Self build cost cutting tips needed Northern Ireland

cluelessselfbuilder

Hi everyone,

We are about to (hopefully) put our house plans out to tender, however before we do this, we have to decide what kind of finishes we want for the house to get comparable tenders. Our house is 3390 sq feet (with a separate 527sq foot integrated double garage) - we haven't got any tenders yet however we think we can just about afford to finish this to an average standard, without an tarmac or landscaping, however we would love sliding sash uPCV windows and stone on the external garage walls, so we are looking for other areas we could reduce cost to account for these higher than average expenses. This (again hopefully) will be our house for life, so are totally happy to live in an unfinished house for a few years - all we really require right now is a kitchen, 1 bedroom and an en suite for the next while.

What areas would you not save money on given a tight budget? And what areas would a cheaper alternative cause no reduction in functionality of the house? We both work full time, but are keen to do as many bits ourselves as is sensible, like painting, tiling etc to reduce cost.

Am I better to source windows, bathrooms and kitchens etc myself and arrange someone to fit them, or would i get them cheaper through the building contractor (who presumably will get trade prices) and have them fit it while on site?

All suggestions gratefully received!!

martinsurrey

One thing I would stress, don't underestimate how long it will take if you do anything yourself.

Just painting, you'll need to to a mist coat, then an undercoat, then one or two top coats (depending on what paint/colour you use).

3300 sq ft is 300sqm, at an average of 5X5m rooms (large) and 2.4m ceilings that's 876sqm of wall to be painted 3 or 4 times, and 240 linear m of skirting (again 2-3 coats).

Working full and doing it evening and weekends time you'd be at it for months.

Furts

The fundamentals on building are where simple cost savings may be possible. Are you timber frame or cavity walled. or on a kit, or what? All will vary in price.

Are you slate, clay or concrete for the roof covering? All will vary in price?

Are you rendered external leaf or face brickwork. If bricks the costs vary widely depending on what you desire. If you rainscreen the costs shoot up.

What are you doing regarding eco, energy efficiency and sustainability? Then whatever you do, is the cost justified? Are the products any good in the real world?

Basically, if areas such as these have not been considered then you are not ready for tenders and you are also doing yourself a huge injustice.

Then look at the broader picture. You are building a huge home that will sell for a substantial sum of money. Put yourself in the position of a future purchaser. Would wealthy folks be happy with your home when there are blatant areas of cost saving? Remember a fundamental. Expensive, large, bespoke homes get finished to high spec standards. High spec standards cost serious sums of money.

ST1991

In cutting costs i would make sure the building itself is finished to a good standard, and that you live with average furniture.

Buy a second hand kitchen.
Look for bathroom fixtures that are end-of-line or end of season.
Do the painting yourself
You may be able to save money by getting the flooring done all in one go (labor wise), or looking for offcuts of quality carpet.

System

If this is a long term family home, invest in the structure of the building and insulation. These are things you will never upgrade. Windows/Doors can be upgraded or changed easily, as can kitchens/bathrooms/floor finishes etc.
With a limited pot of money you need to put it in the right places, if you want something like underfloor heating, remember that will limit (somewhat) your floor finishes.
It also depends on what your aspirations are - I've done a couple of houses where they've used plywood finishes internally, rather than painted plasterboard, taking a wet trade like plastering out can save a good amount, but it's not for everyone (it can also be replaced with plasterboard in the future too!)
Don't spec downlighters absolutely everywhere, think about the quality of light you want in spaces before adding hundreds of dots to the drawing, light fittings are another thing that can be upgraded later but if you think you might want additional lights you can leave cables in walls and ceilings to be picked up later

There's a huge percentage of self builders who end up with unfinished parts of the house, no skirting boards and that kind of thing, but just make sure you get it to a point where it's habitable and add finishing touches later if budget doesn't allow.