After you’ve secured planning permission and got your construction drawings sorted, there are thing to do before you start on site.
In this article we cover:
- What to have in place before you start on site
- Overview of what to expect
- Homeowner responsibilities
There’s no point rushing head first to, er… break ground. The bottom line is, you will save time and money if you have everything organised before you start building the house per se. Our comprehensive checklist starts on page 96 but here’s a bird’s eye view.
Notify the authorities
Once you know who’s building the house, you’ll need to let the authorities know what you’re doing. You’ll already have planning permission but you will also need to secure both building control approval, (commencement notice in ROI and building control application in NI), and carry out your health and safety obligations.
Cover yourself and others
There is no legal obligation to take out insurance for your self build project, but your lender is likely to make it a condition of your mortgage. The cost is reasonable for what you get in exchange which is peace of mind knowing that were a claim filed against you, even from a trespasser, your insurer will cover it.
It’s important to note that self-builders, as the owners, have responsibility for the site and what happens on it. Due diligence from you, even if you hire a builder, is necessary – that is, take every precaution to ensure the site is safe and abides to current regulations.
The main insurance products to take out are public liability, fire and theft, all of which is commonly bundled in what’s known as self-build insurance.
Getting set up
Digs: You’ll need to have somewhere to live, which can be tricky when you’re looking at a renovation project. Needless to say, every month you pay rent is a direct cost to add to the project.
What needs to be on site: To get the work going, you will need to find out what services are needed (you’re likely to need water but not necessarily electricity) and what equipment the trades, or your builder, require. Ask them well in advance for a list. For anything that needs to be hired, it’s best practice to have the trades or builder supply what they need. However things like scaffolding may or may not be included in the contracts so always check in advance.
Access: The site will need to be accessible, i.e. lorries need to be able to make their way to the building site. This can involve thousands of euros/pounds in site clearance and fill costs. You’ll need to make sure the site is secured – this could mean fencing. You’ll need somewhere dry to lock up your tools and store deliveries – this could be nearby but anything that’s too far will mean transport to and from that location.
Health and safety: As the building owner, this is an important area to keep on top of; basic requirements include having toilet facilities (portaloo), signage as well as making provisions for site safety, e.g. around excavations and anything that involves height. Falls are the leading cause of injuries.
Daily upkeep: You’ll also need to deal with waste and general upkeep; making sure the site is
tidy will go a long way towards keeping it both safe and efficient. You’ll need to have all of this organised and ready before you start on site.
A big part of the job will be keeping on top of orders and what needs to be on site to keep things moving; trades may not necessarily keep track or let you know in advance. If someone shows up on the day and there aren’t the tools or materials they need, you’ll be paying them to do little to no work.
Who’s going to build the house?
The decision to manage the project yourself will already have been taken, and if you are going direct labour, you’ll need to get your trades lined up. If you’re getting a builder, you’ll need to go to tender and appoint a main contractor, all of which will take time.
Most self-builders who choose to hire a main contractor to oversee all the work on their self-build project will go to tender, unless they are sure of who they will be hiring.
A standard tender process should be well structured and will generally be made up of a number of stages. These include the tender documentation, selecting the list of tenders (the builders you are going to ask to submit a price), carrying out the tender analysis, post tender negotiation and lastly, final selection and contractor.
Selfbuild Journey Stage 4: Getting started on site
The fourth stage of your self-build journey is organised as follows:
Building Control: Register your project
Health & Safety: Appoint PSCS/PC
Insurance and warranty cover
Appointing a main contractor
Direct labour tasks
Before you start to dig
Living arrangements
