A-Z of Self Build Guides Tradespeople: Who Does What?

Date Published:

03/06/2008

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Roofers

Once the timber roof structure is complete, the roofer will be responsible for covering the surface with the appropriate membrane and battening ready for the fitting of the roof tiles or similar.

As a rule of thumb, the roofer will be responsible for everything on the roof (except chimneys), from the outer surface of the roof trusses outwards. So, this includes guttering, flashing joints and drainage valleys. They generally don't handle the roof insulation, so you may decide to use a general labourer or the carpentry team to install this.

Electricians

Leave anything with wires to the electrician, as all the work should be certified and this can only be done by a qualified electrician. Timing of the electrical work can be crucial as these are some of the most highly-paid and difficult to find tradespeople.

Your project manager will liaise closely with the other trades, especially the carpenter, to ensure the electrician has access to the stud wall and ceilings before the plasterboard is fitted. Once all the wiring is run through the house, the tiling, plastering and other finishes are completed and the electrician will return to make the connections to switches, add the light fittings and make the connections to the consumer unit. This is a very specific role and apart from doing a small amount of 'making good' around sockets, don't expect the electrician to help out with other aspects of the build.

Plumbers

Plumbers will lay the pipework for your water supply and install central heating systems. They will connect up the sanitaryware that you supply but don't normally get involved in building wet rooms or the constructional side of bathroom or kitchens.

It's also important to make sure the division between the groundworkers' and plumbers' responsibilities is clear. The groundworks team will normally dig the trenches for the mains drains and water supply, bring the pipework to the house and backfill the trenches. It's then up to the plumber to install all the soil pipes in the house or on the external walls and run these to the drain access points. They will also run the water pipes from the incoming cold supply.

Self-build projects are ideal for underfloor heating and heat pump systems, but these may use very specific installation methods. Check if your plumber/electrician will handle the work or whether it's better to find a company that will provide an engineer to install the units.

Plasterers

Plasterers will expect fully-boarded walls with as clear a working area as possible and socket and switch plates left off so that they can make clear sweeps across the walls with the plaster. Clear each room as far as possible and cover any vulnerable fittings or flooring ready for the plasterer to skim the walls. Some plastering firms will also tackle pebble-dashing and other exterior finishes.

Joiners and Tilers

If you're having cupboards made to fit, engineered wooden floors fitted, tiles fixed to floors or walls, now is the time to call in these guys. It may be that your decorators will take on some of the tiling and the carpenter the basic woodwork, but don't confuse a general jobbing carpenter with a skilled joiner.

Decorators

At the very end of the project, it's time for the painters and decorators to transform the bare shell into a home. The plasterwork must be fully dry, ready to accept either a plaster sealer or the first coat of paint. Painters may do a small amount of preparation work, say to remove stray nubs of protruding plaster but on a new build this should only be minimal. Remember that you may need floors, exposed beams or other woodwork treating as well as the walls and ceilings.

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