Building Your Own Home

Guest Post by Charlotte I’Anson of propertynest.co.uk

Buying a house is an important stage in many people’s lives as it usually represents a household, or an individual’s biggest single purchase. Nowadays, a lot of people are looking to build their own homes.

Self-building is a real current trend in Britain at the moment. Nick Boles, a Conservative MP, stated that more homes are needed, with increasing populations, and building homes could be a very good option for many more people wanting to get onto the property ladder – rather than searching the market or waiting for people to build one for them. Here are some factors to consider:

Find the Land

Firstly, you will need a building plot which legally permits the construction of a home. You will need to take into account the cost of the land, transportation, distance to local amenities (if this is something you desire) and geographical concerns – is it on a flood plain? Does the area have a high crime rate? Don’t forget to contact planners and submit an application for planning permission, too.

Find the Time

Any DIY projects require effort, care and time. A project on this scale will require an enormous amount of time – so make sure that you have it.

Consider the Environment

Going green and following the ‘eco-home’ trend could in the long run, save you a lot of money and energy – and they aren’t too expensive to build.

The construction of a wooden home, or a hobbit house, in Wales for example has sparked a lot of interest and inspiration for self-building. Properties can be constructed in only four months and costing just £3,000. It might not be as easily done for everyone, factors like lifestyle and spending habits play a big part, but know that it’s not impossible.

There are a number of projects making this a reality in Britain and Ireland and plenty of resources to support green building ideas. As well as environmental benefits, many people gain a great satisfaction from being able to design and build their own home. The sector currently builds around 10,000 homes a year and there is potential for it to provide many more. The government has been looking to extend the Help to Buy equity loan scheme to cover custom build.

Get Help from Professionals

As much as a self-build is all about doing it yourself, it is almost a necessity to call in help from the experts. Call a designer or architect and choose a route to build that fits with your time goals and financial budget – then start by building the shell of your new home.

Re-evaluate Wild Decisions !

Deciding to build and design your own home is a big decision and could be time consuming and costly. It is important to weigh the options of building a house compared to a pre-existing one because breaking away from social trends and expectations can be a risky decision, if not all aspects of the build have been considered.

The benefits of buying a house are that it is much easier. You can decide upon the location and guarantee a likelihood of amenities nearby – depending on which home you choose to purchase. You won’t have to organise insurance, building warranties, plumbing, electrics, insulation and everything else that comes with a ready-made home.

With a self-build and buying your own home, there is room for compromise. We like to think of new homes as a blank canvas for new owners, something for them to visualise their possessions, family and life moving into. Also on the plus side, appliances, fixtures and fittings are often included in the price rather than subject to additional charges.

For more information about buying your dream home, visit www.propertynest.co.uk