This is for research I am doing on low impact building (eg straw bale) but I am just as interested in opinions on timings please on mainstream or modern methods of construction (I realise this could change matters significantly). The only thing I have found man hours/labour time is a quote from a fairly old book which says this:

Allow approximately 5 person days per square metre. For example, two people building their 80m2 house, full time (2x 40 hour week) should allow 200 says – 33 calendar weeks – 7.5 months. One person building the same house part-time (say a 24 hour week) would take 133 calendar weeks – 30 months – 2.5 years. Groups are currently taking between twenty and twenty four months.
Time can be saved by spending money on subcontracts – commonly, discrete areas of work such as foundations, drainage, roofing, central heating, electrics.

(from this book: www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Woods-Ecological-Designs-Futures/dp/1898049122/ )

So I broadly take that as building 1 house, using just 1 person = 1 year 3 months.
Is this about right or is there any other known consensus?

thanks

The quote is from a book on the Segal method. It seems only right that you and I should be in on this thread then, James, as members of the unofficial WS fan club.

Even with the Segal method a lot depends on how you finish it.

This a how long's a piece of string question - one big factor is experience - I have never tiled before - how long then to tile a lounge/kitchen....nicely - the answer I decided was too long and I paid someone - but I am going to lay the clunk-click bamboo floor....

Another BIG factor is how you count labour - if labour includes deciding on all the details, eg choosing your bricks, searching for a good price, arranging delivery and payment, coming up with something PDQ when the lorry can't get around your corner, driving to the local ironmongery for the right length fixings etc etc etc, then maybe half my time is spent actually labouring, so to speak.

The large timber frame manufacturer near me has the windows fitted and the plastering done before the timber frames leave the factory.
The two houses at the back of me must be over 2 years since they knocked the original house down. The three up the road are at 18 months and still empty, but a small bungalow locally was done in less than 6 months, then they put a garage in the front of it, blocking all the light and making the access difficult.

"How long to build a house - points of view/experience needed."

Forever, and along the way you learn to live with that unfinished wall, or the place where you chased in a new lighting switch cable and then never quite got round to re painting, 'cos we're going to re-decorate next year,-ha! Oh and I didn't mention all the bl...dy Kitchen lights need upgrading an' the insulation needs topping up, it looks like the redecoration's put off for another year. Damn we said we'd replace the hall carpet next year.
I hate houses, they drain you.
I'm off to walk the dog,- now that's something to live for,- that and understanding friends.

Yes I took a rough picture of the page (number 111) from the book above on my cameraphone but now you mention it I cant recall the context is was in.......I can only assume your right it must have been referring to the Segal method.

I should clarify, I am trying to establish how many man/woman hours/working days in total to build an average (say 80m2) house pretty much from scratch. The 1 year 3 months quoted sounds entirely plausible for 1 man. From this rather useful blog (this guy seems to know his stuff) he is said it takes approximately 1.5 worker years: http://brickonomics.building.co.uk/2011/10/mr-cameron-heres-how-to-build-500000-homes-and-net-10-billion-for-the-treasury-well-maybe/

As part of my research I have found a low impact build (a potentially very cheap and efficient straw bale build) which works out at around 8 months for one person, or more practically speaking, this would equate to say a team of 5 completing the build in around 6.5 weeks. Does that sound good/bad/indifferent in terms of labour time to you guys?

Posted By: daserra.............In my work I find it usually takes twice as long as you allowed for.

Yes, that's nearer the mark, then double it again if you just do it all alone, then add on some more if you're finding the money to do it at the same time.

As a rule of thumb, the actual task of building something will take about a third to a half as long as the period from starting the design to obtaining planning permission, assuming building is roughly continuous.

F

Posted By: daserraAye, my last big project I planned out in Gantt charts all proper like, still didn't make any difference. gah

How true. I had to do a large project for a bank once. one component was misquoted (it took longer to make) and hard as I tried to show the boss where the problem lay and that we should put more people onto the job to reduce losses, he kept pointing to his GANTT chart saying it was fine. So it all took 4 months longer.

Posted By: ferdinand2000

Posted By: Gotanewlife

Posted By: ferdinand2000As a rule of thumb, the actual task of building something will take about a third to a half as long as the period from starting the design to obtaining planning permission, assuming building is roughly continuous

F
(Who has has just been told that his application for a Landlord License in a certain city will take at least another 6 months to process, having taken 6 months already).

UK?

Obviously depends on how you go about it and unforseen complications. My experience, 2 - 3 months for design development and design freeze and planning package, 2.5 months in planning. 2 - 3 months detail design and construction documents. 1 month tender peirod. 6 - 8 months build time for new build houses, bespoke designs, not very standard detailing. Assuming a main contractor with varying size of team from 2 - 6 guys depending on stage of build.

We bought the site in August, design & planning was straightforward and was complete by November. broke ground in February and had a contractor do the insulated slab. Timber frame was erected the last week in May and then the slow bit started as I took over! Subbed the plumbing, electrics and exterior plastering but did the rest myself single handed apart from the roofing when I had help from the brother. Finally moved in in September so just over 2 years from start to finish. Still lots to do outside and lots of small nagging jobs inside. Sort of jobs that only got finished on our previous house when it came time to sell after living there 7 years!

djh wrote:

Sorry, could you clarify that please? Is that an actual build you are talking about? Of a house (i.e meets building regs and all other legalities). I'd be interested in the details if so.

Check out this video:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s57lzvmnapkmy8n/Paligloo%205%20mins%20SD%20no%20audio%20BEST%20ONE.wmv

see here(use Chrome to translate to English): http://paligloo.free.fr/index.php/projets-en-cours

Amazing for 3000 Euros for materials, and genuinely sustainable and meets Frances' quite high thermal standards - the times I have quoted are for a metal roof (instead of the shingled wooden one they have done) which they tell me takes about 3 months (again for 1 man) less work out of the normal 11 months for a shingled roof.

Yes, an impressive construction. I believe the French have a scheme where you can exempt yourself from regs if you build a house for yourself, or something like that. I think they must have been exempt - ungraded structural timber was the most obvious showstopper.