Oh yes... the help from friends and family is massively overrated.
For me, during 10 weeks of interior construction, basically only friends/relatives came by for a few hours here and there.
When else? They all have jobs, families, their own house, garden, etc.
And even then, there are different types:
One wants to finish everything quickly because they actually have no time and botch it... that’s why my first interior door is crooked and doesn’t close well...
Another has no clue and needs every step explained, which isn’t any help.
Those you give a task to, let work, and the result convinces... those are rare. Even friendly craftsmen rarely really put in effort in their free time.
In the end, you stand there 95% alone and slave away.
And give us, and yourself, a quick assessment of your own craftsmanship and physical conditions.
Ever assembled furniture yourself? Hung up pictures? Mounted a cabinet on the wall? You laugh, many can’t do that.
Is your health all right? Demolition work, civil engineering, foundations, bricklaying, plastering... that’s backbreaking work.
And all this besides your job...
Have some fun and shovel gravel for 2 hours. After that you’re worn out.
As I said, don’t underestimate it.
I can totally understand that. You really have to want it. It’s no coincidence that building a house is always called a life decision.
I am also aware that friends and family are not on the construction site day and night helping.
But the house is at least in the town of the family, and many friends also live there.
My best friend built his house himself and I helped as much as possible.
He has also assured me of his help.
My family and their family would definitely help too. Whether on the construction site or by making lunch for the helpers, etc.
We ourselves have a larger tipper trailer and quite a bit of tools. Of course, we do not have special machines like a rammer or excavator, but the basic equipment is there.
At home, we have done a lot ourselves, even if it’s just putting up a fence, doing an oil change on the car, laying flooring, or chopping wood in the forest.
At my best friend’s place, I helped with drywall, laying tiles, laying waste water pipes, and roofing. I wasn’t directly involved in the planning but certainly picked up a lot.
I don’t think I have two left hands. I wouldn’t call myself a craftsman, but I have always enjoyed pitching in somewhere.