Part 3 Mapping out the project

As we get closer to finalising the technical design, we need to make core specification decisions and appoint the key partners who will deliver the superstructure of the Build It Education House. Chris Bates looks at what’s involved

In the last issue, I looked in detail at how we came up with the design for Build It’s Self Build Education House. Most of us don’t get too many shots at creating our dream home, so it’s worth taking your time over this stage to make sure you get it right. Putting your focus on making detailed decisions now may feel a bit frustrating when you’re itching to get your project underway, but in the long run it will always work out quicker and cheaper than making alterations when you’re halfway through the works.

Our site is on Graven Hill in Bicester, the UK’S biggest self build opportunity, with over 1,900 bespoke homes set to be created over the next 10 years. The development has an overarching planning permission in place. So if you’re buying a site, you know that provided your scheme falls within the design code and any individual parameters identified on the corresponding Plot Passport (eg in terms of ridge heights and total living area), it should get the go-ahead under a 28-day, fast-track planning approval scheme.

The Build It Education House project is a little different to the standard Graven Hill experience in that we needed to put in a full application, as our plot is just outside their main Phase 1 site. From drawing up the initial brief through to securing planning permission took around five months in total. The process was very much collaborative. Opinder Liddar from Lapd Architects came up with a sketch scheme that responded well to the brief. From there, it was a case of trying out ideas and finessing layouts and elevations until we had the final design that went in for approval.

At this point, the excitement was tangible and things really started motoring. For planning purposes, we’d already made broad selections on a number of external materials – but now we needed to pull together the technical package for Building Regs purposes, which meant the decisions came thick and fast. So this month I’m going to share a few of the key choices we’ve made on the core structural materials, give you an overview of our expected project timeline and how we’ll be managing the scheme on the ground.

Choosing a building route

One factor that has the potential to feed into a host of design and procurement decisions is how you’re going to run your scheme on the ground. Do you want to take an active role throughout the project, or would you prefer to stand back and let the professionals take care of things for you?

The former route can offer the potential for cost savings, as you take on more of the risk (eg if costs rise), but you do need to be realistic about whether you have the time and the skills to successfully bring a building project in on time and on budget. There’s no right or wrong answer here – ultimately it comes down to your personal circumstances. Log on to www.self-build.co.uk/project-management for an in-depth guide to how the different routes could benefit you.

Part of the reasoning behind the Self Build Education House is that it offers an unrivalled opportunity to give you a detailed insight into what’s involved in designing and constructing a house from the ground up. As the editor of Build It (and a trained site carpenter) I was always going to take a lead on the project management duties – but I also have a full-time job producing the magazine, not to mention the fact that I live over an hour away from our plot. So, like many self builders, I can’t spare the time to be on site 24/7.

The Build It House is also slightly unusual in that, in some core parts of the project, we’ll be working with partners who will deliver their work on a supply-and-fix basis rather than the usual supply-only. What’s more, Graven Hill operates a Golden Brick approach to providing its serviced plots –