A building site, however large or small, can be like a minefield. Whether you are carrying out the work yourself or have called in the professionals, the key to success is forward planning.
There are many DIY jobs you might like to tackle yourself, depending on your skills and eagerness to have a go. Most people feel confident to try their hand at painting and decorating, or perhaps tiling the bathroom. But, when you examine how much preparation work is needed before you even paint one wall, it’s a lot. And then scale that up to calculate what sort of prep is needed for a kitchen refurb or a new extension.
Once you have decided to embark on building work, here are some first steps:
- Decide how much you can tackle yourself. Structural work, electrics and plumbing are best left to the experts
- Find out if you need planning permission
- If you need to employ builders, get personal recommendations from friends or check out firms recommended by the local council or trade associations
- Get two or three quotes for the job
- Once you have decided who to take on, check they have insurance and ask for a written contract
Protect your precious belongings
As the time approaches for building work to begin, think about what it will be like to live on a building site. Think about the comforts of everyday living, and about the safety aspects. Also consider your precious belongings. They are likely to get covered in dust, or possibly even broken. White goods in particular are likely to get dirty and suffer damage if builders are working around them. If there is nowhere safe to put them, consider a self-storage facility, even if it’s just for a few days.
How long can you rent a storage unit? Many facilities will allow you to rent on a short-term basis. And, unlike its competitors, Store and Insure only charge a daily rate to insure your goods for the actual period of time they are in store – with NO minimum premiums or minimum period of time. Why not get a quote from us now.
Once building work is underway
Your builder should ensure that safety procedures are in place. But, if you are doing the work yourself, you are responsible for your own health and wellbeing and for keeping your family and any visitors to the home safe. Watch out for:
- These should be tied and footed
- holes in the floor or paving. Keep them clearly signed and cordoned off
- exposure to harmful building dust. Use masks; and vacuum rather than sweep
- exposed electric wires. Don’t touch – leave these to the experts!
The finished product
Hopefully you will be pleased with your building project and happy to start living in your new kitchen, bathroom or bedroom. In some cases, of course, things do go wrong and communications between customers and their builders deteriorate or even collapse. It is best to keep communicating with your builder throughout the project, flagging up concerns as soon as possible. If things do break down irreconcilably, have a look at the Citizens Advice website.
