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Tip 1: Setting your budgets
You need to take in all your budgeting requirements first and foremost before starting anything.
Building your own home means commissioning architects, builders and sub-contractors.
You need to rely on finance which is essentially a mixture of cash and borrowed money from your mortgage.
Every project must have a well thought out budget and then always add 10% or more as a contingency plan.
Ask yourself:
How much money can you afford to put into the project. How much it is going to
cost to live during the building process and how long will the building last (always plan for more time than you think).
Find out from mortgage providers what they can offer. More building societies and banks offer mortgages for self-builders and renovators. A good place
to start is BuildStore www.buildstore.co.uk
Tip 2: Locating a Plot or a Project
Locating the project for your dream home is challenging. If you you want to live in a particular
area, it does pay to do some homework. Obviously, the local estate agents can provide details but also ask around
- try putting an advert in the local newspaper. There are also land
finding services such as Plotfinder - www.plotfinder.net
Tip 3: The Design
Building for yourself requires passion, time and good management and planning skills.
The best builds are those that take years to plan and only months to build.
The early stages of the project are crucial because at this point the architect translates dreams into
elevations and the planners have their say. Finding the right architect or package build company is so important.
Work with someone who has relevant experience and sympathy for your ideas. Look at examples of their work
and choose the one you get on with and who shares your view of the world.
Tip 4: Planning Permission
To get planning permission your design needs to fit in to the landscape and local building pattern. You may
need to do some persuading. It's a good idea to take photographs of the neighbourhood to show the local
styles to support your case. It may be worth contacting a planning consultant if you want to build in a
particularly sensitive area. This service can be well worth the money as they will usually be able to give
quite clear guidelines of what the local planning authorities are likely to consider. Remember that the
planning authorities are a service to the local community and not the enemy.
Tip 5: Material Matters
Your architect should advise you and the planners will have their say but you will have to decide which roof
tiles, floor coverings, window frames, etc, you want for your house. Look into the cost, quality and
availability of materials, and how easy or problematic they are to work with. Do this before the build starts.
Problems with lead times and availability from different sources are major reasons why builds run late.
Tip 6: More budgeting
A written budget is essential. It should be drawn up as early as possible and include every expense, from
the greatest to the smallest. If there is no definite price, put in an estimate - but always try to get
quotes and contracts. When you have included everything, add a contingency fund to cover the cost of problems -
at least 5-10 per cent of the total.
Tip 7: Getting Quotes
It can be a good idea to employ a quantity surveyor to price the building work required. Three quotes are
standard for each piece of sub-contracted work. These can then be compared to the surveyor's estimate.
Study these carefully, don't necessarily go for the cheapest, and find out how long each contractor is
likely to be on site.
Tip 8: Working with sub-contractors
Treat them with respectSet out a plan of works and be prepared to be flexible. There will be problems - the
weather and suppliers letting you down are typical. Keep the contractors informed, let them know when you
expect them to be on site but expect the unexpected and update everyone of any changes.
Tip 9: Quality Control
Be on site as much as you can, even if you have appointed your architect or builder as project manager. This
keeps the communication flowing and ensures that decisions are made without costly delays. Choose kitchen
and bathroom fittings and measure carefully.
Tip 10: Homework
Get as much information as possible from specialist magazines, talking to those who have done it and getting
tips and advice from builders.
For more information on the Homebuilding Show and the Smart New Home Show visit www.honebuildingshow.co.uk
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