - then don't do it

why not learn to pull your own teeth out and/or self medicate ?

sinnerboy.

As you well know, we cater for everybody here. The above post isn't exactly helpful. Is it?

Infracted.

muffler

sinnerboy wrote: »

whole thread is pants .

if you need a dummies guide to build your own house - then don't do it

why not learn to pull your own teeth out and/or self medicate ?

Woaahhh there boy. We will decide what is an acceptable thread and what isnt so dont you go trying to do something that you are not capable of either and that is moderating this forum.

Take a deep breath sinnerboy and learn to chill a bit. Smashey has infracted you so we will leave it at that.

sinnerboy

OP

building your own house is not easy . competent professionals and builders can make it seem so - because they are good at it

if you feel so apprehensive - don't do it

hire a responsible contractor .

you say you have help in the form of relatives - often the worst kind of help

scour the forum and you will find posters who have regretted doing this

I apologise to you if my earlier post was in any way insulting - however I believe the title you put on the thread yourself send out the wrong signal entirely

Vegeta

post removed

Vegeta

sinnerboy wrote: »

OP

building your own house is not easy . competent professionals and builders can make it seem so - because they are good at it

if you feel so apprehensive - don't do it

hire a responsible contractor .

you say you have help in the form of relatives - often the worst kind of help

scour the forum and you will find posters who have regretted doing this

I apologise to you if my earlier post was in any way insulting - however I believe the title you put on the thread yourself send out the wrong signal entirely

To give you background I'm an engineer and a control freak.

I want to know what is the general process flow when building a house. You must do A before B before C etc etc etc

Now I don't want to be rude or anything but if half the ding bats I went to school with managed it I am sure i'll get on just fine

I haven't even chosen a house design yet, I'm doing my homework now.

In some cases I agree a contractor is a better option, but not for me. It would be more expensive and more than likely to a lower standard (brother has second best results in country ever for his apprenticeship)

As for the title of the thread, well I was trying to make a slightly humourous link to the series of books "C++ for Dummies" "Hacking for Dummies" "Golf for Dummies" I clearly failed though.

Vegeta

Vegeta wrote: »

As for the title of the thread, well I was trying to make a slightly humourous link to the series of books "C++ for Dummies" "Hacking for Dummies" "Golf for Dummies" I clearly failed though.

I have a couple of those

Vegeta

Deleted User wrote: »

I have a couple of those

I need a few

sydthebeat

Vegeta wrote: »

As for the title of the thread, well I was trying to make a slightly humourous link to the series of books "C++ for Dummies" "Hacking for Dummies" "Golf for Dummies" I clearly failed though.

i wouldnt say that....

i think sinnerboys point is that there is no substitute for hiring a competent professional.
Your brother may be great plumber, but thats pointless if he has to hack a radon barrier to get pipes to run through walls. Your uncle might be a great blocklayer but that wont stop the carpenter from not knowing he has to cover the cavity closer with his eaves.
Do you see what im getting at??

There is no substitute for having a competent professional on site to tie all these trades together and ensure best practices are adhered to at all times. Thats generally a building contractors job, but may also be an architect / technician / engineer / QS etc.

Vegeta

sydthebeat wrote: »

i wouldnt say that....

i think sinnerboys point is that there is no substitute for hiring a competent professional.
Your brother may be great plumber, but thats pointless if he has to hack a radon barrier to get pipes to run through walls. Your uncle might be a great blocklayer but that wont stop the carpenter from not knowing he has to cover the cavity closer with his eaves.
Do you see what im getting at??

There is no substitute for having a competent professional on site to tie all these trades together and ensure best practices are adhered to at all times. Thats generally a building contractors job, but may also be an architect / technician / engineer / QS etc.

I agree with this 100%

The problems I am currently having have nothing to do with the actual physical building of the house though and are things I have to do myself even if I had a contractor. A contractor will only ensure the house is built to spec, I have to decide on and provide that spec

For example, How early do you go to a solicitor?

muffler

sydthebeat wrote: »

i wouldnt say that....

i think sinnerboys point is that there is no substitute for hiring a competent professional.
Your brother may be great plumber, but thats pointless if he has to hack a radon barrier to get pipes to run through walls. Your uncle might be a great blocklayer but that wont stop the carpenter from not knowing he has to cover the cavity closer with his eaves.
Do you see what im getting at??

There is no substitute for having a competent professional on site to tie all these trades together and ensure best practices are adhered to at all times. Thats generally a building contractors job, but may also be an architect / technician / engineer / QS etc.

Good enough points syd and as Vegeta has pointed out he is an engineer and a "control freak" so we should give him the benefit of the doubt that his friends and relatives are competent enough in their respective trades.

I think what he intended with this thread was to look for a book that would take him through the various stages from discussing the idea with the other 'alf through the various stages of site selection, mortgage, design, planning, construction and right up to the night of the house warming party to which we will be invited no doubt

The following are my general thoughts on the forum and not directed at anyone in particular:
The idea of this forum is a for debate between regulars here on various construction practices and methods/products which at times can be a bit out of the layman's depth but also for us to offer advice and share our experience with people are not technically qualified. The forum is open to the public and all threads (subject to conforming to the charter) can and will be entertained.

The day we try to restrict the opinions to and between "professional" is the day that there would have to be either a private select forum or the day that we close the forum altogether.

I for one wont allow anyone here to put another user down. People are free to come here and ask their questions and I know that some of the questions are silly and we do poke a bit of fun at times but thats all it is - fun. As far as Im concerned and as long as I am a moderator here everyone is welcome.

Vegeta

muffler wrote: »

I think what he intended with this thread was to look for a book that would take him through the various stages from discussing the idea with the other 'alf through the various stages of site selection, mortgage, design, planning, construction and right up to the night of the house warming party to which we will be invited no doubt

Exact-a-mundo

And I think I have got my answer

mods sorry for all the agro in this thread

muffler

Vegeta wrote: »

mods sorry for all the agro in this thread

No problems. I think its the new rave - self harming online

sinnerboy

It was me who soured things - apologies to all who felt slighted

finance is not my expertise , having said that I have found this site excellent personally

http://www.mortgages.ie/

OP talk to solicitor now - because they tend to "know" things , like sites for sale. accountants do too , if you have one .

Out of town sites ( assume this is you ) - pitfalls

- local needs - can you demonstrate ?
- sight lines - I have seen ( on another forum - not in my own cases ) a scheme proceed to planning and THEN come a cropper because adjacent site owners will not play ball and remove hedgerows as required as condition of planning
- percolation tests - don't buy site an then find out about difficult soil conditions . will vendor accommodate tests pre sale ?
- ask solicitor for advice on negotiating sale subject to planning . Planning Process can spin out to over a year if referred to ABP

I suggest when you get a site then post again to take matters forward - enough to be getting on with for now

harto

OP,
We have some articles you might find interesting on

http://www.helpmebuildandrenovate.com.

There is also a project schedule to give you an idea of the flow of construction.

AndyH

ther27

You sound as if you are in a fortunate position and I think you should go ahead with direct labour as it will save you loads. Your family are bound to do a top-class job for you. The Homebond manual is really good.