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in Direct labour tasks, Direct labour vs main contractor, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Insurance and warranty cover, News

Self-build dreams shattered due to lack of insurance

DIY self-builders who plan to build with anything but blockwork are struggling to get insurance. Síofra Ní Chonluain and Mark McHugh’s decision to self-build was in large part driven by their desire to build themselves an affordable, eco friendly home. “We chose a factory made timber frame system that is exceptionally energy efficient, made by Scandinavian […] More

by Astrid Madsen May 16, 2021, 3:30 pm
in Ask the Expert, Budget & Financing, Construction drawings, Cost savers, Cost Series, Direct labour tasks, Insulation and airtightness: Watchpoints, Pre design, SB+ TV

Ask the Expert: keeping costs down on site

Ask the Expert – Brian Corry of Selfbuild+ chats with self-build expert John Corless about how to keep on top of costs on site. They discuss the need to have a budget and a schedule in place, as any deviation from these will lead to delays/additional costs in making right. A quanitity surveyor will help […] More

by Selfbuild Live May 12, 2021, 11:03 am
in Advice, Appointing a main contractor, Choosing an architectural designer, Direct labour tasks, Direct labour vs main contractor, Getting started on site

Hiring Self-Build Skilled Tradespeople

The contribution made by self-build tradespeople is essential to the success of any self-build project, so who does what and when? Even if you plan to use your skills to build your house, you will need to hire some specialist tradespeople – at the bare minimum the regulations stipulate you have to hire a qualified […] More

by Leslie O'Donnell February 15, 2021, 12:00 pm
in Advice, Construction overview, Direct labour tasks, First fix: Watchpoints, Getting started on site, On site, Second fix: Watchpoints

Miscommunication

Gavin McKibbin is a builder by trade who specialises in renovations and extensions, and he built his own house in Co Down, project managing it from start to finish. Here he shares his tips and advice based on his personal experience as he came up against some common self-build pitfalls. Being in the building trade […] More

by Gavin McKibbin January 18, 2021, 3:51 pm
in Appointing a main contractor, Ask the Expert, Direct labour tasks, Getting started on site, SB+ TV

Getting Started on Site: Main Contractor vs. Direct Labour

Main contractor v direct labour – Self-build advisor John Corless runs through the pros and cons of hiring one person to take charge of the entire building process versus hiring individual companies and tradesmen to do the work for you. Favourite More

by Selfbuild Live December 8, 2020, 10:18 am
in Appointing a main contractor, Budget & Financing, Building control: completion certificate (NI only), Certificate of compliance, Choosing an architectural designer, Construction drawings, Construction overview, Conveyancing, Cost savers, Design, Direct labour tasks, Direct labour vs main contractor, Final stage payment for mortgage, Getting started on site, Health & Safety: Appoint PSCS/PC, Insurance and warranty cover, On site, Planning red flags, Podcast, Pre design, Quality control inspections, SB+ Podcasts, Securing planning permission, Signing off, Site access, Site assessment, Snag lists and retention if main contractor, Working out your requirements

Ep 11 – Self-build process overview

Episode 11: John Corless is Ireland’s leading independent self-build advisor and the host of the Selfbuild Live Bootcamp. We caught up with him at Selfbuild Live Belfast to give us a bird’s eye view of the self-build process. Topics covered: Favourite More

by Site Support September 16, 2020, 2:34 pm
in Direct labour tasks, Getting started on site, SB+ Podcasts

Ep 9 – Bespoke design for Co Laois family home

Episode 9: Instagrammers Gillian and Seamus Brennan share the ups and downs of building their own home, from the design stage to furnishing it with upcycled furniture. Follow them on Instagram @hanselhousedesign Favourite More

by Site Support September 16, 2020, 12:25 pm
in Advice, Direct labour tasks, Extension/Renovation Advice, Getting started on site

Construction waste: skip it or bring it to landfill?

Building or extending a house generates a lot of waste, in the form of solids, liquids or sludges, all of which will cost money to dispose of. The first step therefore is to design waste out of your construction drawings, writes structural engineer and architectural designer Les O’Donnell. Whose job is it to dispose of […] More

by Leslie O'Donnell July 13, 2020, 12:44 pm
in Bungalow, Cost Under 200, Direct labour tasks, Extension/Renovation Projects, Extensions & Renovations, Getting started on site, Munster, Projects, Timber Frame

Top tips for renovating an old cottage

A cottage renovation doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated, as Ray O’Foghlu learned on his project in Co Clare. Self-builder Ray O’Foghlu bought and renovated an old property in Co Clare. He shares what he learned along the way, including: A few years ago, sick of renting I decided to buy a small property. […] More

by Ray O'Foghlu January 9, 2020, 1:49 pm
in Advice, Direct labour tasks, Getting started on site, Other key structural decisions, Pre design

Builder’s providers in Ireland

Regardless of the size of your project, builder’s providers will help you find what you need, cost the materials and in some cases, even provide design services. In this article we cover: What is a builder’s provider or builder’s merchant, and where to find one Choosing the right builder’s provider Services offered by different builder’s […] More

by Astrid Madsen June 6, 2019, 3:34 pm
2 Comments
in Advice, Basics, Building control: completion certificate (NI only), Direct labour tasks, Getting started on site, Signing off

Self-build VAT guide

Self-builders building new in NI are exempt from paying Value Added Tax, but not those based in ROI. Here are the details. VAT in the Republic Of Ireland Sites In the case of sites and one-off housing, the VAT treatment is dependent on whether or not the site is developed, and whether or not it is […] More

by Andrew Stanway August 14, 2017, 3:17 pm
in Direct labour tasks, Getting started on site, News

Paying tradesmen cash-in-hand seems widespread in NI

With an uptake in building and renovation activity, research by plentific.com shows that the black economy could be alive and well with 45 per cent of NI adults admitting to having paid a tradesman in cash to get a cheaper deal. Plentific is a website that allows homeowners to find and pay tradesmen online; the […] More

by Astrid Madsen July 27, 2017, 2:53 pm