Motorhome Facts Forum banner

Self Building a Bungalow.

8K views 114 replies 18 participants last post by  patp 
#1 ·
Just wondered if we had any self builders on here?

We have been lucky enough to secure planning permission to build a bungalow on our land. We are very excited!

A little background is that we sold some land to a developer but saved enough, next to us, in case we wanted to build to sell in the future. Much to our surprise the planners were not happy with putting one next to us and suggested it would be better behind our cottage. Well knock me down with a feather! For years they had refused any attempts for people to "backfill" houses in our village. Now they are telling us to put one there and they will recommend it for approval. And it got approved!

Chris and I are hoping to project manage it ourselves. He is a time served plumber and can turn his hands to most things. Of course these things must be within his physical capabilities now.
We have renovated three old properties and he and our daughter built a large extension to her bungalow.

The plans have been returned to the architect for some tweaking so that the main living rooms face South and West (why do architects fail to do this?).

I am not a fan of en suite bathrooms so have asked for that to be removed from the original plan. What do others think? The bathroom will be next door to the master bedroom just not in it.

It will be a three bedroom bungalow. I have asked for a dining room rather than any kitchen/diner or lounge/diner type layout.

There should also be a large boot/mud room with a wash down facility for the ever muddy Spaniel!
 
See less See more
#91 ·
Liz built her own house, sounds like nothing has changed Pat.
 
#92 ·
Quite so Kev. The only thing that has changed is the Health and Safety and ever tighter Building Control regulations.
I was explaining to my brother in the States, where their houses are nearly all timber framed and get erected in no time at all, about the culture of tradesmen running several jobs at the same time. There are builds around here that, for cost reasons, are much more delayed than ours. Having lived here for nigh on 40 years we know lots of people who know lots of people. We are also lucky to be able to live in a house while we are doing the build. If my brother had not lent us some money then we would be moving into the fifth wheel about now.
 
#93 ·
Liz was still married but separated when we met, they wanted to sell the self build, and buy two new houses sans mortgage, then the smelly stuff hit the fan, the house had not been signed off, so we then had to upgrade it to current regs which meant fireproof doors and having to isolate the huge loft (bedroom) fortunately I was a bit handy then so we built a partition wall and put a standard door in it, I then got some bloody expensive fireproof paint and did all the doors, never again, a absolute cow to apply with undercoat, and a finish like 80 grit. Still it did sell eventually at 200k less than the original estate agents estimate, it was 2010 and prices went through the floor, but we did get enough to buy a couple of decent properties out of it, skint now though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: patp
#95 ·
Hope we will avoid all that in a bungalow Kev!! Architect has put three windows in the main bedroom so we should be able to exit one of them somehow. The roof has been designed to be non habitable too so that should save us money on fire regs.
 
#94 ·
#96 ·
Thanks Gordon. It is already in an electricity meter type box but that is fixed to a pole in the middle of the site. The inspector who visited recently said it could be knocked over so told us to move it. We are now thinking that we could affix the box to the perimeter fence where it should be safe.

We have just driven all the way to Northrepps to look at a cheap caravan only to find it completely wedged between two trees!! No warning from the seller that it might be a two man job to fell a couple of trees! Cheeky b*** wanted us to go in the dark last night and then argued over an offer we made saying only if we transferred the money to his account before even seeing it! I have just put a wanted addvert out locally. If no joy will just fix it to the fence.
 
#97 ·
Well, as some may know, you can't lay bricks if it is raining as the mortar gets washed out. Neither can you lay bricks in temperatures below 4 deg C. So, what weather have we had for the past couple of months? Biblical amounts of rain is the answer, and the weather now seems about to change to - you got it - frosts!

For this Eastern region the rain has been unbelievable. Flooding is causing disruption and even entering property in places. All hell has broken out in the village because a local farmer, having allowed contractors to harvest potatoes and bugger up his land drains, caused flooding of gardens. One of those gardens has the amenity of a bore hole sunk down to release pressured water from an artesian well. When it was drilled it was not capped properly and leaks copious amounts of water along ditches to the rea of several properties and into our large natural pond. No one, except us, usually notices the water running through the ditch until the farmer needed to clear the ditch and the bore hole is blocking him doing it successfully.

The bore hole owners, a pair of retired doctors, refuse point blank to do anything about their leaking bore hole. We haven't minded up to now as it is nice to see and hear running water even though the wildlife find the water a little too cold for them.

I have a serious question now - would you buy a house with a stream running through it into a large natural pond? We will have to sell at some point and wonder whether to sell with the stream and pond or whether to fence it in with our new bungalow. We would have to maintain the pond into our old age though.
 
#98 · (Edited)
No would be my choice Pat. Seen too many flooded homes.

Just round the corner from you Pat our niece.


Ray.
 
#99 ·
Me, too, Ray but when the developers were planning the new builds next to us I heard one of them say " I would love to buy a property with a stream running through it". He was over ruled, however, because they ended up piping the stream right up to our boundary where it emerges in all its glory. When we had the house on the market a few years ago we were stopped by someone visiting their family who said "oh you live in the cottage with the stream running through!" as though they had been attracted to it (on paper). So, I suppose, it is horses for courses in the end.
 
#100 ·
Just a quick update.

The roof trusses are going up. Yay! I always assumed a roofer did that but, no, it is a carpenter. Bit scary to watch as they clamber about the rafters like monkeys. Once they have completed their part of the job, which includes the fascias and soffits, the actual roofer will come and put the felt on. The place will then be able to dry out. The tiles will be next and, once the scaffolding comes down, the windows can go in. Can't wait!

Bit of drama when Chris slipped, while pushing a barrow load of bricks, and pitched head first, across the barrow and cracked his head on a stack of bricks. I watched it all happen from the window, as I was waiting for him to come in for a cuppa. I waited for him to move and he didn't. I turned to run out to him but checked to see if he had moved but he was still motionless across the barrow. Wellies on and sprinted as fast as the mud would allow but he was up by the time I got there. Phew! He swears he was not KO'd. He says he was just laying there assessing the damage and saying something beginning with F over and over again!

He has two small cuts above his eye and a real cracker of a black eye but is otherwise fine. It could have been a real drama because he, obviously, could not drive and I had another spell of double vision and after asking the doctor had been advised not to drive. Getting a lift would be risky. Not serious enough for an ambulance. I put my vet nursing skills to the test and he is fine.
 
#101 ·
Glad Chris is okay pat.


You should post should post some build pictures.
 
#105 ·
If I could, Kev, I would
If you get a few using the iPad it's not that difficult, I'm happy to help you with the process if you want.

Terry
 
#106 ·
That's interesting about demolishing an old house to build a new one on the plot. It does happen around here but usually when the renovation of an old property hits problems with planning officers.
We have our existing cottage on the market at the moment. We were discussing the market with a builder neighbour and when he heard that the cottage sits in a quarter of an acre he suggested we demolish and build three houses on it!
 
#107 ·
Usually on prime or expensive locations like Sandbanks or protected beach side properties.

Ray.
 
  • Like
Reactions: patp
#109 ·
Yes, Coilavana, we have done three renovations and, unless you can live off site, they can be very stressful. The last one, this house that we live in now, we moved into with a 14 month old baby, a couple of horses, a couple of goats and a couple of dogs!
 
#111 ·
I don't think they deliver to the UK anyway.
 
  • Like
Reactions: erneboy and patp
#112 ·
To get the best from your heating being as gas boilers will be on their way out. I would install underfloor heating using ground source as the medium for the heat exchange. How heat pumps work is the reverse of your fridge freezer. To create heat they have to get rid of cold. A ground source will be a better medium to get rid of the cold than air source will be especially in below freezing temps. To fit air or ground source pumps to heat conventional radiators does not work very well beacause of the lower heat attained.
 
#113 ·
Thanks weldted. We have installed an air source heat pump serving underfloor pipes. We have also installed solar panels to help power them. There is a South and a West facing roof so we should, in this area of the country, generate a fair bit of energy to power it.
 
#114 ·
Anything you need contractors for, get at least three quotes, get everything in writing, don’t be afraid to haggle. Look for ex display kitchens if they suit. If you see a display you like talk to them see when they might change it. Offer them the use of your kitchen photo’s. 20% contingency minimum. Keep on top of disposing of debris. It soon builds up. If you are project managing it order early. Where possible fixed prices, avoid day work where possible. It’s how you want the house built not your builders.
 
#115 ·
Having lived here for forty years we know quite a few people who, in turn, know people. We have, therefore, been very lucky in sourcing trades people. Our roofer was recommended and he turned into a temporary project manager while he was here. He put us in touch with an electrician who is a whizz with solar panels and all things electric. Then he recommended a carpenter who, again, was and is still amazing at his job. Then there was the floor screed boys. All have been asked for quotes and they are checked against other quotes. We have found, here in Norfolk, that everyone seems very fair at their pricing. The only thing pushing up pricing is the scarcity of labour and materials :(
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top