ᐅ Which types of self-performed work are worthwhile in house construction?
Created on: 27 Jun 2017 16:04
C
Crossy
Hello everyone,
we have started planning our single-family house. Construction is scheduled to begin next spring.
Basically, we are now considering to what extent we should contribute self-performed work during the build.
We probably have one of the most important prerequisites for self-performance, namely time.
My husband can take 6 months off next year for the construction (with hardly any loss of income).
At first, we thought of typical tasks like wallpapering, painting, and so on.
Now the idea has come up (to make the most efficient use of the 6 months) to do the shell construction ourselves, or at least the basement and garage. More specifically, we could do the shell construction together with a self-employed mason/tiler friend. That means our friend would do the masonry with one of his employees, and my husband (+ occasionally my father) would assist with general labor tasks.
We could also do screeding and laying tiles or other floor coverings with this friend.
In addition, we can get windows and doors through our brother-in-law. He works for a window manufacturing company, so we would probably get favorable conditions, and our brother-in-law would help install the windows and doors with us (Is this even feasible with 2–3 people?).
There is also the option to do the electrical work together with a friend who is an electrician (although I am not sure how much assistance you can actually provide here).
On the one hand, we want to make the best use of the time we have, but we also don’t want to get overwhelmed by too much self-performance. By the way, we are both office workers professionally, and our practical experience so far is limited to painting, wallpapering, occasional helping tasks on friends’ house builds, and assembling IKEA furniture.
I am excluded as a helper because I will be busy with our children, managing the site (food and drinks), and organizing.
What is your assessment?
Would you have dared to take on this amount of self-performed work under these circumstances?
We would not carry out any trade without a professional, but we would always participate actively.
Is it possible to save a significant amount this way?
Or, from your experience, where is it worthwhile to get involved?
I am looking forward to your opinions!
we have started planning our single-family house. Construction is scheduled to begin next spring.
Basically, we are now considering to what extent we should contribute self-performed work during the build.
We probably have one of the most important prerequisites for self-performance, namely time.
My husband can take 6 months off next year for the construction (with hardly any loss of income).
At first, we thought of typical tasks like wallpapering, painting, and so on.
Now the idea has come up (to make the most efficient use of the 6 months) to do the shell construction ourselves, or at least the basement and garage. More specifically, we could do the shell construction together with a self-employed mason/tiler friend. That means our friend would do the masonry with one of his employees, and my husband (+ occasionally my father) would assist with general labor tasks.
We could also do screeding and laying tiles or other floor coverings with this friend.
In addition, we can get windows and doors through our brother-in-law. He works for a window manufacturing company, so we would probably get favorable conditions, and our brother-in-law would help install the windows and doors with us (Is this even feasible with 2–3 people?).
There is also the option to do the electrical work together with a friend who is an electrician (although I am not sure how much assistance you can actually provide here).
On the one hand, we want to make the best use of the time we have, but we also don’t want to get overwhelmed by too much self-performance. By the way, we are both office workers professionally, and our practical experience so far is limited to painting, wallpapering, occasional helping tasks on friends’ house builds, and assembling IKEA furniture.
I am excluded as a helper because I will be busy with our children, managing the site (food and drinks), and organizing.
What is your assessment?
Would you have dared to take on this amount of self-performed work under these circumstances?
We would not carry out any trade without a professional, but we would always participate actively.
Is it possible to save a significant amount this way?
Or, from your experience, where is it worthwhile to get involved?
I am looking forward to your opinions!
So, actually, nothing really happens except for assisting tasks and wallpapering, painting?! [emoji6][emoji87]
Your husband doesn’t need to decide which trade or all trades to take time off for if professional companies are carrying out the work. Just imagine a client showing up and acting like an apprentice. No skilled professional can handle that; it only wastes time, and they already have employees who cooperate with them on wiring or masonry.
They provide a warranty for the work completed by the end of the day.
It’s different with the mason’s idea. But how is that supposed to be calculated or invoiced? I also have to say that it’s not uncommon for just two masons to work on a site without a third helper.
Another issue is the logistics on the construction site if the trades are to be carried out by friends or acquaintances. It has to fit together well—often the friend ends up with back pain or just doesn’t feel like working extra alongside their regular job—and always under the risk of undeclared work.
But well: good luck! Nothing ventured, nothing gained... but it is physically demanding. You should expect to invest extra time or have a plan B ready.
Best regards, Yvonne
Your husband doesn’t need to decide which trade or all trades to take time off for if professional companies are carrying out the work. Just imagine a client showing up and acting like an apprentice. No skilled professional can handle that; it only wastes time, and they already have employees who cooperate with them on wiring or masonry.
They provide a warranty for the work completed by the end of the day.
It’s different with the mason’s idea. But how is that supposed to be calculated or invoiced? I also have to say that it’s not uncommon for just two masons to work on a site without a third helper.
Another issue is the logistics on the construction site if the trades are to be carried out by friends or acquaintances. It has to fit together well—often the friend ends up with back pain or just doesn’t feel like working extra alongside their regular job—and always under the risk of undeclared work.
But well: good luck! Nothing ventured, nothing gained... but it is physically demanding. You should expect to invest extra time or have a plan B ready.
Best regards, Yvonne
I believe that helping out as an amateur does not lead to significant savings. I thought so too, but every hour I work in my profession earns me more money than I can save in an hour on the construction site.
6 months x 10 days x 8 hours = 480 hours
If valued at 15 euros per hour (efficiency = 1/3 that of a skilled worker), the maximum savings amount to about 7,200 euros. In return, you risk issues with warranties, delays, and so on. Investing time in planning, checking and comparing quotes, learning about the trades involved, and asking plenty of questions will, in my opinion, yield better results.
Laying parquet flooring, painting interiors, paving the driveway, assembling the kitchen — these tasks don’t save a lot of money, but rather allow you to say, “I built a house.”
6 months x 10 days x 8 hours = 480 hours
If valued at 15 euros per hour (efficiency = 1/3 that of a skilled worker), the maximum savings amount to about 7,200 euros. In return, you risk issues with warranties, delays, and so on. Investing time in planning, checking and comparing quotes, learning about the trades involved, and asking plenty of questions will, in my opinion, yield better results.
Laying parquet flooring, painting interiors, paving the driveway, assembling the kitchen — these tasks don’t save a lot of money, but rather allow you to say, “I built a house.”
M
MIA_SAN_MIA__28 Jun 2017 06:53Some friends of mine built their entire house by themselves. They saved about 50,000 euros.
What Tentakel says is also extremely important. I wouldn’t be the type to just have a turnkey house delivered either. I want to do some work on my house myself.
What Tentakel says is also extremely important. I wouldn’t be the type to just have a turnkey house delivered either. I want to do some work on my house myself.
H
HilfeHilfe28 Jun 2017 07:271. Can you exclude these trades?
2. It must be very, very close friends who are willing to give up their time because masonry work needs to be done.
Often the response is: oh no, I have back pain; oh no, I have to go to football; kids’ birthday today, no time.
You are only truly not left on your own when you can rely on yourself.
2. It must be very, very close friends who are willing to give up their time because masonry work needs to be done.
Often the response is: oh no, I have back pain; oh no, I have to go to football; kids’ birthday today, no time.
You are only truly not left on your own when you can rely on yourself.
I think you’re overlooking the fact that the original poster has the tradespeople mentioned within their circle of friends and family. Of course, you don’t need to show up as an apprentice to the masonry company. But a good friend or relative won’t bring someone who is then paid off the books. So you have to do it yourself. And I see this working in my own circle of friends. There are skilled workers within the family here as well, and the OP and many friends have been helping continuously.
That already saves a lot of money!
But it also costs a lot of time and patience!
And the construction naturally takes longer. So it’s a double burden. Still, for my buddy, it always pays off!
So I do consider it quite possible to save a lot of money this way.
Persistence, good relationships, and coordination skills are required.
Regards, Joe
That already saves a lot of money!
But it also costs a lot of time and patience!
And the construction naturally takes longer. So it’s a double burden. Still, for my buddy, it always pays off!
So I do consider it quite possible to save a lot of money this way.
Persistence, good relationships, and coordination skills are required.
Regards, Joe
R
readytorumble28 Jun 2017 07:53Hi,
Our starting point was similar, except that my partner also actively helped out.
Alongside two full-time jobs, we each contributed about 30-40 hours per week of personal labor. It has been ongoing for 12 months now, and we are moving in this weekend.
I estimate the savings through an architect’s calculation at around €120,000 (about $130,000).
Additionally, four other family members regularly helped for about 10 hours per week.
What did we do ourselves?
What did we have done by professionals?
Our starting point was similar, except that my partner also actively helped out.
Alongside two full-time jobs, we each contributed about 30-40 hours per week of personal labor. It has been ongoing for 12 months now, and we are moving in this weekend.
I estimate the savings through an architect’s calculation at around €120,000 (about $130,000).
Additionally, four other family members regularly helped for about 10 hours per week.
What did we do ourselves?
- General labor during the shell construction (as already mentioned: carrying bricks, cutting, mixing mortar, tying rebar cages, installing steel reinforcement, etc.)
- Insulation on the concrete slab (a very simple but time-consuming task)
- Complete electrical work except for connecting the distribution panel (chiseling/fretting channels, pulling cables, milling/setting sockets. My brother-in-law, who is a trained electrician, did the planning, gave instructions, and connected switches and such).
- Heating (geothermal heat pump with 700 meters (2,300 feet) of ground collectors in the garden), plumbing, water/sewage, ventilation were done by my partner’s brother. Of course, we supported extensively.
- Complete roof insulation including membrane, counter-battens, suspending the ceiling (as well as all other drywall work)
- Painting
- Rainwater infiltration system + downspouts
- Coming up soon are the splash protection strip around the house and the construction of two terraces
What did we have done by professionals?
- Roof frame + roof covering (we ordered the tiles together with about 15 friends, so the actual roof covering was done in one Saturday within 5 hours)
- Screed (in my opinion not suitable as a DIY job because an expensive machine is needed and the costs for cement screed are manageable. For us, about 180 m² (1,940 ft²) of floor area cost about €2,000 (about $2,200))
- Interior and exterior plaster (definitely not feasible for a layperson)
- Flooring (ground floor + bathrooms + guest WC with shower were tiled. The professional company needed over 300 hours for this! Upstairs we had vinyl glued down. If click vinyl or click laminate is sufficient, this can of course be done very well by yourself.)
- Kitchen installation
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