moving from the states and building house.

Hi all ! Origionally from Leitrim but have lived here for the past 20 years I along with my family [wife and 4 kids] are in process of moving back to Ireland and I have some questions regarding building a home.
I am selling my primary home here and should have $300,000 euros clear I am keeping an apartment building here in new jersey for the time being.I will be moving to Donegal town area , I have a site [free from family member] and would like to self build .My plan is to use block but to frame with 4"x2" all exterior walls , insulate and drywall , some of the work I will do myself.
I just came back from Ireland yesterday and one common problem seems to be getting the subcontractors to the site, is this a common experience?
Also I am looking at a 2700 sq ft home contractor prices have ranged from $189,000 - 300000 dpending on the level of finish ie will I put my own cabinets in? will I get my own plumber ect ect,
What I am looking for is maybe a guestimate from fellow self builders as to say what did the plumbing cost you and what did the wiring cost you ,blockwork ect.

Thanks

Re: moving from the states

Hi Irish Rebel,

Welcome to AAM.

Great to hear you are returning home and hope everything works out for the family. Lovely spot to be going to live. Whilst on holidays in fair Donegal I have heard many of the locals complain about it being nigh on impossible to get subcontractors to start never mind finish jobs!

You will most likely get some advice here but there are a few sites that might help:

www.iaosb.com
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http://self-build-in-ireland.blogspot.com/

If you run the search option on AAM you will find plenty more threads/advice on the same subject.

Best of luck with the building/move.

just in the middle of a self build and so far not one tradesman has let us down we were very clear from the start as in eveybody got only two phonecalls for quotes and you could get a feeling from there replies whether you were dealing with a messer or not. Electrics, which include a lot of extra wiring for a wind turbine is €7700. Plumber, which does not include a boiler is €9000. this is for 2200sq ft timber frame. any thing else you need to know, just ask as i dont think you are building to far away.

I just completed an extension/renovation not too far from Donegal town. My experiences with subcontractors varied hugely. Roofers and electricians were excellent; plasterers, UF heating company (though not cheap) disappointing; plumber just OK, and so on. I suppose that's typical enough. But the job took a good 6-9 months longer than expected and cost a lot more.

That's a big price range from contractors, but the top end is conceivable based on my experience and not necessarily way out of whack with typical Donegal build rates.

Blockies were looking for about a euro a block, labour only, by the way -- if you could get a blocklayer. I was using nontypical materials and the local blocklayers were not interested.

I can recommed an excellent electrican - really the only subcontractor I had I would receommend on reliability, work quality AND price. Don't want to name him here, but you can PM me if you want info. The guy has a good crew and is up to date with latest developments.

Good luck with your build. Happy to advise on anything via PM.

Have you got planning permission yet, by the way?

The Irish Association of Self-Builders' website might be useful to you.

http://www.iaosb.com/