With a yearly shortfall of new houses being built across the country, an increasing number of us are choosing to go down the self-build route. However, there are many factors to consider before taking the plunge, as our panel of experts advise…
Phil Spencer, TV Property Expert
What are the pros and cons of going down the self-build route?
As a rule of thumb, it’s better value for money—that’s coming back to my old adage that it’s cheaper to build than to buy space on the open market. You also get to specify your own house—how wonderful would that be, to know that you have chosen everything from the layout, right down to the flooring? Added to which, the government are trying to increase the self-build market.
Do you think it’s a solution to the shortfall of new builds across the country?
It’s not the solution, but it absolutely will help and the government are doing everything they can to assist with that.
What do you think it is that might put people off building their own home?
Arguably, it’s easier to build your home than to extend an existing one because it’s easier for builders to work from scratch than add to what you’ve already got. People are put off because they might find it difficult to find the site and get planning permission. Can they buy the site? Will someone lend them the money? How are they going to fund building the house without having any security to borrow the money against? Where are they going to live while they build it? There are a lot of questions to be considered.
Mark Briggs, Director, T&B Contracts
What are the advantages of the self-build option as opposed to purchasing a pre-existing property?
The advantages of self-build over purchasing a pre-existing property can be broken down into two main categories. Firstly, you have the luxury to customise. The home you build can suit your lifestyle, your budget and your design criteria. Buying a pre-existing property to tick all of your boxes on lifestyle and design criteria will generally cost a premium. To construct the same property yourself is generally more cost effective. Furthermore, the property can—budget permitting—be unique.
Cost is the second major factor. Often, people are put off by extravagant, grand designs which of course, cost a lot. However, this doesn’t have to be the case with all self-builds. To understand the benefit of self-build cost, it’s best to think that you get to pay for the exact products you want to make your house, not a mixture of products that you might not necessarily choose.
What are the most common pitfalls for people who opt to design and build their own homes?
In my experience, the most common pitfall is under-budgeting and letting the design run away with you. Primarily, this comes down to proper planning. If self-build is something you are considering it needs to be planned out properly and well in advance of your start on site. My advice would be invest early in the proper consultants and designers. Having professionals design and/or carry out feasibility studies can ensure that you get the best possible product for your budget. Also, remember to have a contingency plan for unforeseen problems. It’s useful to have emergency money should an unforeseen problem arise.
Sophie Kowaliski, Land Buyer, Churchill Retirement Living
What are your tips on finding the ideal plot for your self-build project?
Searching for land for a self-build is difficult because generally, people will only see a site if it is already on the market—and there isn’t much of this around! The best sites are off market, and you can find these at the weekends by driving, or even walking around if you know what you’re looking for. However, be aware that problems can arise if the site has had rejected planning permission in the past.
Ian Hunter, Hunter Architects, Cheshire
What is your advice for people just starting out on the self-build journey?
Our main piece of advice would be research—finding the right plot, finding the right architect, understanding what can be achieved for the budget etc. A lot hinges on the plot and what is likely to be possible in terms of planning, end resale value, etc., which have a knock-on effect to all other aspects of the project.
What kind of material should people prepare before their first consultation with an architect? What are the key questions you would ask potential architects during that first consultation?
An indicative brief (what is to be included in the project, key features, budget, timeframes etc) would be useful along with a scrapbook of images showing the sort of details, materials, styles and atmosphere that they like. Rather than concentrating on images of whole properties, the images should show the more subjective and atmospheric aspects—things that can’t be put into words easily.
As someone who has done their own self-build project, what would your advice be to people who were thinking of building their own dream home?
My advice would be go for it, as it’s a really rewarding process and living in a house tailored for you that you have helped design is an amazing experience that will keep rewarding you on a daily basis. To counter this, understanding the time, cost and emotional requirements the project will put on you are crucial to make it a success.
See also:
Bathroom Renovations
