Tips for Owner Builders

[namtrak]

This thread is an addendum to the thread where I am keeping track of our renovations. Journeyman Mick suggested I get together a list of tips for OB's, and because of my sieve like memory I figured I would just start a thread and edit it as I remember stuff.

These are not in any order, just you regular stream of consciousness.

1. Allan Staines' books make for great reading. Whilst they lack some detail, they provide a great resource for everything you do.

2. A lot of the work is a two person job, so it is definitely worth while getting an offsider. I have found that just about every job, from holding the smart end of the tape to screwing up ceiling battens is made a lot easier with a second body.

3. Open accounts with a variety of stores. It has been great to get trade prices and a regular account from the hardware supplier, who now deliver stuff as I need it.

4. Always buy your screws, nails, glue etc in bulk. A bag of 100 75mm screws would cost say $11, and a box of 1000 on the same shelf would cost around $50 - a very big saving. You can also save a little bit by buying your nails etc at specialist fastener stores, rather than the big hardware stores.

5. This may not apply to everyone, but I found our draftsman very approachable and amenable to changes. Also the fact that he was using CAD rather than hand drawing made changes very simple. (sadly he passed away last week)

6. Keep a list of jobs upto date for the plumber and the sparky. I've got two lists on the walls for them, and when they get time they just drop in and do a few.

7. Get quotes for everything before you start. I had 4/5 quotes for every aspect of the job before I started and then when I got to that part I knew what my budget was around without worrying too much about it.

8. Draw up a detailed budget before you start.

9. Break the job down into components. This makes it not seem so overwhelming. I broke our job down into things like footings, walls, roofing, external cladding, internal cladding, etc. And then drew up a budget for each item. including labour.

10. Pick the things that you want to feature and spend up on them. We wanted out doors and windows and fireplace to be features so we went further than we may have, if we were trying scrimp and save every penny.

11. As with the nails and stuff, buy your fittings (door handles, taps etc) from specialist places. A leading hardware store sells a stock standard kitchen door handle for around $6, the exact same handle at a specialist store is around $1.

12. Go with the flow. Don't be afraid to change things midstream. We have made a few changes as we go and they haven't really impacted on the progress.

13. When dealing with bureaucracy always get a name. People feel so much more accountable, if they think your writing their name down somewhere.

14. Always read the instructions fully. Installation manuals. MSDS' everything. I've been caught out a few times by not reading fully. At the end of the day, the instructions are there for a reason.

15. Know your limitations. I knew I had no chance doing the trusses without help. Getting in a bloke from down the road for the day who has experience was the best $400 I spent.

16. If you have good contractors or labourers working with you, then pay them well and on time. I was always happy to go above award rates cause the guys that have been working with me, will at the end of the day, save us thousands of dollars.

17. Hassle your suppliers. If you need help, get them on site. They are more often than not happy to get out of the office, and since they are the suppliers, they are the ones with the most to gain from a good job being done.

18. Always keep coldies in the fridge for the boys and be ready to offer up cuppas as often as needed. We have tried to make lunches and smoko for everyone as much as possible as well. It's a small investment for a big return.

19. If extending an existing iron roof, check that you are matching the profiles of everything. Not just the iron, but also the ridgecapping and gutters.

20. Keep a record of your progress, I don't know how many times I went ahead and did something and then wished I had a picture of the thing I just demolished to compare it later on.

21. Take all the safety precautions you can. Work Cover etc are all really important backstops.

22. Keep the job site tidy. This is almost a daily job. Stuff can get away from you really quickly and before long you find your tripping over crap everywhere. We've hired about 15 skip bins over the last two years and they are excellent. Just fill them up before your neighbours do.

23. Be ready to buy as many tools as you need, and if your going to use it in the long term, then buy quality. If your going to trash it - then go cheapest. Hiring tools is okay, but as on OB you may find the tool sitting around waiting for you to catch up - if you know what I mean.

24. Consider getting in a professional floor sander. The result outweighs the cost.

25. Buy decent canvas drop sheets (notice plural) and keep them clean. They are always handy to have around, and you will use them on all sorts of jobs.

26. I found a pair of short step ladders indispensable, and along with a 3 metre and a 6 metre aluminium plank are great add-ons to the tool shed.

27. Clean everything after use. Paint brushes, trays, plaster tools, hawks, buckets, hammers - everything. Keep a couple of sponges handy, as they are useful for wiping out excess paint and plaster etc. And if you have clean tools, other users will tend to show them more respect, mostly.


............More to come

[Grunt]

Thanks Namtrak,

I'm embarking on this journey real soon now.

Chris

[journeyman Mick]

Tips for Grunt (haybale builder)
Have fire extinguishers handy and a 3/4" or larger hose.
You might need to do some sort of fire hazard induction with your subbies concerning 'hot work', ie welding, grinding cutting etc also may need to have non smokers at least until the render goes on.

Mick
PS I know next to nothing about this method of building and whetrher or not the bales aretreated with a fire suppresant, but I'm very fire conscious. Please diregard all teh above if neccesary.

[Grunt]

Thanks Mick,

I've already considered this. The strawbale process is a bit of a fire risk when they are being put up. The straw on the ground is the real worry.

I'm doing an infill strawbale house. That is, the house will have a steel frame and the roof will be up and then we'll infill the frame with the bales. So hopefully, the exposed bales will only be for a relatively short space of time. You can build strawbale houses that are load bearing.

Once the render goes on, straw bales are very fire resistant. Try burning a phone book encased in 50mm of render.

Chris

[silentC]

Try burning a phone book encased in 50mm of render

Now there's a use for all those old phone books