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

[Deleted User]

Mod Note - 9/10/2012: This thread is for discussing the various aspects of building as they arise. Do not use this thread for "pre-building" queries. Such queries should be posted in their own threads.

How many people on boards are in the process of building their own homes at the moment, have recently completed or planning to do so in the near future.

I am about 3/4 of the way through a self-build.
It would be interesting to have a "live" list of current self-builds on the forum.

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Jollyman

odonoso wrote: »

Hi All

Just got two quotes for the labour for my roof There was 6500 in the difference in the two quotes. Alot of money

Pity its not the same for me two quotes back €500 between them! €24,500 and €25,000! Labour only

Villain

Jollyman that seems excessive, are they local quotes? Are you going for a cut roof or Trusses? Did they give any estimates for the cost of materials, what slate/tile are you going for?

I've been following your blog looks like you have been in bad luck with rocks and water on site, hopefully you'll have nothing but good luck from here on out. I'm in no rush so I have held off digging the foundations as I have a swimming pool on site at present, I'm hoping dig, put steel in and pour over 3 days on the 21st to 23rd of Feb weather permitting.

I'm working on getting a blog up at the moment.

Jollyman

Hey Villian,

Ya two local quotes labour only young lads thought they would be cheap but i suppose the house is 4037sqft.

I have asked the fathers crew to price it for me too and for them to come up from Limerick im looking at €15,000 so id say that will be the option i am going for.

Materials i have estimated in around €27,000 including all floors arcitrave skirting and doors white Oak! A standard trutone have not made a decision yet, but i certainly wont be going over €1.30/slate.

The weather and land has thrown some tough conditions at us but the work is flying along floors being poured thursday!

snow white

Hi Everyone, Building a storey and a half at the minute and the blockwork started 3 weeks ago above the ffl, blockwork up to the tops of the windows at the minute, weather holds it up some of the days but its moving fast.
Going with Bonded bead insulation in the 110mm cavity and gonna cosyboard the internal walls.... Whats the best insulation recommended for the attic, Went for 75mm foil back high density insulation in the floor. gonna put flat panel solar panels in the roof to the front of the house as its south facing. Is two solar panels enough,
Thinking of going for a wood pellet burner system but what happens if the burner breaks down is there a back up,

Any advice would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks

eire1977

Hi all,
I'm just about to start my build (220 sq meter, story & half at the front, two story back, 45sqM garage) - will be getting quotes for the foundation very soon. So before I start getting quotes from all the timber frame companies, I'd like to ask all those who have built or is in the process of building a timber frame a few questions.

1. What company did you use and were they ok to work with? Would you recommend them
2. Cost?
3. Insulation - what kind and how much in external, internal and ceiling?
4. Garage roof - did you get it from the TF company?
5. Extras - did you get their doors, stairs, etc?

All other TF info would be much appreciated

Thanks,

YellowBird

Hi Everyone,

Self build in Meath (Will be doing most of the work ourselves)
House: 3500 sf

We are planning our build at the moment and one of the things which is causing us the most trouble is deciding on the heating system.

My preference is for underfloor heating at the moment. I would love to hear from anyone who has gone this route in terms of what fuel source they went with, costs and how effective it really is in practice. I really feel the cold and i don't want to be stuck with a system which costs a fortune and basically doesn't heat the house well enough.

Any imput greatly appriciated!!!!!

fatboymsport

here is where we are at with our 2600 sqft dormer in kildare started in september roof is allmost finished getting ready for electrical,plumbing and plastering if it ever stops raining.

Jollyman

Have updated the progress photos in my blog

http://picasaweb.google.com/jollyman24/SiteProgressArdmore/photo#5150928855389670626

Villain

Looks good Jollyman, fair play making good progress in tough conditions. You do love that view and for good reason too.

Where are you getting the stone for filling? looks an odd colour.

[Deleted User]

Good start jollyman, I had a similar wet start in September

Jollyman

Thanks guys ya its all going well so far thank god, stone is coming from a local quarry the red stuff is 2/4" down at €5 a tonne so certainly cant complain, we topped it off then with a limestone dust at €12.50 a tonne

escape

HI All

Only at the very very beginning of long long process of building a house
This whole site is excellent source of information - i have learned so much already - no doubt i will be posting alot of questions here of the next coming months and years - by the sounds of most self builds!

I just want to put a few questions out there with regard to architects/engineers
Looking at engaging architect - quote approx 4/5k just for plans etc to planning stage - in North West Ireland - not near any major urban centres - 3 miles from small town. Is this reasonable quote, i know i could get enginner to design as well - but I'm leaning towards Architect - for his expertise etc.
Anyway
thinking of getting arcitect to do plans then after planning permission granted - i have friend who is engineer who would do 4-5 site visits, check everything and do all the sign offs for mortgage etc.
I am thinking of self-building but know very little to be honest...would need so much guidance - its the above mentioned a good way to go?
any suggestions

sydthebeat

escape...
in the interest of being pedantic..

Direct labour is when you engage separate contractors for each different element of build.

Self-build is when you yourself physically build the dwelling yourself. Is this what you are aiming to do?

Villain

What are you looking for the architect to do? Design a house completely for you having met with him/her and given broad idea's or do you have a good idea what you want and just want someone to draw plans based on your ideas and adding input and ensuring the design is techinally sound, i.e. it can be built without falling down.

TBH most engineer's around the South East will draw plans for about €2k and offer good advice at that, 4k to 5k is a bit over the top but it depends on what you want from the person drawing the plans and obviously the size of the house and how complicated a design it will be.

Self building with very little knowledge can be very tough and may actually end up costing more. Contractors around the Carlow area have dropped prices in the past few months, they won't advertise that but the ones looking for work are quoting good prices compared to the past, a relative of mine built a house last year using a contractor who did a very good job, now standard windows etc were used but all to the reg's and the price €80 a sq ft, another relative is looking to build and met the same contractor last week and got a price of €75 a sq ft!

escape

sydthebeat

Being Pedantic ...........that can be helpful to!!

I really meant direct labour as opposed to self-build - god i really would know nothing about actually building it myself!!

so just to correct that - hoping to go direct labour

btw did i mention i am so new to all this ............

escape

we met architect just for a brief meet and greet - just to get overall idea of prices etc, i have lot of ideas and have basic idea of house etc, he seemed to be talking my language straight away as regards ideas - so thought that was helpful, but really he is pricy. - only want him for plans not all the way through build

DonalN

escape wrote: »

we met architect just for a brief meet and greet - just to get overall idea of prices etc, i have lot of ideas and have basic idea of house etc, he seemed to be talking my language straight away as regards ideas - so thought that was helpful, but really he is pricy. - only want him for plans not all the way through build

that is quite pricey. We got ours for 2.8k, including site survey, plans and planning app.

Jollyman

Updated the Budget tracker to finished floor level pretty scary!!! :eek: Im sure we will pull some of it back on our way to wall plate though!

Villain

Yea just saw that Jolyman 20k over budget, where did your budget get caught the most, the 12k for labour or the 8k for stone and machine?

Also what are you doing for water onsite have you a connection or are you drawing water to site, if your drawing it what are you using?

Update on my build? Well its actually moving now, marked out the corners of the house and garage at the weekend so we'r all set to mark the foundations out next saturday and then dig and put them the following weekend weather permitting, I'm not in a rush so if it gets really wet I'll hold off.

Jollyman

The farmer had a water supply on the site for troughs tor the horses i had 2m3 of concrete left over one evenin he needed it and i told him by the way im using your water worked out fairly ok!!!

Drawing the water would be difficult but i had an IBC arranged with a car trailer if necessary!

The budget went between all the stone and the 30m3 of extra concrete because we hit stone in the Fdns, it did not help the case either that we had the JCB in at the start because it fairly ripped the place up! I have over €6k paid out on machine work €7k on stone.

I hope the weather keeps if for you makes things so much easier not to be dealing with slop on site.

Villain

Ah I see water on site is handy I'll probably end up having to get well bored and then use generator to pump it to a container each day, drawing it would be a serious pain in backside.

My costs to sub floor will depend a lot on how many rows of footings I put in, there is a meter of a drop to cleared area of site to road level, some people think I should bring floor level to road level but that would be or 9 rows of blocks on the footings I'll probably go 6 rows, the suspended timber floor will cost a bit more but make life for plumbing and cable running a lot lot easier.

What slates are going for, I'm leaning towards rubber slates.

Jollyman

Rubber slates??? Have you a link, i would like if at all possible with budget being the deciding factor go for a natural slate, if thats not achievable i may chance a natural Brazilian slate i must get peoples opinions on these first though. I think tegral do an imitation of a natural slate too though.
I suppose as long as you are well above ground level on the site to subfloor its ok, have you got a planning imposed ridge height?

Villain

I'll try and dig up info on rubber slates their made in Athy now, do a search others has posted about them. I went to see a house with them and I swore they looked like natural slates and then I want to do some AV work on a house and commented on the natural slates only to be told again that they were rubber, the prices are very keen compared to natural more expensive than trutone etc though as they are lattes are closer with more of an over lap. No breakages though and they will take waste back and recylce it!

my height restriction is 6.5 from floor to ridge, but no spec on what floor level is!!!

Slates

Jollyman wrote: »

Rubber slates??? Have you a link, i would like if at all possible with budget being the deciding factor go for a natural slate, if thats not achievable i may chance a natural Brazilian slate i must get peoples opinions on these first though. I think tegral do an imitation of a natural slate too though.
I suppose as long as you are well above ground level on the site to subfloor its ok, have you got a planning imposed ridge height?

Jollyman, don't touch these rubber slates with a barge pole, Tegral do a reconstituted slate call Melboure, but these are the same prices as a mid range natural slate. If you want a natural looking slate without the cost you should be looking at Thrutone Relief of Rivendale
http://www.tegral.com/Tegralbp/pdf/roof.pdf

Jollyman

Thanks for that slates, just curious as to why you would not recommend the rubber slates, im sure Villian would like to know

metalscrubber

Jolly,

Fair play to you for putting up your budgets.
Its great to see real figures for once.

Metal

Jollyman

Oh i don't know about that now sher ill keep putting them up for another while! If i disappear someday ye will know I'm gone broke!!:D

Slates

Jollyman wrote: »

Thanks for that slates, just curious as to why you would not recommend the rubber slates, im sure Villian would like to know

What guarantees are given that the rubber slates are suitable for the Irish climate. Are the agrément certified ?

sydthebeat

http://www.athyecoslate.com/houseroof1.html

I think this is the rubber slate crowd.

must admit, theres no proof of any certification on their website, this always worries me.

odonoso

My Roofer start Monday and he is making good progress. When I saw the floor space in the attic I decided to put two velux on the back of my house. There is space for two rooms up there