A
meeting with either Chris Davenport
or Hayley Roskilly will be arranged
to discuss your requirements.
Assuming this has
not already been done by you, we will
instruct a Surveyor to visit your plot,
take detailed measurements and undertake
a land survey. This is known as a Topographical
Survey. .
That
information will be passed to our Designer
and taking into account your instructions
a design will be prepared in AutoCAD
format. Alternatively if your own Architect
has already drawn up plans we can prepare
a full quote based on those drawings.
Our Designer will
submit draft plans for your approval
within three weeks of our first meeting.
If you're happy, they will be submitted
to your local Council's planning office
for approval. This process takes around
eight weeks.
Assuming
planning permission is given, we apply
for Building Control approval which
tells the Council exactly how the house
will be built. To do this we prepare
another set of drawings known as Building
Control Drawings or Working Drawings.
During this time you should approach
one of the new build insurance companies
to provide your warranty. We recommend
Self Build Zone.
Our Engineers will
provide your builder with a Setting
Out Plan which gives detailed dimensions
of your foundations for use during construction.
Your builder will very likely lay in
your services at this stage; drainage,
electric, water, etc.
Note,
that obtaining quotes and dates from
the Utility providers can be a long
and difficult process, so ensure that
you conatct them early on.
A block and beam floor is the quickest
and most cost effective way of building
your ground floor. We can supply this
as part of your package.
During
this period we will be Designing and
Building your Timber Frame, depending
on the workload at the factory this
can take up-to eight weeks before delivery
to your site.
Prior to delivery
and erection of the Timber Frame a scaffold
will need to be erected around the footprint
of your new home. This differs to traditional
brick and block were the scaffold is
adjusted regularly as the build progresses.
A scaffold plan will be supplied by
us.
Your
new home arrives on the back of an HGV.
We use a small crane to lift the component
sections into position. Our team of
shell erectors overseen by our Contracts
Manager then commence the build. This
is the fun bit, as you'll be amazed
at the speed of construction compared
to traditional methods.
Your external windows and doors are
delivered and fitted, and within approximately
ten days you'll have a watertight shell
ready for your roofer to lay tiles.
The roofer is the first trade you should
employ in order that the Timber Frame
can settle and compress under the weight
of the roof tiles.
With
the ground floor insulation in position,
a cement screed is laid on top. In preparation
for dry lining and plastering you should
now call off your next delivery from
Solo which is internal wall soundproofing
and plasterboard.
First fix Electricians
and Plumbers can now lay cable for lighting
and power points, and pipe work for
either conventional heating systems
or underfloor heating.
During this period,
the exterior of the building can be
built. We can advise you of systems
that do away with the need for any brickwork
at all, saving even more time and money.
With the external
skin complete, soffits, fascias, guttering
and soil pipes can be fitted.
Your delivery of internal joinery from
Solo should now be called off.
Now
comes the part you have been waiting
for.
Second fix carpentry (internal doors
sets, stairs and skirting board as well
as the kitchen and bathroom/s)
Second fix electrics (power points,
light switches, telephone and TV points)
Second fix plumbing (boiler, radiators,
towel rails).
With the big deliveries complete, you
can now consider landscaping and driveways.
Undertaking this now will avoid lorries
churning up your freshly laid lawn.
Now
it's time to visit your local DIY store
and spend hours poring over colour charts
and wallpaper samples.
From delivery of
your Timber Frame and dependant on the
size of your house it will be another
three or four months before completion.
