My Self Build - Dorset

[anonymous-user]

catfood12 said:

Great progress Gary, looking fantastic !

Cheers! It's come on a bit since you visited

[anonymous-user]

stanwan said:

Ooh may I have some details?

Sure - I will dig out the details and post tomorrow.

Edit: It's from Haroys Joinery in Poole.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 11th March 08:44

[anonymous-user]

Hi Rob - not sure I understand your question.

[anonymous-user]

GT03ROB said:

garyhun said:

Hi Rob - not sure I understand your question.

Sorry Gary, one of those times when you know perfectly well what you are asking but don't explain very well!

When you selected the builder was on the basis of a recommendation & you have him working on a time & materials basis or did you go out & get a number of quotes then select on the basis of that.

Ah, with you now.

I've known Sean, my builder, for over 8 years (I bought a house from him when I moved from Berkshire and became his next door neighbour and a best friend) so I recommended him to myself His team of guys have been with him for years and have real pride in what they do.

However, I also went to open tender with 2 other local builders to do a check on the costs before committing. (All the quotes were very similar).

The job is on a fixed price basis with some things as PC Sums so that I can upgrade/downgrade as required (the tiles being a good example of upgrading).

[anonymous-user]

Kitchen turned up yesterday in big boxes.






And the walls of the master en-suite started to be tiled.

My builder doing his best tiler impression!!!

[anonymous-user]

Master En-suite continues to get tiled:






And the wall tiling in the shower room is now complete.

[anonymous-user]

stanwan said:

I notice that your ceiling is going to be supported on resilient bars - is this something you specced or did your builder decide on this? I'm thinking of a similar system once my ceilings are taken down - the only concern is a slight loss of ceiling height.

The builder prefers to use them where possible, even though it's a little more expensive I believe, because you get a perfectly smooth ceiling and no shrinkage/warping issues. I had a lot of extra, unwanted, height in many rooms so losing height was not an issue.

[anonymous-user]

Update for today.

Shower room walls finished and floor laid ready for grouting and en-suites have walls tiled. The kitchen is now in place; the fridge freezer is awaiting to doors and the worktops were templated yesterday. Finally the side fence by the garage was removed and the old garage has started to be taken down.


MARCH 13


















MARCH 15

[anonymous-user]

Pictures from the last 4 weeks. We're moving in next Wednesday so there are about 17 people on site trying to get as much finished as possible. Carpets go down on Monday

[anonymous-user]

Cheers Ali!

It's going to be a real scramble for the next 2/3 work days to see how far we can get with garden etc. but I will just be happy to be in!

[anonymous-user]

irocfan said:

what's this?

If you mean the structure sticking up from the garden, it was an air raid shelter. We've utilised it as our soakaway as it was too expensive to convert into a wine cellar

[anonymous-user]

league67 said:

Fantastic build. Well done. You should be very proud of yourself.

Thank you!

I'm definitely very proud of the great work the builder and all his trades have done. Nothing has ever been too much trouble and, to a man, they all really care about their work. I've been very lucky in that respect.

I like to think I've been a good client, who tried not to interfere to much and I think that is reflected in the 'happy' attitude that has persisted throughout!

[anonymous-user]

irocfan said:

thought it must have been something like that - shame really, the thought of one seems really cool

It was very dark and damp down there!!!

[anonymous-user]

Pixel-Snapper said:

Looking Fantastic Gary I bet you cannot wait for next week!

Soft furnishing time!!!!!

Matt.

Mrs Garyhun wants a new sofa but there are very limited funds available at the moment - it's surprising what the little overruns at the end mount up to

[anonymous-user]

Nick Grant said:

Looks fantastic, congratulations.

Those tiles on the outside/fireplace really give it that mid century look. Great stuff.

I'm glad you like that. The house is so contemporary, with very clean lines, that I felt it was right to add some texture and 'roughness' to the living room to make it feel more cosy.

[anonymous-user]

ali_kat said:

garyhun said:

If you mean the structure sticking up from the garden, it was an air raid shelter. We've utilised it as our soakaway as it was too expensive to convert into a wine cellar

You mean stocking it as surely?

[anonymous-user]

Roo said:

Looks fantastic.

Very quick, but stupid, question if you don't mind.

How are you going to clean the inside of the glass on those eaves windows?

On a pair of ladders!! They are easily accessible, just high.

[anonymous-user]

Digger said:

Lovely Gary. Very. Lovely!

Would it be rude to ask for (a la Grand Designs) . . . a few photos of the fully finished/furnished project?

Totally understand if not.

As soon as it's complete I certainly will.

[anonymous-user]

VEX said:

Looking great Gary.

Out of interest what are the tiles on the outer wall and around the fire chimney.

I would like to do something similar up our two story landing wall.

V.

Hi Chris,

Outer walls are from Norstone and is a product called XLS Standard Charcoal - http://www.norstone.co.uk/xls-rock-panels.html.

Internal is from Porelanosa and is called Brick Nepal - http://anticcolonial.com/en/product/Natural+Stone/...

[anonymous-user]

catfood12 said:

Looks great. The mix of exterior finishes really compliment each other. Liking the front railings too !

I'm glad you like the railings. With the house being low and wide, I wanted the railings to have a similar feel so designed them to have a horizontal feel rather than the typical vertical. I found a superb guy in Ringwood who made them for me - they weight an absolute ton!!