What is Self-build?
A general guide to self-build for those wondering what it’s all about

Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2011

Why Self-build?
Design and cost savings are key reasons why people self-build...

FAQs for Beginners
What is life like as a self-builder, and what are the practicalities?

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Beginners' guide

Beginner's Guide - Finance

Providing you have a regular income and a good credit history, you should have no difficulty in obtaining a loan to build your own home or to undertake a renovation or conversion project.

How to Achieve Self-build Success

Successful self-building needs a mix of many qualities, but are you cut out for the challenge ahead? We offer advice on all the things you need to consider when embarking on a self-build project

A stunning self-build home in Hampshire. The house is built of a green oak frame and sucessfully mixes traditional features such as weatherboarding and vaulted rooms with modern aspects such as open plan areas and glass balustrading.

Where to Live Whilst Self-building

If anyone tests the theory that ‘home is where the heart is’ to the limit, it has to be self-builders. In pursuit of their dream home many live for months or even years in a caravan, mobile home, or even in the newly built garage — but does self-building inevitably mean roughing it?

A snowed under caravan is not the ideal place to live during your self-build, yet caravans and mobile homes can be suprisingly comfy. Along with renting and staying in your current home, they make up the main places people live during their self-builds, a renovation or a conversion.

FAQs for Beginners

It's all very well dreaming about a fantastic individual home and gathering advice on how to do it, but what is life like as a self-builder, and what are the practicalities? This feature answers your questions and helps you to get your project underway

A first-time self-builder will need to look at self-build mortgages, the time it takes to build a house and a self-build schedule.

Why Self-build?

People self-build because they want to live in a well-designed house that’s unavailable on the regular market. The savings made by self-building allow people to build bigger and better homes than they would otherwise have been able to afford. Design and costs savings are key.