DO IT YOURSELF

“The fact of the matter is that with some practical ability, some building experience, and a lot of time and patience, it is possible to achieve quite a lot”

John Price ( above), who built his own 226m2 home ( left) over four years

Clearly this is the most hands-on build route — and also the cheapest. But it’s not a task to be taken lightly. You may need to combine the physically demanding tasks of groundworks, bricklaying and roofing with skilled tasks such as plumbing and plastering. There is, of course, nothing to stop you mixing your own labour with boughtin labour where required; bear in mind that your own lack of experience might mean that you are likely to be slower than those around you and you’ll need to ensure that you’re not holding up the build process. DIY is typically the only way that it is possible these days to build your home on a shoestring budget, which may be easier to manage than with the other routes as the only outgoings are for materials. You’ll need to factor into the equation, however – particularly if you’re giving up work for a period to take on this role – the lost earnings you’ll miss out on in addition to the extra interest payments and other costs (ie rent or scaffold hire) incurred through your undoubtedly slower progress. Extra cost might be accrued if you need to bring in a professional to correct any mistakes that you have made, and you will be faced with far more stringent inspections from warranty and building inspectors.