Carrying out DIY & building work myself on my own home

SunshineAndShowers

Hi,

I'm building a new house, I've just submitted the planning application. Its a one off house in the country. Building costs are very high right now, so I'm hoping to do some of the work myself to save money. I'm not a builder, I work as a software engineer, but I am very competent, experienced and interested in building and DIY. I have a lot of experience from previously repairing and renovating an old house. DIY jobs I am very experienced and competent in are:

Internal and external painting, Wall and floor tiling, Laying timber flooring, Fitting skirting and architrave and door frames, Hanging internal doors

The plans are for a block built, 3 bed bungalow with internal stud partition walls.

I'm thinking about constructing these internal stud partition walls (drywall/plasterboard) myself, because I've done it before and I'm very handy at this work. I believe I could save a nice chunk of money by doing this myself. However, am I being naive, will I have difficult in getting a stage payment mortgage/insurance/certification etc because I'm not a qualified builder ? For example I've no practical experience regarding what is required to comply with building regulations.

Thanks

Biker1

No reason you can't do the internal partitions yourself. Given the price of timber, slabs and sound proofing are you sure it would be cheaper than getting the blocklayer to build them in blocks even if you are doing them yourself?

Tefral

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058302429/carrying-out-diy-building-work-myself-on-my-own-home

The engineer that signs off the stage payments might baulk at the idea if you dont run it by him first. The reason for this is he might charge you a bit more to come out and view what you have done. I know plenty of Engineers who dont want to get involved with True Self builders like yourself as they dont have the time to spend to come out to see it as often as would be required than say a builder.

Other than that, theres no reason why you cannot do it yourself. Its actually not that hard and if you can read the TGD's they give you all the details that are required.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120766767#Comment_120766767

Nothing the OP mentioned needs to be certified by an engineer. If engineers dont have the time to spend to come out to see it as often as would be required then they are not doing their job. Given a lot of the prices a lot of engineers charge I think it's very obvious that they are not actually supervising or detailing anything. It's a race to the bottom, to tick a box and move on.

Tefral

Eh, the stage payment cert needs to be signed off...

The overall build needs to be signed off too. So all parts that they are doing needs to be in compliance with the Regs.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120770917#Comment_120770917

OP mentioned various works such as painting, skirting boards, architraves, tiling. Those works are not going to impact compliance with regs, as I pointed out. Therefore they do not impact a opinion on compliance for a stage payment (or final certification).

Even if there was an aspect that was building reg critical. It make no difference to the supervisor who carried out completed work that they are inspecting.

IT would be different if OP was proposing to build foundations or structural walls, which might then be covered up and not able to be inspected.

I know plenty of Engineers who dont want to get involved with True Self builders like yourself as they dont have the time to spend to come out to see it as often as would be required than say a builder.

If the work being completed is the same, then time to inspect is the same. Otherwise a corner is being cut somewhere imo.

Penn

I would say the main issue you may come across is that if this is a bungalow, then there's a good chance some of the stud partitions may be load-bearing stud partitions, to support ceiling joists over. This will be dependent on the design. This doesn't mean you can't do them yourself, but it would mean there may be specific requirements for them (eg. double header & double sole-piece) and you would also need to ensure you work with the builder to make sure you're able to complete the stud partitions on time and in a way which doesn't delay or impact him (eg. if said that for his programme of works he needs the stud partitions to be completed between certain dates, you need to try stick to that).

Personally, I'd be inclined to let the builder take on items such as the stud partitions just because it's more of a building component, whereas items related to finishes (like the other items you listed like Internal and external painting, Wall and floor tiling, Laying timber flooring, Fitting skirting and architrave and door frames, Hanging internal doors) you could easily belt away with yourself. But of course that depends on your own level of competence and how quickly you think you'd be able to get it done, any specific requirements from the designer/certifier with regards load-bearing walls or other structural requirements/specifications, and making sure the builder is on board with it from the start.

embracingLife

Btw Op if you don't have already you should get a safe pass and manual handling cert aswell as your own personal accident insurance in case you get injured etc.

mickdw

No issue with you doing work yourself but keep away from structural work unless you really know what you are doing.

As someone who inspects one off new builds,known trades people are a requirement of mine nowadays. A quality blocklayer and roofer is a good start. It's impossible to 'supervise' an incompetent blocklayer to achieve a satisfactory product.

I run through all this will client day zero and if not in agreement, we part ways.