How to Run a Building Project

You can enjoy great savings compared to using a builder and have much more control — but is project management really for you, and where do you start? Jason Orme explains.

Buying Materials

Get a firm idea on quantities and costs from the start:

The starting point for any serious shopping trip for all the materials you’ll need for your construction project is something that’s rather grandly called a ‘Bill of Quantities’. Most builders and industry types will refer to it as a ‘take-off’, but whatever you call it, it’s essentially a long list of the quantities of materials you’ll need along with a price. Years of experience are not easy to replace but the good news for novice self-build project managers is that there are a few new tools available in different forms that will do the same job.

First of all, investing in one of the project management software programs would be an undoubted help. Easy Price Pro’s Self-build NHE Estimator offers to price up a job, state required materials, advise on lead-in times and estimate a build schedule. It costs £199 + VAT. HBXL’s Estimator Xpress offers build cost estimates, scheduling guidance and cash-flow charts from £500. Even better, it uses Jewson to provide real-life estimates and has even pre-negotiated discounts.

For those just after a simple cost estimate and take-off for materials then the local builders’ merchants might well be prepared to offer free take-offs from building-standard plans. It will take a couple of weeks and provided you are after standard solutions (available, of course, through the specific merchant) then it’s a good starting point.

Buy your materials from the right places

Merchants Establish a relationship with a local merchant from the start. As someone managing a construction site you’ll need quick and easy access to, at the very least, the simpler building products such as building sand, timber, blocks, cement and so on. The merchant is still the preferred route for the vast majority of building materials (everything from timber to bricks) and so if you want to buy those materials, you will need to use a merchant. While it’s wise to shop around initially, it usually pays to establish an account with just one local merchant — you’ll be able to negotiate the best discounts through the promise of quantity of sales and you’ll also be able to arrange the best credit terms (you’ll be paying on invoice – terms up to 60 days – through merchants, rather than upfront as you would through conventional retailers). There are, of course, specialist plumbing and electrical merchants who should, in theory at least, supply all of the requirements and much more choice besides. It’s a rather fun experience for the novice – a bit like wandering into the ‘Four Candles’ sketch from The Two Ronnies – but you’ll be able to rely on exceptional free, usually friendly, advice. That said, local merchants can occasionally be intimidating places for novices to use, which brings us to…

DIY Sheds: Although they are not having a great time of it at the moment, thanks to the perceived end of the DIY boom of the 1990s, the major ‘sheds’ (as they are known in the industry) do offer something to the novice project manager. They have prices clearly on display, which is a big help (even if the prices aren’t particularly competitive) and staff who at least in theory can offer some useful advice, although this advice is aimed very much at the accomplished DIYer rather than serious local builder — most of whom wouldn’t be seen dead in one. That said, the new crop of merchant-lite ‘Warehouse’ stores from B&Q certainly helps to address this issue, and it’s worth checking out the so-called ‘Trade Counters’ at these stores, along with Wickes (which is owned by Travis Perkins and always has had a more serious feel). Last but not least, Screwfix (owned by the same people as B&Q, SEE BELOW) is a favourite of the building trade and offers upfront pricing on all manner of materials, complete with guaranteed next-day delivery. At the very least it’s an exceptionally good resource for comparing prices.

Direct/Online: Whereas, traditionally, building materials suppliers would target merchants and rely on them to promote their wares to their customers, the industry is changing and many manufacturers are beginning to work on retailing their goods directly. It’s all a bit hit-and- miss but it’s fair to say that all of the advertisers in this magazine would be happy to sell direct to you.

Who Owns Who?

Unlocking the great Builder's Merchant merry-go-round

Managing Labour

Tap into the local network

As project manager of a self-build or renovation project you’ll need to be able to handle the role of finding and, just as importantly, managing tradesmen. That means everyone from groundworkers to electricians, and plenty more besides. Access to this local network is difficult to get at first but the good news is that it’s usually quite a close network — meaning that if you can establish a trusted tradesman on site in whatever form, they will almost certainly be able to lead you to find others who they often work with.

Get organised

The key is being able to line up trades well in advance. So as soon as you’ve got planning permission – while the Building Regulations drawings are in for approval, perhaps – get contacting local groundworking teams and bricklayers. Many will need several months’ notice depending on their schedules but the earlier you can make contact the better. All will be juggling several other jobs including yours and the key to success, and a smooth, busy site, is ensuring that they are there when you need them and they view your project as a priority. That means paying them when they need paying, and working with them closely on site in a positive way.

Use the expertise on offer

Don’t think that they’ll expect you to know everything about the technical details of building — be upfront about your experience and most genuine tradesmen will react well to it. It often helps to have one local experienced tradesman – a bricklayer or carpenter, perhaps – who can come on site regularly and give you some advice. One of the toughest things about project management, of course, is having no one to discuss ideas with.

"Builder? Pah!"

This self-builder took on project management roles — to great success

Caron Pain built a five bedroom house in Norfolk (completed 2006) for just £110,000 –and in just five months – thanks to taking on the role of project manager. She sourced all the materials herself (often in creative ways, through the internet and local DIY stores) and managed all the labour for the project. “My main tool was an A4 pad,” she says. “Everyday I would just write down everything that was needed for the job and I made dozens of phone calls.”
Read more about Caron's Project...

The Project Management Masterclass:

• 10 Secrets of an On Time, On Budget Project
• The Project Manager's Toolkit
• Is Self-managing Right for You?