Step by Step Guide To A Self-Build

As the UK housing market continues its tentative recovery, there has also been a marked rise in the number of self-build home completions. Having initially risen by 3.75% during the first financial quarter of 2012, the rate of self build projects continued to grow steadily throughout the remainder of the year. With aspiring home-owners showcasing an enhanced awareness of social responsibility and sustainable living, this trend is unlikely to abate anytime soon.

A Step by Step Guide to Constructing a Self Build Home

While a growing number of citizens are looking to construct a self-build home, however, doing it correctly is an altogether more difficult aspiration. Consider the following five step guide towards a successful self-build project:

Lay Solid Foundations

Regardless of the types of timber or framing that you intend to use, it is important to lay solid foundations. Ensure that your builders follow architectural plans to the letter, using either concrete or slab foundations to provide the most reliable structural support.

Carefully Lay Out Interior and Exterior Walls

Once you begin to build upwards from your foundation, you should carefully lay out the interior and exterior walls with chalk. This also gives you an opportunity to frame the floor system, and ensure the integrity of your design.

Brace the First Floor Exterior Walls

With the layout of your internal and external walls secured, you can now begin to erect them. In order to do this correctly and provide adequate support, it is wise to reinforce them with bracing lumber. This will need to be repeated in any structure that is multi-story.

Make Roofing the Final Framing Step

Once the structure of the house is upstanding, you can then add the roof. You must first frame the roof rafters and set any roof trusses accordingly, before fixing the decking and laying the accompanying felt. With the roof sheathed, the structure of your property is completed.

Fit Windows and Doors as Quickly as Possible

With the frame built, it is time to set all external windows and doors. This should be done as quickly as possible, in order to maintain the integrity of the property and its reliability. Any additional cladding or siding can then be added, to help create a desired aesthetic.