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

trio1984 wrote: »

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Mod edit: Once is enough to post this.

jleavy wrote: »

Good Day All,
I'm a newbie (to the world of houses and building and stuff).

Right now I'm looking for all suggestions based on my key requirements:

I have land, 0.833 hectares or 2.058 acres on the OSI map (not in my name YET but its Mother to Son gift so should not be a problem I hope). The land is near Kells, Co. Meath.

I'm almost certain I'll go for timber frame, even if it costs more(?) and solar/wind. I am looking to build a single storey bungalow, 3bedrooms, 1 office, maybe gym/play room and a large bathroom.

Privately (via PM) I'd like to know any recommendations on a timber frame provider who perhaps you have experience of. Do I need my own architect or is it better to go with a architect from the timber frame company?

I know I need to think about planning and all that stuff before I go to a timber frame guy, but I need to get ball park figures to see if the banks will give me the backing I need.

Is there any Timber Frame or architectural trademarks I should look?

Money spent so far: €300 to get land seperated on to new OSI map. (rip off?)

EDIT: Do people normally put CAT5/6 cabling in houses?

First of all welcome to the forum.

The great debate of timber frame vs blocks & mortar still rages on and all Im saying is that Im a traditionalist and stick with the heavy stuff. Why I say that is that I dont really know what way the tf companies operate when it comes to engaging an architect. I imagine that most of them will have their own technicians/draughtsmen but its doubtful if they have architects although Im open to correction on that.

You will most likely need your own architect/engineer/technician for the planning process and then at construction stage you will need someone to supervise the construction, issue stage payment certs for mortgage and finally sign off on the project. Even if you dont have a mortgage you would be strongly advised to have someone there just to cover you for the future.

Most people now will put all cabling (cat5 etc) in at construction stage together with wiring for surround sound speakers etc (piped throughout the house even). Built in vacuam systems etc etc etc

€300 for a transfer map :eek: - I must shoot the fees up a bit

Thanks for asking that recommendations be sent via PM - saves me the bother of posting that.

Good luck with it all

Hi jendavnlillie

There are a number of threads about project delivery methods - it's almost a religious divide between the contractor method and direct labour.

One option you might consider is to do a shell build - i.e. you have a contractor to build you a watertight shell and then you do source and 2nd fix electrics, plumbing etc. yourself. You can vary what's in or out of the scope of the contractor.

My only advice would be that if you have no experience of building or construction you'll find the coordination aspects of the direct labour route very hard - based on the experiences of friends of ours. We did a shell build BTW.

Good luck.
SSE

Hello all. Compliments on all the information and experience shared here. We have full planning for a 320sq mtr modern style new home which we intend to start building in late march. We have been long time lurkers but feel it is time to put our case to the masses. All advice and comments will be appreciated and we will commit to sharing our progress to completion or the mental hospital, whichever comes first.:)

We intend to use 4" on the flat concrete block for all external and structural walls. All insulation will be external and this is our first question, what type. Phenolic board is the obvious but we are leaning towards a dry pumped wood based pulp in an external cavity formed using a type of insulating board fixed to spacing batten which will be appx 200 off the block. looking for u value .15 (hope I'm understood, pm me for details). The board will then be rendered/clad. We intend to retain a contractor for all site works, foundation and rising walls. We will not use UFH but 150mm kingspan in floor with powerfloated totally smooth finished floor (ground) before any rising walls start. We will spend appx 15k getting a kacheloven (tile oven biofire.ie type) from an austrian company as our primary space heat source and are totally at a loss what water/automatic heating to use. Want to go eco but am leaning towards oil (already have the boiler in existing house). Dont understand and cant afford Geo Therm. Investigated wind but although rural, on the side of a mountain, and really suitable (space wise) am not convinced they do what it says on the tin and worried about maintainence for moving parts. Like and believe in solar but feel i need a more on/off system on timer. Any thoughts on heat recovery ventilation systems, they seem to be the buzz word at the moment and I dont understand how they work

Roof will be built by same people as outsulation, german guys (pm for details) and to the same spec. Really trying for A2 rating but oil and love of open fire working against us. Plan is to build structure, roof it, window it ( timber framed, combnation double and triple glazed some argon some crypton filled glazed units, (I am in the business) delivering appx .9u value overall)). Objective is to achieve a seriously energy efficent house.

So would love comments especially on the single leaf outsulated structure, comon Syd I have read all your comments and so far big respeck! Elected to steer away from 215mm cavity block as worried about loadbearing for concrete first floor and confusion of using different types of block for structure. No internal wall insulation in order to maximise thermal mass,

Worries are about airtightness in block, correct selection for outsulstion, coldbridging from rising walls to foundation, heating system, steelite type lintles for big corner windows, (dont really like them and have not worked out how they will integrate with outsulation).

We are on a budget, a tight one and are trying to get structure built, sealed, plastered, cladded, insulated, and heatable (kacheloven) for about 200k. Then take a breather. Very clever and simple design, easy built easy roofed on a spectaluar site (pm for plans if interested)

It might be of note to mention that we are living on site in our existing house which will come down when we move in to the new house, so a major pressure is taken off us in the form of time and rent etc. Also elect and water on site;)

Hope not too much of a ramble but its where our heads are at,

Hi odonoso

Welcome to boards.

We have a concrete first floor with a wooden battened ceiling and p'board. It's battened down about 3 3/4 inches - note that this ISN'T enough for standard GU10 spot fittings if you want those.

There are other alternatives - I think there's a metal framework which you can use and you run your services in the void above. Don't have any details, sorry.

We have a concrete poured in-situ stairs. Quite an undertaking, signed-off by engineer etc. In time this will have oak treads on it.

blackiebest - HRV is an alternative to passive ventilation (trickle vents/wall vents). Warm, moist air is extracted from bathrooms, laundries and passed through a heat exchanger which transfers a %age of the heat to the incoming, fresh air which is piped to the living areas. Things to check - boost function for after showers etc., insulated ducting, summer option (no heat exchange). We have this too and it's great - moisture control, fresh air with little heat loss. These systems work better the more airtight your house.

SSE

i got a price for metal framework for a suspended ceiling.
i ended up putting in a floating timber ceiling (runner on each wall and then ran 4X2's across without it touching the hollowcore at 16inch centres).
it worked out to be two thirds of the cost of the metal suspended ceiling.
i have seen metal suspended ceilings and they can be very "wavey" looking as the metal is easily twisted or pushed up.

this may not be suitable for large spans but any chippie can check their load and span tables for max spans with certain sizes of timber.

Added engineers drawings for the basement specification to the blog, gives detail on foundations and steel list.

http://watergate-house.blogspot.com

Would it be worth uprating the insulation to 2 x 50mm ?

baud.

roots982 wrote: »

i am about to start my self build, also in roscommon, does anyone know why roscommon has such high council fees compared to most countys in the rest of the country

Have a look here and here

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

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!

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.

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 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.

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.