Self Build

A self build is a very exciting and rewarding proposition. It can also be very challenging and hard work. There are so many things to consider when thinking about building your own home, plots, planning, permission, labour, house type etc etc. Making sure your finances are in place should be your first port of call. With so many self build mortgages available and so many different features found within these mortgages its imperative you speak to a professional mortgage advisor to discuss you plans and borrowing needs. Its worth noting that many lenders will now offer payments in advance of your build starting and in advance of each stage being started, this helps enormously with cash flow.

We do not charge a fee for mortgage advice. However, we do offer a purely fee based option of up to 1.5% of the mortgage amount.

10 Tips on Self Build

1. Someone who has already done a self build will prove to be a wealth of knowledge, make a friend with someone if you can. Also any tradesman such as builders, joiners, plumbers etc that you know can be a huge source of help and advice prior to and during the build.
2. There are some great magazines available for self builders with loads of inspirational ideas and useful advice.
3. There is some good potential savings to be made if you manage the project yourself, this task can be very time consuming and is not for the faint hearted.
4. Planning is all important with a self build, write everything down.
5. It's a nice to idea to record a build journal, whether with still photography or video camera. All that hard work will be forgotten in years to come if you don’t record it.
6. Don't rush into buying a plot, especially if you plan to live there for some time. Consider finding a plot before you decide on a house type as often the house needs to be designed to fit in with the plot.
7. Get lots of quotes for architects, builders, landscape gardeners etc. Their fees can vary greatly, you could save a fortune if your prepared to search.
8. It may cost you more initially to use a project manager but they should save you a lot of hassle and they could save you money in the long run.
9. There are many exhibitions up and down the country and they could be well worth a visit.
10. Always, always over estimate.