Tag: project management

HPH303 : What does it take to project manage your house build? – with David Arrenberg
David Arrenberg explains why he wanted to project manage his self build, what the work entailed and how much of his time it took.

Interview with David Arrenberg

Originally a civil engineer, David was just starting to get into project management in his job at Scottish Water when he started his self build. With the skills and training he acquired in this role, he wasn’t daunted by taking on the job of project managing his own self build.

Project Management is about being organised

David says that project management as a profession isn’t complicated: it’s just a case of being very organised and making sure that you know the order of things. In his professional capacity, he is used to working with programmes, understanding the need to allow for space in them, and appreciating what things might cost and what could cause delays. Compared to a big, multi-functional project at work, taking on the logistics of his house build seemed quite straight forward and just a case of breaking it down into its parts.

They didn’t have to search for land

David and his wife Jenny were fortunate in that the plot of land was available to them, even before they had a desire to build their house. It was owned by his aunty, and with his mum already living in a listed building there the opportunity was gifted to them to build in the woodland that surrounds it.

In the two years it took to transfer the title deeds over and arrange finance, David worked on clearing the site where the house was to be built and spent time getting ideas from magazines and the internet about the kind of house they might build.

Protecting the woodland was the main planning concern

During that time, David also worked through the rules that were relevant to getting planning permission. With Invergarry House being listed, they had to make sure that their plot was at least 150m away and also had to overcome issues of overlooking other houses. But of biggest concern to the planners was how to protect the woodland. David had to pay to employ a specialist arborist to oversee the whole project from start to finish, working out how to get a driveway through the woodland without damaging tree roots. He also put together a woodland maintenance plan for its future upkeep.

With those issues out of the way, and having appointed Kirsty Maguire as their architect, getting the design of the house approved was relatively straightforward.

They had a budget of £300,000 for the build

Working with Kirsty on what it might cost to build their Passivhaus, they worked on a basis of £1,700-£1,800 per square metre, which also incorporated a little extra for risk. Based on the planned area of their building, this gave them a predicted cost of £300,000. The final cost of the build actually came in at around £315,000 which included all fees and landscaping.

Being able to borrow against Jenny’s business and using savings meant they were able to avoid having to formally borrow money.

David brought in his own sub-contractors

Kirsty’s experience of Passivhaus was what drew them to her, and they had a good relationship working together, taking each other’s ideas on board. She took them through the outline and detailed planning stages and provided ad-hoc advice when required with minor issues and details on site.

Being local, David had many more contacts than their contractor Craigs Eco, so they had what they called an ‘open book policy’. This involved Craigs Eco providing a full Bill of Quantities breaking down every item, and within reason and where possible, they were happy for David to bring in his own sub-contractors and materials if he was able to get them cheaper. This did come with the risk that if he delayed another part of the works with his own sub-contractor then he would be liable for any additional costs incurred.

Many of the sub-contractors were family members or had connections with their family, but David ensured he only brought in people who he thought would be able to fit in with the Craigs Eco team.

Savings came through price negotiations, not sweat equity!

David was aware of the limitations of his own skills, so felt it was far better to save money by negotiating on prices, rather than tackling any of the trades himself!

The flexibility to be able to negotiate prices of materials himself, actually gave David big savings. Having been alarmed at the initial quote of £105,000 for the zinc cladding, David managed to eventually find a supplier who could provide it for £55,000.

Buoyed by how much he’d saved on this first item, he admits he became slightly addicted to going back and forth between suppliers to try and get the best prices. He says it was just a case of having the confidence to ask, and when it’s your own money then you find you have plenty of enthusiasm to ask for discounts! The results he says were massive savings, while also ensuring they didn’t forfeit quality.

It’s about keeping on top of things

Access arrangements were something that David had to keep on top of in his role managing the project. The approaching track is only three metres wide so they did have the issue of deliveries arriving 300m away, without any way of being able to get them down to the site. For a time they had a small forklift helping ferry things across, but there were other occasions when, even though he had provided the track dimensions, he’d worry that he had a big delivery arriving and was going to have to take it piece by piece on the roof of his car!

Although not directly involved in the construction, David felt able to help out by keeping the site tidy and clean, and by making sure that everyone was able to get in and out unhindered.

The quality of finishes suffered a little towards the end

In general, David was really impressed with the quality of work on-site, particularly from the joiners and the zinc contractors. The only problems with finishes came towards the end:

“It’s getting towards the end so maybe some of the money’s running out a little bit. And the main contractor, starting to eat into his potential profits if you get them to do too much for what they have agreed.”

David’s proof that it doesn’t have to be painful!

The start of the project was a lot less time-intensive for David than the construction stage, as much of it was about waiting around for other people to do things.

He says he can’t be quite sure how much time he spent working on it once the building work was underway as your enthusiasm takes over, but it was generally every night that he would be making calls and thinking things over. He estimates this was probably 20-30 hours per week, but it’s not something he found painful.

With David and Jenny being in their mid-30s, they felt their energy levels were a definite advantage in managing the project relatively stress-free.

Even with their first child being born as the foundations were being laid, and approaching her first birthday when they moved in, they didn’t find themselves being hindered by their change in circumstances at all.

You’re not on your own

There’s often a conception that project managing the build yourself means doing it alone, but David is quick to stress that’s not the case:
- Having a good architect is important, as they are able to help with the contracts with the builder.
- The contractors have also been through the process before so you’re not on your own there either.
- And as frustrating as the planning process can be, the council are able to provide assistance.
“Project management is the name for it but you don’t have to be a project manager. It’s just being organized. That’s all it is, trying to think of every element.”

Find out more

Visit the website of Kirsty Maguire Architect Ltd

Listen to our podcast with Kirsty: Progressing your house build plans before you have your land

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with David Arrenberg

Please connect with me

Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes

Like our Facebook page

Follow us on Twitter
May 12, 2021
HPH196 : Why communication is central to self build success – with Lucy Pedler
Lucy Pedler, architect and founder of The Green Register, talks about the importance of good communication throughout a self-build project.

Interview with Lucy Pedler

As a child, Lucy was interested in the worlds of science and arts and wanted a profession that could combine the two. She qualified 35 years ago, and has worked as an architect in the UK and US.

Influenced by her father, an environmentalist, Lucy wanted her career to encompass both architectural and environmental work. In the early ‘90s, she worked as a Product Specialist at Construction Resources (the UK’s first Ecological Building Centre) for five years; this involved researching the environmental impact of building materials and systems, and training other construction professionals in green building.

In 2000, Lucy launched The Green Register, a not-for-profit organisation providing independent training and promoting sustainable building practices across the construction industry.

Poor communication is the cause of many problems

Lucy believes we spend quite a lot of time as human beings not saying what we think! If you can communicate effectively – using a bit of tact and choosing words carefully – people know where they stand. Lucy says some people think she’s quite direct but at least there’s no grey area.

Making the importance of communication clear from the start helps to create an environment where everybody’s comfortable talking about the build.

A robust brief ensures everyone’s on the same page

Good communication is key to making the project a success and this begins with a detailed brief. To produce one, the architect or designer must first thoroughly understand what the client wants.

This document should then be referred to throughout the build process as things inevitably change. For example, there may be planning issues, unexpected problems on site, or design alterations. A detailed brief aids important discussions about the time, cost and design implications of changes.

It’s worth spending time setting the green agenda

When people tell Lucy they want a ‘low energy house’ she needs to clarify exactly what that means. Clients may just want low energy bills, or they may have concerns about the bigger picture: the way the house is built, materials used, internal environment, wellbeing, etc. It’s a lot of work that has to be done at the beginning, but Lucy says you’ll reap the benefits throughout the process.

Be realistic about the budget from the outset

A fabric first approach is much better in terms of environmental issues and impact. But Lucy understands that the majority of people don’t have the money to do 100% sustainable buildings, commenting, “Don’t beat yourself up if you haven’t got the perfect house because whatever you do is going to be better than the average house in the UK, which is very, very mediocre.”

Lucy advises people to be honest about access to funds and what you have upfront. Then everybody involved knows what you can afford. You don’t want to run out of money and work to suddenly stop onsite.

The project lead should manage expectations about cost

During a career spanning more than 30 years, Lucy can’t remember a project where the cost didn’t change, usually in an upward direction. Managing clients’ expectations won’t make the problem go away, but lessens their disappointment.

The architect (or lead) should explain the process and set expectations that the project will probably go over cost and time. If unexpected costs arise, they’ll refer back to the brief so the client can decide whether to increase the budget or save costs elsewhere. Lucy says self-builders often see the long-term benefits of increasing the budget.

There’s huge value in face-to-face communication

Modern communication technology sets expectations that everything can be done immediately. While some decisions are quick to make, Lucy thinks we’ve lost something in not being given the time to consider things.

Projects can be discussed remotely using phone, Skype and email, but Lucy gives reasons why talking to clients in person can be advantageous:
- You can sketch over plans while talking through concepts.
- It’s easier to compare room sizes on plans with the room you’re all sitting in.
- Some decisions take a bit of time and are best explained face-to-face.
- You can observe non-verbal reactions, e.g. facial expressions.
3D modelling makes it easier to convey concepts

Many clients can’t understand 2D drawings and Lucy comments, “Why should they? It took us seven years of training to get where we are.” She recommends a programme called SketchUp, which is very simple and can quickly produce a 3D walkthrough to use with clients, helping them to experience light and height and changes in space, etc.

It’s important that concepts aren’t presented as a fait accompli, and Lucy says clients should feel able to give feedback. Reviewing conceptual designs is a key stage for communication, when you’ll work out basics such as the position of the living room or the size of the kitchen.

Design iterations take time and can be costly

Lucy recalls a client who requested ten different designs for a 2m x 2m bathroom and chose the original one in the end! A helpful approach is for the architect or designer to state upfront the number of design options included in their price, and make it clear they’ll have to start charging extra for any additional major changes.

A collaborative design and build approach is worth considering

While in the States, Lucy worked with contractors from the conceptual stage onwards and the contractor would inform some of the technical decisions. This approach required a high level of trust, but meant shared ownership of the project. And when it came to pricing the job, the cost was quite realistic.

Lucy says when you go out to competitive tender, contractors may not have understood the drawings or might not be pricing accurately. She cautions, “Although it might appear initially to be the lowest cost, at the end they’re clawing back what they need in order to make a profit.”

A neutral third person can mediate between client and contractor

Lucy says if clients can afford to appoint someone to oversee the project that’s a real plus. The architect or project manager can tell them early on what’s likely to happen during the construction stage and clarify what their fee will cover.

Self-builders often get much more involved, but Lucy suggests clients don’t take on the project management role themselves as they’re too close to the project and usually don’t have the experience needed.

Agree a schedule of meetings for the build

When the construction stage begins, you’re introducing a lot more people, so communication can be challenging. And clients often perceive progress to be slow and see costs increase and timescales slip during this stage.

It’s helpful to plan a schedule of meetings and clarify to the whole project team where they’ll be held, who does/doesn’t need to attend, what’s going to be covered, etc.

Lucy says the one group of people they find very difficult to get into Green Register seminars are builders. She recommends ‘toolbox talks’ if you’re trying to achieve a low energy building, as spending just a few hours explaining the concepts is money well spent.

3 more tips for a successful self-build
1. The amount of information and decision-making can be overwhelming. Decide how involved you want to be, e.g. technical decisions may be best left to professionals trained to deal with them.
2. It’s important no one in the team holds back. The client, architect or contractor needs to share their concerns or say if there’s something they have doubts about.
3. The Green Register encourages post-occupancy monitoring (e.g. of airtightness, fuel costs, etc.). This can reassure you that you’ve got what you set out to achieve.
Find out more

Visit the website of The Green Register

Follow The Green Register on Twitter

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Lucy Pedler

Please connect with me
- Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes
- Rate and review the podcast on Stitcher
- Like our Facebook page
- Follow us on Twitter
November 27, 2017

HPH155 : Do you really need an architect to design your house? – with Jeremy Harris

Jeremy Harris continues his story, sharing his experience of being a hands-on self-builder.

Interview with Jeremy Harris

Although Jeremy had never laid a brick or employed builders before, he did have useful DIY experience and had used CAD software at work. Jeremy explains what gave him the confidence to tackle so much of his project himself, adding, “If you require degrees and whatever then the building industry wouldn’t be populated by the sort of people it is.”

Five reasons Jeremy didn’t employ an architect

Jeremy chose a timber frame as he would be building in the autumn and wanted to get the house weather-tight quickly.

A planning application only requires an outline plan, which he was able to design in AutoCAD.
The timber frame contractor detailed the build using Jeremy’s plan, adjusting it slightly to fit their 400mm spacing system, showing all the joists and timbers.
Jeremy prepared the building regulations application himself using those detailed CAD drawings, showing the structure of the house and how it would be built.
The timber frame contractor offered a package of an insulated foundation system and a frame of large prefabricated panels, delivering a weather-tight, insulated house with guaranteed Passivhaus standards of airtightness. The builder was prepared to have 20% of the total payment dependent on the building passing an air test (which it did, achieving 0.43 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals).
Jeremy modelled the house in PHPP, but also built his own simpler heat-loss model in a spreadsheet to compare variations (e.g. changing windows)

It’s important to get the groundworks right

Jeremy employed a groundworks contractor to make sure the levels were right and the drainage systems were all put in correctly. This cost about £55,000 and took seven weeks to complete.

They had to remove about 900 tonnes of soil to get the site level, digging it out of the hillside and building a three metre high retaining wall almost a metre thick at the base to hold the ground back.

Project management requires knowledge and confidence

Although initially lacking the confidence to manage the whole project, once Jeremy had gone through the planning process, designed the house without an architect and become familiar with building regulations, he concluded he could project manage the build as well.

Jeremy gave the groundworks contractor complete control of the site, supplying a set of drawings and a specification. So the contractor project managed the groundworks stage. Once completed, site security transferred to Jeremy.

The contract with the timber frame company for the house and garage clarified what they were responsible for, avoiding any arguments down the line. The price was about £65,000.

Purchasing and timing are essential for success

The timber frame contractor needed the window supplier to install the windows before the building could be air tested, so Jeremy had to coordinate this.

Jeremy then instructed a roofing company to use an approach commonly found in France, setting 25 solar panels straight onto the south side of the roof, so they were almost flush with the surrounding tiles. Although the tiles look like dark slate, they are made from recycled car tires and bin bags, are recyclable and met the conservation officer’s approval.

Working alone can slow the project down

Jeremy worked alone installing the plumbing and heating system, laying flooring, fitting curtains and cupboards and decorating. He admits this slowed the project down and recalls running from one end of the house to the other twenty times an hour to put in ventilation ducting on his own. With two people, it would have taken half an hour rather than three hours.

He did get some help where he had to, working alongside an electrician as Jeremy wasn’t Part P certified. And a joiner hung the doors because they’re very heavy.

Hands-on involvement inspires innovative design

Jeremy wasn’t afraid to do things differently and took advantage of emerging products.

There are no foundations in the ground; they laid a passive foundation. 300mm of polystyrene insulation under the floor of the house sits on packed chippings straight on the ground. Reinforced concrete rafts were set into the polystyrene.

A little pump circulates water through underfloor pipes so when one area of floor gets sun on it, the water carries the heat to other parts of the house without sun.

The solar PV panels generate hot water using a new SunampPV system that stores heat in a tiny box about the size of a combi boiler and gives it off on demand.

A self-build can be stressful

Build issues, notably the borehole, led to severe stress. Jeremy says: “You realise that practically every self-builder comes to that stage in the build where it all just gets too much.” Online self-build forums gave him support, as well as ideas and information.

There will be problems and lessons learned

Things didn’t always go to plan with the project:

Challenge	Why It Arose	Solution
Drilling the borehole (supposedly a 1-week job) delayed the build for almost a year	Equipment breakdowns, changes in personnel, and a change of rig that led to some dimensional errors	Establishing the borehole was 20m shorter than needed. Recognising they had made some errors, the company compensated Jeremy
Solar gain caused the building to overheat resulting in wasteful cooling measures	PHPP didn’t factor in the microclimate (sheltered valley); heat loss was overestimated and insufficient shading was planned to offset overheating	Films added to the glazing on the south side to reflect heat. An experienced Passivhaus specialist might have anticipated problems relating to solar gain
A thermal store for hot water overheated the bedroom to such a degree that it cracked an oak door	The heat losses stipulated on thermal stores and hot water cylinders don’t assume that they’ll contain hot water all day	Unit sold on eBay for use in an old stone cottage
Air source heat pump surplus to requirements	The need for heating in the house was overestimated	The pump is used to preheat incoming cold water, reducing the workload of the solar panels

Ten tips for self-builders

Jeremy says, “the most important thing you can do is research, research, and more research”. Here are 10 tips to take away from his story:

Check advice is appropriate for your own project
Do finance checks on contractors
Agree fixed prices with contractors
Contracts provide clarity and security
Staged payments reduce your financial exposure
A borehole means no water rates
Prefabricated panels reduce waste and are therefore better value
Solar panels fitted directly onto roof saved £2,000 worth of slates
Waiting for your VAT reclaim may take longer than anticipated
To avoid capital gains tax, sell your existing house before moving into your new build

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Jeremy Harris

Find out more

Check out Jeremy’s blog on the project

Please connect with me

Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes
Rate and review the podcast on Stitcher
Like our Facebook page
Follow us on Twitter

December 14, 2016

HPH109 : How project management helps your build – with Cesar Abeid
We’re exploring project management, what it all means and whether becoming a project manager of your house build is actually a good idea.

Interview with Cesar Abeid

Cesar Abeid is a project management professional, author and speaker. He hosts two podcasts – Project Management for the Masses and The Construction Industry Podcast, and has recently written a book called Project Management for You which talks through the step by step stages of bringing an idea to reality. Cesar claims to be a naturally disorganised person but found that the things he learnt from project management he was able to transfer into both his personal and professional life.

Based on the methodologies of the Project Management Insititute (PMI), Cesar offers a framework for you to take something complex, like building a house, and breaking it down into manageable parts, sequence the activities into schedules and make estimates for budgets and resources.

“It just basically takes a complex project like the building of a home and turns that project into a sequence of smaller parts.”

We’re going to be looking in depth at just a few of these principles and seeing how they can apply to tackling a self-build project.

The ‘composing phase’

Cesar would break this down into two parts – the design project and the actual build project.

For the design project you’re going to need to engage with stakeholders (business partner, team, husband / wife etc) and consider what the building will look like, what features it should have, and what you want the project to do. In the composing phase you may not have all the information right at the beginning but you need to define the project as best you can and arrive at a set of requirements. By brainstorming with your stakeholders you might be alerted to things you didn’t realise that you needed to know! The experts can help by asking the right questions which will guide you through the process of defining what it is you actually want.

By the end of the composing phase you can produce a single page ‘scope of work’ document. This document outlines what it is you want to do, the resources you have to work with, and perhaps even a rough idea of budget. At this stage you’re not thinking structurally or about how things are going to fit together.

The ‘decomposing phase’

This is when you can start thinking about how the project can be broken down into more manageable parts, and how those parts will fit together.

Cesar recommends breaking each element (such as roof, walls, insulation, foundations etc) down into a sequence of actions. That way you’re being locked into a way of doing things, instead of the thing itself. He suggests continuing to break these elements down until you reach a point where that one thing you need to deliver can either be done by you or handed over to someone, and that person can deliver that part in a period of time of between a day and two weeks, or a day and a week. It’s at that point that you’ve broken it down enough. If you take it to the point of that thing is only going to take a couple of hours, then you have probably broken it down too far. Likewise if you’re at the point where that element would take a month, then you’ve not broken it down far enough.

Example of the decomposing stage for the writing of Cesar’s book

The advantage of this method is you’re able to hand these work packages over to others who can then provide you with an estimate of their time and cost.

“You plan the work then you work the plan”.

Decision-making time

Once you have completed the decomposing stage you will have a rough idea of what’s going to be involved in terms of time and costs. At this point you’re able to make a decision about whether the house is going to be too big, too costly, take too long etc, and even whether you still wish to proceed. This isn’t a case of giving up due to being overwhelmed by the project, but is an informed and conscious decision that could only have been reached by working through the planning stage.

Defining Activities

When you have your work packages, you can take each one and determine what activities need to happen for that thing to be delivered. This might be a case for example of sitting down with a roofer and compiling a list of tasks that will be necessary to complete the work package.

By being broken down into work packages it strips away the complexity of how everything fits together and you can focus on those things that take about a day or a week to do. Working your way back up your chart (that has been divided and subdivided further into smaller parts) in this planning project, once these work packages are done then the levels above them will be done and the project will ultimately be complete.

Managing risk

You need to sit down with your team / stakeholders and come up with a list of risks which are potential issues that could arise in your project.

You can start by brainstorming and writing a long list of what could go wrong, before then trying to narrow it down by considering which ones are probable, and of these probable ones, which are the ones that are of the greatest importance and impact. You can come up with a contingency plan for what needs to be done if that risk did occur, and assign that risk to someone in your team to watch out for and flag up if they see it coming.

Delegating and team building

By going through the process of composing and decomposing it will become clear which tasks will need to be delegated, either because you do not have the expertise for them yourself or perhaps because your time could be better spent elsewhere.

This isn’t about handing over control, because as the project manager you have done all the planning and are overseeing this process. The information you receive back from your delegated tasks will provide you with what you need for costings and scheduling. If your roofer tells you it will take them ten days and they will be starting on a certain date, you can set yourself a reminder to check in with him around that time and ensure it’s progressing as planned.

“It gives you all these tools to not only know what to delegate but to delegate better and to also control and monitor it’s being done better as well.”

Estimating duration and cost

If you have your work packages you are able to add the information together to give you an idea of overall cost of the project.

Working out the duration can be more tricky because you will need to sequence your activities. Some of the activities can be worked on concurrently and some you can take a view on whether to for example bring more people into the team on certain elements to work your schedule more favourably and deliver your project earlier.

Communication and leadership

Cesar estimates that 90% of the job of a project manager is communication. He points out that the construction industry can be a particularly tense one with most projects being based on lowest bid mentality, and when things go wrong fingers get pointed. There can be other delicate topics that need to be addressed such as safety and regulations, so if you’re a good communicator it will work to your advantage.

Reviewing, managing change and lessons learned

Reviewing is a simplification of the monitoring / controlling aspect of project management. A number of project management tools can help with this, to compare how well your schedule of costs and time is marrying up with the progress being made and the invoices being received. If you are falling behind your schedule you will be able to make the objective decision based on what you know to be the critical elements of the project, of whether to throw more money in to speed things up.

Hire a professional!

Cesar admits that he probably wouldn’t project manage his own self-build.

“I think experience says a lot. If you hire a person and they’re able to do it faster, to do it cheaper, I find that it’s worth the investment.”

Particularly with a project such as building your own house which can be so specialised, time consuming and expensive, Cesar recommends hiring a project manager who has experience of the subject matter who can deal with any feelings of being overwhelmed so that you don’t have to! There is still the option to oversee that process or perhaps co-manage it with them, depending on what level of involvement you’re keen to retain. It might even be a case of just hiring a project manager as a consultant in terms of the planning stage, rather than the build, so that they can direct you towards the things you should be doing and looking out for.

Cesar suggests it is wise to “just work with someone that can provide you with this level of detail and planning so you can sleep at night and enjoy your new home when it’s done!”

As a special offer Cesar is offering a free audio version with any purchase of his book.

Find out more

Follow Cesar Abeid on Twitter

Check out Cesar Abeid’s website

Project Management for the Masses

Buy the book!

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Cesar Abeid.

Dean and Hannah blog

Dean and Hannah are loyal listeners of the House Planning Help podcast and have been with us since Episode 1! They’re hoping to embark on their own self-build project and are writing a blog about their experiences. You can follow their progress.

Please connect with me
- Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes
- Rate and review the podcast on Stitcher
- Like our Facebook page
- Follow us on Twitter
November 25, 2015
HPH101 : 5 Common Traits of Self-Builders – with Dr Michaela Benson from Goldsmiths
Following a recent exhibition of her research project, sociologist Michaela Benson talks us through the traits that self-builders commonly have.

Interview with Dr Michaela Benson

Michaela Benson is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London. She has spent the last three years working on a research project called ‘Self-Building – The Production and Consumption of New Homes From the Perspective of Households’. She wanted to understand the diversity of the houses people build, their motivations for doing it and their experiences of the process. Her interviews with twenty individual self-builders and five group projects during that time have led her to notice characteristics that these people share. She explains five of them to us.

1. Having Two Different Skill Sets – Practical and Organisational

Michaela explains that this could be within one individual self-builder or shared within a couple where one person has the practical abilities and the other has the organisational skills. Many of the people in the study were engineers, while often they also had experience of managing other people too.

Self-awareness of their organisational skills was often a reason why people chose to project manage the process themselves, and to try and save money. Michaela stresses however that the size of this challenge shouldn’t be underestimated, as it’s not just about managing the budget, but also about having your procurement and tradespeople lined up at the right time. The times when this worked most successfully were when the self-builder already had experience of the construction process, usually from working in related professions.

2. Acquired Knowledge Through Previous Projects

In many cases, the self-builders had built up their knowledge by undertaking extensive renovations or extension projects. Michaela particularly noticed this in a number of the 50+ age group, who had worked their way up the housing ladder by taking on properties which had needed considerable work. “So they built up their property assets that way, but they’d also built up their practical experience of working on houses.”

From a sociological perspective it highlights the role that property assets play in self-build. Michaela states that it is very difficult to embark on the self-build process unless you already have significant property assets or savings, perhaps explaining why it can be more difficult for younger generations. She often came across people who, not through being unrealistic about their budget, had periods of financial difficulty throughout. This was more to do with having a cash flow available at the same time as being needed for procurement. “It’s to do with the fact that the cash flow on a project often requires more money at a point in time than you actually have in the bank at that moment, because of the draw downs on the mortgage.”

3. A Heightened Level of Involvement and Understanding of Their Project

Michaela explains that for many people there was a fascination in knowing exactly how things worked and proudly demonstrating it to others. Being so heavily involved in their build they would tend to have a keen attention to detail.

“It’s not just building a house, it’s actually a learning process that they’re engaging in.”

And for some, it was learning on a professional level that would assist in their careers. Michaela tells of one self-builder who was a planner wanting to become a consultant in energy-efficient buildings. For her the project was about building a house for herself, but also developing her professional identity and learning through her own experience so that she could help to advise others.

Many of the buildings operated at a high level of energy efficiency, with some motivated by a desire to be conscious about the planet, while for others it was more future proofing their house against higher energy bills.

4. High Levels of Determination and Motivation

A lot of the people in the research project were very highly motivated. And they needed to be! Without their constant pushing to drive their builds forward they wouldn’t get to the end. Michaela explains that even with sufficient time and funds the process can be extremely challenging and demotivating, and a lot of emotional support is required.

Michaela feels that something a lot of people underestimated in their self-builds was the importance of managing social relationships, within families and also with the management of people coming onto the site.

“You can understand if you’re building your own house you’re building your home, you’re highly invested in that and when a series of little things go wrong it’s quite painful.”

The custom-build sector can offer some of the support by taking away many of those people management jobs from the self-builder. Michaela explains that some of the people working in that sector have experience of community projects so have had to learn to maintain relationships with the wider community in the past.

5. A Keenness to Trace Back The Routes of Their Skills and Ambitions

Michaela explains that often people would trace back the desire to build their own house stemming from having an interest since childhood, whether that be through building Lego or Meccano houses, or drawing their dream home.

Also she would hear people describe how they learned practical skills from their family members while growing up, bringing them to the point where eventually they would self-build. In both cases, they were very clear that their interest in self-building related back to something.

The Process can Taint the Outcome

Some of the people in the research had been exhausted by their self-build experience and felt that moving in was an anti-climax. While being pleased with their house they had been unhappy with elements of the process. Some talked of having decision-making fatigue. Generally they were building houses that they were happy to live in, though perhaps because of their involvement and in-depth knowledge of the projects they sometimes came across with negativity about some aspects.

“But overall I think that people are quite positive about the houses, if not the experience.”

Find Out More

Follow Dr Michaela Benson on Twitter

Read Dr Michaela Benson’s Blog

Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Dr Michaela Benson.

Please Connect With Me
- Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes
- Rate and review the podcast on Stitcher
- Like our Facebook page
- Follow us on Twitter
September 30, 2015
HPH027 : Does Hiring a Project Manager Save Money? – with Mike Jacob from Trunk Low Energy Building
Mike Jacob from Trunk Low Energy Building provides an insight into the benefits of hiring a project manager for a house build. Also Ben Adam-Smith reflects on the UK Passivhaus Awards 2013.

Interview with Mike Jacob

Mike is a Chartered Building Consultant with a specific interest in very low energy construction. Prior to establishing Trunk, Mike led numerous design teams through early explorations of Passivhaus and Zero Carbon as a director of The Olive Green Group.

The Project Manager is the Client’s Right Hand Man

When Mike provides project management services he sees his role as being the client’s right hand man. He’s the person who helps turn what’s on paper, or something that’s only an idea, into a reality.

Contract Administration is One Type of Project Management

Traditionally an architect would have carried out this role. Having completed the planning work, some detailed design and produced construction drawings ready to take out to the market and tender, the architect would effectively manage and oversee the works. This is assuming that the client is paying a main contractor to build the project.

The Second Type of Project Management Involves Subcontractors

This is where there is no main contractor and the client employs a whole raft of subcontractors instead. The project manager not only helps to tender the subcontracts and identify which subcontractors to use but then sets up all the individual subcontracts and of course manages the process from beginning to end.

Somebody Will Always be Carrying Out a Project Management Role

Mike explains that clients can undertake the role themselves if they deem themselves to have the necessary skills. If the client opts for a fully managed service – known as a turnkey solution – then appointing a project manager would not be necessary. However, somebody from the turnkey company would still be carrying out this function as part of the wider offering. Mike says a Huf Haus is a prime example.

A Project Manager Has a Mix of Soft and Hard Skills

Mike believes that a project manager needs to be someone who’s calm under pressure, has innate critical path analysis skills, a good head for numbers and is diplomatic. There will be times when a project manager needs to be brutal and tough, but also other times when a softer approach is just as essential.

Expect to be Busy as a Project Manager

For those clients that decide to take on the role of project manager they should be prepared for some very long days with a certain amount of healthy stress. Anticipate writing lots of emails, making many phone calls and answering numerous queries. This is likely to be hard work.

Hiring a Project Manager Should Give the Client Peace of Mind

Top of Mike’s list of benefits of hiring a project manager is that it allows the client to sleep a bit better at night! The client is employing somebody whose sole job and skillset is to focus on delivering the client’s desired outcomes. With that should come a degree of certainty over how much will be spent and how long it’s going to take.

Low Energy Projects Demand Attention to Detail

Mike specialises in delivering Passivhaus and low energy buildings. As a high performance of building envelope is imperative, that means that there is an added layer of complexity in the role. Project managing such a build is about making sure things don’t start to veer off track, especially where there’s no main contractor to hold accountable. Any third party could potentially compromise airtightness, for example, unless there’s a tight grip on things.

There Are Savings to be Made by Going Down the Subcontractor Route

The main contractor route is loaded with premiums because the contractor takes on all the risk and also adds in a certain level of profit. Therefore removing that from the equation opens up quite a big area where, over the duration of the project, it’s possible to generate savings. However, it’s worth pointing out that these savings are only truly realised once the project has been completed.

Choose an Accredited Project Manager

Mike is a chartered member of The Chartered Institute of Building. This organisation is recognised around the world and provides independent and professional accreditation that effectively says that a person is at management level in the construction industry. These people will have the letters MCIOB after their names.

Get a Referral and Check References

Get a recommendation to a project manager from somebody that has used that person before. This should be a good indication of whether they’re worth their salt or not. Always check references and previous work of any contractor or subcontractor, particularly if you’ve found them through adverts.

Modern Construction Methods Make the Main Contractor Route Less Viable

In order for people who are involved in building systems to be able to guarantee performance, there’s a lot more off-site work in modern construction – a packaged approach to building. So, for example, if you chose a timber frame route, the company may well provide a guaranteed airtight shell. As this chunk of the project will be managed, if there is a main contractor involved there is likely to be a period when that main contractor is sitting around and not really doing anything. This would be a very inefficient way to spend money to get the same outcome.

A Good Project Manager Gets an Empathetic Understanding of the Client’s Needs

Beyond cost, specification and time, Mike believes that he offers some fairly qualitative things that matter to the clients as individuals. Mike explains that for some of his clients, having a positive ethos on site is very important. This informs the subcontractors that Mike may invite to tender. For example, a highly-skilled subcontractor that brings a completely negative atmosphere to site would not be a good fit for that particular project.

A Project Manager with a Bulging Book of Contacts is Not Necessarily a Good Thing

Although there are clearly benefits of having reliable subcontractors with whom you’ve had first hand experience, Mike says there’s also the risk creating ‘jobs for the boys’. This is particularly relevant when the project manager is working in a small geographic area. Mike always tries to find the most appropriate subcontractor, inviting new people in to tender as well. His rule of thumb is to tender to a minimum of three subcontractors or companies in order to make an impartial decision.

Avoid Using a Pay Structure That is a Percentage of The Final Build Cost

Firstly, remember that when it comes to cost, everything is negotiable. Also, some people like to set their pay structure in a specific way. If this doesn’t suit you then there may be other companies that will approach it in a way that satisfies both parties. For example, traditionally architects would base their fees on a percentage of the final build cost. This not only means that the fee fluctuates and may be more than the client originally anticipated, but that there is no incentive to try and manage costs, because actually it’s in their best interests for things to cost as much as possible!

Mike Agrees a Fixed Fee Upfront Once the Budget has Been Agreed

Before any work starts, the project manager will scrutinise the working budget alongside the client. The fee would then depend on what type of project management is needed. For example, going down the main contractor route will cost less. This is because managing one single contractor is likely to be easier than looking after a range of subcontractors. Mike’s preferred pay structure is to use a fixed fee which is derived from a percentage of the estimated cost. Roughly speaking that would be 5% for the contract administration and 9 or 10% for the subcontractor approach. This fee is then paid in staged monthly payments.

Get a Project Manager on Board at the Earliest Point Possible

As with all key members of the team, bringing a project manager in at the beginning is a good idea. Especially where Passivhaus and low energy construction is concerned, a project manager can help the design to evolve in a way that is mindful of the physicalities of constructing it, bearing in mind how much money the client wants to spend and what the client wants to achieve at the end of it.

Upfront Planning Can Pay Off

If you define the critical path of a project early on and earmark the key milestones that are going to come up, then a well assembled, properly briefed and well functioning team can get on with it. In practice there may be other issues that arise but there’s no substitute for forward planning.

There Must be a Balance Between Time, Cost and Quality

Mike says that it’s an old cliché but while time, cost and quality are the three things that a project manager oversees, you can’t actually have all three at the same time. So there’ll inevitably be a process of helping the client to understand what’s most important. For example, where there’s a tight budget then cost is king and that will mean that quality might suffer as the client may have to spend less money on a kitchen in order to bring the whole thing in on budget.

Find Out More About Mike Jacob

Trunk Low Energy Building covers much of South East England (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Essex and Kent).

Follow Trunk on Twitter

The AECB Conference

Ben talks about going to this year’s AECB Conference and how there were many interesting sessions (as well as the usual networking opportunities). Find out more about the high calibre of speakers at this year’s AECB Conference. Hattie Hartman, Sustainability Editor of the Architect’s Journal was the keynote speaker and Ben was impressed by her commitment to better building. Check out her blog.

Follow Hattie Hartman on Twitter

Become a Member of the AECB

The AECB is the Association for Environmentally Conscious Builders. Its sizeable membership includes many pioneers and the whole organisation is built upon sharing knowledge of what works and what does not. Find out more about becoming a member. They do a great student rate if you’re just out of university and heading into the world of construction!

UK Passivhaus Awards 2013

Congratulations to the winners of the UK Passivhaus Awards.

Totnes Passivhaus won in the Private Housing category. Find out more about this retrofit by watching this 2-minute video.

We also chatted to Adam Dadeby about this project in episode 5 of the House Planning Help Podcast.

Lancaster Cohousing Project won in the Social/Group Housing category.

In session 28 we’ll be interviewing Mark Westcombe about how Lancaster Cohousing came about.

Finally Canolfan Hyddgen won in the Non Domestic category.

There are more videos on all the shortlisted projects on the Passivhaus Trust’s YouTube Channel.

Ask Your Questions or Share Your Feedback
- Email feedback@houseplanninghelp.com
Transcript

Download a transcript of the interview with Mike Jacob.

Today’s question for the show notes is . . . How are you going to project manage your house build?

Please Connect With Me
- Subscribe, rate and review the podcast in iTunes
- Like our Facebook page
- Follow us on Twitter
July 17, 2013