Self build projects offer an excellent opportunity to design a home tailored to your vision. You can custom-build your home to reflect your desired aesthetics and functional requirements and save some money compared to other ways of acquiring a family home. As an investment, self-builds can also offer profitability, whether you intend to sell sometime in the future or flip straight after completion of the build.
This article aims to uncover some of the primary considerations of self-building to help beginners.
Considerations
Although self-building involves multiple areas of expertise, it is within reach for many to realise their dream. To maximise the chances of succeeding with such a project, there are several factors for you to consider, including:
- Personal knowledge and skill
- Budget and costs
- Legal and regulatory requirements
- Personal responsibilities & time
- Resource availability and site choice
- Risk mitigation
The remainder of the article will explore some of these considerations in more detail. Remember, self build doesn’t mean doing everything yourself – new build architectural service providers such as DJS Architectural Services can provide the knowledge, resources and contacts to help you realise your dream.
Financing
Various financing options are available, such as:
Self-financing – If you don’t want to incur debt, you can use savings or save before starting your project. Depending on their liquidity, you could also liquidate some investments, which may take time.
Bridging loan – These are short-term loans covering the period between purchasing the land and securing long-term financing or selling an existing property to repay the loan.
Self build mortgage – Mortgages where the funds are released at key points in the project, either in advance or in arrears. Examples of release stages include land purchase, foundation completion and final construction.
Equity release – If you have an existing property, you may be able to remortgage it to release funds.
Government schemes – Depending on Government initiatives, schemes such as ‘help to build‘ may be available.
Finding a Plot
Location will significantly influence your project. Start by identifying your preferred locations, considering work, school, amenities, community and lifestyle. Think about any future requirements you may have.
Research local planning policies with a view to your plans. Ensure that there are no apparent hurdles. Consider the area’s growth and any impact of existing development plans.
Once a plot has been identified, evaluate it against your plans. Check its shape, size, topography and access to utilities. Check its viability for building on and any environmental problems that may exist.
Self Build Construction Options
There are different ways of approaching construction:
- Do-it-yourself traditional construction using bricks and mortar or timber-frame methods
- Project managing and contracting professional services for some or all of the process
- Custom builds that rely on professional services like architects and building contractors to achieve maximum personalisation and uniqueness
- Off-site manufactured homes where the home is built in sections and assembled on-site
- Self build kits offering various services such as planning and prefabrication for someone to customise a self build process depending on their skill
Planning Permission and Building Regulations
It is crucial to understand the legal aspects of self build projects. The UK government sets the legislation regarding planning permission and building regulations.
You must liaise with the Local Planning Authority (LPA) to identify planning requirements and submit an application. Each LPA has specific policies and guidelines that affect what can be built in the area. They will have consideration to factors such as conservation areas and design standards.
Building regulations must be adhered to. They ensure compliance with construction standards such as structural integrity, fire safety, insulation, and ventilation. At various points in the project, inspections will be conducted. An inspector may be a privately approved inspector or a local authority building control inspector.
Aside from planning permission and building regulations, there may be other obligations, such as informing the Health and Safety Executive of your project.
If you are unsure of your legal obligations, then seek professional advice.
Preparation and Build
Before commencing your build, it is essential to perform some checks. Ensure you are happy with the final plans and check that all consents and contracts are in place. Have a final chat with any professional services you have sought help with to ensure you have not missed anything. Apply for water, electricity and any site insurance.
Also, consider drawing up a schedule. A Gantt chart will visually represent the dates that activities and phases of your build will be undertaken.
Budget Control and Expectations
With large projects, not everything will be within your control. For example, increases in material prices, weather and construction problems. Adapt your mindset early on to avoid unnecessary stress and disappointment.
Budgeting is crucial to planning. Allow a margin of error in your budget to cover unforeseen expenses. You can minimise additional cost surprises by researching or taking professional advice.
Sandy has worked within architecture since 1991 and, as Director of DJS Architectural Services Ltd, has been providing architectural services to numerous clients throughout the region since 1998.
Sandy will personally deal with your project from inception through to the completion of approvals with the support of Justine, who manages the administration side of each project. This ensures you receive a personal and professional service throughout the process.
Sandy prides himself on building strong and lasting customer relationships, and you can rest assured you will receive the attentiveness your project deserves at all times. He endeavours to keep you up-to-date at every stage of the project, ensuring you are aware of the next steps.