resources for the self-builder

In our experience, the best self-builders are the ones who have thrown themselves into the research stage headfirst and who emerge having left no stone unturned. In this article that touches on ‘what makes a successful self-builder’ we highlight why an enquiring mind is so important. In short, when it comes to your structural system, like many elements of a self-build, it is interdependent with other decisions you make. If you’ve done your homework, you will undoubtedly be better placed to make more informed decisions that will ensure the success of your self-build home.  

Accessing the information you need to make the right self-build decisions has never been easier. There is now more information that ever available online, from magazines sites to virtual self-build shows. Good suppliers will also spend time with you in person, online and over the phone to help increase your understanding of their products and services. You can find a list of the events and shows we visit annually here.

We also have an office at the National Self-Build and Renovation Centre in Swindon. The UK’s only permanent self-build visitor centre it showcases over 250 exhibitors alongside its educational zones and extensive workshop and seminar programme. It’s well worth a visit.

A key part of the research process is working out what you can afford to build. This may sound obvious, but it is surprising the number of people who go through the process of designing a home that they cannot afford to build. Our cost calculator is a good place to start to understand the size of build that is within your budget range.

Unless you are planning to build on a piece of land you already own, finding a plot is one of the biggest self-build hurdles you are likely to face. Finding the right land, in the right place for the right price is challenging, and so timing will come down to a combination of luck and/or compromise. Tenacity is one quality that will get you a long way when it comes to breaking down this barrier to success. You’ll find advice on how to start looking for plots here and the National Custom & Self Build Association’s ‘Right to Build’ campaign now makes it easier for you to signpost to local authorities that you seeking a plot of land. The Right to Build registers mean that councils in England have a duty to ensure sufficient plots are made available to meet demand. While it will not guarantee you a plot in the area you are looking for, it’s a positive step in ensuring more self-build plots come to market. 

The Right To Build Portal

A wise person once said, “the cure for most obstacles is to be decisive”. Designing your own home shouldn’t represent a hurdle (it’s the fun part, after all), but for some self-builders the agonising fear of getting it wrong, can mean the design stage stretches out into long months of revisions and design changes (and consequently, increasing architect’s fees). Because your self-build home is going to be bespoke to you, we agree that it is important you get it just right; however, it pays to achieve clarity early on. It should be possible to complete the design stage within 4-8 weeks although for some self-builders it does take significantly longer.

Our inspiration section offers a range of styles and layouts designed to help transform your initial thinking into early stage design ideas. We don’t have standard house designs, but any of the homes featured can be tweaked and redrawn by our designers to incorporate your ideas. If you’ve already secured planning permission, our free design service offers a cost-effective way to begin the design process.

Complete our design brief questionnaire or speak to one of the team to get started today.

Access to finance is often cited as a barrier to self-building, yet there are now more and more lenders within the self-build mortgage space. With experience of helping more than 25000 customers, Buildstore.co.uk is a great source of advice on mortgage related questions. If you do require financing for your self-build project the timescale for achieving a mortgage offer is typically 8-12 weeks.

Of the three main self-build hurdles (access to land, access to finance, and planning), planning is seen by some as possibly the most painful.

You are well advised to ensure any plot you purchase comes with the appropriate planning consent; however, it’s likely you’ll still want to make some design changes which will involve submitting a new planning application. If you are hoping to build on land you already own, then a planning application is a prerequisite. In this case you should familiarise yourself with your local development plan and consider submitting a pre-application to understand whether you stand a reasonable chance of success.

Most local authorities offer an 8-week turnaround for planning applications but factoring in time to prepare your application and it stretches out to 10 weeks (if your application is straightforward). Local authority requests for ecology reports, flood risk assessments and other concerns from the planners can all result in delays.

Our experienced planning team are well versed in the issues that typically arise and are well placed to skilfully help you navigate this stage of the process.  

If you decide to use our planning service, the same team can seamlessly help you through the building regulations (England & Wales) and building warrant (Scotland) stage. You can find more general information about planning permission and building regulations here.

Our building regs service is also available if you come to us with architectural drawings and have already secured the necessary planning permission. Together we will guide you through the steps required to demonstrate your project complies with British building regulations. We suggest allowing 6- 8 weeks in your project plan to work through this process.

When you choose a timber frame structural system, the manufacture of your kit can take place while you crack on with your groundworks. This is one of the benefits of timber frame manufacture over a traditional masonry build which is completed sequentially. Once you have broken ground, keeping your build schedule on track will become key to your project’s success and with timber frame manufactured offsite within a factory environment, not only do you benefit from factory based quality systems, you minimise the potential for delays onsite and slippage. At this stage, your architectural drawings will be translated into construction design drawings and the structural engineering for your project will be completed before your project moves into the factory for manufacture. Lead times will vary from company to company, but we suggest allowing 6-12 weeks, subject to demand and seasonality.

It's a point of pride at Fleming Homes that we have not missed a delivery date in 15 years (not that we missed one 15 years ago, it’s just that’s as far back as we can remember!) so you can be sure that your timber frame will arrive on the date we promise. 

This is where the magic happens, and self-builders never cease to be amazed by the speed at which their timber frame kit is erected. Depending on the size of your home, from arrival onsite to the wind and water-tight stage it takes on average just 2 weeks. With the typical time frame for a masonry build stretching to 2-3 months, timber frame significantly reduces this section of your onsite programme, minimising the risk of delays and helping to get your follow-on trades onsite faster.

A week after your timber frame has been erected, it is ready for the first of your follow-on trades; usually your roofing contractor followed by your plumbers and electricians. This is the point in your self-build journey where we leave you. Unless, of course, you have ordered materials as part of our full specification, in which case, you can call off materials when you need them, eliminating unnecessary storage and ensuring receipt at the right time to suit your build schedule.

Coming at the very end of the project and something that can be achieved after you have moved in, landscaping can sometimes get overlooked or becomes a casualty of budget overspend in other places. While your outside spaces may well be attended to later, it’s worth giving them consideration at the outset of your project to achieve cost efficiencies (e.g. reusing the spoil from groundworks excavations) and the integration of outdoors living into the design of your house.

The ‘cherry on top’ of a self-build project is the zero VAT rating. This allows you to get ‘more bang for your buck’ from building your own property and comes at the perfect time – just when you’re moving into your new home! You have 3 months from the completion of your building works to claim. Read more in one of our self-build articles, ‘Self-build Zero VAT - The Cherry on Top’.