For your self build adventure, here’s your map to success

We’ve all gone mad for self build! The thought of your very own home, custom designed, with everything exactly how and where you want it – it’s an amazing dream, and one that more and more people are turning into a reality, every single year.

Just take a look at the Planning Portal and you’ll see what we mean. The number of people opting for self builds is now as many as 12,000 homes per year – that’s almost 10% of all homes being built in England each year.

So why are so many people choosing this option? Surely it’s full of headaches, stress and endless paperwork. Why would anyone want to take on such a huge commitment?

Well first, there’s the small matter of Grand Designs. It brought the idea of self build squarely into the minds of us all. It became something we really could do, and lots of people went out and actually did it!

All that new activity helped to push the government to make the whole process easier. The result: nowadays all the struggle and complication of finding a plot, getting planning permission and more, has been simplified and brought together in one place – The Planning Portal (www.planningportal.co.uk). It has all the advice you need to get these essential elements sorted in a quick and simple way, and you can make your applications online.

Then there’s the Self Build Portal (www.selfbuildportal.org.uk). An absolute goldmine of information on all things self build, from finding land to arranging finance, and from building methods to health and safety, you’ll come back to it again and again.

So how to begin? Building your own home can be a long journey, so take these initial three steps to set you off in the right direction:

1. Consider first – What’s my budget? and Where do I want to build? These two factors will determine everything else, including house size, house type, location and your funder. The two websites mentioned above will help to answer these questions.
2. How much can I actually borrow? Funding for self-builds is more accessible than ever before, with many different options on when and how funds are released. Be sure to shop around, and remember to build a 10% contingency into your budget.
3. Design style and build types. The increase in self-build popularity means you now have a huge choice of pre-designed homes, or the option to go the custom design route. Each has pros and cons. Do your research and narrow down what will work for you.

These are the first key decisions you’ll make. Get these right and everything that comes next will go that much more smoothly.

And when it’s time to choose a builder, choose one with years of experience, exceptional expertise and a true passion for detail and finish. Contact us today and discover how we can help you realise your dream home.