The Self-Build Guide to The Build: 3. The First Fix

With the completion of your roof structure and covering, you can finally see how your new house will look – at least from the outside. But now follows one of the most important stages of the construction process, the first fix. 

There are three basic stages to the first fix. They cover three key aspects of the house – joinery, electrics and plumbing/ heating. Plans are drawn up at the design stage for all the internal areas but they are not set in stone, however. They are not enforced by planning approval, so can be tweaked at this stage. This is useful if you have had further thoughts on interiors and layouts now you have a real idea of room sizes. There are of course cost implications if alterations and amendments are made to any of the components that are part of the first fix, but as long as they’re not too extreme, alterations can be made.

Fixing up your home

Joinery includes all the timber elements of the building. This includes the most obvious things like door casings and window sills. But it also includes aspects that will be covered up, such as timber stud partitions and structural noggins to enable plasterboard to be secured.

Like other aspects of the first fix, this work will be carried out by specialist tradesmen – in this case joiners who are expert in designing and fitting timberwork. Timber stairs will also go in at this stage, if they are made of softwood, but if you are having a feature hardwood staircase it is better to hold off fitting until later, in case of damage.

Getting connected

Electrics, in all their myriad forms, are another key aspect of the first fix. Years ago, an electrical fix in its simplest form would have been light switches, plugs and a phone socket. But these days there is considerably more sophistication and complexity, as we have many more devices that need power in our homes. This is driven by today’s technology. In older spec-built houses, even as recently as the 1980s, there never seemed to be quite enough plugs and they are sometimes found in rather random positions.

Today, as part of our turnkey self-build service, we will provide an electrics schedule, with details of all the electrics in each room. We will walk you through the property, listing out all the points – where you want the sockets, where the TV will be positioned, the number and position of power sockets, TV aerials, phone lines, smart connections, charging points etc.

This means the interior spaces can be shaped exactly to your specification and needs. A study may require more power and phone connectivity, especially if you will be working from home at any point. The electrical layout will also include any exterior wiring that will need to be included in the circuit, and also the position of the mains circuit board and breaker switches. Everything can then be tested before plastering commences.

Smart devices

These days many customers are keen to fit Wi-Fi enabled connections throughout their home. Although it is always possible to retrofit, it is much to better to pre-wire at this first fix stage. If you have a pre-wired smart enabled system installed you can have wireless coverage access points throughout your home so that all your smart home features, from your lighting and heating to your fridge and garage door, can be controlled wirelessly, along with your everyday streaming and connectivity needs.

In the pipeline

The other most important aspect of the first fix is the installation of the plumbing and heating systems. Like the electrics, much of this work is concealed and the metres of pipework will be hidden from sight in the finished house. Years ago, much of the plumbing pipework would have been lead and then copper, but these days it’s mostly plastic. Once upon a time this would have been frowned upon but improvements in modern technology and lower prices means the use of plastic has come on in leaps and bounds.

Aspects of this part of the project include the position of radiators, or underfloor heating. The basic foundations and layouts of the bathroom and kitchen – two of the most visual aspects of any house – are set out in this process. The rising main connection will define the sources of the water supply and how this is circulated around the property, via pipework, to the taps, shower and toilet. Individual taps and the washing machine connection may also have isolation valves, to facilitate any replacement at a future date and/ or any leakages.

Working to design drawings, the plumbing and heating engineers will set out where items such as wastepipes will go, to match up with each appliance. Different manufacturers’ models have different requirements, so you will need to have decided on your final choices before this stage can be carried out. This will ensure no changes will need to be made after the plastering is done, as these will be costly and time-consuming additions to the schedule of work.

The end of your self-build is in sight

The many aspects of the first fix also includes such miscellaneous items as ventilation, heat recovery systems, insulation, loft insulation, Kingspan partitions, insulation blown into the cavity wall, and some floor coverings, such as levelling screeds and floor insulation. It is also at this stage that any window frames will also be fitted and glazed. These frames can be made of either uPVC or timber and are available in a multitude of different designs and materials. Again, small changes can be made to design aspects at this stage, so long as they conform to the overall dimensions available in the wall space. With the installation of the windows, your building will now be watertight, which is another exciting milestone in your self-build project.

At the conclusion of this stage, your Building Control officer and Warranty Provider will make very detailed visits to appraise the work. This is important, as once the plastering has been done much of this work will be hidden. The roof structure too will be carefully checked before the ceilings are plastered. This will ensure the workmanship and building is covered by the necessary warranties.

Essentially, by the end of the first fix – which is a complex process involving many different trades – you can heave a huge sigh of relief and the project will be ready for plastering.

Always dreamed of building your own home? Contact us to find out more about our complete turnkey self-build solution.