SUSTAINABLE. FLEXIBLE. RELIABLE. SIP’s. SELF BUILDERS

Deciding to build your own home is a daunting but hugely exciting step to take. For many, it’s the realisation of a life long dream and the single biggest financial investment they will ever make. It stands to reason therefore that you would want to be sure you are going about things the right way and protecting yourself and you bank balance!

There are many sites offering an often bewildering and conflicting array of advice on the matter so it’s no wonder many self builders are unsure where to start.

K-Panels have partnered with hundreds of self builders through the years, and experienced the highs and the lows of building the dream alongside people from every walk of life.

In the following points we aim to throw some light on what factors contribute to a successful build and minimise the pressures many self builders experience, we hope you find this useful and informative when planning you self build property.

1. FIND THE RIGHT PLOT Building a house is a labour of love, and unless you’re lucky enough to be in the position to outsource every aspect of your project management then your plot will be where you spend A LOT of time over the coming months.

However, choosing the right plot isn’t just about picking a place with nice views close to desirable schools, it’s much more. Purchasing the wrong plot can add £££’s to the cost of a build.

When viewing plots, look at it though the eyes of a builder, or better still, take a trusted expert with you who can spot potential problems you may miss. Ask yourself if there is anything which would make the site tricky to build on? For instance, are there overhead cables? This is often overlooked but having to add in the cost of safely burying overhead power lines to enable access for the build can add thousands to your budget. What is the access like? Can a vehicle park up outside and drop off pallets of material without disrupting flow of traffic? Is there an area where you can store materials where the risk of theft or vandalism will be minimised?

Once on site, how will you provide contractors with basic welfare facilities? At the very least your team of hard working builders will need somewhere “attend to nature” and heat up water for the many cups of tea which will be consumed as your home takes shape.

Also, befriend the neighbours! The attitude of those surrounding your plot can make the difference between an easy build and months of fraught conflict with adjacent dwellings.

We have encountered self builders who have had terrible experiences with angry neighbours who don’t take kindly to noisy works going off on their doorstep. We have heard of one particularly unfortunate instance police intervention was needed when a disgruntled neighbour set a dog on a self builder after relationships turned sour.

A little relationship building before the shovel hits soil will go a long way towards making life easy for yourself when your neighbours are woken up with generators firing up at 8am. So, visit the neighbours and introduce yourself. Make them aware of your plans, try to involve them and work out ways to minimise the disruption to their homes and families.

2. APPOINT EXPERTS IN THE RIGHT FIELDSIt goes without saying you want the best you can get when it comes to the professionals you trust with your build, but it’s important to remember to look for experience of building and designing in the materials you want to build with.

Some builders have only ever built with bricks and mortar and my have a fantastic portfolio of traditionally built houses. However, if you intend to build using a different material, this may be unchartered territory for them, so ask questions of your experts and ensure your expectations are aligned.

Many self builders make the mistake of investing in an architect who favours one method of building only to discover their contractor flatly refuses to employ that technique on site and when this happens it’s often literally a case of “back to the drawing board” adding time and expense to your project.

A good contractor will be honest about their preferred method of building and will offer guidance and help at the early stages whilst the project is still in design, eliminating the need for expensive remedial work later.

3. CHOOSE YOUR BUILDING FABRIC CAREFULLY AND BUDGET ACCORDINGLYThere are many, many ways to build a house. Some companies offer a turn key solution but of course, the additional service comes at an additional cost.

The most common route we see self builders take is choosing is self management, meaning it’s up to the self builder and architects to specify their building fabric, their cladding, fittings and finishes.

If you are building to certain sustainability requirements such as Passivhaus or the Code for Sustainable Homes there are many products which will help you achieve a super efficient building envelope which will reduce the need for renewable technologies which are often a key expenditure in sustainable builds.

Do your research and decide on what building fabric best suits your needs, visit sites and speak to people who have built with the same materials. Cutting corners here can mean unforeseen expenses and time added to your build so it’s important to budget sensibly.

We know that shopping for your building fabric is not even half as exciting as picking out your dream kitchen or bathroom but it IS the material that’s going to make sure there’s something to stop your kitchen getting rained on, so it’s important to be realistic.

It is not uncommon for self builders to allocate a budget to their building fabric which was less than half of the budget allocated for manufacture of luxury interior items.

Be prepared to make allowances for the building fabric which is right for your needs and if it nibbles into the decor finances, remember it is more cost effective to replace decor you may have fallen out of love with than it is to carry out major structural alterations.

4. PLAN FOR THE FUTURE The savviest self builders we meet are those who build for tomorrow and the days and years after that. A prime example would be a large family who commissioned us to build a luxury five bedroom development. However, they built it in such a way that in a few years when their children would be moving into their own homes, the house could easily be converted to a smaller dwelling for it’s remaining inhabitants, and an adjoining dwelling which they could rent out to generate revenue into their old age.

Details such habitable roof space and formed skylights incorporated into the building fabric by fitting timbers within closed wall panels which could later be uncovered then cut out with minimal labour were included in the design. So when alterations were carried out to make the rental dwelling more appealing the works needed would be small and cost minimal alterations effectively removing the need to sell and downsize in years to come.

When you build your home ask yourself will it still suit your needs in 20 years. If the answer is no then discuss with your designer how you can future proof your design to ensure you can enjoy it for as long as you wish too.

5. ENJOY THE ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE THAT IS BUILDING YOUR DREAM PROPERTYThe good news is that despite the many hurdles a self builder must overcome, building your own house need not be a stressful experience.

If you plan carefully and carefully consider what you want from a home there is no reason your build will not run smoothly and finish on budget.

When self builders have bad experiences it can often be traced back to a lack of research and planning at the early stages so the key is to do your homework, consider your findings and then do some more!

Successful self builders go to shows, seminars and network with others who are going through a similar experience.

Internet forums, social networking and trade publications make the exchange of information easy and accessible to everyone.

If you encounter a hiccup in your build approach others who have built their home for advice and most importantly, get involved as much as you can!

You never hear a contractor complain that a self builder is an ever present figure on site so get to know your team and ask them to keep you updated so you can feel a part of the build process.

After all, your project is the return on all the hard work you have invested so don some wellies, go to your plot and watch it take shape.

Many of our self builders even visit the factory and watch the team manufacture the panels which will one day form their home. The more involved you are, the more rewarding the experience.

Lastly remember our first point; building your own home is a labour of love. It should be something you enjoy being a part of and when the last of the dust is swept up, tools are packed away and the scaffold comes down, take immense pride in standing back and admiring your achievements before going inside and getting started on the next project. The housewarming!

For more information on how to make Self Building work for you, please contact our office:

0845 2260 214or visit our website

www.k-panels.co.uk