Self Build Homes: What is Possible For Your Budget?

Self build homes come in all manner of shapes, sizes and specifications. The beauty of building your own home is that it can be designed specifically to meet individual needs, tastes and budgets so there's no one-size-fits-all approach. 

Therefore, when planning a new project, prospective self builders can find it quite difficult to estimate what is possible for each band of build costs. So, take a look below to be inspired by wonderfully varied and creative self build designs that demonstrate how great design is achievable on any budget. 

From modest, but impressive family homes to awe-inspiring cutting edge designs, we've included an example of every style and built type to give you a comprehensive view of self build. 

The list has been organised by build cost and, as a disclaimer, these are build costs only and do not include land costs. Land costs vary so wildly across the UK and so make for an unfair comparison (additionally some of the self builders listed below already owned their building plot). 

To get ahead of your self build budget, use a build cost calculator to estimate build costs depending on size, quality and construction method. 

How Much Do Self Build Homes Cost?

"It seems obvious to suggest that costs should be known before you start to build," advises self build expert and managing director of Potton, Mark Stevenson. "To figure out the build cost, you first need to know what you want to build. Having the approved planning drawings is a great start but in order to form a fuller picture you'll also need a detailed scope of work, a project specification, a chosen build route and a list of those personal must-haves and 'nice-to-haves'."

Unfortunately the cost of building a house has increased as a result of recent materials shortages, but in general self builders still make a profit of potentially up to 25-30%. When asking 'how much does it cost to build a house', future self builder may now have to factor in these unpredictable costs. 

Self build mortgages are very useful as they offer financial cash flow (although they work in a slightly different way to traditional mortgages), making self building a viable option for many homeowners. "Unlike a mortgage for a house purchase, self build borrowing isn't limited by your plot or property's current value," explains finance and property journalist Emma Lunn. "You can typically borrow up to 75% of your project costs or more if you already own the plot of land." 

Self Build Homes Built for £100,000 and Under

Straw Bale Self Build Home: £67,000

Using smart ways to stay on a budget of just £67k for their straw bale self build, Justin and Linda Tyers took on much of the house design and building work themselves. 

"For a couple of decades now, there has been a small but growing interest in building homes out of natural materials such as straw, cob and hemp," says self build export Mark Brinkley. "It’s a simple way to build that anyone can master. Some would say it is therefore the very essence of self build."

• Build cost: £67,000
• Build time: 11 months
• Location: Somerset

Log Cabin Self Build Home: £60,000

Jude Hesselgrave and Roger Page built a log cabin, which they subsequently extended and transformed over the years to create a characterful home — for just £60,000.

• Build cost: £60,000
• Location: East Sussex

A Starter Self Build Home on a Budget: £80,000

First-time buyers Phil Coe and Flo Cooper transformed an old agricultural building into a modern home using DIY skills Phil learned in college and tutorials on the internet.

By taking on the self build project management and home design themselves, the home came in on time and on budget.

"There is absolutely nothing to say that you have to use an architect or designer to come up with your house design," says Associate Editor Natasha Brinsmead. "Of course there are benefits to this route, but for some self-builders a DIY design route is preferable."

• Build cost: £80,000 (£615/m²)
• Build time: 2 years
• Location: Yorkshire

Contemporary Single Storey Self Build Home: £80,000

Inspired by the local vernacular, Niall and Helen Maxwell chose to build their sustainable home using local materials and labour to keep the budget down. 

• Build cost: £80,000 (£1,066/m²)
• Build time: 3 years 10 months
• Location: North Carmarthenshire

A DIY Self Build Home on an Awkward Plot: £100,000

A masterclass in how to build a house for under £150k, this project was built over a stream on a restricted plot. 

Using insulated concrete formwork (ICF) Robin, the homeowner, used online guides and advice to teach himself the different skills that helped him build the majority of the house himself. 

• Build cost: £100,000 (£690/m2)
• Build time: 1 year 8 months
• Location: Argyll & Bute

Self Build Homes Built for £100,001 to £199,999

Timber-Clad and Efficient Scottish Cabin: £125,000

This contemporary cabin-style self build home was inspired by Scandinavian architecture and interiors and includes extra insulation and solar panels to compete with the harsh northern climate.

• Build cost: £125,000 (£1,315/m²)
• Build time: 4 years 1 month
• Location: Isle of Skye

A Self Build Home for Life: £130,000

David Snell and wife Linda completed their 14th self build home on the edge of the Forest of Dean.

• Build Cost: £129,121
• Build Time: 18 months
• Location: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

A Coastal Live/Work Self Build Home: £130,000

ICF and the good will of friends, neighbours and skilled local workers was used to construct this modern home on a sloping site. 

Spanning five years, this self build journey provides Ian Grant a place to run his architecture business and his wife Marcella an opportunity for an alternative source of income through a self-catered apartment in the future. 

• Build cost: £130,000
• Build time: 5 years
• Location: Isle of Skye

A DIY Traditional Self Build Home: £150,000

DIYers Melanie and Alan Williams designed and built their third self build for a build cost of just £604/m2. While building the characterful, traditional-style home, Alan did all of the work himself except electrics, plumbing, roofing and plastering. 

• Build cost: £150,000
• Build time: 3 years
• Location: Hampshire

A Stylish Contemporary House: £170,000

A clever cantilevered design means this self build home makes the most of a tight plot and near-by neighbours, while vaulted ceilings on the first floor mean that the space feels open and light.

• Build cost: £170,000 (£1,416/m²)
• Build time: 1 year
• Location: Nottingham

A Characterful Self Build Home Built in 15 Weeks: £175,000

Proving that a speedy and beautiful build on a tight plot is possible, Samantha Parr constructed her oak frame home in the centre of a South Staffordshire town with the help of her tenacious spirit and the skill of local workers. 

• Build cost: £175,000
• Build time: 15 weeks
• Location: South Staffordshire

Self Build Homes Built for £200,000 to £299,999

A Modern Coastal Home: £203,000

Andrew Williamson self built this steel-framed, glass and timber clad structure to make the most of the plot's 180º view of Yorkshire's sweeping coastline. 

"Where steel wins out is when you want to incorporate open-plan living space with wide large-glazed openings," says self-build export Mark Brinkley. "The inherent strength of steel comes into its own here, and consequently it is often used as a hybrid material for extensions."

• Build cost: £203,000
• Build time: 1 year
• Location: Near Filey, Yorkshire

A Passivhaus Kit House: £220,000

Paula Harte chose to build using Caber House's Type C kit house, a timber frame Passivhaus pre-designed by Architeco. 

"Turnkey providers (also known as package self build route companies) are the all inclusive option," says Mark Stevenson. "They will offer design, labour/construction and material supply as part of a fixed-price contract — this provides the most hands-off way of self-building."

• Build cost: £220,000
• Build time: 18 months
• Location: Elgin, Scotland

An Oak Frame Starter Home: £267,000

Achieved on a tight budget, Lucy Newton and Sam Hopkins' energy efficiency oak home was designed by themselves using structural insulated panels (SIPs). 

"I believe there is going to be a dramatic shift from traditional construction methods to off-site fabrication [using materials like SIPs or cross laminated timber (CLT)," predicts Adam Knibb, director of Adam Knibb Architects.

"The benefits are clear to see — clean / neat site, much more informed cost control, increase speed of construction. While there is more time spent at the drawing board, the speed on site is a huge benefit." 

• Build cost: £267,000
• Build time: 18 months
• Location: York

Passivhaus Self Build Home in London: £250,000

Elizabeth Sharp has self built a 110m² Passivhaus on the site of her former home’s garage and rear garden in London, and now has heating bills of around £300 per year.

Richard Dudzicki, project architect and director of RDA Architects suggests specifying SIPs or timber frame as a sensible way to keep costs down on a Passivhaus project. "The house has an energy rating of less than 15kw/m2, around one tenth of what a normal house of this size uses," he says. 

• Build cost: £250,000
• Build time: 16 months
• Location: London

A DIY Oak Frame Home: £250,000

Welsh Oak Frame supplied this oak frame structure to weathertight stage before Billie and Mark Holden moved into the incomplete home and worked to finish it themselves, maximising their build cost potential and leaving themselves mortgage free in the process.

• Build cost: £250,000
• Location: Cheshire

Oak Frame Family Home: £265,000

Homeowners Wendy and Steve worked with Border Oak to build their dream 185m² oak frame home in Herefordshire.

• Build cost: £265,000 (£1,432/m²)
• Build time: 1 year
• Location: Herefordshire

Barn-Style Stone Home: £296,000

This self build home is a great example of when great design and well thought-out specification meet to create a truly unique property. The use of traditional materials and form means that this new build looks like it has stood for centuries.

(MORE: Brick Houses)

• Build cost: £296,000 (£1,458/m²)
• Build time: 11 months
• Location: Monmouthshire

Self Build Homes Built for £300,000 to £399,999

Idyllic Countryside Self Build Home: £307,000

This oak frame home (supplied by Oakwrights) features oak exterior cladding which has been left untreated to weather to a silver-grey colour. Costs were kep to a tight budget by the homeowners taking on some of the work themselves. 

"A country-style property should integrate into the site context seamlessly, enhancing the wider landscape," says Helen Needham, architectural department manager at Oakwrights. "Local vernacular should inspire the form, scale and materials of a house."

• Build cost: £307,323
• Build time: Two years
• Location: Berkshire

Beautiful Passivhaus Self Build Home in the Woods: £308,000

Built using a steel frame, this contemporary treehouse embraces its surroundings like no other. Imaginative budget solutions combined with beautiful Passivhaus design mean this house is like no other.

(MORE: How to Choose a Construction System)

• Build cost: £308,000 (£1,540/m²)
• Build time: 4 years
• Location: Dursley, Gloucestershire

A Seaside Self Build Home: £348,000

Semi-built into the restored sea-wall this timber frame home was built to withstand the harsh Scottish coastal climate. 

• Build cost: £348,000
• Build time: 17 months
• Location: Musselburgh, near Edinburgh

Modern Home on a Sloping Plot on the Coast: £350,000

Clever design turned two old garages and a dated bungalow into a beautifully compact new home for architect Nick Purchase. 

• Build cost: £350,000
• Build time: 14 months
• Location: Cornwall

A Subterranean Family Self Build Home: £350,000

While the contemporary front elevation of this self-build looks demure, the home was designed to make the most of the former garage plot by housing the sleeping quarters underground. 

Ingeniously light, thanks to two courtyard garden and access points at the front and back, the home is ideal for the young family. 

(MORE: Read the full story)

• Build cost: £350,000
• Location: Bournemouth

A Sustainable Home Filled with Charm: £370,000

Tony and Emma Cooke combined local materials and traditional styles with the latest building technology to create their stunning new home.

(MORE: Inspiring Eco Homes)

• Build cost: £370,000 (£2,500/m²)
• Build time: 3 years
• Location: Dorset

Self Build Homes Built for £400,000 to £499,999

Barn-style Oak Self Build Home: £400,000

Dawn and Kevin Truscott built their home using local materials based on an off-the-shelf design (WOD 220) from Welsh Oak Frame. 

(MORE: Timber Frame Houses)

• Build cost: £400,000
• Build time: 110 months
• Location: Essex

New Oak Frame Home on a Greenbelt Plot: £449,000

Shelagh Krasno’s new self build home in Hampshire was built using an oak frame and features dormer windows and weatherboarding and an L-shaped design.

• Build Cost: £449,000
• Build Time: 12 months
• Location: Hampshire

Oak Frame Passivhaus: £450,000

Phil and Yvonne Garnett’s self build home is the first oak-frame home to achieve Passivhaus certification in the UK.

(MORE: Amazing Passivhaus Homes)

• Build cost: £450,000
• Build time: 13 months
• Location: Yorkshire

Oak Frame Farmhouse in the Country: £450,000

Ali and Jon Goodwin fought to expand the family farm by selfbuilding a new farmhouse for their outdoors-loving young family.

• Build cost: £450,000
• Location: Herefordshire

Modern Self Build Home: £452,000

Replacing a 1950s bungalow in Surrey, Tavia and Richard Vint created an understated and well-crafted family home for just £1,500m2. 

• Build cost: £452,000
• Location: Surrey

Light-Filled Contemporary Family Self Build Home in Scotland: £470,000

These homeowners have designed an upside down house to make the most of the location’s spectacular views. The result is a contemporary home, flooded with natural light.

• Build cost: £470,000
• Location: Fife coast, Edinburgh

Single Storey Oak Frame Home in Surrey: £491,000

Homeowners Sheila and Geoff McGaughey built an oak frame bungalow on their Conservation Area plot in Surrey. The couple worked with Border Oak to bring their vision to life.

• Build cost: £491,000
• Build time: 9 months
• Location: Surrey

Self Build Homes Built for £500,000 to £599,999

Efficient Forever Home in Coventry: £500,000

Michael and Penny Young built a beautiful oak-framed home on an infill plot, managing to combine stunning, characterful interiors with an external facade that fits with its suburban setting, 

• Build cost: £500,000
• Build time: 11 months
• Location: Coventry

A New Modern Farmhouse: £555,000

This farmhouse was designed to unite modern living with traditional design. An oak frame and SIPs infill was used to construct the home, while open-plan living and contemporary essentials (swathes of bifold doors, ground source heat pump and underfloor heating) were included. 

• Build cost: £550,000
• Build time: 14 months
• Location: Cheshire

A New Self Build Home with Old Character: £555,000

Looking for a home with character as well as the convenience of modern living, Kelly and Ben Homden finished their homes with a cream-coloured house rendering as a gentle nod to nearby Tudor houses. 

• Build cost: £550,800
• Build time: 11 months
• Location: Shropshire

A Traditional Cumbrian Self Build Home: £565,000

Michael and Gill Tate realised their long-held dream of self-building in the Lake District and designed their house to reflect the traditions of the area while utilising materials – the stone and roofing slate – from the old cottage which once stood there.

• Build cost: £565,000
• Build time: 13 months
• Location: Cumbria

Self Build Homes Built for £600,000 to £699,999

Low Maintenance and Energy Efficient Timber Frame Home: £600,000

Melvin Starling and Sandy Garfield self built their own home in Surrey using timber frame. The property has a clean, uncluttered appearance and is low maintenance and energy efficient.

• Build cost: £600,000 (£2,000/m²)
• Build time: 10 months
• Location: Surrey

Timber-clad Barn-style Self Build: £625,000

Self-builders Tracy and Steve Head knew from the outset they wanted a home with timber cladding, an overhang roof and expansive glazing on the front elevation. 

While they considered building the whole house from oak frame, the long span of the building made this impractical,. Masonry construction with an oak roof was the solution with oak featuring in the downstairs living spaces for charming aesthetics. 

• Build cost: £625,000
• Build time: 13 months
• Location: Oxfordshire

Traditional Wealden Barn House: £650,000

A Wealden-barn style design was chosen over a traditional barn-style home in order to achieve planning permission and optimum natural light throughout the building.

• Build Cost: £650,000 (£944/m²)
• Build Time: 2 Years 5 Months
• Location: Surrey

An Upside-down Accessible Self Build Home: £650,000

This self-build was designed to be two storeys, with three bedrooms, all opening out onto a terrace on the lower ground floor. The main open-plan kitchen and living spaces are on the first floor, as is an accessible bedroom and bathroom, with separate access when required. 

(MORE: How to design Lifetime Homes)

• Build cost: £650,000
• Build time: 13 months
• Location: Devon

A Handmade Self Build for a Family: £650,000

This traditional-style beach house self-build incorporates reused and reclaimed materials throughout to create instant character in the new home. 

(MORE: Building a Georgian-style House)

• Build cost: £650,000
• Location: Cornwall

Contemporary Cotswolds Home: £692,000

The limestone and oak cladding decorating this build were sourced locally and the unconventional design of the house is complimented by the comforting interior finished with open fireplaces and bamboo and slate flooring.

• Build Cost: £692,000 (£1,457/m²)
• Build Time: 1 Year
• Location: Border of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire

Self Build Homes Built for £700,000 to £799,999

Oak Frame Lakehouse: £720,000

Sensitively built, this oak frame home is a masterclass in sustainable living as the design includes both passive and active eco features.

• Build cost: £720,000 (£1,655/m²)
• Build time: 1 year 4 months
• Location: Gloucestershire

An All-Electric Self Build Home: £728,000

Built to Passivhaus standard, this all-electric home was constructed using large aerated concrete blocks (Ytong) and has 40 solar PV panels, and sir source heat pump and rainwater harvesting. 

(MORE: A Guide to Off-mains Heating)

• Build Cost: £728,200
• Build Time: 14 months
• Location: Cheshire

Striking Glazed Self Build Home: £740,000

Replacing a tired mid-1950s house, this modern love letter to wood and glass stands strong, taking full advantage of the views surrounding the plot.

• Build Cost: £740,000
• Build time: 1 year 1 month
• Region: Monmouthshire

Barn-Style Package Build: £746,000

A unique package-build experience gave way for the timber and steel clad home in the form of a contemporary-style barn.

• Build cost: £746,000 (£1,445/m²)
• Build time: 8 months
• Location: Gloucestershire

Low Maintenance Modern Home: £750,000

Suitable for retirement and completely future-proofed this cantilevered house is full of drama and wow-factor as much as it incorporates practical solutions.

• Build cost: £750,000 (£3,660/m²)
• Build time: 1 year 3 months
• Location: Dorset

Contemporary Home on a Riverside Plot: £750,000

Nigel and Alison Maddocks chose a stunning riverside location for their spectacular contemporary self build home in Worcestershire.

• Build cost: £750,000 (£2,863/m²)
• Build time: 21 months
• Location: Worcestershire

Self Build Homes Built for £800,000 to £999,999

Idyllic Eco Home for Retirement: £800,000

The homeowners journey for their home for retirement was stress-free thanks to the detailed planning and design process by Oakwrights.

• Build cost: £800,000 (£2,462/m²)
• Build time: 11 months
• Location: Isle of Wight

Future-proofed Self Build Home in Scotland: £850,000

Kenneth and Marion MacLean built a striking eco-friendly contemporary home that will cater for them as they grow older. 

A fabric first approach was taken including three major items to achieve this: a highly insulated SIPs envelope, high performance double-glazed aluminium windows and an MVHR system. 

• Build cost: £850,000
• Built time: 13 months
• Location: Edinburgh

Amazing Riverside Self Build Home: £850,000

The bold design and striking exterior of this home contrasts wonderfully with the white chalky cliffs on the brownfield plot.

Where most couples downsize as their children move out, Geoff and June Gaffney were determined to build enough space in their home to accommodate their ever-growing family.

• Build cost: £850,000
• Location: Lewes

Contemporary Woodland Self Build Home: £900,000

On a nine acre site of peaceful ancient woodland, Jane and Tim Meggit built their eco-fiendly self-build. Keen to have lots of light and inspired by Scandinavian design, they opted for a natural palette of timber and red brick and, internally, bamboo and brick for the walls.  

• Build cost: £900,000
• Build time: 11 months
• Location: West Sussex

A Sustainable and Flexible Self Build: £900,000

Filled with sustainable qualities – including high levels of airtightness, insulation and renewables – and low-toxicity materials, this self-build was designed to fit in with it's more traditional surroundings by using barn-like forms. 

The two mains strictures are linked by a stunning atrium while a stone wall leading off one side of the house hides a much more contemporary living room from the road. 

• Build cost: £900,000
• Build time: 15 months
• Location: Maidenhead

Self Build Homes Built for £1,000,000 and over

Contemporary Costal Self Build Home: £1,000,000

Nestled into a sloping site, this modern home (designed by van Ellen Sheryn Architects) replaced a dated bungalow. 

Built in ICF, the house features copious amounts of glazing, a swimming pool and bright open-plan living interiors. 

• Build cost: £1,000,000
• Build time: 148months
• Location: Devon

American-style Traditional Home with Smart Tech: £1,000,000

In an effort to create a bright home for their family, Ellie and Alan Inskip crafted a New England-inspired self build. The house has Sonos in every room and smart lighting controlled by a panel which can set moods and themes. 

• Build cost: £1,000,000
• Build time: 13 months
• Location: Hampshire

Remarkable Oak Frame Forever Home: £1,200,000

Despite the sensitive, historic nature of their plot, as well as the fact that it was prone to flooding, Rachel and Darren Luke have overcome every challenge to build a stunning, oak frame ‘forever’ home.

• Build cost: £1,200,000

A Coastal Self Build Home: £1,250,000

With a form made from a series of irregular shaped this self-build home rises to a central truncated triangle of glass which faces the ocean, offering amazing coastal views and a private access to the beach. 

• Build cost: £1,250,000
• Build time: 22 months
• Location: Kent

Period-style Farmhouse: £1,350,000

Looking for a traditional Suffolk farmhouse aesthetic, the self-builders of this period-style farmhouse were keen for the design to look as natural as possible. 

Attention to detail was key, from the new clay roof tiles mixed with a few reclaimed tiles to give the roof a pre-weathered look to the specific colour of the brickwork.  

• Build cost: £1,350,000
• Build time: 15 months
• Location: Cambridgshire

Modern and Eco-friendly Package Home: £1,800,000

Anya and Robin Nuttall chose a package build to create their dream family home. Facit Homes offered them an all-in-one build with set finances, project management and an off-site construction. 

• Build cost: £1,800,000
• Build time: 18 months
• Location: London