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Set the package boundary
A self-build may involve a main contractor, a project manager or separately appointed trades. State which arrangement you are using and the work you want LG to consider. Site enabling, excavation, foundations, drainage and ground-floor preparation can be connected, but the exact inclusions and interfaces need to be agreed. Identify who provides the design information and who coordinates changes.
Plan the site before the building
Consider how construction traffic reaches the plot, where materials can be delivered and how working areas will change as the building develops. Space needed at the first stage may still be required by later trades. Send access photographs and the site layout, including any shared route or restriction the project team already knows about.
- Plot layout and available survey information
- Current structural and drainage drawings
- Access route, delivery space and known restrictions
- Project responsibilities and intended programme
Bring quantities and decisions together
Early calculator estimates can help you understand the scale of concrete and excavation. Keep them connected to the drawing revision and assumptions used. They do not replace design quantities or a contractor’s review. Note which parts of the information are firm and which remain provisional so cost and programme discussions reflect the same scope.
Give the next stage a clear handover
The groundworks should be coordinated with the building system and the requirements of the next contractor. Agree level references, service positions and the records needed before work is concealed. Tell LG the intended building sequence and any key dates, while leaving space to confirm the actual package and availability. The project planner is a useful place to assemble your initial brief.