Starting Out - The Practicalities of Self-building

Self-building is all about choice and one of the key decisions to make – which ties in with how you are going to finance the project – is where you’re going to live whilst building.

Live on site

This is usually the cheapest, but hardest. If you are self-building or undertaking a major conversion, it probably means living in a caravan for the duration of the build, which can be fine during the summer months but can be pretty gruelling through the depths of winter, especially if you have children in tow. There is a network of caravan suppliers who aim to service the self-build market: they will advise you about service connections and planning permission, which is sometimes required.

Rent another house

This is the intermediate option. With funds raised from the sale of a house, you can rent somewhere or perhaps stay with family.

Stay in your existing house

You’ll have to bear the costs of financing two houses for the duration of the build, plus the added uncertainty of having to sell the old house at the end of the process. There is a tax dispensation that enables you to live in one house whilst building or renovating another without having to pay Capital Gains Tax on either for up to three years.

Combination

You can of course plan to combine these options. For instance, you might stay on in your existing house until such time as you can occupy the new house, even though the building work may be only partially complete. Or you may sell your existing house before you are ready to move, and so move to a rented property for the interim.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

Here's a typical self-build programme:

BUILDING GREEN

Self builders are perfectly placed to introduce energy-saving features.

The green agenda has moved centre stage in the past couple of years as people worry not only about the effects of climate change but also of energy costs and, increasingly, energy security. And sustainability affects all aspects of the homebuilding scene. Issues to think about at the outset include:

• Size: it’s better to spend more money on quality than on floor area. Really big houses are likely to be seen increasingly as a liability.
• Design: without having to go overboard using littleknown or previously untried materials, or spending a small fortune on renewable or low-carbon plant, you can minimise both your costs and your environmental footprint just by keeping the design simple. Don’t vary the surface materials more than you need to, and keep corners and junctions to a minimum. Boring but true.
• Location: there is no point building an energy-efficient house if it involves you having to travel thousands of additional miles each year in order to pay for it.
• Aspect: some sites are much better suited to sustainable development than others. Generally, it’s a good idea to look for a site with a southerly aspect where you can take advantage of sunlight.
• Access: some sites have very poor access, which can limit the choice of construction methods. Many timber frame homes require cranes on site, so if construction method is important to you, check that heavy plant like cranes can get onto site.

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