Self Build Questions - so confused!!!

Sussipod

Hi

My husband and I are taking on a self build for an extension of 72 m2 to the back of our house. My husband will be the builder as he had his own business in construction for almost 7 years before he gave up self employment and became a paye employee. However he hasn't worked in it since the new building regulations came out in 2014 so we are a bit confused about things. Can someone who has done something similar advise?

1) Even though my husband will do most of the work with help from my father in law, he will have to use tradesmen for things like the plumbing and electrics. Does he have to select these people from The Voluntary Register of Builders and if so get an invoice or receipt to prove it? Hoping to get most work done for cash if possible, as my husband has plenty of qualified and competent contacts in the industry who will do him 'mates rates'.

2) Should I assign myself as the client and my husband as the builder, or will it appear then my husband is a contractor rather than a self builder and subsequently mean he will have to treat his tradesmen as subcontractors (C2 cards etc...). How does that all work out? Don't want to end up responsible for other people paying their taxes, and as mentioned my husband is no longer self employed. What is best way to reflect this is a self build.

3) A family member sent me this link to the HSA website about my responsibilities with regards safety. I thought everything I needed to know was covered in the Building Control Regulations leaflet I got but clearly not. Who is responsible for the PSDP and PSCS, is it normally the architect or should I the client be doing this? Do I need to prepare a safety statement and do I need to get safety statements from any tradesmen we use? Do we need to upload them on BCMS (Building Control Management System)? Mates (who are fully qualified and competent btw) giving us good rates might be a bit annoyed if we start asking for safety statements and stuff.

4) with respect the 3 above, the link also states you have to submit notice to the HSA if the work will take more than 30 days. Why is this not mentioned in the Building Control Regulations? What else am I missing?

5) Should my architect be answering all the above questions? I'm afraid every time I ring or email him a query he is totting up his bill.

Thanks in advance

DOCARCH

Sussipod wrote: »

Should my architect be answering all the above questions?

Yes.

In relation to 3 & 4, Health & Safety is completely separate/nothing to do with Building Control/Building Control Amendment Regulations. It's just another (separate) aspect of construction that has to be dealt with.

Again, in relation to 3 & 4, the onus is on the owner/client to appoint competent people to act as PSDP and PSCS.

highwaymaniac

Also in relation to 3 and 4, your architect as a designer on the project has a legal duty to inform the you - the client, that a PSDP is required where one has not been appointed.

Sussipod

All these little bits of information are so useful, thank you, keep them coming!

Sussipod

Can anyone help with 1 and 2?

Calahonda52

Sussipod wrote: »

Can anyone help with 1 and 2?

Not I as I will not have any hand, act or part in facilitating the black economy which is at the heart of 1 and 2.:(:(:(

Bubbling

The architect should be answering these questions. Building a house (or even an extension) needs foresight and experience as the whole process is very complex, usually unique to each build and puts huge liability on the owners and designers - so everyone need to know what they are doing, or are required to do. The implications of doing things on the cheap can be very costly in the long run.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” – Benjamin Franklin

Johnnyhpipe

I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to servicing my car. So I don't service it myself...