How To Self Build During A Recession - My Experience Of Building A Large Family Home

24th July 2008

It's been a month since I last posted to my diary - time flies when you're having fun! As usual, lots has been going on.

I went for a bike ride yesterday into the Countryside near my self build plot. Spotted a potential development opportunity but it is quite obvious so I'm sure many others have already chased it. I'll make some enquiries. If something comes of it I will simply pass it on to the people who wanted my plot but missed out. I know they are in the market and I know they have the money to proceed so naturally they are the best prospects.

You may have seen in a previous post that I boarded the existing property up. I've also gone in and smashed things up including the toilet and shower to deter squatters not that I'm expecting anybody to squat there but I may as well take the precaution. I'm working with my architect at the moment on the designs. He's come up with some quite radical and funky ideas which I like and I'm thinking about. The first one is to swap the house around - have the kitchen, living area etc upstairs and the bedrooms downstairs. This makes sense because the spectacular views can be enjoyed from upstairs in the dining and living areas where we will be spending most of our time. The other ideas involve design elements and materials which I'm considering.

It's funny how all the 'problems' in the property market are actually helping potential self builders. First of all, it's a lot easier (and cheaper) to pick up a nice plot. Secondly, good contractors are easy to find since the big builders have slowed right down on new builds and laid off thousands of subbies in the process. It's gotten to the point where I can now employ a MAIN contractor to build my house out for about the same rate I was expecting to pay with me handling all the subbies, appearing on site each day and all the rest of it. So basically I could carry on with my business and have someone else manage the whole thing for me for the same cost as managing it all myself! I might just go that way if I can get a good builder at a really good price.

For my Tycoon Mastermind Alliance program members, we will be doing a field trip at my plot later this year where I will show them everything I have in mind for the plot. I'll also get my architect to give them a presentation on how to plan and develop a luxury residential property or even more than one if they are that way inclined.

A lot of other things happened but for the moment I can't fish them all out of my memory. I think I've covered the important things above though!

I'm off to Alton Towers this Saturday with our Tycoon Mastermind Alliance members! The highlight of my week!