Beginner’s guide to self-build
BUILDING IN THE GARDEN
After living in a large and draughty 17th-century listed house, Jo and John Hawes decided to build a traditional oak-frame house in their garden. As they required access through their neighbour’s garden which had successfully achieved planning for multiple new homes, the couple decided to embark on a project of Herculean proportions — to build two stunning houses while also renovating the listed house. is another key requirement for unlocking the land’s potential (more on which later).
If you do identify land with the hallmarks of a potential building plot (for instance, it doesn’t fall outside the settlement boundary or contravene other national and local planning policies), there is nothing to stop you applying for planning permission, even if you do not own the land. If you do opt for this route, ensure you have a contract in place with the owner to ensure you can purchase the plot for an agreed sum if you do successfully obtain planning permission.
More commonly, you will have purchased a plot with outline or full planning permission already in place. The good news is, you can re-apply for planning permission for a design which more closely resembles your dream home. That said, the existing design and planning history of the plot should give you a good clue about the likely success of, say, increasing the approval from a bungalow to a two-storey home.
What to pay
The price of your plot will reflect the local housing market. Ideally, the real value of a plot should equal the end value of house minus the total build cost (visit www.homebuilding.co.uk/calculator). You should also try to factor in any ‘additional’ costs (see page 187) and put aside 10-30% of your build cost to cover any unexpected expenses.typically, self-builders pay between £100,000 and £275,000 for a plot. However, this varies across the country, with many affordable plots on offer in Scotland, while the South East and counties such as Cheshire are home to some of the UK’S most expensive building plots.
What to look out for when assessing plots l Ensure planning permission has not expired and is not about to expire
when you purchase your
plot.there is no guarantee that reapplications will succeed.
When searching for a plot, keep an eye out for access. “Access arrangements to building plots should be clear and the land required to gain access should extend directly up to the adopted highway. If this isn’t possible, the land concerned should at least have a legal right to cross third party land to access the plot in perpetuity,” explains self-build expert Mark Stevenson. “The lack of a legal right of access could prevent its development or prove costly in agreeing a settlement to cross what’s known as a ‘ransom strip’.”this should be reflected in the plot’s cost, or negotiated prior to purchase.
These may be restrictions, which limit the use of the land or the ways that it might be
llTOP TIP: GET INSURANCE LINED UP Self-build projects require specialist insurance to ensure that you are protected in the event of public liability issues (should anyone trespass on your building site, for instance), as well as issues such as fire and storm damage. It’s a good idea to buy insurance as soon as you exchange contracts on your plot
Check access: Check for covenants:
developed, or overages — obligations that ensure a previous owner benefits from future development, which may involve payment to the previous owner.
In most cases it will only take a quick look to ensure services are in place, but if services are not available, then it pays to do some research into your options and the costs. In the pre-purchase and assessment stage, if there are no service connections, it’s a good idea to begin establishing the likely costs of bringing services to site. If there’s no time to get
lSTUDY THE LOCAL AREA
Think like a developer and search out opportunities others overlook. Get out and about in your chosen area or use Google Maps to look for homes on large plots that have either a large side garden, or infill land.
SIGN UP TO PLOTFINDER.NET
Register with specialist plot services like Plotfinder.net, which collects information from those selling land (including estate agents and individuals not selling elsewhere) and makes it available via subscription.
CONTACT EXPERTS
Some package companies, such as Potton and Border Oak, hold lists of available plots online.
lllAre services on site already?
VISIT LOCAL AUCTIONS
Many opportunities are sold via auction, so establish who the key agents are in your area and get on their lists for catalogues. If you haven’t been to an auction previously, go and experience one first hand in order to familiarise yourself with the process.
CHECK YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITY’S WEBSITE Check recent planning applications on your local authority’s website. In most cases, the details of the owner or agent are included on the application. There is nothing to stop you contacting them directly. They may want to build themselves. If they don’t, buying directly can save them estate agent fees.
llquotations, you can assess where and whether utilities are close by looking for manholes, overhead lines or access and inspection chambers. Off-mains options for heating and hot water, and drainage, are readily available. l
Ensure the title deeds are ‘absolute’ rather than ‘possessory’,
or negotiate on the plot price accordingly.
lFinally, read our in-depth guide
to assessing plots online: www.homebuilding.co.uk/building-plothow-to-assess-its-potential.