Build Your Own House

Hello all,

I finally decided on a plan for my house last week after a few months going over possible designs with different architects/kit homes suppliers and looking over lots of Owner builder magazines and books.

I didn't want to wait too long for architects to get back to me, since I want to lodge plans before Christmas this year. So I ended up finding a good one who not only spent a few hours talking to me over the telephone before I even ordered one of his designs. It only took him 4 days to get back to me with the plans! I couldn't believe it when I got the tube home with all the specs and info today. His name is Peter Lees and he designs loft homes suitable for owner builders. If anyone has built one of his homes, drop me a line, so we can exchange information. There are also a few websites floating around of people who have built his designs in Australia.

Now the goal is to lodge plans for the mud brick house & the steel shed in Nov or latest Dec this year and get quotes for the slab and frame while I wait for council approval.

The shed will be my temporary dwelling while I build.

I will post updates here once things get rolling. If anyone wants to exchange ideas, or is also about to build with mud brick, drop me a line.

Cheers,
Rita

Peter Lees' website is: http://www.cheaphomedesigns.com/

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Bruce
Draftie

Hi Rita,

I just recieved my copy of Peters book and am looking at a similar project.

Hoping to build a modest 2-3 bedroom loft with mud brick on a concrete slab.

Plan on spending my weekend reading his book.

Cheers,

paul.

I have finally ordered and recieved a copy of Peter Lees book. Still trying to decide between sizes. I was originally going to do the plan myself, but this will take a lot of decisions off me (am not good at making up my mind about anything) and will speed up the process. Is there anyone out there who knows of any internet sites where his homes are featured? Or have you built one yourself?

Donna

Here's one I found with a good idea of what things will take.
http://www.users.bigpond.com/the-loks/p8.html

I also bought Peter Lee's book a while back and have been thinking about building two S sized houses (yep the smallest ones!) one as a garage with loft and one as the main house. I've been investigating mudbrick (Peter suggests that we can probably make our own mudbricks in a weekend... enough for an S type house!) and also www.formblock.com.au which I think would be heaps easier than trying to lay bricks... but then what do I know?

What I need to do is cost it out and work out how long it will take to build. The site I've listed above makes it sound like it'll take forever.

When I asked Peter the question as to how long it may take, he said one couple build their house in a year whilst working full time (ie just working on the house on weekends and holidays I'd assume?!) but again I'm not sure of the size of the house.

Hi Yvonneh,

I'm interested in Peter Lees S type designs. Probably mud brick or formblock.

Yes, I would be keen to know roughly what a smallish S design would cost if mostly self built using mud or formbricks.

I only just got Peters book and haven't got around to calling him yet.
Please keep me posted if you learn anything. Maybe we can share some ideas as it sounds like we are after a similar design/building method.

Cheers,

Paul. (Building in Lismore, VIC)

Hi,

We are also looking at building two "S" category or one A and one s. I am thinking that the house featured in the site you listed may be a category c or d, which are wider, hence the roof is much bigger. I am going to email the builder to see which one it is. Have you been given any prices for the s plans? I liked the A size better as it gives you more space between the internal supports, so the lounge can be of a squarer shape.

We have built a small building of mud brick before. (load bearing) We used a hand operated cement mixer, and made about 100 to 150 smallish mud bricks by 11 oclock each day. When it came time to lay the bricks, I laid them, and my hubby made the mortar and put the bricks up on the wall for me. This worked very well. I was able to lay a 18m length of wall a day (which was one row all around) quite comfortably.

The bricks were 320L x 150W x 100H and were laid in a flemish bond which has one brick through the wall and then two along the wall. this gives you a wall 320 thick. It looks nice too, and I was able to handle the weight of the brick which was under 10kg. We are going to make them slightly taller this time at 120mm.

Donna

I just re-read the site you listed and he says on there that his is a D category. (I must be half asleep!)

We cant wait to get the plans, and get started.

Here is another site showing the construction of a Peter Lees design. http://home.goulburn.net.au/~mblundel/webpage3c.htm

hi
i am contemplating designing/owner building myself on a piece of land in south gippsland. as part of my research i got a copy of peters book and am leaning towards an 'S' loft. main reason is that owner building is hard enough as it is, but getting a set of resolved, fully detailed & proven designs will make the process that little bit easier.....

if anybody has any feedback or comments on peter lees designed homes id love to hear....
thanks

I had a set of Peter Lee's plans across my desk a couple of months ago when I was a roof estimator for Stratco. They are very interesting plans, quite different from the usual plans because they are clearly intended for owner builders rather than professionals. Lots of construction detail for roof carpentry, which is important when you have a bunch of dormers like these. The plans are pretty old and I don't remember what he had specified for the timbers - you might want to check whether it is doable in plantation pine or whether you need expensive hardwood.

My main gripe was that he leaves open several options for the walls - timber frame, brick veneer, mudbrick etc. This affects the dimensions for everything so there are notes saying things like "add 100mm here if using mudbrick", that sort of thing. It was a pain in the arse for me but I guess if they were your own plans you would go through them and highlight the appropriate dimension, or write the corrected dimensions over them.

I had some finding some dimensions too but that is not unusual with dormers - very few designers provide a decent roof plan and dormers are particularly tricky with varying pitch and funny aprons running into the main roof somewhere or other.

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Bruce
Draftie