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Ask The Trades › DIY Forum › Building Questions › Workload for a Novice

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Workload for a Novice (Read 10467 times)

theswimmerswimming

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Re: Workload for a Novice
Reply #17 - Feb 14^th, 2006, 11:20am

Thanks for all your comments, from those who suggest stearing clear completely to those who have had successes themselves.

I am curious, how someone like me could get started. "Thescruff", you said you did the whole lot, but where did you find out how to go about completing the drawings, and then what the building regs say about depth of foundations etc

Any comments greatfully received

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thescruff

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Re: Workload for a Novice
Reply #18 - Feb 14^th, 2006, 6:15pm

theswimmerswimming.

Unfortunately the regs make what I did vertually impossible.

I have worked in the building trade for nearly 47 years first for a jobbing builder where I did my citb craft certificates in plumbing.
When he retired I work for a large building company as a plumber before running my own plumbing and heating company for 35 years.
Drawing are easy when you know enough about the building trade, I actually scribbled mine on a few sheets of A3 and stuck them in for approval, then I made an appointment with the building officer and went through them with him, and he told me the bits to include and alter, get to know yours he will be very helpful.

After that you just dig away untill you get to something solid, and the guy comes out and inspects them, ok you pour the concrete, or dig a bit more if he wants you too.

After that scalpings and a wacker for the oversite, dust with sand, 1000g plastic membrane, and concrete the oversite, laying bricks/blocks is easy if you take your time, windows and doors you can make a wooden frame for removal later it's important to get them right at this stage.

Roof I have A level woodwork from college, tiling is just a question of deviding the roof into rows, valley's I'm a plumber so lead is very easy.

And having said all that the regs wouldn't allow me to do a retake legally that is.

Scaffolding you cannot do, windows and doors have to be approved, pitching roofs a no go unless your a chippy, running around on roofs can be an occupational hazard, that the insurance co may not be happy about.

inside, no longer can you do electrical work unless you have the tickets, joinery is part of the end product so needs to look good, fitting gas boilers I would not recommend, plumbing is also part of the end product.

And anyone can swing a paint brush, but a good decorator at this stage provides the quality finish to all the trades.

hope that sort of helps if not ask away

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JerryD

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Re: Workload for a Novice
Reply #19 - Feb 14^th, 2006, 9:26pm

TSS, if you look at Scruff's post you'll see he has been in the building trade for 47 years. His two storey extension he built 26 years ago.

Therefore he had been in the building trade some 21 years before embarking on this extension!

You can gain quite a lot of knowledge in 21 years Wink

All jobs are easy if you know how to do them.

I build my current house (started 1981) and it is now quite large (extended about 4 times Grin

) but I had been in the trade for about 9 years prior to that, building houses for a developer so it was all easy-peasey really (just bloody hard work).

Doing these jobs yourself, with no technical knowledge, can lead to expensive mistakes. Nobody here can explain how to build an extension in a few posts. I could write 50 pages on foundations alone Grin

I'm not trying to put you (or anyone) off. Just making you aware of the many pitfalls that await the unwary.

I suggest (as my earlier post) getting the structural shell built professionally and you finish the inside. (still got to be done correctly though)

I cannot see how a builder you might use would be able to get you to do anything for him that would save him time or money. Just shifting a few bricks or sweeping up does not save any money! How could you dig the foundations? Can you operate a mini digger? Sounds easy but if the trench ends up a foot wider all round because of poor digging you will have actually have spent MORE by doing it yourself due to more muck-away + more concrete needed. If you accidently ripped out a drain or water main or telecom cable or gas pipe or electric incomer, would you know what to do and how to fix it?

Once you're out of the ground all work will be seen so it has to be done properly. Saving a few quid doing bits yourself may backfire if it all looks awful, it could actually de-value your house.

I've seen so many DIY disasters over the years that I sometimes even think 'How the hell are you ever going to sell this house with that xyz' They've saved themselves a few hundred pounds initially but now it all has to be ripped out.

Have a nice day Grin

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HandyJon

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Re: Workload for a Novice
Reply #20 - Feb 16^th, 2006, 11:02pm

[quote author=thescruff link=1126096360/15#18 date=1139940945]Scaffolding you cannot do [/quote]

Unless you get a propritrary (sp?) tower scaffolding system. But they have limitations.

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windows and doors have to be approved

Only in terms of double glazing and that doesn't stop you DIYing it and getting BC to check it out. FENSA is only about the DG unit's being up to spec, not the actual installation of the windows. They could fall out the day after installation but they would still meet FENSA specs.

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pitching roofs a no go unless your a chippy

You do need to get it right, but the architect should have produced the plans to show everything. Waste wood might be a bit high though. You could cheat and do like many other builders and get a trussed roof.

Quote:

running around on roofs can be an occupational hazard, that the insurance co may not be happy about.

Get the insurance, it will still be necessary for the whole site anyway.

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inside, no longer can you do electrical work unless you have the tickets

You can still DIY, but you'll need to tell your local BC beforehand and get them to check it out.

Quote:

joinery is part of the end product so needs to look good

If you'requite good with wood then try it. If you can't even cut a straight line with a saw then don't bother. Only you know how good you are and what you're capable of doing.

Quote:

fitting gas boilers I would not recommend, plumbing is also part of the end product.

But you can do the wet parts of the CH system and the DHW side.

Quote:

And anyone can swing a paint brush, but a good decorator at this stage provides the quality finish to all the trades.

Don't get a painting party in to finish it off. Drunk people trying to paint is not a good idea.

And if anything, before you start anything read read and read again. Get books, read the net, ask anyone and everyone. Think it all out beforehand, then go though the motions as if doing it to get it right in your mind, then think again, then try it out before doing it for real.

After I've said all this, in your case swimmer I would still get a builder into to do the work. The best time to learn is before you do a major job like an extension. What you can do, and this will help any builder, is to tidy up every evening. Clean out all the rubbish, make sure the materials they need are in place ready for them and make sure nothing is in their way.

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theswimmerswimming Junior Member Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 5 Total Thanks: 0 For This Post: 0	Re: Workload for a Novice Reply #21 - Feb 17^th, 2006, 8:25am Thanks again for all your comments. I will do as suggested and go and read everything I can get my hands on. Kind regards Adrian
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