Hi All,
Were thinking of building our own home this year and dont really know where to start.
I suppose were lucky to have our own site to build on, but will have to sell our current house at some stage.
1. Were thinking bugalow at the moment, but I wonder which is cheaper to build bungallow or two storey. We are thinking of building something about 2200 sq foot, 4 bedrooms.
2. Is there a site some where I can view existing plans or designs on.
3. As this would be a self build I'm wondering if someone would have a list of all the things that would need to be completed. A project plan basically. Is there any where I could get this informatiion.
Thanks
Perhaps you might take some time to read this just to get your head around some of the issues involved.
Key Post Self-Build FAQ
http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=126261
Should you decide to retain a competent building professional to design your home or help you to do so yourself, you might read this guide:
Key Post What to ask the architect at our first meeting
http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=131450
There is some excellent advice given by several regular posters therein<
Before you head implodes with all that information, you need to get some inspiration and form your thoughts.
A timber frame dormer bungalow can work out reasonably cheap to build, insulate, ventilate and seal.
Cheaper ot build roofs than walls and you get more value out of the money you sink into the ground by building two storey.
The slope of the roof means you don't maximise this, because the opper floor has a lesser footprint, but the traditional "looK" is a safer approach in terms of
- achieving the initial planning,
- living with it and
- later sell on
That having been said, its imporant not to get involved in a race to the bottom.
You can save on materials, but you often need to increase workmanship to reach the desired standard.
You can save on the prices of things, but you need the experience of good fitters and designers to choose the right things in the first place.
You can source cheap components but you need someone with a good head on their shoulders to put them together for you properly.
In terms of design, there are some really, really good firms out there now - some of which still haven't gone to the wall.
Many of these have their own websites and there are several magazine sites which can give you great ideas and introduce you into the design debate.
http://constructireland.ie/
http://www.archiseek.com/
http://www.selfbuild.ie/
On the design front, the work of ODOS archtiects may be familiar to some from the property supplements and I include a list of some of the more upfront moderns for your review.
http://www.odosarchitects.com/
http://www.fklarchitects.com/
http://www.a2.ie/
http://www.box.ie/
I'm not endorsing or recommending any of the above links except the
Key Posts above - take note that the FAQ a work in progress and intended as a helping guide, not definitive as such.
You should also have a good read in this forum and others to get a good overview of the issues many other self-builders have faced.
Finally when you get your head together on what you want there are places on AAM where you can seek recommendations for tradesmen and so forth.
HTH
ONQ.
[broken link removed]
All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.