Definitely echo the local sentiments. I currently live just 3 miles from my project but work and family mean I can't go every day. It's amazing how much time is required to manage a build, catch mistakes as soon as possible to minimise their effect and coordinate trades

By and large, projects do slip so try not to worry about it too much. Has your architect not offered to oversee and project manage? Theyre often one of the better people to do so because they have the detail in their head.. Better he receive any "it cannot physically be built like that" arguments direct from the builder

For my industrial conversion, I'm still managing and building away myself, and I've accepted that one man working two days a week isn't going to get a 250sqm house built in a year so I'm just letting it take as long as it takes. So many others have said why not just throw more money at it, get some trades in and smash the thing out in 6 months but I'd then spend all my free time fixing their mistakes (if I can find them) and I'd be paying through the nose for it. The other party to our "pair of semis" conversion has grown tired of building it himself and is throwing money at it. It turns out plumbers and elections don't really care about air tightness membranes and detailing, ventilation guys don't even bother to turn up and the heating guys wanted to do it their way rather than the way he wanted.. It's not all been bad though. If you want a list of suppliers at I'd wholeheartedly recommend let me know.

There was a time that I felt quite under pressure to complete by a certain date, thinking it was really important to my other half that we move out of my inlaws house and into our own. Every family get together sees the extended family asking "have you not finished that bloody house yet?" and there's another interested third party pushing to have it finished by a certain time too. Post a frank conversation with the only people who really matter, turns out my other half is reasonably happy with the living situation because of all the help grandma gives with the baby so I changed perspective. Putting the dream (having a house of our own) on hold til whenever the building is done does at least mean that things are done exactly how I want with few mistakes. I accept everyone's appetite for these things is different and external factors affecting decisions are massively variable, but do have a think on whether the "important" thing that is influencing your decision now is a) actually important and b) so inviolable that it constricts you to just one course of action.

Up in the Northern Poor House (note the new name, given to us by Labour in the recent by election) you can get someone good for £140 a day.

I think you might (would) struggle to get someone really good, both as a builder and as a project manager, for £140 a day. It depends what the 'overseer' role involves. Could stretch beyond on-site management to more involvement with suppliers, finances etc.

True true that most trades act only in isolation. While you're casting around you'll be needing to carry on with the PM yourself. Don't be afraid to ask for help - it sounds like you're in the position I was 6 months ago (and I'm still PMing/building mine, and going greyer by the day but getting a reasonable handle on it even if the lads on site get frustrated at how much I step in and take over/shake their head at how much I want doing "my way" ;) )

Others here (and similar forums) will also be in similar boats, at various stages across the sea