Saga of an Audlem Self-Build House

Last year, AudlemOnline brought you Parts 1 and II of Steve and Chris Elliott's project to build an energy efficient home in Audlem.

With the project nearing completion, and to feature in a Channel 4 TV series on self-build homes, Steve brings us up to date:

The Saga of an Audlem Self-Build House.
PART III

Where has the past 10 months gone?
Well some of it was taken up with the enjoyable diversion of the arrival of our third grandchild (1st grandson). We also snuck away for a couple of short holidays to play in the white stuff! That being said, the time has simply flown by.

It's been a period containing quite a mix of feelings about the project:

• Frustration – why is it always windows that cause delays?
• Concern – is the pressure test for the underfloor heating pipes really correct?
• Panic – where is all of that damp coming from in the chimney breast? (the answer – easily solved – was condensation)
• Delight – when the cedar planking on the bay was fitted and the scaffolding finally removed
• Optimism – the electrician has finally started!
• Pessimism – we'll never finish it
• Pleasure – returning home from the Alps to find the Ground Source Heat pump running and the house Very Warm – Bliss!!
• Disbelief – they'll never be able to plaster that vaulted ceiling – and we're still not certain
• Desperation – will we ever finish sawing insulation?
• Panic – we've sold the other house – we have to move out soon!
• Despair – when will it stop raining?

Completion dates

The most salutary lesson however was to stop agreeing to completion dates that were entirely unnecessary!

When we first started the project we said to ourselves that we wanted the house to be ready in time for us to host a 2013 family Christmas. Then, when the TV people approached us in mid 2012 and asked if it could be habitable by May 2013 so as to meet their proposed broadcasting schedule, we glibly said OK!

As we approached the end of February we were becoming more and more stressed out by the rapidly approaching date since it was clear that we were months behind schedule to produce a habitable structure by May – we still had scaffolding up due to continuing delays with the weather and, of course, unfinished windows. Finally we admitted that this schedule was a) impossible and b) actually irrelevant to us.

Lesson learnt

I also leant a very salient lesson about myself – I regularly underestimate how long tasks will take me! For example, I had intended to use a better alternative to traditional plasterboard and plaster – a recycled cement board that I could fix and finish myself.

I allocated 2 weeks to do it. We recently had a quote from a professional plasterer who told us that his chaps would take just over 3 weeks to do the same thing – hmmmm. A builder friend independently said that it would take me 7 weeks or so!

Another example was the task of fitting all of the internal wall and roof insulation and battening out in preparation for plaster boarding. I had allowed 2 manweeks for this task.
So far its taken nearly 5 manweeks and there are still a few days work left to do – it is such a fiddly process that is significantly exacerbated by the complexity of the house design – it is not a simple rectangular box.

Progress

All that being said, we have generally made very good progress. The house is finished externally and all of the gardens etc landscaped ready for final patio and driveway to be laid. The garage and workshop were finished sooner than expected which makes life a lot easier for the myriad of tools that have been acquired.

Internally, the massive amount of insulation has finally been installed and the internal airtight membrane all fitted so that we don't have any drafts. The heating is fully commissioned (downstairs) and the electricians are busy finishing their first fix.

We have more first fix carpentry to do, mainly doorframes and window sills, and once the plumbing and ventilation system is done the plaster boarding can be done – then it will really start to look as if we are getting closer to habitation! Then we can have the lovely oak staircase and front door installed.

What's in a name?

Not long ago we had another look at all of the house deeds that had been sitting in the safe. We discovered that the name of the old cottage, Station Villa, was not the original name. Prior to the mid 1950's it was called Creamery Cottage – an altogether pleasant and appropriate name.

The original buildings of which Creamery Cottage formed a part were built in the 1890's, as a Creamery. There was the farmhouse, the dairy building (now converted to a house), the stables and our cottage. Birmingham Dairies operated it, although we understand that during the 2nd WW it was used as a clothing factory.

We were already uncertain about continuing using the name of Station Villa – it belonged to the old cottage and didn't fit our new house. However this discovery immediately triggered the desire to name our new home Creamery House – it seemed just right. We went through a ridiculously easy process with Cheshire East that resulted in an official change – they were efficient, responded to email and simply sorted it!

Builders

People always talk about Cowboy Builders. So far we have yet to find them. Possibly one important lesson is that once you get a really good sub-contractor, ask them to recommend others that you need – good people never recommend bad workers. This has stood us in very good stead so far.

Also, whenever possible, we've used local contractors. This means that some of the money given out on one day reappears in the LC or Jane & Alg's etc the next!

As well as finding some good quality people, they have all (apart for one very grumpy cement truck driver) been really nice, helpful people. Some of them have rather unusual nicknames:

• the landscaping contractor called 'Magic' – the way he controls his digger definitely is magic
• the chap with the concrete pump who answers his phone with a jolly "Chris the Pump"
• the brickie from West Bromwich who answers to 'Brom".
• our favourite is the nice guy who drives for a local builders merchant – he told me that everyone calls him 'Polo'. When asked why, he told me that his mother had called him that, because apparently as a toddler he was always wandering off to explore!

We've realised that it's important to simply get on and enjoy the tasks rather than worrying about how long! That being said it's difficult not to want to set dates – this is necessary so as to book contractors. However, there has to be life outside of house building – that's why I wrote this article in the sunshine in Croatia!

Now we're home and it's back to plumbing and installing the mechanical ventilation system – and hopefully see just how they are going to plaster that high vaulted ceiling!!

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