Protecting your self-build project

Ensuring you have the correct insurance in place can give you peace of mind

Whether you’re building a new home, renovating, extending or converting, things can go wrong, so make sure that you get the relevant insurances and protections in place as soon as you have purchased the land. Here are simple things that can be done to reduce the risks.

When purchasing a Self-build Zone Site Insurance policy, check your sums insured (the cost of rebuilding from scratch) carefully, bearing in mind the type and size of project.

Written contracts are a must right from the start. If you don’t have them in place, you will have little protection from your Legal Expenses policy which is included with your site insurance. Irrespective of this, verbal contracts don’t prove that a contract was in place. Changes and variations to the contract, often forgotten, also need to be evidenced. You can find information and templates on our Contractstore package on our website and these are available as a package or individually.

If you want to sell the house in within 10 years, your buyer will probably require a warranty (which you can transfer to them), so organise a 10-year Structural Warranty for peace of mind. Retrospective warranties on completed houses are expensive and not accepted by all lenders.

4 Arrange for your warranty audits before you commence work. The additional audit checks carried out by the warranty surveyors are over and above (compliance) inspections by the building control body — which adds another layer of protection for you and your project.

Make sure that any warranty you buy is backed by an A-rated insurer. In the last few years, at least three unrated warranty insurers have withdrawn from the market, leaving many customers having to purchase another policy.

Give prompt notice of any claim — taking notes, keeping all receipts and taking photos frequently, as you go, can all help your case in the event of a claim.

Make sure you fully understand your obligations under the CDM Regulations 2015. These regulations apply to self-builders too, so don’t get caught out!

Put aside an adequate contingency fund, as most projects go over time and over budget. Even better, use a qualified project manager.

For more information on Site Insurance and protecting your project go to www.selfbuildzone.com, call 0345 2309874 or email sales@selfbuildzone.com.