The plasterwork is finished and your self-build project is definitely nearing completion. Through the inclusion of your own little touches, during the Second Fix, your house will really begin to resemble a home. All the work that was carried out in the First Fix was preparation for the installations in the Second Fix. Once again, this can easily be categorised as joinery, plumbing and electrics. If the work was carried out correctly in the First Fix, then it should all be straightforward, as the last stages of your self-build project fall into place.
We’ve almost nailed it
The Second Fix for the joinery really brings the rooms to life. Some skirting and architraves may have been fixed temporarily as a guide for the plasterer, but they will now be fixed permanently.
Skirting can be fixed directly to the wall, using plugs and screws, or wooden guide battens may have been fitted to the wall, to nail the skirting to. You may go for a simple five-inch softwood skirting, or a larger, Georgian style 10-inch deep oak – whatever is in keeping with the design and a reflection of your personal taste.
Architraves are fixed to the door linings, which are the frames in which the doors will hang. Any fixing holes in the timber will be made good using putty, so you won’t be able to see where skirtings or architraves are attached, in preparation for painting or staining.
Other carpentry items include the hanging of hardwood or softwood doors throughout the property. This is a deceptively simple but actually very complicated process, as anyone who has ever removed a door themselves to paint it will know. The full process includes siting and fixing the hinges to the door, and then the hinges to the frame. It also includes fitting the lock mechanism and handle, which all has to be aligned perfectly for it to work. Any interior window sills will also be fitted at this stage too.
This stage can also include detailed finishes to boxing out – to conceal pipework in a bathroom for example, or boarding to a bath panel, after the plumber has finished their fittings.
Switching on at Second Fix
The electrics is one aspect of the house where, if any mistakes have been made, they can be costly to rectify. So it’s important to ensure that all wiring and socket positions are exact before any plasterwork is carried out. All the wiring and socket plates are already in place from the First Fix, so it’s simply a question of fitting sockets, TV points, switches etc, to allow appliances to be operational.
The underfloor manifold system, if you’re installing underfloor heating, will require a live supply at this stage too. The manifold is responsible for circulating heated water from the boiler or other heating source through the underfloor circuits, while also controlling the pressure and flow-rates. When selecting a place for the manifold, choose a site where it can be accessed and installed easily and where the central heating pipes can be connected and radiated out. A good place is often under the stairs, in a storage area or in the wall near the electric meter.
Smart system at Second Fix
If you’ve opted for a smart system, much of your cabling will not be on view. Wireless technology is evolving all the time and the more wireless technology you can include in your new-build, the less clutter on display and the more aesthetically pleasing it will be on the eye.
If you have gone down the renewables route, then it is during the Second Fix when interfaces are installed for ground source heat pumps and solar panels, etc. We connect all services as part of CB Homes’ turnkey service, so that all systems can be fully tested and signed off as passing all relevant industry regulations.
Liquid assets
Plumbing is the last part of the Second Fix we look at here, though all three of these elements will be carried out at the same time. One technician many need another to carry out tasks during the ongoing installation – for example, an electrician will need to fit the power supply to a shower unit, while the plumber installs the water supply to it.
Plumbing covers all the aspects of the project that includes pipework. This includes fixing the wall-mounted radiators to the pipework, installing boilers, cylinders, header tanks and fixtures such as wash basins, shower trays and bathroom storage units. It includes the entire bathroom suite and any associated sanitary ware, such as a fitted toilet, basin and pedestal and bath.
In the kitchen, it will include mains water connections for the sink, but also gas supply to the hob. Some tiling will have to be carried out before certain sanitary items can be fitted – areas where the wash hand basin will be fixed, or a toilet cistern – while other parts (the kitchen splashback for example) will be completed later.
The kitchen is the heart of the home
The kitchen being fitted is another of those milestones in your self-build project that should be celebrated. You’ll see your design, your choices, your personality come to bear on the finished kitchen units, worktops and utilities. What was just a visualisation on paper and screen, and individual pieces of detail – a tile design, a hob or worktop configuration – is now a reality. Whether you’ve gone for high-grade granite worktops, glass and chrome, or a more traditional timber design, your kitchen will be the centrepiece of your downstairs living space.
With your kitchen and bathroom fittings in place, the interiors of your future home are really taking shape. All that remains now are the finishing touches. We’ll look at those next in the fifth and final part of our Self Build Guide to The Build.
If you have always dreamed of building your own home, contact us to find out more about our complete turnkey solution for your self-build project.
