Thought I would give myself a motivational boost and start my build thread! This all started with a self build dream many years ago. Couldn’t find any land, then in 2012 the wife found an estate sale she loved. I looked at it and didn’t like it. She went for it and I left her to it, paying no attention. It was only after she acquired it that I paid it any attention. That’s when I realised it’s potential. I saw it as knock down job and she saw it as a doer upper. The rest is history.
Was in planning nearly 2 yrs. originally intended to have a basement. Now that would have been really cool was intending to have the kitchen, dining, gym and cini down there. that bit but nothing else got approval. Then had to redraw, consult and resubmit with eventual approval being granted. But darn thing during all this I discovered a massive 300mm public foul sewer running through the middle of the site serving best part of 3 or 400 houses. I knew that was a game changer and would cause problems. The wife said just get on with it.....so I did.
Fast forward to a 14 month wrangle with the utilities co. Got there in the end but took an age.
All the while that was going on my wife had the old boy taken down for nowt and had most of it salvaged. Canny lady.
Then I spent far too many weekends atop of diggers and dumpers, uprooting massive trees, levelling off, excavating 1.5mm deep of ground, turning diggers over on their side, and in the road! 20 plus wagon loads of spoil, as half as many again of MOT (stone/hardcore). Not stopped since.
Been at it 7 years come 13/2/20 with some help from a couple of really decent lads periodically who I have been able to call on over the last 4 years to help with heavy lifting, unloading artics, and assisting with aspects of the build.
The ground works took me over a year and half. Built an insulated raft foundation with about 9 ton of rebar. Her in doors kindly helped me tie all that together! Never lets me forget it.
The build proper about 2 1/2 years. Topped off August 18 with the roof finished. Since then been heavily insulating the roof, wiring the top floor, boarding out (drywall). Took way longer than I thought it would.
Whilst all the time spending 8 months wrangling with window materials supplier when a fabricator ripped me off and did me for 10k.
Managed to secure my material end Sept 19. Last 3 1/2 months I’ve spent fabricating and fitting my own windows - turned the living room into my engineering works!
Sigh! Many times when I thought I wouldn’t make it (don’t tell her in doors) but grit and determination won the day.
Was in planning nearly 2 yrs. originally intended to have a basement. Now that would have been really cool was intending to have the kitchen, dining, gym and cini down there. that bit but nothing else got approval. Then had to redraw, consult and resubmit with eventual approval being granted. But darn thing during all this I discovered a massive 300mm public foul sewer running through the middle of the site serving best part of 3 or 400 houses. I knew that was a game changer and would cause problems. The wife said just get on with it.....so I did.
Fast forward to a 14 month wrangle with the utilities co. Got there in the end but took an age.
All the while that was going on my wife had the old boy taken down for nowt and had most of it salvaged. Canny lady.
Then I spent far too many weekends atop of diggers and dumpers, uprooting massive trees, levelling off, excavating 1.5mm deep of ground, turning diggers over on their side, and in the road! 20 plus wagon loads of spoil, as half as many again of MOT (stone/hardcore). Not stopped since.
Been at it 7 years come 13/2/20 with some help from a couple of really decent lads periodically who I have been able to call on over the last 4 years to help with heavy lifting, unloading artics, and assisting with aspects of the build.
The ground works took me over a year and half. Built an insulated raft foundation with about 9 ton of rebar. Her in doors kindly helped me tie all that together! Never lets me forget it.
The build proper about 2 1/2 years. Topped off August 18 with the roof finished. Since then been heavily insulating the roof, wiring the top floor, boarding out (drywall). Took way longer than I thought it would.
Whilst all the time spending 8 months wrangling with window materials supplier when a fabricator ripped me off and did me for 10k.
Managed to secure my material end Sept 19. Last 3 1/2 months I’ve spent fabricating and fitting my own windows - turned the living room into my engineering works!
Sigh! Many times when I thought I wouldn’t make it (don’t tell her in doors) but grit and determination won the day.
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