Tips for project managing your self-build scheme | Home Hold - Your ...

Being the project manager for your own self-build development can be incredibly rewarding, but also hard work. If you decide you want to take control of your own scheme, rather than employing a professional, make sure you do your research so you know what?s involved.

Here is a bit of advice if you?ve decided you want to project manage the construction of your home.

Be available

The first thing you need to understand about project managing a building scheme is that you?ll need to be around, onsite, most of the time. This isn?t really something you can do effectively in your spare time after work, so make sure you?re prepared to put the hours in and can afford to take time away from your job.

As you might expect, project managing requires a lot of planning ? not just of the site, contractors and building process itself, but also of your own time. A top tip is to sit down at the beginning of every week and plan out your days, so you know what you should be doing when. Obviously, you need to have some flexibility within your schedule, as unexpected events are part and parcel of building work.

Consider safety

Safety should be one of your primary concerns as a project manager and there are several things you can do to prevent accidents and ensure you comply with the relevant legislation from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Keeping your site tidy and organised is paramount, while ensuring you have all the required safety equipment and protective clothing available to your contractors is equally vital.

Don?t forget that you need to notify the HSE that you?re starting construction work before you get builders onsite. It?s also a good idea to revise their guidance to make sure you comply with it at every stage of your build.

Sourcing materials and machinery

For simplicity when it comes to buying building materials, it?s easiest to set up an account with a local builders? merchant you?re happy with and place all your orders with them. This will mean you only have one monthly invoice to deal with and a single point of contact. Sourcing certain materials elsewhere may save you money, but be prepared for extra hassle when dealing with multiple companies.

Call around a few merchants to get rough quotations for different materials and talk to your builder about which providers are reliable. When you set up an account, make sure you understand how the ordering process works and whether you can get any trade discounts on the items you?re buying. It?s good to advise your merchant if you know you?ll need to order more of a certain product at a later date, too.

Similar rules apply to?hiring machinery?and it?s sensible to sit down with your contractor(s) to work out what you?ll need at which stages of the build. To make life easier, find a firm you can hire all the necessary equipment from and see if they will offer you a deal for using them throughout your building process.

These are just a few of the considerations you need to take into account when you?re project managing a self-build scheme. Other things to think about before you get started include waste management, materials handling, hiring the right contractors and your budget.

Source: http://homehold.org/tips-for-project-managing-your-self-build-scheme

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