Starting from scratch

By Natasha Parrant

Part 2: The main structure

Secure Scaffold manager Nathan Applegarth helped build his own new house in Parklands in Christchurch.

Last time he explained what it was like dealing with the demolition and foundation process, now he discusses his experience with dealing with the structure of the build, which includes the framing, roofing, cladding, plumbing, and wiring.

The structure of the build “was a pretty easy process,” Nathan says. He says his builder from True Form Builders used laminated veneer lumber (LVL) framing. “He didn’t have to do a lot of straightening. The walls are pretty straight when using LVL,” Nathan says.

Nathan helped out by organising the roofing and the builder did the electrical plumbing, which turned out all good, he says.

True Form Builders completed the structure. Nathan dealt with them directly. The builder gave Nathan dates of when he needed to book his own trades in with the build, which helped make the process a lot smoother.

The structural process didn’t take too long, he says. Nathan’s builder had the framing and trusses sorted in about a week. After that, the scaffold went up, the roof went on, and the roofing only took about two days.

Nathan’s friend did the cladding and he used Integra panel, which saved Nathan heaps of money because his friend bought the cladding a year earlier (knowing Nathan was going to build his house in 2022), and also knowing there was a going to be a large increase in price for products in 2022.

“This saved me about $20,000.”

It was also important that the builder and Nathan organised and scheduled the project from the very start.

The builder estimated Nathan a finish date for the build and ended up handing over the house on the exact date he specified.

“He got the date perfect.” On the whole, Nathan was very happy with the finished product because most things went to plan. He wouldn’t have done anything differently to the structure.

“You choose this stuff when you sit down with the architect at the start, there are a few things the architect missed, we were supposed to have an attic in the garage.”

The builder was still able to achieve a large storage space above the garage and Nathan is pleased with how his house turned out. He’s been living there for nearly three months, as he moved in on the 1st of September.

Advice Nathan can give to future homeowners on whether to DIY and help build their own home or not is dependent on if they have experience in building or dealing with builds.

“If you’ve got the experience, 100 percent, get involved and keep an eye on it but if you don’t have experience... you may slow the builder down.”

In the future, Nathan is really keen to build another house of his own.