You can see it, you’re on the final road to your new home, just a few more things to figure out before you break ground. Before continuing with your project, it’s absolutely critical to make certain you have the appropriate consents to build including planning permission, building control approval and any special permissions. It’s also a good idea to get the right contracts, warranties and insurance in place, to protect your investment. Your contractor might already hold insurance policies but it’s important to take out your own specialist self-build insurance.
Preparing your plot is the first step in actually getting your project underway and preparing the site for the building work. Sorting the groundworks like clearing vegetation, levelling the plot, if need be and accurately setting out the trenches – your main contractor can deal with this stage as well as drainage and the foundation pour.
An exciting time for new home builders is setting up the structural bones or shell of your house. There are two construction methods most self-builders choose between for their project, both of which are pretty much the same as far as costs are concerned. Brick and block is the traditional and familiar favorite, while timber frame is great for quick, predictable construction schedules. There are many other systems available so it’s worth researching whether these might better suit your project. They include structural insulated panels and insulating concrete formwork. Your home building project will fall into five stages, broadly speaking – getting the house wind and weather tight with the roof on, windows and doors in. The first fix, as in the initial services, structural carpentry and plastering work. The second fix, work carried out after plastering, foundation work and the final decoration.
With building work complete and the interiors finished, you’ll be more than ready to move into your dream home. Before it’s really all said and done, there’s just a couple of things to lock down – like obtaining the completion certificate from building control and ensuring any small issues are dealt with.
You have now reached the end of your self-build journey and there’s only one thing left to do – enjoy your new home!
