So you’ve had older homes, and decided to look at new. You’ve trudged round the new development sites but still can’t quite see what you want. Or what you have seen is financially out of reach. You’re a practical person and have had friends that have renovated or built their own homes before. One of the hardest things to do today is to find building land. Some options might be:

Places to find plots:

• Register with estate agents
• Try specialist agents who deal in new homes and land
• Subscribe to Property Auctioneers and receive catalogues
• If you see baron land, make enquiries. Try the neighbours or locals
• Search the property portals on the net and subscribe to New Build Specialists magazines

Work out you plan of action!

• Analyse why you want to build your own home
• Work out how big the dwelling is going to be
• Do some rough sketches and keep a folder of designs and features you like. Take pictures. How often do you find yourself driving pass somewhere and saying’ I like that’. Start buying the self build and country homes magazines.
• Research different build methods from traditional to timber frame/kit form construction.

• Talk to architects and builders. If you don’t know any, reputation is by far the best way forward. Once you’ve found professionals you appear happy with ask to see their work and ask for references.
• At this stage based on what you want to build, the professionals should be able to give you a rough idea of cost.
• Once you’ve found the ideal plot, get your solicitor to check for rights of way, who owns what boundaries. Look into restrictions and covenants and what services are available, either on site or near by. Services on site can save £housands!
• If your looking to build and stay you should be able to overcome capital gains tax. If your buying to build and sell on check with your accountant as to tax liabilities and potential VAT savings

• How are you going to fund your project and what’s your timescales
• Maybe your going to sell up and live on site
• You could live in your home and borrow against its equity, if there’s enough funds in the pot, for will be developers with kids it’s a good way forward
• Your existing lender may have self build finance available
• Some lenders offer stage funds, based on what stage the build is at
• Building your own home will save you money. Developers have builders and trades also to pay, but they also like to see a profit. The calculation is that if you manage the project well then you take the savings. Beware to get several quotes on materials though. Unlike the developer who buys in bulk, your be buying small scale.

Other Considerations

• How are you going to heat your home, remember before putting floors down pipe work needs running for central heating, Your electrician will need to run wires before plastering or dry lining takes place
• Roof areas can be a wasted void, why not utilise the area and what method of roof will you choose: pre constructed with calculations, or cut and pitched by a carpenter.
• All build stages have their order, get them right and things should progress smoothly. Get stages wrong and you’ll loose time and money.
• Make sure that you get certification on your build. If using a builder one route could be NHBC. Or if you intend to do a lot of the work you may run under Architect Supervision. Lenders don’t like lending on un-certified homes. So if you intend selling in the first 10 years after completion, without certification your buyers to be may not be able to get finance if they require a mortgage.