How Hard Is A Loft Conversion DIY Style

[indus]

Thanks Leeco.

My point was that a large part of your saving is because your family are all tradesmen, including your good self.

That is not the position of the OP, he hasn't a clue about building and has no family/friends to call upon. Actually he wants somebody to supervise him whilst he supervises a bunch of handymen to 'put together a dormer with bits of timber'

 

[leeco]

Thanks Leeco.

My point was that a large part of your saving is because your family are all tradesmen, including your good self.

That is not the position of the OP, he hasn't a clue about building and has no family/friends to call upon. Actually he wants somebody to supervise him whilst he supervises a bunch of handymen to 'put together a dormer with bits of timber'

Thanks and I agree.

You can get the best plans drawn up but the plans are not a step by step guide on how to build the thing and how to wire it up to comply with part p and other things and the building inspectors not their to tell you how to build it either.

 

[stuartturbo]

My has been all diy. full rear dormer on a old terrace.
The only tradesmen has been the scaffolding.
Slowing learniing to plaster, wall look ok the ceiling struggling with.

I paid for the SE and the Draftsman to sort plans and regs.

by trade I am a mech fitter

So diy is do able but the time frame is the big thing, so far taking me since last august, now onto the last of the rest of the house. delayed by life and work lol

 

[leeco]

It almost feels like a cult that builders are better but the truth is that most builders are not the sharpest minds and simply follow instructions

I would consider leeco as the exception rather than the rule when it comes to DIYing an extension. And suppose that he and his team have had some experience with joinery or this level of DIY, as well as getting appropriately qualified help for certain areas such as electrical wiring and central heating etc.

Having said that, a cost of approx 15k is not a ground breakingly significant saving over having a builder do the work I imagine that in Yorkshire, for a relatively small addition as in his pictures, you could probably have a builder complete the works for somewhere between 20-22k.... and have the work complete in three or maybe four weeks. Plus have all the work guaranteed. (We saw that leeco has been doing it since Nov 2012, and is yet to clarify if he has factored in their own labour costs - which whilst you may not pay should always be used to calculate build costs)

His extension in London would probably cost more (but then, so would a DIY build because material and delivery costs are higher too). But importantly, I know builders in the London area that can get reasonable sized loft conversions watertight in just two weeks!


THe other question that hasnt cropped up yet though is what will your home insurance (and mortgage lender) have to say about you DIYing a loft conversion. You my find that they will not cover you and will request someone with an appropriate accreditation or part of a builders scheme is used (ie; FMB or CIOB).

I agree with a lot you say but I really don't think I could of got a company in to do this job for £22k. A new gable end and lowering the ceilings took time. Also I haven't been doing this job as a full time job either. I had it watertight by December as its not good to have a open roof in the winter.

 

[limerockconstruction]

Going back to the main point of the OP. He certainly doesn't sound like he has the resources you had access too. 2 qualified builders and a sparky/joiner is hardly a DIY team. Hence a) your ability to actually do the job but b) your ability to save money on the job.

A DIY loft conversion is not an easy undertaking.

 

[noseall]

"anyone here done a diy lofty?"

"yeah i done one"

" wow thats good how long did it take?"

" it took 3 tradesmen as long as it would take 3 tradesmen to do any lofty i guess"

 

[craynerd]

Sorry to drag this back up but just to add my experience. I'm a teacher by profession and hobby engineer as well as husband and dad in my spare time! The point being, I've no building skills learnt but I can follow plans. A family member starting building our loft conversion with me as labourer and got as far as pulling off the entire roof and setting a bricky to build up a gable end from a hip room - when sadly, the family member had to pull out of the entire job of no fault of his own. I was left with no roof on my house but decided to take on the job myself.

I have to say it was a horrible situation and it took me 1 1/2 years to complete but we moved into the loft the year before last.

It was winter and he had planned the steel work to come in and the new roof up. Snow was due and we were advised to get the new roof on which I let the roofers do immediately once the new gable end wall was done.

This made huge problems as we couldn't get the steel work in in full lengths and had to pay out extra money to calculate where to splice the steel - which was a bloody scam as she charged £80 per splice and at the end of the day it was just great thick plates holding the steels together that would hold up a sky scraper, never mind a house !

Our building inspector was exceptionally helpful, probably feeling a little for our circumstance, and was a great bloke to work with. He pulled me a few times which was a pain in the arse but it least I knew I was doing things right. I even bounced a few questions off him.

Anyway, whilst I wouldn't recommend it, I am very proud of the room every time I look at it, thinking I built it! The only think I didn't do was electrics, roofing and plastering. I did the rest, Fitting the steel, joists, floor, building the stairs... List goes on.

Certainly not a DIY project if you can help it!!!

 

[noseall]

Great post Craynerd but "how much did it cost and can you give me a breakdown", is what Dreaded Arsy is wanting to know!

Like......

How much did the stairs cost per tread and did you source the stringers from a reclamation yard or did you cut them from the tree yourself?

Did you get the steel from the 9/11 disaster pile and how much to ship it and container it and clean the soot off etc?

Were the brickies working for cabbage and vodka as well as taking MONEY from your pocket?

How much were the floor joists per inch and did you buy them new?

How much to knock in each nail, turn every screw and did you buy the fixings new?

 

[craynerd]

Glued match sticks modelled in various shapes