How much of your self-build will you build yourself?

Turnkey v hands-on

For people who have never considered a self-build project for their new home, that phrase can be very misleading. ‘What? You are going to build it yourself?’ people ask you in horror.

If you are a tradesman or woman, then yes, you might well contribute your labours to the property, whether your skill is ground work, roofing, joinery, plastering or decorating.

It makes common sense to have some free labour on the project.

Or your skills might lie in administration and logistics and the idea of bringing together a team of specialist trades, sourcing supplies, handling the paperwork arranging the finance and having everyone and everything in place doesn’t faze you. If that is the case, then go for it! Don’t dismiss this part of the self-build. The fine art of having the right people, materials and plant where you need them at the right time, helps to keep costs down.

The decision to project manage yourself is often based purely on financial circumstances, with self-builders choosing to take on the job themselves in a bid to save money. But you are still a self-builder if you go for the turnkey option, just as much as if you were using a cement mixer on site. A turnkey project, with everything from finding the land through to planning permission to garden landscaping, can be worth its weight in gold.

Any builder, contractor or trade will tell you the thing that drives them crazy the most is a client who drags their heels in getting back to them. They cannot carry the cost of this extra time and it will be added to your bill.

Often there will be decisions that have to be made there and then.

So if your work is demanding, you have to be out of contact due to this or have to travel, it makes common sense to go for the turnkey approach.

Or you could decide to appoint a main contractor on a design and build basis. At the heart of the self-build is a desire to have a unique house that you want, one that meets you and your family’s needs and reflects your own personal tastes and desires.

The ‘self’ is still very much there in a turnkey project as you build the house that best reflects this.

Always remember, whatever route you decide - be it project-manage yourself or a turn-key project - it is vital you have an excellent system to store all paperwork and emails.