EDITOR’S LETTER

Claire Lloyd has been a member of the Homebuilding & Renovating team for 14 years. She’s currently in the midst of another renovation.

This summer delivered some good news for budding self-builders: the Help to Build equity loan opened for applications in England. The equity loan will provide up to 20% (or 40% within London) of the estimated cost of buying a plot and building your own home. This element of the Help to Build scheme is designed to help address one of the key barriers preventing some from being able to self-build: accessing finance.

The equity loan could mean that those with lower deposits, who may not have previously been eligible for a self-build mortgage, could now be so. As Andrew Baddeley-chappell, CEO of industry body, the National Custom and Self Build Association, says of the launch: “Help to Build is important because it opens up custom and self-build as an option to those with smaller budgets and in particular smaller savings.” Visit www.gov.uk/apply-for-help-to-build-equity-loan to find out the full details and how to apply.

Moving on to this issue. For those hoping to turn their loft into an extra bedroom, a home office or extra living space, quantity surveyor Tim Phillips provides his advice on the allimportant costs of doing so. His comprehensive guide, on page 121, also breaks down the factors which can influence the cost. And if you’re looking to convert disused space, planning consultant Simon Rix provides a quick run-down on the planning rules regarding garage conversions, on page 107. We’ve also collected together some great ideas for creating more space without extending on page 134. I hope you enjoy the issue.