Just wondered if anyone has gone down this route. I'm seriously thinking of getting out of London in the next couple of years and would want a house with large garage and workshop and no direct neighbours. Been looking at houses online and obviously not all have what I want so thinking self build maybe the answer to the right house. I've absolutely no idea where I would start with this so anyone have any experience?

 

Cheers

 

Vijay

maybe you should watch a few episodes of Grand Designs (channel 4)

 

get a feel for what is needed......... you need lots of knowledge or money to pay people who have.

How would you do it. Do you have the money yourself alreday or looking for a self build mortgage?

 

Do you know what Kind of property you want to build?

 

Do you have an idea where you want to build and if your kind of property would be aproved in the area?

 

I know a bit about it as looked into building Canadian style timber framed houses a few years back. Get lots for your money, grand designs did a program on one.

Been watching Grand design but don't think they go into enough detail for a total novice.

 

I'm hoping most of it would come out of equity from my house and then possibly topped up with a mortgage. I may even loko at renting out my current house and borrowing, I really don't know yet.

 

Don't have a real idea of the layout but know it has to be pretty spacious with a bit of land (for a few cars, at least triple garage and large workshop). I guess sitting down with an architect would help me get an idea of layout.

 

I'm gonna see if there's any magazines available on self build properties.

There are lots of good book out there. To be honest it not hard to do at all.

 

You biggest hurdles are Planning and Planning. Oh and you'll need to get the Planning department on your side!

 

1st, get the house you want drawn up.

 

2nd, go to the council for where you want to build with the plans and say you want to build this house in their area. You have not found a plot yet but would like their input on if they like it and if there is anything glaringly obviouse that would stop you getting planning.

 

3rd, find your plot.

 

4th, go back top planning and ask again refering to the actual plot.

 

5th to 100th keep doing it till they find a plot they will say yes to.

 

6th, buy land

 

7th get funds

 

8th get someone to build it.

You make it sound so simple!! lol

 

Other thing that interests me is a very green house, using solar, ground source heat etc so need to do some investigation into all that.

Take your budget and double it, that's the general rule.

Just finished building my own, Land cost £95,000.00. House and fittings ( Including carpets, beds etc ) cost £65,000.00. Fees etc £3500.00. Total cost £163,500.00. Just had it valued at £325,000.00 forced sale price. I'd recommend it to anyone. seven beds, two baths, one ensuite, one wc, five reception rooms and a 10 metre x 4 metre garage. Having a year off now. Also solar doesnt work up north and a ground heat source pump is great if you have a spare £28k for the system and flooring, also enough distance between the house and slinky, or hole.

Edited October 15, 201015 yr by Davy66

And downsides Davy? How did you get an idea of what you wanted, an architect?

draw up what you want, then approach an architect so he can see if its structurally viable.

 

Planning permission will be the balls ache, and location, if you plan to build in a village for instance, make sure that the out side carries the same theme as the village or you face it getting turned down.

If you dont know the game, it will cost loads to get done.

For me, its only worth doing if you can do it yourself, or have enough money to get what you want.

Im a builder, so i'd do it. But i wouldn't say its that easy if you dont know what your doing.

Edited October 15, 201015 yr by big_jim

I fit kitchens & bathrooms and been around the building game for around ten years. Can't say I've ever done a large project like a full house but believe I could and certainly not afraid of hard work

Thats a bit different. You must know different tradesmen, so i'd go for it.

And downsides Davy? How did you get an idea of what you wanted, an architect?

 

Only downside i came across was having to mini pile my foundations that put me £10k over budget, but it will never move now. Designs can be downloaded frorm the internet for ideas from basic to extravagant, these can also be use for outline planning which you dont need an architect for to start with. but nowadays almost anything can be designed and built.

Just finished building my own, Land cost £95,000.00. House and fittings ( Including carpets, beds etc ) cost £65,000.00. Fees etc £3500.00. Total cost £163,500.00. Just had it valued at £325,000.00 forced sale price. I'd recommend it to anyone. seven beds, two baths, one ensuite, one wc, five reception rooms and a 10 metre x 4 metre garage. Having a year off now. Also solar doesnt work up north and a ground heat source pump is great if you have a spare £28k for the system and flooring, also enough distance between the house and slinky, or hole.

 

Wow, that sounds like a lot of house for the money! Do you have any pics?

 

This is something I've been thinking a lot about recently. Did you do most of the building work yourself?