The Self Builder’s blog

I suppose there’s never a good time to leave a self-build project alone for a week.

However as it seemed to take an age to get this one going, and at times, it felt impossible to predict when it might start, so I thought it fairly safe to book a short ski trip.

This trip is now upon me and it really has come at a critical point in the build process.

We’re nearing the end of, what I would call, phase one.  That is the completion of the shell of the property, which in turn means I have to place orders or instructions for the fitting out of the project.

Prices are still coming in, and will continue to, in spite of my temporary absence.

It isn’t obvious to me at this point which route to go down.  Should I continue on a more expensive yet less troublesome route, or should I now take the reigns on every single detail?

Hopefully the few days away will give me some time to reflect and maybe generate a plan to act through.

I also hope to come back to a shiny, well, granulated, tiled roof, a week today.

The batteries on the calculator will also get a week to recharge, and with all sorts of prices due in, they’ll be need it.

With the generous assistance of my father, I’ve tried to run this self-build project to the tightest of tight budgets. 

A dangerous game from reading around the subject, but really a necessary, well, a necessary if I want to actually live in this place.  

We spent a lot of time on the budget, mainly because we had it.  It took several months to get amended planning permission and there was precious little else to do while the planners did their work, other than run things through a calculator. 

There was at least three heads involved in the budgeting, and we used three very different methods.   

Two scientific, one from my quantity surveying background sibling, and the other from a collective of research and quotations, compiled by my father. 

Mine was not quite done on the back of a fag packet, I don’t smoke.  But I used the approximate square foot cost, for build quality, route, and area.  Multiplied by the actual size of the proposed dwelling. 

All three came out within a whisker of one another. 

So the budget was set, and our major concern was getting out of the ground, as we thought we had control of all the rest. 

A builder’s quote arrived to give us the shell of the house, roughly to the budget we had set, and with the exact materials we wanted to use. 

We held our breath for any nasty ground discoveries, but instead were delighted to here that the ground was of sound quality – the builder even referred to it as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of ground. Thus, as the house nears the end of the shell status, we thought we were on to hit our budget, or in the very least in control of it.  

Quotes are in, and some are higher than we expected, but we can find alternatives and different methods to hit budgets.  But one of the biggest shocks was an quotation to connect into the sewer system. 

We’d almost forgot about this quote, especially as the other services, including water connection, had quoted so quickly and been paid for. 

As there is a sewer man hole approximately two metres from the end of my new drive, we confidently left a contingency of £1,500 in.  We thought about the middle ground after reading the brilliant home builders bible. 

However, our friends at the water board think differently, and didn’t really want to even justify the exorbitant cost, which is nearer to £10,000.   

‘If you don’t like it you can use someone else, you’ve already paid for an inspection.’ 

And use somebody else, we shall – especially if I want a granite work surface in the kitchen, or even a kitchen for the granite to sit on.

When I say, or type, away, what I actually mean is - forming the major support of the roof structure over the master bedroom.

It was quite a sight to see.  One huge crane, and two huge beams being hoisted into their new home.

What was more amusing was watching the conglomerate of people directing traffic safely around the crane, and the builders trying to sign instructions to the I-know-what-I’m-doing crane driver.   I wish I’d had my camcorder with me, instead I just have a few pictures of the crane and beams going up.  But an event I’m glad I witnessed.

I’d seen the beams arrive last week, and did wonder how they would be lifted into position.  The ever-the-optimist builder had suggested the men were strong enough to lift them into position.  They even tried.  But when the site forklift couldn’t even lift the beams from the ground, he was forced into a glass-half-full position.

This feature is one I must thank my architect for.  When I stressed concern that I thought the master bedroom having a lower pitched-in roof, would not be giving me normal clearance, I’d asked if we could have trusses that had higher cross supports, so the ceiling could be higher.

He said “of course, you can have what you want - but I’d do this.”

And do this, I’ve done.  The builders were perplexed at why I’d gone down this route, rather than the one I’d described.  But then again, I must thank the architect for having someone to blame.

They all agreed though, that once the beams were in, they look magnificent, and that it will  be a fabulous feature for this bedroom.

My only concern is that, as these beams are so substantial, anyone looking at them would think - they have to be fake, who would go to the bother of putting them there?  The builders each gave me their mobile phone numbers for any such occasion, they said they’d be happy to confirm authenticity!

As the house actually takes shape, you can start to see where everything is going to go, and how big the rooms will actually be.

You also get a great idea of the view you will get from each window. 

Today I spotted a problem, or should I say, opportunity.

As the architect insisted that a sort-of galleried landing would give the house a much better feel upstairs, one was designed in.  A window was also added to allow natural light into this area.

At this early stage I’m starting to see what the man-with-the-plan meant.  The stairs would have just led to a series of doors, but this addition will mean they lead to a small area for a bookcase and chair, that all roads then lead from.

However when standing at the top of the mythical stairs, looking through the hole that will become a window, you look straight across at one of my neighbours’ bungalows.

Not a terrible view, but much worse than the other side of the house. 

There’s also the neighbour to consider.  And I’d rather not worry them thinking, I’ve got a view, right into their lives.

So, I could simply go frosted glass, but I think it would be better to have a unique, yet simple, stain glass design. One that really puts a personal stamp on this home.

Whilst not being renowned as a useful artist, I think this design should be simple enough to come from me.  I could consult Max’s nursery and see if they wanted to run a competition, but fear I would end up looking at some sort of dinosaur every morning.

Taking inspiration from the views from the other side of the house, I’ve scribbled the four very similar designs (pictured), I am leaning towards ‘D’ at the moment, but I’m sure I’m a way from a final design.

If I do plump for one of these designs or similar, maybe, just maybe, it will appease the neighbours, who at least will have some sort of open-aspect-view.

In what seems like no time at all, the house is ready for, the already delivered, roof trusses.

It seems amazing to me, how quickly the house has gone from being, essentially a field, to actually looking like a house.

Especially after the time it took, from buying the land with planning permission, and going through the protracted process of getting the inherited plans amended.

Friends and relatives of mine have recently had building works going on. And despite being fantastically well organised, it’s made me fully aware I’m going to be having more days, maybe even weeks, of inactivity, as trade people overlap and do their best Lord Lucan impressions.

For the time being it’s not quelling my growing excitement. However I’m sure my stress levels are about to go up, and with them, my frustration versus excitement will definitely be working on an inversely proportional scale.

I’ve had a lovely day today. I also had a special job to do. 

I’ve been given the job of looking after Pip, my nursery’s mascot. 

I promised her yesterday that I’d take her on the building site.  I’d also promised my friends at nursery that I’d take some pictures, so they could see me and Pip at my new house. 

So, off we went, after we’d been to playgroup this morning.  Pip came to that too.  I’d dressed Pip for playgroup but Daddy took her pink jumper off outside, as he said it would be warm enough inside for Pip, without it. 

Now, if my Daddy and I are extra careful on the building site, we can go up to the upstairs of our new house. We had Grandma Goose and Granddad Bad-Back with us today, so we had extra help to get up the ladders. 

Granddad went up first and Daddy passed me to him, Daddy then brought Pip up safely in his pocket. 

Pip loved my room, as do I.  Daddy took our picture, with a bit of help from Grandma.    

Daddy then held me up, and I held Pip, at my bedroom window.  Daddy pointed out several things from the window and then I told Pip what they were. I can even see my nursery from my bedroom window, how good is that? 

Pip liked the rest of the house, and I explained which room is which, and where everything is going to go.

I hope that Pip gets to come and stay with us once we move in, although Daddy said something about it hopefully not being at half-term next time. 

Now I have a first floor level, I can wander un-hindered, unless I happen to wander onto the stairs aperture, around the upstairs of our shaping up home. 

It gives a good idea of space upstairs, but now the gaps for the windows are in, you can see, what I hope to be looking at from the bedrooms for a long time, minus a pane of glass. 

The views are fantastic, virtually green all around, out of all the west elevation windows.  There’s a farm to take in, and what looks like a mobile phone transmitter in the distance.   

I think that looks ok, and may even add to the landscape, plus it makes me feel better - I’m not the only one blotting, or blocking, the local landscape. 

It’s an interesting point, that view will add huge value to me, but what price and well-being damage to those properties and tenants, respectively, around? 

Until the roof is actually on, and I can’t see how big the house will actually be, it’s difficult to work out how much of the neighbours’ views will become my house. 

It does seem very high, higher than the neighbours, not really sure what I expected.  

For now, I’m just chuffed I’ll have that wonderful view.  Long may it last.