Build your own home - UK

[NewbieRaf]

Hey All

Does anyone know of a company that offers an end to end solution on building your own home I.e helps or has land to sell, planning permission and so on?

located in Hampshire I am looking for a needle in a haystack in terms of what we want from our next home, and wondered if the above exists? There are lots of home builders out there but not a lot that incorporates land if that makes sense

any suggestions welcome

thanks

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

When we were first looking at moving I discussed this with an architect I knew through work - his view was that the best way to approach it is to find a bungalow on a decent plot in an area you like, and alter it - you can quite often get planning to add another storey and extend in all directions, and it's much easier than finding an empty plot and doing things that way.

We ended up doing that - small extension to the front which more than doubled the size of the kitchen, blocked up a window, moved some internal walls and the hot water tank, and the result was a house with a much better layout and more usable space, and a much easier journey through planning.

 

[Ollie78]

My parents were looking into turnkey solutions and found a company called Dan home they are Polish manufactured I think, so god knows what brexit has done to screw with them.
They offer a vast range of timber framed stuff of all sizes and all customizable.
They visited a few and all the owners were pleased with the warmth, they are so well insulated you have to have a ventilation system with heat pumps etc.
If I remember they will do all planing stuff but you must organise the groundwork (slab ) and get the services in to their spec. After that they crane the bits in and it's done in a week.


Edit they are called Danwood Dan-Wood house

Ollie

 

[Spectric]

his view was that the best way to approach it is to find a bungalow on a decent plot in an area you like, and alter it - you can quite often get planning to add another storey and extend in all directions,

I worked with a guy down south who did just this and others in the area had also done similar, problem only arose when he came to sell and found out that the two remaining bungalows near him were valued higher than his because of a shortage in bungalows and an excess in houses in that area.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

I worked with a guy down south who did just this and others in the area had also done similar, problem only arose when he came to sell and found out that the two remaining bungalows near him were valued higher than his because of a shortage in bungalows and an excess in houses in that area.

Ooops.

I think it makes quite a difference whether you're doing it to sell, or to build the house you're going to stay in forever.

 

[Spectric]

I think it makes quite a difference whether you're doing it to sell, or to build the house you're going to stay in forever.

Thats great to see someone differentiating between a house and a home, shame more people cannot see a home and not an investment.

 

[artie]

I have two friends who built their own homes, both swear they would never do it again.

One took a year off work to do his, the other just took days when needed.

One was lucky enough to have the land, the other bought a small field from a farmer and got approvals etc on his own, which saved a hefty sum.

If I was doing it I would find an experienced builder and give him half a years salary to supervise for me.

But it doesn't matter how much you plan, when it's finished you'll say, "If I had to do it again, I wouldn't do it that way."

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Thats great to see someone differentiating between a house and a home, shame more people cannot see a home and not an investment.

We bought with the intention of staying - at most we might retire to the seaside, but I'd be quite happy staying here.

Took a year and a half in total - about six months of architect design and going through planning, and a year of building works and refurbishment, and it was worth it - helped that we weren't living here at the time. There's not much I'd have done differently to be fair - maybe spend a bit more on the bathrooms, but we were at the limit of our budget and they'll need redoing before I'm due to retire anyways.

 

[clogs]

I looked at a programe about the German HUFF house.....
for ease of life I'd be going that route....
At 72 to old to start again and to young stand back and let others do it.....
If I remember after the slab is layed to their specs....it's about a fortnight until u get the keys...and that was a 2 storey house....

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

I quite like the Huff style, but they're very not-cheap.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My father was a builder - he always said spend your money below the downstairs floor and above the upstairs ceiling, everything else can be altered afterwards. There's a lot to be said for that.

 

[NewbieRaf]

Thanks so much all. I personally am not so sure that firstly I want to undertake such a big project even just to get a slab and services ready as I have a demanding day job and we are currently going through the terrible twos with my two year old son. Most certainly we are looking for a forever home with a long long list of stuff we want which I am 200% sure we won’t find - that’s just the reality. If we can’t/won’t build our home, I think we are likely to target those developers that build maybe 5 or 6 plots on a small development where the new build quality is higher than the average Taylor Wimpy, Barret homes and so on. The trouble is trying to find them

 

[Jameshow]

Can you not find a self build co-operative? Our previous house was one built in the 1960's the community was still evident and keen to help each other.

Perhaps look in the new build magazines / forums?

Also it seems certain areas like Devon and Cornwall / mid Wales / Scotland seem to have many more plots than the home counties / Midlands / Yorkshire.

Cheers James

 

[NewbieRaf]

Great idea thanks James

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Can you not find a self build co-operative? Our previous house was one built in the 1960's the community was still evident and keen to help each other.

Perhaps look in the new build magazines / forums?

Also it seems certain areas like Devon and Cornwall / mid Wales / Scotland seem to have many more plots than the home counties / Midlands / Yorkshire.

Cheers James

Plots in Cornwall? Good luck with that.

 

[glenfield2]

Hey All

Does anyone know of a company that offers an end to end solution on building your own home I.e helps or has land to sell, planning permission and so on?

located in Hampshire I am looking for a needle in a haystack in terms of what we want from our next home, and wondered if the above exists? There are lots of home builders out there but not a lot that incorporates land if that makes sense

any suggestions welcome

thanks

Potton do that sort of thing IIRC.
https://www.potton.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4vvxyo-f9QIViLbtCh2_VABLEAAYASAAEgKSa_D_BwE

 

[George B]

This is an article that stuck in my mind.
How to build your own house: a beginner’s guide

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...2?shareToken=31f52d514098ed4a65425e067837d5d0

 

[NewbieRaf]

Thank you that looks to be right on the money although it’s part of the kingsman group so not sure that their reputation is like but will check it out

 

[hairy]

Good luck with your search.
I believe if you buy a croft as long as you live more than about 30 miles away you can get a grant to help build on it, that plot then gets sliced off from the (tenanted) croft itself so you own it allowing a mortgage. Finding a croft might be tricky and prices are rising it seems.
As a for instance for structure, no experience, HebHomes | About Us

 

[NewbieRaf]

Thanks what is Croft?